(单词翻译:单击)
Today marks the 30-day countdown to the opening of the 29th Olympic Games.
The media have reported that state leaders of about 80 countries will come to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the Games. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the latest to express his intention to attend the gala event on August 8. Earlier he had said he might boycott1 the Games pending2 the result of the talks between Beijing and the Dalai Lama.
Over a period of time, there has been some clamor in a few countries calling for boycotting3 the Beijing Olympic Games. Some politicians and social celebrities4 were particularly vociferous5 in advocating a boycott of Beijing. This is understandable because politicians and celebrities, especially those from the entertainment industry, need constant public attention. Blaming China is always a felicitous6 topic and an effective way to establish an image of a hero.
Statesmen, however, should be farsighted and know more about the art of handling international relations. This knowledge includes that about the people and culture of the nation they are dealing7 with in a particular event.
What EU Chamber8 of Commerce President Joerg Wuttke recently said about having dealings with Chinese people provided much food for thought. He urged European leaders to learn from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who "knows Chinese people's character and ways of thinking pretty well" thanks to his many years of studying and working in China.
Wuttke is right. Chinese people have their own way of thinking, just as Western people have theirs.
Take the hosting of the Beijing Olympic Games as an example. Chinese people regard it as an important event that merits the whole nation's devotion to its success. This explains why China has been working hard on the face-lift of major cities' environment and why the Chinese demonstrated what many Westerners thought to be a "crazy" enthusiasm during the Olympic torch relay.
Two things account for this Chinese-style patriotism9. First, Chinese people believe in collectivism in their innermost nature whereas patriotism is the supreme10 form of collectivism; second, Chinese people tend to attach the greatest importance to a matter of honor. Olympic Games is a rare occasion in which an unprecedentedly11 large number of foreigners will come. The Chinese are a nation of hospitality. For them, any event that will attract many guests should be run in style.
Some Western media jeered12 China for its ardent13 effort to prepare for the Games. They should try to understand the Chinese culture. And, honestly, it is universal for a family to tidy its home before hosting a friends' gathering14. Does a Western man not tuck those pairs of his smelly socks under the sofa before opening the door to let in a visitor?
Threats to boycott the Beijing Olympic Games grievously hurt the hospitable15 Chinese people. We have been sincere in anticipation16 of the arrival of guests but find that there are so many people in this world who are hostile to us; at least they are doubtful about our sincerity17.
Frankly18, we do not need the Olympic Games to prove anything. Not to mention what we have achieved in the past three decades, the numerous disasters that have happened to China in the first half of this year and our triumphs over these difficulties are evident enough of the good quality of our people, the strong national unity19, the government's and the people's anti-disaster capability20 and the strong economic power to back this ability.
Is making the Games a success more difficult than fighting the freezing snowstorms in January, the devastating21 earthquake in May and the ruinous floods that swept across many provinces recently?
1
boycott
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n./v.(联合)抵制,拒绝参与 | |
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pending
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prep.直到,等待…期间;adj.待定的;迫近的 | |
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boycotting
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抵制,拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 ) | |
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celebrities
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n.(尤指娱乐界的)名人( celebrity的名词复数 );名流;名声;名誉 | |
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vociferous
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adj.喧哗的,大叫大嚷的 | |
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felicitous
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adj.恰当的,巧妙的;n.恰当,贴切 | |
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dealing
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n.经商方法,待人态度 | |
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chamber
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n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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patriotism
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n.爱国精神,爱国心,爱国主义 | |
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supreme
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adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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unprecedentedly
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adv.空前地 | |
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jeered
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v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ardent
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adj.热情的,热烈的,强烈的,烈性的 | |
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gathering
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n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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hospitable
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adj.好客的;宽容的;有利的,适宜的 | |
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anticipation
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n.预期,预料,期望 | |
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sincerity
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n.真诚,诚意;真实 | |
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frankly
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adv.坦白地,直率地;坦率地说 | |
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unity
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n.团结,联合,统一;和睦,协调 | |
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capability
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n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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21
devastating
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adj.毁灭性的,令人震惊的,强有力的 | |
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