Love 美式爱情（2）

The American concept of love and romance begins with dating. Young people date in several ways. At first they might have group dates with several boys and girls together. Later, they start going on single dates-just one boy and one girl. Sometimes a boy and a girl will go to a movie. Maybe they will go to a party at a friend's house. Or they might go out to eat.

美国人的观念认为爱情和罗曼史是从约会开始的。年轻人约会有几种情况。刚开始，他会有群体式的约会，就是几个男生几个女生一起约出去。之后，他们才开始单独的约会，就是一男一女。有时他们会去看电影，也可能去朋友家聚餐，或者到外面吃饭。

When two couples go out together, we call it double dating. A friend might even arrange a blind date for you with someone you don't know. That doesn't mean you keep your eyes closed the whole evening! You just don't know who your partner will be until the time for the date. If someone asks you for any kind of date, and you don't want to go, you may politely say, "No, thanks."

当有两对一起出去时，我们称之为「两对式约会」，甚至朋友也会安排你不认识的人帮你相亲。所谓相亲（blind date）并不是指让你整晚都把眼睛蒙起来，而是一直要等到约会那天你才知道对象是谁。如果有人以任何一种方式约你，但你不想去，你只管礼貌地说：「谢谢你，我不去。」

Conversation II
会话二

Jeff: Hi, Tanya! Boy, it's freezing today, isn't it?
杰夫：嗨！田雅，老天！今天真冷啊！

Tanya: You're not kidding! I'm glad I'm wearing a hat and gloves!
田雅：你说得没错，我真庆幸戴了帽子和手套！

Jeff: Yeah, you look warm all bundled up like that. Say, I was wondering, would you like to go to the Valentine's banquet with me next week?
杰夫：是啊！你裹得那样看起来很暖和。我在想你下星期要不要和我去参加情人节的宴会？