Skip to content
EveryLingua Dictionary
EN

5StoryTravel3 min

An Old City by Bicycle

A cycling tour through narrow lanes, an empty plot where a lane used to be and a question with no simple answer.

A travel essay. 果然(guǒrán) says that something turned out as expected, and the guide’s answer uses 不如(bùrú) to weigh two courses of action. The last sentence is built on 之所以(zhīsuǒyǐ)……,是(shì)因为(yīnwèi)……, which gives the reason after the result.

到(dào)这(zhè)座(zuò)古城(gǔchéng)的(de)第二(dì'èr)天(tiān),我(wǒ)报名(bàomíng)参加(cānjiā)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)骑(qí)自行车(zìxíngchē)的(de)小(xiǎo)游(yóu)。导游(dǎoyóu)是(shì)一(yí)个(ge)三十(sānshí)岁(suì)左右(zuǒyòu)的(de)本地(běndì)女孩儿(nǚháir),姓(xìng)许(Xǔ)。她(tā)说(shuō),坐(zuò)旅游(lǚyóu)车(chē)只(zhǐ)能(néng)看到(kàndào)一(yí)座(zuò)城市(chéngshì)的(de)“脸(liǎn)”,只有(zhǐyǒu)骑(qí)车(chē)穿过(chuānguò)胡同(hútòng),才(cái)能(néng)看到(kàndào)它(tā)的(de)生活(shēnghuó)。

果然(guǒrán),一(yí)进(jìn)胡同(hútòng),生活(shēnghuó)都(dōu)慢下来(mànxiàlai)了(le)。老人(lǎorén)们(men)坐(zuò)在(zài)门口(ménkǒu)下棋(xiàqí),孩子(háizi)们(men)追(zhuī)着(zhe)一(yì)只(zhī)猫(māo)跑(pǎo),不(bù)知道(zhīdao)哪(nǎ)家(jiā)在(zài)做饭(zuòfàn),胡同(hútòng)里(lǐ)到处(dàochù)都(dōu)是(shì)饭菜(fàncài)的(de)味道(wèidao)。许(Xǔ)导游(dǎoyóu)常常(chángcháng)停下来(tíngxiàlai),给(gěi)我们(wǒmen)讲(jiǎng)每(měi)个(ge)院子(yuànzi)的(de)故事(gùshi):哪(nǎ)家(jiā)出(chū)过(guo)一(yí)位(wèi)有名(yǒumíng)的(de)医生(yīshēng),哪(nǎ)棵(kē)树(shù)已经(yǐjīng)有(yǒu)三百(sānbǎi)年(nián)了(le)。

骑(qí)到(dào)一(yí)片(piàn)空地(kòngdì)的(de)时候(shíhou),她(tā)突然(tūrán)安静下来(ānjìngxiàlai)。原来(yuánlái),这里(zhèlǐ)也(yě)是(shì)一(yí)片(piàn)胡同(hútòng),五(wǔ)年(nián)以前(yǐqián)被(bèi)拆掉(chāidiào)了(le),说(shuō)是(shì)要(yào)盖(gài)商场(shāngchǎng),可是(kěshì)到(dào)现在(xiànzài)也(yě)没有(méiyǒu)盖(gài)好(hǎo)。“我(wǒ)小(xiǎo)的(de)时候(shíhou)就(jiù)住(zhù)在(zài)这儿(zhèr),”她(tā)说(shuō),“现在(xiànzài)只(zhǐ)剩下(shèngxia)这(zhè)棵(kē)树(shù)了(le)。”

一(yí)位(wèi)游客(yóukè)问(wèn)她(tā):“拆掉(chāidiào)老(lǎo)房子(fángzi),盖(gài)新(xīn)楼(lóu),不(bú)是(shì)能(néng)让(ràng)大家(dàjiā)住(zhù)得(de)更(gèng)舒服(shūfu)吗(ma)?”许(Xǔ)导游(dǎoyóu)想(xiǎng)了(le)想(xiǎng),说(shuō):“这个(zhège)问题(wèntí)没有(méiyǒu)简单(jiǎndān)的(de)答案(dá'àn)。老(lǎo)房子(fángzi)冬天(dōngtiān)冷(lěng),洗澡(xǐzǎo)也(yě)不(bù)方便(fāngbiàn),很多(hěnduō)老(lǎo)邻居(línjū)是(shì)愿意(yuànyì)搬(bān)走(zǒu)的(de)。可是(kěshì)房子(fángzi)一(yì)拆(chāi),邻居(línjū)也(yě)就(jiù)都(dōu)不(bú)在(zài)一起(yìqǐ)了(le)。全部(quánbù)拆掉(chāidiào),不如(bùrú)在(zài)保护(bǎohù)的(de)同时(tóngshí)慢慢(mànmàn)改善(gǎishàn)。”

回到(huídào)酒店(jiǔdiàn),我(wǒ)翻(fān)了(le)翻(fān)手机(shǒujī)里(lǐ)的(de)照片(zhàopiàn),发现(fāxiàn)拍(pāi)得(de)最(zuì)多(duō)的(de)并(bìng)不(bú)是(shì)有名(yǒumíng)的(de)景点(jǐngdiǎn),而是(érshì)那些(nàxiē)坐(zuò)在(zài)门口(ménkǒu)的(de)老人(lǎorén)。我(wǒ)想(xiǎng),一(yí)座(zuò)城市(chéngshì)之所以(zhīsuǒyǐ)让(ràng)人(rén)记住(jìzhù),也许(yěxǔ)不(bú)是(shì)因为(yīnwèi)它(tā)有(yǒu)多少(duōshao)高楼(gāolóu),而是(érshì)因为(yīnwèi)人们(rénmen)在(zài)里面(lǐmiàn)怎么(zěnme)生活(shēnghuó)。

More sentences on this in “Language in use”: Chinese for travelling

Words
307
Sentences
16
Words per sentence
19.2
in the vocabulary
100 %
measured level
5
Reading time
3 min

Grammar in this text

These forms appear in the text in real use. Switch on “Show grammar” above the text to highlight them.

The word lists for this text

The words in this text appear in 49 lists on this site; the number after each says how many come from that list. Having read the text, you have just needed these very words — and can practise exactly them.

Comprehension questions

5 questions on the text. With each answer the sentence it comes from appears — a question whose answer you cannot find in the text tests nothing.

1. Why does the guide prefer bicycles to the tourist bus?

2. What does the guide tell them about the courtyards?

3. What happened to the empty plot?

4. What does the guide think about pulling down old houses?

5. What does the narrator notice about her photos?