4. A.S.P.C.A.

指的是American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

5. Fucking-A

Fucking-A 的意思是“good，excellent”，有时候也表示“Yes, you are right”（例如 Fucking-A man）。 它通常是表示一种强烈的感情，比如热情，感兴趣或者激动，而没有太多的实际意义。

6. Cut down on

这个片语的意思是“Reduce, decrease减少”，例如：I want to cut down my caffeine intake.

文化面面观

快餐文化=美国的符号？

Despite the relentless attacks, hundreds of millions of hungry customers eat fast food daily. The media constantly remind American consumers about its supposed evils. Most are conscious of the health risks from fatty, greasy meals; most realize that they are being served by a poorly paid young worker; and if they choose to ponder it, most are aware that the excessive packaging causes millions of tons of trash each year. But they continue to purchase and eat fast food on a regular basis. Fast food remains central to the American diet because it is inexpensive, quick, convenient, and predictable, and because it tastes good. Even more important, Americans eat fast food because it is now a cultural norm. As American culture homogenized and became distinctively "American" in the second half of the twentieth century, fast food, and especially the hamburger, emerged as the primary American ethnic food. Just as the Chinese eat rice and Mexicans eat tamales, Americans eat burgers.

And fast food has grown even beyond being just a distinctive ethnic food. Since the 1960s, the concept has extended far beyond the food itself, with the term becoming a common descriptor for other quick-service operations, even a metaphor for many of the negative aspects of mainstream American life. Theorists and pundits sometimes use the term "fast food" to denigrate American habits, institutions, and values, referring to them as elements of a "fast-food society." In fact, "fast-food" has become a frequently used adjective, implying not only ready availability but also superficiality, mass-produced standardization, lack of authenticity, or just poor quality.

In the last two decades of the twentieth century, fast food gained additional economic and cultural significance, becoming a popular American export to nations around the world. Some detractors claim that it is even deliberately used by the United States, as a tool of cultural imperialism. The appearance of a McDonald's or Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant on the streets of a foreign city signals to many the demise of indigenous culture, replacing another country's traditional practices and values with American materialism. In fact, the rapid spread of American fast food is probably not an organized conspiracy, rather more the result of aggressive corporate marketing strategies. Consumers in other countries are willing and able to buy fast-food products, so chains are quick to accommodate demand. Thought of around the world as "American food," fast food continues its rapid international growth. (answers.com)

考考你

用今日所学将下面的句子译成英语。

1. 他的笑声真是让我冒火。

2. 那种音乐总能打动我。

3. 我们得减少支出了。

Fast food nation《快餐帝国》（精讲之四）考考你 参考答案

1. 吉姆担心他做的实验会把实验室给炸了。

Jim was afraid his experiment would blow up the lab.

2. 别那么大喊大叫——你吓死我了！

Don't shout like that - you scared the shit out of me!

3. 我真不敢相信你能忍受这群淘气的孩子。

I can’t believe that you can stand for these naughty children.

 

影片对白  Mom said it was a big deal when the first Mickey’s opened here.

 

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(英语点津Annabel编辑)