世界节假日博览 第105期:笔友日

June the 1st is Pen Pal Day. I’m sure most of us have had a pen pal at one time in our lives. Many of us still have one. Today is the day to say thank you to your pen pals. It is also the day to thank your key pals too. Nowadays, most people communicate via e-mail, chat or text messaging. We type using keys, rather than write with pens. Using the latest technology, we can also have webcam pals. Times have changed since the original idea of a pen pal. Many language students have pen pals because it’s a great way to practice writing in another language. There are many websites people can visit to find a pen pal. If you would like a pen pal, perhaps this is the day to start looking and make a new friend.
6月1日为笔友日。我想多数人在某一时期都曾拥有笔友。许多人至今还有。在笔友日当天，让我们表达对笔友的感谢之情。此外，也要感激网友们。当今，多数人通过电邮，网聊或短信交流。网友替代了笔友。随着现代技术发展，我们甚至还有“视友”。自笔友出现以来，我们的时代也发生了改变。许多语言专业学生拥有笔友，通过笔友练习异国语言写作。网上有许多寻找笔友的网站。如果你想拥有一名笔友，不妨开始寻找新朋友。


Being pen pals can lead to lifelong friendships. Some pen pals arrange to meet face to face and others even get married. It is a natural part of who we are to want to communicate with other people and share our hobbies, interests and facts about our life. Many of us are pen pals without even knowing it. Perhaps we all strike up a friendship with someone online and then keep in contact. It might be that the Internet will change the idea of a pen pal forever. The traditional mailing of a letter written on paper and then mailed in an envelope may soon disappear. Many traditionalists say it is more exciting to receive a real letter through the post. Before the Internet, opening and reading a letter from a pen pal was special.
笔友间可产生终身友谊。许多笔友见了面，甚至喜结连理。两人彼此交流，谈论兴趣爱好，谈论生活，这再正常不过了。许多人不知不觉就成了笔友。或许我们都曾拥有网友，并保持联系。互联网或将彻底改变“笔友”的真正含义。传统书信或将不久“灭绝”。许多传统人士认为，接收纸质信件的感觉非常美妙。在互联网之前，阅读笔友信件的感觉太棒了。