奇文共赏富人与穷人(英语)-高中作文网

当前位置：网站首页>> 文学欣赏>> 奇文共赏>> 信息详情

奇文共赏富人与穷人(英语)

发布:佚名时间:2009-8-11 14:01:00 来源:京翰教育中心录入:杨人气:2242 【文字：大小】

The rich man and the poor man

There once was a very rich man. He was so rich, he could have owned many cars, but instead he chose to drive a Ford. He could have owned many computers, but instead he chose an Apple. He could have owned many homes, but instead he chose to live in East LA. Because this man was rich, many people in his neighborhood knew him. And also because the man was rich, many people from outside of his neighborhood knew him too. Often, his doorbell would ring, and there on his threshold would stand someone who had come to ask for a donation1). Sometimes when the bell rang, it was a neighbor who had fallen into misfortune. The man would smile, embrace his neighbor, and place a generous sum into their hand. Sometimes when the bell rang, it was a charity2) representing the starving children of Africa. The man would again smile, embrace the charity worker, and write a generous check.

One evening, when his doorbell was particularly quiet, this man decided to take a stroll. He headed off, idling along wherever the road wound. Every once in a while, a car passed, thumping out the latest rage in rap hit, and he soon found himself whistling one of these catchy3) tunes to himself. Lost in the tune, he came suddenly upon a homeless bum lying in the midst of the side-walk. The bum wore a tattered sweater and ripped pants. He had shoes, but they didn’t even match. And oh. The smell. I can’t even describe that to you here because it would ruin your Thanksgiving dinner. Well, this unfortunate soul lying on the street saw the man and knew him. Certainly, the bum said to himself. This is the rich man who lives on the lane. Surely he can help me, for he has money at his disposal. But instead of reaching out his hand, the bum was overcome by a sudden bout of shame and hid his face. The man stood over this tattered figure. He reached down and touched the bum’s cheek, but the bum shrank away from him even further. The man’s eyes clouded slightly and he cracked a weak smile. Forgetting the tune he once whistled, the man slowly turned and walked back to his home.

Upon hearing the man retreat beyond the corner, the bum opened his eyes and sat up. There at his feet lay a crisp4) ＄100.00 dollar bill. The bum grabbed the money and made a beeline for the nearest 7/11. Like all bums, this one’s first thought was to go blow the money on vodka5). What a bum.

But, before he entered the store, he remembered the compassion of the man’s touch. This inspired him, and the bum decided then and there to turn his life around. The bum promptly bummed two dimes off an old lady. “Well. ”the lady replied. “You ain’t gonna spend this on alcohol?”The bum shook his head and stuck the money into the slot6) of the nearest telephone. His broker answered and the bum said, “Hundred dollars. Invest it all in that company with the name Microsoft.”Since this was, as it turns out, the late-1980s, it took only a short while before the stock skyrocketed, and the bum found himself very well off indeed.

Back in East LA the years passed slowly. The generous man kept to life much as usual――taking evening strolls, whistling rap tunes, answering his door.

One day in particular, his doorbell rang, and there stood a finely dressed gentleman in a three piece suit. Uh oh, the man thought. Donation. But before he could do anything, his guest spoke.

“You’re the rich man, aren’t you？”his guest asked.

“What can I do for you？”the man responded automatically, so accustomed to being asked for things.

“It is not what you can do for me, ”answered his guest. “But what you have already done. ”

“What have I done for you？”the man asked in surprise.

“You’ve given me a second chance at life. Why, with your generous gift, I was able to invest the money and pull myself out of my poverty. I no longer wallow7) in the grime and gutters8), but I walk along crowded sidewalks with my head held high. I have you to thank for that.” Suddenly, the man recognized his guest. It was the old bum who’d been lying in the street. The man replied, “What I gave you, you did not ask for. I gave it simply because I saw you there and loved you. I would have given it to anyone in your position.”

“All the more reason to come and thank you, ”his guest said.

“But I am rich, ”replied the man. “I have many gifts to give. I don’t expect anything in return. ”

“Good, ”his guest said with a nod. “Because I don’t have anything to offer in return――whatever I have, you gave to me. All I wanted to do was come and thank you.”

The man stared as his guest reached out and took him into an embrace. It was the same gesture the man had so often offered to those at his door, yet this was the first time someone had offered it back. Tears filled the man’s eyes as his guest, a lowly bum off the street, held him in the most satisfying embrace he had ever received.

NOTE 注释：

1. donation n. 捐赠品, 捐款 2. charity n. 慈善, 施舍, 慈善团体 3. catchy adj. 易记住的，熟悉的 4. crisp adj. 脆的

5. vodka n. 伏特加酒 6. slot n. 硬币投币口 7. wallow vi. 堕落 8. gutter n. 贫民区，贫困的生活

分页：第[1][2] 页

【文字：大小】【加入收藏】【打印文档】【发送好友】【留言反馈】【参与讨论】

我很喜欢这篇文章！收藏到网摘:

论坛新帖

信息分类

京翰问答平台

热点资料

用户名：
密码：