坚尼地英语口语第 5 课：It sounds like the Wild West. 听来像是在蛮荒的美国西部。

Jeff: Anyway, Mormons got harassed by outsiders because of this. Utah was all Mormon, except for the Indians, and the U.S. wouldn't make it a state because of polygamy. So finally the Church decided to change the rules around 1890. But some people refused to change. 总之，摩门教徒因此遭受外人的骚扰。犹他州之前除了印地安人外，都是摩门教徒，而且美国以前因为一夫多妻制不准许犹他州设州。所以教会最后在一八九○年时，决定改变这个规定。但是有一些人拒绝改变。

Jun: So there are still polygamous Mormons around? 所以有些地方还是有一夫多妻的摩门教徒吗？

Jeff: They aren't part of the mainstream Church any more, but some have formed smaller cults. They say they are the only true Mormons left. 他们不再是主流教会了，但是有些人还是组成了比较小的教派。他们自称是仅存下来的真正摩门教徒。

Jun: That's crazy! So what happened to you? 那真疯狂！那你之后发生了什么事？

Jeff: I got beaten up, and my fiancee was forced to marry the cult leader. I ended up living in Mexico for a while, and then I heard half the people in my town were arrested. 我被痛打一顿，我的未婚妻被迫嫁给那个教派的领导者。我后来去墨西哥住了一阵子，之后我听说我们镇上一半的人都被逮捕了。

Jun: What a history! It sounds like the Wild West. 这历史真可怕！听来像是在蛮荒的美国西部。

Jeff: It sure is. It's not just Utah, either. Arizona and Idaho still have lots of Mormon splinter groups. 的确是。也不只是犹他州。亚利桑那州和爱达荷州还有许多摩门教的支派。

Jun: How does the mainstream Church deal with that? 主流教会怎么看待那件事？

Jeff: They kind of try to ignore it. Anyway, I'd better get going. Good luck sneaking back into the house! 他们有点想要淡化此事。不管怎样，我该走了。祝你顺利溜回房子喔！