Neither Snow Nor Rain: The Chinese Postal Service 风雨无阻的邮政服务
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2004年6月28日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年7月03日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：446
课文朗读
课文讲解
“News of good deeds travels faster than the mail.” – Confucius
子曰：「德之流行速于置邮而传命。」
Spoken by the great sage some 2,500 years ago, these words of wisdom confirm that China had one of the world’s first mail systems. His contemporary, Lao Tzu, also said, however, that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. In the case of the Chinese Postal service, it has been a journey of leaps and bounds.
这是大约二千五百年前的圣贤孔子所言，这些言词证实了中国是世界上最早有邮政制度的国家之一。同时期的老子也说：「千里之行，始于足下」。以中国的邮政服务而言，这段历史演进是进步非常快速的。
Today’s postal service has clearly progressed since the Tang Dynasty emperor, Tang Min-hung, ordered his Pony Express-style organization of riders and relays to fetch fresh leechee for his princess all the way from southern China! With its wide array of products and services like express delivery, digital and hybrid mail, the newly privatized Chunghwa Post Co. Ltd. has entered a new era.
当年唐明皇下令以专骑快驿，以接力方式老远从中国南方为他的爱妃取得新鲜荔枝，这即是邮政服务！如今，很明显地，邮政服务比起早年唐朝时，又进步不知凡几。产品多样化、服务多元化，像是快递、数字化和综合型递送，最近进行民营化之后的中华邮政公司服务已经迈入一个新的里程碑。
Formerly a state-run company, the new Chunghwa Post Co. Ltd. has been competitively re-organized into a well-oiled machine. Fresh partnerships with both local and international organizations mean that the ubiquitous green post office can now mail your letter, sell highway toll tickets, and even provide simple life insurance – all in one step! And for the keen philatelist, stamps featuring everything from butterflies to popular movies, are available from collecting.
以前是国营企业，如今改成新的中华邮政公司已经是彻底转型，成为上好油微调过的机器。并与国内外的单位结盟合作建立伙伴关系，这代表的意思是无所不在的绿衣天使服务，现在能替你寄信，卖给你高速公路回数票，甚至还卖给你简易寿险──一家店面，全套服务！而且对热切的集邮人士而言，邮票主题也从蝴蝶生态延伸到了流行电影，可真是全都搜。
Vocabulary
单词发音
News of good deeds travels faster than the mail. 德之流行速于置邮而传命; 善行比邮件消息传播速度
sage [sedʒ] n. 圣人，贤人
contemporary [kənˋtɛmpə͵rɛrɪ] n. 同时代的人
leaps and bounds 非常迅速地 rapidly, or in fast progress
relay [rɪˋle] n. 替换的马（或猎狗等）
fetch [fɛtʃ] v. 去拿……给
all the way 整个途中
array [əˋre] n. 一系列
hybrid [ˋhaɪbrɪd] adj. 混合的
privatize [ˋpraɪvətaɪz] v. 使私有（民营）化
formerly [ˋfɔrmɚlɪ] adv. 以前，从前
ubiquitous [juˋbɪkwətəs] adj.【正式或幽默】普遍存在的﹐无处不在的
keen [kin] adj. 热心的，热衷的
philatelist [fəˋlæt!ɪst] n. 集邮家
Sentence of the Day
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of nights stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
– de facto motto of U.S. Postal Service
「邮务士投递工作是不分日夜寒暑、风雨无阻、而且使命必达。」-- 美国邮政服务座右铭
gloom [glum] n. 黑暗；阴暗
courier [ˋkʊrɪɚ] n. 送递急件（或外交信件）的信差
swift [swɪft] adj. 快速的，快捷的
课文讲解
Jack approaches the first available clerk at the post office: 杰克在邮局走向一个没人排队的服务窗口：
C: May I help you, sir?
先生，需要我帮忙吗？
J: Yes. I’d like to send this package overseas. Please be careful with it. It’s a vase – a gift for my sister’s birthday.
是的，我要寄这个包裹到国外。拜托小心点，里面是花瓶──给我姊姊的生日礼物。
C: Of course, sir. I’ll attach a “FRAGILE” sticker immediately. Your package weighs one kilogram! Now, where are you sending this?
你放心，先生。我会立刻贴上「当心，易碎」的贴条。你这包裹重一公斤！你要寄去哪儿？
J: The address is here on the box. It’s going to San Francisco.
地址就在这边盒子上。要寄到旧金山。
C: For a birthday present, you might consider our Express Mail Service. For NT$700 it will arrive in four to five days.
既是生日礼物，或许你可以考虑用我们的快递服务。台币700元，四到五天内就会到达。
J: Her birthday’s in three weeks. Will it arrive on time using your regular service?
她的生日还有三个星期。如果用一般邮件来得及到达吗？
C: Only if you send it as an air parcel. That will cost NT$380, and should take ten to thirteen days. By surface it could take up to fifty-five days.
如果你寄航空包裹就来得及。不过要台币380元，十天到十三天内会到达。如果寄海运，恐怕要五十五天。
J: Airmail will be fine. Hey! Can I use these cool Lord of The Rings stamps?
就寄航空好了。嘿！我的包裹能不能用这种很酷的「魔戒」邮票？
C: That’s unnecessary, sir: our billing system is computerized. We simply frank packages with a sticker indicating postage paid.
不用邮票，先生。我们的邮资系统已经计算机化了，我们只会在包裹贴上标明邮资已付的贴条。
J: Too bad. My sister is a big movie fan. She’d love these stamps.
太可惜了。我姊姊是忠实的影迷呢，她一定会喜欢这些邮票的。
C: Maybe you would like to purchase a set as a gift?
或许你可以购买一套当礼物送给她？
J: I’ll take one set, please. Looks like my sister will be getting two great gifts!
好，我买一套。看来我姊姊会收到两样很棒的礼物哦！
－by Joel Finnestad
Vocabulary
单词发音
vase [ves] n. 花瓶
fragile [ˋfrædʒaɪl] / [ˋfrædʒəl] adj. 易碎的
parcel [ˋpɑrs!] n. 小包，包裹
surface [ˋsɝfɪs] adj.（邮件）陆路的，普通的，水路的
frank [fræŋk] v. 免费邮寄; 盖免费递寄邮戳于（邮件）
postage [ˋpostɪdʒ] n. 邮资，邮费
Sentence of the Day
By sending two gifts to his sister, Jack knew he would be in her good grace.
杰克送给他姊姊两样礼物，他知道能因此讨得喜欢。
in one’s good grace 得宠于; 为某人赞同和喜爱