Gentlemen's Clubs 绅士俱乐部

The script of this programme 本节目台词

	Gentlemen's Clubs are from a bygone age

John: Hi, and welcome to On the Town from BBC Learning English. I'm John.

Chen Li: And I'm Chen Li。 今天，我们要去探访只有在伦敦才会找得到的一些独特的俱乐部，它们就是高级的私人绅士俱乐部。 Private gentlemen's clubs. What's special about them John?

John: Well, these are very old clubs and they've been open for more than 100 years. They are usually found in very old and traditional buildings in central London, and they might have a bar, and quite often they will have their own library, restaurant, and also bedrooms.

Chen Li: 他们历史悠久， they are old, 他们给会员提供配套的服务设施，通常包括一个酒吧，a bar，一间图书馆a library，同时还可能有供休息的卧房以及餐厅。 So John, why does London have these clubs?

John: Good question Li. They date back to the eighteenth century, and they started life as coffee houses where actors, political leaders, and sometimes members of the Royal family would mix together and discuss the latest news and gossip!

Chen Li: So the clubs have a long history.

John: Yes, that's right.

Chen Li: 开始时，它仅仅是个咖啡屋，coffee houses。 当时所有政坛以及文坛的主要人物和代表都聚集一堂，谈论当天发生的新闻以及传言。

John: Today things have changed quite a lot, but the gentlemen's clubs in London are still very traditional, and have a very special atmosphere.

Chen Li: 下面是罗纳德哈乌德的谈话，他是个演员兼作家，同时也是卡里克俱乐部的会员。

 

Insert

One of the most enchanting¹ things about The Garrick, is that the moment you enter those doors, one is beguiled² by the peace of the place. The club was founded, so the story goes, so that actors could meet gentlemen, and learn how to behave. Nowadays I think that the balance has reversed. I think the gentlemen rather like meeting the actors, and catching³ some of that glamour⁴.

John: Ronald Harwood, a member of the prestigious⁵ Garrick Club in London. Did you notice there that Ronald said how people are beguiled by the peace of his club?

Chen Li: Yes, but what does beguiled mean John?

John: It means to trick.

Chen Li: 罗纳德说人们受到卡里克俱乐部平和表象的诱惑，beguiled 或者说被蒙骗了，这个俱乐部原本是为那些演员设立的，让他们结交绅士，学习礼貌的行为和优雅的举止。

John: Now though, it's the gentlemen who like to learn from the actors!

Chen Li: Yes, they like the glamour。如今的绅士们反过来，希望从那些演员身上了解他们充满魅力的生活方式。OK John, what else can you tell me about the atmosphere in these clubs? 那就让我们来听听更多的有关这种俱乐部情况的介绍吧。

John: Here's Arthur Garret, a member of a club called The National Liberal Club. He starts by talking about 'relics⁶'.

Chen Li: 遗风遗俗。

John: ...and, the smoking room.

Chen Li: 吸烟室。

Insert

Clubs have got what I would call relics. For example there are paintings and things like this of famous members. In the Liberal Club for example, there's that well-known renegade Winston Churchill who stands in the hall – because in better times he was a liberal. I remember when I used to go along with my father, there were certain chairs in the smoking room that certain people did sit in. They'd sat in them for forty years and so on, and this was considered to be their right. I don't think this exists anymore. I don't see any trace of it in the clubs I'm a member of.

Chen Li: Wow! John, it seems to me that these clubs are from another world. 这些俱乐部好像来自和我们完全不同的一个世界。

John: Yes, well that's what a lot of people say. We might say they are from a bygone age – as if they are from another time in history, but have somehow kept their old fashioned traditions alive.

Chen Li: They are from a bygone age。是的，这些俱乐部非常古老，old fashioned, 他们来自历史上的某个时期,来自过去的年代a bygone age. 我在想那些在当代社会，加入这些古老俱乐部的人，是不是也是过时的人呢？

John: Here's Basil Boothroyd, he's a member of "The Savage⁷" club.

Chen Li: Basil 谈到英国的一些国王曾经也是这个俱乐部的会员，还有当今英国女王的丈夫菲利普亲王，他也是其中一员。

Insert

All kings have been honorary members. Prince Philip of course is a member, and comes along from time to time.

Chen Li: 原来，英国女王的丈夫也是萨维奇俱乐部的会员，这个俱乐部有名，在于它拥有一些名誉会员。

John: So Li, if you want to meet influential⁸ people, a private London club is the place for you to join! Thanks for coming in to chat about these clubs. Bye for now.

Chen Li: Bye!

 

1 enchanting   

a.讨人喜欢的

参考例句：

• His smile, at once enchanting and melancholy, is just his father's. 他那种既迷人又有些忧郁的微笑，活脱儿象他父亲。
• Its interior was an enchanting place that both lured and frightened me. 它的里头是个吸引人的地方，我又向往又害怕。

2 beguiled   

v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等）

参考例句：

• She beguiled them into believing her version of events. 她哄骗他们相信了她叙述的事情。
• He beguiled me into signing this contract. 他诱骗我签订了这项合同。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

4 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。

5 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

6 relics   

[pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸

参考例句：

• The area is a treasure house of archaeological relics. 这个地区是古文物遗迹的宝库。
• Xi'an is an ancient city full of treasures and saintly relics. 西安是一个有很多宝藏和神圣的遗物的古老城市。

7 savage   

adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人

参考例句：

• The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
• He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。

8 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。