Two Small Birds
《兩只小鳥》
In 1973, Thomas, a schoolboy in California of the U. S, caught a small bird during an intervalbetween classes and mischievously hid it in the classroom. He didn't mean playing tricks. Hewas only interested in a bird's chirping and wanted to know its life and habits. The teacher wasgiving a language lesson when he heard the bird's chirping. He couldn't help frowning on it. However, he didn't blame the child. He only said in a solemn way that he would like to say aword about birds' habits. Birds like flying freely and hate being confined. It's in the nature thatthey find their warm nest. Then he went on with his lesson. Thomas felt he was flattered by theteacher's attention and immediately took action to send the bird back to the nature when theclass was over.
1973年(nian)，美國(guo)加利福尼亞(ya)州某小(xiao)學(xue)某班(ban)級，一(yi)個調(diao)皮的小(xiao)男(nan)孩托(tuo)馬(ma)斯在課(ke)間休息時逮了(le)一(yi)只鳥(niao)兒握在手(shou)心里。他并非(fei)惡作劇，只是對鳥(niao)兒的啁啾聲和生活習(xi)慣(guan)充滿(man)了(le)興趣。語(yu)言老師(shi)上(shang)課(ke)了(le)，但小(xiao)鳥(niao)的鳴(ming)叫突然(ran)響起，語(yu)言老師(shi)直皺眉，但他并沒有責怪小(xiao)托(tuo)馬(ma)斯，而是鄭(zheng)重地(di)告訴大(da)(da)家：我想(xiang)講一(yi)下鳥(niao)兒的生活習(xi)性問題，鳥(niao)兒不喜歡被圈養著，它們喜歡自(zi)(zi)由飛翔(xiang)，大(da)(da)自(zi)(zi)然(ran)才是它們的暖巢(chao)，下面，繼續(xu)上(shang)課(ke)。小(xiao)男(nan)孩托(tuo)馬(ma)斯受(shou)寵若驚，下課(ke)后將那只鳥(niao)兒放(fang)回了(le)大(da)(da)自(zi)(zi)然(ran)。
Almost at the same time a small boy at a certain school of a certain city in China did the samething as his American counterpart. He held the small bird in hand, very interested in itschirping, which greatly interfered with the class that was going on. The teacher giving a lessonof Chinese language and literature was enraged. He relentlessly dragged the boy up from hisseat, robbed him of the bird and set it free through the window. He blamed the boy andordered him to copy an ancient poem 100 times as a sort of punishment.
同(tong)一(yi)時(shi)間，不(bu)同(tong)地點，中國(guo)某(mou)城(cheng)市的(de)某(mou)所學校，一(yi)名小(xiao)(xiao)男孩也將一(yi)只不(bu)知(zhi)名的(de)小(xiao)(xiao)鳥握在(zai)手心(xin)里，他(ta)也對它(ta)的(de)叫聲(sheng)充滿了(le)(le)(le)興趣(qu)。小(xiao)(xiao)鳥不(bu)知(zhi)疲(pi)倦地在(zai)課堂(tang)上發出(chu)了(le)(le)(le)怪(guai)聲(sheng)，惹得(de)(de)大家的(de)目光鎖(suo)定在(zai)他(ta)的(de)身上，語文老師(shi)怒氣沖沖，顯然他(ta)覺得(de)(de)這妨礙了(le)(le)(le)自己(ji)的(de)課堂(tang)紀律(lv)與教學質量。他(ta)走過(guo)去，毫不(bu)客氣地將小(xiao)(xiao)男孩拽了(le)(le)(le)起來，將小(xiao)(xiao)鳥從他(ta)的(de)手心(xin)里搶了(le)(le)(le)過(guo)來，打開窗戶放飛了(le)(le)(le)小(xiao)(xiao)鳥。小(xiao)(xiao)男孩受了(le)(le)(le)批評(ping)，他(ta)不(bu)得(de)(de)不(bu)抄寫近一(yi)百遍的(de)某(mou)首古(gu)詩。
In 2010 on the platform of a certain university in California an ornithologist was telling a storyabout his childhood. He said he was very grateful to his language teacher whose kindnesshelped him to keep up his interest in birds. Interest was an important factor to beginsubsequent development. What we needed was to follow our interest, not to change it.
2010年，美國(guo)加利福(fu)尼亞州某大學的(de)演講臺上，一位鳥類(lei)專家在(zai)生動地講他小時候的(de)故事：他說十(shi)分感謝當(dang)初(chu)老師的(de)仁(ren)慈(ci)，沒有扼殺他對鳥兒(er)的(de)憧憬和興趣(qu)(qu)，興趣(qu)(qu)是決定人初(chu)始開(kai)發(fa)的(de)一個重(zhong)要(yao)因(yin)素，我們需要(yao)沿著興趣(qu)(qu)走而(er)不是改變(bian)它。
Meanwhile on the platform of a certain university in China a doctor specialized in Chineselanguage and literature made a speech about his childhood. He said it was his language teacherthat prevented him from going astray. Thus he was able to pursue his studies that resulted inhis becoming an excellent doctorate scholar of Chinese language and literature.
同(tong)樣的(de)時間，在(zai)(zai)中國某大學(xue)的(de)講臺上，一位中文(wen)博士也在(zai)(zai)講他小(xiao)時候的(de)故(gu)事，他說(shuo)道：語文(wen)老師將自己引(yin)入了正途，他現在(zai)(zai)已經成為一位優秀(xiu)的(de)語文(wen)博士。
Both of them were outstanding talents, though there might be something regretful. Atraditional ideology is quite different from a habit of creating something new. This differencedecides two little boys', even two nations' different interest and orientation. The differenttreatment of birds in their childhood points to two different education thoughts in the presenttime. That, in turn, creates two types of people in the world.
他們同(tong)樣都是優秀(xiu)的人才(cai)，只是有(you)些遺憾罷了(le)，傳統(tong)意識與(yu)創新習慣的不同(tong)，改變了(le)一(yi)(yi)個人甚(shen)至一(yi)(yi)個民族的興趣和方向。童年(nian)有(you)兩(liang)(liang)只鳥，現實中有(you)兩(liang)(liang)種教育，世上有(you)兩(liang)(liang)種人。
