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你也是一個勤奮上進的人！
【Andrew's Note】
Beavers are very industrious little animals. A couple of beavers working hard can cut down a large tree in a very short time. Someone who is regarded as an eager beaver has that same kind of drive and energy. We find in our friends the beaver.
海貍是非常勤奮的小動物。幾只海貍在很短的時間內就能啃倒一棵大樹。被稱為"an eager beaver"的人具有和海貍一樣的干勁和精力。我們朋友中不乏有這種勤奮上進的人。
[1] Marston tells me that most American adults work longer than their Chinese counterparts, in that Americans from all walks of lifeare confronted with more severe competition. So in general Americans take a more positive attitude towards work and are all eager beavers.
[2] But I think Marston still needs time to tune in to（明白或了解）the situation here in China. The Chinese people are likewise confronted with all sorts of problems for subsistence. Frankly speaking, people in different cultural backgrounds face almost the same problems.
[4] Last night my friend in the States called me for a chat. He told me how he got things going in the States. As a matter of fact, he never goes to bed until early in the morning, with less than four hours of sleep each day. Moreover, he concludes that most Americans take their work that way, burning the midnight oil（夜間鏖戰，開夜車） and working like anything. Quite amazing indeed.
[5] So this morning I said to Marston in earnest, "I agree with you about the difference in work attitudes between American people and the Chinese equals. You Americans all seem to be workaholics, or rather, eager beavers. You guys put us Chinese to shamein this respect. "
[6] "But there is one exception," Marston blurted out, "You are an early birdand you work your fingers to the boneevery day from morning till night. You are also an eager beaver at work. "
【參考譯文】
[1] 馬斯頓告訴我，多數美國成年人比中國的成年人工作時間長，因為各行各業的美國人都面臨著更加嚴峻的競爭壓力。所以，一般來說，美國人對工作的態度更加積極，他們都是勤奮上進的人。
[3] 可是，我從前的一位高中同學，現定居美國，他部分地證明了馬斯頓的觀點。他用自己的切身生活經驗使我清楚地認識到美國社會的現狀。
[4] 昨天夜里，我的美國同學打電話和我閑聊了一陣。他告訴我他的工作狀況。實際上，我的朋友從未在凌晨前上床睡過覺，每天睡眠不足四小時。而且他還說，多數美國都是這樣工作的，熬夜到很晚，工作起來非常瘋狂。聽起來真是不可思議。
[5] 于是，今天早上我認真地對馬斯頓說：“關于美國人和中國人的工作態度問題，我完全同意你的說法。你們美國人好像都是工作狂, 確切地說，都是工作勤奮的人。在這方面，你們美國人真的讓我們中國人自嘆不如。”
[6] “不過也有個例外，”馬斯頓脫口而出：“ 你是個早起的人，而且每天從早到晚拼命地工作。你也是個工作勤奮上進的人。”
