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Alice: Hey, Li Lei. Andrew and I have been invited to a Chinese home for dinner. We've been racking our brains trying to choose some gifts for them. Can you tell us something about the cultural taboos in this aspect?
爱丽丝：嘿，李雷，有一个中国家庭邀请我和安德鲁去他们家吃晚饭。我们为了给他们选礼物都已经绞尽脑汁了。你能和我们说说在这方面有什么文化禁忌吗？
Li Lei: Sure. About the gifts, what do you have in mind?
李雷：当然可以。你们有什么想送的礼物？
Alice: Actually, we've bought some nice plates, clocks, and ...
爱丽丝：实际上，我们买了一些很好看的盘子、钟表以及……
Li Lei: Hang on, you said clocks? Uh, actually we don't give them as presents, especially to old people.
李雷：等等，你说钟表？呃，事实上我们不会把它当礼物送给别人，尤其不会送给老人。
Alice: So what you are saying is that it's a bad idea to give clocks as presents? But why? They are ornamental clocks, really lovely ones.
爱丽丝：你说把钟表当礼物送给别人不是个好主意？为什么？它们都是当做摆设的好看钟表。
Li Lei: Well, it may sound strange to you, but they have a funeral connotation in China. As for the plates, you'd better give an even number of them.
李雷：嗯，对你来说可能很奇怪，但它们在中国有丧葬的隐含意义。送盘子的话，你最好给偶数个。
Alice: You mean that it is better if we give six of them as gifts rather than five?
爱丽丝：你是说，我们送6个盘子当礼物比送5个要好？
Li Lei: Yeah, even numbers are regarded as lucky in Chinese culture, except for the number four.
李雷：对，在中国文化里，偶数被视为是幸运的，除了数字4。
Alice: I see. Thanks for your advice; otherwise we might have made some stupid mistakes.
爱丽丝：我知道了，谢谢你的建议，要不然我们就会犯一些愚蠢的错误。
Li Lei: You're welcome!
李雷：不客气！
