When I studied abroad in the UK, every room came equipped with an electric kettle for making tea.
当我在英国读书的时候,每个宿舍房间都配有一个煮茶用的水壶。
I foolishly asked the British students, “Why do you need a kettle? Can’t you just make your tea in the microwave?”
我当时傻里傻气地问我的英国同学:“你们为什么要用水壶?不能直接用微波炉来泡茶吗?”
Their response:
而他们的反应是:
At least they didn’t kill me.
谢天谢地,他们没有处决我。
Never assume that a British person is English.
绝对不要想当然地以为一个英国人是英格兰人。
It will be highly resented by the Scottish, Welsh, and certain Irish people.
这会惹毛苏格兰人、威尔士人以及一部分爱尔兰人。
And never assume that what English people do is typical of what British people do.
而且,也不要以为英格兰人干的事就是全英国人都干的事。
There are over 130 languages spoken in Britain, and the Scottish, Welsh, and Irish have their own languages, apart from that, they sometimes speak English in accents that are indecipherable to most English people.
英国总共有130多种语言,苏格兰人、威尔士人以及爱尔兰人都有自己的语言;除此之外,他们有些人的英语口音是英格兰人根本听不懂的。
Also, there are very few English people who speak English in the way it is spoken by News readers, actors, or politicians.
另外,实际上只有很少英格兰人的英语听起来像新闻播报员、演员和政客那样。
‘Thanks’ or ‘That’s okay’ just after someone says ‘Sorry’ to you.
如果有人对你说“对不起”,不要回答“谢谢”或者“没关系”。
The correct response is for both of you to say ‘Sorry’ and keep saying it until you’re well out of earshot.
正确的做法应该是双方都说“对不起”,而且要一边走远一边说,一直到对方听不见。