Read and Explore
閱讀與探究
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文章A
There was a time in America when you would be considered selfish and looked down upon if you refused to help someone in need, but "I don't want to get involved" has now become a national motto. Are people still willing to treat others with the same kindness their forefathers displayed? The author makes a cashless journey through the land of the almighty dollar to test his faith in America. And the answer he finds is: you can still depend on the kindness of strangers.
在美國,曾有那么一段時間,你要是對需要幫助的人置之不理,大家會認為你很自私并且看不起你,但是現在“我不想卷進去”已經成了美國的信條。現在的人們還會和他們的祖先一樣善待陌生人嗎?為了驗證這一點,本文的作者在美元至上的土地上開啟了一次身無分文的旅行。他找到了答案:你仍然可以依賴陌生人的善意。
The Kindness of Strangers
陌生人的善意
Mike Mclntyre
邁克·麥金太爾
One summer I was driving from my hometown of Tahoe City, California, to New Orleans. In the middle of the desert, I came upon a young man standing by the roadside. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. I drove right by him. Someone else will stop for him, I reasoned. Besides, that gas can is just a ploy to flag down a car and rob the driver. There was a time in this country when you'd be considered a jerk if you passed by somebody in need. Now you're a fool for helping. With gangs, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves and carjackers lurking everywhere, why risk it? "I don't want to get involved" has become a national motto.
—年夏天,我從家鄉加利福尼亞州的塔霍城開車前往新奧爾良。在沙漠深處,我碰到一個年輕人站在路旁。他一只手打出拇指向外的手勢,另一只手里拿著一個汽油罐。我直接從他身邊開過去了。別人會停下來的,我想。再說,那汽油罐只是個讓車停下、好搶劫司機的幌子而已。在這個國家,曾有那么一段時間,你要是對需要幫助的人置之不理,大家會認為你是混蛋,而如今你要是幫了你就是笨蛋。到處潛伏著犯罪團伙、吸毒上癮者、殺人犯、強奸犯、盜竊犯還有劫車犯,為什么要冒險呢?“我不想卷進去”已經成為全國性的信條。
Several states later I was still thinking about the hitchhiker. Leaving him stranded in the desert didn't bother me as much. What bothered me was how easily I had reached the decision. I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator. Does anyone stop anymore? I wondered.
開過了幾個州以后,我還在想著那個想搭便車的人。把他一個人留在沙漠中倒并沒有讓我有多么不安。讓我不安的是,我多么輕易地就做出了這個決定。我甚至根本沒把腳從油門上抬起來。我很想知道,現在還有人會停車嗎?