够刺激：现实版交换人生
导读:交换人生带你领略完全不同的世界。
There are three cars gleaming in the Bentley family drive: a Porsche, a Range Rover and — of course — a rather splendid Bentley.
宾利家别墅外面的车道上停着三辆吸睛的轿车：一辆保时捷，一辆路虎当然还有一辆豪华的宾利。
‘Everyone used to say we should have one, with our name,’ smiles millionaire Terry Bentley, who made his fortune via loft conversions.
“所有人都说我们应该买一辆和我们家姓氏一样的宾利车，”这位靠“阁楼转换”发家的百万富翁Terry Bentley笑着说。
Terry bought his company for 5,000 pounds, but when he sold it six years ago it was turning over 42.5 million pounds.
Terry当年花5000英镑买下的公司六年前出售的时候已经涨到了42500000英镑。
The cars are the first thing single mother Angela Carter-Begbie sees in Lincolnshire, four kids in tow, to take part in a daring new ‘lifeswap’ TV programme. Angela’s name might sound posh, but her life certainly isn’t.
单亲妈妈Angela Carter-Begbie带着四个孩子来林肯郡参加一档大胆创新的电视节目“交换人生”时第一眼看到的就是宾利家的三辆豪车。Angela这个名字听起来光鲜亮丽但她本人的生活却和名字大相径庭。
She drives a clapped-out Skoda (on the days where she can afford petrol). ‘I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,’ says Angela, 42, of the modern, four-bedroom home on an exclusive estate that she got to call her own — albeit only for a week.
在她还能付得起油费的那段日子里她开的是一辆旧损的斯柯达。42岁的Angela在拥有四个时尚卧室的独立别墅中即便只住一星期也觉得自己“仿佛到了天堂”。
‘Their house is the sort of place you dream about, all beautifully done out, like a showroom. The kitchen is massive and they’ve got three bathrooms so no one ever has to share. I can’t even swing a cat in my bathroom at home — and I have to share it with my four kids.’
“他们的房子就是人们梦寐以求的地方，所有地方都美丽绝伦就像展厅里一样。他们的餐厅很大而且还有3个浴室所以他们可以每个人单独用一间。在我们家的浴室里连转个身的空间都没有，还要和四个孩子共用一个卫生间。
If you’ve ever wondered how the other half live, then this programme not only answers the question, but lets participants have a taste, too. The rich families in each episode are drawn from Britain’s most affluent ten per cent — while the poor families come from the bottom ten per cent.
如果你想知道世界上另一半人是如何生活的，那这个节目不仅会解决你这个问题，还会让参与者亲身体会一下。每一期节目里的富人都是从英国最富有的百分之十的人群中选择的，当然经济相对困难的家庭也都是从收入最低的百分之十的人群中选出来的。
The format sees them not only moving into each other’s houses, but stepping into their lives as they are given the spending money the other family has in a typical week.
节目不仅安排双方家庭住到对方的家里，还给他们对方家庭一周的开销作为他们这一周的花费以此来体验对方的人生。
The millionaire Bentleys — Terry, wife Sharon, both 54, and their daughter Kaylee, 26 — are horrified to discover they will have just 138.83 pounds to survive on. This is how much Angela has each week after she pays her rent and bills. It has to cover food. Kaylee, who spends a staggering 300 pounds a week on clothes, has trouble taking it in.
百万富翁宾利一家的成员有54岁的Terry和妻子Sharon以及26岁的女儿Kaylee。他们惊恐地发现接下来的一周将只靠138.83英镑生活。这就是除去房租和其他账单后Angela一周剩下的吃饭钱。一周要花300英镑“巨款”买衣服的Kaylee无法接受这个现实。
Back in the glossy kitchen Kaylee has just left, there is disbelief, too, when the Carter-Begbies gather round as Angela counts out the cash. Their spending money for the week? 1,797.43 pounds. ‘It would take me three and a half months to earn something like this,’ she says.
再回到Kaylee刚刚离开的光鲜亮丽的厨房，这里也充满了震惊。Carter-Begbies家的孩子们聚在一起看着妈妈数出了他们一周的可用花销，1797.43英镑！Angela说：“我挣这么多钱要花3个半月。”
Doubtless this programme will prompt accusations that it is another example of ‘poverty porn’ — using vulnerable people’s perilous financial situations as entertainment. But it does provide a fascinating glimpse into how polarised our society is.
毫无疑问这档节目会被指控为又一档“用贫穷取悦富人”的节目——利用弱势群体的经济困难当做消遣。但它也确实深刻反映出了社会两极分化的严重程度。
