K: how many people are there in your family?
J: my immediate family is quite small. It’s just my older step-brother, my mom, my step-dad and me. how about you?
K: I have a large family. I have three older sisters, my twin sister, a younger brother, and parents.
J: I didn’t know you were a twin! Are you identical or fraternal?
K: we’re identical. I mean, we look exactly the same, but we are complete opposites when it comes to everything else.
J: interesting. It must be great having a twin sister. Are you best friends, too?
K: we used to be really close, but that all changed once she moved to Shanghai. How about your family? You didn’t mention to your biological father.
J: I don’t know much about him. He died when I was just a baby. Even though I don’t have a blood relationship with my step-father and step-brother, I consider them to be my real family.
K: what about your step-brother’s mother? Does he keep in touch with her?
J: no, she also died when my step-brother was little. My mother and my step-father met each other shortly after my father died and became good friends. They ended up getting married a few years later.
K: sounds like it was meant to be.
你们家有几口人？
我的直系亲属人数不多。只有一个我继父带来的哥哥，我母亲，我继父和我。你呢？
我们家可是个大家庭。 我有3个姐姐， 一个双胞胎姐姐，一个弟弟和我父母。
我不知道你是个双胞胎。你们是同卵双生还是异卵双生？
我们是同卵双生。
我的意思是说，尽管我们长得一摸一样，但是其它地方毫无相似之处。
真有意思！有个双胞胎的姐妹的感觉一定很棒。你们俩也是最好的朋友吧？
我们曾经亲密无比。但后来她搬到上海以后，情况就变了。你们家的情况怎么样？你没有提过你的亲生父亲。
对于他耳朵事情我知道的不多，我还在襁褓中的时候他就去世了。即使我跟我的哥哥和继父没有血缘关系，但我还是觉得他们就是我真正的家人。
那你那位哥哥的母亲怎么样？他还跟她有联系吗
没了。她也是在我哥哥很小的时候去世的。我父亲去世后不久，我妈妈和我继父就认识了，还成了很好的朋友。几年之后，他们才结婚。
这似乎是命中注定。
Surname 姓
Immediate family 直系亲属
Of noble birth 贵族出身
Progeny 后裔
Kinsmen by blood 血亲
Legitimate child 婚生子
Bastard 私生子(女)
Half brother 同父异母兄弟，同母异父兄弟
Descendant 后代，晚辈
First name 名
Kinship 血缘关系
Of humble birth 平民出身
Inherit 继承
Families with children and families without children feel sorry for each other.
有孩子的家庭对没有孩子的家庭表示遗憾，反之也是。
DINK means double incomes no kids.
丁克家庭指双收入无子女家庭。
Are you an only child?
你是独生子(女)吗？
When Mr. Brown died, his daughter Jane inherited a large house and garden.
布朗先生去世后，他的女儿珍妮继承了一所大房子和花园。