Where Should I Sit?

在美国“打的”,如果你坐副座，司机会一路与你谈笑风生；你若坐在了后面,司机便板着脸一言不发。要知究竟何故，请读 “坐在哪儿？” 　

When you take a taxi in the United States, if you sit up in the front seat, the driver will be pleased and talk with you all the way; if you sit in the back seat, though, the driver may be unhappy and reluctant to speak, he is unlikely to say much.

At first, I thought this was owing to differences in the characters of the drivers. Later, after I'd had some more experiences with taxis, I discovered that it was a more general phenomenon. Only when I arrived in San Francisco, did I find out the reason.

Sonia lives in San Francisco. One day, Sonia and I went out together. Sonia drove the car while her husband, Ji An, sat by her side; I sat behind Ji An. After a while, Ji An got out of the car and suggested that I sit where he had been sitting. The destination wasn't that far away, so I told him I'd just as soon stay where I was. But Ji An insisted. So I had to move, wondering what all the fuss was about.

"Do you know why Ji An asked you to sit here?" Sonia asked me. I shook my head. "If you sit in the front, it means you and I are friends; if you sit in the back, it's as if I'm just your driver and our relationship is one of employer to employee.

" With those words, I understood at once. No wonder then that taxi drivers were so pleased when I sat in the front. At face value, the only issue was where one sat. As a matter of fact, though, where one sat also reflected the degree of one's respect for the driver.

Although it is true that the relationship between driver and passenger is a business relationship - or in other words, a money relationship - people still place an emphasis on the respect and friendship beyond the monetary transaction.

One day in New York. Sonia and I once took a taxi to go out. In the car, we both sat in the back seat. Speaking in Chinese, Sonia introduced New York's social background to me. As we were talking animatedly, the driver suddenly interrupted us, "There is a law here stipulating that if you do not speak English in this taxi, you will be fined $ 200." I was very surprised.

Sonia immediately asked him, "How come I haven't ever heard of that law before? I'm going to check this law in court." The driver laughed, "I'm only kidding. I just feel frustrated that I can't understand what you're saying.

" As we got out of the taxi, Sonia said, "Our sitting behind made him feel like he was employed by us; on top of that, he couldn't understand what we were saying. So naturally, he wasn't very happy. I wouldn't put it past him to try to trick us. But I'd rather believe he was really was just kidding. Anyway, he wasn't too pleased with both of us sitting in the back."

在美国“打的”，如果你坐前边，司机会高兴得很，一路与你谈笑风生；你若坐在

了后面, 司机便板着脸一言不发，即使你主动搭话，人家也爱搭不理的。

一开始我以为是司机秉性不同所致，“打的”次数多了，竟然发觉是共性。这其中的奥秘，到了旧金山方才揭晓。

索妮娅家住旧金山，一日，我与索妮娅夫妇同出，索妮娅开车，其夫纪安和她并排坐在

前面，我坐在后面。不一会，他走下车，让我坐到前面。我说离目的地不远了，不用换了，

就坐后面吧。不想纪安执意要我坐到前面，我只好从命。但心里觉得纪安太多事。 

“你知道纪安为什么要你坐前面？”索妮娅问我，我摇摇头，“你坐前面，表明咱俩是朋友；你若坐在后面，我便成了为你服务的司机，咱俩就是雇佣关系了。”

一句话使我茅塞顿开，怪不得“打的”时坐前面能让司机那么高兴，看上去只是个座位问题，但去体现了人与人之间的尊重。

说起来司机与客人的确是雇佣关系，说得更明了些，是金钱关系,但是人们还寻求金钱关系之外的尊重与友谊。

在纽约的一天，我和索妮娅“打的”，二人一起坐到了后排，索妮娅用汉语向我介绍纽约社会背景。当我俩正谈得热闹时，司机突然插了一句：“我们这里有条法律，坐车不讲英语的人罚款２００美元。”我一听怔了。

索妮娅马上反问：“我怎么没听说过？我要去法院核实。”司机立刻笑了：“开个玩笑而已，我不过是闷得慌，又听不懂你们的话”。 

　 下车后索妮娅说，“我们坐在后面，他有受雇于人之感，再加上听不懂我们的话，心中自然不痛快，想个招儿讹一下也未尝不可能，不过我还是相信他开玩笑的可能性大。不管怎么说，我俩都坐后面，他是不太高兴的。”

 

Puzzle(谜语)

There is a thing that nothing is, and yet it has a name. It's sometimes tall and sometimes short, joins our talks and joins our sports, and plays at every game. What is it?――

 

 

TONGUE TWISTER （绕口令）

A pleasant peasant keeps a pleasant pheasant and both the peasant and the pheasant are having a pleasant time together.

一位和气的农民养了一只伶俐的野鸡，而且这位和气的农民和这只伶俐的野鸡在一起度过了一段很美好的时光。

 

【名片欣赏】

 

[故事梗概]

　　故事发生在动荡的60年代的美国. 从一个个残疾人到足球明星, 从越战英雄到捕虾大亨，从获白宫殊荣到终得一生挚爱，主人公福勒斯特(Forrest)经历着他传奇的一生。 在它的生命中， 它的母亲，爱人珍妮(Jenny)引导他如何用一颗善良、温暖的心去对待偏见、憎恨、希望、恐惧。 在这个残酷的社会中， 福勒斯特用自己独特的方式诠释着生命和死亡的真谛。相信他的故事在每个人内心深处都会掀起波澜。 

LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES,YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET

福勒斯特自幼身患残疾, 而且智力低下,但他有幸有位充满智慧和爱心的母亲爱护他、引导他。为了让福勒斯特和其它孩子一样受到最好的教育， 母亲与校方据理力争……

FORREST: Mama was a real smart lady. 妈真是个聪明人。 

MOTHER: Remember what I told you Forrest. You are no different than anybody else is. Did you hear what I said, Forrest? You are the same as everybody else. You are no different.

福勒斯特, 记住我的话. 你跟所有人一样, 没什麽区别. 福勒斯特, 你听到我说的话了吗? 你跟所有人都一样. 没什麽区别的。 

(They enter the principle's office. 他们走进校长办公室)

MR. HILLCOCK: You boy's different , Mrs. Gump. His IQ's 75.

甘普太太, 你儿子……与别人不一样. 他得智商是75。 

MOTHER: Well, we're all different, Mr. Hillcock. 哦, 我们彼此都不一样, 汉科克先生。 

FORREST: She wanted me to have the finest education so she took me to the Greenbow County Central School. I met the principal and all.

她要我受到最好的教育, 于是带我去绿茵堡中心学校,在那里我看到了校长他们。

MR. HILLCOCK: I'll show you something, Mrs.Gump. Now here is normal . Forrest is right here. This State requires a minimum IQ of 80 to attend public schools, Mrs. Gump. He's going to have to go to a special school, He'll be just fine. 

甘普太太, 我给你看些东西。 你看, 这是正常的。 福勒斯特是在这。 州政府规定智商至少有80才可以读公立学校。 甘普太太, 他应该去一家特殊的学校，那样才比较适合。

MOTHER: What does normal mean, anyway? He might be a bit on the slow side, but my boy, Forrest, is going to get the same opportunities as everyone else. He's not going to some special school to learn how to retread tires . We're talking about 5 little points here. There must be something can be done.

到底什麽叫"正常"? 他可能学东西比较慢,但我的孩子福勒斯特也要和别人一样享有平等机会, 他不去什麽特殊学校去学习怎麽翻新轮胎。我们说的只不过是小小的五分而已, 一定会有办法的。

MR. HILLCOCK: We're a progressive school system. We don't want to see anybody left behind. Is there a… Mr. Gump, Mrs. Gump?

我们学校的制度是要学生循序渐进, 我们不想有学生跟不上。 甘普太太, 甘普先生在吗? 

MOTHER:He's on vacation. 

他度假去了。

                                                     （Continue 待续）

 

 

【加拿大朋友亮相】

 

Michael Murphy:

Thank you all so very much for allowing me to introduce myself. My name is Michael Murphy and I arrived in China last week. I traveled from Canada for the opportunity to teach you English.

I think your school is very beautiful and that all the teachers and students are very friendly.

You have all made both Kelly and I very welcome, and we thank you all very much.

I hope I can help as many students as possible to gain a better understanding of how to speak English. I look forward to teaching you soon.

My favorite sport is football, but I also enjoy basketball any many other events.

I like to cook and look forward to making some Chinese food for Kelly!!!

 

Kelly Murphy:

Firstly, I would very much like to thank all the teachers and students at Baoying Middle School for the warm welcome that Michael and I received here. Everyone has been so friendly and helpful. I was born in England but have lived in Canada for over 20 years. Canada is a beautiful country and I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about it. I like to watch football on television and I also enjoy reading.

I am looking forward to teaching oral English and being a part of your community. I am also looking forward to learning Mandarin.

 

【学生诗作】

 

Dream

宝中高一（8）班祁静

 

You are a beacon,

Which is on the way for advancing.

You are a target,

Which people go after.

Without you,

My work will lose power,

My study will lose goal,

My life will have no meaning.

Without you,

Even in the sunshine,

I still feel cold and detached.

Even in a hundred flowers,

I still can't see a bright future.

If you are a sea,

I'm a drop of water.

If you are a mountain,

I'm a grain of sand.

No matter I am tinge enough,

I may get inexhaustible power from you!