晨读英语美文100篇 Passage 44. How Germans See Others
 音频下载[点击右键另存为][00:00.00]Passage 44. How Germans See Others[00:05.69]The Germans generally adore England and have suffered in the past from unrequited love. [00:11.92]England used to be the ultimate role model with its amazingly advanced political, [00:17.50]social, industrial and technological achievements. [00:21.33]The Germans regard the English as being very nice and mostly harmless,almost German. [00:27.02]They admire Americans for the (un-German) easygoing pragmatism [00:32.16]and dislike them for their (un-German) superficiality. [00:35.67]For the Germans,the United States is the headmaster in the school of nations, [00:41.03]and accord due respect if not always affection. [00:44.85]Germans are strong believers in authority. [00:48.03]If you know how to obey, then you can also be a master runs the refrain. [00:53.06]With the Italian Germans have a close understanding [00:57.33]because they have so much history in common. [00:59.95]Through wars, invasion and other forms of tourism, [01:03.89]a deep and lasting friendship has been established. [01:07.56]Italian art treasures, food and beaches are thoroughly appreciated. [01:12.48]There is also a connection arising from the fact that [01:16.31]Italy and Germany both achieved nationhood in the last century, [01:20.03]and are still not entirely sure that this was a good thing. [01:24.08]The French are admired for their sophisticated civilization, [01:28.45]and pitied for their inferior culture. [01:31.19]The French may have higher spirits, but the Germans have deeper souls. [01:35.89]Despite this, Francophilia is widespread among Germans, [01:40.38]especially those living close to the French border. [01:43.66]Like a wistful child looking over the garden fence, [01:47.17]Germans envy Mediterranean people for more relaxed attitudes, cultural heritage and warm climate. [01:53.84]But only when they are on holiday. [01:56.14]The only people to whom the Germans readily concede [01:59.53]unquestioned superiority of Teutonic virtues are the Swiss. [02:03.25]No German would argue their supremacy in the fields of order, [02:07.84]punctuality,diligence, cleanliness and thoroughness. [02:11.88]They have never been to war with the Swiss. [02:14.51]If experience has taught them one thing, [02:17.25]it is that there is not future outside the community of nations. [02:21.40]No other nation has a stronger sense of the importance of getting along with others. [02:26.77]Tolerance is not only a virtue, [02:29.17]It’s a duty. |
