英语聊天话题：畅谈中国文化第 34 章 开车上路 Driving on the Horse RoadA: Last year's auto show in Beijing was very popular. Car parking alone generated a revenue of more than 1 million yuan. Business at nearby restaurants increased by 300%.B: Cars are a symbol of accomplishment, status and wealth. Thanks to the economic reforms since the 1980s, a small number of people have become extremely wealthy. Many years ago, a person made a fortune and bought a car. He parked it in the hutong for the night but the car was burned to ashes by the following morning. A: Someone got jealous?B: Jealousy is no longer an issue as more people begin to buy cars. Instead, car theft has become a problem. My neighbor had a car and, in fear of it being stolen or damaged, he would ask his mother to sit next to the car over the weekend if it was not being used. A: I heard there are organized car thefts too.B: When family cars first appeared, the Santana 2000 was the target. It looked showy and spacious and therefore was seen at that time as a good indication of wealth. No one would steal a modest-looking Citroen ZX. Now their targets are Mercedes or BMWs. A: For a foreigner, driving in China is quite a challenge. Too many people do not follow the rules.B: That is why traffic rules are becoming stricter. Some people like to be smart and they come up with various ways to cheat the traffic cameras. They cover the license plates so they can escape punishment when rushing a red light or speeding. Sometimes they use a clipper to keep the seat belt in a certain position in order to cheat the police officer. A: Two things I don't quite understand. Why do people try everything to violate traffic rules? The rules are meant for the safety of the drivers anyway. Second, why do police officers hide themselves when checking for drivers breaking the law?B: Good questions but I don't have good answers. Some people say that mentally we are still in the age of the horse and cart. Although there are a lot of cars on the streets, neither the drivers nor the police officers are ready yet. You know what? The Chinese word we use for road is "malu" which literally means "horse road.
