Suffering to be beautiful
为美受折磨
Read the transcript below from a radio programme called Head to Head.
阅读下面名为“头对头”的电台节目副本。
Host:Good morning. Today's topic is beauty. What is beauty?
主持人:早上好。今天的话题是美丽。什么是美呢?
Host:And, to what lengths can or should we go to make ourselves more beautiful?
主持人:另外,为使我们自己更美丽,我们可以做些什么呢?或者说应该做些什么呢?
Host:In the studio today are two beautiful women to help answer these questions!
主持人:今天在演播室里有两位美女将会帮助解答这些疑问。
Host:Sue Leslie, a former model who is now a successful businesswoman, and Elizabeth Cade, a writer and lecturer.
主持人:休·莱斯利,以前是模特,现在是一名成功的商界女士。伊丽莎白·凯德,作家兼讲师。
Host:Sue, perhaps we could start with you. Is beauty important?
主持人:休,或许我们可以从你开始。美丽重要吗?
SL:Well, first, thanks for the compliment, Mary.
休·莱斯利:那么,首先,非常感谢你的赞美,玛丽。
SL: Now, I think that in today's world, it is important to look your best. You should watch what you eat and keep yourself fit.
休·莱斯利:现在,我认为在当今这个世界,展现出你最好的一面很重要。你得注意你吃的东西并且保持健康。
SL:And if that's not enough, then cosmetic surgery can change people's lives.
休·莱斯利:如果那都不够,那么整容手术能改变人们的生活。
Host:Elizabeth, what's your viewpoint?
主持人:伊丽莎白,你的观点是什么呢?
EC:I think it's up to everyone to decide what is right for them, but I do feel that people should be happy with themselves, regardless of how they look.
伊丽莎白·凯德:我认为每个人都该自己决定什么对他们来说是合适的。不过我确实觉得人们应该对自己满意,不要在意自己的外表。
EC: There is too much emphasis on appearance these days. Seldom do people think about the real dangers of this obsession with looks, both from eating disorders and from having cosmetic surgery.
伊丽莎白·凯德:现在,人们过分注重外表。人们很少考虑过分注重外表的真正危险。危险来自于饮食紊乱和接受整形手术。
EC:Also, many people feel unhappy because they just don't happen to fit society's current ideas of what is beautiful.
伊丽莎白·凯德:另外,很多人都不开心,因为他们刚好不符合社会上当前的关于美的概念。
Host:Since you're a historian, perhaps you could give us a brief historical perspective on this.
主持人:既然你是个历史学家,或许你能对此从历史的角度给我们简短地谈一下。