Tom: When we say the authentic literature, one is poetry; do you know what the other one is?

所谓的文学正宗，一个是诗词，另一个是什么?

Jerry: Is it the novel?

是小说吗?

Tom: No, it is prose.

不对，是散文。

Jerry: Does prose mean there is no limit of the theme?

散文，是指题材没有限制吗?

Tom: No, prose refers to no rhythms articles in ancient times; in the modern period, it includes article except poetry, drama and novels.

不是的，散文在古代是指不讲究韵律的文章，在现代就是除了诗歌、戏剧、小说外的文学作品。

Jerry: Doesn’t ancient article have to pay attention to parallelism? As the parallel prose?

古代的文章不是都要讲究对仗的吗?像那个什么骈文?

Tom: Prose was popular during the Warring States Period, mainly as the historical prose.

战国时代的时候散文比较兴盛，主要是一些历史散文。

Jerry: Oh, like "The Analects of Confucius" and "Mencius".

哦，知道了，像《论语》，《孟子》这些。