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A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens
A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens
Text Learning
After-reading exercises
1 Why is a native New Yorker like me attracted to the classical gardens of Suzhou? Well, I think this famous quote says it all:
"In Heaven ,there is Paradise.
And on Earth, there is Su-Hang."
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A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens
2 The gardens of Suzhou are indeed a little bit of paradise on Earth. And what gives them this quality is not just their magnificent beauty, but their peaceful atmosphere that surrounds visitors. Such peacefulness is something we native New Yorkers rarely experience in our fast-paced city. As the rhythm of modern life speeds up and up, and more and more pete for our attention, those of us who live in big cities begin to lose our ability to focus and fully appreciate the natural world around us. We begin to lose the art of reflection: the pleasure of simply sitting and thinking over the nature of nature, its past, present and future, and our own as well.
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A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens
3 Suzhou gardens are miniatures of natural settings, designed to develop a state of calm, quiet reflection in the visitors. The winding pathways, ponds, ancient trees, flowering plants, and artificial hills are all set out in relations and proportions that mirror plexity of nature. What a relief to be in these marvelous settings after years of running from New York subway to bus to office, to home, to phone calls, puter, to housework--with barely a moment to reflect on the meaning of all these activities.
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A Native New Yorker in Suzhou Gardens
4 Suzhou gardens are full of meaningful symbols, both natural and man-made: the bamboo we find in so many of the Suzhou gardens represents the virtue of honesty as it is upright and shows nothing on its outside that is not on its inside; the plum blossoms represent the triumph of beauty over adversity because they bloom in early spring even when the weather is still a bit col