这个世界时刻展现的都是一派生命不息、造物不止的景象。每次我走进这个世界，都会对它的美丽和意蕴平添几分更新更深的认识。
What Is the American Dream 美国梦
◎Tony Hawk
The term was first used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America which was written in 1931.He states:"The American Dream is...that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone,with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately,and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it.It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely,but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable,and be recognized by others for what they are,regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."(P.214~215)
In the United States's Declaration of Independence,our founding fathers:"...held certain truths to be self-evident,that all Men are created equal,that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,that among these are Life,Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness."Might this sentiment be considered the foundation of the American Dream?"
Were homesteaders who left the big cities of the east to find happiness and their piece of land in the unknown wilderness pursuing these inalienable Rights?Were the immigrants who came to the United States looking for their bit of life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness,their Dream?And what did the desire of the veteran of World War II—to settle down,to have a home,a car and a family—tell us about this evolving Dream?Is the American Dream attainable by all Americans?Would Martin Luther King feel his Dream was attained?Did Malcolm X realize his Dream?
Some say,that the American Dream has become the pursuit of material prosperity—that people work more hours to get bigger cars,fancier homes,the fruits of prosperity for their families—but have less time to enjoy their prosperity.Others say that the American Dream is beyond the grasp of the working poor who must work two jobs to insure their family's survival.Yet others look toward a new American Dream with less focus on financial gain and more emphasis on living a simple,fulfilling life.
Thomas Wolfe said,"...to every man,regardless of his birth,his shining,golden opportunity...the right to live,to work,to be himself,and to become whatever thing his manhood and his vision can combine to make him."
Is this your American Dream?
“美国梦”一词最早出现在詹姆斯•特鲁斯罗•亚当斯1931年的著作《美国史诗》一书中。他指出，“美国梦就是：在这片梦想的土地上，每个人都可以生活得更美好、更富裕、更充实，且能拥有符合其能力或成就的改善生活的机会。欧洲上流社会固然难以理解这种梦想，可就连我们当中的大部分人，也开始对此感到厌倦甚至猜疑。这梦想并不止于拥有汽车和高薪，还包括建立某种社会秩序，从而确保置身其中的每个人都能达到与其才能相当的地位并以其本色受人认可，同时不受性别、出身、地位等偶然因素的左右。”（214～215页）在美国的《独立宣言》中，我们的开国元勋们指出：“……认为下面这些真理是不言而喻的，人人生而平等，拥有造物者赋予他们的若干不可剥夺的权利，其中包括生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。”或许，可以将这些理念看作“美国梦”的基础？那些离开东部大城市的开拓者们，深入荒野寻找属于自己的土地和幸福，他们所追寻的就是这些“不可剥夺的权利”吗？那些来到美国的移民们曾经苦苦寻觅的，就是属于他们的“生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利”吗，这些就是他们的“梦想”吗？那些二战老兵们心怀的渴望——安定下来、有房有车、娶妻生子，是在告诉我们现在这个“梦想”演变成的样子吗？所有的美国人都能实现“美国梦”吗？马丁·路德·金是否认为他的“梦想”可以实现？而马尔科姆·艾克斯又是否实现了他的“梦想”？有人说，“美国梦”已然成为对物质财富的追求，人们终日为了家人能享受到更大的车、更豪华的房子和更多的荣华富贵，投入到工作中的时间越来越多，享用这些财富的时间却越来越少。也有人说，对于那些必须打两份工才能维系家庭的穷忙族，实现“美国梦”早已在他们的能力范围之外。然而，还有人期待实现一个崭新“美国梦”，金钱利益不再重要，更重要的是简朴充实的生活。托马斯·沃尔夫曾经说过：“……对每个人而言，无论出身贵贱，也无论他是否拥有天赐良机……他都有权生活、工作、展现自我，并结合他的男子气概和远大视野，成就一番事业。”这，是你的“美国梦”吗？
文化小课堂
早期的美国人提倡的“美国梦”是依靠诚实和勤奋来致富，而今却是越来越热衷于快速致富。对金钱的追求是“美国梦”中不变的成分，但也是对财富的过度追逐，使“美国梦”逐渐变味，丧失了对世界各地人们的吸引力。
Why American Students Get a Long Vacation 美国学生的长假
◎Nancy Steinbach
The traditional American school year begins in late August or early September.It ends in May or June,followed by summer vacation.
Why such a long break?Because long ago,young people had to help their families harvest the summer crops.At least this is what people today may think.
The reason has more to it.A recent report from an education policy center at Indiana University explored the historical roots of the traditional school calendar.
In the early days of the United States,children were not required by law to attend school.School calendars depended on local needs.
Students in rural areas went to school for no more than six months of the year—half in the summer,half in the winter.They worked on family farms during the other months.
City schools were often open much longer,some for eleven months of the year.Parents were happy to have a place for their children to go while the parents worked.
National leaders took a fresh look at schools after the Civil War,in the eighteen sixties.They saw a free public education as a way to help support a strong democracy and prepare workers for new industries.
Immigration was increasing and so was the student population.More and more people saw the need for a system of required education.But they had different ideas for the calendar.
Many city schools wanted a shorter year and a longer summer break.The schools were often crowded.There was no modern air conditioning and air pollution from factories was a problem.
Hot days would make it difficult to learn.A long summer break would also give teachers time for other jobs to add to their low pay.
Many rural educators,however,pushed for a longer school year.They thought it would keep children safe from industrial dangers at a time when there were few child-labor laws.They also thought it would lead to a better prepared workforce.
So the traditional school calendar was a compromise,with roots that now go back about a century and a half.The average school year used to be one hundred seventy days.Times have not changed much.Today the common average is one hundred eighty days.
But some experts think the traditional school calendar needs to change because the needs of the nation have changed.This thinking has led some schools to keep students in class longer.
传统美国学校的学年始于8月底或9月初，终于次年5月或6月，之后便是暑假。为什么暑期那么长呢？因为很久以前，年轻人得在夏收作物成熟之时帮助家里收割。至少人们到现在依旧这么认为。但真正的原因不止于此。印第安纳大学的教育政策中心最近发布了一则报告，探讨了传统校历的历史根源。美国建国初期，法律并未规定孩子们必须上学，校历也只是根据当地需求来制定。农村地区的学生每年上学的日子不超过6个月，夏季和冬季各3个月。其他几个月，他们都在家族农场里干活。城市里的学生每年上学的时间通常要长得多，有些竟长达11个月。家长们对此很高兴，因为孩子可以在学校里上课，他们就可以安心工作了。19世纪60年代南北战争过后，国家领导人对学校的看法大大改观。他们将免费的公立教育视为加强民主意识、为新兴工业培养人才的方式。移民人口不断增长，学生的数量也因此猛增。越来越多的人们意识到建立义务教育制度的必要性，但他们对校历问题看法迥异。许多城市学校希望缩短学年并延长暑期，因为学校早已人满为患，教室中尚没有现代化的空调设备，再加上学校周边工厂的空气污染问题，教学条件着实堪忧。炎炎夏日加大了学习难度。悠长的暑期还是教师们赚外快的好时机，以此补充下他们微薄的收入。但是，许多农村地区的教育者却坚持延长学年。在他们看来，在国内尚未完善儿童劳工法之前，上学可以让孩子们免于沦为童工，保证他们的人身安全。他们还认为，长远来看，这也会提高劳动力素质。于是，传统的校历是各方妥协的结果，可追根溯源至一个半世纪以前。那时，平均一学年有170天。时至今日，天数并未有太大改变，平均一学年有180天。但一些专家认为，在国家需求已经改变的情况下，传统校历也有必要作出相应的改革。某些学校已经响应了这一看法，延长了学生的在校时间。
美丽语录
Give your spirit a holiday and listen to this world to your heart's content,we can't refuse the surprises offered by this world just because we have no reason to do so.
给心灵一个假期，尽情地倾听这个世界，因为我们没有理由拒绝，也无法拒绝这个世界所给予我们的惊喜！
Ten Senterces of Obama 奥巴马的十句话
◎Obama
We are the change we are seeking.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
The world has changed,and we must change with it.
Starting today,we must pick ourselves up,dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America.
This union may never be perfect,but generation after generation has shown that it can always be perfected.
It took a lot of blood,sweat and tears to get to where we are today,but we have just begun.Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.
We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition,where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things.Everyone should try to realize their full potential.
We remain the most prosperous,powerful nation on Earth.
If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking,eventually you'll make progress.
We are ready to lead once more.
我们就是我们一直在寻找的变化。我们就是我们一直在等待的救世主。世界已经改变，我们必须随之改变。从今天开始，我们必须振作精神，洗心革面，开始重建美国的大业。我们的国家也许不曾完美，但一代又一代的人民已经向我们证明，他们可以不断地完善我们的国家。不知流过多少鲜血、多少汗水、多少泪水，才走到今天，但这还只是个开头。今天，我们开始真诚地努力，确保留给孩子们的世界，比我们现在居住的更好一点。我们不应丧失远大抱负，在人们只想开名车、穿靓衫、住豪宅，却不想努力工作实现梦想的今天，每个人都应该努力挖掘出自己全部的潜能。我们依然是地球上最繁荣、最强大的国家。如果你走上了一条正确道路，并愿意继续走下去，最终你会取得进步。我们已做好再次引领全球的准备。名人小课堂奥巴马为美国第44任总统，奥巴马是首位拥有黑人血统、且童年生活在亚洲的美国总统，他与不同地方与不同文化背景的人共同生活过。
American Hospitality 美国人的待客之道
◎Tom Chung
An American friend has invited you to visit his family.You've never been to an American's home before,and you're not sure what to do.Should you take a gift?How should you dress?What time should you arrive?What should you do when you get there?Glad you asked.When you're the guest,you should just make yourself at home.That's what hospitality is all about:making people feel at home when they're not.
The question of whether or not to bring a gift often makes guests squirm.Giving your host a gift is not just a social nicety in some cultures—it's expected.But in American culture,a guest is not obligated to bring a present.Of course,some people do bring a small token of appreciation to their host.Appropriate gifts for general occasions might be flowers,candy or—if the family has small children—toys.If you choose not to bring a gift,don't worry.No one will even notice.
American hospitality begins at home—especially when it involves food.Most Americans agree that good home cooking beats restaurant food any day.When invited for a meal,you might ask,"Can I bring anything?"Unless it's a potluck,where everyone brings a dish,the host will probably respond,"No,just yourself."For most informal dinners,you should wear comfortable,casual clothes.Plan to arrive on time,or else call to inform your hosts of the delay.During the dinner conversation,it's customary to compliment the hostess on the wonderful meal.Of course,the biggest compliment is to eat lots of food!
When you've had plenty,you might offer to clear the table or wash the dishes.But since you're the guest,your hosts may not let you.Instead,they may invite everyone to move to the living room for dessert with tea or coffee.After an hour or so of general chit-chat,it's probably time to head for the door.You don't want to wear out your welcome.And above all,don't go snooping around the house.It's more polite to wait for the host to offer you a guided tour.But except for housewarmings,guests often don't get past the living room.
Americans usually like to have advance notice when people come to see them.Only very close friends drop by unannounced.This is especially true if the guests want to stay for a few days.Here's a good rule of thumb for house guests:Short stays are best.As one 19th century French writer put it,"The first day a man is a guest,the second a burden,the third a pest."Even relatives don't usually stay for several weeks at a time.While you're staying with an American family,try to keep your living area neat and tidy.Your host family will appreciate your consideration.And they may even invite you back!
Most Americans consider themselves hospitable people.Folks in the southern United States,in particular,take pride in entertaining guests.In fact,"southern hospitality"has become legendary.But in all parts of America,people welcome their guests with open arms.So don't be surprised to find the welcome mat out for you.Just don't forget to wipe your feet.
假设有位美国朋友邀请你去他家做客，但你之前从没去过美国人家里，不知道该怎么办。该带礼物吗？该穿什么去？该几点到？到那以后该做什么？很高兴你问了这些问题。如果你是客人，像在家里一样随便就可以了。这就是待客之道：让客人有宾至如归之感。是否要带礼物这个问题经常让客人无所适从。在某些文化中，为主人带一份好礼物已经不仅仅是一项社会礼节，而是理所当然的。但在美国文化中，客人没有义务带礼物。当然，有些人还是会出于对主人的感谢带些小礼物聊表心意。普通场合送些鲜花或糖果就可以了，或者，如果主人家中有孩子的话，送个小玩具也不错。如果你选择不带礼物，也无需担心，因为甚至都不会有人注意到。美国人都在家里请客，请客吃饭尤其如此。多数美国人同意，任何情况下，在家烧一桌好菜都赛过上餐厅点的菜。如果收到邀请一起吃饭，你或许可以问：“需要带些什么来吗？”除非是吃每人都要自带小菜的百乐餐，主人通常的回答会是：“不，带你自己来就成了。”多数非正式晚餐场合下，你应该穿舒适的便服。计划好做到准时到场，否则需要提前打电话通知主人可能会晚到。晚餐聊天时，礼节上最好称赞一下女主人准备的丰盛菜肴。当然，最大的称赞其实是饱餐一顿！吃饱以后，你或许可以要求清理桌子或洗碗碟。但因为你是客人，主人可能什么都不会让你做。反而，他们可能会请大家移步到客厅，就着茶或咖啡吃些餐后甜点。一个小时左右的闲聊后，就差不多是时候离开了。你不想变得不受欢迎吧。最重要的是，不要擅自在他们家里四下窥视。礼貌的方式是，等待主人自己提出带你参观。但除非是开乔迁派对，客人们通常只会在客厅里坐着。美国人通常喜欢客人在拜访之前提前通知他们，客人想在主人家里多住几天时更须如此，因为只有非常亲近的朋友才会不打招呼就登堂入室。这里分享一条住家宾客的黄金法则：短住为宜。就像19世纪一位法国作家所写：“来访者第一天是宾客，第二天成为负担，第三天就是讨厌鬼了。”就连自家亲戚也不会一次住上好几个星期。你留宿美国家庭时，要努力保持周围环境干净整洁。你的主人会对你的细心周到心怀感激，甚至会因此邀请你再来！多数美国人以好客自居，美国南部的人们尤其以待客为荣。事实上，“南方人好客”的说法已经众口成金，但是全国各地的美国人都会张开双臂热情迎接客人。所以，在看到门外写着“欢迎光临”的门垫时，不要太过惊讶，不过不要忘记进门前蹭上几脚，擦干净鞋底。
文化小课堂
中国是礼仪之邦，我们常以“礼仪之邦”自称，有其文化传统方面的因素。在中国，我们往往会拎着大包小包礼物去别人家做客，如果是在美国去别人家里做客，是否也需要如此大费周章呢？如果你是客人，像在家里一样随便就可以了。这就是待客之道：让客人有宾至如归之感。
Get Married Like Irish People 像爱尔兰人一样去结婚
◎Anonymous
When I was having a chit-chat with my colleague,she asked me all of a sudden,"How did your husband propose to you at that time?Was it romantic?"I was numbed by her words for a while,and then burst into laughter,"My husband is a bit rigid,so do you think his proposal would be romantic?"Though I said in that way,I felt very sweet in heart when thinking of my husband's proposing to me.To be honest,his proposal was actually by no means romantic without flowers,diamond ring and any other surprise.It was even could not be called"marriage proposal".
At that time,he gave me a book about Ireland,which,now I am thinking was a long-established plan.At the weekend when I finished the book,he came to me and asked me whether I had finished the book.Seeing me nod my head,he felt very pleased and said to me in a low but happy voice,"If you like,we can get married in an Irish way!"
At that time,my heart was totally convinced by the romantic and sacred law of marriage in Ireland.The book told me that Ireland believes in Catholicism and prohibited divorce.Therefore,when a couple gets married,they are supposed to choose the time of their marriage which ranges from 1 year to 100 years.The most impressive of this law of marriage lies in the inverse relationship between the time of marriage and the fees to be charged.If you choose 1 year for your marriage,you shall pay as much as 2,000 sterling pounds plus receiving a dictionary-thick reference of rights and responsibilities.But if you choose 100 years,then you are very lucky and only need to pay 0.5 pound for the fees and receive a short but heart-touching note in all women's eyes:"I have no idea the clear rights and responsibilities for my left hand to my right hand,my right leg to my left leg,my left eye to my right eye and my right sphere of brain to the left.Actually,they are an integrated whole and live by each other and cheer for each other.Finally,I would like this pink note to convey my best wishes to your one-hundred-year marriage!May you live happily all your lives!"
I still remember at that time that I said to my husband,"Ok,so sir,please choose the time you expect our marriage to last!"He said happily,"I even do not bother to think about it and would definitely choose 100 years because it is highly money-saving!"
Later,I married him,a man who would like to stay with me for 100 years.Although we are not bound by the law of marriage in Ireland,we have cherished our vow to discipline ourselves all the time.We have married like Irish people and look on our marriage as a life-long commitment and spare no effort to nourish it hand in hand as we are gradually aging together.
I also sincerely hope that every pair of lovers in the world can get married like Irish people and love and protect each other whole-heartedly by committing themselves to a 100-year marriage.
和同事闲谈时，她突然问我：“你老公当时是怎样向你求婚的？浪漫吗？”我当即一愣，随后大笑道：“我老公有点古板呢，你觉得他的求婚会浪漫吗？”虽然我这么说，但回想起我丈夫的求婚，心里还是甜滋滋的。老实说，他的求婚一点都不浪漫，没有鲜花，没有钻戒，没有任何惊喜，甚至都算不上是种“求婚”。当时，他给了我一本有关爱尔兰的书，现在回想起来，我会觉得他其实预谋已久。周末我看完书后，他来问我是否看完，我点点头，他就很高兴，用一种低沉的口吻说道：“如果你愿意，我们就像爱尔兰人一样结婚吧！”但言语间还是流露出抑制不住的幸福感。当时，我对爱尔兰神圣而浪漫的婚姻法心悦诚服。书中说，爱尔兰是天主教国家，禁止离婚。因此，新人结婚时需要选择婚姻的期限，从1年到100年不等。这部婚姻法最吸引人之处在于，婚姻期限与所须支付的登记费用呈反比。如果你选择1年，就需支付2000英磅的费用，还得把一本跟字典一样厚的权利义务手册背回家；如果你选择100年，那么你走运了，只需付上0.5英磅的登记费即可，还会收到一张简短但却可以打动所有女人的字条：“我不知道我的左手对右手、左腿对右腿、左眼对右眼、右半脑对左半脑享有哪些权利，又存有哪些义务。但事实上，它们就是一个整体，相互依偎，相互扶持。最后，我在此送上这张粉红色字条，祝愿你们百年好合！永远幸福！”我依然记得自己当时对丈夫说的话：“既然这样，那么好吧，请这位先生选择一下你期望的婚姻期限吧！”他高兴地说：“还用多想吗，当然是100年了，因为最省钱嘛！”后来，我嫁给了这个愿意和我生活100年的男人。尽管，我们并不受爱尔兰婚姻法的约束，但却非常珍惜对彼此许下的誓言，一直都在自我约束。我们真的像爱尔兰人那样结婚了，把我们的婚姻看作一生的承诺并用心经营，希望能执子之手、与子偕老。我也真心希望，世界上的每一对恋人都可以像爱尔兰人一样去结婚，选择百年婚姻期限来全心全意地珍爱对方、守护对方。
美丽语录
Love is an unknown place that no saying from all around the worldcan explain.
爱情是用全世界所有的名言都无法解释的未知世界。
The Art of Love Letters 写情书的艺术
◎Jenrifer Good
One of the best ways to convey exactly how you feel about someone is through written words.Finding the perfect way to say what you mean—when it comes to love—can be a challenging task for anyone.So,we've gathered some helpful tips.Go ahead;spill your heart onto a piece of paper.Whether through a one-line sentiment,a poem,or some prose—let them know how you feel!
Tips for writing your own love letters
Make it personal.Writing a love letter is a dying art.So if you're going to say it—mean it!Express your gratitude for the person being in your life.
Include any special nicknames that the two of you share.
Be specific.What are the things that he/she does to make you starry-eyed?Is it the way he gets a little teary at a sad movie?Is it the way she can't wake up without her green tea?
Include memories of specific times you spent together.Let him/her know what they meant to you and why.
Whether you're sending it by mail or delivering it to them personally,hand-write it.Typed letters are sterile.If you're even thinking about e-mail,then do something creative like designing a personalized"home page"love letter.You can get free templates at Colleges.com.
Love quotes
People have been writing about love for centuries.Love quotes can capture exactly how you feel about your sweet in just a few words.Make up your own,or borrow a few of these to add to your letter.
"Those who love deeply never grow old."
"Love does not consist in gazing at each other,but in looking together in the same direction."(Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
"For an instant,love can transform the world."
"It's not being in love that makes me happy.It's being in love with YOU that makes me happy."
"If there is anything better than to be loved,it is loving."
"Did I tell you today how much I love you?"
Creative expression
Think a letter is too boring?Here are 10 ways to get your message across and have it remembered.
1.Write your message in magnetic letters on their refrigerator.
2.Create a Letter Hunt.
Leave a note on his/her computer telling him/her you have written him/her a love letter,but it has to be found.Give a clue.Clue to clue to clue.Make your lover search for the prize.
3.Send your love roses according to how many letters he/she has in their name.
On each flower,attach a note that uses the letters of their name,as the first letter of the message.For example:"Sean."The first rose could say,"Sometimes I get starry-eyed when I look at you."The second,"Everything you do make me happy."And so on.
4.Book of Love.
Put together a book of ten pages—each page for some unique thing you love about him/her.
5.An audiotape letter.
A cassette tape with your voice on it is an unexpected surprise.
6.Letter a day.
Write your lover a letter every day for a week and leave it in a place it will be found.
7.Write your loved one in a different language.
He/She will have to get it translated,which will make their investment in the letter special.
8.Write a ransom note.
Ransom an object of your lover's and leave a note saying you'll return it only after a romantic evening together.
9.Run a bubble bath for your love.
Put a note inside a bottle and leave it floating in the water.
10.Hidden notes.
Hide little love notes in your lover's pockets,wallet,bag,or desk for them to find later.
若想确切表达你对某人的情感，付诸笔端或许是最佳方式。倘若要为表达爱意找到完美的方法，对任何人而言都会充满挑战。因此，我们为大家搜集了一些有用的小贴士。去吧！就在纸上泼洒你的内心吧，或化作只言片语，或化作行行情诗，抑或化作深情散文，让对方感受到你的爱！情书专家养成法真情表露。写情书这门艺术日渐消亡。因此，如果你决定表白，那就得真心诚意！大胆说出你对未来爱侣的感激之情吧。使用你们俩之间独有的昵称称呼彼此。具体呈现。他/她做的什么事令你开始胡思乱想？是他曾为一部苦情电影泪眼婆娑？还是她缺了绿茶便无法起床？叙述回忆里那些你们共度的特别时光。让对方知道这些对你很重要，以及为什么重要。这封信，无论是邮寄还是亲手交给对方，都一定要手写，因为打印的信件了无生气。如果你想发电子邮件，就必须加入一些创意，比如设计一封个性十足的“主页”情书，Colleges.com上有免费模板供参考。爱情格言几个世纪以来，人们都在以信表爱。爱情格言在三言两语之间就可以准确表达你对心上人的爱意。你可以原创几句，也可以借用几句加到情书里。“深爱之人永葆青春。”“爱不是彼此凝视，而是一起注视同一个方向。”（圣·修伯里·安东尼）“爱能瞬间改变世界。”“我很快乐，不是因为我爱你，而是因为我爱的是你。”“若有什么比被爱更美好的，就是爱。”“我今天对你说我有多爱你了吗？”创意表达觉得传统的情书太无趣？那么以下10个方法或可帮你传达心意，令对方过目难忘。1.用字母磁贴在对方家里的冰箱上拼出你的心意。2.玩一场“情书寻宝”的游戏。在对方的电脑上留言，告诉他（她）你给他（她）写了一封情书，但这封信已经藏了起来。提供一条线索，然后一个线索接一个线索，直到你的爱人找到奖品。3.按照对方名字里字母的数量来送玫瑰花。在每一朵花上附一张便条，分别以对方名字中的字母作为便条上句子开头的第一个字母。例如：名字是肖恩，第一朵玫瑰上的便条可以写：“有时，我一见你就会胡思乱想。”第二朵上的则可以写：“一切你做的都让我开心。”等等。4.爱之书。制作一本10页的书，每一页都是你所爱之人的一个独特之处。5.录音带情书。听到你的声音出现在录音带里定会令对方喜出望外。6.一日一信。用一周每天写一封情书并放在显眼的地方。7.用外语写一封情书。对方必须去翻译情书，付出的努力会使情书变得特别。8.写一张赎单。拿走一件你爱人的物品并留下赎单说，必须共度浪漫之夜才会把东西还给对方。9.爱的泡泡浴。把情书便条放进瓶子里，浴缸放满水后，让瓶子漂浮在水面。10.秘密便条情书。将便条藏在你爱人的口袋、钱包、提包或办公桌里，待他们之后自己发现。
美丽语录
Go ahead;spill your heart onto a piece of paper.Whether through a one-line sentiment,a poem,or some prose—let them know how you feel!
去吧！就在纸上泼洒你的内心，或化作只言片语，或化作行行情诗，抑或化作深情散文，让对方感受到你的爱！
The Respect of Youth 青少年对人的尊重
◎Jim
Grumpy old men
"The young people of today love luxury;they have bad manners;they scoff at authority and lack respect for their elders;they contradict their parents..."
Harsh words,indeed—but here's the surprise:this is not the complaint of an ill-tempered bank manager or even a grouchy pensioner,but the words of the Greek philosopher Socrates,written over 2,000 years ago.They suggest that throughout history,young people have challenged what their elders deem acceptable behavior—and that older people find that a problem.
Unsung heroes
The reality is that it is often difficult for young people to have a genuine voice in society.Many of the institutions that influence our lives—the media,politics,business—tend to ignore,criticize or,worse,patronize younger"citizens",whilst stressing the need for them to respect society's official and unofficial rules and regulations.
Dr.Hugh Starkey of the University of London's Institute for Education says:"Young people are frequently presented as citizens-in-waiting,not citizens in their own right and so they are seen as lacking equal status."
Ironically,while today's youth is often portrayed as threatening yet politically apathetic,time and again it is young people who are sufficiently concerned—about poverty,injustice,world hunger,homelessness and many other issues—to do something about it.From the Live Aid concert in 1985 to the Live 8 concert in 2005,and from local environmental groups to Voluntary Service Overseas,thousands of young people in the UK show their commitment to helping and treating others with respect.
O age limit on manners
Anthea,19,student,feels manners are definitely important:"There's no reason not to be well mannered:it makes life more pleasant.It's common sense really,but everyone is in a rush these days and politeness is sometimes forgotten."
In her part-time job as a waitress,Anthea sees a lot of good—and,occasionally,some bad-manners:"Older people can be just as rude as anyone else—particularly businessmen who think their suits and wealth are a substitute for politeness.Younger customers are almost always nice to me and to each other,even though they may look pretty wild and different."
坏脾气的老年人“今天的年轻人都爱奢侈、没礼貌、藐视权威、不尊重老人，还和父母对着干……”这些评价确实很刺耳，但令人惊讶的是，这话并不是出自一个坏脾气的银行经理，更不是出自一个心怀不满的退休老人，而是2000多年前希腊哲学家苏格拉底的真言。这些话说明，历史长河滚滚东去，一代年轻人愤然挑战的问题，在上一代人看来却理所应当——但是上一代人却又认为棘手。无名英雄实际上，年轻人很难在社会上拥有话语权。媒体、政治、商业等影响着我们生活的各类体制往往对青年“公民”熟视无睹、极尽批评，更有甚者摆出一副恩威并施的姿态，同时强调他们必须遵从社会上各色正式和非正式的规章制度。英国伦敦大学教育学院休·斯达克博士说：“年轻人常被当作候选公民，而不是拥有自主权的公民，因此被看作缺乏平等地位的人。”讽刺的是，现在的年轻人一方面被刻画成具有威胁性且对政治缺乏兴趣的人，另一方面，真正去关注贫困问题、不公平事件、全球饥饿、无家可归和其他很多事件并切实有所行动的人，也是这些年轻人。从1985年的“现场援助”慈善音乐会到2005年的援非现场八方明星慈善演唱会，从当地的环保团体到海外志愿服务社，成千上万的英国年轻人都用实际行动展现了他们乐于助人的意愿和尊重他人的品格。礼貌无年龄之分19岁的学生安西娅认为礼貌非常重要：“没有理由不去礼貌待人：这会让生活更愉悦。这真的是常识，但这些日子每个人都很忙，有时就会忘记礼貌待人。”在做兼职服务生期间，安西娅看见很多人都彬彬有礼，偶尔也有一些没礼貌的：“老人可以和其他人一样粗鲁，尤其是那些认为自己的西装和财富可以取代礼貌的商人。年轻的顾客几乎都对我很好，他们之间也很好，尽管他们的外表看起来有些野性另类。”
美丽语录
Respect warms the hearts of others and enlightens the hopes of others just like the candlelight burning in the dark heart.
尊重如一直燃烧在黑暗心房的烛火，温暖着他人凄冷的心，照亮他人希望的所在。
Tipping One's Hat 摘帽礼
◎Anonymous
Few Americans tip their hats today,partly because etiquette has loosened and partly because they don't wear hats.Until the 1950s,however,men commonly tipped their hats to women,and removed them entirely indoors and in elevators.(In 1949,the first known guidelines for elevator etiquette were issued:men were told to leave their hats on because too many women were complaining of knocks on their heads when men saluted in crowds.)But in the 18th century it was not considered bad manners to wear their hats indoors.A man would take it off to greet a lady,but then he would put it right back on his head.The reason for doing so is perfectly plain.In the first place,the hat served as a badge of rank through most of the history,a visible mark of status.This tradition may have its roots in Roman times.In ancient Rome,a head covering was a symbol of social or political superiority.In the second place,one could not draw a sword easily if he was holding the hat in his hand.
Just as covering the head symbolized dominance,so uncovering it symbolized submission.Ever since the early Middle Ages,to remove one's hat—whether it was made of cloth or metal—has signified obedience.The original sense of the custom is mirrored in the expressions"with hat in hand"(which means"showing excessive respect,and too eager to obey and serve",)and"I take my hat off to him"(which means"I express my admiration for him.")
现在的美国人已经很少摘帽了，一方面是因为礼节不再严格，另一方面则是因为他们不再戴帽子了。但直到20世纪50年代，通常情况下，男士都还会向女士摘帽示意，并在室内和电梯里完全脱帽。1949年，已知的第一份电梯礼节指南发布，要求男士切勿脱帽，因为女士们都抱怨若男士在人多时脱帽示意，帽子就会砸到她们的脑袋。可是，在18世纪，在室内戴帽也不被当作不礼貌的行为。男士会摘帽欢迎女士，但他马上又会戴上。这么做的原因很简单：首先，历史中的绝大多数时候，帽子都象征着等级，是看得见的地位标志。这个传统可能源于罗马时期。在古罗马，顶盖是社会或政治优越性的表征。其次，一个人如果把帽子拿在手上，就不方便拔剑了。头戴顶盖表示拥有统治地位，摘掉就表示投降。从中世纪早期开始，无论是布制的还是金属制的帽子，摘帽都意味着服从。这一习俗的原始意义在两个俗语中有所体现：“手拿帽子”——意为“表现过度尊重，急欲服从和服务”；而“我向他脱帽”——意为“我向他表达敬佩之情”。
文化小课堂
中国人通常是见面后点点头、握握手、行拱手礼或微微欠身再握手。在美国，拥抱礼、亲吻礼、吻手礼都是常见的见面礼，至于古老的摘帽礼已很少见了。头戴顶盖表示拥有统治地位，摘掉它就表示投降。
The Boy and Girl Glance 眉目传情
◎Elizabeth
The boy and girl glance around the crowded room.Their eyes meet.Embarrassed,they look away.Nervously,they steal glances at each other,averting their eyes when they see the other one looking back.The boy acts cool,crossing his legs and affecting a casual air—even though his heart is beating wildly.The girl,obviously smitten herself,is afraid the boy will see her looking at him.A few seconds pass.He looks at her again.She starts to blush.He nervously looks at the ceiling and whistles softly to himself.They continue their cat-and-mouse game for a seemingly inter-minable period of time.Will they ever talk to each other?
The fact is,they have already communicated a lot,without ever saying anything.Nonverbal elements form a major part of any communication interchange.Some people would say it's the most important part.According to one study,words convey only 7 percent of a person's message.Intonation and voice quality communicate 38 percent,and nonverbal cues transmit a whopping 55 percent.That means people pick up more from nonverbal communication than from the words a person says.When studying about a foreign culture then,it just makes sense to pay attention to how people use nonverbal cues.
Gestures comprise a major form of nonverbal communication.In contrast to sign language,used by deaf people to communicate elaborate messages,gestures function as visual icons which represent a single idea.But often these gestures are embarrassingly culture-bound.For example,when the Maoris of New Zealand stick out their tongue at someone,it is a sign of respect.When American schoolchildren make the same gesture,it means just the opposite.Also,Americans often indicate"OK"with their thumb and forefinger touching to form a circle.The same gesture means"money"to the Japanese,"zero"to the French and a vulgarity to Brazilians.For that reason,people in a foreign culture must use gestures with caution.
Another cultural aspect of nonverbal communication is one that you might not think about:space.Every person perceives himself to have a sort of invisible shield surrounding his physical body.When someone comes too close,he feels uncomfortable.When he bumps into someone,he feels obligated to apologize.But the size of a person's"comfort zone"varies,depending on his cultural or ethnic origin.For example,in casual conversation,many Americans stand about four feet apart.In other words,they like to keep each other"at arm's length."People in Latin or Arab cultures,in contrast,stand very close to each other,and touch each other often.If someone from one of those cultures stands too close to an American while in conversation,the American may feel uncomfortable and back away.
When Americans are talking,they expect others to respond to what they are saying.To Americans,polite conversationalists empathize by displaying expressions of excitement or disgust,shock or sadness.People with a"poker face,"whose emotions are hidden by a deadpan expression,are looked upon with suspicion.Americans also indicate their attentiveness in a conversation by raising their eyebrows,nodding,smiling politely and maintaining good eye contact.Whereas some cultures view direct eye contact as impolite or threatening,Americans see it as a sign of genuineness and honesty.If a person doesn't look you in the eye,Americans might say you should question his motives—or assume that he doesn't like you.Yet with all the concern for eye contact,Americans still consider staring—especially at strangers—to be rude.
Considering the influence of nonverbal communication,we never really stop communicating.How we walk,how we stand,how we use our hands,how we position our bodies,how we show emotions—all send a message to others.That's why it's possible,as the saying goes,to"read someone like a book".And if you read the person right,as the boy and girl in the crowded room later discovered,it just might turn into a love story.
拥挤的房间里，男孩和女孩四下环视。他们的目光相遇了，有些尴尬，又都向别处看去。他们怀着忐忑的心情，偷偷地瞥了对方一眼，对方回视，又移开视线。男孩举止很酷，翘着二郎腿，即便心跳加速，但潇洒气质不减。女孩显然被他迷住了，害怕男孩会看到自己正盯着他看。几秒过去了。他又看了她一眼。她脸红了。他紧张地看着天花板，轻轻地兀自吹起了口哨。他们似乎没完没了地玩起了猫捉老鼠的游戏。他们会搭上话吗？事实上，虽然他们什么也没说，但已经交流了很多内容。任何信息交流的过程中，非语言元素都占主体，有些人还会认为这部分最为重要。某研究显示，文字仅传递了7%的个人信息，语调和音质交流占38%，非语言暗示传递的信息则占到了极大的55%。这就是说，人们在非语言交流中获得的信息多于说话的内容。在研究某种异域文化时，就很有必要对人们使用的非语言暗示多加留意。手势组成了非语言交流的主要形式。与听障人交流复杂信息使用的手语相比，行使视觉符号功能的手势代表了单一的想法。但这些手势常常受到文化的限制，极易造成十分尴尬的局面。比如，新西兰的毛利人对某人吐舌头是表示尊重，而美国的小学生做这种手势就代表完全相反的意思；还有，美国人总是把大拇指和食指相合成圈表示"OK"，但同样的手势对于日本人意味着“钱”，对法国人则意味着“零”，对巴西人更是粗俗的动作。由此，处于异域文化的人们务必小心使用手势。另一个非语言交流的文化因素是你可能没想到的：空间距离。每个人都能感觉到自己身体周围有一种隐形屏障。当别人靠得太近，他就会觉得不舒服；当他无意中碰到别人，他会觉得需要道歉。但一个人的“舒适地带”大小各异，与他的文化或种族有关。比如，在非正式交谈中，许多美国人都会站到4英尺外。换句话说，他们喜欢保持“一个手臂的距离”。相比之下，拉丁或阿拉伯文化中的人彼此站得非常近，经常会碰到对方。如果来自这些国家的人和一个美国人在交谈中站得太近，美国人会感觉很不舒服而不断后退。美国人交谈的时候，常期望别人有所回应。对于美国人来说，有礼貌的谈话者会显示出兴奋或厌恶、震惊或悲伤的表情以示自己感同身受。总是面无表情、波澜不惊的人会被称为“扑克脸”，因而容易遭人猜忌。美国人还会在交谈中通过扬眉毛、点头、礼貌的微笑及保持适当的目光接触，来表示自己的专注程度。尽管有些文化认为直接的目光接触既不礼貌又冒犯人，美国人却认为那是真挚和诚恳的表现。如果一个人说话时没有直视你的眼睛，美国人会提醒你注意此人的动机——或假定他不喜欢你。尽管美国人对于目光接触顾虑重重，但他们依旧认为直愣愣地瞪着对方是粗鲁无礼的，对陌生人尤其如此。至于非语言交流的影响究竟有多广，只能说，我们从未真正停止交流。我们走路的方式、站立的方式、做手势的方式、肢体动作的方式、表达情绪的方式，都会向他人传达一个信息。俗话说“看人如看书”，原因正在于此。如果你看懂了一个人，就像拥挤房间中男孩女孩之后所发现的，就有可能变成一个爱情故事。
阅读小课堂
Time In Americans'Eyes
美国人的时间观念
美国人的时间观念很强。有这样一种说法，即：美国人是“钟表的奴隶”(Americans are slaves to nothing but the clock)。对他们来说，时间简直就是一种珍贵的商品。通常情况下，美国人是不会与记者进行长时间闲谈的；也不会把时间花费在饭桌前，通过宴请客人来建立友谊关系或联络感情。对大多数人来说友好关系比不上实际表现重要。所以，在与客人简单礼节性地寒暄后，他们很快就会谈及主题。由于人们非常珍惜时间，他们很讨厌那些不知趣的浪费别人时间的人。多数美国人都有严格的个人日程安排，他们在日程表上写满了约会，把一天的时间分成一段一段的。如果你想拜访某人，或者请某人做什么事，最好的办法是与他们事先约定好，他们是不欢迎不速之客的。约会时你必须按照约定的时间到达，如果有急事发生，使得你不能按时赴约，你应该更改或取消约会。失约是非常不礼貌的行为。在他们的语言中，也能反映出对时间的关注。比如美国人在年幼的时候，家长就开始教导他们做事要on time（准时），in time（及时）；过得愉快时，他们会说have a good time；浪费时间被说成kill time；感到日子过得太快，他们用Time flies（时光飞逝）来表示；即使在年老临终时，他们也会说是靠借来的时间活着的（live on borrowed time）。
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