hint: Joe Gumps
I first met Joe Gumps when we were both nine years old, which is probably the only reason he is one of my best friends. If I had first met Joe as a freshman in high school, we wouldn't even have had the chance to get to know each other. Joe is a day student, but I am a boarding student. We haven't been in the same classes, sports or extra-curricular activities . Nonetheless, I spend nearly every weekend at his house, and we talk on the phone every night. This is not to say that we would not have been compatible if we had first met in our freshman year. Rather, we would not have been likely to spend enough time getting to know each other, due to the lack of immediately visible mutual interests. In fact, to be honest, I struggle even now to think of things we have in common. But maybe that's what makes us enjoy each other's company so much. When I look at my friendship with Joe, I wonder how many people I've known whom I never disliked but simply didn't take the time to get to know. Thanks to Joe, I have realized how little basis there is, for the social divisions that exist in every community. Since this realization, I have begun to make an even more determined effort to find friends in unexpected people and places.
我第一次見到Joe是在我們九歲的時候，這可能就是他是我最好的朋友之一的唯一原因。如果我是作為新生在高中才見到Joe的話，我們根本沒有機會去了解彼此。Joe是走讀學(xué)生，而我是住讀學(xué)生。我們壓根不在同一個班，進行同一種運動，或者參與同一種課外活動。盡管如此，我依然在他家度過每個周末，并且我們每天晚上打電話聊天。這也不是說如果我們作為新生初遇就不會和睦相處，更準(zhǔn)確地說，由于我們?nèi)狈︼@而易見的共同興趣，所以我們不會花足夠時間去了解彼此。 說實話，我直到現(xiàn)在還很難相處我們的共同點。但是那也許就是讓我們?nèi)绱讼硎鼙舜说呐惆榈脑?。?dāng)我仔細(xì)看待我和Joe的友誼時，我想知道有多少我從來沒有喜歡過、僅僅因為我沒有花時間去了解得人。多虧了Joe，我意識到存在于每一個社會的分歧的基礎(chǔ)是多么薄弱。自從意識到這一點，我開始下更大的決心去在不期而遇的地方尋找朋友。 ——譯文來自: 學(xué)英音