传统婚姻中,男人工作赚钱养家。大多数男人离家去办公室、工厂或者其他地方工作。因为男人赚钱,所以账单也由男人付。男人做决定,是一家之主。传统婚姻中,女人很少在离家远的地方工作,她们待在家里照顾孩子和丈夫。女人在家中的工作非常重要。近年来,很多夫妻仍然维持这样一种传统的关系。男人工作赚钱养家,女人待在家里照看孩子和家。很多美国人很喜欢这样的婚姻。但是其他的一些美国人对于婚姻和家庭责任则有不同的看法。
在传统的婚姻,男人在工作挣钱养家。大多数人在办公室工作,工厂或其他一些地方,远离家乡。自从人挣了钱,他付了帐单。他做的决定。他是我的老板。在传统的婚姻,工作的女人很少离开家。她呆在家里照顾孩子和她的丈夫。她在家里的工作是非常重要的。近年来,许多夫妇继续保持这种传统的关系。他有一份工作并赚钱养家。女人呆在家里,照顾孩子和房子。很多美国人都喜欢这种婚姻。但其他一些美国人有不同的印象,婚姻和家庭责任
礼物
这是老太太的生日。
她大清早起来准备收邮件。当邮递员来到大街上,她从二楼看著他,一楼的小男孩会把她的信件拿给她,虽然这情况也不多。
她相信今天肯定会有邮件。Myra不会忘记妈妈的生日,即使在其他时间她很少来信。当然,Myra很忙,但不幸的是老太太最喜爱的女儿Enid在两年前去世了。自那以后,Myra来看过她母亲三次,而她的丈夫Harold就从没来过。
老太太今天八十岁。她穿上了最好的衣服。也许...也许Myra会来的。毕竟,八十岁是一个特别的生日,多活十年或多捱十年,随你选择如何看待。即使Myra不来,她也会送上礼物,老太太十分肯定。脸颊上的两个点颜色令她看起来更精神。她很兴奋,就像个孩子,欢欢喜喜地过这一天。
现在,她站在窗前,看着。邮递员转过骑自行车转过街角,她的心狂崩乱跳。Johnnie也见到他,跑到门口,哒..哒地奔上梯级,Johnnie敲了她的门。
他手中拿著她的信 — 四封信。三封是老朋友的贺卡,没封口。第四封是封口的,上有Myra的字迹。老太太感到沉痛、失望。
没有她的包裹!也许是包裹太大,邮箱塞不下,就是这样。邮包会来得晚一点。她对自己说,一定要有耐心。
几乎不情愿地她撕开了信封,在卡里夹著一张纸折叠的纸,卡上在印著“生日快乐,给自己买点好东西”,附随一张支票,Myra及Harold上。
支票飘落在地板上,像一只折断的翅膀的鸟。老太太慢慢地弯著腰把它捡起来。她的礼物,她心爱的礼物,她用她那颤抖的手指把支票撕成碎片。
~~~~~~~~~纯人手翻译,欢迎采纳~~~~~~~~~
原文如下:
THE PRESENT
It was the old lady’s birthday.
She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came.
Today she was sure there would be something. Myra wouldn’t forget her mother's birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy, but unfortunately Enid, the daughter the old lady loved most, died two years ago. Since then Myra had been to see her mother three times, but her husband, Harold, never.
The old lady was eighty today. She had put on her best dress. Perhaps — perhaps Myra might come. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lived or tolerated just as you chose to look at it. Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited—like a child. She would enjoy her day.
Now, she stood by the window, watching. The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle. Her heart beat wildly. Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate. Then clatter, clatter up the stairs. Johnnie knocked at her door.
He had got her post - four envelopes. Three were unclosed cards from old friends. The fourth was sealed, in Myra’s writing. The old lady felt a sharp pain of disappointment.
There was no parcel for her! Maybe the parcel was too large to come by letter post. That was it. It would come later by parcel post. She said to herself. She must be patient.
Almost unwillingly she tore the envelope open. Folded in the card was a piece of paper. Written on the card was a message under the printed Happy Birthday—Buy yourself something nice with the cheque, Myra and Harold.
The cheque fluttered to the floor like a bird with a broken wing. Slowly the old lady stooped to pick it up. Her present, her lovely present. With trembling fingers she tore it into little bits.