A scene of desolation

　　Zhai Gong was a Han dynasty government official. Because he held a very high-ranking and powerful position, many of his friends, relatives, and even acquaintances whom he barely knew often went to visit him.

　　Day after day, horses and chariots (carriage)were lined up in front of his house; it was really as if "the courtyard was as crowded as a market place."

　　However, Zhai Gong was removed from office. All people then stopped going to see him, and the place in front of his house was so empty that sparrows would fly about and stop to rest on his doorstep.

　　Shortly after, Zhai Gong was reinstated. After hearing the news, his friends and relatives all once again began to ride their horses or drive their chariots back to visit him.

　　Zhai Gong, however, was now unwilling to see them because he realized the real intention of them.

　　故事梗概：

　　汉文帝时有一个叫翟公的人，曾做过廷尉这样的大官。翟公当官时，每天到他家来的客人，一个接一个，真像是赶集一样。有的来送礼，有的来求情，有的来请客，有的来投奔。门前的宝马雕车，一辆接一辆，挤得水泄不通。哪知好景不长，翟公被免去了官职，从此家中再也没看到一个客人，他家门前变得冷冷清清，简直是空荡到可以设置罗网，来捉麻雀。

　　不久，翟公再度官复原职，过去那些客人突然又出现了，大家登门拜访，像排队一样。翟公为此感触良深，便在自家门前写了一首诗，其中有两句是「一贵一贱，交情乃见。」意思就是说：只有经历过富贵和贫贱，才能看出人与人之间的真正关系。

　　重难点词汇及短语

　　relative亲戚

　　acquaintance熟人

　　barely 几乎不

　　chariot马车

　　sparrow麻雀

　　doorstep门阶

　　reinstate复职