Profile
Nationality: Egyptian
Hobbies: Singing; drawing; and playing the accordion2
Talents: I am good at drawing pictures of nature.
Whom do you most admire? My father, who is my highest example in every respect.
Do you help with chores at home? I used to help my mother in the kitchen.
Do you use Internet? I use the Internet with the help of my father, and sometimes with my friends.
Where would you most want to travel? Paris.
What comes to mind when you think of China? The country of activity and vitality3.
...and France? The country of fashion.
...and the United States? The country of high tech.
What do you talk about with friends? We talk about nice clothes, accessories , and weaving we own.
Meeting Hadil
Hadil, whose name means “little bird's voice” in Arabic, was born in Egypt and spent most of her life near the city of Tanta in the Gharbia Governorate4 of Egypt. Gharbia is northwest of Cairo, Egypt's capital, and Tanta sits along the Nile. Perhaps the river culture in Egypt influenced Hadil's appreciation for the stories of American author, Mark Twain, about life alongside another large river on the other side of the world, the Mississippi.
At home in Egypt, Hadil lives in a multistory5 house with different parts of her extended family6 living on different floors. A set of grandparents lives on the second floor, her uncles and their families live on the first and fourth floors, and Hadil lives with her mother, father, brother, and her cat, Tiger, on the third floor.
Hadil's life revolves around four main priorities7: family, friends, studies, and religion. At present, her first passion is her studies. Partly because of the example of her parents, who are both accomplished scientists, and partly because of her own desires and the traditions of her culture, Hadil is determined to enter the world of medical research and make an impact. Therefore, school and studying is of the utmost importance to Hadil. Not surprisingly, Hadil is considered a very good student.
When not studying, Hadil enjoys time with her friends and family. With friends, she sometimes plays on the computer, takes walks, and, talks about clothing and the latest fashion trends. (Even though the girls are covered in public, they still love fashion like most girls do everywhere else in the world.) On weekends, Hadil helps her family with the chores and often they will go shopping together.
Islam8 is part of Hadil's everyday life in a way that is different than for other girls throughout the world. Islam was important to Hadil as a result of her upbringing9. Although Egypt is a secular state10, where religion does not officially mix with government, Islamic law strongly influences business, law, and social customs. It determines dress, dietary habits, and prayer. It is not surprising that Hadil's choices for her future are taken with consideration of her religion in mind.
What I most want the world to know
I want the world to know that I am studying and making my best effort to be successful. I want to be like all the girls of my age, to keep my religion, my manners, and my friends. I try to reach people's hearts thanks to my friendship and my good manners.
If I could be...
I would like to be a scientist specializing in11 medical analysis12 , like my mother and my father. And I would like to discover characteristics13 of complex diseases so that I would qualify to14 receive the Nobel Prize when I am older.
I did not choose the other possibilities because exploring outer space would be dangerous. Being the leader of the country could be painful. I do not want to be a pop star because I want to stick to my religion. And, although it could be nice to win an Olympic Gold medal, it would require much training, which would distract me from my studies, my top priority.
Did you know?
○万 学 译
·Ancient Egypt was one of the world's great civilizations, with a history going back to 4000 BC. Under the rule of the Pharaohs15, Egyptian civilization contributed many advances in technology, science, and the arts.
·古埃及是世界伟大文明之一，历史源远流长，可追溯到公元前4000年。在埃及法老的统治下，埃及文明对科技和艺术的进步做出了巨大贡献。
·The pyramids16 , sphinxes17 , ancient temples, the Great Library of Alexandria18 (which is being rebuilt), the Coptic churches19 , the Suez Canal, and the diverse languages, food and people are all testaments20 to Egypt's past. Egypt is also a very modern and cosmopolitan21 place.
·金字塔、狮身人面像、古寺庙、亚历山大图书馆（重建中）、科普特教会、苏伊士运河以及语言、食物和民族的多样性，无不见证了埃及辉煌的过去。埃及还是一个现代化与国际化程度很高的国家。
·The Nile, the world's longest river at 4,160 miles long, is actually two rivers, the Blue Nile and the White Nile. The Nile has made Egypt an oasis22 in an otherwise harsh23 desert.
·尼罗河是世界上最长的河流，全长4160英里，实际由两条河流组成，即蓝尼罗河和白尼罗河。尼罗河使埃及成为了一片绿洲，若没有尼罗河，埃及将会是一个荒凉的沙漠。
·Islam began when the Prophet24 Muhammad received revelations from God while in Mecca during the sixth century. The Koran is the holy text25 of Islam.
·伊斯兰教起源于6世纪的麦加，那时先知穆罕默德获得了上帝的启示。《可兰经》是伊斯兰教的神圣教条。
·Cats in Egypt
It was in Egypt around 4000 BC that cats first became household pets. Cats were so revered26 in Ancient Egypt that, when they died, they were often mummified27 and buried with their owners. Bastet, the goddess of love and fertility28 in Ancient Egypt, is a cat.
·埃及的猫
大约公元前4000年猫在埃及首次成为家庭宠物。古埃及人对猫敬畏有加，猫死后，人们会把它们做成木乃伊，与它们的主人一同埋葬。古埃及的爱与生育神巴斯特就是一只猫。
·Medicine in ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians were the first people on earth to have a specialized medical profession. It is also believed that doctors in ancient Egypt had specializations, like eye-doctors, and head-doctors.
·古埃及的医术
古埃及人是世界上拥有专业医术的第一人。古埃及的医生还被认为有明确的专业分工，如眼科医生和颅科医生。
1. snapshot n. 快照；缩影
2. accordion n. 手风琴
3. vitality n. 活力；生命力
4. governorate n. 省，郡
Gharbia是埃及西部的一个省，Tanta（坦塔）是该省的一个城市
5. multistory adj. 多层的
6. extended family 四世同堂的大家庭
7. priority 斯兰教
9. upbringing n. 教育，抚养
10. secular state世俗国家，即政教分离的国家。secular adj. 世俗的
11. specialize in 专攻
12. medical analysis 医学研究
13. characteristic n. 特征，特性
14. qualify to do sth. 有资格做某事
15. Pharaoh n. 法老
16. Pyramid 金字塔，是法老、王妃的坟墓。他们死后被制成木乃伊，再罩以金衣面具，放置金字塔内。
17. Sphinx 指希腊神话中狮身女人头的动物。
18. The Great Library of Alexandria 亚历山大图书馆，是当时世界上藏书最多、文字最多、书目记录最全的图书馆，同时还是一所大学。
19. The Coptic churches 科普特教会区。科普特教会，源于古埃及亚历山大管区的埃及教会。礼仪繁复，重视修道士生活及进食，又称埃及教会。
20. testament n. 遗产，遗嘱
21. cosmopolitan adj. 全球的，世界性的
22. oasis n. 绿洲
23. harsh adj. 荒芜的
24. prophet n. 先知；预言家
25. holy text 神圣教条
26. revere v. 敬畏，崇敬
27. mummify v. 做成木乃伊
28. fertility n. 繁殖力