One of My Summer Activities
美国的大学通常都会对学生参加的课外活动感兴趣，比如志愿者、实习生、工作经历、或者学校组织的不属于学习课程范畴的项目等。因为中国高考并不看重这方便的内容，所以很多学生会问我们怎么参加课外活动，课外活动为什么很重要。下面我就和你们分享一下我的一段暑期经历。
当我15岁的时候，也就是我在高中一年级的暑假(相当于中国制度的初三)，我在《达拉斯早报》(《达拉斯早报》在美国是一份大报纸，但是因为我从小在达拉斯长大，这个报纸对于我来说更像一个地方报纸)中浏览一个关于最近一部电影的评论，准备计划我的周末活动。那段评论是关于一部有点粗制滥造的喜剧，如果我没有记错的话，是Adam Sandler主演的一部美国式幽默。评论的作者对于这部喜剧电影的评价很低。虽然评论员对于影片的评价是正确的，但是我在想，一个资深评论员却要去评论一个很傻的片子，真是一种浪费，这种简单的幽默影片一般是为了青少年人拍摄的。
思考之外，我给报纸的主编写了一封邮件。我尝试着向她仔细说明为什么我认为让资深评论员写这样的评论既是浪费他自己的时间，也是在浪费读者的时间。资深评论员和他的读者可能没有任何的共同点。毕竟我才只有15岁，我并不期待我的邮件有多大的说服力，但是，出乎我的意料，我收到了主编的回复，她说她也多次思考过我提出来的问题，并且很有兴趣和我面谈一次。一两周之后，我和主编见面了，那次见面结果变成了一个不正是的面试。因为我从来没有发表过文章，所以她决定让我试着写一些文章来证明我写作的实力。
主编希望我能写一些在娱乐方面年轻人感兴趣的话题。我非常地激动，几天之后，我就写完了一个关于我刚参加的摇滚音乐会。几年之后再次读到我当时写的文章，真觉得我写得巨烂无比，不过，又有什么关系呢？我的激情显而易见，后来主编让我写了一个电影评论，15岁，我成为了一个记者。
至少，我认为我成为了一个记者。有一些作家反对在报纸上刊登我的文章，因为报纸的版面是有限的，哪些四五十岁的作家可不愿意和一个15岁的孩子竞争。当时，我也不算一个很伟大的作家，u也不太有希望给记者世界带去什么变革。最终，我一共写了(参与到)10篇文章，也可能更少。有一些文章是关于电影的，有一些是关于学生们反对对伊战争的，有一些是青少年对性的态度，有一写是学生们关于2004年总统大选的观点。
作为报纸的一个小小的部分，我却学到了记者界的很多东西。工作和学习的差别真的太大了，虽然后来我没有兴趣成为一名记者，但是这段经历让我思考了更多以后想做的事情。同时，它也教会我，机会是要去争取的。当申请大学的时候，我觉得这段短期的记者经历教会我的东西比我写的文章更有价值。它不光展现了我的好奇心和课堂之外的执著，它更让我明白我在大学和生活中想要什么东西。继续学习吧。杰生
College applications often look at a student’s performance outside of class in so-called extracurricular activities: volunteer positions, internships, employment, or projects and clubs organized by school but not part of a class. Because this is not an aspect necessary for admission to Chinese universities, many students ask us how to begin becoming involved in such activities and why it is important. Below is a story from one of my own summer vacations。
When I was 15, I read a review for a recent movie release in The Dallas Morning News. It is a somewhat large newspaper in the US, but I had spent most of my life in Dallas, so The Dallas Morning News was my “local” newspaper. It was the summer after my freshman year in high school, roughly equivalent to 初三 in the Chinese system, and I was flipping through [1] the movie review section to make plans for the weekend。
This article reviewed a crude [2], immature comedy–if I remember correctly, a comedy starring Adam Sandler–that was just the sort of silly humor that many people around the world tease Americans for enjoying. The writer, of course, gave the movie a terrible rating. While he may have been correct in his criticism, it seemed odd to me that a critic who probably considered film a profound art form [3] would waste his time writing a review about a silly, thoughtless movie that targeted young adults。
Rather than just think about it, though, I wrote a letter–okay, an e-mail–to the newspaper editor. I attempted to clearly and reasonably explain why I thought the writer was wasting both his and his readers’ time: he probably had nothing in common [4] with the audience that would be interested in the topic of his article。
Since I was only 15, I imagine my letter was not very convincing, but, to my surprise, I received a response from the editor saying that she had often thought about many of the points I raised and that she was interested in talking to me more about it. A week or two later, the editor and I met, and our discussion quickly became an informal interview. I had no experience with published writing, so she decided to assign me a couple of trial articles to demonstrate my abilities。
The editor wanted me to focus on topics that were primarily interesting to young people, especially topics in the entertainment industry. I was excited, and within a few days I had written a piece about a rock concert I had attended. I remember reading it again a few years after I had written it and thinking how terrible it was, but I’m not sure how much it mattered [5]. My enthusiasm was apparent, so the editor assigned me to a movie review, and, at the age of 15, I had become a journalist。
At least, I believed I had. The other writers largely resisted the inclusion of my writing in the newspaper. Newspapers have a limited amount of available space on which to publish, and writers in their 40s and 50s were not very excited about the possibility of having to compete with a 15-year-old. I was also not a great writer at the time, and it was unlikely that I would bring progress to the world of journalism. In the end, I wrote or was a major contributor to only ten articles, maybe less. Among them were articles about movies, student protests against the Iraq War, teenage sexuality, and young student voters’ perspectives on the 2004 Presidential Election。
Simply by being a small part of a newspaper, however, I learned an enormous amount about the journalism industry. Working was also very different from studying, and while I did not have an interest in pursuing journalism in the future, it helped me think much more about what I wanted to do in life. The experience also taught me that opportunities were there for those who pursued them. When I applied to college, I think the experience and perspective I gained from my short life as a journalist were far more valuable than the actual articles I wrote, not simply because they showed my intellectual curiosity [6] and commitment beyond the classroom [7], but because they taught me more about what I wanted from college and life。
Keep learning,
Jason 杰生
Messages at the Father’s day
这些年来，虽然我们常有意见不合的地方，但我一直敬爱着您。
OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT I ALWAYS LOVE YOU。
谢谢您在我需要的时候伸出援助之手。
THANKS FOR HOLDING MY HAND WHEN I NEEDED IT。
爸爸，我所有的为父之道都来自于您的恩赐。祝您父亲节快乐。
I OWE ALL OF MY SKILLS OF FATHERHOOD TO YOU DAD. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY。
我不知道做一个父亲竟然会这样不容易。这使我更加感激您。
I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT BEING A FATHER WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT. IT MAKES ME APPRECI ATE YOU ALL THE MORE。
现在我已身为人父。我才知道，您在养育我们时，做得多么好。
NOW THAT I AM A FATHER, I CAN SEE WHAT A GOOD JOB YOU DID IN RAISING US。
我以前不知道您是一个多么好的父亲，但是现在我知道了。
I DIDN’T SEE WHAT A GOOD FATHER YOU WERE TO US BEFORE, BUT I DO NOW。
您的经历和引导，一直让我衷心感激
YOUR EXPERIENCE AND GUIDANCE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN APPRECIATED。
祝您有个快乐的父亲节。
HAVE A VERY HAPPY FATHER S DAY。
您是世界上最好的爸爸。
YOU ARE THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD。
真高兴您是我爸爸。
I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE MY DAD。
祝您有个最棒的父亲节。
HAVE THE BEST FATHER S DAY EVER。
这是为了感谢您为我所做的一切。
THIS IS FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME。
您是孩子心目中最好的爸爸。
YOU ARE THE BEST DAD THAT A KID EVER HAD。
在我需要您的时候，您总是在那里。
YOU HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN I NEEDED YOU。
父亲节是忆起爸爸们为我们所做的一切的时刻。
FATHER S DAY IS A TIME TO REMEMBER ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT DADS DO FOR US。
我爱您胜过一切。
I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE。
谢谢您帮我度过许多艰苦的时光。
THANKS FOR HELPING ME THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES。
我竟是如此幸运，能有像您这样的父亲。
HOW COULD I BE SO LUCKY TO HAVE A DAD LIKE YOU。
将我全部的爱，献给我最亲爱的爸爸。
ALL MY LOVE TO THE DEAREST FATHER IN THE WORLD。
我们全都爱您，爸爸。
WE ALL LOVE YOU, DAD。
您对我总是那么地有耐心。
YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SO PATIENT WITH ME。
给父亲–您最宠爱的小豆子。
TO FATHER–FROM YOUR FAVORITE STRING BEAN。
您和我们有点不同，但是没有关系，您还是我爸爸。
YOU ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF US, BUT THAT S OK. YOU ARE STILL MY DAD。
爸爸，您是最好的。
YOU ARE THE BEST, DAD。
今天我要好好对您献殷勤。
I WILL FLATTER YOU TODAY。
我时常想念您。
I THINK OF YOU OFTEN。
这些年来，虽然我们常有意见不合的地方，但我一直敬爱着您。
OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD OUR DIFFERENCES, BUT I ALWAYS LOVE YOU。
谢谢您在我需要的时候伸出援助之手。
THANKS FOR HOLDING MY HAND WHEN I NEEDED IT。
爸爸，我所有的为父之道都来自于您的恩赐。祝您父亲节快乐。
I OWE ALL OF MY SKILLS OF FATHERHOOD TO YOU DAD. HAPPY FATHER S DAY。
我不知道做一个父亲竟然会这样不容易。这使我更加感激您。
I DIDN T REALIZE THAT BEING A FATHER WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT. IT MAKES ME APPRECI ATE YOU ALL THE MORE。
现在我已身为人父。我才知道，您在养育我们时，做得多么好。
NOW THAT I AM A FATHER, I CAN SEE WHAT A GOOD JOB YOU DID IN RAISING US。
我以前不知道您是一个多么好的父亲，但是现在我知道了。
I DIDN T SEE WHAT A GOOD FATHER YOU WERE TO US BEFORE, BUT I DO NOW。
您的经历和引导，一直让我衷心感激。
YOUR EXPERIENCE AND GUIDANCE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN APPRECIATED。
父亲节快乐，亲爱的爸爸，谢谢您为我所做的一切！
I hope you know how proud I am of you, father.Happy Father’s Day! Happiness always!
我们无法用言语描述您对我们是多么重要，在这特别的一天，我们祝您父亲节快乐！
Words can’t tell how much you mean to us.We wish you happiness on this special day。
在这特别的一天，我想说我为您感到骄傲，爸爸，谢谢您为我做的一切，我爱你。
On this special day, I want to say I’m proud of you,appreciate all you’ve done for me and I love you。
您的眼神看起来很严厉，但包含更多的是仁慈和关心。谢谢您让我觉得自己如此重要。
Your eyes show sternness,but more kindness and care.Thank you for making me feel important。
祝我独一无二的老爸父亲节快乐，我非常爱您！
Happy Father’s Day to an extraordinary father!I love you so much!
您不仅是我的父亲，您还是我的朋友，顾问甚至更多。
You’ve been father, friend, adviser, all of these and more。
我为您做了一件礼物，希望您会喜欢。
I made a present for you. I hope you like it。
Understanding China takes time
Little Stumpy Mobbs charges me like a wounded bull, swinging his arms, kicking his legs and screaming “Ah yaaaa!” I duck from his crazy moves before striking back. He tumbles, but rebounds taunting me with the sign of the praying mantis – a sign of certain death.
”Ah Grasshopper,” my 8-year-old schoolmate replies.
”I have taught you a lot, but now the student must submit to the master.”
In the mid 1970s, millions of kids like me were hooked on the genre breaking martial arts/western TV show Kung Fu, starring the recently departed David Carradine.
May he rest in peace.
Kung Fu was one of the most influential English-language TV shows to reveal the mysteries of old China. At that time, China was still caught in the fog of the “cultural revolution” (1966-76), and was not widely accessible to the rest of the world.
Kung Fu transported me, and countless millions of other children, into the world of Chinese culture for the very first time, a world of ancient wisdom and roundhouse sidekicks.
These first impressions were long lasting, and on reflection, I packed many of these boyhood memories into my suitcase when I moved to China three years ago.
Carradine played a Shaolin monk by the name of Kwai Chang Kaine (aka Grasshopper), who escaped to America’s wild west in the 1800s after killing the Chinese emperor’s nephew.
Grasshopper’s daily routine was beating up bad cowboys and passing on his Buddhist philosophy to those in need. “Ah Grasshopper!” was a phrase bandied around school grounds before you clobbered your classmate before ending up in detention.
Each Kung Fu episode contained a flashback to the Shaolin Temple where Kaine would recall a pearl of wisdom from the old Buddhist master Po.
”Patience, Grasshopper. An angry man is only a fearful man. Conquer your fears and you can conquer everything.”
Kaine would pass this knowledge to a farmer being terrorized by the bad guys. Kaine would then systematically kick all their butts.
For most people under 30, Carradine is best known for his role of Bill in Quentin Tarrantino’s Kill Bill movies, in which he makes fun of his Kung Fu persona. The flute-playing scene where he tells the story of the five-finger death punch is a classic example.
Carradine appeared in more than 200 movies but for me, the 72-year-old American will always be Kung Fu, one of the most influential ambassadors of Chinese culture to the West.
Grasshopper was a nice guy and tried to help people whenever he could in between opening a can of whoop ass. The fact he wasn’t Chinese makes this role a little strange.
I came to China with many preconceptions, which began with Kung Fu, but have developed a much fuller understanding, discovering so much diversity in view points, customs and even physical appearances.
But I’ve only scratched the surface, and the Middle Kingdom, as the old China hands will tell you, is always a work in progress.
How to get a cool summer and also save money
夹在电价上涨和全球变暖恶果之间的美国消费者在是否应关掉冷气的问题上很是挣扎。不知道他们会不会从玛丽莲·梦露的电影《七年之痒》里找到灵感，把内衣裤装在冰盒里，好随时给自己降降温；不过，其它所有能想到的办法都被他们拿来一试了。
In Thousand Oaks, Calif., Adina Nack keeps the thermostat at 28– and lets her toddler dance around the house in a bathing suit, spritzing herself with cool water from a spray bottle. Cara Cummins, in Atlanta, turns on the air conditioner only when she’s expecting guests. Otherwise, she makes do by snacking on watermelon cubes soaked in chilled bourbon.
在加州的千橡树镇，艾蒂娜·奈克把空调温度调到28度，并让自己蹒跚学步的小孩穿着泳衣在家里乱走，还用喷水瓶给自己洒凉水降温。亚特兰大市的卡拉·库明斯只有在客人来家里时才把空调打开，其他时候，她靠吃几块泡在冰镇波旁威士忌里的西瓜块来抵御酷暑。
Because many power plants run on natural gas, which has shot way up in price, utilities in every region of the nation have imposed — or are planning — big rate increases this year, some approaching 30%.
由于美国许多发电站都靠天然气发电，而随着燃气价格暴涨，今年全美各地电价要么已然大幅上调，要么正在筹划涨价，有的地方电价涨幅甚至逼近了30%。
In response, nearly two-thirds of families are cutting back on air conditioning, according to a recent Associated Press-Yahoo News poll. They’re buying ceiling fans and programmable thermostats; burning up hot afternoons in malls and movie theaters; and bombarding blogger Erin Huffstetler, who writes about frugal living, with questions about the merits of tinting their windows dark to block the sun.
据美联社和雅虎新闻的最新联合调查显示，将近三分之二的美国家庭都因此减少了空调的使用。他们添置了吊扇和可编程控温器，去商场和电影院度过炎热的夏日午后，并向撰写博客介绍如何勤俭持家的艾琳·哈弗斯泰德勒提出了一大堆问题，比如怎么把窗户染黑，减少阳光的照射等。
The wealthy are even putting windmills in their backyards. Southwest Windpower in Flagstaff, Ariz., installs residential turbines that can supply a third or more of a typical household’s electricity. The cost: At least $13,000.
有钱人甚至在自家后院安装了风力发电机。亚利桑那州Flagstaff市的美国西南风力公司为住户安装这种发电机，它可以满足一个家庭三分之一或更多的日常用电需求，而其成本至少要1.3万美元。
In Arizona, 50,000 customers of the Salt River Project utility have cut energy use by an average of 13%, thanks to a gizmo that lets them monitor their daily bill, so they can see exactly how much they save by bumping up the thermostat a few degrees. In Texas, Reliant Energy reports an 8% drop in per-customer energy use since 2005.
在亚利桑那州，盐河项目的5万名用户已平均减少了13%的用电量，原因是他们安装了一个能实时显示每日用电量的小仪器，这样他们可以清楚地看到如果把室温调高几度，那么能少用多少电。能源企业Reliant Energy表示，德克萨斯州的人均用电量自2005年以来减少了8%。
The Department of Energy calculates that heating and cooling account for nearly half the energy used in a typical home. That’s more than all the light bulbs, the dishwasher, the refrigerator, the hot-water heater and the washer and dryer — combined.
美国能源部做过计算，一栋普通住宅供暖和冷风的用电成本在总电费占去了将近一半，比一个家庭中灯泡、洗碗机、冰箱、热水器、洗衣机和烘干机全部加起来的耗电都要多。
Replacing a standard air conditioner set at 22 degrees with an energy-efficient model set at 25.5 can cut your cooling costs in half, though savings vary by climate, according to Xcel Energy Inc., a regional utility based in Minneapolis. A programmable thermostat can save as much as 12%. A ceiling fan can lower a room’s temperature by several degrees. Even something as simple as switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs can make a big difference in electricity bills.
明尼阿波利斯市地方公用事业企业埃克西尔能源公司表示，如果把标准的22摄氏度室内空调温度改为25.5度的节电模式，大约能够节省一半的电费；当然，具体程度根据外界温度而有所不同。安装一个室内温控器可以节省12%的电费，在天花板上安装吊扇可以降低几度室温，甚至使用节能灯泡都有助于显著减少电费。
Micki Wehmeier offers another tip: Marry a man who likes it hot.
梅琪·韦麦尔还有一个小窍门：嫁给一个不怕热的老公。
Ms. Wehmeier and her husband, Gary, are renting a modest apartment this summer while they fix up a house they just bought in Des Peres, Mo. To save money, they resolved to keep the thermostat at 24.
今年夏天，梅琪和她丈夫盖瑞要给刚在密苏里州Des Peres买的房子装修，于是租了一个小房子过渡一下。为了省钱，他们决心把室内温度调到24度。
‘He’s got more willpower,’ his wife says.
“他的意志力比我坚定。”梅琪说道。
And Reba Kennedy, who turned off her central air altogether?
那么，关掉中央空调的瑞芭?肯尼迪境况如何呢？
Ms. Kennedy now cools just the three rooms she uses most in her San Antonio home, with window units set at 25.5 degrees. To her surprise, she has found it pleasurable. With her downstairs windows open, she can smell the honeysuckle in her yard. She loves the look of her sheer curtains blowing in the breeze.
现在，住在圣安东尼奥的瑞芭只在最常用的三个房间使用窗式空调，温度调为25.5度。令她没想到的是，这种降温方法能让人过得很舒服。她把楼下的窗户打开，院子里金银花的香味阵阵飘来，而且她还喜欢看到微风撩起窗帘的样子。
Last week, though, when she reviewed her electric bills, Ms. Kennedy found that her sacrifices haven’t translated into savings. In June of 2006 — with the central air on full blast — she used an average of 26 kilowatt hours a day. Last month? An average of 44.
然而，上周她收到电费帐单时，发现自己的牺牲没有得到应有的回报。2006年6月份──中央空调完全打开的那个月──家里每天的平均耗电量是26度；但2008年6月份呢？每天的平均耗电量是44度。
Harvey Sachs, a senior fellow at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, says that isn’t surprising, because window units are notoriously inefficient.
美国节能经济委员会的资深成员哈维·萨奇说，这并不奇怪，因为窗式空调非常费电。
Her advice to middle-class families: Pull the plug.
她对中产阶级家庭的建议是：拔掉电源插头。
‘You’ll be hot,’ Ms. Boylan said. ‘Put a little cold water on your face and get on with your life.’
“你会觉得很热，”凯茜说，“那就往脸上泼点凉水降温，你会发现日子能照过不误。”
Learn Chinese on Dragon Boat Festival
农历五月初五，俗称“端午节，是中国汉族人民的传统节日。有关端午节由来的众多说法中，为人们所普遍接受的说法是为了纪念爱国诗人屈原。屈原是一位出身贵族的贤士，深受楚王的信任，然而他因反对楚国和秦国结盟的政治主张而遭驱逐。在流放期间，屈原创作了许多经典的诗歌作品。当秦国攻陷楚国后，屈原为祖国的灭亡悲痛不已，最终他在五月初五这一天抱石投汨罗江而死。投江以后，当地人民便驾舟奋力营救，演变到后来便有了赛龙舟的习俗；又说人们常放食品到水中祭奠屈原，唯恐为蛟龙所食，便用楝树叶包饭，做成后来的粽子模样。因而便有了现在人们在端午节这天吃粽子，赛龙舟的习俗。至今端午节仍是中国人民一个十分盛行的隆重节日。从2008年起端午节还成为中国的法定节假日。
Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. This holiday is said to be in memory of Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was an ancient poet in the state of Chu in the Zhou Dynasty. Qu served in high offices under the king but opposed the king allying with the state of Qin. Qu was then banished because of his oppositions. At this time, he wrote the bulk of his poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin conquered the Chu. Qu threw himself in the Miuo River of the fifth day of the fifth month. The local people who admired him threw food in the river to feed the fish so they would not eat his body. They also paddled out in boats splashing to scare the fish away. This is where the tradition of throwing sticky rice into the river and racing Dragon Boats originated. On this day Dragon Boats are races, people throw sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves into the river, and drink rice wine. From 2008, Dragon Boat Festival becomes a public holiday in China.
Seven main reasons for difficult to learn chinese
在一些外国人看来，学习中文已成为他们最为头疼的事情。汉语的语调和汉字好像都是个难题。
In some foreigners eyes’, the learning of Chinese has become the most difficult thing for them. T he tones of Chinese and Chinese characters all seem to be a difficulty.
那么到底是什么原因使中文这么难学的呢？
Then what has made the learning of Chinese difficult?
原因一：书写方法简直是天方夜谭
Top 1 Because the writing system is ridiculous
汉语之所以难学，就是因为要学的汉字实在太多，这也是绝对的事实。
It is absolutely true that Chinese is hard because of the huge number of characters one has to learn.
还有，汉字的拼写方式也不是很规则，也就是说，如果从一个汉字的组合方式中得不到任何显而易见的语义提示，或者其中没有包含什么有用的偏旁部首，就会把一个汉字的写法忘得干干净净。
And Chinese is not very phonetic, which means that often you just completely forget how to write a character, if there is no obvious semantic clue in the radical, and no helpful phonetic component somewhere in the character.
原因二：汉语是不能用通俗意义上的字母排列来表意的
Top 2 Because the language doesn’t have the common sense to use an alphabet
英语之所以好学，就是因为掌握英语书写方法所需要的技能也就是26个字母而已，而且只要沿水平方向、从左到右、从页面的一边写到另一边就可以了。
The English is so easy because of the skills needed to master the writing system are 26 letters and they are written from left to right ,horizontally, across the page, with spaces to indicate word boundaries.
相比之下，尽管中文也有组成汉字的那些共用的偏旁部首，却没有相应的字母。
In comparison, Chinese has nothing that corresponds to an alphabet, though there are recurring components that make up the characters.
可以说，组成汉字的偏旁部首是按照两个方向来排列的，而不象字母那样只按一个方向排列，看起来很整洁。
It can be said that the components of Chinese characters are arrayed in two dimensions, rather than in the neat one-dimensional rows of alphabetic writing.
原因三：即使在字典中查汉字也是非常复杂
Top 3 Because even looking up a word in the dictionary is complicated
学习汉语最莫名其妙的困难之一，就是即使仅仅学会怎么查字典，也要耗费一个秘书学校整个学期的学习时间。
One of the most unreasonably difficult things about learning Chinese is that merely learning how to look up a word in the dictionary is about the equivalent of an entire semester of secretarial school
汉语一定是地球上最精于运用字典的语言了，因为各种各样的字典实在太多。
Chinese must also be one of the most dictionary-intensive languages on earth for there are various dictionaries.
原因四：中文里面还有古汉语（文言文）
Top 4 Because there’s classical Chinese (wenyanwen)
古汉语确实含有数千年来积累起来的各种宫廷秘闻，用词简洁扼要，简直象某种密码，只适合那些天生的知识精英，他们对文学的一切了然于心。
Classical Chinese really consists of several centuries of esoteric anecdotes and in-jokes written in a kind of terse, miserly code for dissemination among a small, elite group of intellectually-inbred bookworms who already knew the whole literature backwards and forwards.
原因五：（罗马式）拼音方案太多且都让人精疲力尽
Top 5 Because there are too many romanization methods and they all suck
也许听起来有些刺耳，但汉语的拼音方案确实太多，而大多数的拼音方案不是什么文字委员会提倡的，就是语言学家提出来的，更糟糕的是由那些语言学家组成的文字委员会提出来的。
Perhaps that’s too harsh, but it is true that there are too many of them, and most of them were designed either by committee or by linguists, or — even worse — by a committee of linguists.
原因六：汉语语调稀奇古怪
Top 6 Because tonal languages are weird
在学汉语过程中，最容易听到的抱怨正是这一点，西方人对汉语最害怕的也是这一点，简直是妇孺皆知。
It’s one of the most common complaints about learning Chinese, and it’s also one of the aspects of the language that westerners are notoriously bad at.
如果不是从小就会说汉语，那你就等着不停地去死记那些元音辅音吧。
As non-native speakers, you must memorize along with the vowels and consonants.
汉语的那些语调和强调习惯简直是与生俱来的，根深蒂固的，简直不可思议。
Intonation and stress habits are incredibly ingrained and second-nature.
原因七：存在文化差异
Top 7 Because there is culture difference
东方、西方相互之间文化分隔的时间太长，这也是汉语对于西方人来说为何那么难学的主要原因。
One of the main reasons Chinese is so difficult for westerners is that the culture between the East and the West has been isolated for so long.
尽管在过去几十年里中国和西方之间有了广泛的接触，然而，中国人的知识和思想浩瀚如海，西方人却无缘享用。
China has had extensive contact with the West in the last few decades, but there is still a vast sea of knowledge and ideas that is not shared by both cultures.
即使有朝一日西方人想和中国人融合成一体，其障碍往往也并非只是语言一个方面而已，最大的障碍是巨大的文化差异。
When westerners and Chinese get together, there is often not just a language barrier, but an immense cultural barrier as well.
The swine flu virus will infect a third of the world’s population
今天，英国又确诊了三例猪流感病例，科学家们警告说，如果猪流感继续以现在的速度传播，它将会最终影响全世界三分之一的人口。
The swine flu virus will infect a third of the world’s population if it continues to spread at its current rate, scientists warned today, as three more cases were confirmed in the UK.
在伦敦帝国学院的调查人员所进行的被《科学日报》称为“第一次快速分析猪流感”的研究中，科学家预测，该病毒今年秋天可能在整个北半球形成大流行。
In what the journal Science described as the “first quick and dirty analysis” of swine flu, a study by researchers at Imperial College London predicted the virus was likely to cause an epidemic in the northern hemisphere in the autumn.
调查报告的作者之一、世界健康组织突发疾病委员会成员、流行病学专家及疾病模型专家尼尔·弗格森说，这种病毒具有“大流行的全部潜质”。
One of the authors, the epidemiologist and disease modeller Neil Ferguson, who sits on the World Health Organisation’s emergency committee for the outbreak, said the virus had “full pandemic potential”.
在BBC电台的《今日》节目中，他说：“猪流感可能会在接下来的六至九个月内传至全世界，如果真的如此，那它将影响全球近三分之一的人口。”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: “It is likely to spread around the world in the next six to nine months, and when it does so, it will affect about one-third of the world’s population.
“相比之下，一般的季节性流感每年只影响全球十分之一人口，因此，今年我们所面临的是一个比正常年份可能槽糕三倍的流感季节——而且还没有考虑是否这种病毒会比正常的季节性流感病毒更难对付。”
“To put that into context, normal seasonal flu probably affects around 10% of the world’s population every year, so we are heading for a flu season which is perhaps three times worse than usual–not allowing for whether this virus is more severe than normal seasonal flu viruses.”
继健康防护署又宣布增加三例新的猪流感确诊病例后，英国的确诊人数达到了68人。这三例新的病例——来自伦敦的两名儿童和一名成人——都与前面已确诊的病人有过密切接触。
The Health Protection Agency announced three more confirmed cases of the virus in the UK, bringing the total to 68. The three patients–two children and one adult from London–all had close contact with previously confirmed cases.
今天的研究通过对在墨西哥旅游而受到感染的人数的分析，再对比墨西哥一个村庄疾病传播的研究，对该病毒的接触传染力进行了估计。调查还分析了病毒是如何进行变异的。
Today’s study estimated the contagiousness of the disease by analysing the number of people travelling to Mexico who became infected, and comparing that with a study of a Mexican village where the disease has spread. The research also examined how the virus was mutating.
据估计，猪流感的死亡率在墨西哥的感染者中已经达到了0.4%至1.4%。调查报告的主要作者克里斯托夫·弗雷泽说，现在预测墨西哥以外地区的死亡率还为时太早，“我觉得其它地方的死亡率会比墨西哥小，因为墨西哥对呼吸道传染疾病的处理有些问题。”他说。
It estimated that swine flu had killed between 0.4% and 1.4% of its victims in Mexico. The report’s lead author, Christophe Fraser, said it was too early to predict what the death rate was likely to be outside Mexico. “My hunch is that the death rate will be lower elsewhere–Mexico has underlying issues with respiratory disease,” he said.
调查人员说，这次的N1H1病毒的严重程度看起来与1957年的流感差不多，但比1918年的致命的流感病毒要轻。
The researchers said this H1N1 virus appeared to be about equal in severity to the flu of 1957, and less severe than the deadly 1918 version.
“目前病毒还没有在北半球传播得很快，是因为我们还没有到通常的流感季节，但一到秋季，它就很可能会引起一场真正大范围的流行病。”弗格森说。
“At the moment the virus is not spreading fast in the northern hemisphere because we are outside the normal flu season, but come the autumn it is likely to cause a really major epidemic,” Ferguson said.
他拒绝对可能出现的死亡人数进行估计，“我们有一些评估，但是不确定性还是太多。”他说。
He declined to put an estimate on the number of deaths that may occur. “We have some assessment, but the uncertainty is still quite broad,” he said.
“我们可以说，它不会成为像1918年西班牙流感大流行那样的灾难，它要温和一些，但是仍然有可能会像1957年的那场流感一样——那场流感中，千分之三至四的人口受到感染而死，病毒在全世界范围内传播流行，在那年导致了全球三百至四百万人口死亡——或者，它也可能比57年的流感更轻微，就像1968年一样，那次流感只是比每年的正常季节性流感稍微严重些。”
“We can say it is not going to be as catastrophic as the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, it is milder than that. But it is still possible it could be [like] 1957–where about three to four out of 1,000 people who were infected died and overall about 3 million to 4 million people died that year because of the pandemic worldwide–or it could be even milder than that, like the 1968 pandemic which was barely worse than a normal seasonal flu year.
“我不会预测将有三百到四百万的死亡人数，那是发生在1957年的事，而今天的世界已经跟那时候大大不同了。世界的人口增多了，但是卫生保健系统也好得多了。我们有了药物和疫苗，特别是在发达国家，所以可以显著减少疾病导致的严重后果。”
“I am not predicting three million to four million [deaths]. That was what happened in 1957. The world is a very different place today. There are more people in the world, but there is also a much better healthcare system. We have drugs and vaccines, particularly in developed countries, which should markedly reduce the burdens of the disease.”
弗格森认为，这次研究的发现表明，必须立即下决心进行疫苗生产。
Ferguson said the findings of the study confirmed that decisions must be taken swiftly on vaccine production.
“这个星期中世界各政府必须作出的关键决定之一，就是我们应该将多少目前用于季节性流感疫苗的生产力转向到生产对付这一特殊病毒的疫苗。”
“One of the key decisions which has to be made this week by the world community is how much do we switch over current vaccine production for seasonal flu to make a vaccine against this particular virus.”
今天，古巴和泰国也确诊了他们的首例猪流感病例。古巴的病例是一名在医学院上学的墨西哥学生。
Today Cuba and Thailand confirmed their first case of the virus. The patient in Cuba is a Mexican student at a medical school.
菲德尔·卡斯特罗指责墨西哥直到美国总统奥巴马4月16日访墨后才公布了猪流感传播的信息。在一份报纸的专栏中，这位古巴前领导人写道：“墨西哥当局没有向世界通报猪流感蔓延的现实，因为他们要等待奥巴马的来访。”
Fidel Castro accused Mexico of failing to disclose the spread of swine flu until after Barack Obama, the US president, had visited the country on 16 April. In a newspaper column, the former Cuban leader wrote: “Mexican authorities did not inform the world of the presence [of swine flu], while they waited for Obama’s visit.”
全世界已经有至少61人死于猪流感，世界卫生组织已经证实约有4800例确诊病例。
At least 61 people have been killed by swine flu around the world, and the WHO has confirmed about 4,800 cases.
‘Dashan’ was appointed Canada’s Commissioner General for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo
Mark Rowswell, perhaps the most famous foreigner in China and also known as “Dashan”, was yesterday appointed Canada’s Commissioner General for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Cannon, who made the announcement, said: “As a citizen of the world and cultural ambassador, Mark Rowswell will be Canada’s official representative to promote Canada in China and welcome guests to our pavilion.”
Rowswell, 44, expressed his gratitude – and accepted the offer in Chinese, English and French.
Dashan, a well-known TV comedian and anchor as well as a language educator in China, said of his new role: “It is a combination of cultural ambassador and government official”.
The World Expo 2010 will be held from May 1 to Oct 31 next year and is expected to attract 70 million visitors.
(China Daily May 14, 2009)
A letter to the primary and secondary school students in Dujiangyan City of Premier Wen Jiabao
孩子们：
My dear children,
你们签名赠给我的画集《美丽的花朵》收到了，非常感谢。
I have received the album of paintings entitled ‘Beautiful Flowers’ you signed and sent to me. Thank you very much.
当我看到你们精心创作的作品时，我的心被深深地震撼了。这不是一般的画作，是你们在那场悲壮的抗震救灾中亲身经历的真实写照。
My heart was deeply touched when I saw your elaborate works. They are unique and authentic depictions of what you experienced in that solemn and stirring earthquake-relief campaign.
你们敢于面对灾难，充满战胜困难的信心和勇气；你们在废墟中站立起来，挺起不屈的脊梁；你们把痛苦和大爱深深埋在心里，化作前进的力量。
You were brave enough to face the catastrophe and full of confidence and courage to surmount the difficulties; you have stood up in the ruins with your backs straight; and you have buried pain and great love deep in your hearts and turned them into strength to move forward.
你们幼小的心灵经过磨难，变得更纯洁、更庄严、更坚强、更美好。你们已经懂得要以坚忍不拔的意志努力做一个有用的人，去帮助人们过上更好的生活。你们就是在这片灾难的土地上绽放出的最美丽的花朵，就是国家和民族的未来和希望。
Your little hearts have become even more pure, solemn, staunch and beautiful after all the hardships; you have been aware of ways to become someone useful who can help others lead better lives, with gritty will and through great efforts; and you are the most beautiful flowers, which have blossomed out on this disaster-hit land, and you are the future and hope of the country and the people.
在汶川大地震一周年纪念日到来的时候，我们纪念那些遇难的人们特别是孩子们，最好的行动就是把灾后恢复重建工作做好，建设美好家园。
On eve of the first anniversary of the Wenchuan Earthquake, we are commemorating people, children in particular, who lost their lives. The best [we] can do is to do a good job in the post-disaster reconstruction and build a beautiful home.
我们国家的灾难频仍而深重，惟有科学的态度、求实的精神和不懈地奋斗才能战胜它，从而使人们首先是孩子们生活安宁、和谐幸福。
Our country is plagued with frequent disasters, and we can only overcome them with a scientific attitude, practical spirit and strenuous effort, to enable people, primarily children, to live in peace, harmony and happiness.
你们在画中表达了对我的想念，我也想念你们，想念灾区所有的孩子们。我深深地爱着你们！
You have expressed your memories of me and I also miss you, and I miss all the children in the disaster-hit areas. I love you deeply!