资源描述:
《shanghai's back on top of the world》由会员上传分享,免费在线阅读,更多相关内容在行业资料-天天文库。
1、Shanghai'sBackonTopoftheWorldZhouLibo’sshowatthecavernousShanghaiInternationalGymnasticsCenterhasbeensoldoutfordays,andafterIfinallygetaticket,Iunderstandwhy.Sportingatuxedoandawhitebowtie,Zhou,43,astandupcomedian,deliversrapid-firejokes,mostlyaboutlif
2、einShanghai.Thethemeis“I’mcrazyaboutmoney,”andZhouriffsonsoaringpropertyprices,howmuchitcoststoraisekids,evenhowmuchtheU.S.owesChina.Theaudienceofsome3,700roarsitsapproval.Peopleareclapping,slappingtheirthighs,stompingthefloor.Imanageasmile,buteventhou
3、ghIamaMandarinspeaker,Idon’treallygetthehumor,andmanyofmyChinesefriendswouldbealmostaslost.WhileZhousetsuphisjokesinMandarin,thepunchlinesarenearlyalwaysinthelocalShanghaidialect.ThismuchIdoget,however:theperformanceisanunabashedcelebrationofallthingsS
4、hanghaiandShanghainese.ForChina’smostdynamic,mostcosmopolitanandsassiestcity,thisisatimetocelebrate.AfterdecadesofhibernationfollowingthefoundingofMaoZedong’sPeople’sRepublicin1949,Shanghaiisreturningtoitsroostasglobalcenterofcommerceandculture.Thisyea
5、rShanghai,ashostofExpo2010,issquarelyintheinternationalspotlight.ThefairopensMay1,andorganizersexpectmorethan70millionvisitorsoversixmonths.Shanghai’sstyleistodothingsbig.Itspopulationof19millionmakesitoneofthelargestmetropolisesontheplanet.Morethan750
6、foreignmultinationalcompanieshaveofficesinthecity.Theskylinecountsmorethan30buildingsover650ft.(200m)tall.Strolldowncertainstreets,andyoucaneasilyimaginethatyouareinmidtownManhattan–somuchsothatonvisitingthecityin2007fortheMTVStyleGala,ParisHiltonwasmo
7、vedtodeclare,“Shanghailookslikethefuture.”YetShanghaiisstilltryingtodeterminewhatthatfutureshouldbe.Forallthemoney(localandforeign),theconstantbuildingandrebuilding,theinternationalprofile–andtheprideandconfidenceallthesethingsengender–yougetasensewhen
8、youspeakwithmanyShanghainesethatthecityissufferingfromabitofanidentitycrisis.Muchofitrevolvesaroundwhetherandhowtopreservethepast–notjustphysicalstructuresbutalsowhathasalwaysbothmadeShanghaipartofandsetitapartfromtherestofChina.”Ontheo