地道美语：和家人相处的问题

Oscar: So you’re back from your mother’s birthday dinner. How was it?
奥斯卡：你回来啦，参加完你母亲的生日晚宴，感觉怎么样？
Priscilla: Same old, same old. It isn’t a family gathering without a major meltdown or blowup.
普里西拉：老样子，老样子。不爆发一场争吵就不叫家庭聚会。
Oscar: Yikes, what happened?
奥斯卡：啊？发生什么事了？
Priscilla: You know how it is. It starts out with bickering and somebody taking offense at some slight or dig, or bringing up some old grievance.
普里西拉：其实你应该知道。最开始是争论，有人为了一点小事就开始轻蔑或挖苦地冷嘲热讽，或者提起一些老掉牙的恩怨来。
Oscar: Well, that happens in most families.
奥斯卡：其实大多数家庭都会这样。
Priscilla: Yeah, but in mine, they often turn into screaming matches. We all raise our voices and somebody always storms out.
普里西拉：但在我家，他们经常会变成大喊大叫。我们都会提高嗓门，然后总有人会发飙。
Oscar: Even at your mother’s birthday dinner?
奥斯卡：即使是在你母亲的生日晚宴上？
Priscilla: The occasion doesn’t matter. My mother tries to be the peacemaker, but it doesn’t take much for tempers to flare.
普里西拉：不管在哪都一样。我妈妈试着当个和事佬，但她很快也就发起脾气来了。
Oscar: That never happens in my family.
奥斯卡：我们家从来不会这样。
Priscilla: What?! Your family doesn’t fight when it gets together?
普里西拉：什么？！你们家聚会的时候不吵架吗？
Oscar: No, we try to sweep things under the rug and put on a brave face.
奥斯卡：不吵。我们尽量去忽略那些不愉快的事，然后假装若无其事的样子。
Priscilla: What happens when you get mad at each other?
普里西拉：那你们生彼此的气了怎么办？
Oscar: Nothing.
奥斯卡：无所谓。
Priscilla: What do you mean nothing?
普里西拉：“无所谓”是什么意思？
Oscar: A lot of our family meals are eaten in stony silence.
奥斯卡：我们的家庭聚餐大都沉重且寂静。
Priscilla: Wow, I think I prefer our knock-down, drag-out fights!
普里西拉：哇哦，相比之下我更喜欢我家这种混战或者拉锯战！