权利和义务Rights and Duties

New words

• 义务yìwù — duty
• 维护wéihù — to uphold, protect
• 反映fǎnyìng — to report (a problem); to reflect
• 原则yuánzé — principle
• 守shǒu — to keep (rules); to guard
• 适用shìyòng — to apply to (适用于)

The story

大卫：我跟钱律师学了一年法律。我有权利！I've been learning law from Lawyer Qian for a year. I have rights!

A：您有权利。可是您也有义务：守规则的义务。You have rights. But you also have duties: the duty to keep the rules.

大卫：我要维护我的权利！这是原则问题！I shall uphold my rights! This is a question of principle!

A：我要维护小区的规则。这也是原则问题。所以，不行。I shall uphold the compound's rules. That's a question of principle too. So, no.

A：您的猫晚上躺在电梯门口。黑暗里，儿童都怕他。Your cat lies at the lift door at night. In the dark, the children are scared of him.

大卫：他是电影的主角！他的魅力是公认的！He's the star of a film! Everyone agrees he's charming!

A：如此恐怖的魅力？这种类型的猫，不能坐电梯。Charm that frightening? This type of cat can't ride in the lift.

大卫：好！我要反映！我向谁反映？Fine! I'm going to report this! Who do I report it to?

Opening the lesson…