The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People — Page 6
It is a very ungentlemanly thing to read a private cigarette case.
翻阅别人私人的香烟盒，这是非常不绅士的行为。
Oh! it is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read and what one shouldn't.
哦！对于什么该看、什么不该看定下一成不变的规矩，这是荒谬的。
More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn't read.
现代文化有一多半都依赖于那些人们不该读的东西。
I am quite aware of the fact, and I don't propose to discuss modern culture.
这一点我十分清楚，但我无意讨论现代文化。
It isn't the sort of thing one should talk of in private.
这种事不是私下里应该谈论的。
I simply want my cigarette case back.
我只是想要回我的香烟盒。
Yes; but this isn't your cigarette case.
是的；但这并不是你的香烟盒。
This cigarette case is a present from some one of the name of Cecily, and you said you didn't know any one of that name.
这个香烟盒是一个名叫塞西莉的人送的礼物，而你说你不认识任何叫这个名字的人。
Well, if you want to know, Cecily happens to be my aunt.
好吧，如果你想知道的话，塞西莉恰好是我的姑母。
Your aunt!
你的姑母！
Yes. Charming old lady she is, too. Lives at Tunbridge Wells. Just give it back to me, Algy.
是的。她是个迷人的老太太。住在唐布里奇韦尔斯。把它还给我吧，阿尔吉。
[Retreating to back of sofa.] But why does she call herself little Cecily if she is your aunt and lives at Tunbridge Wells?
【退到沙发背后。】但如果她是你的姑母，又住在唐布里奇韦尔斯，为什么她自称是"小塞西莉"呢？
[Reading.] 'From little Cecily with her fondest love.'
【朗读。】"小塞西莉献上最深挚的爱。"
[Moving to sofa and kneeling upon it.] My dear fellow, what on earth is there in that?
【走向沙发并跪在上面。】我亲爱的老兄，这有什么大不了的？
Some aunts are tall, some aunts are not tall.
有些姑母个子高，有些姑母个子不高。
That is a matter that surely an aunt may be allowed to decide for herself.
这种事情姑母完全有权自己决定。
You seem to think that every aunt should be exactly like your aunt!
你似乎认为每个姑母都应该和你的姑母一模一样！
That is absurd!
这太荒谬了！
Vocabulary
- 翻阅
- fān yuè — To browse or flip through reading material
- 别人
- bié rén — Other people; someone else
- 私人
- sī rén — Private; personal; belonging to an individual
- 的
- de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
- 这
- zhè — This; referring to something nearby
- 是
- shì — To be; is, am, are
- 非常
- fēicháng — Extremely; very; unusually
- 不
- bù — No; not; negation particle
- 绅士
- shēnshì — A gentleman; a man of good manners
- 行为
- xíngwéi — Behavior; conduct; action
- 哦
- ó / ò — Oh; exclamation of realization or surprise
- 对于
- duìyú — Regarding; with respect to; concerning
- 什么
- shénme — What; whatever; used in questions
- 该看
- gāi kàn — Should look at; ought to read
- 不该
- bù gāi — Should not; ought not to
- 看
- kàn — To look; to read; to watch
- 定下
- dìng xià — To set down; to establish; to fix rules
- 一成不变
- yī chéng bù biàn — Unchanging; fixed; rigid and inflexible
- 规矩
- guīju — Rules; established norms; proper conduct
- 荒谬
- huāngmiù — Absurd; ridiculous; preposterous
- 现代
- xiàndài — Modern; contemporary era
- 文化
- wénhuà — Culture; civilization; cultural practices
- 有
- yǒu — To have; there is/are; to exist
- 一
- yī — One; the number one
- 多半
- duōbàn — Mostly; more than half; probably
- 都
- dōu — All; both; entirely; without exception
- 依赖于
- yīlài yú — To depend on; to rely upon something
- 那些
- nàxiē — Those; referring to plural distant things
- 人们
- rénmen — People; human beings in general
- 读
- dú — To read; to study text aloud
- 东西
- dōngxi — Thing; object; stuff; item
- 一点
- yīdiǎn — A little; a bit; a small amount
- 我
- wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun
- 十分
- shífēn — Very; fully; extremely; ten-tenths
- 清楚
- qīngchu — Clear; distinct; to understand clearly
- 但
- dàn — But; however; yet; nevertheless
- 无意
- wúyì — Have no intention; unintentionally; not meaning to
- 讨论
- tǎolùn — To discuss; to talk over; discussion
- 这种
- zhè zhǒng — This kind of; this type of
- 事
- shì — Matter; affair; thing; event
- 不是
- bú shì — Is not; am not; are not
- 私下里
- sīxià lǐ — In private; behind closed doors; privately
- 应该
- yīnggāi — Should; ought to; must
- 谈论
- tánlùn — To talk about; to discuss; to converse
- 只是
- zhǐshì — Just; merely; only; simply
- 想要
- xiǎng yào — To want to; to desire; to wish for
- 回
- huí — To return; to go back; to reply
- 是的
- shì de — Yes; that is correct; affirmative response
- 并不是
- bìng bú shì — Is definitely not; not at all
- 你
- nǐ — You; second-person singular pronoun
- 这个
- zhège — This; this one; this thing or person
- 一个
- yī gè — One; a single (general measure word)
- 名叫
- míng jiào — Named; called; by the name of
- 的人
- de rén — A person who; the person that
- 送的
- sòng de — Given as a gift; presented by someone
- 礼物
- lǐwù — Gift; present; something given to someone
- 而
- ér — And yet; but; while; furthermore
- 说
- shuō — To say; to speak; to tell; to explain
- 不认识
- bù rènshi — Do not know; unacquainted with a person
- 任何
- rènhé — Any; whatever; whichever; no matter what
- 叫
- jiào — To be called; to call out; to name
- 名字
- míngzi — Name; given name; person's name
- 好吧
- hǎo ba — Alright; fine then; OK; well then
- 如果
- rúguǒ — If; in case; supposing that
- 想
- xiǎng — To think; to want; to miss someone
- 知道
- zhīdào — To know; to be aware of; to understand
- 的话
- de huà — If; in case; used after conditional clause
- 恰好
- qiàhǎo — Exactly; just right; happen to be
- 姑母
- gūmǔ — Paternal aunt; father's sister
- 她
- tā — She; her; third-person feminine pronoun
- 是个
- shì gè — Is a; used before describing a person
- 迷人
- mírén — Charming; enchanting; fascinating; attractive
- 老太太
- lǎo tàitai — Old lady; elderly woman
- 住
- zhù — To live; to reside; to stay somewhere
- 在
- zài — At; in; on; to be located at
- 把
- bǎ — Disposal marker; take and do something to
- 它
- tā — It; third-person pronoun for objects/animals
- 还给
- huán gěi — To return something to someone; give back
- 吧
- ba — Suggestion or mild command particle; right?
- 退到
- tuì dào — To retreat to; to move back toward
- 沙发
- shāfā — Sofa; couch; upholstered seating furniture
- 背后
- bèihòu — Behind; at the back of; rear side
- 又
- yòu — Again; also; moreover; in addition
- 为什么
- wèishénme — Why; for what reason; what for
- 自称
- zìchēng — To call oneself; to claim to be
- 小
- xiǎo — Small; little; young; diminutive prefix
- 呢
- ne — Particle for questions or softening statements
- 朗读
- lǎngdú — To read aloud; to recite text clearly
- 献上
- xiàn shàng — To offer; to dedicate; to present formally
- 最
- zuì — Most; the most; superlative degree marker
- 深挚
- shēnzhì — Deep and sincere; heartfelt; profound affection
- 爱
- ài — Love; affection; to love someone
- 走向
- zǒu xiàng — To walk toward; to move in direction of
- 并
- bìng — And; also; moreover; simultaneously
- 跪
- guì — To kneel; to go down on one's knees
- 上面
- shàngmiàn — Above; on top; on the surface of
- 亲爱
- qīn'ài — Dear; beloved; darling; term of endearment
- 老兄
- lǎo xiōng — Old chap; buddy; informal address for male friend
- 大不了
- dà bu liǎo — At worst; not a big deal; so what
- 有些
- yǒuxiē — Some; somewhat; a bit; rather
- 个子
- gèzi — Height; stature; body size of a person
- 高
- gāo — Tall; high; elevated in height
- 不高
- bù gāo — Not tall; short in stature
- 事情
- shìqing — Matter; affair; thing; issue to deal with
- 完全
- wánquán — Completely; entirely; totally; fully
- 有权
- yǒu quán — To have the right; to be entitled to
- 自己
- zìjǐ — Oneself; self; by oneself
- 决定
- juédìng — To decide; decision; to determine course of action
- 似乎
- sìhū — It seems; as if; apparently; seemingly
- 认为
- rènwéi — To think; to believe; to consider; to deem
- 每个
- měi gè — Every; each one; each individual
- 和
- hé — And; with; together with; harmonious
- 一模一样
- yī mú yī yàng — Exactly the same; identical in every way
- 太
- tài — Too; excessively; extremely
- 了
- le — Particle indicating completion or change of state
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →