4．
阅读理解
Some friends and I went to
a bar to have a few beers before dinner. Beer is expensive in Japan and so we
only ordered a few pitchers (罐).
We finished the beers,
asked for the bill and left the money on the table. The bill was 4, 990 yen. We
left 5,000 yen, thanked the waiter and left. As we were walking in the street,
we heard someone shouting behind us, waving some money. We quickly realized it
was the waiter from the bar.
He didn't speak English.
We didn't speak Japanese. But he was running to follow us just for giving us
the 10 yen in change. A tip (小费) doesn't come in Japan.
When you leave a tip, it's only the problem of the waiter who has to give it
back to you. From then on, I never tipped but waited for my change everywhere I
went in Japan.
Later I was in Shenzhen,
China, and a family stopped me and my wife. They asked us if they could have
their children take a photo with us. They were visitors from another part of
the country and had never seen an American before.
A similar thing happened
in Shanghai. This time I was alone walking across the Waibaidu Bridge, and a
group of teenage girls asked me (using sign language this time) if I could pose
with them for a photo. I was happy to do it and let them laugh a lot when
taking the photo.
Another surprise took place when I was in Pudong, Shanghai and
couldn't find the way to the subway. I asked a man near me for help. He nodded
quickly and told me to follow him. We went about 4 blocks (街区) and then he pointed to the entrance, smiled, turned and walked
away. I had no time to offer him a tip. However, it's a good thing because
giving a tip for the help might be an insult (侮辱). I
couldn't believe that he had helped a stranger so much.
Again, similar experiences often
happen to me across China. The friendliness of the people, their kindness, and their
warmth are wonderful. However, I hardly experience such kindness in my own
country.
