2-2 备战奥运：年轻一代

Learn English for the 2008 Olympics

The Younger Generation

Foreigner: At present, China is the fastest developing country in the world. Your sustained fast economic growth has never been rivaled1 in history. Predictions may vary, but hardly any one doubts that someday you will become a superpower.

Chinese: Yes, that’ s the general belief, but there are people who sing a different tune 12, who tend to see more of the darker side of things and feel pessimistic3 about all those problems and difficulties we are faced with. I don’t only mean those foreigners, but even some Chinese too.

Foreigner: And of course there are those who are unwilling 2 to see a strong China, who are always warning against “Chinese threat.” Of course I don’t fall for4 such crap5 myself, but I do believe you have some real problems you have to take seriously on your way to becoming a superpower.

Chinese: We realize only too well that we face a lot of difficult problems on our way forward. Now you are an old friend of China and you have been here so many times, so tell me frankly 3 what you think is our biggest problem.

Foreigner: As you know, I am no economist 4, nor a political scientist, but as far as I can see your political leaders are all very able men, and your economic achievements are there for all to see, so I’ve no doubt whatsoever 5 you’ll achieve what you set out to achieve. But if you’ll allow me to be frank, it’s the people, especially the younger generation that I’ m worried about.

Chinese: That’s most interesting. We Chinese are a proud people as you know. We like to boast about our long history and our new achievements, and we like to hear your praises for our intelligence and hard work. So for a change I like to hear what are your worries about our younger generation.

Foreigner: I am not denying that the Chinese people are intelligent and hardworking for a moment, but the new times and the new situation has brought out many new problems. As I understand it, your new policy of “letting some people get rich first” is to give people a chance to develop economically, and in so doing the country’ s economy also develops.

Chinese: Quite right, and that’s the essence6 of our market economy, the basis of our economic growth.

Foreigner: Now my worry is this is widening the gap between the rich and the poor, which has many evil consequences that are disruptive7 factors to the society. For example, in order to get rich, many people resort to8 illegal means. Some become downright9 criminals.

Chinese: I see what you mean. These are problems we have to solve. It involves a wide range of the cross section10 of the society. Swindlers11 include small traders as well as business tycoons12; criminals include petty thieves as well as high level government officials. The quality of the whole population should be raised.

Foreigner: Another problem is brought about by your “one child” policy. Most of them have come to the age of going to college or even starting to work, but the unfortunate thing is neither their family upbringing nor their college education has fully 7 qualified 8 them for their important role as the new pillars13 of the society.

Chinese: I know, some are so pampered14 that they must have everything done for them. Intelligence they certainly do not lack. What they lack is ability, and that has traditionally been a weakness in our education. Polytechnic 1015 schools and colleges have never been given due attention. Actually, there is a great shortage of well trained qualified technical personnel in our country.

注释：

1.rival [5raivEl] vt. 与……匹敌，比得上

2.sing a different tune 改变调子，变卦

3.pessimistic [7pesi5mistik] adj. 悲观的

4.fall for〈俚〉 受……的骗，上……的当；对……信以为真

5.crap [krAp] n.〈俚〉胡扯；假话；谩骂

6.essence [5esEns] n. 实质；要素

7.disruptive [dis5rQptiv] adj. 破坏性的；制造混乱的

8.resort to 采用，诉诸

9.downright [5daunraIt] adj. 彻头彻尾的，完全的，十足的

10.cross section 横断面；具有代表性的实例

11.swindler [5swIndlE(r)] n. 诈骗者，骗子

12.tycoon 6 [tai5ku:n] n.〈口〉（企业界、政界等的）巨头

13.pillar [5pilE] n. 柱子；〈喻〉栋梁；主要的支持者

14.pamper 9 [5pAmpE] vt. 给……以过度的关怀和照料；纵容

15.polytechnic [7pCli5teknik] n.〈英〉工艺专科学校，理工专科学校

备战奥运

年轻一代

外国人：目前，中国是世界上发展最快的国家，其持续快速的经济增长是史无前例的。尽管有不同的预测，但很少有人怀疑总有一天你们会成为一个超级大国。

中国人：没错，这是普遍的看法，但也有人唱反调。这些人往往更多地看到阴暗面，对我们面临的问题和困难感到悲观。我指的不仅仅是外国人，还有一些中国人呢。

外：当然，有些人不希望看到中国强大起来，张口闭口总是“中国威胁论”。我个人当然不会相信这些鬼话，但我的确认为，中国在成为超级大国的路途上有些需要严肃对待的现实问题。

中：我们也十分清楚，我们在前进的道路上面临着许多困难和问题。你是中国的老朋友了，也来过多次，请坦率地告诉我，你认为我们最大的问题是什么？

外：你知道，我既不是经济学家，也不是政治学家。可在我看来，贵国的领导人都很精明干练，而且贵国的经济成就也是有目共睹的，所以，我毫不怀疑你们会实现所制订的目标。但要我坦率地讲，令我担心的是一般老百姓，特别是年轻一代。

中：真有意思。我们中国人是个很自豪的民族，这你知道。我们喜欢夸耀我们悠久的历史和取得的新成就，还喜欢听你们外国人称赞我们的智慧和勤劳。这次，我倒是想听听你对中国年轻一代的忧虑。

外：我丝毫也不想否认中国人民是智慧、勤劳的，但新时代、新情况也带来了许多新问题。在我看来，贵国“让一部分人先富起来”的新政策给了人们一个在经济上发展的机会，从而促使国家经济的发展。

中：正是，这正是我国市场经济的核心以及经济增长的基础。

外：我现在所担心的是，这正在加大贫富差距，会有许多不良后果，是社会的不稳定因素。比如，为了致富，许多人采用不法手段，有的甚至沦为罪犯。

中：我明白你的意思。这些都是我们必须解决的问题，涉及的社会层面很广。行骗的?有小商贩，也有商业巨头；罪犯既包括小偷，也包括高级政府官员。中国人的整体素质应该得到提高。

外：还有一个问题是你们的“独生子女”政策造成的。这些独生子女大部分已经到了上大学或开始工作的年龄。但不幸的是，他们的家庭教育和大学教育都不足以使他们担负社会新栋梁的重任。

中：是呀，有的孩子实在是娇生惯养得厉害，“饭来张口，衣来伸手”。智力他们一点也不差，缺的是能力，而能力的培养向来是我国教育的弱点。工艺专科院校从未得到过足够的重视。事实上，受过良好训练的合格技术人才在我国严重不足。