Vienna

prases

bú dào cháng chéng fēi hǎo hàn 不  到   长       城      非  好   汉 Only if you have climbed the Great Wall are you truly a man.

fēng huǒ tái 烽    火  台 A Beacon Tower

yì   gǔ zuò qì 一  鼓 作  气 To do something all in one go

习惯用语

是人皆有出头日 Every dog has his day.
Explanation: Fortune comes to each in turn.
Example: 别瞧不起人，是人皆有出头日。等我成功的时候，准让你后悔今天的话

王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸 Every potter praises his own pot.
Explanation: people are loath to refer to defects in their possessions or their family members
Example: 买房有价，装修无价，个中情况，自行斟酌，也不要听我‘王婆卖瓜，自卖自夸’，也不要自己‘一厢情愿，不管其他’，只有货比三家，才是为佳！！！

China's Traditional Kite Craft
Kites were invented by the Chinese people over 2000 years ago. About in the 12th century, Chinese kite spread to the West and oriental and Western kite culture was formed after years of development. In this process, the traditional culture integrated with the kite craft, and finally formed the kite culture with unique characteristics.
Uses of kite have been changed several times in history. According to historical record, kite was first used in military. In the mid Tang Dynasty (618-907), in which the society was stable and peaceful, the use of kites was gradually changed from military to entertainment. With the innovation of papermaking, the raw material of kite changed from silk to paper. Kite became popular among civilians with a richer variety of forms and reached the peak point in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Participated by the literary, the making and the decoration of kites underwent great development. Kite making became a profession due to the large demand.
The Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties, was the peak period of the Chinese kite. The kites underwent great development in size, design, decoration and flying skills. Literators at that time made kite by themselves, and sent to relatives and friends as a gift, regarding it a literary pursuit. In recent years, kite flying has publicized as a sports activity as well as entertainment.
To make a kite, first, the right kind of bamboo strips must be selected for the frame. It should be thick and strong for a kite of large dimensions in order to stand the wind pressure. The regular paper or sometime silk is used to cover the frame. Silk kites, especially, are more durable and generally of higher artistic value. Third, painting the kite may be done in each way. Kites could be generally divided into two categories: the Hard Wing and the Soft Wing. The Hard Wing can endure more air pressure and competitively fly higher, whilst the latter can fly farther, although it can not fly as high. In patterns, besides the traditional ones of animals, birds, worms, fishes, new patterns of human images emerged in modern times.
China has a large area of territory. As a traditional culture and folk art, kite has formed unique style of different regions during its development, among which the most famous ones are the styles of Beijing, Tianjin, Weifang in Shangdong Province, Sichuan and Guangdong Province. 
 中国传统风筝 
 
 
风筝是中国人发明的，距今已有2000余年的历史。大约在公元12世纪，中国风筝传到了西方，此后经过不断发展，逐渐形成各具特色的东西方风筝文化。在风筝的发展过程中，具有悠久历史的中国传统文化开始与风筝工艺相融合，将神话故事、花鸟瑞兽、吉祥寓意等表现在风筝上，从而形成了独具地方特色的风筝文化。
在历史上，风筝的用途曾有过多次转换。根据史书记载，风筝的最初功用是用于军事。到了唐代（公元618～907年）中期，社会进入了繁荣稳定的发展阶段，风筝的功用开始从军事用途转向娱乐，同时由于纸业的发展，风筝的制作材料也由丝绢转而开始使用纸张。风筝逐渐走向民间，类型也丰富起来。宋代（公元960～1279年），风筝的流传更为广泛。当时由于文人的参加，风筝在扎制和装饰上都有了很大的发展。同时由于社会上对风筝的需求，制作风筝发展为一种专门的职业。
明清时代（公元1368～1911年）是中国风筝发展的鼎盛时期，明清风筝在大小、样式、扎制技术、装饰和放飞技艺上都有了超越前代的巨大进步。当时的文人亲手扎绘风筝，除自己放飞外，还赠送亲友，并认为这是一种极为风雅的活动。近年来，中国的风筝事业得到了长足的发展，放风筝开始作为体育运动项目和健身娱乐活动普及起来。
中国风筝以细竹扎成骨架，再糊以纸或绢制作而成。传统的中国风筝工艺包括"扎、糊、绘、放"四种技艺，"扎"即要达到对称，使风筝左右两侧的受风面积相当；"糊"即要保证整体平整，干净利落；"绘"即要做到远眺清楚，近看真实的效果；"放"即要依据风力调整提线角度。风筝的种类主要分为"硬翅"和"软翅"两类，"硬翅"风筝翅膀坚硬，吃风大，飞的高。"软翅"风筝柔软，飞不高，但飞的远。在样式上，除传统的禽、兽、虫、鱼外，近代还发展出了人物风筝等新样式。 中国地域辽阔，风筝作为中国的传统文化和民间艺术，在长期发展过程中，产生出许多具有不同地域特色的种类、样式和流派。其中以北京、天津、山东潍坊、四川、广东所制的风筝最为著名。

Hunan Cuisine (湖南菜）
Also known as Xiang Cai, Hunan cuisine has already developed into a famous culinary school in China. Hunan dishes consist of local dishes from the Xiangjiang River area, Dongting Lake area and Western Hunan mountain area. Hunan's culinary specialties are akin to those of the chili-rich Sichuan dishes. It is also characterized by thick and pungent flavor. Chili, pepper and shallot are usually necessaries in this division. However, Chili, peppers, garlic (suan) and an unusual sauce, called "strange-flavor" sauce (guai wei jiang) on some menus, enliven many dishes, with a somewhat drier intensity than that of their Sichuan counterparts. Sweetness, too, is a Hunan culinary passion, and honey sauces are favored in desserts such as water chestnut or cassia flower cakes.

Hunan is known as "the land of fish and rice". Like the west in latitude, it has the added bonus of lowlands for rice cultivation and a rich ocean's edge for fish.

Hunan food is characterized by its hot and sour flavor, fresh aroma, greasiness, deep color, and the prominence of the main flavor in the dishes. Hunan food is hot because the climate is very humid, which makes it difficult for human body to eliminate moisture. The local people eat hot peppers to help remove dampness and cold. The main cooking methods for Hunan dishes are braising, double-boiling, steaming and stewing. It is also renowned for its frequent use of preserved meat in cooking.

Rice is the staple in Hunan, but northern-style side dishes and fillers are also popular: bean curd "bread" rolls or dumplings and savory buns. They are further signs that Hunan is one of China's culinary heartland, incorporating many flavors and regional influences.

Typical courses include: Dong'an chick; peppery and hot chick, stir-fried tripe slivers, tripe in duck's web soup, lotus seed with rock candy, Xiaoxiang turtle, steamed pickled meat, and hot and spicy frog leg.
 

湘菜
 
 
湘菜简称湖南菜，它历史悠久，源远流长，逐步发展成为颇负盛名的地方菜系

湖南地处长江中游南部，气候温和，雨量充沛，土质肥沃，物产丰富，素称“鱼米之乡”。优越的自然条件和富饶的物产，湘菜在选料方面提供了物质条件。

湘菜由湘江流域、洞庭湖区和湘西山区为基调的三种地方风味组成。湘江流域菜以长沙、衡阳、湘潭为中心，其中以长沙为主，讲究菜肴内涵的精当和外形的美观，色、香、味、器、质和谐的统一，因而成为湘菜的主流。洞庭湖区菜以常德、岳阳两地为主，擅长制作河鲜水禽；湘西地区菜则由湘西、湘北的民族风味菜组成，以烹制山珍野味见长。

湘菜品种繁多，门类齐全。就菜式而言，既有乡土风味的民间菜式，经济方便的大众菜式；也有讲究实惠的筵席菜式，格调高雅的宴会菜式；还有味道随意的家常菜式和疗疾健身的药膳菜式。据有关方面统计，湖南现有不同品味的地方菜和风味名菜达800多个。

湘菜的基本刀法有十几种之多。厨师们在长期的实践中，手法娴熟，因料而异，具体运用，演化参合，切批斩剁，游刃有余。使菜肴千姿百态、变化无穷。整鸡剥皮，盛水不漏，瓜盅“载宝”，形态逼真，常令人击掌叫绝，叹为观止。

湘菜历来重视原料互相搭配，滋味互相渗透。湘菜调味尤重酸辣。因地理位置的关系，湖南气候温和湿润，故人们多喜食辣椒，用以提神去湿。用酸泡菜作调料，佐以辣椒烹制出来的菜肴，开胃爽口，深受青睐，成为独具特色的地方饮食习俗。

湘菜的烹调方法历史悠久，到现在已经形成几十种烹调方法，在热烹、冷制、甜调三大类烹调技法中，每类技法少则几种，多的有几十种。相对而言，湘菜的煨\功夫更胜一筹，几乎达到炉火纯青的地步。煨，在色泽变化上可分为红煨、白煨，在调味方面有清汤煨、浓汤煨和奶汤煨。小火慢\，原汁原味。有的菜晶莹醇厚，有的菜汁纯滋养，有的菜软糯浓郁，有的菜酥烂鲜香，许多煨\出来的菜肴，成为湘菜中的名馔佳品。

著名的菜肴有： 腊味合蒸　东安子鸡　麻辣子鸡　红煨鱼翅　汤泡肚　冰糖湘莲　金钱鱼 东安子鸡

早在唐玄宗开元年间，湖南东安人就开始烹制东安鸡，至今已有1200多年的历史。此菜造型美观，色泽鲜艳，营养丰富，具有香、辣、麻、酸、甜、脆、嫩等特点。

自相矛盾

His Spear Against His Shield-自相矛盾  
 
   His spear against his shield
 
  A man of the state of Chu had a spear and a shield for sale. He was loud in praises of his shield.
  "My shield is so strong that nothing can pierce it through."
  He also sang praises of his spear.
  "My spear is so strong that it can pierce through anything."
  What would happen, he was asked, if your spear is used to pierce your shield?
  He was unable to give an answer.
  It is impossible for the strongest shield to coexist with a spear that finds nothing impenetrable.
  (《Hanfeizi》) 
 

 

    从前，有一个卖矛和盾的楚国人。他大声的夸奖他的盾："我的盾是最坚固的，没有东西能刺透它。" 接着，他又赞美他的矛， 说："我的矛是最锐利的，它能刺透任何东西。"有人问他："那如果用你的矛去刺你的盾，会怎么样呢？"
卖矛和盾的人回答不出来了。
    世界上不可能同时存在最坚固的盾和最锐利的矛。
(《韩非子》) 
 

 
 
矛 spear
 盾 shield
 夸 sing praises for
 
坚固 strong
 刺 pierce
 

expression for business
我们需要在三十天内付款。 We’ll be needing payment within 30 days.

我认为这可以接受。/不可以接受。 I think that’s acceptable./unacceptable.

我想我们能够同意。 I think we could agree to that.

你能够为我们提供与去年一样的单价吗？ Can you offer us the same unit price as last year?

公司已提出高薪相聘 The company has offered a high salary

他敬她一枝烟 He offered her a cigarette

这所房子我们向他索价35000英镑 We offered him the house for ￡35000

他还价30000英镑买这所房子 He offered ￡30000 for the house

我们七十万件可以打八折。这是最大的折扣 We could do a 20% discount on 700,000 units. That’s the best I can offer.

现金付款, 我们予以九折优待 We give (a) 10% discount for cash, ie for immediate payment.

折息贴现 amount deducted for paying a bill of exchange

打折扣; 减价 at a discount (a) at a reduced price

银行需要几天来处理你的申请 It’ll take a couple of days to process your application

几天后，你就会收到贷款的书面答复 You should receive written confirmation of the loan in a few days

我们谈一谈送货日期 Let’s talk about delivery dates

我们谈一谈用另外一个供应商 Let’s talk about using a different supplier
 

课堂用语

Stand up, please. 请站起来。

 Sit down, please. 请坐下。

 I am sorry. I am late. May I come in? 对不起，我迟到了，我可以进来吗？

 Come in, please. 请进。

 Open your books, please. 请打开书本。

 Close your books, please. 请把书合上。

 Do you understand? 你明白了吗？

 Yes, I see. 是的，我明白了。

 No, I don't quite understand. 不，我不大明白。

 Listen to me and then repeat. 听我读，然后重复一遍。

 Look at the blackboard, please. 请看黑板。

 Read after me, please. 请跟我读。

 This is Lesson Two. 这是第二课。

 It's time to begin. 是开始的时候了。

 Class is over. 下课。

天下无难事，只怕有心人

Chinese Proverbs

A bad beginning makes a bad ending.

不善始者不善终。

A bad thing never dies.

遗臭万年。

A bad workman always blames his tools.

不会撑船怪河弯。

A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.

一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。

A boaster and a liar are cousins-german.

吹牛与说谎本是同宗。

A bully is always a coward.

色厉内荏。

A burden of one's choice is not felt.

爱挑的担子不嫌重。

A candle lights others and consumes itself.

蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。

A cat has 9 lives.

猫有九条命。

A cat may look at a king.

猫也可以打量国王，意为人人平等。

A close mouth catches no flies.

病从口入。

A constant guest is never welcome.

久住非佳宾，常来不欢迎。

Actions speak louder than words.

事实胜于雄辩。

Adversity leads to prosperity.

穷则思变。

Adversity makes a man wise, not rich.

逆境出人才。

A fair death honors the whole life.

死得其所，流芳百世。

A faithful friend is hard to find.

知音难觅。

A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit.

吃一堑，长一智。

A fox may grow gray, but never good.

江山易改，本性难移。

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

患难见真情。

A friend is easier lost than found.

失友容易，交友难。

A friend is never known till a man has need.

需要之时方知友。

A friend without faults will never be found.

没有十全十美的朋友。

'After you' is good manners.

“您先请”是礼貌。

A good beginning is half done.

良好的开端是成功的一半。

A good beginning makes a good ending.

善始者善终。

A good book is a good friend.

好书如挚友。

A good book is the best of friends, the same today and forever.

一本好书，相伴一生。

A good conscience is a soft pillow.

不做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门。

A good fame is better than a good face.

美名胜过美貌。

A good husband makes a good wife.

夫善则妻贤。

A good medicine tastes bitter.

良药苦口。

A good wife and health are a man's best wealth.

妻贤与身体好是男人最大的财富。

A great talker is a great liar.

说大话者多谎言。

A hedge between keeps friendship green.

君子之交淡如水。

A joke never gains an enemy but loses a friend.

戏谑不能化敌为友，只能使人失去朋友。

A leopard cannot change its spots.

积习难改。

A liar is not believed when he speaks the truth.

说谎者即使讲真话也没人相信。

A light heart lives long.

静以修身。

A little body often harbors a great soul.

浓缩的都是精品。

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

浅学误人。

A little pot is soon hot.

壶小易热,量小易怒。

All are brave when the enemy flies.

敌人逃窜时，人人都成了勇士。

All good things come to an end.

天下没有不散的筵席。

All rivers run into sea.

海纳百川。

All roads lead to Rome.

条条大路通罗马。

All that ends well is well.

结果好，就一切都好。

All that glitters is not gold.

闪光的不一定都是金子。

All things are difficult before they are easy.

凡事总是由难而易。

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

只会用功不玩耍，聪明孩子也变傻。

A man becomes learned by asking questions.

不耻下问才能有学问。

A man can do no more than he can.

凡事都应量力而行。

A man cannot spin and reel at the same time.

一心不能二用。

A man is known by his friends.

察其友，知其人。

A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.

空有言语而无行动的人，犹如杂草丛生的花园。

A man without money is no man at all.

一分钱难倒英雄汉。

A merry heart goes all the way.

心旷神怡，事事顺利。

A miss is as good as a mile.

失之毫厘，差之千里。

A mother's love never changes.

母爱永恒。

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

一天一苹果，不用请医生。

A new broom sweeps clean.

新官上任三把火。

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

以眼还眼，以牙还牙。

An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening.

一日之计在于晨。

An old dog cannot learn new tricks.

老狗学不了新把戏; 老年人很难适应新事物。

An ounce of luck is better than a pound of wisdom.

聪明才智，不如运气。

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

一分的预防胜于十分的治疗。

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

滚石不生苔，转业不聚财。

As a man sows, so shall he reap.

种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆。

A single flower does not make a spring.

一花独放不是春，百花齐放春满园。

A snow year, a rich year.

瑞雪兆丰年。

A sound mind in a sound body.

健全的精神寓于健康的身体。

A still tongue makes a wise head.

寡言者智。

A stitch in time saves nine.

小洞不补，大洞吃苦。

A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe.

身正不怕影子斜。

A wise head makes a close mouth.

真人不露相，露相非真人。

A word spoken is past recalling.

一言既出，驷马难追。

A year's plan starts with spring.

一年之计在于春。

A young idler, an old beggar.

少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。

who can be the king. (a story)

从前，有个国王，他有三个儿子。 cóng qián ， yǒu gè guó wáng ， tā yǒu sān gè ér zi 。 国王一天天老了，想把王位传给儿子。 guó wáng yì tiān tiān lǎo le ， xiǎng bǎ wáng wèi chuán gěi ér zi 。 可是，传给哪一个儿子呢？为这事， kě shì ， chuán gěi nǎ yí gè ér zi ne ？ wéi zhè shì ， 他左思又想，终于想出了办法。 tā zuǒ sī yòu xiǎng ， zhōng yú xiǎng chū le bàn fǎ 。 国王把三个儿子叫到面前，说： guó wáng bǎ sān gè ér zi jiào dào miàn qián ， shuō ： “治理国家，需要聪明、诚实的人。 “ zhì lǐ guó jiā ， xū yào cōng míng 、 chéng shí de rén 。 我今天交给你们一件事， wǒ jīn tiān jiāo gěi nǐ men yí jiàn shì ， 谁完成的最好， shuí wán chéng de zuì hǎo ， 我就把王位传给他。” wǒ jiù bǎ wáng wèi chuán gěi tā 。 ” 三个儿子都认为这样比较公平。 sān gè ér zǐ dōu rèn wéi zhè yàng bǐ jiào gōng píng 。 于是，国王交给每个儿子一块银币，说： yú shì ， guó wáng jiāo gěi měi gè ér zǐ yí kuài yín bì ， shuō ： “你们用它去买东西， “ nǐ men yòng tā qù mǎi dōng xī ， 所买东西必须能装满一间空的房子。” suǒ mǎi dōng xī bì xū néng zhuāng mǎn yì jiān kōng de fáng zi 。 ” 三个儿子拿着银币出发了。 sān gè ér zǐ ná zhe yín bì chū fā le 。 老大拿着银币买了很多干草， lǎo dà ná zhe yín bì mǎi le hěn duō gàn cǎo ， 可是，只堆了半间屋子。 kě shì ， zhī duī le bàn jiān wū zi 。 老二心想，“一块银币能买什么呢？” lǎo èr xīn xiǎng ， “ yí kuài yín bì néng mǎi shén me ne ？ ” 他自己又加了一块银币， tā zì jǐ yòu jiā le yí kuài yín bì ， 买了很多柴火， mǎi le hěn duō chái huǒ ， 可是，他也只堆了大半间屋子。 kě shì ， tā yě zhī duī le dà bàn jiān wū zi 。 老三用这块银币买了一支蜡烛和一盒火柴。 lǎo sān yòng zhè kuài yín bì mǎi le yì zhī là zhú hé yì hé huǒ chái 。 他划了一根火柴，点燃蜡烛， tā huá le yì gēn huǒ chái ， diǎn rán là zhú ， 桔黄色的烛光立刻充满了整个房间！ jù huáng sè de zhú guāng lì kè chōng mǎn le zhěng gè fáng jiān ！ “父王，一块金币并没有用完。” “ fù wáng ， yí kuài jīn bì bìng méi yǒu yòng wán 。 ” 老三说着，把剩下的钱递给了国王。 lǎo sān shuō zhe ， bǎ shèng xià de qián dì gěi le guó wáng 。 不用再说什么了，bú yòng zài shuō shén me le ， 国王把王位传给了小儿子。 guó wáng bǎ wáng wèi chuán gěi le xiǎo ér zǐ 。

To Knot Grass and Carry a Ring (结草衔环）

                        To Knot Grass and Carry a Ring

 

During the Spring and Autumn Period, there lived in the kingdom of Chin a man named Wei Ke, whose father had a young and very beautiful concubine. After his father grew old and fell ill, he told Wei Ke that after his death, his son was to marry the concubine into a suitable family. Later, when his illness had grown worse and he was in a state of delirium, he said that he wanted the girl to commit suicide and he buried with him. Wei Ke felt that he should obey what his father had said when he was fully conscious, and so he married the girl into a nice family. Later, Wei Ke was in a battle which he was about to lose, when suddenly he saw an old man come tie a knot in the grass in front of his enemy, His enemy's horse tripped over the knot, and Wei Ke won the battle. That night, Wei Ke had a dream that the old man came to him and said, "I am the father of the concubine, come to repay you for not burying my daughter with your father."

During the Han dynasty, there lived a man named Yand Bau, who was very king and sympathetic. When he was a boy, Yang Bau once came across an injured sparrow. He saved the little bird, and treated its wounds. Many years later, this little sparrow brought Yang Bau a ring of jade.

Therefore, "to knot the grass and carry a ring" means to repay someone for a kindness.

 

 

结草衔环

 

 

 

    知恩图报、滴水之恩当涌泉相报、感恩报德，至死不忘，一直被认为是中华民族引以为傲的传统美德。成语「结草衔环」的典故不仅向我们讲述了成就这美德的两个感人至深的故事，还告诉我们“善有善报”是一亘古不变的天理。

 

    「结草」的典故见于《左传.宣公十五年》。公元前 594年的秋七月，秦桓公出兵伐晋，晋军和秦兵在晋地辅氏（今陕西大荔县）交战，晋将魏颗与秦将杜回相遇，二人撕杀在一起，正在难分难解之际，魏颗突然见一老人用草编的绳子套住杜回，使这位堂堂的秦国大力士站立不稳，摔倒在地，当场被魏颗所俘，使得魏颗在这次战役中大败秦师。

 

    晋军获胜收兵后，当天夜里，魏颗在梦中见到那位白天为他结绳绊倒杜回的老人，老人说，我就是你把她嫁走而没有让她为你父亲陪葬的那女子的父亲。我今天这样做是为了报答你的大恩大德！

 

    原来，晋国大夫魏武子有位无儿子的爱妾。魏武子刚生病的时候嘱咐儿子魏颗说：「我死之后，你一定要把她嫁出去。」不久魏武子病重，又对魏颗说：「我死之后，一定要让她为我殉葬。」等到魏武子死后，魏颗没有把那爱妾杀死陪葬，而是把她嫁给了别人。魏颗说：「人在病重的时候，神智是昏乱不清的，我嫁此女，是依据父亲神智清醒时的吩咐。」

 

    「衔环」典故则见于《后汉书﹒杨震传》中的注引《续齐谐记》，杨震父亲杨宝九岁时，在华阴山北，见一黄雀被老鹰所伤，坠落在树下，为蝼蚁所困。杨宝怜之，就将它带回家，放在巾箱中，只给它喂饲黄花，百日之后的一天，黄雀羽毛丰满，就飞走了。当夜，有一黄衣童子向杨宝拜谢说：「我是西王母的使者，君仁爱救拯，实感成济。」并以白环四枚赠与杨宝，说：「它可保佑君的子孙位列三公，为政清廉，处世行事象这玉环一样洁白无暇。」

 

    果如黄衣童子所言，杨宝的儿子杨震、孙子杨秉、曾孙杨赐、玄孙杨彪四代官职都官至太尉，而且都刚正不阿，为政清廉，他们的美德为后人所传诵。

 

     后世将「结草」「衔环」合在一起，流传至今，比喻感恩报德，至死不忘。

 

 

 

 

    知恩图报、滴水之恩当涌泉相报、感恩报德，至死不忘，一直被认为是中华民族引以为傲的传统美德。成语「结草衔环」的典故不仅向我们讲述了成就这美德的两个感人至深的故事，还告诉我们“善有善报”是一亘古不变的天理。

 

    「结草」的典故见于《左传.宣公十五年》。公元前 594年的秋七月，秦桓公出兵伐晋，晋军和秦兵在晋地辅氏（今陕西大荔县）交战，晋将魏颗与秦将杜回相遇，二人撕杀在一起，正在难分难解之际，魏颗突然见一老人用草编的绳子套住杜回，使这位堂堂的秦国大力士站立不稳，摔倒在地，当场被魏颗所俘，使得魏颗在这次战役中大败秦师。

 

    晋军获胜收兵后，当天夜里，魏颗在梦中见到那位白天为他结绳绊倒杜回的老人，老人说，我就是你把她嫁走而没有让她为你父亲陪葬的那女子的父亲。我今天这样做是为了报答你的大恩大德！

 

    原来，晋国大夫魏武子有位无儿子的爱妾。魏武子刚生病的时候嘱咐儿子魏颗说：「我死之后，你一定要把她嫁出去。」不久魏武子病重，又对魏颗说：「我死之后，一定要让她为我殉葬。」等到魏武子死后，魏颗没有把那爱妾杀死陪葬，而是把她嫁给了别人。魏颗说：「人在病重的时候，神智是昏乱不清的，我嫁此女，是依据父亲神智清醒时的吩咐。」

 

    「衔环」典故则见于《后汉书﹒杨震传》中的注引《续齐谐记》，杨震父亲杨宝九岁时，在华阴山北，见一黄雀被老鹰所伤，坠落在树下，为蝼蚁所困。杨宝怜之，就将它带回家，放在巾箱中，只给它喂饲黄花，百日之后的一天，黄雀羽毛丰满，就飞走了。当夜，有一黄衣童子向杨宝拜谢说：「我是西王母的使者，君仁爱救拯，实感成济。」并以白环四枚赠与杨宝，说：「它可保佑君的子孙位列三公，为政清廉，处世行事象这玉环一样洁白无暇。」

 

    果如黄衣童子所言，杨宝的儿子杨震、孙子杨秉、曾孙杨赐、玄孙杨彪四代官职都官至太尉，而且都刚正不阿，为政清廉，他们的美德为后人所传诵。

 

     后世将「结草」「衔环」合在一起，流传至今，比喻感恩报德，至死不忘。

 

奥林匹克标志和五环旗
In 1914, Pierre de Coubertin wanted to design a flag and a symbol to represent the Olympic Spirit. As the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Coubertin chose a five-ring symbol as his design. He got the idea from a stone discovered at Delphi, Greece. The Paris Congress in 1914 used it as the official flag of the Olympics. The new flag appeared at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium for the first time. It was here that the five rings became the official Olympic symbol.
The Olympic symbol’s five rings come in five different colors. From left to right, they are blue, yellow, black, green and red. The rings are linked from left to right; the blue, black and red rings are placed at the top, the yellow and green rings at the bottom. The five-ring symbol means the five continents of the world. It also represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from around the world.

Mandarin learning soars outside China

In just five years, the number of non-Chinese people learning Mandarin Chinese has soared to 30 million. What is fuelling this expansion, and will it change the status of English as a global language?

Shanghai-born lawyer Kailan Shu Lucas of Chinese Learning Centre organises lessons in Mandarin, the main Chinese language, for pupils in London - and she is very busy.

She now co-ordinates lessons for 12 London schools. She believes that in most cases, having their children study the language is a career calculation made by the parents.

"Parents nowadays think that in 10-20 years' time, when their children are in adulthood, China will be even bigger - and so learning Chinese will be a very helpful tool," she told BBC World Service's Analysis programme.

"This will be a very useful, important language to learn."

Versatile

In London, the parents of most of the non-Chinese students studying Mandarin Chinese are from the finance industry.

Kailan said that in this industry, China is "a big thing."

"That influences the parents' thoughts," she added.

"They want their children to learn Chinese and be more versatile in terms of job prospects in the future."

The belief is that China is not just a new rival, but a new provider, not just a UK phenomenon - in the US too, numbers of teenagers taking Chinese have rocketed.

In 1998, just 6,000 student enrolled in Mandarin programmes. That figure is now 50,000.

"Students want to sign up for it; parents are asking for it; communities are asking for it," said Brett Lovejoy, of the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

"It's self-evident that children will be much better off economically and in job seeking if Chinese programmes are adopted."

In the UK, the number of students at colleges and universities taking Chinese as their main subject doubled between 2002 and 2005. Similar increases are reported in most Western nations.

This has not happened without encouragement from Beijing, where the government is actively promoting the speaking of Mandarin abroad.

Hundreds of teachers have been sent to Africa, and since 2004, China has set up "Confucius Institutes" around the world, actively promoting Mandarin Chinese.

So far, they have signed contracts with 40 universities in 25 countries to establish these joint projects.

Global language

And professor David Crystal, a leading authority on how languages work and how they change, explained that the explosion in the numbers learning Chinese is also down to demographic influences at home.

"In modern times, as cultures have changed - especially in Britain, the United States and Australia - as the countries have become increasingly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, then the languages that come with those groups of immigrants become an increasingly important part of the culture," he said.

"London is one of the multi-lingual centres of the world... the monolingual tradition of English in the past is changing very much, and I think Chinese is one of the important factors.

"People who used to be able to make their way in the world as monolingual English speakers are now finding that they've got to compete with people who are genuinely multilingual."

Despite the big increase, most analysts agree Chinese is not about to replace English as the "global language" in the immediate future.

But professor Crystal added that this may not always be the case.

"It all depends on the power of the people who speak it - especially their economic power," said professor Crystal.

"A thousand years ago, people would have said it would be absurd that Latin would not be spoken in 1,000 years' time. But we know that has happened. It can only take 100 years or so for the language balance of power to shift. "Money talks. Currently, the language money talks is the dollar. But it might not always be that way."

idion (抛砖引玉）

To Attract Jade by Laying Bricks

 

During the Tang dynasty, there lived a man named Jau Gu, who was a very talented poet. Jau Gu's poems were so well-written that even famous poets of his time enjoyed reading them.

At that time, in a place called Wu, there lived a man named Chang Jian, who also liked to write poems. Chang Jian greatly admired Jau Gu's literary talent, and longed to know him personally. One day, Chang Jian heard that Jau Gu would be travelling to Wu. He knew that Jau Gu would definitely go visit Ling Yan Temple during his trip, because this was a very famous place which everyone who came to Wu went to see. So Chang Jian went first to the temple, and on the wall which was set aside for guests' comments and ideas, wrote two lines of poem.

When Jau Gu saw the two lines of poetry on the temple wall, he coul