美語情景對話 第866期:Taking a Bribe 受賄

Todd: When I was in Thailand I had experiences with bribery, and we don't really have it with government officials in the U.S., but I have to admit I thought it was really convenient, because let's say you are driving and you get a speeding ticket, or you do something wrong, in Thailand you would just pay ten dollars, twenty dollars and the whole incident was forgot. In my culture were brought up to think that that's really bad but I have to admit, I liked the fact that you would pay a little money, and then it was not on your record, because in the United States if you get a speeding ticket, or you do anything wrong then it's on your record, and it's permanent and that can affect your insurance payment and things like that, so it was this really weird feeling where I felt odd doing it, and I felt awkward doing it because it wasn't part of our culture, but at the same time I thought it was almost convenient. Have you ever had experiences like that?

託德：我在泰國時經歷過賄賂，美國政府官員一般不接受行賄，不過我要承認，我認爲這種方法的確很方便，比如說你駕駛時被開了張超速罰單，或者是因爲其他違規行爲被開罰單，在泰國你只要付10美元或20美元就可以解決了，這件事就結束了。可是在美國，這種行爲被看作是不好的行爲，不過我承認，我喜歡這種付點兒小錢然後不做記錄的做法，在美國，如果你收到超速罰單，或是有其他違規行爲，那就要被記錄在案，而且這一記錄是永久存在的，可能會影響你的保險償付，所以，我對賄賂有種奇怪的感覺，因爲我接受的文化裏沒有這種行爲，所以我覺得這樣做很奇怪，不過同時我認爲這種做法非常方便。你有這種經歷嗎？

Aiman: Well, I have two different experiences. Because in Syria it is pretty different to Dubai, so in Syria for example, you'd have to bribe the police officers even if you didn't do anything because that's how they live. But in Dubai they get really nice wages and they don't need your bribe. For example, once I was eating dates while I was driving. I was speaking on my phone, my mobile phone, and I was not wearing my seat belt, and I was not paying attention, and then the policeman asked me to pull over, and when I did, I didn't even know what was the problem, so when he came to me and said to me, "Can I have the car registration and license?" I said, "Yeah, sure. Please take one date, or a date, while I look for them." And he said, "No, sorry, I can't." And I was so upset with that. I said, "What do you mean you can't? Are you better than me? Is that what you're trying to say?" And he said, "No, It's illegal. I can't. You know what, just go. I don't need anything from you. Please go."

艾曼：我有兩種不同的經歷。敘利亞的情況和迪拜的非常不同，在敘利亞，即使你沒有違規行爲，也要賄賂警察，這就是警察的生存方法。但是在迪拜，警察的收入相當不錯，他們不需要你的賄賂。舉個例子，有一次我一邊開車一邊吃棗。而且我還在打電話，我當時並沒有系安全帶，我沒有注意，這時警察過來讓我靠邊停車，我把車停下來以後也不知道出了什麼問題，他過來對我說：“請出示你的汽車登記和駕照”。我回答說：“好，我要找一下，我找的時候你吃個棗吧。”他說：“抱歉，我不能吃。”我當時對他的回答非常生氣。我說：“你說不能吃是什麼意思？你覺得你比我強嗎？你就是要說這個嗎？”他說：“不是，這樣做是違法的。我不能這麼做。你走吧。我不需要你的任何東西。請開走吧。”

Todd: So the policeman in Dubai was very straight and honest. He can't accept anything from a driver, and so he turned you down.

託德：迪拜警察正直又誠實。他不能接受司機給的任何東西，所以他拒絕了你。

Aiman: Exactly. Because he turned me down, it is really bad in the Arab culture. He decided to just let me go. Please just go.

艾曼：沒錯。他拒絕了我，拒絕在阿拉伯文化裏是種不好的行爲。所以他決定讓我直接開走。他說請開走吧。

Todd: Really, so if somebody offers you something in an Arab culture, and you decline that's not polite.

託德：是嗎？在阿拉伯文化裏，如果有人提供你某樣東西，拒絕就是不禮貌。

Aiman: Not polite at all.

艾曼：完全不禮貌。

Todd: Well, that's very good to know. Well, thanks, Aiman.

託德：知道這點非常好。謝謝你，艾曼。

Aiman: Thank you.

艾曼：謝謝。

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重點講解：
1. at the same time 同時；
例句：You're passionate and huggable at the same time.
你是如此的充滿熱情又逗人喜愛。
2. even if 即使；儘管；縱然；
例句：Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time.
即使你旅行的天氣理想，海上旅行所花的時間較長。
3. pull over （通常因司機危險駕駛，警察）令（駕車者或車輛）停靠路邊；
例句：The patrolman signaled for the speeding driver to pull over.
巡警發出信號警告那名超速駕駛的司機靠邊停下。
4. turn down 拒絕(某人或其請求、提議等)；
例句：The board turn down all approach on the subject of merger.
董事會拒絕了有關合並事宜的任何協商。