美国国家公共电台 NPR As Chinese New Year Approaches, Shanghai's Bustling Streets Grow Quieter

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST: 

And tomorrow marks the start of the Chinese New Year and also a time when China's big cities feel empty. Hundreds of millions of workers who migrated there for work are returning home for the holiday. NPR's Rob Schmitz is still in Shanghai, where it really does sound quiet.

ROB SCHMITZ, BYLINE¹: Any other time of the year, Shengping Lane bustles² with life. But the Lunar New Year holiday is near. Half the city has left for their hometowns, and Shanghai has returned to the Shanghainese. The only vendor³ left in the alley⁴ sells calendars, but soon he'll pack up, too. It's the time of year when Shengping Lane lives up to its name, rising peace.

(SOUNDBITE OF WATER RUNNING)

SCHMITZ: It'll soon be the Year of the Rooster and Yuan Shuizhen is preparing chicken feet in her kitchen for the big meal. The 85-year-old retreats outside and plops down on a chair along the side of the alley chatting with friends.

YUAN SHUIZHEN: (Through translator) All of the outsiders have left for home. It's much quieter this time of year, less crazy.

SCHMITZ: Her two friends nod. The three grannies go through a list of food they'll make for their families.

YUAN: (Foreign language spoken).

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Foreign language spoken).

SCHMITZ: Beef, fish, dumplings, hot pot. After a meal with family, they'll go to the Buddhist⁵ temple to pray and burn incense⁶.

YUAN: (Through interpreter) When I was young, we'd go to the cemetery⁷ to worship our ancestors, and then we'd cook one pot of rice, serve it in small bowls and we'd eat it for the next five days. Now we cook meals every single day. Life has improved.

SCHMITZ: Yuan's friend Ni Jindi agrees. But the 94-year-old still grumbles⁸ about her grandchildren. They're all working professionals, and they rarely have time to visit their grandmother here in the lane. This is the only time of year she gets to spend time with them and her great-grandchildren.

NI JINDI: (Through interpreter) They're leaving on the third day of the holiday to go travel somewhere. I don't know exactly where they're going. I'm too old. I'll stay here.

SCHMITZ: She'll have company. Her two friends are great-grandmothers, too. And their families will also fly somewhere exotic after the first of the year. With their families gone and the holiday setting in, Rising Peace Lane will grow even quieter with just the chatter⁹ of three grannies sharing memories of family.

Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Shanghai.

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 bustles   

热闹( bustle的名词复数 )； （女裙后部的）衬垫； 撑架

参考例句：

• She bustles about cooking breakfast in a most officious manner. 她为准备早餐忙得团团转。
• Everyone bustles during rush hours. 上下班时间每个人都忙忙碌碌的。

3 vendor   

n.卖主；小贩

参考例句：

• She looked at the vendor who cheated her the other day with distaste.她厌恶地望着那个前几天曾经欺骗过她的小贩。
• He must inform the vendor immediately.他必须立即通知卖方。

4 alley   

n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路

参考例句：

• We live in the same alley.我们住在同一条小巷里。
• The blind alley ended in a brick wall.这条死胡同的尽头是砖墙。

5 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

6 incense   

v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气

参考例句：

• This proposal will incense conservation campaigners.这项提议会激怒环保人士。
• In summer,they usually burn some coil incense to keep away the mosquitoes.夏天他们通常点香驱蚊。

7 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

8 grumbles   

抱怨( grumble的第三人称单数 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声

参考例句：

• He grumbles at his lot instead of resolutely facing his difficulties. 他不是果敢地去面对困难，而是抱怨自己运气不佳。
• I'm sick of your unending grumbles. 我对你的不断埋怨感到厌烦。

9 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。