陌生人的善意

迈克·麦金太尔

一年夏天，我从家乡加利福尼亚州的塔霍城开车前往新奥尔良。在沙漠深处，我碰到一个年轻人站在路旁。他一只手打出拇指向外的手势，另一只手里拿着一个汽油罐。我直接从他身边开过去了。别人会停下来的，我想。再说，那汽油罐只是个让车停下、好抢劫司机的幌子而已。在这个国家，曾有那么一段时间，你要是对需要帮助的人置之不理，大家会认为你是混蛋，而如今你要是帮了你就是笨蛋。到处潜伏着犯罪团伙、吸毒上瘾者、杀人犯、强奸犯、盗窃犯还有劫车犯，为什么要冒险呢？“我不想卷进去”已经成为全国性的信条。

2 开过了几个州以后，我还在想着那个想搭便车的人。把他一个人留在沙漠中倒并没有让我有多么不安。让我不安的是，我多么轻易地就做出了这个决定。我甚至根本没把脚从油门上抬起来。我很想知道，现在还有人会停车吗？

3 我想到我此行的目的地 —— 新奥尔良。那里是田纳西·威廉姆斯的剧作《欲望号街车》的背景地。我回想起布兰奇·杜波依斯的名句：“我总是依赖陌生人的善意。”

4 陌生人的善意。听起来好怪。如今这年头还有谁能指望陌生人的善意吗？

5 要验证这一点，一个办法是一个人从东海岸旅行到西海岸，不带一分钱，完全依靠美国同胞的善意。他会发现一个什么样的美国？谁会给他饭吃、让他歇脚、捎他一程呢？

6 这个念头激起了我的好奇心。但谁会这么不切实际、愿意去尝试这样一次旅行呢？好吧，我想，那不如我来试试？

7 满37岁那个星期，我意识到我这辈子还从没冒过什么险呢。所以我决定来个观念的跨越，美洲大陆那么宽 —— 从太平洋去大西洋，不带一分钱。要是有人给我钱，我会拒绝。我只接受搭顺风车、提供食物和让我歇脚的帮助。这将是穿越这片金钱至上的土地上一次无钱的旅行。我的最终目的地是北卡罗来纳州的“恐惧角”（即开普菲尔），它象征着我沿途必须克服的所有恐惧。

8 1994年9月6日，我早早起床，背起一个50磅重的包，朝金门桥走去。我从背包里拿出一个牌子，向过路的车辆展示我的目的地：“美利坚”。

9 司机们隔着挡风玻璃念出这个词，然后笑了。两个女人骑自行车经过。“有点含混，”其中一个说。一名带有德国口音的年轻男士走上前来问，“你这个‘美利坚’在哪儿？”

10 实际上，整整六个星期的时间里我试图找出答案。我搭了82次便车，行程4,223英里，穿越了14个州。在旅途中，我发现其他人跟我一样有担心。人们总是在警告我当心别的某个地方。在蒙大拿州，他们叫我留神怀俄明州的牛仔，而在内布拉斯加州，人们提醒我说艾奥瓦州的人可不如他们友好。

11 然而，在我所去的每个州，我都受到了友善的对待。我诧异于美国人执意帮助陌生人的能力，甚至于在看来与自己的最大利益相冲突时他们也绝不袖手旁观。有一天，在内布拉斯加，一辆四门小轿车在路肩停下。我走到车窗边，看到两位穿着节日盛装的瘦小老妇人。

12 “我知道这年头不该带搭便车的，但这里前不着村后不着店的，不停车感觉真不好。”自称“维”的司机说。她和姐姐海伦是去内布拉斯加的安斯沃思看眼疾的。

13 她们为我停了车，我都不知道是该亲吻她们呢还是该责备她们。这个女人是在告诉我，她宁肯冒生命危险也不愿意因为没为一个站在路边的陌生人停车而感到内疚。她们在一个高速路口把我放下时，我望着维。我们俩异口同声地说，“小心。”

14 有一次我在雨中没能搭上便车。一名长途卡车司机停了车，他把刹车踩得那么重，车子都在草地路肩上滑行了一段。司机告诉我他有一次被搭便车的人持刀抢劫了。“但我不愿意看到有人在雨里站着。”他补充说，“现在大家都没有良心了。”

15 然而，我发现，总体而言，人们还是挺有同情心的。艾奥瓦州一对中年夫妇为了帮我找宿营地领着我走了一个小时。在南达科他州，一个女人让我在她家住了一晚之后递给我两张贴了邮票的明信片：一张是让她知道我这趟旅行结果如何；另一张是要第二天寄出的，告诉她我在哪里，免得她为我担心。

16 听说我没钱，又不愿意接受钱，每个州的人们都会给我买食物或者和我分享他们刚好带着的东西。在加州的尤凯亚，一位国家公园管理员给了我一些胡萝卜，一名大学生给了我几袋有机西红柿和甜瓜。衣阿华的一名妇女给了我两大包全麦饼干，两罐果汁汽水、两听金枪鱼罐头、两个苹果和两块鸡肉。

17 拥有最少的人往往给予得最多。在俄勒冈一个叫迈克的房屋油漆工注意到天气十分寒冷，就问我有没有外套。我回答说“有件薄的”，他开车带我去他家，翻遍了车库，递给我一件肥大的绿色军用夹克。

18 在俄勒冈的另一个地方，一个叫蒂姆的锯木厂工人邀请我去他们破旧的家里和他家人一起吃了顿简单的晚餐。他给了我一本《圣经》，然后又要把家里的帐篷给我。我拒绝了，因为我知道那极有可能是这家人最值钱的一样东西了。然而蒂姆执意让我接受，所以最后我只好同意。

19 我感激我遇到的所有人，感谢他们让我搭车，给我食物，给我提供住处，送我礼物。但最友善的举动是，他们是那么自然真诚。

20 有一天，我走进了田纳西州的詹姆斯敦一家当地商会。在这座古老建筑里一个男人从他凌乱的桌子旁站起身。“请进，”59岁的巴克斯特·威尔逊说。他是那儿的执行会长。

21 我向他打听在当地露营的事。他递给我一本当地露营地的小册子。“需要我帮你打电话吗？”他问。

22 我一看露营得花12美元，就回答，“不用了，没事。我也不知道我该怎么做。”

23 这时他看见了我的背包。“这里差不多每个人都会让你在他们的地里支帐篷的，如果那是你所想要的话。”他说。

24 这话就对了，我想。“有没具体的方位？”我问。

25 “跟你说吧，我有个大农场，在从这儿往南大概10英里。要是你五点半能在这儿，我可以开车带你去。”

26 我接受了，于是我们开车去了一幢华丽的乡村住宅。突然，我意识到他是邀请了我到他家过夜。

27 我们走进厨房时，他的妻子卡萝尔正在炖牛肉块。她是一名七年级的科学老师，简直就是南方魅力的化身。

28 巴克斯特解释说，当地人是“不爱外出的山里人”，他觉得自己也是这么一个人。“我们很少在家里招待客人，”他说，“招待的话，一般是亲戚。”他的这番透露让我那一夜变得更加不同寻常。

29 第二天我下楼时，卡萝尔问我愿不愿意去学校跟她班上的孩子们谈谈我的旅行。我告诉她我可不想怂恿一帮七年级的孩子去搭便车游遍美国，但卡萝尔说孩子们应该接触到外面的世界是什么样子 —— 包括好的一面和坏的一面。“他们需要了解真相，”她说。

30 我同意了。没过多久，我就被安排给学校每个班讲话。所有的孩子都彬彬有礼而且聚精会神。他们的问题不断冒出来：哪儿的人们最友善？我穿坏过多少双鞋？有没有人试图轧死我？别的地方的猪脚也有这么好吗？我有没有爱上过谁？我最害怕的是什么？

31 尽管我并没有打算这么做，我发现爱国主义的语调贯穿了那天下午的讲话。我告诉学生们，我对美利坚的信念如何被重新重新点燃。我告诉他们，生活在一个人们仍然愿意帮助陌生人的国度里，我有多么自豪。我告诉他们，我当初计划这次旅行时脑子里的问题已经得到明确的解答。的确，不管你是谁，你仍然可以依赖陌生人的善意。

Unit One

Living in Harmony

Enhance Your Language Awareness

Words in Action

▆ Working with Words and Expressions

1. In the boxes below are some of the words you have learned in this unit. Complete the following sentences with them. Change the form where necessary.

▆ Answers:

1) bunch

2) amazed

3) shift

4) bundle

5) drop

6) capacity

7) participating

8) style

9) commerce

10) rob

11) symbol

12) appreciated

13) displayed

14) slip

15) conquer

16) roast

17) figured

2. In the box below are some of the expressions you have learned in this unit. Do you understand their meanings? Do you know how to use them in the proper context? Now check for yourself by doing the blank-filling exercise. Change the form where necessary.

▆ Answers:

1) in rich contrast to

2) are exposed to

3) risked his life

4) rely on

5) at knife-point

6) stands out

7) runs contrary to

8) flag down

9) picks/picked up

10) took a gamble on

11) pulled away

12) pulled over

▆ Increasing Your Word Power

1. Collocations

Look at the adverbs listed in the box below, and decide which adverb is needed to collocate with the verb in each sentence. Fill the correct adverb into the blank in the sentence. The same word may be used in more than one sentence. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

▆ Answers:

1) out

2) over

3) back

4) down

5) over

6) up

7) out

8) back

9) down

10) out

11) up

12) over

13) back

14) out

15) down

16) over

2. Study the different meanings of the word “than” in the following sentences.

▆ Answers for Reference:

1) Action speaks louder than words.

2) Production here needs temperatures lower than 25 degrees Celsius.

3) I like to keep things rather than throw them away.

4) There is nobody here other than me.

5) She’d rather leave her job than (be forced to) work for that boss.

3. Word Building

Now choose the Chinese meaning from Column B that matches each italicized word in Column A. You may consult a dictionary if necessary.

▆ Answers:

1) d.

2) k

3) n

4) j

5) a

6) g

7) f

8) b

9) o

10) m

11) p

12) e

13) c

14) h

15) i

16) l

Grammar in Context

1. The –ing form and the infinitive form of the verb

Task: Choose either the infinitive form or the –ing form of the verb in the brackets to complete each of the following sentences.

▆ Answers:

1) preparing

2) to thank

3) repairing / to be repaired

4) to get

5) studying

6) being treated

7) missing

8) to reduce

9) to leave

10) worrying

2. The –ed form and the –ing form of the verb

Study the following sentences that appear in this unit, paying special attention to the –ed form and –ing form of the verb. Reflect on its grammatical function in each sentence.

Task：Complete the following sentences by translating the Chinese in the brackets into English, paying attention to the use of the -ing form and the -ed form of verbs.

▆ Answers:

1) kept nodding, rather confused

2) Fallen leaves

3) surprised, hiding

4) Deeply moved

5) following

6) Being, interested

7) located

8) reading

Cloze

▆ Complete the following passage with words chosen from Text A. The initial letter of each is given.

▆ Answers:

1) relying

2) intrigued

3) penny

4) for

5) covered

6) treated

7) amazed

8) contrary

9) generally

10) whatever

11) invited

12) attentive

13) where

Translation

▆ Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in brackets.

▆ Answers for Reference:

1) The rumor about his divorce is just a ploy to gain publicity for his new film.

2) He took a gamble on starting a factory with all the money his parents had left him.

3) After winning the important game they hoisted their captain to their shoulders in shouting triumph.

4) In the rush to go for globalization, we should watch out for collision of cultures.

5) In the circumstances it was not surprising that there was trouble.

6) The baby is the very picture of health.

7) People have realized the dangers of exposing children to violence and sex on TV.

8) We always had in mind for whom we were making the film.

Theme-Related Writing

▆ Choose one of the following writing tasks and complete it after class.

1) Write an essay (of about 250 words) about a memorable experience in which you helped a stranger or were helped by him or her.

2) Write an essay (of about 150 words) about human relationships in our society. The following hints might serve as a guide:

a. The problems existing in the relationships between people in our society.

b. The negative results such problems may bring about to our society.

run 跑 ran runc. What can you do to help establish a harmonious society as a student?

begin 开始 began begun

▆Sample Essay for Task 1:

spin 旋转 spun / span spun

One weekend morning, while walking on a bustling street with a light heart, I was suddenly overtaken by a startling moan. Turning around, I discovered the sound was coming from a black mass in a corner. “What’s that?” My heart pounded heavily. I went up and saw a human being, alive but in a dreadful state. He was crouching on the ground with deformed hands and legs, mumbling something. He had obviously lost the normal ability to move and work. A dirty plate was placed in front the miserable-looking man, in which there were some coins and small notes.

hold 拿住 held heldAs my eyes were drifting away from him, his eyes caught mine suddenly. What eyes they were! Filled with misery and expectation, they were looking straight at me. He was unable to speak, but I seemed to hear his pleading voice and read his despairing mind. His look seemed to be telling me about his hard life and his longing for help. For a while, I was at a loss what to do. Should I drop some coins in the plate like some other passers-by or turn away in indifference? I recalled news reports about men pretending to be beggars, who were actually healthy and able to work. Could this be another one of those scams? But the beggar was there, groaning and living. Then something seemed to hit me hard. I drew a five-yuan note from my pocket, dropped it in his dirty plate and walked away quickly in silence.

“No good deed is too small.” Maybe we need to bear this saying in mind.

show 显露 showed showed / shown

flee 逃跑 fled fled▆Sample Essay for Task 2:

mislead 误导 misled misledWe are living in a world of distrust. We live behind cold security bars; we do not talk to strangers, let alone go out of our way to help them; we live in fear of fake products. In short, fear and feelings of insecurity fill the environment we live in.

shoot 射击 shot shotAll this greatly harms our society. Growing up in such an environment, we tend to feel isolated and care only about ourselves. If things go on like this, ‘trust’, ‘teamwork’, and ‘harmony’ will eventually become terms unheard of.

fall 掉落 fell fallenIn my opinion, trusting others and being trustworthy are the two basic principles that we should follow if we want to improve human relationships. We may not be in a position to change others, but we can change the way others see us by winning their trust in us. Mutual understanding and love are the pillars that support a harmonious society.

lose 遗失 lost lost