4.The World House(547)

Ninth grade rewrite

The World House

【1】A famous writer once came up with a story idea about a family that was very different from each other but had to live together in the same house. This idea is like the world we live in today. We have all inherited a "world house," where people from different races, cultures, and religions must learn to live together in peace.

【2】While African Americans are deeply involved in the struggle to find their place in the United States, we must also recognize that we are all part of a larger world community. Achieving equality in America won't solve our problems if we ignore global issues like poverty and war.

【3】Today, the people of the world are closer than ever before, thanks to scientific and technological advancements. A century ago, inventions like the electric light bulb, airplanes, and radios didn't exist. People couldn't communicate or travel as easily as we can now. Science has brought many benefits, but it has also created dangerous weapons and other challenges.

【4】As we look to the future, science will continue to advance. We might soon see people walking on the moon or flying across the ocean in just a few hours. Medical advancements could allow us to live longer, and automation could give people more free time. But with all these changes, it's important that we don't lose sight of our moral values and sense of fairness.

【5】In recent decades, we've also witnessed a global movement for freedom. The Civil Rights Movement in the United States is part of a larger worldwide effort to end oppression and promote equality. We are living in a time of great change, and it's crucial that we stay aware and engaged, rather than sleep through it, like Rip Van Winkle, who missed an entire revolution while he slept.

【6】In this "world house," we must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, or we will face the consequences of division. We need to work hard to bridge the gap between our scientific progress and our moral progress. One of humanity's greatest challenges is that, despite our material wealth, we suffer from a lack of spiritual and moral strength.

【7】Western civilization is especially vulnerable right now because material abundance hasn't brought peace or happiness. A writer from Asia once pointed out that although we have many "labor-saving" devices, we are constantly busy and dissatisfied. This criticism highlights a problem with our society that we can't ignore.

【8】This doesn't mean we should reject scientific progress. We can't turn back time to when people used horses instead of cars or plows instead of tractors. But we do need to close the gap between our scientific power and our moral understanding. When science advances faster than our moral values, we end up with powerful weapons in the hands of people who don't know how to use them wisely.

【9】To live well in this world house, we must focus on strengthening our moral character and promoting social justice. Without a moral and spiritual awakening, we risk destroying ourselves with the very tools we created to improve our lives.

九年级改写

世界之家

【1】一位著名作家有一次想出了一个故事构思，讲的是一个家庭，他们各不相同，却不得不住在同一所房子里。这个想法就像我们今天生活的世界。我们都继承了一个“世界之家”，在这里，来自不同种族、文化和宗教的人们必须学会和平共处。

【2】当非裔美国人深深投身于在美国寻找自己位置的斗争时，我们也必须认识到，我们都是一个更大的国际社会的一部分。如果我们忽视贫困和战争等全球性问题，在美国实现平等并不能解决我们的问题。

【3】今天，由于科技的进步，世界人民比以往任何时候都更加紧密地联系在一起。一个世纪以前，像电灯泡、飞机和收音机这样的发明还不存在。人们不可能像我们现在这样方便地交流或旅行。科学带来了许多好处，但它也创造了危险的武器和其他挑战。

【4】展望未来，科学将继续向前发展。我们可能很快就会看到人们在月球上行走，或者在几个小时内飞越海洋。医学进步可以让我们活得更久，自动化可以给人们更多的空闲时间。但随着所有这些变化，重要的是我们不要忘记我们的道德价值观和公平感。

【5】近几十年来，我们也见证了一场全球性的自由运动。美国的民权运动是世界范围内结束压迫和促进平等的更大努力的一部分。我们生活在一个巨大变革的时代，保持意识和参与是至关重要的，而不是像瑞普·凡·温克尔那样在睡梦中错过了一场完整的革命。

【6】在这个“世界之家”里，我们必须学会像兄弟姐妹一样生活在一起，否则我们将面临分裂的后果。我们需要努力弥合科学进步和道德进步之间的鸿沟。人类面临的最大挑战之一是，尽管我们拥有物质财富，但我们却缺乏精神和道德力量。

【7】西方文明现在尤其脆弱，因为物质的丰富并没有带来和平与幸福。一位亚洲作家曾指出，虽然我们有很多“省力”的设备，但我们总是很忙，很不满足。这种批评凸显了我们不能忽视的社会问题。

【8】这并不意味着我们应该拒绝科学进步。我们不可能回到人们用马代替汽车或用犁代替拖拉机的时代。但我们确实需要缩小我们的科学力量和我们的道德理解之间的差距。当科学进步的速度超过我们的道德价值观时，我们最终会把强大的武器交到不知道如何明智使用它们的人手中。

【9】为了在这个世界上生活得更好，我们必须注重加强我们的道德品质和促进社会正义。如果没有道德和精神上的觉醒，我们就有可能用我们为改善生活而创造的工具毁灭自己。