Emperor and Coffee

     漫畫中是一個太監(jiān)正伺候皇帝用咖啡的場景。題目是“紫禁城中的星巴克”。作文必須包括三方面的內(nèi)容；（1）描述漫畫及其揭示的問題（2）討論傳統(tǒng)文化與現(xiàn)代的關(guān)系（3）提出你自己的觀點、看法。
 
    （海天英語老師寫作提示：漫畫要表現(xiàn)的是傳統(tǒng)與現(xiàn)代，東西方文化的融合。）

    In the cartoon we see a servant bringing a cup of coffee for the emperor. The joke is that the idea of emperor and the idea of coffee do not usually come together. It is funny to think of the emperor drinking coffee. But the cartoon may yet have another meaning. It implies that emperor, if he were still there today, would learn to drink coffee. Modernization is a historical trend.

    China is a country with a long history. It has special traditions and customs. They are the nation’s great treasures which we should do our best to preserve. However, as China opens up to the world, more and more foreign ideas and products come into country. How we take this western influence and what relationship should be established between the east and the west have become urgent questions for us to answer. For example, should we allow a coffee shop to be opened in the Forbidden City, a place which is thought to represent the essence of oriental life? Can the coffee shop integrate itself into the surrounding or will it from an eyesore?

    I believe that we should be open-minded about western influence. If it is good, we should not refuse it. A coffee shop in the Forbidden City will not pose an threat to our traditional culture. It will instead provide a convenient resting place for visitors who have to walk through the huge palace. The spirit of the 21st century is one of cooperation and coexistence. We should allow different cultures to exist together and flourish together.