从A到Z畅谈美国流行文化：glass half full or emoty
<p><span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>是英语里的一个常见典故。半杯水摆在面前，你看到的是什么?如果你的第一反应是<span word="the">the</span> <span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span>(杯子有一半是满的)，说明你注重积极的一面，是乐观主义者。如果你的第一反应是<span word="the">the</span> <span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>(杯子有一半是空的)，说明你注重消极的一面，是个悲观主义者。</p><p>其实这样的概括过于笼统，因为<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span>和<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>各有各的长处，不像乐观、悲观那样优劣分明。<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span>的优点是：比较容易满足，有益身心健康。做事时注重“巳完成了多少”，而不是“还剩多少”，不太会产生厌烦情绪。</p><p>而<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>的优点是：头脑清醒，不盲目乐观。做起事来往往未雨绸缪，预先想好应对的办法。 这个半杯水到底该算半空还是半满的问题由于太有名，已经渐渐演变成一个笑话。比较经典的回答包括取决于杯子原来的状态。如果原来是空的，倒入半杯水，那是<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span>。如果原来是满的，倒掉半杯水，那是<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>。美国著名喜剧演员<span word="Bill">Bill</span> <span word="Cosby">Cosby</span>也曾经发表过类似的看法：<span word="Is">Is</span> <span word="the">the</span> <span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>? <span word="It">It</span> <span word="depends">depends</span> <span word="on">on</span> <span word="whether">whether</span> <span word="youare">youare</span> <span word="pouring">pouring</span> <span word="or">or</span> <span word="drinking">drinking</span>.(杯子是半满还是半空?那得看你是倒水还是喝水。)</p><p><span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>是个愚蠢的说法。<span word="empty">empty</span>等于零，<span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span>也就 是零的一半，结果还是零。既然杯子里是有水的，<span word="half">half</span> <span word="empty">empty</span> 就是绝对错误的。所以应该是<span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="half">half</span> <span word="full">full</span>。两者都不对。虽然水只有一半，但杯子里还有空气，所以<span word="the">the</span> <span word="glass">glass</span> <span word="is">is</span> <span word="completely">completely</span> <span word="full">full</span>!</p>
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