曲永华

Noisy neighbors are a common problem in a society where many people live closely together. And this can be most important when you share walls， floors or ceilings with neighbors in a flat. A noisy neighbor can make life challenging， especially if noise goes well into night， or happens during early morning hours.①This situation needs to be dealt with properly， which requires your ability to keep calm.

You should first try to tell your noisy neighbors about the noise. This conversation should be polite， even friendly. It can begin with a statement like. “I am not sure you are aware（明白;意识到）”. Explain the problem in an honest way， and ask the neighbor to turn down the music， or not to hold parties until 3 a.m. You can also add that you realize they hear your noise too， and you are certainly willing to try to stop anything in your behavior that is creating extra noise.

You should know that not all neighbors are going to follow your requirement， and some may act in a bad manner. If the noisy neighbors don’t change their behavior， the next step should be to write the neighbors a letter. The letter should show your grievances（不满）and the dates when the noise was quite terrible. For example， if your neighbor has loud gatherings every Friday night that last into the early morning then write down those dates.

When the noise remains going on， you should report it to local authorities（权力部门）， or even the police department， when it is really necessary. Often， however，②the problem is solved when the noisy neighbor knows you are going to call the police.

③Do be aware that you cannot always require noisy neighbors to be quiet. When the noise remains going on， it is wise not to deal with it in an angry or retaliatory（报复性的）fashion. If you have completed the steps and letter， don’t start hitting walls or floors around in your home or turning up the music to make your neighbors angry. Just have patience and remember that communication is the most important.

[精彩译文]

在一个许多人生活在一起的社会里，吵闹的邻居是一个普遍的问题。当你和邻居在公寓里共用墙壁、地板或天花板时，这一点是最重要的。一个吵闹的邻居会让生活充满挑战，特别是如果噪音持续到深夜，或者发生在清晨。这种情况需要妥善处理，需要你保持冷静的能力。

你应该先把噪音的问题告诉你吵闹的邻居。这种谈话应该是礼貌的，甚至是友好的。它可以用这样的语句开头。“我不确定你是否知道”。以诚实的方式解释问题，并要求邻居把音乐关小一点，或者在凌晨3点之前不要举行聚会。你还可以补充说，你意识到他们也听到了你的噪音，你当然愿意停止任何在你的行为中制造額外噪音的事情。

你应该知道，并不是所有的邻居都会遵守你的要求，有些邻居可能会做出不好的行为。如果吵闹的邻居不改变他们的行为，下一步应该给邻居写封信。这封信应该表明你的不满和噪音非常严重那天的日期。例如，如果你的邻居每个星期五晚上都有喧闹的聚会，一直持续到清晨，那么写下这些日期。

当噪音仍然存在时，如果确实有必要，你应该向当地有关部门甚至警察局报告。然而，通常当吵闹的邻居知道你要报警时，问题就解决了。

要知道，你不能总是要求吵闹的邻居保持安静。当噪音仍在继续时，明智的做法是不要用愤怒或报复的方式来处理它。如果你已经完成了这些步骤和写信，不要开始在家里敲打墙壁或地板，也不要开大音量让邻居生气。只要有耐心，记住沟通是最重要的。

[难点解读]

①This situation needs to be dealt with properly， which requires your ability to keep calm.

need to do sth. 意为“需要做某事”，be dealt with 表示被动之意，意为“被处理”。 如：

The bike needs to be repaired at once. 这辆自行车需要马上修理。

The case must be dealt with as soon as possible. 此案宜从速处理。

②The problem is solved when the noisy neighbor knows you are going to call the police.

本句是含有时间状语从句的复合句。主句的主语是the problem，是动作的承受者，因此本句的动词要用被动形式。如：

The floor is cleaned every day. 每天都清扫地面。

English is spoken in most of the countries in the world. 世界上大多数国家都讲英语。

③Do be aware that you cannot always require noisy neighbors to be quiet.

require sb. to do sth. 意为“要求某人去做某事”， 其中to do 作宾语的补足语。如：

Our teachers always require us to study hard every day. 老师总是要求我们每天努力学习。