Level 2 · Reading series
Lesson 54 · A Gift with Two Meanings
Audio track 54
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Mika: I bought white flowers for our host family.
Aya: They are beautiful. But are white flowers okay there?
Mika: What do you mean?
Aya: In some places, colors can have special meanings. White may be used for happy events in one culture and sad events in another.
Mika: I did not know that. What should we do?
Aya: Let's ask our teacher before we give them.
Mika: Good idea. A gift should carry care, not trouble.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
美香：我给接待我们的家庭买了白花。
绫：花很美。不过，在那里送白花合适吗？
美香：你是什么意思？
绫：在有些地方，颜色有特别的含义。同样是白色，在一种文化中可能用于喜事，在另一种文化中却可能与悲伤的场合有关。
美香：我不知道这一点。我们该怎么办？
绫：送出去之前，先问问老师吧。
美香：好主意。礼物该传达心意，而不是给人添麻烦。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- gift
- 礼物；美香买来送给接待家庭。
- host family
- 接待家庭；旅行或交流时接待来客的家庭。
- What do you mean?
- 你是什么意思？请对方说明疑问。
- in some places
- 在某些地方；不等于所有地方都如此。
- special meaning
- 特别的含义；颜色可能传达不同寓意。
- culture
- 文化；影响某些场合的送礼习惯。
- event
- 场合；喜事与悲伤的活动不同。
- another
- 另一种；对比不同文化中的含义。
- before we give them
- 在送出去之前；先问清楚是否合适。
- care
- 心意、关怀；送礼本来要表达的情感。
Background notes (Chinese)
颜色的含义会因具体地区、场合和个人而异，不能只凭一种习惯推断收礼人的想法。对话中的两位同学没有马上下结论，而是准备先向熟悉当地情况的人请教。