咕咕愛囉唆

The Joy Luck Club《喜福會》

Suyuan Woo, an elderly Chinese woman living in the US, has just passed away.

李素媛剛剛過世，她是位住在美國的年老中國婦女。

Sadly, Suyuan died before she was able to travel back to China.

難過的是，素媛在過世前都無法返回中國一趟。

Decades earlier, she had been forced to leave her twin daughters behind as she escaped the war-torn country.

幾十年前，她在逃離戰爭蹂躪的家國時，不得不將她的雙胞胎女兒們留下。

Her greatest wish was to be reunited with her daughters, Chwun Yu and Chwun Hwa.

她最大的願望就是能與她的兩個女兒春雨和春花重逢

Jing-Mei "June" Woo, Suyuan's American-born daughter, has grown up in the US.

吳菁妹，也叫「茱恩」，是素媛的女兒，她在美國出生及長大的。

As a result, she has always felt cut off from her Chinese roots.

因此，她總是覺得與她的中國祖籍有所隔閡。

Suyuan was also very strict with Jing-Mei when she was growing up.

素媛也在菁妹長大時非常嚴格

She had believed Jing-Mei could have become a piano prodigy if only Jing-Mei had tried hard enough.

素媛總認為菁妹當初能成為一名鋼琴神童，只要她夠努力

Jing-Mei, however, grew up believing her mother's harsh criticism meant that Suyuan lacked affection for her.

菁妹在長大後倒是認為她媽媽嚴厲的批評代表素媛對她沒什麼感情。

After Suyuan's death, Jing-Mei replaces her mother in the Joy Luck Club.

在素媛去世之後，菁妹代替她的媽媽去參與「喜福會」。

This is a mahjong gathering that Suyuan founded with her three closest friends, also Chinese immigrants.

這是一個素媛與她三位同為中國移民的好朋友所一起創辦的麻將聚會。

Every week, the women share stories and talk over the cultural differences that exist between them and their daughters.

每個禮拜，這幾位好朋友分享故事以及聊她們與女兒之間的文化差異。

Through these women, Jing-Mei finally learns to get past the barriers between them and appreciate her heritage.

透過這三位太太，菁妹總算學會克服障礙來欣賞自我身世的傳承

reunite A with B A與B重聚

Her attempts to reunite with her father may end very unhappily. 她與父親團聚的嘗試有可能產生非常不幸的結局。

prodigy [ˋprɑdədʒɪ] （n.）奇才;天才

He was a mathematical prodigy. 他是一位數學天才。

The 16-year-old tennis prodigy is the youngest player ever to reach the Olympic finals.

這位16歲的網球天才是迄今打進奧運決賽最年輕的選手。

affection（n.）愛慕；喜愛

She felt no affection for the child.她一點都不疼愛這個孩子。

He had a deep affection for his aunt.他非常喜愛他的姑媽。

heritage（n.）遺產（指流傳下來具有歷史意義的傳統、語言、建築等）

While playing mahjong one night, the elder members of the Joy Luck Club share some news with Jing-Mei.

某一晚在打麻將時，喜福會的年長成員們與菁妹分享了一些消息。

They inform her that Suyuan had located the address of her daughters in Shanghai before she died.

她們說素媛在去世前有查出她的女兒們在上海的地址。

The ladies encourage Jing-Mei to travel there, even providing her with the money to do so.

她們鼓勵菁妹出國一趟，甚至提供經費給她。

However, Jing-Mei isn't sure she's capable of telling her mother's story to the twins in a way that does it justice.

然而，菁妹不確定她自己是否有能力將將媽媽的故事好好得告訴這對雙胞胎。

The ladies are also concerned.

三位太太也感到很擔心

Suyuan's struggle to maintain a mother-daughter bond across cultural and generational divides will not be easy to explain.

素媛在文化與世代的分歧之下努力維持母女關係這並不容易解釋。

Nevertheless, they all agree that Jing-Mei should be the one to share her mother's story.

儘管如此，她們都認同應該由菁妹去分享她媽媽的故事。

In spite of her worries, Jing-Mei realizes she should make the trip to China.

雖然她很擔心，菁妹發覺她該出發去中國一趟。

When she finally meets Chwun Yu and Chwun Hwa, the three sisters connect immediately.

當她終於見到春雨和春花時，三姊妹馬上建立良好關係。

Through hugs and tears, Jing-Mei fulfills Suyuan's last wish.

透過淚水及擁抱，菁妹實現了素媛的遺願。

She also recognizes that she has finally bridged the gap between her and her mother.

她也發覺她終於消弭了她與媽媽之間的鴻溝。

On top of finding her own closure, Jing-Mei also inspires the ladies of the Joy Luck Club.

除了得到自我解脫，菁妹也激勵了喜福會的太太們。

They now realize it's possible to do the same with their own daughters.

她們也領悟到與自己的女兒達成合解並非不可能的

bond（n.）

the bond(s) of friendship/love 友誼／戀愛關係

There has been a close bond between them ever since she saved him from drowning.

他溺水被她救了以後他們之間一直來往密切。

In societies with strong family bonds (= relationships), people tend to live longer.

在家庭關係牢固的社會中，人們的壽命往往更長。

People are eager to buy government bonds. 人們急於購買政府公債。

His employer bonded him. 他的僱主為他作保。

They have entered into a solemn bond.他們已經締結了一項正式契約。

fulfill

The doctor's instructions must be fulfilled exactly. 必須一絲不苟地遵照醫囑去辦。【執行（命令等）；服從】

He always fulfills his promises. 他總是履行自己的諾言。【履行（諾言等）；完成（任務等）；實現】

The company should be able to fulfill our requirements. 公司應該能夠滿足我們的要求。【達到（目的）；滿足（願望等）】

These illustrations fulfill the text. 這些插圖使正文臻於完整。【使結束；使完整】

on top of

on top of sb 表示 (危險或威脅)非常接近某人

在某物上面

Our school is located on top of a hill. 我們學校坐落在山頂上

鄰近∕緊挨著……

The houses in our neighborhood are built on top of each other. 我們社區的房子是彼此緊鄰而建的

完全控制∕非常清楚某事

You should keep a schedule to help you stay on top of all your tasks. 你應該規劃一個時間表以幫助你掌握所有的工作

除……之外

On top of everything else, I owe my landlord NT$15,000 for last month's rent.

除了其他的之外，我還欠房東上個月新臺幣一萬五千元的房租

closure解脫，寛慰

the feeling or act of bringing an unpleasant situation, time, or experience to an end, so that you are able to start new activities

a sense of closure解脫感

to achieve/reach closure獲得／達到解脫

closure停業，倒閉，關閉

the fact of a business, organization, etc. stopping operating

factory/branch closures 工廠／分店的關閉

Many elderly people will be affected by the library closures.

許多老人將會受到圖書館關閉的影響。

Amy Tan, the author of The Joy Luck Club, was born in California, US, as the daughter of Chinese immigrants.

譚恩美為《喜福會》的作者，她是在美國加州出生的二代中國移民。

Thus, Tan was able to use many of her personal experiences as the basis for her first novel.

因此，譚恩美能利用許多個人經驗做為她這第一本小說的基礎。       

Like Jing-Mei, Tan struggled to accept her Chinese heritage growing up.

就跟菁妹一樣，譚恩美在長大過程中努力嘗試接受她自己的中國傳承。

This problem with identity, therefore, is the primary theme in the novel.

身分認同的問題則是這本小說最重要的主題。

Jing-Mei, as well as the other daughters of the Joy Luck Club members, identifies as American.

菁妹以及其他喜福會成員的女兒們都自我認同為美國人。

Jing-Mei even spends her adolescence denying that, apart from her appearance, she has any Chinese characteristics.

菁妹甚至在青少年時期認為自己除了外表之外，沒有任何其他華人的特徵。

At some point, however, Jing-Mei begins to see her heritage in a new light.

然而到了某個時間點，菁妹開始以新的角度看待自己的身世。

She finally accepts herself when she travels to Shanghai.

她總算在到了上海之後接受了自我。

Likewise, Tan recognized this for herself upon reaching adulthood.

同樣地，譚恩美也在成年之後領悟到這一點。

Communication is the biggest obstacle separating the elder and younger characters in The Joy Luck Club.

溝通是《喜福會》中年輕與老一輩的角色之間最大的障礙。

This is caused, somewhat, by a language barrier.

這有某種程度是由語言障礙所造成的。

Mainly, though, it's the characters' inability to communicate their needs and emotions to one another.

不過主要來講，這些角色沒辦法清楚表達自己的需求或情緒給彼此。

Hard as the characters try, they struggle to find ways to relate.

雖然他們努力嘗試，他們還是很辛苦地尋求彼此連結的方式。

In the end, though Jing-Mei lacked the words to reach Suyuan, she found a way to form a connection through action.

到了最後，雖然菁妹無法利用語言觸及到素媛，

但她透過行動建立起倆人之間的關聯。

adolescence（n.）青春期

likewise（adv.）同様地;照様地

adulthood（n.）成年;成人時期

apart from除了…之外

Apart from Ken, we all went to the museum. 除了肯以外，我們也去了博物館。

包含in addition to/ besides

不包含except/ except for

視句意而定 aside from/ apart from/ other from

After Mary gains a huge sum of money, she buys an apartment.

【介係詞】In addition to/ Besides the apartment, she plans to travel around the world. 

在瑪麗得到一大筆錢後，她買了公寓。除了公寓之外，她還計畫環遊世界。

【介係詞】In addition to/ Besides the astronaut, there is still extraterrestrial.

除了太空人之外，還有外星人。

【副詞】After Mary gains a huge sum of money, she buys an apartment. In addition/ Besides/ On top of that, she plans to travel around the world.  

在瑪麗得到一大筆錢後，她買了公寓。除此之外，她還計畫環遊世界。

【介係詞】except/except for後面接名詞或動名詞

Except for this requirement, I can accept your offer. 

I can accept your offer except/ except for this requirement.

除了這項要求之外，我接受你的提議。

【補充】

except 和 except for 有細微差別，

except 常涉及相同主題，通常不放句首；

except for 常涉及不同主題，並有些許惋惜之意，可放句首。

【連接詞】：except/except that後面接動詞/完整句子

In my opinion, this apartment is pretty good except/ except that its location is a little bit inconvenient.

我覺得這間公寓除了位置有一點不方便之外，其他都相當好。

At some point, it's best to just quit.

有些時候放棄是最好的選擇。