loveandhatingnewyork寫作背景英文版AidstoComprehensionThisarticleisapieceofexpositorywritingItisaboutNewYorkCity.NewYorkisacosmopolitancity.afabulouscitywithmanystrikingfeatures.Differentpeoplehavedifferentfeelingsaboutthiscity.Inthisarticle

thewritertalksaboutthedifferentaspectsofNewYork,itsattractivenessandthecity'sdiminishedreputation.Hisfeelingtowardthecityisamixedone,alove-hateattitude.Themainthemeorthesisisstatedbythetitle"LovingandHatingNewYork,"ormorespecificallybythefirstsentenceofthelastparagraph,"LovingandhatingNewYorkbecomesamatterofalternatingmoods,ofteninthesameday."ThefirstfourparagraphsdescribehowNewYorkCityisnotthetopanymore:itsreputationasapacesetterisoutdated.Paragraph5setsforththestatusofNewYorkasafavoritecityintheeyesofmanyEuropeans.ThelastsentenceofParagraph5actsasatransitiontotheactualdescriptionsofNewYorkCity'scharged,nervousatmosphere,itsvulgardynamism."NewYorkisaboutenergy,contention,andstriving"isthetopicsentenceofParagraph6.InParagraph7,thewriteradmitsthathechoosestoliveinNewYorkratherthananyothercitybutit'snoteasytodefinewhy.Nevertheless,intherestofthearticlehemakesanattempttoexplainwhybydiscussingthedifferentsidesandmodesofthecity.Inspiteofitsshortcomingsanddisadvantagescomparedwithothercities,NewYorkersstilllovetheircityforits"rawness,tension,urgency,itsbracingcompetitiveness,therigorofitsjudgment.."ThewriterdevelopshismainthesisbybothobjectiveandemotionaldescriptionofNewYorkandthelifeandstruggleofNewYorkers.ThewriterstatesthathebothlovesandhatesNewYork,butthereaderfailstoseewhyhehatesNewYork.ItisclearGriffithlovesNewYorkandfeelsexhilaratedlivingthere.Hemaysometimesfeelexasperatedbutthisfeelingisneverstrongenoughtoturntohate"LovingandHatingNewYork"isacolumnarticle.Unlikenormalnewsarticles,whicharesupposedtobeobjectiveandfactual,columnsaresubjective,makingpersonal

commentsInthearticlewefindthewriteruses""andexplainsthingsfromhispersonalpointofview.Thecolumnistsallhavetheiruniquestylesinordertoattracttheattentionoftheirreaders.WecanseeGriffith,anexperiencedcolumnistwritingformorethanonemagazine,hasastyleofhisown.Forinstance,likeShulmaninhis"LoveIsaFallacy"GriffithalsousesmanyAmericanEnglishterms,phrasesandconstructionsindiscussingNewYork.LovingandHatingNewYork"appearedinTheAtlanticMonthlyThismagazinewasfoundedin1857,andstillinpublicationtoday.OneofAmericasoldestmagazines.TheAtlanticMonthlyfeaturesinterestingandintelligentarticlesMorethanthreedecadeshavepassedsincethepublicationofthearticle.Duringthisperiodoftime.manychangeshavetakenplaceinNewYork.ItmightbeofinterestforreaderstocomparetheNewYorkunderGriffith'spenandNewYorktoday.ThoseadcampaignscelebratingtheBigApple,thoseT-shirtswithaheartdesignproclaiming“IloveNewYork,”aresigns,patheticintheirdesperation,ofhowthemightyhasfallen.NewYorkCityusedtoleavethebraggingtoothers,forbraggingwas“bush”Beingunique,thebiggestandthebest,NewYorkdidn’thavetoasserthowspecialitwas.Itisn’tthetopanymore,atleastifthetopismeasuredbywhobegetsthestylesandsetsthetrends.NowadaysNewYorkisoutofphasewithAmericantasteasoftenasitisoutofstepwithAmericanpolitics.Onceitwasthenation’sundisputedfashionauthority,butittoolongresistedtheincomingcasualstyleandlostitsmonopoly.Nolongersolookeduptoorcopied,NewYorkevenpridesitselfonbeingaholdoutfromprevailingAmericantrends,aplacetoescapeCommonDenominatorLand.Itsdeficienciesasapacesetteraremoreandmoreevident.AdozenothercitieshavebuildingsmoreinspiredarchitecturallythananybuiltinNewYorkCityinthepasttwentyyears.ThegiantManhattantelevisionstudioswhereToscanini’sNBCSymphonyonceplayednowsitemptymostofthetime,whilesitcomsclonedandcannedinHollywood,andtheJohnnyCarsonshowlive,preempttheairwaysfromCalifornia.TinPanAlleyhasmovedtoNashvilleandHollywood.VegascasinosroutinelypayheavysumstosingersandentertainerswhomnonightspotinManhattancanaffordtohire.Insports,thebiggersuperdomes,themoreexcitingteams,themostenthusiasticfans,areoftenfoundelsewhere.NewYorkwasneveragoodconventioncity–beingregardedasunfriendly,unsafe,overcrowded,andexpensive–butitismakingsomethingofacomebackasatouristattraction.Evenso,mostAmericanswouldprobablyrateNewOrleans,SanFrancisco,Washington,orDisneylandhigher.Adozenothercities,includingmyhometownofSeattle,arewidelyconsideredbettercitiestolivein.Why,then,domanyEuropeanscallNewYorktheirfavoritecity?TheytakemorereadilythandomostAmericanstoitscosmopolitancomplexities,itssurviving,aloof,Europeanstandards,itsalienmixtures.PerhapssomeoftheseEuropeansarereassuredbythesight,onthetwinfashionavenuesofMadisonandFifth,ofallthosefamiliarinternationalnames–thejewelers,shoestores,anddesignershopsthatexisttoflatterandbilkthefrivolousrich.Butno;whatmostexcitesEuropeansisthecity’scharged,nervousatmosphere,itsvulgardynamism.NewYorkisaboutenergy,contention,andstriving.Andsinceitcontainsitsshareofarticulatelosers,itisalsoaboutmockery,theput-down,theloser’sshrug(“whaddyagonnado?”).Itisaboutconstantbattlesforsubwayseats,foracabdriver’soraclerk’sorawaiter’sattention,forafoothold,achance,abetteraddress,alargerbilling.TowininNewYorkistobeuneasy;toloseistoliveinjostlingproximitytothefrustratedmajority.NewYorkwasneverMeccatome.AndthoughIhavelivedtheremorethanhalfmylife,youwon’tfindmewearingan“ILoveNewYork”T-shirt.Butallinall,Ican’,tthinkofmanyplacesintheworldI’dratherli,ve.It’,snoteasytodefinewhy.Nature’spleasuresaremuchqualifiedinN,ewYork,.Youneverseeastar-filledsky;thecity’sbrightglowarrogantlyobscurestheheavens.Sunsetscanbespectacular:orangesandredstintingtheskyovertheJerseymeadowsandgaudilyreflectedinathousandwindowsonManhattan’sjaggedskyline.NatureconstantlyyieldstomaninNewYork:witnessthosefragilesidewalktreesgamelystrugglingagainstencroachingcementandpetrolfumes.CentralPark,whichFrederickLawOlmsteddesignedaslungsforthecity’spoor,isinplacesgrasslessandfilledwithtrash,nolongerpristineyetlivelywiththenoiseandvivacityofpeople,largelyyouths,blacks,andPuertoRicans,enjoyingthemselves.Onparkbenchessitolderpeople,mostlywhite,lookingdisplaced.Ithasbecomelessatranquilparkthananuntidycarnival.Nottheglamourofthecity,whichneverbeckonedtomefromadistance,butitsopportunity–topracticethekindofjournalismIwanted–drewmetoNewYork.Iwasn’tevensurehowI’dmeasureupagainstotherswhohadbeenmoresoundlyeducatedatIvyLeagueschools,orwhetherIcouldcompeteagainstthattoughlocalbreed,thoseintellectualsonsofimmigrants,sohighlymotivatedandsingle-minded,suchasAlfredKazin,whofordiversion(forheaven’tsake!)playedBach’sUnaccompaniedPartitasontheviolin.Atestingofoneself,afearofgivingintothemostbanalandmarketableofone’stalents,stilldrawsmanyoftheyoungtoNewYork.Thatand,asalways,thecompanyofothersfleeingsomethingconstrictingwheretheycamefrom.Togethertheseyoungshareafreedom,acommunityofinexpensiveamusements,acasualliving,andsomeroughtimes.Itcan’tbethelivingconditionsthatappeal,foronlyfondmemorywillforgivetheinconvenience,risk,andsqualor.CommercialBroadwaymaybeinaccessibletothem,butthereisoff-Broadway,andthenoff-off-Broadway.IfpaintersdisdainMadisonAvenue’splushartgalleries,MadisonAvenuedealerssetupshopinthegrubbyprecinctsofSoho.Butthepurityofabohemiandedicationcanbeexaggerated.TheartisticyounginhabitthesameGreenwichVillageanditsfringesinwhichtheexperimentalistsintheartslivedduringtheDepression,unitedbyaworldagainstthem.Butthepresentgenerationisenoughofasubculturetobeasourceofprofitableboutiquesandcoffeehouses.Anditisnotallthatestranged.ManhattanisanislandcutoffinmostrespectsfrommainlandAmerica,butintwoareasitremainsdominant.ItisthebankingandthecommunicationsheadquartersforAmerica.Inboththeserolesitratifiesmorethanitcreates.WallStreetwilladvancethemillionstomakeaHollywoodmovieonlyifconvincedthatabestsellingtitleorastarnamewillensureitssuccess.Thenetworks’newscentersarehere,andthelargestbookpublishers,andthebiggestmagazines–andthereforethelargestbodyofcriticstoappraisethefilms,theplays,themusic,thebooksthatothershavecreated.NewYorkisajudgingtown,andofteninvokesstandardsthattherestofthecountrydeploresorignores.AmarketforknowingnessexistsinNewYorkthatdoesn’texistforknowledge.Theadagenciesareallheretoo,testingthemarketsanddevisingthecatchyjinglesthatwillmovemillionsfromMcDonald’stoBurgerking,sothattheadagency’s“creativedirector”canlunchinsteadinManhattan’sexpense-accountFrenchrestaurants.Thebankersandtheadmen.Themarketingspecialistsandathousandwell-paidancillaryservicepeople,reallysetthecity’sbrittletone—cateringtoawideAmericanpublicwhosenumbersmustberespectedbutwhosetastesdonothavetoshared.Thecondescendingviewfromthefiftiethfloorofthecity’scrowdsbelowcutsthesepeopleofffromhumanity.Sodoesanattitudewhichseesthepubliconlyintermsoflarge,malleablenumbers—asimpersonallyasdoestheclatteringsubwayturnstilebeneaththeofficetowers.Iamsurprisedbythelackofcynicism,particularlyamongtheyoungerones,ofthosewhoworkinsuchfields.Thetelevisiongenerationgrewupintheinsistentpresenceofhype,delightsinmuchofit,andhasnoscruplesaboutpracticingit.Menandwomandotheirjobsprofessionally,and,likethepilotswhofromgreatheightsbombedHanoi,seemunmarkedbyit.Theyleadtheirrealliveselsewhere,intheVillagebarstheyareindistinguishableindressorbehaviorfromwould-beartists,actors,andwriters.Theboundariesof“artforart’ssake”aren’tsorigidanymore;artitselfislesssharplydefined,andthosewhosepaintingsdon’tselldoillustrations;thosewhocan’getactingjobsdocommercials;thosewhoarewritingambitiousnovelssustainthemselvesonthemagazines.Besides,seriousartoftenfeedsinthepopularthesedays,changingitwithfondirony.Intimethenewcomersfindorfromtheirwonworlds;Manhattenismanysuchwords,huddledtogetherbutrarelyinteraction.Ithinkthisiswhatgivesthecityitssenseoffreedom.Thereareenoughlikeyou,whateveryouare.Anditisn’tasnecessarytoknowanythingaboutanapartmentneighbor-ortoworryabouthisjudgmentofyou-asitisaboutsomeonewithanadjoiningyard.InNewYork,likeseekslike,andbyeconomyofeffortexcludestherestasstranger.Thisdistancing,thisuncaringinordinaryencounters,hasanotherside:innootherAmericancitycanthelonelybeaslonely.Somuchmoreneedstobesaid.NewYourisawoundedcity,declininginitsamenities.Overloadedbyitstaxburdens.Butitisnotdyingcity;thestreetsaresaferthantheywerefiveyearsage;Broadway,whichseemedtobesuccumbingtothetawdrinessofitsenvironment,isastiragain.Thetrash-strewnstreets,theunrulyschools,theuneasyfeelingormenace,thenoise,thebrusqueness-allconfirmoutsidersintheirconvictionthattheywouldn’tlivehereifyougavethemtheplace.YetshowaNewYorkerasplendidhomeinDallas,oraswimmingpoolandcabanainBeverlyHills,andhewillbeadmiringbutnotenvious.Somuchofwell-to-doAmericanowlivesantisepticallyinenclaves,tranquilandluxurious,thatshutouttheworld.Toostatic,theNewYorkerwouldsay.Tellhimaboutthevigorofyouroutdoorpleasures;hepreferstheunhealthyhassleandthevitalityofurbanlife.Heishopelesslyprovincial.TohimNewYork-despiteitsfaults,whichherwillimpatientlyconcede(“sowhatelseisnew?”)—isthespoilerofallotherAmericancities.ItispossibleintwentyotherAmericancitiestovisitfirst-rateartmuseums,toheargoodmusicandseelivelyexperimentaltheater,tomeetintelligentandsophisticatedpeoplewhoknowhowtolive,dine,andtalkwell;andtoenjoyallthisincongenialandspacioussurroundings.TheNewYorkersstillwouldn’twanttolivethere.WhathewouldfindmissingiswhatmanyoutsidersfindoppressiveanddistastefulaboutNewYork–itsrawness,tension,urgency;itsbracingcompetitiveness;therigorofitsjudgments;andthecongested,democraticpresenceofsomanyotherNewYorkers,encasedintheirownworlds,thedefeatedarenothiddenawaysomewhereelseonthewrongsideoftown.Inthesubways,inthebuses,inthestreets,itisimpossibletoavoidpeoplewhoselivesareharderthanyours.Withthedesperate,theill,thefatigued,theoverwhelmed,onelearnsnottostrikeupconversation(whichisn’twanted)buttomakebrief,sympatheticeyecontact,toincludetheminthehumanrace.Itisn’tmuch,butitisthefleetinghospitalityofNewYorkers,eachjealousofhisprivacyinthecrowd.Everhelpfulnessisoftendeliveredasataunt:aman,rushingthetrafficlight,shoutsthemanbehindhim.“YouwanttobewearingaBuickwithJerseyplates?”—greatscorninthewordJersey,homeofdriverswhodon’tbelonghere.ByAdolfHitler’sdefinition,NewYorkismongrelcity.Itisinfactthefirsttrulyinternationalmetropolis.Noothergreatcity-notLondon,Paris,RomeorTokyo-playshost(orhostage)tosomanynationalities.Themixismuchwider-Asians,Africans,Latins-thatwhenthattumultuousvarietyofEuropeancrowdedashoreatEllisIsland.Thenewcomersareneverfullyabsorbed,butareaddedprecariouslytotheundigestedmany.NewYorkistoobigtobedominatedbyanygroup,byWaspsorJewsorblacks,orbyCatholicsofmanyorigins—Irish,Italian,Hispanic.Allhavetheirlittlesovereignties,allaresizableenoughtobereckonedwithandtoughinassertingtheirclaims,butnoneispowerfulenoughtosubduetheothers.Characteristically,thecityswallowsuptheUnitedNationsandrefusestotakeitseriously,regardingitasanunworkablemixtureoftheidealistic,theimpractical,andthehypocritical.ButNewYorkersthemselvesareintraininginhowtolivetogetherinadiversityofraces-thenecessaryinitiationintothefuture.Thediversitygivesendlesscolortothecity,sothatwalkinginitisconstanteducationinsightsandsmells.Thereiswonderfulvarietyofplacestoeatorshop,andthoughthemostsuccessfulofsuchplacesarelikelytotouristyhybridcompromises,theytoohavegenuineroots.OtherAmericancitieshaveethnicturfsjealouslydefended,butnot,Ithink,suchanadmixtureofgroups,throwntogetherinsuchjarringjuxtapositions.Inthesameway,avenuesofhigh-riseluxuryinNewYorkareneverfarfrompovertyandmeanstreets.ThesadnessandfortitudeofNewYorkmustbecelebrated,alongwithitstreasuresofartandmusic.Thecombinationisunstable;itproducesfriction,oranuneasyforbearancethatsometimesbecomesarealtoleration.LovingandhatingNewYorkbecomesamatterofalternatingmoods,ofteninthesameday.Theplaceconstantlyexasperates,attimesexhilarates.Tomeitisthecityofunavoidableexperience.Livingthere,onehasthereassuranceofsteadilyconfrontinglife.詞匯(Vocabulary)bush(adj.):rustic，countrified，belongingtosmalltowns粗俗的；鄉土氣的；鄉下的beget(v.):bringintobeing；produce使產生，引起，招致holdout(n.):[Americanism]aplacethatholdsout[美語]堅固據點deficiency(n.):thequalityorstateofbeingdeficient;absenceofsomethingessential；ashortage缺乏，缺少，欠缺；缺陷，不足之處pacesetter(n.):apersonthatleadsthewayorservesasamodel標兵sitcom(n.):[口]situationcomedy的縮略clone(v.):deriveallthedescendantsasexuallyfromasingleindividual無性繁殖preempt(v.):radioandTV]replace(aregularlyscheduledprogram)[廣播、電視]先占，先取得casino(n.):apublicroomorbuildingforentertainments．dancing，or，nowspecifically，gambling俱樂部，娛樂場；(現尤指)賭場nightspot(n.):nightclub夜總會bilk(v.):cheatorswindle；defraud欺騙，蒙騙dynamism(n.):thequalityofbeingenergetic，vigorous，etc．推動力；活力，精力，勁頭put-down(n.):[Americanslang]abelittlingremarkorcrushingretort[美俚]貶低的話；反駁；無禮的回答foothold(n.):asecurepositionfromwhichitisdifficulttobedislodged立足點，據點jostle(v.):bumporpush，asinacrowd；elboworshoveroughly(在人群中)擁擠；用肘推；撞proximity(n.):thestateorqualityofbeingnear；nearnessinspace，time，etc．最近；接近；(地方，時間等)最接近obscure(v.):darken；makedim使黑暗；使朦朧tint(v.):giveacolororashadingofacolorto著上(淡)色gaudy(adj.):brightandshowy,butlackingingoodtaste；cheaplybrilliantandornate華麗而俗氣的，炫麗的jagged(adj.):havingsharpprojectingpoints鋸齒狀的；(外形)參差不齊的skyline(n.):anoutline，asofacity，seenagainstthesky(城市等)以天空為背景映出的輪廓gamely(adv.):pluckily；courageously勇敢地，不屈不撓地encroach(adj.):trespassorintrude(onorupontherights．property，etc．，ofanother)，esp.inagradualorsneakingway侵占，占用(別人的時間)；侵犯(別人的權力、財產等)pristine(adj.):stillpureoruntouched；uncorrupted;unspoiled質樸的；純潔的；未受腐蝕的vivacity(n.):thequalityorstate0fbeingvivacious；livelinesstopint；animation快活；活潑；充滿生命力；有生氣carnival(n.):arevelingortimeofrevelry；festivity；merrymaking狂歡，歡宴，盡情作樂glamour(n.):seeminglymisteriousandelusivefascinationorallure，aso{someperson，0bject，etc．；bewitchingcharm;thecurrentsense(人的)魅力；(物、景色的)吸引力，迷惑力beckon(v.):callorsummonbyasilentgesture(以招手、點頭等)表不召喚或招呼breed(n.):kind；sort；type種類，類別，類型banal(adj.):dullorstaleasbecauseofoveruse；trite：hackneyed；commonplace陳腐的；平庸的；平凡的；老一套的squalor(n.):thequalityorconditionofbeingsqualid；filthandwretchedness骯臟；悲慘，不幸inaccessible(adj.):impossibletoreachorenter訣不到的；進不去的plush(adj.):[Americanslang]luxurious，asinfurnishings[美俚]豪華的grubby(adj.):messy；untidy臟的；凌亂的precincts(n.):environsneighborhood范圍；界線fringe(n.):anouteredge；border；margin外圍，邊緣；邊界subculture(n.):thedistinctculturalpatternsofagroup(withinasociety)ofpersonsofthesameage，socialoreconomic,status.ethnicbackground，etc．亞文化群boutique(n.):asmallshop，orasmalldepartmentinastore，wherefashionable，usuallyexpensive，clothesandotherarticlesaresold時裝精品店(或百貨公司中的時裝精品部)estrange(n.):turn(aperson)fromanaffectionateorfriendlyattitudetoanindifferent，unfriendly，orhostileone.alienatetheaffectionsof使疏遠；使失和ratify(v.):pproveorconfirm，esp.，giveofficialsanctionto批準；認可deplore(v.):beregretfulorsorryabout；lament懊悔；遺憾；痛惜catchy(adj.):easilycaughtupandremembered醒目的；引人注意的jingle(n.):aversethatjingles；jinglingarrangementofwordsorsyllables具有簡單韻律的詩句；合于簡單韻律的排列admen(n.):[Americanism]apersonwhoseworkorbusinessisadvertising[美]廣告員ancillary(adj.):thatservesasanaid；helping；auxiliary作為助手的；輔助的brittle(adj.):havingasharp，hardquality(聲音)尖利的，刺耳的condescending(adj.):showingcondescension，esp.，patronizing表示屈尊的；(尤指)以恩人自居的，屈尊俯就的malleable(adj.):capableofbeingchanged，molded，trained，etc．；adaptable柔順的；易適應的；可訓練的turnstile(n.):asimilarapparatus，oftencoin-operatedusedatentrancestoadmitpersonsoneatatimeandtocountthosepassingthrough(使人逐個通過的)旋轉(式)柵門hype(n.):cheating，esp.theextravagantpromotionaladvertising欺騙；騙局(尤指大肆宣傳，大做廣告)scruple(n.):afeelingofhesitancy，doubt，oruneasinessarisingfromdifficultyindecidingwhatisright，proper，ethical．etc．：qualmormisgivingaboutsomethingonethinksiswrong躊躇；顧忌，猶豫adjoining(adj.):touchingatsomepointoralongaline；contiguous隔壁的：毗連的；毗鄰的amenity(n.):anattractiveordesir