It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

Excerpt from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

参考译文

这是一个最好的时代，也是一个最坏的时代;这是明智的年代，这是愚昧的年代;这是信任的纪元，这是怀疑的纪元;这是光明的季节，这是黑暗的季节;这是希望的春日，这是失望的冬日;我们面前应有尽有，我们面前一无所有;我们都将直下地狱……