壹苹派生活美语　人生不设线

　　The Measure is a novel that explores how people deal with their fate after discovering it. The story begins when mysterious wooden boxes appear on doorsteps across the world. Inside each box is a string whose length reveals when the person it is addressed to will die. As people start opening their boxes, society begins to fall apart. People with longer strings enjoy special privileges and opportunities, while those with shorter strings face fear and discrimination. The presence of the strings creates new problems for people. A doctor struggles with ethical issues about how to treat patients whose death dates are already known.

　　《人生不设线》是一部探讨人们在发现其命运之后如何面对的小说。故事以世界各地的家门口出现神秘木盒为开端。每个盒子里都有一条线，线的长度揭示了收件者的死亡时间。随著人们开始打开盒子，社会开始分崩离析。拥有较长线的人享有特殊权利和机会，而拥有较短线的人则面临恐惧及歧视。线的存在给人们带来了新的问题。一名医生在如何治疗那些已知死期的病人的道德问题上挣扎。

生活必备字词：

reveal　vt. 揭露，透露

fall apart　　瓦解；破裂

issue　n. 问题；议题

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本文节录自《常春藤生活英语》杂志，完整内容请见六月号。