It is not hard to say things;it is harder to do them
点不亮的蜡烛
The Candle That Can't Be Lighted
A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life.So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.
His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died. The father became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self.But one night he had a dream.
He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne.Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle.He noticed that one child's candle was not lighted.Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl.Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and then asked，“How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted?”“Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.”
Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate.From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates.No longer would his darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.
一个男人有一个可爱的女儿，那是他唯一的孩子，他深深地爱着她，女儿就是他的全部。因此，当女儿生病时，他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。
然而，他所有的努力都无济于事，女儿还是死了。这位父亲从此变得痛苦遁世，避开很多朋友，拒绝参加一切能使他恢复平静、回到自我的活动。但在一天夜里，他做了一个梦。
梦里他到了天堂，目睹了小天使们的盛会。小天使们排成一队经过一个白色的大宝座。所有的小天使都身穿白色天使衣，手里拿着一支蜡烛。他注意到有一个小天使的蜡烛没有点亮。随后，他认出那个拿着没有点亮的蜡烛的小天使竟然是自己的女儿。他狂奔过去，一把将女儿抱在怀里，亲切地爱抚着她，然后问道：“宝贝儿，为什么只有你的蜡烛没有点亮呢？”“爸爸，他们经常重新帮我点亮蜡烛，可总是让你的眼泪给熄灭。”
就在这时，他猛地惊醒了过来。这个梦给他上了一课，这一课像水晶般透明，而且有立竿见影的效果。从那时起，他不再消极遁世，而是自由自在、兴高采烈地回到以前的朋友和同事中间。而宝贝女儿的蜡烛再也没有被他那无用的眼泪熄灭过。
金链子
The Gold Chain
Once upon a time, there was a poor fisherman who always dreamed of becoming rich. He wished to become a millionaire, and so did his wife.He had heard from some old men before, that several ships loaded with diamonds and gold had once sunk in the nearby seashore.Because of this, for a long time he kept searching that whole area for this treasure.
One day, while he was sitting on the boat daydreaming, he suddenly felt that the fishing rod was being weighed down by a heavy object. He excitedly pulled hard at it, and what he saw made him exclaim，“Wow!A big, shiny gold chain!”He pulled hard at the gold chain to get it into the boat, but there seemed to be no end to it.His boat started to get over-loaded and the sea water filled his boat.
However, he had begun dreaming of a big house, a big piece of land and buying horses and cows……He kept pulling in the chain though the boat kept sinking. The boat was finally submerged and he struggled to stay afloat.Unfortunately his feet were entangled in the gold chain and he drowned.
很久以前，有个贫穷的渔夫，他总是梦想着能够发大财，希望自己能够成为百万富翁，他妻子也是如此。他曾听一些年长者说过，以前有几艘载满金银珠宝的船只沉没在附近的海域。因此，长期以来，他一直在这一带的海域里搜寻着金银珠宝。
有一天，正当他坐在船上想入非非时，忽然感到钓线被非常沉重的东西拖住了。他非常兴奋，使劲地往上拉，当鱼线拖出水面时，他不禁大声尖叫起来：“哇！金光闪闪的长金链！”他拼命地把金链子往船上拖，可是似乎没有尽头。他的小船超载了，海水开始灌进船舱。
然而，他却依旧没完没了地做着黄粱美梦：可以买一幢大房子，置一大片稻田，再买下几头牛、几匹马……尽管小船一直往下沉，他却依然拖着金链。最后，小船终于沉下去了，落入水中的他拼命挣扎想游出水面。不幸的是，他的双脚被金链死死缠住，淹死了。
实战提升
单词注解
recluse[ri?klu:s]n.隐居者，遁世者，隐士
angelic[?n?d?elik]a.天使的；天国的
exclaim[ik?skleim]v.（由于强烈的情感或痛苦而）呼喊；大声说
entangle[in?t??gl]v.使缠绕；使陷入
实用句型
……that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self.
……（拒绝参加）一切能使他恢复平静、回到自我的活动。
No longer would his darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.
而宝贝女儿的蜡烛再也没有被他那无用的眼泪熄灭过。
His boat started to get over-loaded and the sea water filled his boat.
他的小船超载了，海水开始灌进船舱。
智慧点津
Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened.
别为结束了而哭泣，要为曾经发生过而微笑。
Greed can overcome common sense.
贪婪使人失去理智。
小偷和他的母亲
The Young Thief and His Mother
A young man was caught stealing, and sentenced to death three days later.
He wanted to speak with his mother before the execution. Of course this was granted.
When his mother came to him, he said，“I want to tell you something.”He said something but she could not hear. He whispered again, and when she came close to him, she put her ear to his mouth.He nearly bit off her ear.All the bystanders were horrified.
“It is to punish her，”he said.“When I was young I began stealing little things, and brought them home to mother. Instead of punishing me, she laughed and said，‘It will not be noticed.’It is because of her that I am here today.”
一个小偷在盗窃时被逮了个正着，因此被判处死刑，三天后执行。
他想在行刑前与他的母亲话别。当然这是允许的。
当他妈妈来到他的面前时，他说：“我要告诉您一件事。”他说的她根本听不见。她走近了一些，小偷又轻声说了一遍。当她将耳朵贴近他的嘴时，小偷突然咬住母亲的耳朵，差点儿把耳朵咬了下来。周围的人都惊呆了。
“这是对她的惩罚，”他说，“我小时候小偷小摸，把偷的东西带回家给她，她不但不惩罚我，反而笑着说：‘不会被发现的。’就是因为她我才落到今天这样的下场。”
淘气的袋鼠
The Bad Kangaroo
There was a small Kangaroo who was bad in school. He put thumbtacks on the teacher's chair.He threw spitballs across the classroom.He set off firecrackers in the lavatory and spread glue on the doorknobs.
“Your behavior is impossible!”said the school principal.“I am going to see your parents. I will tell them what a problem you are!”
The principal went to visit Mr. and Mrs.Kangaroo.He sat down in a living-room chair.
“Ouch!”cried the principal.“There is a thumbtack in this chair!”
“Yes, I know，”said Mr. Kangaroo.“I enjoy putting thumbtacks in chairs.”
At the same time, a spitball hit the principal on his nose.
“Forgive me，”said Mrs. Kangaroo，“But I can never resist throwing those things.”
Suddenly, there was a loud booming sound from the bathroom.
“Keep calm，”said Mr. Kangaroo to the principal.“The firecrackers that we keep in the medicine chest have just exploded.We love the noise.”
The principal rushed for the front door. In an instant he was stuck to the doorknob.
“Pull hard，”said Mrs. Kangaroo.“There are little globs of glue on all of our doorknobs.”
The principal pulled himself free. He dashed out of the house and ran off down the street.
“Such a nice person，”said Mr. Kangaroo.“I wonder why he left so quickly.”
“No doubt he had another appointment，”said Mrs. Kangaroo.“Never mind, supper is ready.”
Mr. and Mrs.Kangaroo and their son enjoyed their evening meal.After the dessert, they all threw spitballs at each other across the dining-room table.
有这么一只小袋鼠，它在学校里非常淘气。它在老师的椅子上放图钉，在教室里扔纸团，在厕所里放鞭炮，还往门把手上抹胶水。
“你的行为真让人无法忍受！”校长说，“我要去见见你的父母，告诉它们你的问题！”
校长去拜访袋鼠夫妇。它坐在客厅的椅子上。
“哎哟！”校长叫道，“这把椅子上有个图钉！”
“是的，我知道，”袋鼠先生说，“我喜欢把图钉放在椅子上。”
就在这时，一个纸团飞过来打在了校长的鼻子上。
“请原谅，”袋鼠夫人说，“我总是控制不住想扔那些东西。”
突然，浴室里传来一声巨响。
“别紧张，”袋鼠先生对校长说，“我们放在药箱里的鞭炮爆炸了，我们喜欢这种声音。”
校长冲向前门，刚要开门，手就被粘在了门把手上。
“使劲儿拽，”袋鼠夫人说，“我们所有的门把手上都有点儿胶水。”
校长挣脱后，冲出屋子，沿着街道跑了。
“它真是个好人，”袋鼠先生说，“我不明白它为什么这么快就走了。”
“它准是还有个约会，”袋鼠夫人说，“没关系，吃晚饭吧。”
袋鼠夫妇和儿子津津有味地共进了晚餐。吃完甜点后，它们在饭桌旁互相扔起纸团来。
实战提升
单词注解
execution[?eksi?kju:??n]n.依法处决；实施
bystander[?bai?st?nd?]n.旁观者；局外人
principal[?prins?p?l]n.校长
spitball[?spitb?:l]n.纸团
实用句型
A young man was caught stealing, and sentenced to death three days later.
一个小偷在盗窃时被逮了个正着，因此被判处死刑，三天后执行。
He set off firecrackers in the lavatory and spread glue on the doorknobs.
它在厕所里放鞭炮，还往门把手上抹胶水。
智慧点津
Minor mistakes, if not be corrected, finally result in disastrous consequences.
小错起初不惩治，必将酿成大错。
Like mother, like daughter.
有什么样的父母，就有什么样的孩子。
北风和太阳
The North Wind and the Sun
The north wind and the sun disputed as to which was the most powerful, and agreed that he should be declared the victor who could strip a wayfaring man of his clothes.
The north wind first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener his blasts, the closer the traveler wrapped his cloak around him, until at last, resigning all hope of victory, the north wind called upon the sun to see what he could do.
The sun suddenly shone out with all his warmth. The traveler no sooner felt his genial rays than he took off one garment after another, and at last, fairly overcome with heat, undressed and bathed in a stream that lay in his path.
“I think that proves who is strongest，”said the sun. But the north wind had crept away to hide.
北风和太阳为谁的威力更大而争执不下。后来它们一致同意：谁要是能够让过路人脱下衣服谁就是胜利者。
北风首先一显身手，用全力刮了起来。可是，它刮得越猛烈，过路人的衣服裹得越紧，最后不得不放弃了获胜的念头。于是，北风只好请太阳一试身手。
太阳突然释放出了它全部的热量。过路人感受到了它亲切的光芒，就一件一件地脱衣服，最后终于抵挡不住炎热，脱光衣服，跳到路边的小溪里游泳去了。
“我想，这足以证明谁更强大了吧。”太阳说。此时，北风早已悄悄溜走，藏了起来。
士兵和他的马
The Soldier and His Horse
During the wars, a soldier looked after his horse with the greatest care. He gave it the best oats to eat and the clearest water to drink.He rubbed it down when it got wet and covered it with a warm blanket on cold winter nights.As a result, the horse was strong and swift and carried its master safely out of the dangers of war.
When peace came, however, the soldier changed. He put the horse out in a field full of thistles and gave it only a little mouldy hay to eat.The stable was a broken-down hut with a leaking roof and a floor made of mud;the only water was in a ditch under the hedge.During the day the soldier made the horse work hard on his farm, carrying loads of wood and pulling heavy wagons.
After some time war broke out again. The soldier took out his heavy breastplate and boots, strapped on his pistols and helmet, and went to the field to catch his horse.Hastily brushing the thistles from its coat, he laid the leather saddle on its back, pulled the bridle over its mangy ears and heaved himself up.
For a moment the horse stood motionless. Then gradually its thin legs began to bend and it sank slowly to the ground.The horse gave the soldier a look of reproach.
“Master，”it said，“you'll have to fight on foot this time. You have made me work like a mule and fed me like a goat.I cannot change back into a horse in an instant just because you want me to.”
战争期间，有个士兵对他的马悉心照料。给它吃最好的燕麦，喝最干净的水。马身上湿了，他就给它擦干；在寒冷的冬夜，他给它盖上温暖的毯子。因此，这匹马很健壮，跑得很快，驮着它的主人屡屡安全脱险。
战争结束了，士兵也变了。他把马拉到长满蓟的野地里，只给它一点儿发霉的干草吃。给它住的马厩是间破旧不堪的茅草屋，屋顶是漏的，地面是泥土地；喝的水也只是树篱旁小水沟里的水。白天，士兵让马在农场里干重活，不是驮木头，就是拉大车。
过了一段时间，战争又爆发了。士兵拿出沉重的盔甲和靴子，带上手枪和头盔，去野地里牵回他的战马。他匆匆地刷了刷马身上的蓟，放上皮马鞍，往长癣的马耳朵上套上笼头，翻身上了马背。
马一动不动地站了一会儿。随后，它干瘦的腿越来越弯，慢慢地倒在了地上。马用责备的目光看了士兵一眼。
“主人，”马说，“这回，您得徒步去打仗了。您让我像骡子那样干活儿，却像喂山羊那样喂我。我不可能如您所期望的那样，瞬间变为一匹战马的。”
实战提升
单词注解
dispute[dis?pju:t]n.辩论；争论
resign[ri?zain]v.辞职；放弃
genial[?d?ini?l]a.和蔼的；友好的
undress[??n?dres]vi.脱衣服
mouldy[?m?uldi]a.发霉的，破旧的
helmet[?helmit]n.头盔
实用句型
The north wind first tried his power and blew with all his might, but the keener his blasts, the closer the traveler wrapped his cloak around him……
北风首先一显身手，用全力刮了起来。可是，它刮得越猛烈，过路人的衣服裹得越紧。
As a result, the horse was strong and swift and carried its master safely out of the dangers of war.
因此，这匹马很健壮，跑得很快，驮着它的主人屡屡安全脱险。
After some time war broke out again.
过了一段时间，战争又爆发了。
智慧点津
Kindness and gentleness are often more effective than force.
仁慈和温和常常比武力更有效。
Start well and end well.
善始善终。
大火炉
The Big Oven
Once upon a time a man had a big house, and in the house there was a big oven;but this man's family was small—only himself and his wife.
When winter came, the man tried to keep his oven going all day, so that the entire stock of his firewood was consumed in a month. Now, with nothing to feed the fire, it was cold in the house.
Then the man began to break up his fences, and use the boards for fuel. When he had burnt up all of his fences, the house, now without any protection against the wind, was colder than ever, and still they had no firewood.
Then the man began to tear down the ceiling of his house, and burn that in the oven. A neighbour noticed that he was tearing down his ceiling, and said to him，“Why, neighbour, have you lost your mind, pulling down your ceiling in winter?You and your wife will freeze to death!”
But the man said，“No, brother, you see I am pulling down my ceiling so as to have something to heat my oven with. We have such a curious one;the more I heat it up, the colder we are!”
The neighbour laughed, and said，“Well, then, after you have burnt up your ceiling, then you will be tearing down your house. You won't have anywhere to live;only the oven will be left, and even that will be cold!”
“Well, that is my misfortune，”said the man，“All my neighbours have enough firewood for all winter;but I have already burnt up my fences and the ceiling of my house, and have nothing left.”
The neighbour replied，“All you need is to have your oven rebuilt.”
But the man said，“I know well that you are jealous of my house and my oven because they are larger than yours, and so you advise me to rebuild it.”
So he turned a deaf ear to his neighbour's advice, and burnt up his ceiling, then his whole house, and in the end had to go and live with strangers.
从前，有个人拥有一幢大房子，里面有个大火炉，可他家人口少——只有他和妻子。
冬天来了，他想尽办法不让火炉熄灭，一个月就把所有的柴火烧光了。现在，没什么可以烧的了，屋子里冷得要命。
然后，他开始拆篱笆，把木板拿来当柴烧。烧掉了篱笆，房子没有了挡风的屏障，比以前更冷了，可他们还是没有柴烧。
接下来，他开始拆屋里的天花板，放进炉子里烧。一个邻居看到他拆天花板后，对他说：“哎呀，邻居，你疯了吗？大冬天拆天花板，你和你妻子会被冻死的。”
可是，他却说：“不，老兄，我拆天花板是为了烧炉子。我们的炉子真是怪，越烧越冷。”
邻居笑着说：“哦，你烧完天花板就会拆房子了。那时你就没地方住了，只剩下那个火炉，可连它也是冰冷的。”
“哎，这是我的不幸啊，”他说，“所有的邻居都有足够的柴火过冬，而我已经烧掉了篱笆和天花板，什么也不剩了。”
邻居回答道：“你只要重砌个炉子就行了。”
可是，他说：“我很清楚，你是嫉妒我的房子和炉子，因为都比你家的大，所以你劝我重砌个炉子。”
结果，他把邻居的劝告当作耳旁风，烧掉天花板后，把房子也烧掉了。最后，他不得不和陌生人住在一起。
小树
The Sapling
Tom with his axe was stepping through the wood, a sapling called to him, and stopped him on his way，“Do clear away those trees, kind friend, I wish you would!They will not let me have free play, on me the sunlight cannot fall. To spread my roots, I find no room at all, no whisper of the wind about me plays, and they twine above my head a veritable maze.I tell you, but for them, if I could only start, you'd find me in a year the pride of all this part.The dell to right and left my friendly shade should cover, but as it is, you see!I'm brushwood—little over.”
Then Tom, he swung his axe apace, his kindness did not waver, and to do a friend this favour, and round the little tree he cleared a tidy space.
Poor Sapling!Not for long his triumph lasted, the heat came first, his sap to drain, and then he was lashed with hail and rain, and last a dreadful storm, which left him quite dismasted!
“Oh foolish one，”heard by a serpent，“it was you that brought about your fall. If longer in the wood's kind shelter you'd been reared, then neither heat nor wind your calm could so importune:you had the elder trees for guardians of your fortune, and if there came a time when all had disappeared, because their day was past and gone.In turn you might have reached such height, as years went on, and so much health and strength have gathered.That all this harm would never have been done, and fiercer storms than this you might have safely weathered.”
汤姆带着斧子穿过树林时，一棵小树叫他，他就停下了脚步。“好心人，帮我砍掉那些树吧，我希望你能帮我这个忙！它们让我无法自由地玩耍，阳光照不到我的身上，我的根也无法延伸。我完全没有空间了，四周密不透风，它们在我头顶结成天罗地网。我告诉你，要不是它们，一年之内，你会发现我才是这里的骄傲，我的枝叶将会遮蔽山谷的左右两旁。然而，你看，现在我只是小灌木。”
于是，汤姆挥动他的斧子。为帮助朋友，他义不容辞！他在小树的周围开辟出了一片干净的地方。
可怜的小树！好景不长，先是酷热降临，吸走了它的汁液。接着它又遭受了暴雨和冰雹的袭击，最后一场致命的风暴把它的枝叶都打折了！
“傻瓜！”它听到附近的一条蛇说道，“你是自作自受！如果你在养育你的老树怀抱里待更长的时间，无论炎炎烈日还是狂风大作，你都可以在老树的庇护下安然度日。如果有一天那些老树都离开了这个世界，随着时间的流逝，你也长到它们那样的高度了。你也变得像它们那样强壮有力，那样即使比这更大的风暴，你也可以挺过去，而不会是今天这样的结果。”
实战提升
单词注解
fuel[?fju?l]n.燃料；养料
misfortune[mis?f?:t??n]n.不幸；灾难
jealous[?d?el?s]a.妒羡的；羡慕的
veritable[?verit?bl]a.名副其实的；真正的
triumph[?trai?mf]n.胜利，成功
dismast[dis?ma:st]v.（使）折断；折断桅杆
实用句型
So he turned a deaf ear to his neighbour's advice……
结果，他把邻居的劝告当作耳旁风。
Do clear away those trees, kind friend, I wish you would!
好心人，帮我砍掉那些树吧，我希望你能帮我这个忙！
智慧点津
On pursuing the unpractical things, you will gain nothing in vain.
一味地追求不切实际的东西，到头来只能是竹篮打水一场空。
In journey of life, everyone requires self-development, self-reliance, as well as the caress, concern and help of others. We can not be successful without the combination of the internal and external of the agent.
在生命的旅途中，每个人都要自强、自立，但也需要他人的爱抚、关心和帮助。只有内因和外因相结合，才能到达成功的彼岸。
微不足道的善举
An Insignificant Act of Kindness
A man was strolling along the beach when he suddenly noticed from afar what he thought were children dancing.“What on earth are they doing dancing on the beach?”as he quickly paced towards them. He was surprised that a boy and a girl were not dancing but picking up the starfishes which were washed ashore by the tide and throwing them back into the sea.
“Excuse me, why are you throwing the starfishes back into the sea?”he asked.
The children ignored the remark but they continued picking up the starfishes and kept throwing them back into the sea.
“Don't you think it is a waste of your time as there are hundreds of starfishes still lying around. Surely you can't keep this act all day long.”
At last the elder boy replied，“Sir, you see the sun would soon rise and the tide will ebb away. Though my sister and I can't throw all the starfishes back into the sea, we are sure it matters to the ones we succeed in throwing.Would you like to join us, it would make a difference.”The man smiled and said，“It certainly would，”so he too pick up the starfishes and threw them into the sea.
有个人在沙滩上散步，在不经意间看到远处好像有孩子在跳舞。“他们为什么要在沙滩上跳舞呢？”他边想边快速地朝孩子们走去。他惊奇地发现，那个男孩和那个女孩并不是在跳舞，而是在捡被潮水冲上岸来的海星，然后把它们扔回大海。
“请问，你们为什么要把海星扔回大海呢？”他问。
孩子们没有理会他，继续捡海星向大海扔去。
“你们不觉得这是在浪费时间吗？还有成千上万只海星躺在岸上呢！你们肯定不会一整天都这样扔下去吧。”
后来，年龄大一点儿的男孩说：“先生，你知道吗，太阳很快就要升起来了，潮水也会退去。虽然我和妹妹不能把所有的海星都扔回大海，但我相信，对于被我们扔回大海的海星来说，我们所做的是至关重要的。你想加入我们吗？这很有意义。”那人笑了笑说：“非常愿意。”于是，他也捡起海星，朝大海扔去。
玩物丧志
Negligence
This is a very well-known story that teaches us a lot about using our time wisely.
A grasshopper was playing on his violin where the ants were busy collecting food.
“It's the grasshopper again!”they said.“He's always playing that violin of his. He never seems to do any work.”
The grasshopper stopped when he saw the ants.“Why are you working on such a beautiful day?”he asked.“Don't you feel the gaiety of spring?Why aren't you dancing and singing while I play my violin?”
“We must collect food now，”said the Queen of ants.“If we don't, what will we do when winter comes?”
“Oh, winter's a long way off，”said the grasshopper.“You take life much too seriously.”
“But you must work today if you want to eat tomorrow，”said the little ant.“You can play your violin after you have finished working，”said another as the ants scurried busily about.
The grasshopper didn't wish to heed their advice，“Go on with your work, my little friends，”he said.“I'm going to dance in the meadow in the sun!”And so the grasshopper left the busy ants and went on his way, singing.
The spring soon passed and the warm days of summer came. All day long the grasshopper played his violin as he sat in the sun or just slept on a blade of grass.Soon summer was over.
One morning, the grasshopper woke up and was surprised to see that snow had fallen during the night. He shivered and looked for a great leaf for food.But although he searched and searched he could not find a thing.The long winter had come.
“Oh dear, oh dear!What shall I do?”cried the grasshopper，“I shall die of hunger. I shall freeze to death!”The grasshopper wandered around looking for a place to keep warm but there was no such place.“How silly I was not to listen to the ants.While I am dying of cold and hunger they are sitting in their warm nest with plenty to eat.”
And sobbing loudly, the grasshopper sat down in the snow. The ants heard his cry and as they were really kind creatures they came hurrying to help him.By this time the poor grasshopper was frozen stiff.The ants picked him up and carried him to their nest.They looked after the grasshopper until he felt better and spring had returned again.Never did the grasshopper forget the lesson he had been taught.
这是一个大家熟知的故事，它告诉我们要明智地利用时间。
蚱蜢在拉小提琴，而蚂蚁却在忙着收集食物。
“又是蚱蜢。”它们说，“它总是在拉小提琴，似乎从来不工作。”
蚱蜢看见蚂蚁后停了下来。“这么好的天气，干吗工作呢？”它问道，“你们不觉得在春天心情是多么舒畅吗？我拉小提琴的时候，你们可以唱唱歌，跳跳舞啊！”
“现在我们必须要收集食物。”蚁后说，“否则，我们冬天怎么办呢？”
“哦，冬天还很远呢！”蚱蜢说道，“你们对待生活太认真啦。”
“但是，今天的工作是为了明天的生活。”小蚂蚁说。“你做完工作后再拉小提琴啊。”另一只忙于工作的蚂蚁说。
蚱蜢却从来没有听从蚂蚁的建议。“我的小朋友们，你们继续工作吧。”它说，“我要到阳光照耀下的草地上跳舞去了。”蚱蜢唱着歌离开了忙碌的蚂蚁。
春天很快过去了，炎热的夏天来了。蚱蜢只是整日坐在太阳下，或躺在草叶上拉小提琴。很快夏天也结束了。
一天早上，蚱蜢醒来后惊讶地发现昨天晚上下雪了。它哆嗦着想去寻找一片大叶子作食物，但是它找啊找，可是什么也没找到。漫长的冬天到来了。
“哦，天哪！我该怎么办呢？”蚱蜢哀号着，“我要被饿死、冻死了。”蚱蜢四处徘徊着想找一个御寒的地方，但是根本找不到。“我真是太傻了，没有听蚂蚁的话。我快要被冻死饿死的时候，它们却待在温暖的巢穴里，不愁吃的。”
蚱蜢坐在雪地上大哭起来。善良的蚂蚁听到它的哭声后，急忙赶来帮忙。等它们到那儿，可怜的蚱蜢已经冻僵了。蚂蚁把它扶起来，抬到它们的巢穴里。它们一直照料着蚱蜢直到它好转，这时春天也来了。从此，蚱蜢再也没有忘记曾经的教训。
实战提升
单词注解
ashore[?? ??:]ad.在岸上；在陆上；上岸
gaiety[?gei?ti]n.快乐；作乐
heed[hi:d]v.听某人的劝告；留心
stiff[stif]a.僵硬的；不灵活的
实用句型
Sir, you see the sun would soon rise and the tide will ebb away.
先生，你知道吗，太阳很快就要升起来了，潮水也会退去。
All day long the grasshopper played his violin as he sat in the sun or just slept on a blade of grass.
蚱蜢只是整日坐在太阳下，或躺在草叶上拉小提琴。
智慧点津
The assist of one person is tiny. But to those who badly need the help, it makes a difference.
一个人的力量是渺小的，但是对于那些需要这些帮助的人来说，那将是莫大的安慰。
Do right things at the proper time, or it's too late to regret for what has passed.
在合适的时节做应该做的事，否则，错过时节才醒悟为时已晚。
此一时，彼一时
Now and Then
One day, a king was travelling in his own land. He saw a farmer so absorbed in his work that he did not even notice a snake coiling round his leg.
The king shouted，“Dear man, there is a snake on your leg!”
The farmer just shook the snake off and continued his work.
The king was very curious and asked，“Dear man, don't you know that the snake can harm you?You ignored it and kept working. Is the work more important than your life?”
The farmer said，“Your Majesty, the only thing that is threatening me is not the snake but the food. If I don't work hard, when the next spring comes, my family members will starve to death!”
The king sympathized with the farmer and he instructed his prime minister to give the farmer a big sum of money.
A year later, the king met the farmer again. He was well dressed and looked rather plump.He was not farming now but there was a bandage on his right arm.
The king asked him，“Dear man, what happened to your arm?”
“Your Majesty，”the farmer replied，“my finger was pricked by a thorn on the pumpkin. Now I need a rest to take care of my arm.”
The king was astonished.“When you were such a poor man, you were not afraid of a snake bite. You only kept working hard.But now you need a rest after being pricked by a little thorn on the pumpkin!”
The farmer said，“Your Majesty, you have forgotten what people usually say:that was before, now it is different!”
一天，国王在他的国家巡游，看见一个农夫正专心地锄地，以至连一条蛇缠住他的腿都没有发觉。
国王大声惊叫起来：“汉子，你的腿被一条蛇缠住了呀！”
农夫抖了抖腿把蛇甩开，然后继续锄地。
国王感到很奇怪，问：“汉子，你不知道那蛇会咬伤你吗？你却满不在乎地干活，难道干活比你的命还重要吗？”
农夫说：“陛下，真正威胁我生命的不是蛇，而是食物。如果我不拼命耕作，明年春天一到，我一家老小就全饿死了！”
国王听了，很同情这个农夫的处境，他命令首相给了农夫一大笔救济金。
一年后，国王又遇见了那个农夫。他衣着华丽，脑满肠肥，甚为富裕。他没有锄地，右臂缠着绷带。
国王上前问他：“汉子，你的胳膊怎么啦？”
“陛下！”农夫答道，“我的手指被南瓜刺扎了一下。现在我需要休息来养养胳膊。”
国王惊叹道：“啊！想当年你穷的时候，蛇都不怕，拼命地干活。现在让南瓜刺扎了一下就想歇息了！”
农夫说：“尊敬的国王，您忘了人们常说：此一时，彼一时嘛！”
园丁与乌龟
An Old Gardener and a Tortoise
One early morning, an old gardener found his garden in a mess and lots of his flowers missing. He was so angry that he shouted，“Who dares to mess up my garden?Who has done this?”
In order to protect his remaining flowers from being destroyed, he decided to lock the garden gate in the evening.
The next morning, the old gardener discovered some of his flowers missing again. The angry old gardener decided to find out how that happened.
When night came, he sat quietly to watch his garden. Soon he saw a tortoise moving slowly into the garden.Once inside, it opened its mouth so wide that it took only one bite to swallow the whole flower.
The gardener shouted，“I've caught you this time!”
The tortoise quickly said，“Please forgive me!”But the old gardener shook his head，“no way.”“My kind lord, if you really want to punish me，”continued the poor tortoise，“I will not resist because I am the one that is guilty. But, no matter what you decide, please do not drown me in the water.It is too painful to die that way.”
“Since you have destroyed so many of my beautiful flowers, I must punish you!”said the old gardener and he immediately threw the tortoise into a lake next to his garden.
After a while, the tortoise surfaced and swam about happily. The old gardener then realised that he had been tricked because the tortoise was not afraid of the water.
一天早晨，一个老园丁发现自己的花园里一片零乱，花儿也少了很多。老园丁很生气，他嚷道：“是谁把我的花园搞得一团糟！是谁干的！”
为了不让花儿再遭到破坏，老园丁便在夜里把栅门紧紧地关了起来。
第二天一早，老园丁发现花儿又少了。气愤的老园丁决定要查个水落石出。
到了晚上，老园丁静静地守在花丛中。这时，他看到一只乌龟慢慢地爬进花园里。乌龟进来后，张开大嘴，一口就把一朵花儿吃掉了。
“这回我可抓住你了。”老园丁喊了起来。
乌龟哀求道：“饶了我吧！”但是老园丁摇着头说：“门儿都没有。”“仁慈的老先生，如果你非要处死我不可，”乌龟装出一副可怜的样子，“我也只好认命了，毕竟是我做了错事，理应受到惩罚。可是，你用什么方法处死我都行，就是别淹死我，因为淹死实在是太难受了。”
“你毁了我那么多漂亮的花儿，我必须惩罚你！”话音未落，老园丁就把乌龟扔到了花园旁的湖里。
不一会儿，乌龟从湖里冒出头来，自由自在地游来游去。老园丁这才意识到自己被骗了，因为乌龟根本就不怕水。
实战提升
单词注解
absorbed[?b?s?:d]adj.被……吸引住的；专心致志的；全神贯注的
starve[sta:v]v.（使）挨饿；饥饿
plump[pl?mp]a.（指动物、人）圆胖的；丰满的
swallow[?sw?l?u]v.吃掉；吞，咽
resist[ri?zist]v.抵抗；对抗
painful[?peinful]a.疼的；痛苦的
实用句型
The king sympathized with the farmer and he instructed his prime minister to give the farmer a big sum of money.
国王听了，很同情这个农夫的处境，他命令首相给了农夫一大笔救济金。
Who dares to mess up my garden?
是谁把我的花园搞得一团糟！
智慧点津
Life is impermanent, wisdom is eternal.
生命无常，智慧永存。
A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.
吃一堑，长一智。
贪婪的獾
The Greedy Badger
One day, at a farmhouse, a hunting dog saw a fox catching a fat hen. The fox held the hen in its jaws and ran off into the jungle.The hunting dog chased the fox who could not run fast enough because of the hen held between his jaws.
When the fox passed by a badger outside his cave, the fox put down the dead hen and said，“Brother Badger, I have stolen this hen from a farm. Would you please hide it in your cave first, and we can enjoy our dinner later together?”
The badger happily carried the big fat hen into his cave while the fox quickly ran off.
The hunting dog reached the cave and stopped when he saw some blood stains at the entrance.
The badger shouted from inside the cave，“Dear Hunting Dog, the chicken was stolen by the fox. I am not the one responsible!”
The hunting dog replied，“The fox was a thief but you are a greedy badger!”The hunting dog immediately went inside the cave and killed the badger.
有一天，狐狸在农舍偷肥母鸡时被猎狗发现了。狐狸叼起那只鸡拼命地往森林里逃。狐狸因为叼着母鸡，跑不快，猎狗在后面紧追不舍。
这时，正巧碰到一只獾在洞口附近徘徊，狐狸放下那只死鸡，说道：“獾老弟，我从农舍偷了一只肥母鸡，你先叼回洞里去吧，晚上咱们一同分享好吗？”
獾兴高采烈地把它叼进洞穴里去了。狐狸飞快地逃走了。
猎狗追到这个洞时便停了下来，因为它看见洞穴入口处有鸡的血迹。
獾在洞里吓得大叫：“猎狗大叔，鸡是狐狸偷的，不关我事！”
猎狗呵斥道：“狐狸是盗贼，而你是贪便宜的同谋！”猎狗立即跑进洞里咬死了獾。
狗和猫
The Dog and the Cat
Long ago, only the cats had the ability to trace their prey by its odour, while the other animals used their vision to discover their prey.
The dog knew that was the best way to hunt a prey so he decided to visit the cat.
“Mr. Cat, can you teach me the skill to trace the prey by its odour?It is very efficient and convenient.”
The cat agreed to teach the dog and to let him stay in his house during the lessons. After a few days, the dog thought that he could use the skill and he wanted to go home.
“You have not learnt the skill yet，”said the cat.“You have to stay longer.”
“But I have to go home now，”the dog insisted.
“All right，”the cat said，“you may go back tomorrow but not today.”
The next morning, the cat said to his wife，“When the dog comes to bid farewell, tell him that I have gone out. When he asks where, tell him that you don't know.”
After a while, the dog came.“Where is the teacher?”he asked.
“He went out early in the morning and I don't know where he went，”the cat's wife answered.
Actually, the cat intended to test whether the dog had learnt how to trace any prey by its odour. The dog started by following the footprints of the cat.However, after a short distance, the cat had jump from one rock to another and then gone into a cave.Then he came out from the other side and leapt onto a tree.
The dog followed the seemingly vanishing footprints of the cat and he came to the two rocks. He entered the cave and managed to come out from the other side of it.At last, he came to the tree but he could not find any footprint.The dog could not trace the cat though he kept going round and round the tree.
The cat stayed on top of the tree watching every move of the dog. Finally, he said，“Look up!You have not completely learnt the skill and yet you are ready to leave.You can see now that you are still ignorant.”
Since then, the dog only knows how to trail its prey on the ground.
上古时期，只有猫有根据气味来追寻猎物的本领，而别的动物只能靠眼睛去发现猎物。
狗知道这是一种极好的狩猎方法。于是，狗决定去找猫。
“猫先生，根据气味来追寻猎物这种方法既灵验又方便，你能传授我这门本领吗？”
猫答应了狗的请求，并让狗在学习时间住在自己的家里。过了几天，狗认为自己已经掌握了这门本领，便想回家。
猫说：“你还没有学会全部的本事呢！你还得再待些日子！”
“但是我现在必须回家呀。”狗坚持说。
“那好吧！”猫说，“但你今天别回，明天再回吧！”
第二天一早，猫对妻子说：“狗来告别时，你就告诉它我出去了。它问我到哪儿去了，你就说不知道。”
不一会儿，狗来了。“老师呢？”狗问道。
“它一早就出门了，我不知道它上哪儿去啦。”猫的妻子回答道。
其实猫是要考验一下狗是否已学会了根据气味来寻找猎物的本领。于是，狗开始顺着猫的脚印去追踪猫的去向。可是，猫离开家走了一段路后，就没有在地上行走了。它从一块石头跳到另一块石头上，然后跳进一个山洞，又从另一个洞口爬出来，最后跳到了一棵大树上。
狗根据猫那若隐若现的脚印，找到了两块石头。它也进了山洞，并竭力从另一个洞口出来。最后，当狗走到树下时，猫的脚印没有了。狗找不到猫的痕迹，就绕着树走来走去。
猫在树上，把这一切情形看得清清楚楚。最后，猫说：“往上看！你还没有学好本事，就打算匆匆离去，结果还不是一只没学问的狗！”
直到今天，狗都只会在地面上追寻猎物。
实战提升
单词注解
cave[keiv]n.洞穴；山洞
vanish[?v?ni?]v.消失，消没
trace[treis]v.跟踪，追踪
ignorant[?ign?r?nt]a.无知的，愚昧的
实用句型
The badger happily carried the big fat hen into his cave while the fox quickly ran off.
獾兴高采烈地把它叼进洞穴里去了。狐狸飞快地逃走了。
You have not completely learnt the skill and yet you are ready to leave.
你还没有学好本事，就打算匆匆离去。
智慧点津
An actual blessing may be misfortune.
福兮祸之所伏。
We need perseverance to learn something well.
学习要持之以恒。
真正的勇气
Real Courage
A father was worried about his son, who was sixteen years old but had no courage at all. So the father decided to call on a Buddhist monk to train his boy.
The Buddhist monk said to the boy's father，“You should leave your son alone here. I'll make him into a real man within three months.However, you can't come to see him during this period.”
Three months later, the boy's father returned. The Buddhist monk arranged a boxing match between the boy and an experienced boxer.Each time the fighter struck the boy, he fell down, but at once the boy stood up;and each time a punch knocked him down, the boy stood up again.Several times later, the Buddhist monk asked，“What do you think of your child?”
“What a shame!”the boy's father said，“I never thought he would be so easily knocked down. I needn't have him left here any longer.”
“I'm sorry that that's all you see. Don't you see that each time he falls down;he stands up again instead of crying?That's the kind of courage you wanted him to have.”
一位父亲很为儿子担心，虽然儿子已经16岁了，却一点儿勇气都没有。于是，父亲决定去拜访一位禅师，请他训练自己的儿子。
禅师对男孩的父亲说：“你应该把你儿子单独留在这里。不出三个月，我会让他成为一个真正的男子汉。不过，在这段时间，你不能来看他。”
三个月后，男孩的父亲又来见禅师。禅师安排这个男孩和一位经验丰富的拳师进行拳术比赛。拳师每次一出手，男孩都被击倒在地上，但男孩又马上站起来；每次被击倒，他就又站起来。几个回合后，禅师问道：“你认为你的孩子怎么样？”
“真丢人！”男孩的父亲说，“我根本没想到他是这样的不堪一击。我不让他再留在这里了。”
“很遗憾，你只看到了这一点。难道你没看到他每次倒下后是重新站起来，而不是哭泣吗？这才是你想要他拥有的那种勇气。”
摆渡费
Boat Fare
There was once a boatman who earned his living by transporting passengers from one side of the riverbank to the other.
One particular day, while he was resting, a businessman came and asked impolitely，“Transport me to the opposite side of the river.”
“Yes, please come aboard，”answered the boatman.
“How much do you charge for the trip?”asked the businessman.
“Eight coins each way，”answered the boatman.
“Eight coins!”exclaimed the businessman.“That is too expensive!I will pay you six coins.”
The boatman then began the journey without saying a word. He rowed and rowed towards the opposite bank.When he was about to reach the other side, he stopped and said，“You may get down here.”
The businessman was shocked，“You expect me to get off here, right into the river?”
The boatman replied politely，“Six coins will only take you here, and eight coins will take you to the riverbank.”
The businessman then said，“Well then, take me back to where we came from.”He thought the boatman would think it troublesome to send him back and would just send him to the other side.
The boatman just replied，“Sure!”He then began to row back to where they began their journey. When they arrived, the boatman said，“Altogether twelve coins, six coins each way.”
The businessman then realised that the boatman was really serious about it. Then he said，“I am sorry, I will pay you the full fare.Please send me over to the other side now.”
The boatman began to row towards the opposite riverbank.
So how much did the businessman have to pay finally?Well, twelve coins plus eight coins, a total of twenty coins!
很久以前，有个摆渡的人，他用船把人们从岸的这边送到对岸，以此赚钱为生。
有一天，他正在休息时，一个商人过来很不客气地说：“把我送到对岸去！”
“知道了，请上船吧。”艄公说。
“摆渡费是多少？”商人说。
“单程八文钱。”艄公答道。
“八文，”商人嚷道，“太贵了，六文吧！”
艄公没有跟他争论，便摇着橹，慢慢地向对岸划去。当来到离对岸不远时，艄公停住船说：“请下船吧。”
商人惊讶地说：“在这儿下船？想让我掉河里吗？”
艄公礼貌地说：“六文钱就只能送到这儿了，八文钱可以送到对岸。”
商人说：“好吧，你把我送回刚才来的岸边吧。”商人心想他这么一说，艄公会觉得再返回刚才那岸边太麻烦了，便会把他送到对岸。
艄公却说：“好的。”然后他把船划回原来的岸边。这时，艄公说：“去六文，回六文，一共十二文。”
商人意识到艄公是认真的，便说：“是我不好，我会付所有的摆渡费的，现在请把我送到对岸去吧！”
于是，艄公又送他到对岸去。
那么，商人一共要付多少摆渡费呢？十二文加八文，一共二十文钱。
实战提升
单词注解
courage[?k?rid?]n.勇气；胆量
transport[tr?ns?p?:t]v.运送，运输
riverbank[?riv?b??k]n.河岸；河堤
particular[p??tikjul?]a.特别的，特殊的
troublesome[?tr?bls?m]a.麻烦的
boatman[?b?utm?n]n.船夫
实用句型
Don't you see that each time he falls down;he stands up again instead of crying?
难道你没看到他每次倒下后是重新站起来，而不是哭泣吗？
……he fell down, but at once the boy stood up.
……男孩都被击倒在地上，但男孩又马上站起来。
智慧点津
Real courage is rather than facing the failure of challenge but to stand up after falling.
真正的勇气不在于敢于面对挑战的失败，而是在于跌倒后再站起来。
When we are too stingy, instead of saving a small sum of money, we may lose more in the long run.
当我们斤斤计较时，为了省下一点点钱，反而会吃大亏。
一丝不苟的州长
The Austere Governor
A Governor visiting a state prison was implored by a convict to pardon him.
“What are you in for?”asked the Governor.
“I held a high office，”the convict humbly replied，“and sold subordinate appointments.”
“Then I decline to interfere，”said the Governor, with asperity，“a man who abuses his office by making it serve a private end and purvey a personal advantage is unfit to be free. By the way, Mr.Warden，”he added to the official beside him, as the convict slunk away，“in appointing you to this position, I was given to understand that your friends could make the Shikane county delegation to the next State convention solid for the present administration.Was I rightly informed?”
“You were, sir.”
“Very well, then, I will bid you good-bye. Please be so good as to appoint my nephew Chaplain.”
州长在视察一所州管监狱时，有个罪犯哀求州长宽恕他。
“你犯了什么事？”州长问道。
“我曾经是个高级官员，”犯人低声下气地回答，“因为向下级卖官。”
“那样的话，我绝不会管你的事情，”州长严厉地说，“为达到个人目的、牟取私利而滥用职权的人不应该得到自由。顺便说一下，监狱长，”当那个罪犯偷偷溜走时，他接着对身旁的那位官员说，“我在任命你担任这个职务时，得知你的朋友能让西科恩县参加下届州会议的代表团支持本届政府。我得到的消息准确吗？”
“是的，州长先生。”
“那么，很好，我该向你道别了。请别忘记任命我的侄子为牧师啊。”
金钱包
The Purse of Gold
A beggar found a leather purse that someone had dropped in the marketplace. Opening it, he discovered that it contained 100 pieces of gold.Then he heard a merchant shout，“A reward!A reward to the one who finds my leather purse!”
Being an honest man, the beggar came forward and handed the purse to the merchant saying，“Here is your purse. May I have the reward now?”
“Reward?”scoffed the merchant, greedily counting his gold.“Why, the purse I dropped had 200 pieces of gold in it. You've already stolen more than the reward!Go away or I'll tell the police.”
“I'm an honest man，”said the beggar defiantly，“Let us take this matter to the court.”
In court the judge patiently listened to both sides of the story and said，“I believe you both. Justice is possible!Merchant, you stated that the purse you lost contained 200 pieces of gold. Well, that's a considerable cost.But, the purse this beggar found had only 100 pieces of gold.Therefore, it couldn't be the one you lost.”
And, with that, the judge gave the purse and all the gold to the beggar.
一个乞丐在集市捡到了一个别人遗失的皮钱包。他打开钱包一看，发现里面有100枚金币。这时，他听到一个商人大声叫喊：“有重谢啊！谁发现我的皮钱包有重谢啊！”
乞丐很诚实，走过去把钱包递给商人说：“这是你的钱包吧，我现在可以得到重谢了吗？”
“重谢？”商人一边贪婪地数着金币，一边嘲讽地说，“啊，我丢失的钱包里有200枚金币，你偷走的金币比我要给你重谢的还要多。走开，不然我要叫警察了！”
“我是个诚实的人！”乞丐反驳道，“我们到法庭评理去！”
法庭上，法官耐心地听完双方的陈述，然后说：“我相信你们两个人，法律是公正的！商人，你说你丢失的钱包里有200枚金币，这可是相当大的一笔钱。但是这个乞丐发现的钱包里只有100枚金币，因此，这个钱包不是你丢的那个。”
法官说完之后，就把钱包和所有的金币都判给了乞丐。
实战提升
单词注解
implore[im?pl?:]v.恳求，哀求
decline[di?klain]v.谢绝；下降
delegation[?deli?gei??n]n.代表团
bid[bid]v.致敬；说（问候话）
leather[?lee?]n.皮革
marketplace[?ma:kitpleis]n.集市
reward[ri?w?:d]n.奖赏
considerable[k?n?sid?r?bl]a.相当大（多）的
实用句型
……he added to the official beside him, as the convict slunk away……
……当那个罪犯偷偷溜走时，他接着对身旁的这位官员说……
Justice is possible!
法律是公正的！
智慧点津
People always see the faults of others, and hardly realize that the behavior of others mirrors themselves.
人们往往只能看到别人的错误，殊不知，自己的不良行为和别人的没有什么两样。
Blind greed will only lose more.
一味的贪婪只会失去更多。
猫头鹰和驴
The Owl and the Ass
A blind ass, which had undertaken a long journey, wandered from the road into a forest. As the night came on, our foolish fellow went so far into the thicket that it couldn't move either backward or forward;and even one who had eyes would have been unable to get out of that difficulty.But an owl, by good luck, happened to be in the neighbourhood, and offered to act as a guide to the ass.
We all know how well owls see at night. Hills, hillocks, precipices—all these our owl distinguished as if it had been daylight.By daybreak, it had made its way with the ass to the level road.Now, how could any one part with such a guide?So the ass entreated the owl not to desert it, and determined to visit the whole world in the owl's company.Our owl seated itself like a lord on the back of the ass, and the two friends began to continue their journey.
But did it prosper?No. The sun had scarcely begun to glow in the morning sky, when a greater than nocturnal darkness hid everything from the owl's eyes.But our owl is obstinate;it directs the ass at random.
“Take care!”it cries，“We shall tumble into a pool, if we go to the right.”
There was really no pool on the right;but on the left there was even worse.
“Keep more to the left—another pace to the left!”
And, the owl and the ass fell into the ravine together.
一头瞎眼的驴子在长途跋涉时迷了路，走进了森林。夜幕降临时，这头蠢驴钻进了灌木丛，进退不得。就是视力好的动物也没有办法摆脱这个困境。幸运的是，一只猫头鹰恰好在附近，它乐意为驴子当向导。
众所周知，猫头鹰在夜间视力很好，斜坡啦、山丘啦、悬崖啦——它都能辨认出来，就像在白天一样。黎明时分，它已领着驴子来到了平地上。现在，谁愿意离开这么好的向导呢？于是驴子恳求猫头鹰不要撇下它，驴子决意与它结伴一同环游世界。猫头鹰像君主般端坐在驴背上，这两个好朋友继续它们的旅行。
但是，这能行得通吗？不能。清晨，太阳刚刚放射出光芒，猫头鹰眼前就出现了比夜幕还黑的黑暗，什么也看不见了。可是，它一意孤行，随意地指挥着驴子。
“小心，”猫头鹰喊道，“要是往右走，我们会掉进池塘里去的。”
实际上，右边根本没有什么池塘，左边的情况反而更糟。
“再往左边一点儿，往左迈一步。”
结果，猫头鹰和驴一起掉进了深谷。
肚子和它的器官
The Belly and Its Members
In former days, when all a man's limbs did not work together as amicably as they do now, but each had a will and way of its own, the members generally began to find fault with the belly for spending an idle luxurious life, while they were wholly occupied in laboring for its support, and ministering to its wants and pleasure;so they entered into a conspiracy to cut off its supplies for the future;The hands were no longer to carry food to the mouth, nor the mouth to receive the food, nor the teeth to chew it.
They had not long persisted in this course of starving the belly into subjection, ere they all began, one by one, to fail and flag, and the whole body to pine away. Then the members were convinced that the belly also, cumbersome and useless as it seemed, had an important function of its own;that they could no more do without it than it could do without them;and that if they would have the constitution of the body in a healthy state, they must work together, each in his proper sphere, for the common good of all.
以前，人的四肢并不是像现在这样友好地合作。它们有各自的意志和行事方式。人体的其他器官指责肚子过着悠闲、奢侈的生活，而它们则为它终日忙碌着，给它吃给它喝，让它快乐。后来，它们密谋要切断对肚子的供应。手不再把食物送到嘴里，嘴不再接受东西，牙齿也不再咀嚼了。
它们本想让肚子挨饿，从而使它屈服，可是，没过多久它们就坚持不住了。它们个个感到疲倦乏力，整个身体也消瘦下来了。此时，这些器官才明白，肚子虽然看似笨拙、无用，实际上却有其重要的作用；它们离不开肚子，而肚子也同样离不开它们；如果想让身体保持健康，它们就得为了共同的利益精诚合作，各司其职。
实战提升
单词注解
thicket[?θikit]n.丛林
distinguish[dis?ti?gwi?]v.区分，辨别
obstinate[??bstinit]a.固执的
amicably[??mik?bli]ad.友善地
cumbersome[?k?mb?s?m]a.笨重的
实用句型
A blind ass, which had undertaken a long journey, wandered from the road into a forest.
一头瞎眼的驴子在长途跋涉时迷了路，走进了森林。
We shall tumble into a pool.
我们会掉进池塘里去的。
So they entered into a conspiracy to cut off its supplies for the future.
它们密谋要切断对肚子的供应。
智慧点津
Not always properly guide, could not trust your leader superstitiously.
没有永远正确的向导，不能迷信领导。
We must work together, each in his proper sphere, for the common good of all.
我们应该为了共同的利益，精诚合作，各司其职。
状元和乞丐
The Number One Scholar and the Beggar
One day one of God's messengers descended to the world and happened to meet an eminent monk who was telling fortunes for two boys. The monk pointed at one of the boys saying“Number One Scholar，”and at another one“Beggar.”
Twenty years later, the messenger came down to the world again. When he saw the previous two boys, he was puzzled about the outcome:the original“Number One Scholar”now became a beggar while the original“Beggar”turned into a Number One Scholar instead.
So the messenger went to ask God.
God answered，“I endow everyone with talent, which only decides one third of his destiny while the rest lies in how he grasps it.”
Life is just like this.
一天，上帝的一个使者来到了人间，他遇到了一位高僧，这位高僧正在为两个孩子占卜前程。高僧指着其中一个孩子说“状元”，然后指着另一个孩子说“乞丐”。
20年后，上帝的使者又来到了人间，看到了先前的那两个孩子，结果让他百思不得其解：当初的“状元”如今成了乞丐，而当初的“乞丐”反而成了状元。
于是，使者去问上帝。
上帝说：“我赋予每个人的天分只决定他命运的三分之一，其余的则在于他如何去把握。”
人生就是这样。
猫和铃铛
The Cat and the Bell
There were many mice in a house. The man of the house got a cat.The cat killed many of the mice.
Then the oldest mouse said，“All mice must come to my hole tonight, and we will think what we can do about this cat.”
All the mice came. Many mice spoke, but none knew what to do.At last a young mouse stood up and said，“We must put a bell on the cat.Then, when the cat comes near, we shall hear the bell and run away and hide.So the cat will not catch any more mice.”
Then the old mouse asked，“Who will put the bell on the cat?”No mouse answered.
He waited, but still no one answered.
At last he said，“It is not hard to say things;but it is harder to do them.”
房子里有许多老鼠。房主找来一只猫，这只猫吃掉了很多老鼠。
这时，最老的一只老鼠说：“今天晚上，所有的老鼠必须到我的洞里来，我们要想办法，来对付这只猫。”
所有的老鼠都来了。很多老鼠都发言了，但是，谁也不知道该怎么办。最后，有一只年轻的老鼠站起来说：“我们必须在猫的身上挂一个铃铛，这样一来，当猫走近时，我们听到铃声，就可以躲起来了，猫就再也抓不到老鼠了。”
这时，那只年老的老鼠说：“谁去给猫挂铃铛呢？”没有一只老鼠回答。
它等了一会儿，仍然没人回答。
最后，它说：“说起来容易，但做起来难啊。”
实战提升
单词注解
messenger[?mesind??]n.使者
eminent[?emin?nt]a.杰出的
destiny[?destini]n.命运
实用句型
One day one of God's messengers descended to the world and happened to meet an eminent monk who was telling fortunes for two boys.
一天，上帝的一个使者来到了人间，他遇到了一位高僧，这位高僧正在为两个孩子占卜前程。
God answered，“I endow everyone with talent, which only decides one third of his destiny while the rest lies in how he grasps it.”
上帝说：“我赋予每个人的天分只决定他命运的三分之一，其余的则在于他如何去把握。”
智慧点津
Every man is the architect of his own fortune.
每一个人都是自身幸福的建筑师。
It is not hard to say things;but it is harder to do them.
说起来容易，做起来难。
骄傲的牡蛎
The Proud Oyster
An oyster that was very proud was talking with a fish.“Let's be friends and we can look after each other whenever the fisherman's net comes along，”the fish suggested.
The proud oyster replied，“I have a strong shell and I feel safe when I close my shell, for no harm can happen to me.”
“But when you close your shell, you may not know what is happening.”answered the fish.
Still the oyster boasted that he was perfectly safe and he needs no friends to warn him.
Suddenly, there was a great splashing sound and the oyster closed his shell and very quickly kept quiet.
“What could the splashing have been?Was it a net, and was the fish caught?”the oyster wondered. When at last the oyster opened his shell, he found himself in a strange place.
“Where am I?”He looked for the fish but it was no longer around.
Sadly, the oyster found he was at a fishmonger's stall. A ticket on his back marked，“For Sale!”
一只非常骄傲的牡蛎正在和一条鱼说话。“我们做朋友吧，这样，当渔夫的渔网罩过来的时候，我们就可以互相帮助了。”鱼建议说。
骄傲的牡蛎回答说：“我有坚硬的壳。合上壳之后我就安全了，没有任何东西可以伤害到我。”
“可是，当你合上壳时，你怎么知道外面发生了什么事呢？”鱼不解地问。
可是牡蛎还是继续夸耀自己是绝对安全的，根本不需要任何朋友来提醒它。
突然，传来一声巨响，溅起无数水花，牡蛎马上合上壳，不作声了。
“溅起水花的声音是怎么回事呢？是渔网吗，鱼被抓住了吗？”牡蛎自问道。可是当牡蛎打开壳的时候，却发现自己在一个陌生的地方。
“我在哪儿？”它找鱼，鱼却不在它旁边。
牡蛎悲哀地发现自己正躺在鱼贩子的摊位上，背上还贴着一张写有“出售”字样的标签。
鼹鼠和它的妈妈
The Mole and His Mother
A young mole once boasted to his mother that he could see. Now the mother knew very well that all moles are blind:they live in dark underground burrows and do not need to see where they are going.She decided to find out whether the young mole was lying and she prepared a test.She laid a lump of sweet-smelling soap in front of him.
“Now, what do you see?”she asked.
The young mole touched the hard soap gently with his nose.
“A stone, mother，”he said.
The mother laughed.
“You are not only blind like the rest of us，”she said，“but you have no sense of smell either. If you had not boasted about being able to see I would never have found out about that.”
一次，小鼹鼠向妈妈吹嘘说它能看见东西。妈妈心里很明白，鼹鼠都是看不见的：它们生活在黑暗的地洞里，不需要看见要去往哪里。它决定弄清楚小鼹鼠是否在撒谎，于是准备试一试。它把一块香皂放在小鼹鼠面前。
“看见什么了？”妈妈问。
小鼹鼠用鼻子轻轻地碰了碰坚硬的香皂。
“是石头，妈妈。”它回答道。
妈妈笑了。
“你不但和其他同类一样看不见，”它说，“甚至连嗅觉也没有。如果不是你吹嘘能看见东西，我永远也不会发现这一点。”
实战提升
单词注解
oyster[??ist?]n.牡蛎
stall[st?:l]n.摊；棚
underground[??nd?graund]a.地下的；地面下的
burrow[?b?r?u]n.洞穴
实用句型
We can look after each other whenever the fisherman's net comes along.
当渔夫的渔网罩过来的时候，我们就可以互相帮助了。
He looked for the fish but it was no longer around.
它找鱼，鱼却不在它旁边。
If you had not boasted about being able to see I would never have found out about that.
如果不是你吹嘘能看见东西，我永远也不会发现这一点。
智慧点津
Humility often gains more than pride.
谦逊常比傲慢受益更多。
Don't tell lies. You'll only get caught out.
不要撒谎。撒了谎终究会被发现的。
老鹰和蜜蜂
The Eagle and the Bee
Seeing how a bee was busying itself about a flower, an eagle said to it, with disdain:“How I pity thee, poor thing, with all thy toil and skill!All through the summer, thousands of thy fellows are mounding honeycomb in the hive. But who will afterwards separate and distinguish the results of thy labor?I must confess, I do not understand what pleasure thou can take in it.To labor all one's life, and to have what in view?Why, to die without having achieved distinction, exactly like all the rest.What a difference there is between us!When I spread my sounding pinions, and am borne along near the clouds, I am everywhere a cause of alarm.The birds do not dare to rise from the ground;the shepherds fear to repose beside their wellfed flocks, and the swift does, having seen me, will not venture out into the plain.”
But the bee replies:“To thee be glory and honor!May Jupiter continue to pour on thee his bounteous gifts!I, however, born to work for the common good, do not seek to make my labour distinguished. But, when I look at our honeycombs, I am consoled by the thought that there are in them a few drops of my own honey.”
Fortunate is he, the field of whose labour is conspicuous!He gains added strength from the knowledge that the whole world witnesses his exploits. But how deserving of respect is he who, in humble obscurity, hopes for neither fame nor honour in return for all his labour, for all his loss of rest—who is animated by this thought only, which he works for the common good!
老鹰看到一只蜜蜂正忙着采蜜，就不无轻蔑地对它说：“我真同情你，可怜的家伙，尽管你是如此辛劳，如此灵巧！整个夏天，你和成千上万的同类都在蜂房里建造蜂巢。但是，日后谁会去赞颂你们的劳动成果呢？坦白地说，我不明白你们能从中获得什么乐趣。辛劳一辈子，到头来能看到什么好处呢？唉，临终也未能声名显赫，只是和其他蜜蜂一样默默无闻。我们之间真是有天壤之别啊！当我张开呼呼作响的翅膀，冲上云霄之时，普天之下一片惊慌。鸟儿们不敢飞离地面；牧羊人不敢静卧在肥壮的羊群身旁；连敏捷的母鹿看到我，也不敢冒险踏上平原。”
但是，蜜蜂回答道：“你荣耀辉煌吧！希望丘比特继续把他那慷慨无尽的恩泽倾注于你！然而，我天生就是为公众利益服务的，我不期望张扬我的劳动。不过，当我看到我们的蜂巢，想到那里也有我的几滴蜂蜜，我就觉得很是安慰了。”
工作领域引人注目的人是很幸运的，他们知道世人目睹了自己的成就，就平添了更多的力量；但是，默默无闻的人又是多么值得尊重啊！对于自己付出的劳动和休息时间，他们不谋求名望和荣誉的回报。只要想到自己是在为公众利益服务，他们就有了力量。
男孩和他的斧头
The Boy and His Axe
A long time ago, there lived a very poor but hard working boy in a small suburb. His father was so ill that he became bedridden.To earn a living, the boy woke up early in the morning and went into the jungle to chop wood for sale in the suburb.
One particular day, the boy carried his axe and went into the jungle as usual. When he was near a lake, he saw a big tree.He climbed up the tree and tried to chop some branches.Suddenly his axe slipped and fell into the lake.The boy started crying because he had lost the one tool he needed to earn his living.
Suddenly the water surface rippled and an old man appeared. Seeing that the boy was frightened, he said，“My boy, please do not be afraid.Tell me why you are crying so sadly.”
“My axe dropped into the water. I need it to earn a living to care for my sickly father.”
“Let me search for it，”said the old man. Then he disappeared into the water and the lake became calm again.After a while, the water surface rippled again and the old man reappeared.In his hand was a shining golden axe.
“Is this your axe?”asked the old man.
“This axe is beautiful, but it is not mine，”said the boy.
“Well, let me go in and search once more.”The old man disappeared into the water again. A moment later, he reappeared.This time, he was holding a silver axe.
“Is this your axe?”asked the old man.
“No, mine is just an ordinary one, not made of gold or silver，”replied the boy.
“All right, let me go in and search again.”He then disappeared into the water.
He reappeared this time carrying the boy's axe.
“Yes, yes, that is mine!”shouted the boy excitedly.
The old man said，“My dear boy, I am so pleased that you are such an honest person. I am giving the golden and silver axes to you.You can then find a good doctor and I am sure your father will recover very soon.”The old man then disappeared into the water.
The boy sold both the axes. With the money, he managed to find a good doctor and soon cured his father of his illness.
从前，在一个小村子里，住着一个贫穷却很勤劳的男孩。他的父亲患了重病，长期卧床不起。为了维持生活，男孩不得已每天天刚亮就上山砍柴，然后在村子里卖。
有一天，男孩像往常一样，拿了斧头到深山里去砍柴。男孩在湖边发现一棵大树。他爬上树，挥动斧头砍树枝。突然，斧头从他手中滑落到了湖里。男孩伤心地哭了起来，没有了斧头，他无以为生了。
这时，平静的湖水起了涟漪，从波浪中出现了一位老汉。这吓了男孩一跳，老汉说：“孩子，别怕。告诉我你为何哭得如此伤心？”
“我的斧头掉到湖里去了，我靠它谋生，以此来赚钱照顾我生病的父亲。”
“我这就给你找斧头去。”老汉说完，便消失在湖中了，湖水又恢复了以往的平静。不一会儿，湖水又动荡了起来，老汉从波浪中走出来。他手里拿着一把闪闪发光的金斧头。
“这是你的斧头吗？”老汉问。
“这把斧头好漂亮啊！但它不是我的。”男孩说。
“那好，我再去找你的斧头。”老汉的身影又消失在湖中。过了一会儿，他又手举一把银斧头从波浪里出来。
“是这把吗？”老人问。
“也不是，我的斧头既不是金的，也不是银的，它只是一把普普通通的斧头。”男孩说。
“那好，我再去找找看。”老汉说完又消失在湖中。
老汉再次现身时，手里拿着男孩的斧头。
男孩兴奋地叫道：“是的，是的，这才是我的斧头！”
老汉说：“好孩子，我真高兴你是个如此诚实的孩子。我把金斧头和银斧头也一起送给你。你给你父亲找个好医生，我相信，你父亲很快就会好起来。”老汉说完，又消失在湖中了。
男孩卖掉了金银斧头，用换来的钱找了位医术高明的医生。他父亲的病很快就被治好了。
实战提升
单词注解
disdain[di?sdein]v.鄙视，轻蔑；污辱
distinguish[di?sti?gwi?]v.区分，辨别
confess[k?n?fes]v.供认，承认；坦白
conspicuous[k?n?spikju?s]a.显眼的，易见的
fright[frait]n.惊吓；恐怖
cure[kju?]v.治愈，治好
实用句型
The birds do not dare to rise from the ground.
鸟儿们不敢飞离地面。
I need it to earn a living to care for my sickly father.
我靠它谋生，以此来赚钱照顾我生病的父亲。
智慧点津
The ordinary post to give himself more worthy of our respect, it is their toil that brings our facilities and amenities.
那些在平凡岗位上默默奉献的人更值得我们尊敬，是他们的辛劳给我们带来了便利和舒适。
Honesty is the best quality.
诚实是最好的美德。
三位工匠
Three Craftsmen
A siege of the city of the enemy, the city residents to get together to discuss common fight against the enemy's approach.
A build carpenter to come forward to advocate the use of bricks as a resist material;a carpenter decided to propose to the enemy using wood is the best method;a cobbler, stood up and said，“Gentlemen, I do not agree with your views and I think that as resist material, as no better than pur.”
It is said that people are accustomed to from their own point of view, the view that they are familiar with what is the best.
一座城池被敌军围困了，城中的居民们聚在一起，共同商议对抗敌人的办法。
一个砌匠挺身而出，主张用砖块作为抵御材料；一个木匠毅然提议用木头来抗敌，认为这是最佳的方法；一个皮匠站起来说：“先生们，我不同意你们的意见。我认为作为抵御材料，没有一样东西比皮子更好。”
这是说，人们都习惯于从自身的角度去考虑问题，总认为自己所熟悉的东西是最好的。
男孩和钉子
A Boy and His Nail
Once there was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.
The first day the boy hammered 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily dwindled down.He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.
Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and his father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and one day the young boy told his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.The fence would never be the same.“When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like those nails，”his father said.
从前，有一个小男孩，他的脾气很坏。他的父亲送给他一袋钉子，并告诉他，每发一次火，就必须将一颗钉子钉在栅栏上。
第一天，男孩将37颗钉子钉进了栅栏。又过了几周，随着他学会控制自己的怒火，钉钉子的数量日益减少。他发现控制自己的脾气要比往栅栏上钉那些钉子容易得多。
最后，男孩再也不发火的日子终于来了。他把这件事告诉了父亲。父亲建议他现在如果一整天都能控制住自己的脾气，就拔掉一颗钉子。
不久，男孩告诉父亲所有的钉子都没有了。男孩的父亲拉住他的手，将他领到了栅栏边。栅栏再也不是从前的样子了。“当你生气地说事情时，它们就像那些钉子一样留下了伤疤。”他父亲说。
实战提升
单词注解
siege[si:d?]n.围攻；围困
approach[??pr?ut?]v.接近；靠近
advocate[??dv?kit]v.提倡；主张
temper[?temp?]n.脾气；性情；心境
fence[fens]n.栅栏，篱笆，围墙
scar[ska:]n.伤痕，伤疤
实用句型
It is said that people are accustomed to from their own point of view.
这是说，人们都习惯于从自身的角度去考虑问题。
His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.
他的父亲送给他一袋钉子，并告诉他，每发一次火，就必须将一颗钉子钉在栅栏上。
智慧点津
The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean.
井底之蛙，不知大海。
To be angry with a weak man is a proof that you are not very strong yourself.
对弱者发脾气证明你自己并不是很强。