美语情景对话 第1195期:Do you believe in the death penalty? 你支持死刑吗?

Tlotlo:Hi, my name is Tlotlo and I am from Botswana.

特罗特洛：大家好，我是特罗特洛，我来自博茨瓦纳。

Reese:Me, I'm Reese from Botswana as well.

里斯：我是里斯，我也来自博茨瓦纳。

Tlotlo:And our question is do you believe in death penalty?

特罗特洛：今天的问题是，你赞成死刑吗？

Reese:I think I do believe in death penalty.

里斯：我认为我赞成死刑。

Tlotlo:Why?

特罗特洛：为什么？

Reese:Because I feel that before you take the life of someone, you should know that your life could be taken as well.

里斯：因为我认为在你夺走其他人的生命前，你要知道你的生命也可能被夺走。

Tlotlo:But don't you think it is the Will of God to give and take, not the decision of another person to take someone else's life?

特罗特洛：可是你不认为给予和索取是上帝的旨意，不应该由另一个人来有夺走他人的生命吗？

Reese:But I feel that if the death penalty is not in place then people will not consider the real reality of their actions. They will always be like if they just get life sentence then people can live in prison, you can live a good life in prison.

里斯：我认为，如果没有死刑，那人们不会考虑他们所做行为的现实性。他们会一直那样做，如果他们被刑，他们会被关进监狱，然后在监狱里过美好的生活。

Tlotlo:How is that?

特罗特洛：怎么说？

Reese:In prison you can do so much in prison nowadays. You can workout, you can study in prison if you want to.

里斯：现在在监狱里可以做很多事。可以健身，如果你想的话还可以学习。

Tlotlo:What are you saying? Are you saying being in prison is actually like a leisure because you're putting it that way.

特罗特洛：你在说什么？你是在说进监狱就像休闲一样吗？你刚说的听起来就是那个意思。

Reese:What I'm saying is it's not as bad as losing your life so people won't think of it, if we go to the extent of killing someone then your life must not be that good anyway.

里斯：我的意思是，进监狱没有失去生命那么严重，所以人们不会去考虑，如果是杀人这种程度，那一定不能让那个人过好生活。

Tlotlo:No-one should ever have to pass judgement and no-one should ever have to make such a decision, especially one that involves taking the life of someone else. It is not our will and it should never be. God can only decide that thing for us but we cannot. I totally disagree with you.

特罗特洛：没有人应该做出评判，没有人应该做出这种决定，尤其是涉及夺去其他人生命的决定。这不是我们的意愿，而且永远不应该是我们的意愿。只有上帝可以为我们决定事情，而我们不可以。我完全不同意你的看法。

Reese:I feel that if you're going to take it as written by God, do unto others as you want to be done unto yourself.

里斯：我认为你可以把这看作上帝的教导，己所不欲勿施于人。

Tlotlo:I think you are using God's words in vain. That is not what he meant. What about the words that he says. What about forgiving? What about that?

特罗特洛：我认为你亵渎了上帝的教导。那不是上帝的意思。他的其他教导呢？比如原谅？你怎么看？

Reese:Forgiving?

里斯：原谅？

Tlotlo:Yes, forgiving.

特罗特洛：对，原谅。

Reese:There's forgiveness but such a harsh crime. What about the person?

里斯：可以原谅，但是如果是严重的犯罪，那要怎么办？

Tlotlo:I believe that going to prison is enough punishment for a person who committed murder.

特罗特洛：我认为进监狱足以惩罚那些罪犯了。

Reese:I don't.

里斯：我不这样认为。

Tlotlo:Not to die.

特罗特洛：不至于判死刑。

Reese:I feel that if it's only prison then people don't see really how serious what they are doing is because losing your life and going to prison are two completely different things.

里斯：我认为如果只是进监狱，人们不会意识到他们的罪行有多严重，因为死刑和进监狱完全不同。

Tlotlo:Let's agree to disagree then.

特罗特洛：我们各自保留不同意见吧。

译文属仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载

重点讲解：
1. as well 也；还；
例句：He speaks French, and Spanish as well.
他说法语，也会说西班牙语。
2. in place （法律、政策、行政体系等）正在运作，就位；
例句：The police roadblocks are still in place and the immediate vicinity of the house remains cordoned off.
警察设置的路障还在，房子四周仍然用警戒线隔离着。
3. in vain 无用的；无意义的；
例句：Paddy jumped to his feet, his face stupefied; he had never heard Fee take the name of the Lord in vain before.
帕迪跳起来了，他的面容发呆。从前他从未听见菲这样漫不经心地亵渎上帝的圣名。
4. agree to disagree 搁置争议；同意各自保留不同意见；
例句：I know we'll never agree on the issue of parenting but let's agree to disagree, shall we?
我知道我们在教养儿女这个议题上不会有共识，但是让我们接受彼此会有不同的见解的事情。