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Grooming and personal hygiene have been around for ages. It's hard to imagine a time when people weren't concerned with taking care of their appearance and their bodies. Perhaps these practices started when Adam first took a bath and combed his hair before going on a date with Eve. Or maybe they began when Eve put on some herbal makeup to make herself more beautiful. No matter where they started, grooming and personal hygiene have become an important part of everyone's daily routine.
儀容整潔和個人衛生的講究已經行之有年了。很難想象一個人們不在乎打理外表和身體清潔的時代。或許這些衛生習慣始于亞當第一次洗澡梳頭去赴夏娃的約；也可能始于夏娃第一次搽上青草制的化妝品使自己更美麗。無論是從何時開始的，儀容整潔與個人衛生已經成為每個人生活例行事務中重要的一部份。
You might think that all modern societies would have the same grooming and personal hygiene practices. After all, doesn't everybody take baths? Most people do recognize the need for hygiene, which is the basis for cleanliness and health-and a good way to keep one's friends. Grooming practices include all the little things people do to make themselves look their best, such as combing their hair and putting on makeup. However, while most modern people agree that these things are important, people in different cultures take care of themselves in different ways.
你可能以為所有現代社會中的儀容整潔與衛生習慣都是一樣的。畢竟，不是每一個人天天都要洗澡的嗎？大部份人的確肯定衛生的必要性，它是清潔與健康的基礎，也是維持友誼的好辦法。儀容整潔的工作涵蓋了所有可以使人看起來體面的瑣碎小事，像是梳頭和化妝。雖然大多數的現代人都同意這些事很重要，但不同文化背景的人打理自己的方法也不一樣。
There used to be an old joke in America that people should take a bath once a week, whether they need one or not. In fact, though, Americans generally take a bath-or more commonly, a shower-every day. But in contrast to some cultures, most Americans get their shower in the morning, so they can start the day fresh. And instead of going to a beauty parlor for a shampoo, many Americans prefer to wash and style their own hair. So if Americans have a "bad hair day," they have no one to blame but themselves. But most people in America do head for the beauty parlor or barber shop occasionally for a haircut, a perm or just some friendly conversation.
以前在美國有一個老笑話，說不管人們需不需要，他們至少每個禮拜該洗一次澡。不過事實上，美國人每天會洗一次澡，或者更普遍的作法是每天淋浴一次。但是不同于某些文化習慣的是，美國人在清晨淋浴，以使他們展開清新的一天。而且美國人不上美容院去洗頭，他們寧可自己洗頭和整理發型。所以美國人如果有一天頭發很丑，除了怪自己之外就沒什么好抱怨的了。然而大部份的美國人偶爾會到美容院或理發廳去，剪頭發、燙頭發，或是去跟人聊聊天。
Americans are known for having very sensitive noses. In America, "B.O." (body odor) is socially unacceptable. For that reason, Americans consider the use of deodorant or anti-perspirant a must. Ladies often add a touch of perfume for an extra fresh scent. Men may splash on after-shave lotion or manly-smelling cologne. Another cultural no-no in America is bad breath. Americans don't like to smell what other people ate for lunch-especially onions or garlic. Their solution? Mouthwash, breath mints and even brushing their teeth after meals.
美國人的鼻子是出了名的靈。在美國，體臭在社交上是不被接受的。因此，美國人會認為使用除臭劑或止汗劑是必須的。女士們通常會再抹點香水以增加清香；男士則拍一些刮胡水或是男性古龍水在臉上。在美國文化里的另一項禁忌是口臭。美國人不喜歡聞別人午餐后留在口中的味道——尤其是洋蔥或大蒜。他們怎么解決這問題呢？漱口、吃薄荷糖、甚至飯后刷牙。
Some of the cultural variations in grooming practices result from physical differences between races. Whereas many Asian men have little facial hair, Westerners have a lot. As a result, most American men spend some time each day shaving or grooming their facial hair. Beards and mustaches are common sights in America, although their popularity changes from generation to generation. Most American men who wear facial hair try to keep it nicely trimmed. American women, on the other hand, generally prefer not to be hairy at all. Many of them regularly shave their legs and armpits.
有些儀容整潔方面的文化差異是源自于種族間生理條件的不同。亞洲男性面部的胡髭長得并不多，但西方人卻長得多，因此美國的男性每天得花些時間去刮除或整理他們的臉毛。在美國，男人在下巴部份或嘴唇上方留胡子是很普通的，不過不同時代胡子受歡迎的樣式不相同。在美國大部份留胡子的男性都會試著將胡子修剪整齊，但另一方面，美國女性通常不喜歡毛茸茸的，很多人會定期地刮除腿部和腋下的毛。
Americans put great value on both grooming and personal hygiene. For some people, taking care of themselves has become almost a religion. As the old saying goes, "Cleanliness is next to godliness." Whether or not being clean and well-groomed brings one closer to God, it certainly brings one closer to others. Americans look down on people who don't take care of themselves, or who "let themselves go." To Americans, even if we don't have much to work with, we have to make the best of what we've got.
美國人非常看重儀容整潔與個人衛生。對某些人而言，打理自己幾乎成了一種信仰，如一句古老的諺語說：清潔是僅次于圣潔第二重要的事。不管整齊清潔是不是能使人更接近上帝，但它的確能拉近與人的距離。美國人輕視那些不在乎打理自己或讓自己隨隨便便就好的人。對美國人而言，就算我們沒有非常好的先天條件，但至少該盡力將已有的好好發揮。
