WhenmyfamilymovedtoAmericafromasmallvillageinGuangdongChinawebroughtnotonlyourluggagebutalsoourvillagerulescustomsandculture.Oneoftherulesisthatyoungpeopleshouldalwaysrespect(尊敬)elders.UnluckilythisruleledtomyveryfirstembarrassmentintheUnitedStates.
Ihadapart-timejobasawaiterinaChineserestaurant.OnetimewhenIwasservingfoodtoamiddle-agedcouplethewifeaskedmehowthefoodcouldbeservedsoquickly.ItoldherthatIhadmadesuretheygottheirfoodquicklybecauseIalwaysrespecttheelderly.AssoonasIsaidthatherfaceshowedgreatdispleasure.MymanagerwhohappenedtohearwhatIsaidtookmeasideandgavemealonglectureabouthowsensitive(敏感)Americansareandhowtheydislikethedescription“old”.Ithenwalkedbacktothetableandapologizedtothewife.Afterthecoupleheardmyreasontheyunderstoodthattheproblemwascausedbyculturaldifferencessotheylaughedandwerenolongerangry.
InmyvillageinChinapeopleareproudofbeingold.Notsomanypeoplelivetobeseventyoreightyandpeoplewhoreachsuchanagehavethemostknowledgeandexperience.Youngpeoplealwaysrespectolderpeoplebecausetheyknowtheycanlearnfromtheirrichexperience.
HoweverintheUnitedStatespeoplethink“growingold”isaproblemsince“old”showsthatapersonisgoingtoretire(退休)orthatthebodyisnotworkingwell.Heremanypeopletrytokeepthemselvesawayfromgrowingoldbydoingexercisesorjoggingandwomenputonmakeuphopingtolookyoung.WhenItoldthecoupleintherestaurantthatIrespecttheelderlytheygotangrybecausethiscausedthemtofeeltheyhadfailedtostayyoung.Ihadtoldthemsomethingtheydidn’twanttohear.
AfterthatIchangedthewayIhadbeenwitholderpeople.ItisnotthatIdon’trespectthemanymore;IstillrespectthembutnowIdon’tshowmyfeelingsthroughwords.
小题1:Jackbroughtthecoupletheirfoodveryfastbecause______.A.themanageraskedhimtodosoB.herespectedtheelderlyC.thecouplewantedhimtodosoD.hewantedmorepay小题2:InJack’shometown______.A.peopledislikebeingcalled“old” B.peopleareproudofbeingold