普通高中课程标准实验教科书英语必修高一下必修3 Unit 1 Festivals around the world-Using language
A SAD LOVE STORY
Li Fang was heart-broken. It was Valentine's Day and Hu Jin had said she would meet him at the coffee shop after work. But she didn't turn up. She could be with her friends right now laughing at him. She said she would be there at seven o'clock, and he thought she would keep her word. He had looked forward to meeting her all day, and now he was alone with his roses and chocolates, like a fool. Well, he was not going to hold his breath for her to apologize. He would drown his sadness in coffee.
It was obvious that the manager of the coffee shop was waiting for Li Fang to leave - he wiped the tables, then sat down and turned on the TV -just what Li Fang needed! A sad Chinese story about lost love.
The granddaughter of the Goddess of Heaven visited the earth. Her name was Zhinü, the weaving girl. While she was on earth she met the herd boy Niulang and they fell in love. ("Just like me and Hu Jin," thought Li Fang.) They got married secretly, and they were very happy. ("We could be like that," thought Li Fang.) When the Goddess of Heaven knew that her granddaughter was married to a human, she became very angry and made the weaving girl return to Heaven. Niulang tried to follow her, but the river of stars, the Milky Way, stopped him. Finding that Zhinii was heart-broken, her grandmother finally decided to let the couple cross the Milky Way to meet once a year. Magpies make a bridge of their wings so the couple can cross the river to meet on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. People in China hope that the weather will be fine on that day, because if it is raining, it means that Zhinü is weeping and the couple won't be able to meet.
The announcer said, "This is the story of Qiqiao Festival. When foreigners hear about the story, they call it a Chinese Valentine's story. It's a fine day today, so I hope you can all meet the one you love."
As Li Fang set off for home, he thought, "I guess Hu Jin doesn't love me. I'll just throw these flowers and chocolates away. I don't want them to remind me of her." So he did.
As he sadly passed the tea shop on the corner on his way home, he heard a voice calling him. There was Hu Jin waving at him and calling, "Why are you so late? I've been waiting for you for a long time! And I have a gift for you!"
What would he do? He had thrown away her Valentine gifts! She would never forgive him. This would not be a happy Valentine's Day!
