江苏省永丰初级中学七年级英语下册 Unit 2 Good fence makes good neighbours背景材料 (新版)牛津版

Good fence makes good neighbours

"Good fence makes good neighbours."It makes little difference whether a fence is an actual physical wooden fence, a chain-link fence, a cedar hedge, or an invisible barrier such as the space between two front doors in an apartment building: a fence is a fence is a fence. It is a constant reminder of "keep your distance", "no prying please", and "mind your own business, if you please."

In a country of over a billion people, keeping your neighbour's nose out of your bedroom is no easy task In large cities across China, high-rise apartment bu ildings are packing in people li ke sardines. The closer people get, the more alienated t hey bec ome.

These new urban hermits come out of their modern caves in the morning to go to work, and d isappear back t o their caves upon returning. Theirs is a self-sufficient world. Refrigerators or freezers make it possible for them not to do their hunting and gathering daily. Radio, TV and the Internet keep them informed of what's going on in the world. The Internet allows them to keep up with a distant relationship with acquaintances, as social contact goes virtual.

Chinese have a long tradition of sweeping the snow off their own front porch but ignoring the ice on their neighbour's roof. So not knowing your neigh bour's name, as depicted in this picture, is really not such a big deal. Besides, you don't want to behave like you are working for the government, checking on whether your neighbours are doing something illegal or belonging to an outlawed religious sect, do you?

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