Dear Ellen,Merry Christmas! Sorry it’s been so long since I last wrote. Old friends like us really need to keep in touch. I’m sending you and your husband a Christmas present which you hopefully will receive before Christmas. I hope you like it.I’ve had a pretty uneventful year. I took only one vacation this year, and I just went to visit my parents. Maybe next year I will go to Europe. If I do, I will be sure to send you a souvenir.译文：亲爱的艾伦：圣诞快乐！很抱歉自从我上次写信给你至今已有很长的一段时间了。像我们这样的老朋友实在应该常常保持联络。我寄上一份圣诞节礼物给你和你的老公，希望在圣诞节前你们可以收到。我希望你们会喜欢。这一年我过得相当平淡无奇。今年我只有去度过一次假，只是去看看我的父母而已。明年我也许会到欧洲去。如果我去了，一定会送你纪念品。
中国作家林建
