[美文欣赏]（一）：
A Faraway Friend i omeone you grew up with or went to chool with or lived in the ame town a until one of you moved away. Without a Faraway Friend, you would never get any mail addreed in handwriting. A Faraway Friend call late at night, invite you to her wedding, alway ay he i coming to viit but rarely how up. An actual viit from a Faraway Friend i a caue for celebration and binge of all kind. Cigarette, Chip Ahoy, bottle of tequila.the Former Friend. A ad thing. At bet a witful memory, at wort a dangerou enemy who i in poeion of many of your deepet ecret. But what wa it that drove you apart? A miundertanding, a betrayed confidence, an unrepaid loan, an ill-conceived flirtation. A poor choice of poue can do in a friendhip jut like that. Going into buine together can be a eriou mitake. Time, money, ditance, cult religion: all noted friendhip killer.
A New Friend i a tonic unlike any other. Say you meet her at a party. In your bowling league. At a Japanee converation cla, perhap.
Wherever, whenever, there' that park of recognition. The firt time you talk, you can't believe how much you have in common. Suddenly, your life tory i intereting again, your inight freh, your opinion valued. Your variou hortcoming are a yet completely inviible.
[参考译文]（二）：
远方的朋友和你一起长大或上同一所学校，直到其中一位搬走。没有远方的朋友，你可能永远也收不到一封手写的信件。远方的朋友半夜来访、邀请你参加她的婚礼，总是说要来看你，但又很少露面。远方的朋友真的来看你时，那就要庆祝一下，自然要狂欢作乐一番，少不了香烟、土豆片、欢呼声和一瓶瓶的龙舌兰酒。
啊，过去的朋友，一件令人伤怀的事。最好的能留给你一个情意绵绵的回忆；最糟糕的拥有你的许多机密从而成为你危险的敌人。但到底是什么使你们分手的？误解、泄密、未偿还的贷款或恶意的调情。对配偶选择不当也会带来同样的后果。合伙经商可能是一个严重的错误。时间、金钱、距离、邪教都是有名的友谊杀手。
新朋友就像一种与众不同的补品。比如说你在一个晚会上或保龄球俱乐部联合会上遇见了她，也许在一个日本会话课上。随时随地，都会产生撞击的火花。刹那间，你的人生经历再次生动起来，你的见解新颖独到，你的观点得到器重，而你的各种缺点却全然不见了。