To phone or not to phone?
打电话还是不打电话
In the USA, the Amish--a Christian group--are famous because they drive carriages instead of cars, do not use TVs or refrigerators, and do not have personal telephones.
在美国，阿曼门诺派，一个基督教组织，由于他们驱车而不用汽车，不使用电视或者冰箱，同时也没有个人电话而很出名。
Many people assume the Amish must have religious reasons for their many rules, but this is not true.
许多人认为阿曼门诺派教徒一定遵循着许多宗教规则，但事实不是这样的。
In truth, whenever a new technology is introduced, the Amish meet and discuss its advantages and disadvantges.
事实上，无论何时一项新技术的发明，阿曼门诺派教徒将聚集并讨论这项技术的利弊。
They then vote on whether they will accept it.
然后他们投票决定是否接受它。
The Amish reject cars because they like having tight communities where everyone lives close together.
阿曼门诺派教徒拒绝汽车因为他们喜欢紧密的居住在一起。
They have no TVs or refrigerators because their homes do not have electricity,
由于没有电，他们没有电视和冰箱，
they do not think it is necessary and dislike dealing with strangers, such as the people who work at the electric company.
他们并不认为这些东西是必需的，也不喜欢面对陌生事物，如在电力公司工作的人。
Since the Amish value seeing each other face to face, they oppose having telephones in their houses.
因为阿曼门诺派教徒重视彼此面对面交流，所以他们反对在住宅里装电话。
However, in each community there is often a small building that has a telephone for emergencies.
但是，在每个社区都有一个小建筑，里面有紧急情况用的电话。
The telephone is very convenient for communication, and most people in the world today cannot live without it.
电话对于交流很方百年，而且世界上大多数人离了电话无法生活。
However, maybe the Amish have a valid point.
但是，也许阿曼门诺派教徒有一个有效的观点。
Which is more of a friend, someone you often talk to over the phone or someone you often talk to face to face?
你经常聊电话和经常面对面聊天的人，那个更像是一个朋友？
And, if you need help, who can help you better, someone far away or some in the room with you?
而且，加入你需要帮助，谁能更好的帮你，是远在他处的朋友还是和你在一个房间的人？
There is something important about being together and sharing life that cannot be found over a telephone wire.
在一起并分享生活，其中蕴藏着某种重要的东西，而这种东西是无法通过电话线获得的。
There are other disadvantages to the telephone, as well. For example, no matter what the circumstances, when the phone rings, everything stops so that the call can be answered.
电话同时也有一些其他的缺点。例如，无论在什么情况下，当电话铃声响起时，为了接电话，一切都得停下来。
Your family cound be eating dinner or chatting together, yet this will be interrupted.
你的家人可能正在吃晚餐或一起聊天，但必须被打断。
However, most phone calls are not really that important; certainly, they could not be more important than family time.
但是，许多电话并不是真的那么中哟啊；当然，他们不比家庭时间重要。
Then, when you are absorbed in a book or simply trying to rest, the phone always seems to be ringing, destroying whatever peace you might have.
此外，电话总是在你专心读书或要休息的时候响起，打破你本该有的宁静。
However, the person calling is often merely a salesman or someone who has dialled the wrong number.
但是，个人电话经常是来自于拨错号码的销售人员或其他人。