Meet Mitsuaki. He recently arrived in the United States to enter university. He wants to do well in his studies and adjust to the new culture. But Mitsuaki has a problem. It's not his roommates. It's not his school fees. It's not even his English ability. Mitsuaki's problem is that he doesn't have a car. And in America, that really makes him a foreigner. Mitsuaki has already discovered a basic fact of American culture: Driving is a way of life.
　　介jie紹shao你ni認ren識shi三san和he木mu，他ta最zui近jin剛gang到dao美mei國guo上shang大da學xue。他ta的de目mu標biao是shi想xiang把ba書shu讀du好hao並bing且qie讓rang自zi己ji能neng夠gou適shi應ying這zhe個ge新xin的de文wen化hua。但dan三san和he木mu卻que遇yu到dao了le一yi個ge問wen題ti。問wen題ti不bu是shi室shi友you，不bu是shi學xue費fei
，甚shen至zhi不bu是shi他ta的de英ying文wen能neng力li，三san和he木mu的de問wen題ti是shi沒mei有you車che。在zai美mei國guo，沒mei有you車che真zhen的de會hui讓rang他ta成cheng了le一yi個ge十shi足zu的de外wai國guo人ren。三san和he木mu已yi經jing發fa現xian了le美mei國guo文wen化hua中zhong一yi個ge很hen基ji本ben的de事shi實shi：開車是一種生活方式。

 

　　It's not that there's no public transportation in America. Many cities have taxis, buses and subways to help commuters get to and from work. Some large universities even have buses to take students to classes across campus. But most people find it much more convenient to drive, even if they do have to deal with traffic. Nowadays busy families often have more than one vehicle. Many people view their car as a status symbol. But no matter their social status, people without wheels feel tied down.

 

　　美國不是沒有大眾運輸工具
，很多都市都有出租車、公(gong)車(che)和(he)地(di)下(xia)鐵(tie)幫(bang)助(zhu)通(tong)車(che)族(zu)上(shang)下(xia)班(ban)。有(you)些(xie)規(gui)模(mo)大(da)的(de)大(da)學(xue)甚(shen)至(zhi)有(you)公(gong)車(che)在(zai)校(xiao)園(yuan)裏(li)載(zai)送(song)學(xue)生(sheng)到(dao)各(ge)個(ge)教(jiao)室(shi)上(shang)課(ke)。不(bu)過(guo)大(da)部(bu)份(fen)的(de)人(ren)還(hai)是(shi)覺(jiao)得(de)開(kai)車(che)更(geng)方(fang)便(bian)
，即(ji)使(shi)他(ta)們(men)得(de)麵(mian)對(dui)交(jiao)通(tong)擁(yong)擠(ji)的(de)問(wen)題(ti)。現(xian)今(jin)忙(mang)碌(lu)的(de)家(jia)庭(ting)通(tong)常(chang)擁(yong)有(you)一(yi)輛(liang)以(yi)上(shang)的(de)車(che)。很(hen)多(duo)人(ren)把(ba)車(che)子(zi)視(shi)為(wei)地(di)位(wei)的(de)象(xiang)征(zheng)


，但(dan)是(shi)不(bu)管(guan)他(ta)們(men)的(de)社(she)會(hui)地(di)位(wei)如(ru)何(he)，沒(mei)有(you)車(che)的(de)人(ren)往(wang)往(wang)覺(jiao)得(de)很(hen)受(shou)束(shu)縛(fu)。.

 

　　When Mitsuaki first arrived, he was amazed at how young many American drivers there were. Young people in America often get their driver's license around age 16 by passing a written test and a driving test. In many cases, before they can get their license, they have to take a driver education course. This course gives students hands-on practice with driving. It also helps to reduce the high cost of insurance. For teenagers, being able to drive--and in some cases, have their own car--is a big deal. It gives them a sense of power and freedom. Many young Americans consider a driver's license a right, not a privilege. It's rare to find an American teenager without one.

 

　　當三和木剛抵達美國時

，他很驚訝美國許多開車的人年紀實在很輕。美國的年輕人通常在16歲sui左zuo右you就jiu會hui通tong過guo筆bi試shi和he路lu考kao，取qu得de駕jia照zhao。很hen多duo時shi候hou在zai他ta們men取qu得de駕jia照zhao之zhi前qian
，他ta們men必bi須xu上shang一yi個ge駕jia駛shi人ren教jiao育yu課ke程cheng，這zhe個ge課ke程cheng提ti供gong給gei學xue生sheng們men實shi際ji的de駕jia駛shi練lian習xi，它ta也ye有you助zhu於yu降jiang低di高gao額e的de保bao險xian費fei。對dui青qing少shao年nian來lai說shuo，能neng夠gou開kai車che
，甚shen至zhi擁yong有you一yi輛liang自zi己ji的de車che是shi一yi件jian了le不bu起qi的de事shi
，因yin為wei它ta帶dai給gei他ta們men一yi種zhong權quan力li與yu自zi由you的de感gan覺jiao。很hen多duo美mei國guo的de年nian輕qing人ren把ba駕jia照zhao視shi為wei一yi種zhong權quan利li，而er不bu是shi一yi項xiang特te權quan。在zai美mei國guo要yao找zhao到dao一yi個ge沒mei有you駕jia照zhao的de青qing少shao年nian是shi很hen不bu容rong易yi的de。

 

　　Mitsuaki finally decides that he needs a car. His host family helps him find a good used car to buy. But before he gets his license and starts driving, he has to understand that the American style of driving is defensive, not offensive. He also needs to learn some of the basic rules of the road that good drivers follow.

 

10 Commandments of Good Driving in America:
1. Yield to vehicles who have the right of way.
2. Don't cut in front of other vehicles.
3. Drive within the speed limit.
4. Obey all road signs and police officers.
5. Pull over to the side of the road when you hear a siren.
6. Stop completely at red lights and stop signs.
7. Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
8. Park only in a designated parking space.
9. Use your turn signals when turning or changing lanes.
10. Don't drink and drive.

 

　　三san和he木mu最zui後hou終zhong於yu決jue定ding他ta需xu要yao一yi輛liang車che，他ta的de寄ji宿xiu家jia庭ting幫bang助zhu他ta找zhao到dao了le一yi輛liang好hao的de二er手shou車che。但dan是shi在zai他ta拿na到dao駕jia照zhao並bing且qie開kai始shi開kai車che之zhi前qian，他ta必bi須xu先xian了le解jie，美mei國guo人ren的de開kai車che方fang式shi是shi屬shu於yu防fang守shou型xing，而er不bu是shi進jin攻gong型xing。他ta也ye需xu要yao學xue習xi一yi些xie好hao的de駕jia駛shi人ren應ying該gai遵zun守shou的de基ji本ben道dao路lu規gui則ze。

 

在美國優良駕駛的十大誡命：
1. 禮讓有先行權的車子。
2. 不超車。
3. 行車不超速。
4. 遵守所有的路標和交通警察的指揮。
5. 聽到警笛聲時，立即靠邊停車。
6. 遇到紅燈和停止標誌時要完全停下來。
7. 在行人穿越道上要禮讓行人。
8. 隻能在指定的停車地區內停車。
9. 轉彎或換車道時要打方向燈。
10. 不要酒後駕車。

 

　　As a car owner, Mitsuaki has the responsibility of maintaining his car. He knows that regular maintenance checkups can help to prevent many serious problems. But no matter how careful the maintenance, all vehicles need to be repaired sometimes. Many Americans take their cars to a garage for maintenance and repairs. Others like to work on their own vehicles. Not Mitsuaki. He decides that being a student is enough work for him.

 

　　shenweiyigechezhu，sanhemubixufuzeweixiutadechezi，tazhidaodingqizuobaoyangjianzhakeyiyufangxuduoyanzhongdewentifasheng。buguo，buguanduomexiaoxindibaoyang
，suoyoudecheziyoushihoudoubixuxiuli。henduomeiguorenbatamendechezisongdaochechangbaoyanghexiuli；有些人則喜歡自己動手修車。但三和木可不這麼做。他覺得當一個學生已經夠他忙的了。

 

　　Driving is to Americans what flying is to birds. It's almost part of their nature. For many Americans, being behind the wheel is like their natural habitat. But if they don't drive carefully, they can become an endangered species.

 

　　開車對美國人的必要*，就像鳥兒需要飛翔一樣，幾乎就是他們天*的一部份。對許多美國人而言
，「坐在方向盤後麵」就像是他們自然棲息之處。不過，如果他們不小心開車的話，他們可就會變成瀕臨危險的動物了。