子女必读-优秀英文短文阅读(适合大学四六级水平)

中国人为什么迷恋请客吃饭?

A friend asks me “Why Chinese don ’t go Dutch? ”So I want to regard this question as the topic and write an article. As everyone knows, Occidental will go Dutch while having a meal in the restaurant. But Chinese don ’t go Dutch. Chinese will pay the bill and

often check out generously. guests; but Occidental don ’t entertain

Chinese often invite friend to dinner. A lot of Occidentals feel puzzled to this question.

一个朋友问我：“为什么中国人不是各付各的钱？”所以我要写一篇文章把这个问题作为关注的焦点。正像每个人都知道的那样，西方人在饭店吃饭往往都是AA 制，而中国人却慷慨地把别人的也一起给付了。西方人不常款待客人，而中国人却经常邀请朋友吃饭。许多西方人对此感到困惑不解。

Why exists such a difference? Because of the East and West culture and custom are different on

the surface. I will analyze this question concretely.

为什么存在这样的差别呢？表面上的原因是由于东西方文化的差异。我将具体分析其中道理。

First of all, food systems between China and Occident are different. Chinese put into practice Gather Dining System; Occidentals put into practice Individual Dining System. Everybody can share the delicious food of all over the table when eating Chinese food. Please note it is sharing; but Occidentals just eat the food in one ’s own plate, if you eat beef, he eats chicken. It is impossible that you taste the flavor of his chicken. The result of the Individual Dining System is that you can only eat the food in your plate. It is unable to share. Ha-ha! What I said is right!

首先，西方国家和中国的进餐方式不同。中国人实行的

是“集体共享制”；西方人实行的是“个人分餐制”。中国人吃饭时每个人都可以共享桌上的每一种鲜美食品，请注意是“共享”；但西方人只是吃自己盘子里的食物，假如你吃牛肉，他吃鸡肉，你就不可能品尝他的鸡肉。“个人分餐制”的结果就是你只能吃自己盘子里的，不可能共享食品。哈哈，我说的不错吧！

So to eat Chinese food is happier than to eat Western-style food. And I want to ask you a question. Do you like the free thing? I think nobody don ’t like the free thing. Ok! Suppose I invite you to eat the delicious Chinese food, then I pay the bill. This is equivalent to that you have enjoyed a delicious Chinese food free. So you will be very glad. Have strengthened the relation between us in the happy atmosphere.

因此，吃中餐比吃西餐更能让人愉悦。我想问你个问题：你喜欢免费的东西吗？我想没有人会说不喜欢。Ok ！假如我请你吃鲜美的中国食品，并且我来付账。这就等于是让你免

费享用了中国美食，因此你会非常开心。这种愉快的气氛便加强了你我之间的联系。

Secondly, Occidentals eat for the health; Chinese eat for the friendship. Occidental advocate individualism and independence is strong. So Occidental express that respect for each other ’s independence through the way go Dutch. Chinese like making friends and solidarity. Chinese value the interpersonal relationships and friendship very much. There are a lot of folk adages in China, for example “Depend on parents at home, leave home and depend on the friend! ”，“Handle affairs is easy if you have many friends! ”，another sentence is the more violent:“Insert the knife into both sides of the rib for friend!!! ”。

其次，西方人聚餐是身体的需要；中国人聚餐是为了友谊。西方人倡导个人主义，独立性很强。因此西方人通过各自付账的方式来表达他们对彼此独立性的赞赏。而中国人却

非常看中人与人之间的交流和友谊。中国有很多谚语，比如：“在家靠父母，出门靠朋友！”。“朋友多了好办事！”，还有一句更猛的：“为朋友两肋插刀！！！”

Therefore, friend ’s position is important in Chinese ’s mind. The purpose that Chinese don ’t go Dutch is doesn ’t want to destroy the friendship between the friends. Dutch treatment is the stingy behavior in China, is unfavorable to the friends ’solidarity and is unfavorable to keeping the harmonious interpersonal relationship.

因此，在中国人的头脑中把朋友放在很重要的位置。中国人不采用各自付账的方式不会损害朋友间的友谊。相反，各付己账被认为是小气的行为，这不利于朋友的团结，也不利于保持和谐的人际关系。

Third, it is only simple “Have a meal! ”that Occidental entertain guests. It is not purpose that

Chinese entertain guests, but it is the means. In Americans ’idea, “Have a meal ”definition is to add fuel to the body for keeping health and normal life activity. Thus resist the attack of disease. That is to say, there is no any additional value.

第三，西方人接待客人“吃饭”很简单，不像中国人接待客人那样带有意图。在美国人的心目中，“吃饭”无非就是给身体增加营养，保持身体健康和维持正常的生理活动，以抵御疾病的侵扰。换句话说，这里面根本没有任何附加的价值。

In the Chinese idea, “Have a meal ”not only is for maintaining the health of the body, but also is a kind of life enjoyment, even is the means to promote friendship between the friends. After enjoying the sumptuous delicious food, you are glad, I am glad too, everybody is glad. The friendship between the friends has been strengthened in this kind of atmosphere.

而在中国人的头脑中，“吃饭”不仅仅是保持身体健康，还是一种生活的享受，甚至是增进友谊的助推剂。在享用完美味的盛宴之后，你开心，我也开心，每个人都很开心。朋友间的友谊就在这样的氛围中加深了。

Chinese are a nation liking treat very much. Generally speaking, one party who propose treat will pay the bill in China. But purposes are different. For example you help me to do a thing, I will invite you to dinner in order to express thankfulness to you, certainly, I will pay the bill. Suppose I am a company manager, you are another company manager. I talk about the business with you, and I will say:“Let ’s have a meal together! ”。Certainly, I will pay the bill. My purpose is that congratulates business ’success, promote the friendship between us, even the friendship and cooperation between two companies.

中国是个非常好客的国家。一般来说，在中国总是有一方来付账。但他们的目的有所不同。比如你帮我做了一件事情，我会请你吃饭以便表达我对你的谢意，这当然是我来付账。假如我是一个公司经理，你是另一家公司经理，我想和你讨论生意上的事，我会说：“我们一起吃顿饭吧！”这当然也是我来付账。我的目的就是祝贺生意成功，增进我们之间的友谊，增进我们两个公司之间的合作和友谊。

In fact, Chinese are very complicated. So I say that Chinese don ’t go Dutch is not merely a kind of folkway and custom, but it is a means, a method, a repayment way, a way to express emotion, even is probably a kind of stratagem …

事实上，中国的人际关系很复杂。所以我说，中国人不各自付账不仅仅是一种社会风俗和习惯，它还是一种手段，一种方式，一种报答的方式，一种表达情感的方式，甚至可能是一种计谋……

为人子女的我们应该读的文章

The Apple Tree

这就是我们每个人的故事。这颗树就是我们的父母。小时候，我们喜欢和爸爸妈妈玩……长大后，我们就离开他们，只在需要什么东西或者遇到麻烦的时候，才回到他们身边。无论如何，父母永远都在那儿，倾其所有使你快乐。你可能认为这个男孩对树很残酷，但这就是我们每个人对待父母的方式。

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and lay around it every day. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow …He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.

Time went by …the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. “Come and play with me, ”the tree asked the boy. “I am no longer a kid, I don ’t play around trees anymore. ”The boy replied, “I want toys. I need money to buy them. ”“Sorry, but I don ’t have money …but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money. ”The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. “Come and play with me, ”the tree said. “I don ’t have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me? ”“Sorry, but I don ’t have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house. ”So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but

the boy never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. “Come and play with me! ”the tree said. “I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat? ”“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy. ”So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time. The tree was happy, but it was not true.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I don ’t have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you …”the tree said.

“I don ’t have teeth to bite, ”the boy replied. “No more trunk for you to climb on. ”

“I am too old for that now, ”the boy said.

“I really can ’t give you anything …the only thing left is my dying roots, ”the tree said with tears.

“I don ’t need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years. ”The boy replied.

“Good! Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come, Come sit down with me and rest. ”The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears …

很久很久以前，有一棵又高又大的苹果树。一位小男孩，天天到树下来，他爬上去摘苹果吃，在树荫下睡觉。他爱苹果树，苹果树也爱和他一起玩耍。

后来，小男孩长大了，不再天天来玩耍。一天他又来到树下，很伤心的样子。苹果树要和他一起玩，男孩说：“不行，我不小了，不能再和你玩，我要玩具，可是没钱买。”苹果树说：“很遗憾，我也没钱，不过，把我所有的果子摘下来卖掉，你不就有钱了？”男孩十分激动，他摘下所有的苹果，高高兴兴地走了。然后，男孩好久都没有来。苹果树很伤心。有一天，男孩终于来了，树兴奋地邀他一起玩。男孩说：“不行，我没有时间，我要替家里干活呢，我们需要一幢房子，你能帮忙吗？”“我没有房子，”苹果树说，“不过你可以把我的树枝统统砍下来，拿去搭房子。”于是男孩砍下所有的树枝，高高兴兴地运走去盖房子。看到男孩高兴树好快乐。从此，男孩又不来了。树再次陷入孤单和悲伤之中。

一年夏天，男孩回来了，树太快乐了：“来呀！孩子，来和我玩呀。”男孩却说：“我心情不好，一天天老了，我要扬帆出海，轻松一下，你能给我一艘船吗？”苹果树说：“把我的树干砍去，拿去做船吧！”于是男孩砍下了她的树干，造了条船，然后驾船走了，很久都没有回来。树好快乐……但不是真的。

许多年过去，男孩终于回来，苹果树说：“对不起，孩子，我已经没有东西可以给你了，我的苹果没了。”

男孩说：“我的牙都掉了，吃不了苹果了。”

苹果树又说：“我再没有树干，让你爬上来了。”

男孩说：“我太老了，爬不动了。”

“我再也没有什么给得出手了……，只剩下枯死下去的老根，”树流着泪说。

男孩说：“这么多年过去了，现在我感到累了，什么也不想要，只要一个休息的地方。”

“好啊！老根是最适合坐下来休息的，来啊，坐下来和我一起休息吧！”男孩坐下来，苹果树高兴得流下了眼泪……This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad …When we grown up, we left them, and only came to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could to make you happy. You may think that the boy is cruel to the tree but that ’s how all of us are treating our parents.

Take time out during the day for quiet time to listen to your inner voice. You may want to use your quiet time to meditate or pray. However you use this time, the key is to shut out all of the noise

around you by focusing deep within yourself. Breathing deeply during quiet time will also help you focus. I know it ’s hard to find quiet time during a particularly busy day, but it ’s so important —even if it ’s just 10minutes a day and you have to sneak away to get it. Quiet time can really make a difference in your life. It enables you to hear God speaking to your heart reminding you of His perfect love for you.

Be honest with yourself by paying attention to your actions. Actions speak louder than words, and they always tell the truth. What do your actions say about you? If you say you love your job, but your actions say otherwise, which do you think is more true —your words or your actions? On the other hand, if you say you ’re not good at a certain job, but your actions say otherwise, that ’s also important. What do you do with this insight? You can use it to make more beneficial choices in your life. By being honest with yourself based on your previous actions, your actions moving forward will be based on truth instead of just what you tell

yourself.

Despite what your subconscious may be telling you, you can have love with no limits. The key is to unconditionally love yourself first.

这就是我们每个人的故事。这颗树就是我们的父母。小时候，我们喜欢和爸爸妈妈玩……长大后，我们就离开他们，只在需要什么东西或者遇到麻烦的时候，才回到他们身边。无论如何，父母永远都在那儿，倾其所有使你快乐。你可能认为这个男孩对树很残酷，但这就是我们每个人对待父母的方式。

白天花些时间出去，独自倾听自己的心声。你可能想利用这段安静的时间沉思或祈祷。无论如何利用这段时间，关键是要排除周围所有的噪音，关注自己的内心深处。安静的时间进行深呼吸也能帮你集中注意力。我知道在特别忙碌的日子找到安静的时间很难，然而这很重要——即使一天只有10分钟，你也要溜开抓住它。安静的时间确实能使你的生命变得不同，它促使你倾听上帝与你的心灵对话，使你想起他赋予你的完美的爱。

坦诚对己，注重行动吧。事实胜于雄辩，行动才能证明事实。你的行动是如何说明你的呢？如果你说热爱自己的工作，而你的行动正好相反，你认为哪个更有说服力呢——言语还是行动？另一方面，如果你说不擅长某项工作，但你的行动正好相反，这也很重要。你怎么处理你这种能力？你可以由此在生活中做出更多的选择，坦诚对己也建立在以前的行为上，你以后的行动将会以事实为基础，而不只是你的言词。

不管你的潜意识告诉你什么，你都能够拥有无尽的爱，关键是首先你要无条件地爱自己。