分享一篇文章:
The moving-home experience in China is just like anywhere else, one big hassle. Before the truck arrived and five Sichuan migrant workers stomped through my apartment, a rigorous stock-take was needed. What do you keep and what do you throw away?
I gazed at the cardboard boxes, filled with all sorts of useless little things and realized how much junk I'd gathered.
One day that marvelous, must-have, antique-looking mahjong set is treasure, the next it's another piece of trash, which was never used, despite all the best intentions.
When I first moved to China everything was interesting. It's a bit like getting drunk as a teenager. It is quite a thrill at first, but soon the buzz flattens out.
The kitschy "cultural revolution (1966-76)" posters, the framed picture of the qipao-wearing Shanghai lady gracefully holding a cigarette, the 1932 hand-drawn map of old Beijing and the spear-wielding statue of Guan Yu (that crazy-looking bearded general from the Three Kingdoms classic) had all lost their novel appeal.
And what about my gold fish and my monster 4,000-yuan fish tank?
This was by far my biggest moral dilemma.
To be or not to be, that was the question.
Getting rid of material things is an easy throwing in-the-bin exercise, but these living, breathing little friends, who had flapped around so many mornings, with hungry mouths open, calling for breakfast, were my good mates.
We've been through a lot together and they shared in my joys and suffering during every home Chinese lesson. They've heard so much Putonghua, and probably speak better than me.
I couldn't just get rid of them? Or could I? It was such a hassle to move that damn tank and questions rose in my mind like the bubbles in my fish tank.
Do fish have souls? I kill cockroaches and mosquitoes so why are fish different? Is it because I can see their eyes? So does that mean only creatures with eyes have souls? Am I a bad person for even thinking of doing this?
I ate fish in a restaurant, and somebody killed them, so when I ordered the dish I played a part in dooming those fish. What makes my pets different?
But how do I do the deed? Drain the tank, then watch them flap to death? Flush them down the toilet? At least they'll have some kind of chance. The power of life or death was in my hands.
One thing was certain. I was thinking way too much thanks to industrial-quantities of coffee, the precursor to all my box-filling and junk-sorting operations.
And of course everybody needs a blazing soundtrack to speed along the moving process and I had chosen U2's classic album Joshua Tree.
As I contemplated their fate, With or Without You began to play.
"I can't live, with or without you," screamed Bono, and I realized my madness. How could I have contemplated such a heartless action? I was just being downright lazy.
Maybe it's because I'm Pisces, but the fish just had to come to my new home.
As for the other stuff, it was a case of I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
更多精彩内容,请继续关注本网站。
提高高考英语阅读速度之四种方法
英语翻译技巧之“综合法”
高考英语一轮复习备战技巧:强化记忆多实践
初中英语每日一套题:初二英语期末试卷(9)
中考英语复习方法分析:激发发散思维
中考英语 英语中表示倍数增加的表达方法
每天背100个单词的秘密之——(四)
汉译英:冠词误用辨析
高考英语名师指点 强调句型点津
应对英语近义词辨析 名师献策
高考得第一 幼儿园不识ABC
汉译英:主谓一致误用辨析
初中英语每日一套题:牛津英语7A期末试题(5)
旅游酒店传媒等奥运相关专业正在走红
初中英语每日一套题:初一英语测验练习(02)
中考英语易混点 名师解析
实用锦囊:学好英语的42个经典要诀
相当活跃的不定冠词的翻译法
初中英语 词组总结(一)
每天背100个单词的秘密之——(一)
中考英语:备考全攻略之完型填空篇
09年中考英语范文(1)
中考英语明年“人机对话”
中考英语满分作文 可用词条 香港回归11周年
初中英语资讯:“初中托福”中国开考
初中英语每日一套题:期末测试题(03)
每天背100个单词的秘密之——(二)
2009中考英语备考现在完成时的六个要点
点滴积累:英语中表强调的8种句型
英语翻译技巧之“分句法”
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |