英语作业
Miranda
姐夫及他的同事四个人在北京念在职MPA，有英语课，自然需要英语考试，所以，我就有事做了。去年帮他们四个人写了四篇英文作文，一个话题，需要写四篇
观点不同的作文。我的老天，我需要就一个话题反复地正方说几句，反方说几句，左边说几句，右边说几句，这样才不至于让这四篇作文不一样。尽管写这四篇作
文需要的时间不是很长，但足以杀死不少脑细胞，还好每篇的字数是150字左右。
去年的作文话题是：穷人与富人间的差距是什么？
我给他们写的四篇分别是：
-------------------------------------
Why Rich and Why Poor
The phenomenon of the rich and the poor exists since the beginning of
the history of human being. Many factors account for it and the whole
social environment is one of the most important factors.
Firstly, a small number of rich people have already cornered the
substantial proportion of our national resources. These small amounts
of people hold the majority of the national resources and continue to
hold more so long as they can get more owing to the greed, which make
them richer and the poor poorer. Secondly, few effective measurements
have been adopted to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor as
measurements are usually made by those rich people. Thirdly, the rich
have always the easier access to money-making opportunities as the
whole society tends to cater to the rich.
In a sentence, social environment in China plays a very critical role
in widening the rich and the poor.
---------------------------------------
Why Exists the Gap?
Nowadays, one of the most heat topics is why the gap between the rich
and the poor gets wider and wider. There are many reasons and I would
like to explain my opinion in the following three reasons.
Firstly, it is the inborn factor. Some people are born rich while
others are born in poor families. This may result in different lives
as their opportunities are unequal from the beginning. Secondly, the
social or economic or political environment has its power to lay its
influence on people's wealth. People who get accesses to early
opportunities are more likely to get more wealth. Thirdly, people's
intelligence accounts for the reason why some are rich while others
are poor. The ability to get wealth differs owing to how smart the
person is. The rich get richer and the poor poorer.
In all, the inborn factor, the external environment and the internal
cause together account for the widening gap between the rich and the
poor.
--------------------------------------
People Should Respond for the Rich and the Poor
Since the economic reform opening the Chinese market to the outside
world, the gap between the rich and the poor gets wider and wider. It
is people who should respond for it.
Firstly, as China has just opened its market to the world, it is new
on how to monitor the new market. Some people made big fortune through
illegal action or from gray areas. This is one of the most important
factors coursing the gap between the rich and poor. Secondly, the
difference between the rich and the poor lies in personal
intelligence. Some people are smarter to get wealth while others are
suffering from earning money. Thirdly, different people handle their
wealth in various ways. Some are very good at handling their wealth,
which make them even richer though it may be the same at the
beginning.
Let us get the conclusion. People's intelligence ranks differently
which accounts for the existence of the gap between the rich and the
poor.
---------------------------------------
The Rich and the Poor
The rich and the poor are not born in nature. It owes to many
different reasons. I would like to elaborate it in this article in a
perspective of the factors that do not lie in people themselves.
Firstly, some people are born in a richer family. As these people are
born with the golden key, they have better chances to get educated and
are more likely to have opportunities to cultivate their interests to
further develop themselves. Secondly, as they can get better
education, they are more likely to get better opportunities in their
career life, which will result in a more wealthy life directly.
Thirdly, as the rich have more money and resources to take part in the
events and activities which usually can bring them chances to get to
know different level of people, they can better achieve their wills
easier from their better interpersonal relationships.
In all, the rich and the poor are not born in nature, but inborn
factors do have the power to decide the rich and the poor.
Miranda
上周末，姐夫把作文题发给我，
1、In modern-day china, many people are in pursuit of tangible things
such as spacious apartments and luxurious cars.
2、China has opened its door to the Outside world for more than three
decades. Discuss some obvious effects of the contacts Between China
and Western countries.
每篇分别写2篇不同的英语短文，字数为150--170字，共写4篇。
看到这两个作文题，有些晕，特别是第一个，这哪是作文题啊，只是说了句话而已，且是句不对不错的话。但也无奈，只好动笔了。
----------------------
Proper Pursuit of Material Comforts Contributes to a Better Life
Since the beginning of human beings, our ancestors had never stopped
seeking a more comfortable life which ranks from better farming tools
in ancient times to luxurious cars in our times. It is undeniable that
proper pursuit of material comforts contributes to the development of
the society of human beings.
The desire of material comforts inspires human beings to create and
invent. Without the desire of lightness to appreciate the life, Thomas
Edison would not have invented the light and we would live in darkness
with candles. The pursuit of material comforts also motivates us to
work hard in order to meet our material requirements while creates the
wealth at the same time. It is our desire for those material comforts
such as spacious houses, luxurious cars that promotes the development
of our society.
Obviously enough, proper material comforts contributes to the
development of the society of human beings and makes our lives much
better and more splendid.
---------------------------
Excessive Material Comforts Set back the Development of Human Beings
Proper material comforts promotes the development of the society of
human beings, but excessive material comforts could do harm to human
beings.
The pursuit of excessive material comforts prevents people from
emphasizing on the meaningful works supposed to achieve. How many
talented students have failed to accomplish what they supposed to
achieve when they start to be indulged in LVs in universities? How
many named scholars end up their research life mediocre when they set
their eyes on BMWs? The pursuit of excessive material comforts may
also results in the emptiness and loss of mind. Spending too much time
on material comforts will definitely decrease the attention on
spiritual world, which will course the unbalance in the mind of human
beings.
It is not hard to notice that to be indulged too much in the material
comforts could set back the development of human beings. Therefore, we
should retrospect ourselves all the time and keep balanced both in
material and spiritual life.
-------------------------
Consuming Habit Changes after the Openness
My grandmother could never understand why I can watch TV and move to a
new house without paying for all the expenses, and what is more, make
purchase with the money that is not belong to me!
One of the most obvious phenomenons after China’s opening its door to
the outside world could be the rapid change of our consuming habit. We
earn and then we spend. This is the traditional Chinese consuming
habit that last for hundreds and thousands of years. Things change
quickly in the recent decades. People take loan to afford a house
after reading the story of an American old lady and a Chinese old
lady. People make purchase with the money in the bank by credit card
and repay the bill later. Now, the consuming habit seems to be that we
spend and then we repay for the bill.
It is hard to define which consuming habit is better. At lease we
could see people tend to be more influenced with each other after the
openness.
Miranda
且更郁闷的是，上次的三篇作文也白写了，因为他们给的作文题不完整。人家试卷上明明写着，In modern-day china, many
------------------------
All for a Better Life
Since the beginning of human beings, our ancestors had never stopped
seeking a more comfortable life which ranks from better farming tools
for such a phenomenon?
It is the desire of human being for a better life that motivates
people to pursue those comfortable material staff, such as big houses,
expensive cars.
These desires include but not limit to the mentality of showing off
and the brand-orientated mood. By showing off, people get admiration
and standing around and from its community, which may make them feel
satisfied and get a sense of happiness. Others, who may not want to
show off, may trust brand goods. Normally, brand goods can guarantee
the quality at least.
In all, people tend to pursue a more comfortable life. It is
unavoidable to get in touch with all those luxurious staff in the
process of getting a better life.
------------------------
When Money Meets Luxury
It is estimated that nowadays China is becoming a huge market for
luxurious goods including expensive bags, cars, watches, and etc. Why
can China been so? I will elaborate the phenomenon in the following
two perspectives.
Chinese are getting rich. With the development of China in recent
three decades after opening its door to the outside world, China steps
in a fast-growing road. Chances for people to achieve success are much
more accessible, which makes a huge number of rich people in China.
These people are reckoning their mind to spend money.
Luxurious goods offered in China are numerous now. Several decades
ago, it is hard to imagine that a common people can easily get access
to LV bags. Luxurious goods belong to the minority, but now, LV
flagship stores are everywhere in China, even in small cities.
It is not hard to understand what it will be when money meets
luxurious goods.
Miranda
感觉。题目是英译汉。
-------------------------
Part II Translation (40 points)
I (10 points)
I'm so shallow I wouldn't even be aware of my lack of depth if it
weren't for the fact that my mother is a therapist and points it out
to me. In fact, the only time I've been to a therapy session was when
she brought me with her and my dad to talk about how their divorce was
hurting my sister; when I got there, the shrink pulled out a column my
mom had planted there that I had written for my college paper about
being unable to feel anything, which deeply concerned my mom. A column
that may or may not have lines I'm reusing right now.
我是如此的肤浅，如果我妈妈不是一个心理医师，及对我指出来的话，我甚至都没有意识到我缺乏深度。事实上，我唯一的一次参与心理疗法是我妈妈带着我，及
和我爸爸一起去的，他们要去讨论一下他们的离婚是怎样对我的妹妹造成伤害的。当我到那时，精神科医师拿出一个文档，那是我妈妈故意放那的，是我写的一篇
大学论文，写的是我无法感受到任何事情，这让我的妈妈非常担心。我现在正在写的一些句子段落，可能就出自于该论文。
II (30 points)
Tramps as pioneers? It seemed absurd. Every man and child in
California knows that the pioneers had been giants, men of boundless
courage and indomitable spirit. However, as I strode on across the
white sand, I kept mulling the idea over.
Who were the pioneers? Who were the men who left their homes and went
into the wilderness? A man rarely leaves a soft spot and goes
deliberately in search of hardship and privation. People become
attached to the places they live in; they drive roots. A change of
habitat is a painful act of uprooting. A man who has made good and has
a standing in his community stays put. The successful businessmen,
farmers, and workers usually stayed where they were. Who then left for
the wilderness and the unknown? Obviously those who had not made good:
men who went broke or never amounted to much; men who though possessed
of abilities were too impulsive to stand the daily grind; men who were
slaves of their appetites -drunkards, gamblers, and woman-chasers;
outcasts - fugitives from justice and ex-jailbirds. There were no
doubt some who went in search of health-men suffering with TB, asthma,
heart trouble. Finally there was a sprinkling of young and middle-aged
in search of adventure.
漂泊流浪者是开拓者？这看似有些荒谬。每一个在加州的男人及小孩都知道，开拓者是那些英雄，那些大胆勇敢不屈不挠的人。然而，当我跨过白白的沙漠时，我
反复地思考着这个想法。
谁是开拓者？谁是那些离开自己的家，走进荒野的人？很少会有人愿意离开舒适的地方，而有意去寻求穷困艰难。人们习惯于他们所生活的地方，喜欢寻根问祖。
转移住所就如同被驱赶出自己的家园一样令人痛苦。一个小有成就及在其社交圈有些地位的人是不会到处移居的。成功的商人、农民及工人通常会呆在属于他们的
某个地方。那么，谁会到处流浪走进荒野未知的地域呢？毫无疑问，是那些没有成功的人。那些破产的或从没搛过大钱的人；那些有能力、但无法忍受重复枯燥工
作生活的人；那些沦为自己欲望的奴隶的人-醉鬼、赌徒、色鬼；那些被驱逐的人-因法律原因而逃亡的人及囚徒。可想而知，这些人中的一部分人会因肺炎，哮
喘，及心脏病等健康问题而无法继续他们的探险，剩下的一小摄人都是些年轻力壮的人及中年人，他们才有幸去冒险及探知未知世界。
-------------------------------
第一段翻译，不愧是一个心理有些怪异的人写的，感觉不知所云，翻译难度不是一般的大，所花时间也比第二段长，且还不知道是不是可以这么翻译，是否翻译对
了。第二段就要通俗易懂不少，且从阅读翻译中能找到小小快乐。之所以会从翻译中寻找到快乐，我想可能是因为我喜欢翻字典吧。每次遇到不认识的单词或无法
确定意思的单词的时候，我总是喜欢翻字典，如同那些科班出身的老教授所说，英语要学得好，就要勤翻字典。也正因为如此，我拒绝火遍全中国的文曲星，到现
在为止，我都没用过文曲星，从那个小小的冷冰冰的机器中，我无法找到感觉。
有时还挺怀念学生时代的，那时上课，上自习，做作业，阅读，泡图书馆。