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A string of bad things kept the writer's family from thinking positively. However, a flower from an American sailor in a far from ideal restaurant brought cheers and joy to their hearts, and led to a chain reaction which warmed the hearts of all those present on Christmas Eve. Read the following text to find out more about how a positive small gesture can start a benevolent circle of a warm relationship even among strangers.
一连串不顺心的事情让作者的一家人陷入消极的状态。然而，在一家很不理想的餐馆，一位美国水手送来的鲜花给他们带来了欢呼和喜悦，这一举动引起了连锁反应，圣诞节前夜，在场的所有人的心都被温暖了。阅读下面的文章，找出一个不起眼的善意举动是如何开启人与人甚至是与陌生人之间的人际关系的。
A Sailor's Christmas Gift
水手的圣诞礼物
by William J. Lederer
威廉·J·莱德勒
Last year at Christmas time my wife, three boys, and I were in France, on our way from Paris to Nice. For five wretched days everything had gone wrong. Our hotels were "tourist traps"; our rented car broke down; we were all restless and irritable in the crowded car. On Christmas Eve, when we checked into a shabby hotel in Nice, there was no Christmas spirit in our hearts.
去年圣诞期间，我、妻子和三个儿子在法国，从巴黎前往尼斯。一连五天都很倒霉，没有一件事顺心。入住的旅馆尽是些“宰客的黑店”，租用的汽车也坏了，一家人挤在车上，个个显得烦躁不安。圣诞节前夜，我们住进了尼斯一家邋遢的旅店，心里没有半点圣诞节的感觉。
It was raining and cold when we went out to eat. We found a boring looking little joint carelessly decorated for the holiday. It smelled greasy. Only five tables in the restaurant were occupied. There were two German couples, two French families, and an American sailor, by himself. In the corner a piano player monotonously played Christmas music.
我们外出就餐时，天正下着雨，天气寒冷。我们找到了一家小餐馆，这小店看着很乏味，只是随便装饰了一下来应节。餐馆散发着一股油腻的味道。里面只有五张桌子坐了人：两对德国夫妇，两户法国家庭和一名独自用餐的美国水手。在餐厅的一个角落里，钢琴师在无精打采地弹奏着圣诞乐曲。
