Book bargain: do you sell or swap?二手课本：卖还是送？这是个问题

导读：又到一年新生入学时，以往迎新时学长学姐们把一些必修的课本送给学弟学妹，而现在，旧课本已不再是大学校园里“免费的午餐”了。就连人情，也要讲究“等价交换（equivalent exchange）”。
Book bargain: do you sell or swap?
二手课本：卖还是送？这是个问题
FROM WANG ZI 21ST CENTURY STAFF
PUBLISHED: 2009-09-02
http://www.i21st.cn/story/604.html

AGENCIES：When the rental term — 60, 90 or 130 days — is over, students can either return the textbook or buy it.
学生们在校内的人行道上买卖旧书，这已不是什么新鲜事儿了。当然，他们也完全可以把这些书送给新生们。但不止这么简单，事实证明，“卖”与“赠”的抉择并非易事。
Seeing students’ book bargain on a campus sidewalk is nothing new, it’s true. Of course, they could have just handed them on to newcomers. But, it’s a bit more complicated than that and choosing between the two, it turns out, isn’t all that easy.
以21岁的陈琳娜为例，就读于人民大学新闻专业的她就不想把书拿给学弟学妹们用，因为她觉得：“这些孩子都太精于算计了，而且不懂感恩，不值得帮他们。”
Take Chen Linna, a 21-year-old Renmin University journalism major, for example. She doesn’t want to offer here textbooks to lowerclassmen because she thinks that “kids now are too calculating and rude to deserve a helping hand.”
上学期，一位大一新生向她借一些考试用的参考书。陈琳娜觉得自己应该“尽可能地帮帮这个小妹妹”，就把所有相关的书都借给了她。当归还时，她发现这些书被弄得一团糟。更糟的是，那个曾殷勤地求她帮忙的小女孩，突然间变得冷若冰霜。
Last semester, a freshmen asked to borrow some reference books for exams. Chen handed over all the books she had just “trying to help a little sister.” When she got the books back they were a mess. To make matters worse, the sweet girl who had politely asked for a favor, suddenly turned cold and aloof.
“当我们在走廊里遇见的时候，她甚至都不和我打招呼，”陈琳娜说。“我怎么会傻到帮助一个像她那样的人。”
“She didn’t even bother to greet me when we passed each other in the hallway,” says Chen. “How could I make a fool of myself helping someone like that.” “She didn’t even bother to greet me when we passed each other in the hallway,” says Chen. “How could I make a fool of myself helping someone like that.”
现在，为了避免被欺骗利用，对于别人的请求，她宁愿充耳不闻，“这可以避免一些不必要的烦恼”。
Now, in order to avoid being tricked, she simply turns all requests down, “to avoid unnecessary annoyances”.
那么，为什么陈琳娜不干脆把她的书卖了呢？无论怎样，看起来烦恼都是无法避免的。
So, why didn’t if Chen just sell the books? Well, it seems annoyances are inevitable no matter what.
万立群，22岁，就读于北京科技大学自动化专业。去年，他第一次尝试出售一些旧课本。但与低年级同学面对面时，过于紧张的他甚至无法开口要价。
Wan Liqun, 22, a Beijing University of Technology automation major, tried to sell several of his old textbooks last year, his first time. But when he encountered a lowerclassman, he was too nervous to give a price.
万立群有些迷茫，他解释说：“我不知道为什么会觉得有罪恶感；就好像我是在销售非法商品。”他的第一次图书生意以免费转让而告终。
“I don’t know why I felt so guilty; it was as if I was selling illegal goods,” explains Wan confusedly. His first time in the book business he ended up giving one away for free.
至于那些足够大胆地把二手书卖给低年级同学的人，他们可能要冒着遭到误解的风险。
Those bold enough to try selling their books to lowerclassmen might run the risk of being misunderstood.
李晓晓，19岁，就读于北京化工大学应用化学专业。在新生见面会上，一位高年级同学和他说，有些课程会需要几本很难买到的教材。于是他就从这位学长那里买了两本二手书。最后他发现这两本书只是建议阅读书目，与考试毫无关系。
Li Xiaoxiao, 19, a chemical applications major at Beijing University of Chemical Technology, was told by an upperclassman at orientation that particular textbooks would be needed for some courses. So Li bought two secondhand books from him. It turned out the two books were only for suggested reading, and had hardly anything to do with exams.
“我曾经认为他是出于好心,”李晓晓说。“现在我明白了，他不过是想把一些没有用处的书处理掉，赚点钱。”
“I used to think that guy was warm-hearted,” says Li. “Now I know that he just wanted to get rid of some useless books and make some money.”
显然，“卖”与“赠”这二者之间的冲突正是问题所在。但仍然不乏好心人会将自己的书无偿送给别人。根据21世纪报在校内网上进行的民意测验，参与投票的学生中有87%表示愿意将自己用过的书送给需要的人。
So, problems still exist in the sell-give conflict, but kind-hearted free offers still remain in effect. According to a 21st Century Renren.com poll, 87 percent of students would willingly hand over their used textbooks to any student in need.
谢晓雪，20岁，就读于中南财经政法大学经济学专业。她表示这样做自有道理。
Xie Xiaoxue, 20, a Zhongnan University of Economics and Law economics major even has her reason to do that.
大一时，一位高年级学长曾送给她一本《经济学原理》，事实证明这本书在后来的专业学习中颇有用处。
Her first year at college, an upperclassman gave her a principle of economics textbook that proved to be the longest lasting textbook in her major.
每当翻开这本书，看到那些前任书主留下的读书笔记，她都为自己能成为其中一员并留下新的注释而感到自豪。
When she turned the pages and saw all the notes and marks left by the earlier students, she felt really proud to be one of them and to add things to the book.
谢晓雪解释说：“这是件承上启下的事，它能够激励使用这些书的同学加倍努力，以留下一些值得纪念的东西。”
“It’s something that connects past and present, which can inspire students who use the book to work harder to leave something to be remembered,” reasons Xie.
一如既往地，今年她将这本书传给了一位大一新生。
True to form, she passed the textbook on to a fresh face this year.
(Translator & Editor: Aaron&小胡)
以上文章内容选自《21世纪英文报》，详情请见《21世纪英文报》819期
阅读工具
aloof  冷淡的
annoyance 烦恼
bold 大胆的
calculating  计较的，算计的
hallway 走廊
inevitable 不可避免的
orientation 见面会