孤独的韩国人向小狗寻求陪伴

在这个充满不信任和孤独的时代，小狗向你展示了什么是无条件的爱。

双语精读

One of the Loneliest Countries Finds Companionship in Dogs

最孤独的国家之一在小狗身上找到陪伴

The deceased lay wrapped in a cotton blanket, surrounded by white roses and hydrangea, angelic figurines and lit candles and incense. A wall-mounted screen displayed photographs of him.

逝者身上盖着一条棉布毯子，周围环绕着白玫瑰和绣球花、小天使雕像、点燃的蜡烛和香。挂在墙上的屏幕展示着他的照片。

His 71-year-old companion, Kim Seon-ae, convulsed with tears as she bid farewell, caressing his head and face. Next door, young uniformed morticians prepared for his cremation.

他71岁的同伴金善爱在向遗体告别时哭得身体颤抖，抚摸着他的头和脸。隔壁，年轻的穿制服的殡仪员已为火化做了准备。

The elaborate and emotional ritual was for a white poodle named Dalkong, who was nestled in a willow basket with his eyes still open. "He was like a virus that infected me with happiness," said Ms. Kim, who had lived with Dalkong for 13 years until he succumbed to heart disease. "We were family."

这个精心准备且充满感情的仪式是给一只名叫大康的白色贵宾犬准备的，它蜷缩在一个柳条篮子里，眼睛还没闭上。"他就像快乐病毒，深深感染了我。"金女士说，她和大康一起生活了13年，直到他死于心脏病，"我们是一家人。"

Not long ago, South Korea often made global headlines -- and raised the ire of animal rights groups -- for its tradition of breeding dogs for meat. But in recent years, people here have gravitated toward pets, especially dogs.

不久前，韩国还因其养殖肉狗的传统而经常登上全球新闻头条，并引起了动物权利组织的愤怒。但是近年来，韩国人被宠物吸引，尤其是狗。

They are looking for companionship at a time when more South Koreans are choosing to stay single, childless or both. More than two-fifths of all households in the nation now consist of only one person.

越来越多的韩国人选择保持单身、不要孩子或两者兼而有之，在这种情况下，他们正在寻找陪伴。韩国超过五分之二的家庭现在仅由一人组成。

Now, one out of every four families in South Korea has a pet, up from 17.4 percent in 2010, according to government estimates. Most of them are dogs.

据政府估计，现在，韩国每四个家庭中就有一个家庭拥有宠物，高于2010年的17.4%。其中大多数是狗。

"In this age of mistrust and loneliness, dogs show you what unconditional love is," said Ms. Kim's 41-year-old daughter, Kim Su-hyeon, who raised two dogs but has no plans for children. "A human child may talk back and rebel, but dogs follow you like you are the center of the universe."

"在这个充满不信任和孤独的时代，小狗向你展示了什么是无条件的爱，"金女士的41岁女儿金秀媛说，她养了两条狗，但不打算要孩子，"小孩可能会顶嘴和叛逆，但狗会跟随你，就好像你是宇宙的中心一样。"

Kim Kyeong-sook, 63, whose 18-year-old dachshund, Kangyi, was cremated on the same day as Dalkong, agreed. "When I left home, he saw me off at the door until it was closed behind me," she said. "When I returned, he was always there, going crazy as if I were coming home from war overseas."

63岁的金京淑也表示同意，她的18岁腊肠犬康依与大康在同一天被火化。"我离开家时，他在门口送我，直到门在我身后关上。"她说，"当我回来时，他总是在门口，疯狂地扑向我，好像我是从国外打完仗回家一样。"

The boom in pet services has changed the country's urban landscape. Hospitals and shops catering to pets have become ubiquitous, while childbirth clinics have all but disappeared, as South Korea's birthrate has become the lowest in the world.

宠物服务的繁荣改变了韩国的城市景观。宠物医院和宠物商店无处不在，而妇产诊所几乎已经消失，因为韩国的出生率已经成为世界最低。

In parks and neighborhoods, strollers are more often than not carrying dogs. Online shopping malls say they sell more baby carriages for dogs than for babies.

在公园和街区，婴儿车常常载着的是宠物狗。网上商城表示，他们销售的狗用婴儿车比婴儿用婴儿车还要多。

Politically, dogs have led to a rare case of bipartisanship in a country that is increasingly polarized. In January, lawmakers passed a law that banned the country's centuries-old practice of breeding and butchering dogs for human consumption. Now, dogs are family members that get splurged on.

政治上，在这个日益两极分化的国家，狗带来了罕见的两党合作。今年1月，立法者通过了一项法律，禁止该国数百年来为人类食用而饲养和屠宰狗的做法。如今，小狗是人们会大肆宠爱的家庭成员。

词汇预习

increasingly [高考]
美[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli] | 英[ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli]
adv. 逐渐地；越来越多地
emotional [高考]
美[ɪˈmoʊʃənl] | 英[ɪˈməʊʃənl]
adj. 感情的；情绪的
consumption [高考]
美[kənˈsʌmpʃn] | 英[kənˈsʌmpʃn]
n. 消费；消耗；肺痨
landscape [高考]
美[ˈlændskeɪp] | 英[ˈlændskeɪp]
n. 风景；风景画；山水；[计]横向 v. 美化景观
rare [高考]
美[rer] | 英[reə(r)]
adj. 罕见的；珍贵的；煎得嫩的
consist [高考]
美[kənˈsɪst] | 英[kənˈsɪst]
vi. 由 ... 组成；构成；在于；符合
Ms. [高考]
美[mɪz] | 英[mɪz]
n. 女士，小姐
urban [高考]
美[ˈɜːrbən] | 英[ˈɜːbən]
adj. 城市的；都市的
companion [高考]
美[kəmˈpæniən] | 英[kəmˈpæniən]
n. 同伴；志趣相投的人；成对物品之一；参考书 v. 陪伴
boom [高考]
美[buːm] | 英[buːm]
n. 繁荣；兴旺；激增；低沉声 n. 帆杠；吊杆；支臂；尾桁；水栅 vi. 急速增长；发出低沉声 vt. 使兴旺；促进
blanket [高考]
美[ˈblæŋkɪt] | 英[ˈblæŋkɪt]
n. 毯子，毛毯；厚层，覆盖层；气氛，氛围；障碍，障碍物 v. 覆盖，盖住，笼罩；消除（声音），使（声音）模糊不清 adj. 总括的，全面的，通用的
bid [高考]
美[bɪd] | 英[bɪd]
v. （买方）出价；投标；吩咐；叫牌 n. 出价；努力；叫牌
unconditional [高考]
美[ˌʌnkənˈdɪʃənl] | 英[ˌʌnkənˈdɪʃənl]
adj. 无条件的；无限制的；绝对的
consist of [高考]
美[kənˈsɪst əv] | 英[kənˈsɪst ɒv]
由 ... 组成
breeding [高考]
美[ˈbriːdɪŋ] | 英[ˈbriːdɪŋ]
n. 生养；教养；抚养；繁殖；血统；育种
farewell [高考]
美[ˌferˈwel] | 英[ˌfeəˈwel]
int. 再会；别了 n. 告别 adj. 告别的
incense [高考]
美[ˈɪnsens , ɪnˈsens] | 英[ˈɪnsens , ɪnˈsens]
n. 香；阿谀 vt. 对 ... 敬香；熏香；激怒
willow [高考]
美[ˈwɪloʊ] | 英[ˈwɪləʊ]
n. 柳树；柳木制品
elaborate [四级]
美[ɪ'læbəret] | 英[ɪ'læb(ə)rət]
adj. 详尽的；复杂的；精心的；精美的 v. 详细地说明；用心制作；推敲；变得复杂
rebel [四级]
美[ˈrebl , rɪˈbel] | 英[ˈrebl , rɪˈbel]
n. 反政府的人；叛乱者；造反者；反抗权威者 v. 造反；反抗；背叛 adj. 造反的；反抗的
loneliness [四级]
美[ˈloʊnlinəs] | 英[ˈləʊnlinəs]
n. 孤独；寂寞
companionship [四级]
美[kəmˈpænjənˌʃɪp] | 英[kəmˈpæniənʃɪp]
n. 友谊；陪伴；交情
more often than not [四级]
美[mɔːr 'ɔːfn ðən nɑːt] | 英[mɔːr 'ɒfn ðən nɒt]
往往；多半
ritual [六级]
美[ˈrɪtʃuəl] | 英[ˈrɪtʃuəl]
n. 仪式；典礼；宗教仪式；固定程序 adj. 仪式的；老规矩的；惯常的
childless [六级]
美[ˈtʃaɪldləs] | 英[ˈtʃaɪldləs]
adj. 无儿女的
birthrate [六级]
美['bɜθˌreɪt] | 英['bɜ:θˌreɪt]
n. 出生率
out of [六级]
美[aʊt ʌv] | 英[aut ɔv]
prep. 离…一段距离；从…里；离开 ...；出于
all but [六级]
美[ɔl bʌt] | 英[ɔ:l bʌt]
几乎；差一点
according [专四]
美[ə'kɔrdɪŋ] | 英[ə'kɔːdɪŋ]
adj. 相符的；相应的；一致的 v. 给予；符合，一致；正式协议（accord的现在分词）
saw [专八]
美[sɔː] | 英[sɔː]
n. 锯；谚语，格言 v. 锯，用锯割开；看见，明白（see的过去式）
ubiquitous [专八]
美[juːˈbɪkwɪtəs] | 英[juːˈbɪkwɪtəs]
adj. 到处存在的
centuries-old [考研]
美['sentʃərɪz'oʊld] | 英['sentʃərɪz'əʊld]
adj. 悠久的
mistrust [考研]
美[mɪsˈtrʌst] | 英[ˌmɪsˈtrʌst]
n. 不信任；疑惑 v. 不信任；疑惑
childbirth [考研]
美[ˈtʃaɪldbɜrθ] | 英[ˈtʃaɪldbɜ:θ]
n. 分娩
catering [雅思]
美[ˈkeɪtərɪŋ] | 英[ˈkeɪtərɪŋ]
n. 给养；承办酒席

重点讲解

One of the Loneliest Countries Finds Companionship in Dogs

最孤独的国家之一在小狗身上找到陪伴

deceased adj. 已故的；去世的

【例】her deceased mother 她已故的母亲

【近义词】the late/departed 已故的

the loss of sb 某人去世

mount v. 安放；架起

【例】to mount a machine gun 架起机枪

to mount antlers 挂上鹿角

The deceased lay wrapped in a cotton blanket, surrounded by white roses and hydrangea, angelic figurines and lit candles and incense. A wall-mounted screen displayed photographs of him.

逝者身上盖着一条棉布毯子，周围环绕着白玫瑰和绣球花、小天使雕像、点燃的蜡烛和香。挂在墙上的屏幕展示着他的照片。

deceased adj. 已故的；去世的

【例】her deceased mother 她已故的母亲

【近义词】the late/departed 已故的

the loss of sb 某人去世

mount v. 安放；架起

【例】to mount a machine gun 架起机枪

to mount antlers 挂上鹿角

His 71-year-old companion, Kim Seon-ae, convulsed with tears as she bid farewell, caressing his head and face. Next door, young uniformed morticians prepared for his cremation.

他71岁的同伴金善爱在向遗体告别时哭得身体颤抖，抚摸着他的头和脸。隔壁，年轻的穿制服的殡仪员已为火化做了准备。

convulse v. 痉挛；抽搐；身体抖动

【例】His face was convulsed with emotion.

他的脸激动得抽搐变形。

【搭配】convulse with laughter 笑得全身发抖

infect sb with sth 让某人感染某物

【例】Mosquitoes can infect people with malaria.

蚊子可以让人感染疟疾。

She infected the children with her enthusiasm for music.

她对音乐的热爱感染了孩子们。

【拓展】infection n. 感染

infectious adj. 传染性的；有感染力的

succumb to 屈服；抵挡不住（攻击、疾病、诱惑等）

【例】succumb to the pressure/temptation

屈服于压力/抵挡不住诱惑

succumb to old age 老死

【近义词】surrender to/yield to 投降；屈服

The elaborate and emotional ritual was for a white poodle named Dalkong, who was nestled in a willow basket with his eyes still open. "He was like a virus that infected me with happiness," said Ms. Kim, who had lived with Dalkong for 13 years until he succumbed to heart disease. "We were family."

这个精心准备且充满感情的仪式是给一只名叫大康的白色贵宾犬准备的，它蜷缩在一个柳条篮子里，眼睛还没闭上。"他就像快乐病毒，深深感染了我。"金女士说，她和大康一起生活了13年，直到他死于心脏病，"我们是一家人。"

convulse v. 痉挛；抽搐；身体抖动

【例】His face was convulsed with emotion.

他的脸激动得抽搐变形。

【搭配】convulse with laughter 笑得全身发抖

infect sb with sth 让某人感染某物

【例】Mosquitoes can infect people with malaria.

蚊子可以让人感染疟疾。

She infected the children with her enthusiasm for music.

她对音乐的热爱感染了孩子们。

【拓展】infection n. 感染

infectious adj. 传染性的；有感染力的

succumb to 屈服；抵挡不住（攻击、疾病、诱惑等）

【例】succumb to the pressure/temptation

屈服于压力/抵挡不住诱惑

succumb to old age 老死

【近义词】surrender to/yield to 投降；屈服

不久前，韩国还因其养殖肉狗的传统而经常登上全球新闻头条，并引起了动物权利组织的愤怒。但是近年来，韩国人被宠物吸引，尤其是狗。

gravitate toward 被吸引；转向

【例】Many young people now gravitate toward careers in the computer industry.

现在许多年轻人被计算机行业的工作吸引。

The conversation gravitated toward politics.

话题转向了政治。

【拓展】gravity n. 重力

gravitation n. 引力

consist of 由……构成

【例】The group consists of ten people.

小组由10人构成。

【辨析】constitute v. 构成

【例】Ten people constitute a group.

10人构成一个小组。

They are looking for companionship at a time when more South Koreans are choosing to stay single, childless or both. More than two-fifths of all households in the nation now consist of only one person.

越来越多的韩国人选择保持单身、不要孩子或两者兼而有之，在这种情况下，他们正在寻找陪伴。韩国超过五分之二的家庭现在仅由一人组成。

gravitate toward 被吸引；转向

【例】Many young people now gravitate toward careers in the computer industry.

现在许多年轻人被计算机行业的工作吸引。

The conversation gravitated toward politics.

话题转向了政治。

【拓展】gravity n. 重力

gravitation n. 引力

consist of 由……构成

【例】The group consists of ten people.

小组由10人构成。

【辨析】constitute v. 构成

【例】Ten people constitute a group.

10人构成一个小组。

Now, one out of every four families in South Korea has a pet, up from 17.4 percent in 2010, according to government estimates. Most of them are dogs.

据政府估计，现在，韩国每四个家庭中就有一个家庭拥有宠物，高于2010年的17.4%。其中大多数是狗。

gravitate toward 被吸引；转向

【例】Many young people now gravitate toward careers in the computer industry.

现在许多年轻人被计算机行业的工作吸引。

The conversation gravitated toward politics.

话题转向了政治。

【拓展】gravity n. 重力

gravitation n. 引力

consist of 由……构成

【例】The group consists of ten people.

小组由10人构成。

【辨析】constitute v. 构成

【例】Ten people constitute a group.

10人构成一个小组。

"In this age of mistrust and loneliness, dogs show you what unconditional love is," said Ms. Kim's 41-year-old daughter, Kim Su-hyeon, who raised two dogs but has no plans for children. "A human child may talk back and rebel, but dogs follow you like you are the center of the universe."

"在这个充满不信任和孤独的时代，小狗向你展示了什么是无条件的爱，"金女士的41岁女儿金秀媛说，她养了两条狗，但不打算要孩子，"小孩可能会顶嘴和叛逆，但狗会跟随你，就好像你是宇宙的中心一样。"

rebel v. 反叛；叛逆

【例】to rebel against a tyrant

反抗暴君

【拓展】rebel n. 叛逆者

rebellion n. 造反；反叛

rebellious adj. 叛逆的

see sb off 送某人离开

【例】I'll see you off at the airport.

我会去机场给你送行。

【反义词】pick sb up 接某人

【例】I'll pick you up at the airport when you arrive.

你到了之后，我会去机场接你。

Kim Kyeong-sook, 63, whose 18-year-old dachshund, Kangyi, was cremated on the same day as Dalkong, agreed. "When I left home, he saw me off at the door until it was closed behind me," she said. "When I returned, he was always there, going crazy as if I were coming home from war overseas."

63岁的金京淑也表示同意，她的18岁腊肠犬康依与大康在同一天被火化。"我离开家时，他在门口送我，直到门在我身后关上。"她说，"当我回来时，他总是在门口，疯狂地扑向我，好像我是从国外打完仗回家一样。"

rebel v. 反叛；叛逆

【例】to rebel against a tyrant

反抗暴君

【拓展】rebel n. 叛逆者

rebellion n. 造反；反叛

rebellious adj. 叛逆的

see sb off 送某人离开

【例】I'll see you off at the airport.

我会去机场给你送行。

【反义词】pick sb up 接某人

【例】I'll pick you up at the airport when you arrive.

你到了之后，我会去机场接你。

The boom in pet services has changed the country's urban landscape. Hospitals and shops catering to pets have become ubiquitous, while childbirth clinics have all but disappeared, as South Korea's birthrate has become the lowest in the world.

宠物服务的繁荣改变了韩国的城市景观。宠物医院和宠物商店无处不在，而妇产诊所几乎已经消失，因为韩国的出生率已经成为世界最低。

landscape n. 地貌；景观

【例】landscape painting 风景画

the change in political landscape 政治格局的变化

the literary landscape of Britain 英国文学之貌

In parks and neighborhoods, strollers are more often than not carrying dogs. Online shopping malls say they sell more baby carriages for dogs than for babies.

在公园和街区，婴儿车常常载着的是宠物狗。网上商城表示，他们销售的狗用婴儿车比婴儿用婴儿车还要多。

landscape n. 地貌；景观

【例】landscape painting 风景画

the change in political landscape 政治格局的变化

the literary landscape of Britain 英国文学之貌

Politically, dogs have led to a rare case of bipartisanship in a country that is increasingly polarized. In January, lawmakers passed a law that banned the country's centuries-old practice of breeding and butchering dogs for human consumption. Now, dogs are family members that get splurged on.

政治上，在这个日益两极分化的国家，狗带来了罕见的两党合作。今年1月，立法者通过了一项法律，禁止该国数百年来为人类食用而饲养和屠宰狗的做法。如今，小狗是人们会大肆宠爱的家庭成员。

polarize v. 两极分化；使截然对立

【例】The issue has polarized public opinion.

这个问题已使公众意见两极化。

【近义词】divide adj. 使有分歧

【拓展】pole n. 地球的极

pole's apart 天南地北；截然相反

splurge on sth 在某物上大肆花钱

【例】We could save the money or splurge on a new car.

我们可以把这钱存起来，也可以用来买新车。

【近义词】lavish money on sth 在某物上挥霍

spend extravagantly on sth 在某物上出手阔绰

课后练习

Why was Kim Seon-ae crying with sorrow?
A. Because her dog was seriously ill.
B. Because she couldn’t save her dog.
C. Because she had lost a family member.
D. Because her beloved pet dog was dead.
Why have more South Koreans gravitated towards pets in recent years?
A. Because they live an increasingly comfortable life.
B. Because many of them live alone and need companionship.
C. Because pets are now considered a status symbol in South Korea.
D. Because the government has encouraged households to adopt street dogs.
What is especially likeable about dogs, according to Ms. Kim's daughter and Kim Kyeong-sook?
A. Dogs provide unconditional love and loyalty.
B. Dogs help them make friends with other people.
C. Dogs are easier to take care of than human children.
D. Dogs are more affordable to raise than human children.
What influence does the trend of owning pet dogs have in South Korea?
A. Childbirth clinics have become more prevalent.
B. People have fostered the habit of strolling in parks.
C. The government has encouraged dog adoption.
D. The pet-related business has been thriving.