文
man-4
Essay
張先生有兩個兒子：大的是張學文，小的是張學新。他們都很聽話，也很喜歡寫字，看書。所以張先生跟他的朋友們說學文，學新都是好孩子，他很喜歡他們。
張先生沒有甚麼錢。他在一個賣書，報的鋪子裡做事，每月的錢很少，所以住的，吃的都不好，衣服舊了也沒錢買新的。他也沒錢給兒子們去上學。每天早上，學文，學新在外頭賣完報回到家以後，他們都看書，寫字，看不明白的時候，他們請教別人。他們喜歡看書，可是沒錢買，他們看的書都是別人送的。十五年以後，學文，學新都大了。他們看過很多書，所以他們的學問都很好，寫的字也很好看。後來他們兩人寫了些書，賣了不少的錢，他們住的，吃的都很好，衣服也都是好的，新的。那個地方的人，都很喜歡他們，也都很喜歡跟他們做朋友。
characters: 339
翻譯
fan-1 yik-9
Translation
Mr. Cheung had two sons. Hok Man was the older,
and Hok San the younger. Both sons were very obedient, and both
liked to read and write. As a result, when he was with his friends
Mr. Cheung would say that both were good sons. Mr. Cheung was
very happy with them.
Mr. Cheung did not have much money. He worked in
a small store where books and newspapers were sold. His monthly
income was very little, and he had little money for food and
lodging. When his clothes became worn, he had no money to buy
new ones. He also had no money to send his children to school.
Every morning after selling newspapers Hok Man and Hok San would
return home, where they would read and write. When then did not
understand what they were reading they would ask someone to teach
them. Although they liked to read, they had no money to buy books
and read only those that others had given them. Fifteen years
past and Hok Man and Hok had grown up. As they had read many
books, they were well educated and could write well. After some
time they had both written books which they sold. As they received
good money, they good now afford good food and lodging, as well
as new and good clothes. The local residents were pleased with
them, and eveeryone wanted to become their friends.
words: 236
Notes
Note 1: As a result appears to be a good translation
for 所以 in this context, as the good things that Mr. Cheung says
about his sons are a consequence of his sons' obedience and study.
Note 2: As 沒有錢 means not to have money. 沒有甚麼錢 means
not to have much money.
Note 3: 每月的錢 probably refers to his monthly income.
Note 4: As the phrases 住的，吃的 parallel the preceding
phrase 每月的錢, is it not likely that the 錢 is understood?
Note 5: The phrase 沒錢買 and 沒錢給兒子們去上學 is of the
base pattern 沒錢 + verb. It apparently means "have no money
to ..." or "cannot afford to ..."
Note 6: 看不明白的時候 refers to a time of reading without
understanding.
Note 7: 請教別人 apparently means to ask another to
teach.
Note 8: 大了 literally means to become big. With
respect to children "grow up" appears to be the proper
translation.
Note 9: The phrase 看過 means "have read"
in the sense of having had experience reading.
Note 10: 他們的學問 apparently refers to their education
or knowledge.
Note 11: 後來 means after a while, in time, thereafter.
Note 12: The use of 些 in the expression 寫了些書 apparently
indicates the plural of 書.
上