特别广播英语第 87 课：Marriage in Iran and America: A Study in Contrasts
伊朗和美国的婚俗：一项对比研究-3

It is definitely not a part of the fun-filled years of growing up like it is here in America. 绝对不像美国这里，提亲谈情说爱成了成年以后玩乐年代生活的一部分。

It is the mother of the young man who initiates the process by visiting the home of a potential bride. 正是那位男青年的母亲前去拜访准新娘的家，由这就开始了谈婚论嫁的全过程。

She goes to inspect the girl, and discover the position and wealth of the girl's family. 她去相看一下那位姑娘，并且还要查看姑娘家的地位权势和家庭财产。

If she is pleased, then she will return another day with her son. 如果她对这件事满意了，那么改天她会带上她儿子再来。

If her son is also pleased, then the two families get together to talk about the dowry, the wedding ceremony, who they will hire to perform the marriage and other matters. 如果她儿子对这档婚事也满意，那么这两家人就聚集到一起来谈嫁妆问题，谈婚礼问题。谈他们将聘请谁来担任结婚典礼的司仪，还谈其他别的一些事情。

The actual marriage ceremony is quite different, however, from the American wedding ceremonies I have seen. 但，真正的伊朗人的结婚典礼跟我所见过的几次美国人的婚礼就完全不同了。

The bride, dressed in white, with a veil over her face, sits in a room alone. 新娘身穿一身白色，脸上罩着面纱，一个人独自坐在一个房间里。

She sits on a special piece of silk which is surrounded on two sides by very long pieces of flat bread. 她坐在一块特制的丝绸上面，丝绸的两边围着很长的扁平的面包。

Two mullahs stand outside the door to this room reading from the Koran. 两位毛拉站在新娘独坐的那间房子的门外朗育《古兰经》。