Cranford — Page 4

English → Chinese CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

"You must keep thinking about the time, my dear, and not allow yourself to forget it in conversation."

「你必须时刻留意时间，亲爱的，不要让自己在交谈中忘了它。」

As everybody had this rule in their minds, whether they received or paid a call, of course no absorbing subject was ever spoken about.

由于每个人心中都记着这条规矩，无论是拜访他人还是接待来客，自然从来不会谈及任何引人入胜的话题。

We kept ourselves to short sentences of small talk, and were punctual to our time.

我们只说些简短的闲话，并且严格遵守时间。

I imagine that a few of the gentlefolks of Cranford were poor, and had some difficulty in making both ends meet; but they were like the Spartans, and concealed their smart under a smiling face.

我猜克兰福德的一些绅士淑女其实家境贫寒，入不敷出；但他们如同斯巴达人一般，以微笑掩盖自己的辛酸。

We none of us spoke of money, because that subject savoured of commerce and trade, and though some might be poor, we were all aristocratic.

我们从不谈论金钱，因为那个话题带有商贾之气，尽管有些人或许贫穷，但我们都自视为贵族阶层。

The Cranfordians had that kindly _esprit de corps_ which made them overlook all deficiencies in success when some among them tried to conceal their poverty.

克兰福德人拥有一种善意的团体精神，当他人竭力掩饰自己的贫困时，他们便会对其种种不足之处视而不见。

Vocabulary

你: nǐ — Second person singular pronoun meaning 'you'.
必须: bìxū — Must; indicating obligation or necessity.
时刻: shíkè — Moment; at all times; every instant.
留意: liúyì — Pay attention to; be mindful of something.
时间: shíjiān — Time; a measurable period or duration.
亲爱的: qīn'ài de — Dear; beloved; affectionate term of address.
不要: bùyào — Do not; used to express prohibition or warning.
让: ràng — Let; allow; cause someone to do something.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; refers back to the subject of a sentence.
在: zài — In; at; indicates location or ongoing action.
交谈: jiāotán — Converse; engage in mutual conversation with someone.
中: zhōng — In; within; inside a place or process.
忘了: wàngle — Forgot; to have lost memory of something.
它: tā — It; third person pronoun for objects or animals.
由于: yóuyú — Due to; because of; owing to a reason.
每个人: měi gè rén — Everyone; each and every person without exception.
心中: xīnzhōng — In one's heart; within one's mind or thoughts.
都: dōu — All; both; indicates universality or inclusiveness.
记着: jìzhe — Keeping in mind; remembering something continuously.
这条: zhè tiáo — This (measure word for rules, roads, etc.).
规矩: guīju — Rule; established custom or code of conduct.
无论是: wúlùn shì — Regardless of whether; no matter which situation.
拜访: bàifǎng — Visit; pay a formal call on someone.
他人: tārén — Others; other people; those besides oneself.
还是: háishi — Or; still; used in alternatives or questions.
接待: jiēdài — Receive; host; welcome guests or visitors formally.
来客: láikè — Incoming guests; visitors who have arrived.
自然: zìrán — Naturally; of course; without force or artifice.
从来: cónglái — Always; never (with negative); from the past until now.
不会: bùhuì — Will not; unable to; lack of likelihood or ability.
谈及: tánjí — Touch upon; mention; bring up in conversation.
任何: rènhé — Any; whatever; used before nouns for universality.
引人入胜: yǐn rén rù shèng — Captivating; fascinating; drawing people in deeply.
的: de — Structural particle linking modifier to noun.
话题: huàtí — Topic; subject of conversation or discussion.
我们: wǒmen — We; us; first person plural pronoun.
只: zhǐ — Only; merely; just; limiting what follows.
说些: shuō xiē — Say some; speak a few words or remarks.
简短: jiǎnduǎn — Brief; short; concise in length or expression.
闲话: xiánhuà — Small talk; idle chat; casual conversation.
并且: bìngqiě — And; moreover; furthermore; in addition to that.
严格: yángé — Strict; rigorous; adhering closely to rules.
遵守: zūnshǒu — Abide by; comply with; observe rules or agreements.
我猜: wǒ cāi — I guess; I suppose; expressing a personal supposition.
一些: yīxiē — Some; a few; an unspecified small number.
绅士: shēnshì — Gentleman; a man of refinement and good manners.
淑女: shūnǚ — Lady; a refined and well-mannered woman.
其实: qíshí — Actually; in fact; revealing the true situation.
家境: jiājìng — Family financial circumstances; household economic situation.
贫寒: pínhán — Poor; impoverished; living in financial hardship.
入不敷出: rù bù fū chū — Income insufficient to cover expenses; living beyond means.
但: dàn — But; however; introducing a contrasting statement.
他们: tāmen — They; them; third person plural pronoun.
如同: rútóng — Just like; similar to; in the same manner as.
一般: yībān — Like; general; in the same way as something.
以: yǐ — Use; by means of; with; employing something.
微笑: wēixiào — Smile; a gentle, pleasant facial expression.
掩盖: yǎngài — Cover up; conceal; hide something from others.
辛酸: xīnsuān — Bitterness; hardship; painful and sorrowful experience.
从不: cóng bù — Never; not once; at no point in time.
谈论: tánlùn — Discuss; talk about; converse on a topic.
金钱: jīnqián — Money; currency; financial wealth in general.
因为: yīnwèi — Because; since; giving the reason for something.
那个: nàge — That; referring to a previously mentioned thing.
带有: dàiyǒu — To carry; to have; bearing a certain quality.
商贾: shānggǔ — Merchants; traders; people engaged in commerce.
之气: zhī qì — Aura of; spirit of; characteristic atmosphere of.
尽管: jǐnguǎn — Although; even though; despite a certain situation.
有些人: yǒuxiē rén — Some people; certain individuals among a group.
或许: huòxǔ — Perhaps; maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility.
贫穷: pínqióng — Poor; impoverished; lacking sufficient money or resources.
自视为: zì shì wéi — Regard oneself as; consider oneself to be.
贵族: guìzú — Aristocracy; nobility; people of high social class.
阶层: jiēcéng — Social stratum; class level within a society.
拥有: yōngyǒu — Possess; own; have something as one's own.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; a type of; one sort of.
善意: shànyì — Goodwill; benevolent intention toward others.
团体: tuántǐ — Group; organization; a collective body of people.
精神: jīngshén — Spirit; mindset; mental or moral attitude.
当: dāng — When; while; at the time that something happens.
竭力: jiélì — Do one's utmost; try with all one's strength.
掩饰: yǎnshì — Conceal; disguise; cover up faults or true feelings.
贫困: pínkùn — Poverty; destitution; state of being very poor.
时: shí — When; at the time of; during a situation.
便会: biàn huì — Then will; consequently would; resulting naturally.
对: duì — Toward; regarding; in relation to something.
其: qí — Its; their; a formal pronoun for third person.
种种: zhǒngzhǒng — Various; all kinds of; numerous types of things.
不足: bùzú — Insufficiency; shortcoming; falling short of a standard.
之处: zhī chù — Aspects; points; places where something exists.
视而不见: shì ér bù jiàn — Turn a blind eye; look but deliberately not see.

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