[00:00.00] Han Suyin was born in Beijing in 1917.Her father was a Chinese raiway engineer and her mother a Dutch lady.
[00:10.03]She is a physician and the author of many works,including A Mortal Flower,
[00:16.54]which tells of the experiences of the author and her family,both in and out of China.
[00:23.85]this excerpt describes the author'sexperience of looking for her first job in the early 1930s.
[00:32.10]A MORTAL FLOWER by Han Suyin
[00:36.81]The day after meeting Hildal I wrote a letter to the Rockefeller Foundation,applying for a job.
[00:44.12](1) Neither Father nor Mother thoughyt I would get in. "You have to have pull.It's an American thing.
[00:52.92]Rockefeller Foundation.Youmust have pull."
[00:57.57]Mother said: "That's where they do all those experiments on dogs and people.
[01:04.05]All the Big Shots of the Nanking government also came here to have medical treatment,
[01:10.50]and sometimes took away a nurse to become a new wife."
[01:15.44]It made sense to me ,typing in a hospital;I would learn about medicine,since I wanted to study medicine.
[01:23.98]And as there was money at home for me to study,I would earn money,and prepare myself to enter medical school.
[01:32.45]I had already discovered that a convent-school education was not at all adequate,
[01:39.37]and that it would take me at least three more years of hard study before being able to enter any college at all.
[01:48.09]Science,mathematics,Chinese literateure and the classics…with the poor schooling given to me,
[01:56.48]it would take me years to get ready for a university.
[02:01.08]"I will do it,"But clenched teeth,decision tearing my bowels,were not enough;there was no money,no money,
[02:13.64]my mother said it,said it until Ifelt as if every scrap of food I ate was wrenched off my father's body.
[02:22.47]"No one is going to feed you doing nothing at home."(2)Of course,
[02:28.79]one who does not work must not eat unless one can get mrried,which is called:"being settled at last ."
[02:37.36]But with my looks I would never get married ;I was too thin,too sharp,too ugly.Mother said it,
[02:47.08]Elder Brother had said it.Everyone agreed that I should work,because marriage would be difficult for me.
[02:54.92]Within a week a reply came.The morning postman brought it,and I choked over my milk and coffee.
[03:03.33]"I'm to go for aninterview.At the Peking Union Medical College.To the Comptroller's office."
[03:11.84]Father and Mother were pleased.Mother put the coffee pot down and took the letter. "What good paper,so thick."
[03:21.43]But how could we disguese the fact that I was not[even]fifteen years old?
[03:27.60]I had claimed to be sixteen in the letter.In fact,said Papa,it was not a lie
[03:34.99]since Chinese are a year old when born,and if one added the New Year as an extra year,
[03:42.48]as do the Cantonese and the Hakkas,who became two years old when they reach their first New Year
[03:50.92](so that a baby born on December31 st would be reckoned two years old on the following January 2nd),
[03:59.20]I could claim to being sixteen.
[04:02.89]"You look sixteen,"said Mama; "all you have to do is to stop hopping and picking your pimples.And lengten yourskirt."
[04:11.87]What dress should I wear?I had two school uniforms,a green dress,a brown dress,a brown dress,
[04:19.97]and one dress with three rows of frills for Sunday,too dressy for an interview.I had no shoes
[04:28.56]except flat-heeled school shoes,and tennis shoes.There was no time to made a dress
[04:35.96]and in those years no ready-make clothes existed,so Mother lengthened the green dress.
[04:43.40]I squeezed two pimples on my forehead,then went to the East market and bought some face powder,
[04:51.00]Butterfly brand,pink,make in Shanghai by a Japanese firm.
[04:57.27]The next morning,straw-hatted,with powder on my nose,I went with my father to the gates of the hospital.
[05:05.66]"It's not this gate,this is for the sick.It's the other gate,round the corner,"said the porter.
[05:13.36]The Yu Wang Fu Palace occupied a whole city block.We walked along its high grey outer wall,
[05:22.14]hearing the dogs scream in the kennels,and came to its other gate,which was Administration building gate.
[05:30.58]It had two large stone lions,one male,one female.We crossed the marble courtyard,
[05:39.54]walked up the steps with their carved dragons coiling in the mikkle,into an entrance hall,with painted beams
[05:48.24]and intricate painted ceiling,redlacquered pillars huge lamps.There was cork matting on the stone floor.
[05:57.96]"I'll leave you,"said Papa. "Try to make a good impression."And he was gone.
[06:04.67]I found the Comptroller's office easily;there was a messenger in the hall directing visitors.An open door,a room,
[06:15.20]two typewriters clattering and two women making them clatter.
[06:21.07]I stood at the door and one of the women came to me.(3)She had the new style of hair,
[06:28.70]all upstanding curls,which I admired,a dress with a print round the hem;she was very pregnant,
[06:37.90]so that her belly seemed to be coming at me first.She smiled. "Hello,what can I do for you?"
[06:46.83]"I have an interview."
[06:49.76]She took the letter from my hand. "Glad you could come.Now,just sit you down.
[06:57.31]No,sit down there.I'll tell Mr.Harned you've come."
[07:02.66]The office had two other doors besides the one to the coridor, on one was "Comptroller."
[07:10.18]That was the one he went through and returned from.
[07:14.70]"Mr.Harned will see you now."
[07:18.28]"Mr.Harned was very tall,thin,with a small bald head,a long chin,enormous glasses.
[07:27.22]I immediately began to quiver withfright.Hishead was like a temple on top of a mountain,
[07:36.20]like the white pagoda on the hill in the North Sea Park.I could not hear a word of what he said.
[07:44.33]A paper and a pencil wer in my hand,however,and Harned was dictating to me,giving me a speed test in shorthand.
[07:53.47]I went out of his office and the pregnant secretary sat me in front of her own typewriter.
[08:00.55]I turned a stricken face to her, "I couldn't hear.I couldn't hear what he said…"
[08:09.35]"Wait,I'll tell him,"She bustled off.At the other desk was a blonde,thin girl,
[08:17.66]who had thrown one look at me and then gone back to clattering.The pregnant one reappeared,
[08:25.50]a pink sheet in hand: "Now just copy this on the typewriter,best you can."
[08:33.02]I hit the keys,swiftly; the typewriter was the same make as mine, a Royal.
[08:40.10]"My,you are fast.I'll tell Mr.Harned."
[08:45.09]And Mr.Harned came out,benign behind those enormous goggle glasses. "Well,Miss Chou,
[08:54.23]we've decided to take youon as a typist,at thirty-five dollars a month.To start Monday.Is that all right?"
[09:03.35]I nodded,unable to speak.Had he said ten dollars I would have accepted.
[09:10.74]The kind secretary said: "Now take your time,and wipe your face.How old are you,by the way?"
[09:19.46]"Sixteen,nearly."
[09:22.55]"Is that all?Why my eldest is bigger than you,and she isn't through school yet.(4)I told Mr.Handed
[09:31.66]you were shy and upset,and that's why you couldn't take dictation.He's all right,just takes getting used to,that's all."
[09:40.52]"I couldn't understand his English."
[09:44.02]"Oh,you'll get used to it.Now,I won't be around on amonday,I'm going to have a baby.
[09:51.15]It's your letter that got them interested in you,you wrote such good English,better than all the other letter we've had.
[09:59.41]Mr.harned will give you a try."She whispered, "I put in a good word for you."
[10:07.29]"Thanks,thanks a lot,…I need the money,I…"
[10:12.60]"Yes,dear,we know,"Obviously she wanted her typewriter back,and her chair.I was still sitting on it. "
[10:22.26]Well ,bye-bye for now;hope you enjoy yourself in this job.I've been here six months and I've enjoyed every minute.
[10:31.20]Don't let Mr.Harned worry you; he's really great,once you get used to him."
[10:37.28]I had a job,had a job,had a job.
[10:42.93]administration benign brand carve
[10:47.31]管理 和蔼的 商标 雕刻
[10:51.70]coil come at dictate excerpt
[10:55.84]盘绕 向……走来 口述或别人记录 摘录
[10:59.98]foundation get in impression intricate
[10:59.48]基金会 被接受或录取 印象 复杂的
[11:03.29]占据 外面的 说情 抖动
[00:10.03]She is a physician and the author of many works,including A Mortal Flower,
[00:16.54]which tells of the experiences of the author and her family,both in and out of China.
[00:23.85]this excerpt describes the author'sexperience of looking for her first job in the early 1930s.
[00:32.10]A MORTAL FLOWER by Han Suyin
[00:36.81]The day after meeting Hildal I wrote a letter to the Rockefeller Foundation,applying for a job.
[00:44.12](1) Neither Father nor Mother thoughyt I would get in. "You have to have pull.It's an American thing.
[00:52.92]Rockefeller Foundation.Youmust have pull."
[00:57.57]Mother said: "That's where they do all those experiments on dogs and people.
[01:04.05]All the Big Shots of the Nanking government also came here to have medical treatment,
[01:10.50]and sometimes took away a nurse to become a new wife."
[01:15.44]It made sense to me ,typing in a hospital;I would learn about medicine,since I wanted to study medicine.
[01:23.98]And as there was money at home for me to study,I would earn money,and prepare myself to enter medical school.
[01:32.45]I had already discovered that a convent-school education was not at all adequate,
[01:39.37]and that it would take me at least three more years of hard study before being able to enter any college at all.
[01:48.09]Science,mathematics,Chinese literateure and the classics…with the poor schooling given to me,
[01:56.48]it would take me years to get ready for a university.
[02:01.08]"I will do it,"But clenched teeth,decision tearing my bowels,were not enough;there was no money,no money,
[02:13.64]my mother said it,said it until Ifelt as if every scrap of food I ate was wrenched off my father's body.
[02:22.47]"No one is going to feed you doing nothing at home."(2)Of course,
[02:28.79]one who does not work must not eat unless one can get mrried,which is called:"being settled at last ."
[02:37.36]But with my looks I would never get married ;I was too thin,too sharp,too ugly.Mother said it,
[02:47.08]Elder Brother had said it.Everyone agreed that I should work,because marriage would be difficult for me.
[02:54.92]Within a week a reply came.The morning postman brought it,and I choked over my milk and coffee.
[03:03.33]"I'm to go for aninterview.At the Peking Union Medical College.To the Comptroller's office."
[03:11.84]Father and Mother were pleased.Mother put the coffee pot down and took the letter. "What good paper,so thick."
[03:21.43]But how could we disguese the fact that I was not[even]fifteen years old?
[03:27.60]I had claimed to be sixteen in the letter.In fact,said Papa,it was not a lie
[03:34.99]since Chinese are a year old when born,and if one added the New Year as an extra year,
[03:42.48]as do the Cantonese and the Hakkas,who became two years old when they reach their first New Year
[03:50.92](so that a baby born on December31 st would be reckoned two years old on the following January 2nd),
[03:59.20]I could claim to being sixteen.
[04:02.89]"You look sixteen,"said Mama; "all you have to do is to stop hopping and picking your pimples.And lengten yourskirt."
[04:11.87]What dress should I wear?I had two school uniforms,a green dress,a brown dress,a brown dress,
[04:19.97]and one dress with three rows of frills for Sunday,too dressy for an interview.I had no shoes
[04:28.56]except flat-heeled school shoes,and tennis shoes.There was no time to made a dress
[04:35.96]and in those years no ready-make clothes existed,so Mother lengthened the green dress.
[04:43.40]I squeezed two pimples on my forehead,then went to the East market and bought some face powder,
[04:51.00]Butterfly brand,pink,make in Shanghai by a Japanese firm.
[04:57.27]The next morning,straw-hatted,with powder on my nose,I went with my father to the gates of the hospital.
[05:05.66]"It's not this gate,this is for the sick.It's the other gate,round the corner,"said the porter.
[05:13.36]The Yu Wang Fu Palace occupied a whole city block.We walked along its high grey outer wall,
[05:22.14]hearing the dogs scream in the kennels,and came to its other gate,which was Administration building gate.
[05:30.58]It had two large stone lions,one male,one female.We crossed the marble courtyard,
[05:39.54]walked up the steps with their carved dragons coiling in the mikkle,into an entrance hall,with painted beams
[05:48.24]and intricate painted ceiling,redlacquered pillars huge lamps.There was cork matting on the stone floor.
[05:57.96]"I'll leave you,"said Papa. "Try to make a good impression."And he was gone.
[06:04.67]I found the Comptroller's office easily;there was a messenger in the hall directing visitors.An open door,a room,
[06:15.20]two typewriters clattering and two women making them clatter.
[06:21.07]I stood at the door and one of the women came to me.(3)She had the new style of hair,
[06:28.70]all upstanding curls,which I admired,a dress with a print round the hem;she was very pregnant,
[06:37.90]so that her belly seemed to be coming at me first.She smiled. "Hello,what can I do for you?"
[06:46.83]"I have an interview."
[06:49.76]She took the letter from my hand. "Glad you could come.Now,just sit you down.
[06:57.31]No,sit down there.I'll tell Mr.Harned you've come."
[07:02.66]The office had two other doors besides the one to the coridor, on one was "Comptroller."
[07:10.18]That was the one he went through and returned from.
[07:14.70]"Mr.Harned will see you now."
[07:18.28]"Mr.Harned was very tall,thin,with a small bald head,a long chin,enormous glasses.
[07:27.22]I immediately began to quiver withfright.Hishead was like a temple on top of a mountain,
[07:36.20]like the white pagoda on the hill in the North Sea Park.I could not hear a word of what he said.
[07:44.33]A paper and a pencil wer in my hand,however,and Harned was dictating to me,giving me a speed test in shorthand.
[07:53.47]I went out of his office and the pregnant secretary sat me in front of her own typewriter.
[08:00.55]I turned a stricken face to her, "I couldn't hear.I couldn't hear what he said…"
[08:09.35]"Wait,I'll tell him,"She bustled off.At the other desk was a blonde,thin girl,
[08:17.66]who had thrown one look at me and then gone back to clattering.The pregnant one reappeared,
[08:25.50]a pink sheet in hand: "Now just copy this on the typewriter,best you can."
[08:33.02]I hit the keys,swiftly; the typewriter was the same make as mine, a Royal.
[08:40.10]"My,you are fast.I'll tell Mr.Harned."
[08:45.09]And Mr.Harned came out,benign behind those enormous goggle glasses. "Well,Miss Chou,
[08:54.23]we've decided to take youon as a typist,at thirty-five dollars a month.To start Monday.Is that all right?"
[09:03.35]I nodded,unable to speak.Had he said ten dollars I would have accepted.
[09:10.74]The kind secretary said: "Now take your time,and wipe your face.How old are you,by the way?"
[09:19.46]"Sixteen,nearly."
[09:22.55]"Is that all?Why my eldest is bigger than you,and she isn't through school yet.(4)I told Mr.Handed
[09:31.66]you were shy and upset,and that's why you couldn't take dictation.He's all right,just takes getting used to,that's all."
[09:40.52]"I couldn't understand his English."
[09:44.02]"Oh,you'll get used to it.Now,I won't be around on amonday,I'm going to have a baby.
[09:51.15]It's your letter that got them interested in you,you wrote such good English,better than all the other letter we've had.
[09:59.41]Mr.harned will give you a try."She whispered, "I put in a good word for you."
[10:07.29]"Thanks,thanks a lot,…I need the money,I…"
[10:12.60]"Yes,dear,we know,"Obviously she wanted her typewriter back,and her chair.I was still sitting on it. "
[10:22.26]Well ,bye-bye for now;hope you enjoy yourself in this job.I've been here six months and I've enjoyed every minute.
[10:31.20]Don't let Mr.Harned worry you; he's really great,once you get used to him."
[10:37.28]I had a job,had a job,had a job.
[10:42.93]administration benign brand carve
[10:47.31]管理 和蔼的 商标 雕刻
[10:51.70]coil come at dictate excerpt
[10:55.84]盘绕 向……走来 口述或别人记录 摘录
[10:59.98]foundation get in impression intricate
[10:59.48]基金会 被接受或录取 印象 复杂的
[11:03.29]占据 外面的 说情 抖动
