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Martial arts and marital bliss
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/08/12 09:30  上海英文星报

  A girl in her 20s, well versed in the martial arts, is reportedly seeking Mr Right by challenging unmarried young men to single combat on stage. She says she will automatically become betrothed to the bachelor whose combat skills prove to be superior to hers.

  Offbeat as it was, the display of prowess as proposed by the female pugilist did not let the audience down because there has been a multitude of responses from valiant young candidates.

  Three young men, it was reported, jumped onto the stage one after the other to try their hand at beating the martial girl. However, one after the other they were comprehensively licked, lying on the floor bemoaning their luck that they had not been born swift runners, which would have allowed them to escape from the scene of their shame.

  Naturally, there are people opposed to the girl's way of finding a mate. Some say it is simply unthinkable to stake one's lifetime happiness on a bout of combat; others insist it is nothing new, merely a leaf torn from Chinese classical literature, which devotes copious space to portraying similar stories, which seem so obnoxiously incompatible with modern times.

  For my part, I'm afraid I'll have to be a bit of a maverick. First, unlike many under-the-table transactions, this one is all open and above board. Second, their fate being in their own hands, they needn't worry about being manipulated by a third party who normally has an axe to grind. Third, they share a common interest which may possibly prove a sound basis for developing intimate relations.

  To prove my point, I've only to cite another example involving conjugal arrangements.

  Here, close at hand, is an advertisement which reads in part: "A man aged 35, divorced and living alone. Gentle and debonair in manners, he knows how to be a submissive husband and cater to the needs of his sweetheart. Having amassed a fabulous fortune, he is now the owner of a luxurious limousine and a spacious apartment equipped with the most imaginable amenities. Besides, he has a penchant for dabbling in poetry and has already had a number of books to his credit. He is now looking for a girl under 23 with good looks and a fair complexion. Anyone meeting the requirements please contact ..."

  Goodness Gracious! He must be the Prince Charming every girl is dreaming of marrying. I reckon that before long he will be receiving hundreds, perhaps thousands, of letters, with photos included, for him to choose from.

  However, this advertisement, no matter how well-worded, could not completely dispel my doubts about the credibility of the would-be husband's avowals.

  If we accept that what he said was true, how come he had to ask the media to help him find his true love? It would sound more logical for him to be surrounded by a bevy of beauties competing for his attention.

  It's not the first time that a set-up to entrap young girls has been exposed, but, strange to say, swindlers go on with their tricks unperturbed by exposure and the ensuing punishment.

  So I'd like to advise the vast numbers of young girls at risk to keep their eyes peeled to avoid being taken in by empty promises and the self-aggrandizement of false suitors.

  That's also why I'd rather support the idea of free choice through single combat than give credit to the uncertainties of match-making advertisements.




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