亲爱的小文:
南太平洋有十四个小岛叫萨摩亚(Samoaisagroupof14islandsihPacificO.),东边的一堆属于美国,叫AmeriSamoa,西边的叫WesternSamoa(西萨摩亚),是个小国家,只有台湾的十三分之一大,人口十八万,它出产的三种主要东西,念起来都有点口吃(结巴,stammer):
一、bananas(香蕉)——nana
二、cacao(可可)——caca
三、uts(椰子)——coco
一结结巴巴,就扯不清了,果然出了麻烦。
可可(cacao)是做巧克力(chocolate)和可可粉的,但可可粉的英文是cocoa,这个字看起来好像是uts(椰子)做出来的,所以大家都叫做椰子粉,其实只是可可粉,不是椰子粉。(Becauseofamistakeinspelling,probablymadebyEnglishimportersmanyyearsago,thesebeansbecameknownascocoabeansinEnglish-speakingtries.Thiscausesmanypeopletothinkthebeansefromtheutpalmtreeinsteadofthecacaotree.)
Samoa这地方气温很怪,十二月最热,七月最冷(DecemberisthehottestmonthandJulythecoldest.)。Samoa人喜欢打cricket(板球),但不喜欢打cricket(蟋蟀),板球和蟋蟀,在英文中同一个字。
Thecricketsarechirping(orareg).(蟋蟀在叫。)
Theyareplayingamatchatcricket.(他们在做板球比赛。)
更喜欢在雨地里打。(Samoanslovetostayoutinacoolingrain.)(Samoansenjoydangverymuch.Theyalsolovetoplaytheirownversionofcricket,agametheylearnedfromtheEnglishmissioheyplaycricketwithteamsthatmayhavefrom10to300players,paredto11playersinnormalcricketgame.)
男女多穿一种叫lava-lava的裙子,其实就是一块布,卷成裙子。(MostSamoanmenandsomewomenwearonlyalava-lava,apieceofclothedaroundthewaistlikeaskirt.Somewearablouseorshirtwiththeirlava-lava.Mostofthewomenweardresses,oraskirtandblouse.)
在国会里开会也穿裙子。
他们的囚犯白天不坐牢,白天照常做自己的事,晚上才到牢里报到。并且监狱也没有铁栏杆(Prisonersliveinjailwithoutbars.),房子比平常住的还像样,因为他们平常只住四面通风的fale(open-sidedfale),是用椰子树做材料搭起来的。(Thepeopleliveinopen-sidedfale(house)thathaveathatchedroofsupportedbypoles.The