Most of us look away when we pass strangers. It is the expectional person who stops to help the woman maneuvering her kids and groceries up the staircase. We rarely give up in line or on the subway or bus. Locked into our automobiles, we prefer gridlock to giving way. 

    當(dang)我(wo)們(men)與(yu)陌(mo)生(sheng)人(ren)擦(ca)肩(jian)而(er)過(guo)時(shi)，多(duo)數(shu)人(ren)往(wang)往(wang)把(ba)目(mu)光(guang)移(yi)開(kai)。要(yao)是(shi)有(you)人(ren)停(ting)下(xia)來(lai)幫(bang)婦(fu)女(nv)哄(hong)她(ta)的(de)小(xiao)孩(hai)和(he)幫(bang)她(ta)把(ba)食(shi)品(pin)搬(ban)上(shang)樓(lou)梯(ti)，反(fan)而(er)會(hui)被(bei)人(ren)看(kan)成(cheng)另(ling)類(lei)。無(wu)論(lun)是(shi)排(pai)隊(dui)還(hai)是(shi)乘(cheng)地(di)鐵(tie)或(huo)公(gong)共(gong)汽(qi)車(che)，我(wo)們(men)很(hen)少(shao)讓(rang)位(wei)於(yu)他(ta)人(ren)。坐(zuo)在(zai)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)汽(qi)車(che)裏(li)，我(wo)們(men)寧(ning)願(yuan)堵(du)塞(sai)交(jiao)通(tong)也(ye)不(bu)願(yuan)給(gei)人(ren)讓(rang)路(lu)。  
  
    These daily encounters, when they are angry or alien, diminish our lives. When they are pleasant, we feel buoyed. Yet when we sit at home and make resolutions, we think about what we can accomplish in private spaces：home, work. Too many have given up the belief that they control the shared, the public world. 

    這zhe些xie日ri常chang接jie觸chu，要yao是shi氣qi衝chong衝chong的de或huo是shi使shi人ren反fan感gan的de
，那na便bian會hui減jian少shao我wo們men生sheng活huo的de樂le趣qu，要yao是shi它ta們men令ling人ren愉yu快kuai，那na便bian會hui使shi我wo們men精jing神shen振zhen奮fen。然ran而er，當dang我wo們men坐zuo在zai家jia裏li做zuo出chu各ge種zhong決jue定ding的de時shi候hou，我wo們men考kao慮lv的de僅jin是shi在zai個ge人ren天tian地di--家庭和工作裏可以實現的目標。太多的人已經放棄了他們也管理著共享的、公共的世界這一信念。   

    As individuals we can change the contour of a day, the mood of a moment, the way people feel. The demolition and reconstruction of public life is the result of personal decisions made every day：the decision to give up a seat on the bus；the decision to be patient or pleasant against all odds；the decision to let that jerk take a left－hand turn from a right－hand lane without rolling down the window and calling him a jerk

    作(zuo)為(wei)眾(zhong)人(ren)的(de)一(yi)員(yuan)，我(wo)們(men)可(ke)以(yi)改(gai)變(bian)一(yi)天(tian)的(de)麵(mian)貌(mao)，一(yi)時(shi)的(de)情(qing)緒(xu)，以(yi)及(ji)人(ren)們(men)對(dui)某(mou)件(jian)事(shi)的(de)感(gan)覺(jiao)。公(gong)共(gong)生(sheng)活(huo)的(de)毀(hui)壞(huai)和(he)重(zhong)建(jian)是(shi)人(ren)們(men)每(mei)日(ri)所(suo)做(zuo)的(de)種(zhong)種(zhong)個(ge)人(ren)決(jue)定(ding)的(de)綜(zong)合(he)結(jie)果(guo)。這(zhe)些(xie)決(jue)定(ding)包(bao)括(kuo)：公共汽車上讓座，麵對逆境而能容忍或具有樂觀精神
；讓那個笨蛋從右車道往左拐而不搖下車窗罵他蠢貨.  。

    It's the resolution to be a civil, social creature. This may be a peak period for the battle against the spread of a waistline and creeping cholesterol. But it is also within our will power to fight the spread of urban rudeness and creeping hostility. Civility doesn't stop nuclear holocaust and doesn't put a roof over the head of the homeless. But it makes a difference in the shape of a community, as surely as lifting weights can make a difference in the shape of a human torso

    這是做一個文明的、社she會hui的de人ren的de決jue定ding。今jin天tian也ye許xu是shi人ren們men為wei減jian少shao腰yao圍wei和he降jiang低di膽dan固gu醇chun而er鬥dou爭zheng的de高gao峰feng期qi。然ran而er，反fan對dui城cheng市shi野ye蠻man行xing為wei和he人ren際ji敵di對dui態tai度du的de蔓man延yan，也ye是shi我wo們men隻zhi要yao願yuan做zuo就jiu能neng做zuo到dao的de事shi。有you禮li貌mao不bu能neng製zhi止zhi核he戰zhan爭zheng
，也ye不bu能neng為wei無wu家jia可ke歸gui者zhe提ti供gong棲qi身shen之zhi所suo，但dan它ta的de確que能neng改gai變bian一yi個ge社she會hui群qun體ti的de麵mian貌mao，猶you如ru舉ju重zhong定ding能neng改gai變bian一yi個ge人ren的de體ti形xing一yi樣yang。.