11、Hurry Up,Plants 拔苗助长
A wise man named Mengzi once told this story:A long, long time ago, there was a farmer who lived with his son in the State of Song. However, they weren’t musical. They were hardworking and rarely sang. The farmer was particularly serious. His closest neighbor had even called him a worrier.Once the weather was good, the farmer and his son planted rice together. They were tired and proud when all the seeds had been planted. The farmer hoped they had done everything perfectly.He wanted to watch the rice grow. Starting at sunrise every day, he stood in the flooded fields, waiting. He wondered if the small green sprout near the boulder had been there an hour ago. He got excited. Maybe it was a new plant! When he looked closer, he saw that it was an old plant. What a disappointment. He went back to watching the fields. He waved his arms to scare birds. Many days passed just in this way.Soon, he began to get worried. It seemed that the shoots had not grown for several days. They looked the same as they had the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that too.He decided to stop at his closest neighbor’s house. As they drank tea, the farmer asked the question that had been bothering him. “By the way, how is your rice growing?” he asked. “I am worried about mine. It seems to have stopped growing!”“Oh, my rice is growing green and healthy!” replied the neighbor. “I am very happy with the progress. Nature will provide.”This conversation did not put the farmer’s mind at ease. He quickly returned to his fields to check on his rice. It looked like it still hadn’t grown. Not even a millimeter! He started to panic. He looked again. Was the rice even shorter than yesterday? Perhaps there was something wrong with his rice!“What if my crop never grows?” he thought aloud. He began pacing back and forth on the side of the rice field. “I must find a way to help my shoots grow faster.”When he got home that night, he told his son about the fields. “The rice does not seem to be growing,” the farmer complained. “What should I do to help it grow?”“Dad,” replied the son, “I think you need to wait. The rice is growing, you just don’t notice it! Have patience. We will harvest the rice in the late summer.”Not satisfied with this answer, the farmer said, “I don’t think so, Son. I think the rice really does need my help. I must do something!”The next morning, the farmer awakened with an idea. “This is so smart!”he congratulated himself. He rushed out to the rice fields. He went from shoot to shoot, pulling them each a few inches upward.He finally finished as the sun was setting. He was tired from the full day of work. But he was happy that he had finished his plan. As he entered the house, he said, “Son, I did so much today! I worked very hard and am tired. But it is worth the pain to help our rice shoots grow faster.”“What did you do?” asked the son. He didn’t wait for an answer.He immediately ran out to the fields. He feared his father had done something foolish. There, he found all the rice had withered and died. He was devastated. All their hard work had gone to waste, and there was no crop left to be saved.By telling this story, the wise man Mengzi wanted people to understand that they should respect the laws of nature. Because the farmer was impatient, he tried to change nature’s natural pace. But instead of helping the rice, he accidentally destroyed it. Even though the rice grew slowly, he should have waited. With patience, his rice would have grown eventually, and he would have enjoyed a good harvest.Question:
Have you ever been impatient with nature? Why, and what did you do?
核心词汇
flood v. 淹没，浇灌水于
sprout n. 新芽，嫩枝
boulder n. 卵石
shoot n. 苗
bother v. 烦扰
millimeter n. 毫米
panic v. 惊慌失措
pace v. 踱步
back and forth 来回地，反复地
patience n. 耐心
harvest v. 收获
worth prep. 具有……的价值，值得……
immediately adv. 立即
wither v. 枯萎
devastate v. 压倒，使垮掉，使混乱
destroy v. 毁坏
eventually adv. 最终
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
很久很久以前，宋国有一个农民，他和儿子住在一起。然而，它们不是音乐。他们工作努力，很少唱歌。这个农民特别严肃。他最亲近的邻居甚至称他为忧患者。天气一好，农夫和儿子就一起种水稻。当所有的种子都种下时，他们既累又骄傲。农夫希望他们把每件事都做得很完美。他想看着水稻生长。从每天日出开始，他站在被洪水淹没的田地里等待。他想知道巨石附近的小绿芽一小时前是否还在那里。他很激动。也许这是一种新植物！当他走近看时，他发现那是一株老植物。真令人失望。他回去看田野。他挥动手臂吓唬鸟。许多天就这样过去了。不久，他开始担心起来。这些嫩芽似乎已经好几天没长了。他们看起来和前一天一样，前一天，前一天也一样。他决定在他最近的邻居家停下来。他们喝茶时，农夫问了一个一直困扰他的问题。”“顺便问一下，你们的水稻长得怎么样？”他问道我担心我的。它似乎已经停止生长了！”“哦，我的米长得又绿又健康！”邻居回答说我对这一进展感到非常高兴。自然会提供。”这番谈话并没有使农夫安心。他很快回到田里去检查他的稻子。看起来它还没有长大。一毫米也没有！他开始惊慌失措。他又看了看。米饭比昨天还要短吗？也许他的米饭有问题！“如果我的庄稼永远长不出来呢？”他大声想。他开始在稻田边来回踱步。”我必须想办法让我的嫩芽长得更快。”当晚回到家时，他告诉儿子有关田地的事。”农民抱怨道：“大米似乎没有长出来。”我应该做些什么来帮助它成长？”“爸爸，”儿子回答，“我想你需要等一等。水稻正在生长，你只是没有注意到而已！耐心点。我们将在夏末收割水稻。”农夫对这个回答不满意，说：“我不这么认为，孩子。我想大米确实需要我的帮助。我必须做点什么！”第二天早上，农夫醒来时想到了一个主意。”这太聪明了！”他祝贺自己。他冲向稻田。他从一个镜头切换到另一个镜头，把每个镜头向上拉了几英寸。太阳落山时，他终于完成了。他整天工作累了。但他很高兴他已经完成了他的计划。当他走进房子时，他说：“儿子，我今天做了那么多！我工作很努力，很累。但是，帮助我们的稻苗更快生长是值得的。”他立刻跑向田野。他担心他的父亲做了一些愚蠢的事。在那里，他发现所有的大米都枯萎了。他非常震惊。他们所有的辛劳都白费了，再也没有庄稼可以挽救了。通过讲述这个故事，智者孟子希望人们理解他们应该尊重自然法则。因为农夫不耐烦，他试图改变大自然的自然节奏。但他并没有帮助大米，而是意外地把它毁掉了。即使稻子长得很慢，他也应该等待。如果有耐心，他的稻子最终会长成，他会获得丰收。12、The Early Bird Catches the Worm 笨鸟先飞
It was a beautiful spring day in a forest in ancient China. The air was crisp and fresh, and the sun was shining brightly. In the dense forest, tall trees stood side by side. The sun’s rays hit the treetops and scattered through their branches. They cast shadows of light and dark on the forest floor.High up in a tree, a mother bird was resting in her nest. She had just hatched six baby birds, called nestlings. The nestlings were covered with soft fluffy down. They didn’t have flight feathers yet, so they weren’t ready to leave the nest.Five of the baby birds were strong. They chirped loudly. The one that had hatched last, though, was not strong at all. Mama Bird called him Xiao Liu, or Little Six. He was frail and quiet. Xiao Liu’s older brothers and sisters teased him often.“Chirp, chirp, look at Xiao Liu,” said Oldest Brother. “He’s so weak, he can barely move.”“Chirp, chirp,” said Fourth Sister. “I know. He wouldn’t budge. I had to climb over him to get to Mama.”“Chirp, chirp, I couldn’t sleep,” said Second Sister.“Xiao Liu was trying to move around. He’s so slow and clumsy! He kept stepping on me.”The older siblings pushed Xiao Liu around. They took his food.Sometimes they even snatched it right out of his mouth!“Chirp, chirp. That’s mine,” said Third Brother.“Chirp, chirp,” said Second Sister. “That worm looks yummy. I want it.”“Chirp, chirp, but I’m hungry!” cried Xiao Liu as his sister took the worm from his mouth.Xiao Liu’s brothers and sisters would call him names too. They gave him the nickname Clumsy Bird.“Chirp, chirp. Move out of the way, Clumsy Bird,” they chirped together.Xiao Liu did not like being laughed at or pushed around by his brothers and sisters.Xiao Liu was not physically strong when he hatched. But he did have a strong will. He decided he would get stronger. He would do exercises every day. Soon, his brothers and sisters would not laugh at him anymore!Every morning, Xiao Liu would rise before the sun even came up. Before his brothers and sisters woke, Xiao Liu would be finished with all his exercises and breakfast.“Chirp, chirp. What are you doing, Clumsy Bird?” asked Oldest Brother.Then he fell back asleep again.“Chirp, chirp, it’s too early, Clumsy Bird,” Second Sister complained.“Stop moving around so much.”Xiao Liu worked hard morning after morning after morning.He flapped his wings over and over and over again to make them stronger. He always got the first worms and bugs Mama brought back to the nest. All through the spring Xiao Liu woke up earlier than his brothers and sisters. He worked harder than they did, week after week. He ate big meals and did not go hungry, week after week.After a couple of months, all the birds had grown flight feathers. Mama Bird gathered her babies to teach them to fly. To everyone’s surprise,Xiao Liu was the first one to start flying! “Chirp, chirp, look at me!” Xiao Liu cried happily while his brothers and sisters struggled to fly from the nest.以下翻译来自百度翻译：
那是中国古代森林里一个美丽的春天。空气清新，阳光灿烂。在茂密的森林里，高大的树木并排矗立着。太阳光照射在树梢上，散落在树枝上。他们在森林的地面上投下了光明和黑暗的阴影。高高的树上，一只母鸟正在巢中休息。她刚刚孵出六只雏鸟，叫雏鸟。雏鸟身上覆盖着柔软的绒毛绒毛。它们还没有羽毛，所以还没有准备好离开巢穴。五只小鸟很强壮。他们叽叽喳喳地大声叫着。不过，最后孵化出来的那只并不强壮。鸟妈妈叫他小刘，或小六。他身体虚弱，沉默寡言。小刘的哥哥姐姐经常取笑他。“唧唧，唧唧，看看小刘，”大哥说他太虚弱了，几乎动弹不得。”“唧唧，唧唧，”四姐说我知道。他不肯让步。我得从他身上爬过去才能找到妈妈。”“唧唧，唧唧，”二姐说那条虫子看起来很好吃。我想要它。”“唧唧，唧唧，可我饿了！”小刘哭着说，他的妹妹从他嘴里叼走了虫子。小刘的兄弟姐妹也会骂他。他们给他起了个绰号叫笨鸟。“唧唧，唧唧。“让开，笨鸟，”他们一起叽叽喳喳地说。小刘孵化时身体并不强壮。但他确实有坚强的意志。他决定要变得更强壮。他每天都做运动。很快，他的兄弟姐妹们就不再嘲笑他了！每天早上，小刘都会在太阳升起之前起床。在他的兄弟姐妹醒来之前，小刘已经做完了所有的练习和早餐。他一次又一次地拍打翅膀，使它们更强壮。他总是得到妈妈带回来的第一批虫子。整个春天，小刘都比他的兄弟姐妹们醒得早。他比他们更努力地工作，一周又一周。他一周又一周地吃大餐，不饿。几个月后，所有的鸟都长出了飞行羽毛。鸟妈妈把她的孩子们召集起来教他们飞。令所有人惊讶的是，小刘是第一个开始飞行的人！”唧唧，唧唧，看着我！”小刘高兴地哭了，而他的兄弟姐妹们挣扎着从巢里飞出来。13、Powerful Mr. Fox 狐假虎威
Meet Mr. Fox. He lives on a mountain with many other animals. Best friends Mr. Butterfly, Mr. Rabbit, and Mr. Monkey live next to Mr. and Mrs. Bird. But there is one animal that is especially important--Mr. Tiger!All the other animals are afraid of Mr. Tiger because he is big and strong.You might even call Mr. Tiger the king of the mountain.One day, as Mr. Fox was napping in the shade of a big tree, Mr. Tiger happened to walk by. He had never met Mr. Fox before, so he was very curious. As he got a closer look at Mr. Fox’s orange, brown, and white fur, his mouth started to water. What a tasty meal Mr. Fox would be!Mr. Tiger poked at Mr. Fox. “Wake up!” he said, while licking his lips.“You look delicious, and I can’t wait to eat you up!”Mr. Fox’s eyes blinked open. “Wha-?” he mumbled, before realizing that he was looking at Mr. Tiger. “OH!” he yelped as he sat up quickly. “Hello, Mr. Tiger, how can I help you?”“Well...” said Mr. Tiger. “I’d like to eat you!”Oh no! thought Mr. Fox. What do I do? I don’t want to be eaten! Let me think… Oh! I know!“Why do you want to eat me?” asked Mr. Fox. “Don’t you know I am more powerful than you?”“HAHAHAHA!” laughed Mr. Tiger. “Now that’s a funny joke! You, more powerful than me? I am Mr. Tiger! I am the king of the mountain! No one is more powerful than me!”“Really?” challenged Mr. Fox. “I promise that I am more powerful than you. I can even show you proof! Here, follow me.”Reluctantly, Mr. Tiger agreed to follow Mr. Fox. As they walked, Mr.Tiger couldn’t help but notice something. Everywhere they went, all the animals scurried away in fear! Could it be? Was Mr. Fox truly more powerful than him? So powerful that all the other animals were afraid of Mr. Fox?“You see?” said Mr. Fox. “All the animals know I am powerful, so they are running away from me! Now that you see that I am more powerful than you, do you still want to eat me, Mr. Tiger?” asked Mr. Fox. “I… No, Mr. Fox. I understand now.” replied Mr. Tiger. “I’m sorry. I did not know your power.” Mr. Tiger hung his head in shame and walked away with his tail between his legs.Once he was sure Mr. Tiger was far away, Mr. Fox burst out laughing.He had simply borrowed Mr. Tiger’s power. All the animals ran away because they were afraid of Mr. Tiger, not Mr. Fox! But Mr. Tiger had thought the animals were afraid of Mr. Fox because Mr. Fox was walking in front! Clever Mr. Fox had successfully tricked Mr. Tiger. Since that day, Mr. Tiger never bothered Mr. Fox again. The End
Question:
Have you ever used someone else’s talents to make yourself seem better?
核心词汇
nap v.打盹
blink v. 眨眼睛
mumble v. 含糊地说话，咕哝
yelp v. 叫喊，嗥叫
challenge v. 对……质疑，否认
proof n. 证据
reluctantly adv. 不情愿地
scurry v. 急匆匆地走
burst out doing sth 突然说出，突然……起来
trick v. 戏弄，愚弄
bother v. 打扰
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
见见福克斯先生。他和许多其他动物住在山上。最好的朋友蝴蝶先生、兔子先生和猴子先生住在伯德夫妇的旁边。但有一种动物特别重要——老虎先生！一天，狐狸先生在一棵大树下打盹，老虎先生碰巧路过。他以前从未见过福克斯先生，所以他很好奇。当他仔细观察狐狸先生橙色、棕色和白色的皮毛时，他的嘴开始流口水。狐狸先生会是一顿多么美味的饭啊！老虎先生戳了一下狐狸先生。”醒醒！”他一边舔着嘴唇一边说。福克斯先生睁大了眼睛。”“什么——？”他咕哝了一声，才意识到自己在看着老虎先生啊!'他很快坐起来时大叫起来。”你好，老虎先生，我能帮你什么忙吗？”哦，不！福克斯先生想。我该怎么办？我不想被吃掉！让我想想……哦！我知道！“你为什么要吃我？”狐狸先生问你不知道我比你强大吗？”“哈哈哈！”老虎先生笑了。”这是个有趣的笑话！你，比我强大？我是老虎先生！我是山中之王！没有人比我更强大！”“真的吗？”福克斯先生质问我保证我比你更强大。我甚至可以给你看证据！来，跟我来。”老虎先生不情愿地同意跟随福克斯先生。他们走着的时候，老虎先生忍不住注意到了什么。他们所到之处，所有的动物都吓得跑开了！可能是吗？福克斯先生真的比他更有权力吗？如此强大以至于所有其他动物都害怕狐狸先生？“你知道吗？”福克斯先生说所有的动物都知道我很强大，所以他们都在逃离我！现在你看到我比你强大，你还想吃我吗，老虎先生？”狐狸先生问。“我……不，福克斯先生。“我现在明白了。”老虎先生回答对不起。老虎先生羞愧地低下头，夹着尾巴走开了。他只是借用了老虎先生的权力。所有的动物都逃跑了，因为他们害怕的是老虎先生，而不是狐狸先生！但是老虎先生认为动物们害怕狐狸先生，因为狐狸先生走在前面！聪明的狐狸先生成功地欺骗了老虎先生。从那天起，老虎先生再也没有打扰过福克斯先生。14、Painting the Dragons to Life 画龙点睛
In the sixth century, South China was a place of peace and happiness.Emperor Wu Di ruled during the Liang Dynasty from 502 to 549 AD. It was a time of great learning and art. Both were very important to Wu Di.A general named Zhang Seng You served under Emperor Wu Di. Zhang was also a famous painter.One day, the An Le Monastery in Jin Ling (now Nanjing) invited Zhang to paint a mural. His painting would decorate the wall outside the temple.The villagers gathered near the wall. They were eager to watch Zhang Seng You create a masterpiece.When Zhang arrived, he stood at the wall for a long time. The villagers wondered why he didn’t start to paint.“Is something wrong?” asked an old man.“I wonder what he’s waiting for,” said a woman.The crowd became anxious. But still they waited and waited. They all wanted to see a master at work.Finally, Zhang began to wave his paintbrush. He painted four large, detailed dragons on the wall. Each was beautiful in its own way. Red, yellow, blue, and black! Each dragon was a different color. The dragons had muscular bodies and large, powerful wings. They had long, curvy tails. They looked so real, they almost seemed to breathe.They had regal noses and eyes, but none of the eyes had pupils.When Zhang finished, he stepped back so everyone could get a better look.“Magnificent!” exclaimed one man.“Beautiful!” said another.“Look at the colors,” said a woman standing in the back.“Such talent,” said the man standing next to her.“Impressive,” said a man in front. Then he nervously added, “But why don’t their eyes have pupils? I don’t see any dots in their eyes.”“The pupil is where the fire and energy of the soul live,” explained Zhang.“If I paint their pupils, the dragons would come alive! They would take off and fly away.”Hearing this, the villagers laughed. What silliness! They teased Zhang about his story.“Draw me lots of money!” a poor woman suggested. “Then put pupils on it!”“Paint a fish dinner!” yelled a small boy, rubbing his stomach. “With big, googly eyes!”“You do not believe me, eh?” Zhang asked, annoyed. “I shall prove it!”Zhang went back to the wall. He used his finest brush to dot pupils in the eyes of two of the dragons.Suddenly, thunder boomed! Lightning flashed in the sky and in the eyes of the painted dragons.“BOOM!” “BOOM!” “ROAR!” “BOOM!”The villagers were startled. They looked up and around. They did not know what was happening. Everyone tried to hide under someone else!Just then, an even bigger noise, like fireworks, surrounded them. The two dragons with dotted eyes broke free from the wall.The two dragons raced upward! They zoomed like lightning returning to its source! Their long tails whipped the winds. They flew higher and higher. Then they disappeared into the storm clouds.The villagers were stunned. Shocked. They looked at the dragons on the wall. Their eyes grew wide. Their mouths hung open, speechless.The villagers looked at Zhang. Then they looked back at the wall. The two dragons without dotted eyes remained still on the wall.“It’s perfect the way you painted it!” added the nervous man in front of the crowd. “Don’t change a thing !”“To dot the pupils of the painted dragon” means that if you want to bring your ideas to life, you must be clear. You have to pay attention to details and finish your work carefully. A similar English idiom that advises people to pay attention to details is “Dot your 'I’s” and cross your T’s.” The End
Question: The dragon was beloved in ancient Chinese culture. Can youname two more beloved creatures in ancient Chinese culture? Why didpeople love them?
核心词汇
rule v. 统治
general n. 将军
monastery n. 寺院
mural n. 壁画
masterpiece n. 杰作
muscular adj. 肌肉的，肌肉发达的
curvy adj. 弯曲的
regal adj. 帝王的，王室的
pupil n. 瞳孔
magnificent adj. 宏伟的，壮丽的
exclaim v. （由于痛苦、愤怒、激动等）呼喊、惊叫
impressive adj. 令人印象深刻的
boom v. 低沉有回响的声音，（大炮、雷、波涛等的）隆隆声
startle v. （使）惊吓
surround v. 包围
dot v. 打点，用点构成
source n. 来源
whip v. 鞭打，抽打
stunned adj. 震惊的
nap v.打盹
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
公元502年至549年，汉武帝在梁朝统治。这是一个伟大的学术和艺术时代。这两件事对吴棣来说都很重要。一位名叫张森佑的将军在武帝手下服役。张艺谋也是一位著名的画家。一天，金陵（现在的南京）的安乐寺邀请张画一幅壁画。他的画将装饰寺庙外的墙壁。当张到达时，他在墙边站了很长时间。村民们想知道他为什么不开始画画。人群变得焦急起来。但他们还是等了又等。他们都想在工作中见到一位大师。最后，张开始挥动他的画笔。他在墙上画了四条又大又细的龙。每个人都有自己的美丽。红，黄，蓝，黑！每一条龙都是不同的颜色。龙有肌肉发达的身体和巨大有力的翅膀。它们有长长的、弯曲的尾巴。它们看起来如此真实，几乎像是在呼吸。当张完成时，他后退一步，以便每个人都能看得更清楚。“真了不起，”前面的一个人说。然后他紧张地补充道：“但是为什么他们的眼睛没有瞳孔呢？我看不到他们眼睛里有任何斑点。”“如果我画他们的瞳孔，龙就会活过来！它们将起飞并飞走。”听到这些，村民们大笑起来。多么愚蠢！他们取笑张的故事。“给我很多钱！”一个可怜的女人建议道。”那就把学生放上去！”“画一个鱼餐！”一个小男孩揉着肚子喊道长着一双又大又笨的眼睛！”张回到墙上。他用他最好的画笔在两条龙的眼睛里给瞳孔点画。村民们大吃一惊。他们抬头环顾四周。他们不知道发生了什么事。每个人都想躲在别人下面！就在那时，一个更大的噪音，如烟花，包围了他们。两只眼睛上有斑点的龙从墙上挣脱了出来。两条龙向上飞奔！它们像闪电一样迅速地回到了它的源头！它们的长尾巴随风摆动。他们飞得越来越高。然后他们消失在暴风云中。村民们惊呆了。震惊的他们看着墙上的龙。他们的眼睛睁得大大的。他们张着嘴，说不出话来。村民们看着张。然后他们回头看了看墙壁。两条没有斑点眼睛的龙仍然呆在墙上。“你画它的方式太完美了！”在人群面前紧张的人补充说什么都不要改变！”“给画好的龙的瞳孔打点”意味着如果你想把你的想法变成现实，你必须清楚。你必须注意细节，认真完成工作。建议人们注意细节的一个类似的英语成语是“点你的'I’和叉你的'T’。”15、The Fake Musician 滥竽充数
Let’s travel back in time to China’s Warring States Period. Qi Xuan Wang was one of the rulers of the Qi State. He led the state from 319–301 BCE. Qi Xuan Wang was a fan of music. He really liked listening to large orchestras. He loved when hundreds of musicians played the yu, a wooden wind instrument. A man named Nan Guo heard about this. It gave him an idea.“This is a lucky break!” Nan Guo thought. “I will ask if I can join the royal orchestra. I will have a job. I will earn a good living. It will be easy work!”Only one thing was standing in the way. Nan Guo was not a musician.He didn’t know how to play the yu! He did not see that as a problem, though.“I can just fake it,” Nan Guo laughed to himself. “There will be hundreds of musicians playing. I can easily get lost among them. No one will be able to hear me play—or not play!” He smiled to himself, enjoying his cleverness. “The ruler will hear the whole band,” Nan Guo added. “He will never know that I am not really playing.”Nan Guo went to see Qi Xuan Wang. He told the ruler that he was an expert yu player.“My Lord, I have trained for many years,” said Nan Guo. “I am very talented. My music is inspiring. Animals dance andflowers blossom when they hear it. Now I wish to play the yu to serve you!”Qi Xuan Wang was thrilled to hear this. He trusted Nan Guo and didn’t even ask him to play.“Wonderful!” the ruler replied. “I welcome such a talented musician into my orchestra!”Nan Guo joined the royal orchestra. He found a seat among the hundreds of yu players. There were so many of them! It was easy for Nan Guo to get lost in the crowd.“Ha! This is so easy! I just move my mouth and pretend to play. Nobody knows the difference,” laughed Nan Guo.Show after show, Nan Guo faked playing the yu. His fingers danced over the instrument. He looked very handsome and serious. 'I sometimes forget where I am, because the music takes me to a better place,' he once explained to a fan. No one ever noticed that his instrument was silent, not even Qi Xuan Wang. The Qi ruler enjoyed the many songs his prized orchestra played.But Qi Xuan Wang couldn’t rule forever. Eventually, his son, Qi Min Wang, took over. Qi Min Wang also liked music. He liked solo performances, however.“Bring me the finest musicians from the band!” Qi Min Wang ordered. “I would like to hear them play—one at a time!”“What a great chance to show off our own talents!” noted one musician.“Yes! I would like to perform for our new ruler, too!” said another yu player.“Oh no!” thought Nan Guo. “This is terrible. I will not be able to play anything for Qi Min Wang. The truth will be discovered! I will be jailed.Maybe even worse!” He knew his lie would be caught if he did not escape right away.That night, Nan Guo gathered his belongings. He used his yu like a hanger and hung his clothing on it. At last he put the yu to use!He tucked the instrument and clothing under his arm and sneaked out of the royal court. Then he ran far, far away, never to be seen—or heard—again. The End
Question: What was the difference between the two Qi rulers’ musicaltastes? What type of music do you enjoy?
核心词汇
period n. 时期
ruler n. 统治者
orchestra n. 管弦乐队
lucky break n. 转运，时来运转
royal adj. 皇家的
fake v. 伪装，伪造
expert adj&n. 熟练的，经验丰富的；专家
inspiring adj. 鼓舞人心的，启发灵感的
blossom v. （植物）开花
thrilled adj. 非常兴奋的
pretend v. 假装
take over v. 接收，接管
jail v. 监禁，拘留
escape v. 逃跑
belonging n. 财产，所有物
hanger n. 挂物的东西，衣架，挂钩
tuck v. 把……塞进狭窄的空间
sneak v. 偷偷地走，潜行
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
让我们回到中国的战国时代。齐宣王是齐国的统治者之一。他从公元前319年到公元前301年领导该州。王琦轩是个音乐迷。他真的很喜欢听大型管弦乐队。他喜欢数百名音乐家演奏木制管乐器yu。“这是个幸运的机会！”南郭想我会问我是否能加入皇家管弦乐队。我将有一份工作。我会过上好日子的。这将是一件容易的工作！”“我可以假装，”南郭自言自语地说将有数百名音乐家演奏。我很容易在他们中间迷路。没有人能听到我演奏或不演奏！”他自言自语地笑着，享受着自己的聪明。”“统治者将听到整个乐队，”南郭补充道他永远不会知道我不是真的在玩。”“大人，我已经训练了很多年，”南郭说我很有天赋。我的音乐很鼓舞人心。动物跳舞和跳舞“太好了！”统治者回答说我欢迎如此有才华的音乐家加入我的管弦乐队！”南郭加入了皇家管弦乐队。他在成百上千的yu玩家中找到了一个位置。他们太多了！南郭很容易在人群中迷路。“哈！这太容易了！我只是动了动嘴，假装在玩。“没人知道有什么区别，”南郭笑着说。一场接一场的演出，南郭假扮玉人。他的手指在乐器上舞动。他看上去很英俊，很严肃“我有时会忘记我在哪里，因为音乐会把我带到一个更好的地方，”他曾经对一个歌迷解释道。没有人注意到他的乐器是无声的，甚至王琦轩也没有。齐国统治者喜欢他那珍贵的管弦乐队演奏的许多歌曲。但王琦轩不能永远统治。最终，他的儿子王启民接手了他的工作。王启民也喜欢音乐。然而，他喜欢独唱。“给我带来乐队里最好的音乐家！”王启民命令道我想一次听他们演奏一首！'“是的！我也想为我们的新统治者表演！”另一位选手说。“哦，不！”南郭想这太可怕了。我不能为王启民打任何比赛。真相会被发现的！我将被监禁。也许更糟！”他知道如果他不马上逃跑，他的谎言就会被抓住。那天晚上，南郭收拾了他的东西。他把他的玉当作衣架，把衣服挂在上面。最后他把玉放了起来！他把乐器和衣服夹在腋下，偷偷溜出了宫廷。然后他跑得很远很远，再也看不见也听不见了。16、Waiting for Rabbits 守株待兔
One hot summer day long ago, a farmer was hard at work tending his crops. His muscles ached and his back was sore. But he had to keep working because he had to support his family.Perhaps a short break wouldn’t hurt, he thought. He drank some water from the stream running by the side of the field. Much better! He thought as he sat down to catch his breath.Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of white. He heard a loud thud. He turned quickly to see what had happened. There, by the tree stump across the stream, was a brown and white rabbit lying on its side.The farmer waded through the stream to the tree stump. He saw that the rabbit had run into the tree stump and died.The farmer was excited—here was a free meal for his family!He wrapped the rabbit in his shirt and headed home.That night, his wife cleaned and cooked the rabbit. It was a delicious dinner! Everyone went to bed happy and full.The farmer woke up the next morning before dawn, as he always did.But this time, as he was putting on his clothes, he realized something.He did not actually have to work so hard! Instead of farming all day, he could just sit by the tree stump and wait for rabbits. What a wonderful plan! Free food!That day, he did not tend his crops. He did not sweat and strain under the hot sun. Instead, he sat by the tree stump. He whistled for rabbits, but none came. He yawned. He napped. He wondered what kind of tree the stump had been. Had chickens ever bumped into it? He liked to eatchicken. He waited some more. Nothing happened. But he wasn’t worried. He knew a rabbit had to run into the tree stump very soon. It was overdue!When he returned home, his wife asked when he would return to his work on the farm. “I’m done with all that,” he told her. “The stump is where I belong.”“I might agree with you there,” said his wife, frowning. “Perhaps you ought to sleep at the stump too.” Then she stomped off.The farmer was happy his wife was so agreeable. She thought he belonged at the stump too!He returned to the stump that night. He fell asleep and dreamed of rabbits hurling themselves at the stump. If only the rabbits would make themselves into rabbit stew or barbecue. That would be the best!However, when he awakened there were no rabbits to be found. This continued for weeks. He tried different methods to get rabbits to run into the stump. He made a sign that said, “This way!” It had a big arrow on it.Nothing. He pretended to be a rabbit and hopped over to the stump. He threw himself against the stump and bumped his knee. Still, no rabbits hopped into the stump.“Stupid rabbits!” he complained to himself. “Why don’t they run into the stump like they used to do?” He almost lost hope. Then he remembered how tiring it was to tend the crops. He didn’t like working that hard. He got so sweaty! The memory helped convince him that rabbits would run into the stump and give him a free dinner. He wasn’t about to give up his dream!The farmer’s fields became overgrown with weeds because he stopped caring for them. He wouldn’t even go home and see his family because he was afraid to leave the stump. He worried that a rabbit would bump into it while he was gone.In the end, no more rabbits bumped into the stump. The farmer’s crops died, so he had no produce to sell at the market. He had no money, just one very fine stump. He became the laughingstock of the village because he relied on luck instead of hard work to feed his family.His wife sold the farm, so she could follow her dream. She and the children opened a small restaurant. Rabbit was never on the menu.Question: At the start of the story, why did the farmer not want to take abreak?
A. He wanted to see what had run into the stump.
B. He wanted to support his family by taking good care of his crops.
C. He wasn’t tired, and he had a lot of work to do.
D. He did not want to eat breakfast, he wanted to farm his crops.
17、Discovering An Elephant
盲人摸象
In a time before all the surprises had been discovered and catalogued, six best friends lived in a village at the end of a desert. These six men were blind, so their lives were filled with more surprises than most. They helped each other every day and never, ever disagreed.One day, they heard that an animal from very far away was visiting the village. The creature was called an elephant. None of the six blind men had ever met an elephant. They each had different ideas about it.The biggest of the men suggested, “I believe the elephant is the biggest animal.”The oldest of the friends said, “I bet that elephants live a long time.”The smartest man exclaimed, “I’m sure elephants have excellent memories!”“I hope the elephant is gentle enough to pet,” said the kindest man.“But it probably doesn’t have much hair,” added the bald blind man. The man who was the most adventurous suggested they meet the elephant. Then they walked through the village to the main square.The kindest blind man and his friends were happy that the elephant was gentle enough to pet. One by one, they approached the animal.The most adventurous man touched the elephant’s trunk. He thought for a few moments and said, “So, this is what an elephant is like! An elephant is long and rounded like a snake!”The oldest man touched the elephant’s ear. He was confused because he felt something different from the first man. He said, “I am sorry my friend, you are wrong! An elephant is like a big fan! It is large, curved on the side, and wrinkled.”The biggest man touched the elephant’s side. He, too disagreed. “It hurts me to say it, but you are both wrong,” he said. “An elephant is like a wall because it is tall, big, and strong.”The smartest man touched the elephant’s leg. He said, “What in the world are you three touching? An elephant is long, tall, and sturdy, like a pole!”The bald blind man touched the elephant’s tail. He exclaimed, “No, no, no, an elephant is long and thin, almost like rope.”The kindest of the friends touched the elephant’s tusk. “I am surprised, but you are all wrong,” he said. “An elephant is smooth and hard, like a spear. I am sure of it.”The six blind men argued, each one believing that he was right. They became more and more upset because of the disagreement. “How can we be friends!” one of them said. “We are all very different!”Just in time, a wise man walked by and asked about the commotion. “We can’t agree what the elephant is like,” they admitted. One by one, each blind man described the elephant as seemed right to him.After hearing each of their explanations, the wise man said, “Everyone is correct. But you each touched a different part of the elephant. This is why you disagree. None of you had the full picture.”“Oh!” all the blind men exclaimed. They finally understood, and they all laughed at their mistake together.The moral of this story is that what you see or hear or touch or taste or smell is true, but it may not be all that there is. No one can be sure of knowing the entire truth.Question: Have you ever thought something was true before finding outa new detail that changed your mind?
核心词汇
catalogue v. 把……编入目录，登记，记载
bald adj. 秃头的
adventurous adj. 爱冒险的，有进取心的
approach v. 靠近
trunk n. 象鼻
curved adj. 弯曲的
wrinkled adj. 有皱纹的
sturdy adj. 强壮的，结实的
pole n. 杆子
tusk n. （象）长牙
smooth adj. 光滑的
commotion n. 喧闹，骚动，混乱
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
在所有惊喜被发现和分类之前的一段时间里，六个最好的朋友住在沙漠尽头的一个村庄里。这六个人是盲人，所以他们的生活比大多数人都充满了惊喜。他们每天都互相帮助，从未有过分歧。一天，他们听说有一只动物从很远的地方来到这个村庄。这种生物被称为大象。六个盲人中没有一个见过大象。他们每个人对此都有不同的想法。最爱冒险的人建议他们去见大象。然后他们穿过村庄来到主广场。最善良的盲人和他的朋友们很高兴大象能温柔地抚摸它。他们一个接一个地走近那只动物。最爱冒险的人摸了摸大象的鼻子。他想了一会儿说：“大象就是这样！大象又长又圆，像蛇一样！”最年长的人摸了摸大象的耳朵。他感到困惑，因为他觉得自己和第一个人有些不同。他说：“对不起，我的朋友，你错了！大象就像一把大扇子！它很大，侧面弯曲，有皱纹。”最大的男人摸了摸大象的侧面。他也不同意。“说这话让我很伤心，但你们都错了，”他说。大象像一堵墙，因为它高、大、壮最聪明的人摸了摸大象的腿。他说：“你们三个到底在碰什么？大象长得又高又壮，像一根杆子！”秃头盲人摸了摸大象的尾巴。他喊道：“不，不，不，大象又长又细，几乎像绳子。”最善良的朋友摸了摸大象的象牙。“我很惊讶，但你们都错了，”他说。“大象是光滑而坚硬的，像矛一样。我敢肯定。”六个盲人争论，每个人都相信自己是对的。由于意见不合，他们变得越来越沮丧。“我们怎么能成为朋友！”其中一个说。“我们都很不同！”“我们不能同意大象是什么样子，”他们承认。一个接一个，每个盲人都把大象描述成他认为是对的。在听了他们的每一个解释后，智者说：“每个人都是正确的。但是你们每个人都触摸了大象的不同部分。这就是为什么你们不同意。你们都不了解整个情况。”“哦！”所有的盲人都喊道。他们终于明白了，他们一起嘲笑自己的错误。这个故事的寓意是，你所看到的、听到的、触摸到的、尝到的或闻到的都是真实的，但它可能不是全部。没有人能确定知道全部真相。18、Better Late Than Never
亡羊补牢，未为迟也
A farmer named Chien Ye Chao and his wife, Yu Qing, lived and worked on their family farm in a remote village. Farming was hard work. Ah Chao, as his wife and neighbors liked to call him, was not fond of work at all!Every day, Yu Qing had to remind her husband to get to work.“Ah Chao, the chickens need to be fed!”“Ah Chao, the field needs to be tilled!”One day, Ah Chao received news that he had inherited 20 sheep from his uncle.“What good fortune!” Yu Qing shouted. We can earn more money with 20 sheep. But we don’t have a fence to keep the sheep safe from foxes.You’d better build one, Ah Chao!”Ah Chao was lazy, but he wasn’t dumb. He knew that Yu Qing was right.So he went looking for wood to build a fence. He found a pile of old wood nearby. Some pieces were shorter than others. Luckily there was enough wood to build a fenced-in pen. There was just one problem. In the section of the fence with the shorter pieces, there was a gap at the bottom.Ah Chao looked at his handiwork and said, “The fence goes all around. It looks good to me. Time to call it quits.”He took a nap under a shady tree. And then he went home to enjoy dinner and rest some more.“Ah Chao!” Yu Qing hollered. “The fence is not finished. There’s a gap under that section!” She pointed out the window.“It’s good enough,” Ah Chao replied. “The fence is closed off. It’s just a small gap. I’m done for the day.”“The sheep arrive tomorrow!” Yu Qing cried, exasperated. “You’d better fix the fence!”The next day, 20 sheep arrived at the farm. Ah Chao herded all the sheep into the new pen. Then he enjoyed a long nap under the shady tree.Every afternoon after that, Ah Chao would herd his grazing sheep. Then he would guide them back inside the fence. He always took a nap under the shady tree afterward.One day, a neighbor, Lao Chen, woke up Ah Chao from his nap. “Hey, Ah Chao. I think you’re missing a sheep. I count only 19,” Lao Chen said.“What?” asked Ah Chao sleepily. “There’s 20. Leave me alone. I need my 40 winks more than my 20 sheep.”Ah Chao fell back asleep.Lao Chen shook his neighbor again.“Ah Chao, count your sheep,” he insisted. “I think there’s only 19. The fox may have slipped through that gap and stole one of your sheep! You should fix the fence.”Ah Chao paid Lao Chen no mind.“Oh, it’s just one sheep,” Ah Chao yawned. “Not much I can do about it now. It is gone.”A few days later, Yu Qing rushed into the house with a huff.“Ah Chao!” she shouted. “Why do we only have 18 sheep? I thought you only lost one. Now I count 18 inside the fence! You should have fixed that fence when Lao Chen told you about the fox.”“Lao Chen only guessed it was a fox,” said Ah Chao. “Anyway, there’s not much I can do about it now. The sheep are gone.”Yu Qing stormed out of the room, frustrated.The following week, Lao Chen woke Ah Chao from his nap again.“Neighbor, you’re missing another sheep. You are down to 17 now. At this rate, you will have none left in a few weeks.”“You are making badfortune by being lazy,” his neighbor added. “Stop worrying about your 40 winks! Start worrying about your 20 sheep and fix that fence!”Yu Qing was standing behind Lao Chen. She repeated his words. “Ah Chao, you are bringing us bad fortune! Stop being lazy and fix the fence already!”Ah Chao shrugged. He was lazy, but he wasn’t dumb. He could see that his laziness had indeed brought them bad fortune.So he gathered new wood and repaired the fence.Better late than never! He realized it was better to lose a little sleep than lose any more sheep.Question: What do you think Ah Chao would do if he found out he hadinherited 20 more sheep?
核心词汇
exasperated adj. 被激怒的，恼怒的shrug v. （为表示冷漠、蔑视、怀疑、厌烦等）耸（肩）以下翻译来自百度翻译：
一位名叫钱业超的农民和他的妻子余青在一个偏远的村庄的家庭农场生活和工作。耕作是一项艰苦的工作。阿超，他的妻子和邻居们都喜欢叫他，根本不喜欢工作！有一天，阿超接到消息说他从叔叔那里继承了20只羊。“多好的运气啊！”余青喊道。我们可以用20只羊赚更多的钱。但是我们没有围栏来保护绵羊不受狐狸的伤害。所以他去寻找木料来建造篱笆。他在附近发现了一堆旧木头。有些作品比其他的短。幸运的是，有足够的木材建造一个围栏。只有一个问题。在有较短部分的围栏部分，底部有一个缺口。阿超看了看自己的作品，说：“篱笆四面都是，我觉得不错，该结束了。”他在一棵树荫下小睡了一会儿。然后他回家吃晚饭，休息一会儿。“阿超！”余青喊道。“篱笆还没完工。那一段下面有个缺口！”她指着窗外。“够了，”阿超回答。“篱笆是封闭的。只是一个小缺口。我今天就完了。”“明天羊就到了！”余青恼怒地叫道。“你最好把篱笆修好！”第二天，20只羊来到了农场。阿超把所有的羊都赶到新的圈里。然后他在树荫下小睡了很长时间。此后，每天下午，阿超都会放羊。然后他会引导他们回到栅栏里。之后他总是在树荫下小睡一会儿。“嘿，阿超。我想你少了一只羊。我只数了19只。”老陈说。“什么？”阿超困倦地问。“有20只。别管我。我需要我的40只眼睛，而不是我的20只羊。”“阿超，数数你的羊，”他坚持道。“我想只有19只。狐狸可能从那个缺口溜走了，偷走了你的一只羊！你应该修好篱笆。”“哦，只有一只羊，”阿超打了个呵欠。“我现在对此无能为力。它不见了。”“阿超！”她喊道。“为什么我们只有18只羊？我以为你只丢了一只。现在我在栅栏里数了18只！当老陈告诉你狐狸的事时，你应该把栅栏修好。”阿超说：“老陈只是猜到是只狐狸。”。“不管怎么说，我现在对此无能为力。羊不见了。”“邻居，你又少了一只羊。你现在已经减到17只了。照这个速度，几周后你就一只羊也没有了。”他的邻居补充道：“你的懒惰是在制造厄运。”。“别担心你的40只眼睛！开始担心你的20只羊，修好篱笆！”“阿超，你给我们带来了厄运！别偷懒了，快把篱笆修好！”阿超耸耸肩。他很懒，但并不笨。他可以看出，他的懒惰确实给他们带来了厄运。迟到总比不做好他意识到少睡一会儿总比多丢一只羊好。19、A Masterpiece in the Making
洛阳纸贵
Long ago, the writer Zuo Si lived in a village in the state of Qi. His family was poor, but they were rich in knowledge. They studied the teachings of Confucius. Zuo Si’s father was in charge of the royal records of the Wei Kingdom.Zuo Si liked to play word games with his sister. She grew up to become a famous writer. When she moved to the capital city of Luoyang, Zuo Si decided to move there, too.Zuo Si was a quiet man. He spent most of his time at home, writing.If Zuo Si had a thought, he would write it down immediately.“Oh, What a spark of inspiration!” Zuo Si would cry.“Quick! Write it down. Write it down. Write it down.”He would grab a pen and paper and write down his thoughts. Soon his home became very messy. There were pens and papers everywhere!But Zuo Si’s father was not impressed with his son. One day, Zuo Si overheard his father say, “My son is not very bright. When I was young, I was not like that at all.”This made Zuo Si sad. But it motivated him, too. He decided to work harder. He would read and write even more. He would write a masterpiece!“I shall spend the next ten years writing,” said Zuo Si. “I will call my work “Ode to the Three Capitals.”People were doubtful. No one believed him.“What is this loner going to do?” asked a neighbor when he heard the news.“Oh, he says he’s going to hide away for ten years and write a masterpiece. Ha!” said another.“Zuo Si can say what he wants. It will never happen. He’s just going to stay locked inside like he does every other day,” said a neighbor.Over the next ten years, Zuo Si continued to run around inside his messy home. He grabbed pens and papers and wrote note after note.He tossed aside many of them. Papers were piled in mounds all around his home. He would just grab more paper and pens and write some more.Oh, a spark of inspiration!” Zuo Si would cry.“Quick! Write it down. Write it down. Write it down.”Finally, at the end of ten years, Zuo Si was finished.His “Ode to the Three Capitals” described daily life in the three capitals of the Three Kingdoms Period. It talked about the customs and the habits of the people there. Zuo Si wrote about the best way to run a state. He believed it was through goodness, and not force.Some important scholars read the book. They wrote introductions to it.They praised Zuo Si’s ideas. Zuo Si’s book became very popular.The town was surprised by Zuo Si’s success.“Did you hear?” asked one man. “Zuo Si finished his book.”“It took him ten years, but he finally did it!” said another.“I hear it’s a masterpiece,” said the neighbor.“Everyone wants to read it!” said the lady across the road.Many people wanted to read the book. Writers, poets, nobles, even the royal court had heard about it! They didn’t just want to read it, they wanted their own copies, too.Because of the book’s popularity, there was a high demand for paper. At the time, paper was still a fairly new invention. It had only been invented in 100 BCE, just a few hundred years earlier. The demand for Zuo Si’s book caused paper prices in Luoyang to go up.Today, the phrase, “paper is expensive in Luoyang” describes the popularity of a new book that everybody wants. When writing aboutbestselling books, reporters often use this idiom.Question: What was it about Zuo Si’s book that made it so popular?
核心词汇
Confucius n. 孔子
in charge of 管理，掌管
spark of inspiration 灵感的火花
be impressed with 对……印象深刻
overhear v. 无意中听到，偶然听到
bright adj. 聪明的
motivate v. 激发……的积极性
Ode to the Three Capitals 《三都赋》
doubtful adj. 怀疑的，疑惑的
loner n. 喜孤独的人，不合群的人
toss aside 扔到一边
pile in mounds 堆成一堆
run a state 经营一个国家
force n. 武力
scholar n. 学者
royal court n. 宫廷
demand for 对……的需求
fairly adv. 相当，还，尚
He’s just going to stay locked inside like he does every other
day,” 他仅仅是要把自己锁在屋里，就像他之前每天那样做的一
样。本句中 does 代指 stay locked inside，避免重复。
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
很久以前，作家左思住在齐国的一个村庄里。他家很穷，但知识丰富。他们学习孔子的教义。左思的父亲负责魏国的皇室记录。左思喜欢和妹妹玩文字游戏。她长大后成为一名著名作家。当她搬到首都洛阳时，左思也决定搬到那里。他会拿起笔和纸，写下自己的想法。很快他的家变得很乱。到处都是钢笔和纸！但左思的父亲对他的儿子没有印象。有一天，左思无意中听到父亲说：“我儿子不太聪明，我小时候一点都不像。”这让左思很伤心。但这也激励了他。他决定更加努力工作。他会读得更多，写得更多。他会写一部杰作！左思说：“我将在接下来的十年里写作。”。“我将把我的作品称为《三都颂》。”一位邻居听到这个消息后问道：“这个孤独的人打算干什么？”。“哦，他说他要躲藏十年，写一部杰作。哈！”另一个说。一位邻居说：“左思想说什么就说什么。这永远不会发生。他只会像每隔一天一样被锁在家里。”。在接下来的十年里，左思继续在他凌乱的家里到处乱跑。他抓起笔和纸，写了一张又一张的纸条。他扔掉了很多纸。家里到处都是成堆的纸。他会抓起更多的纸和笔，再写一些。他的《三都颂》描述了三国时期三都的日常生活。它谈到了那里的风俗习惯。左思写的是治理国家的最佳方式。他相信这是出于善良，而不是武力。许多人想读这本书。作家、诗人、贵族，甚至王室都听说过！他们不只是想读它，他们还想要自己的副本。由于这本书很受欢迎，对纸张的需求量很大。当时，纸张仍然是一项相当新的发明。它是在公元前100年才发明的，也就是几百年前。对左思书的需求导致洛阳的纸张价格上涨。20、Meng Jiao's Happy Ride
走马看花
Tests can be stressful. You worry that you haven’t studied enough. You worry that you won’t know the right answer. You worry that you do know the answer but will still get it wrong on the test. Don’t worry! You’re not alone! Tests have been stressing people out for thousands of years.Here’s one man’s story about test stress.During the Tang Dynasty there lived a man named Meng Jiao. He was born to a poor family.Meng Jiao loved poetry. He loved studying it. He loved writing it as well.He gave all of his life to the art. His hard work showed. It helped him become a talented poet.Writing poetry was not a good paying job at that time. Meng Jiao was poor most of his life. When he got older, he realized this had to change.He needed to earn more money. He decided to take the Ke Ju exams.The Ke Ju was the official test system of China. The exams were open for anyone to take. Anyone from a farmer to a scholar could take an exam. The Ke Ju gave everyone an opportunity. Whoever passed could get an official job.Meng Jiao studied hard for the tests. He took them several times. Each time, he failed. But Meng Jiao never gave up. He studied harder and harder. He took the tests over and over and over again.Finally, when he was 46 years old, Meng Jiao passed the test! He was so happy! Meng Jiao put on new clothes. He tied on red flowers to celebrate. Then he rode on a horse through Chang’an City.During his ride, Meng Jiao wrote a poem. In English, it reads, “Horseback riding swiftly through the spring breeze, while seeing all the sights and flowers of Chang’an in one day.”Meng Jiao’s poem tells about his feelings on that exciting day. His words describe the feeling of spending a day riding his horse and enjoying the sights and flowers. It tells of seeing all of Chang’an City in a day. On that day, he was able to let go of the disappointments of the past.The poem was passed down through the years. It became famous. But people said it would be impossible to really enjoy everything in one day. This led to the phrase “seeing flowers while riding a horse swiftly.” It describes giving something a quick look without noticing the details.Question: How old was Meng Jiao when he finally passed the test?
核心词汇
stressful adj. 紧张的，压力重的
talented adj. 才华横溢的
swiftly adv. 快速地
breeze n. 微风，清风
disappointment n. 失望
pass down 把……往下传
detail n. 细节
Anyone from a farmer to a scholar could take an exam. 从农民到学者，
任何人都能参加科举。本句中 from a farmer to a scholar 是补充说明
anyone 的同位语。
以下翻译来自百度翻译：
考试可能会有压力。你担心自己学习不够。你担心你不会知道正确的答案。你担心自己知道答案，但在考试中仍然会出错。别担心！你并不孤单！数千年来，测试一直在给人们施加压力。在唐代，有一个叫孟郊的人。他出生在一个贫穷的家庭。他把一生都献给了艺术。他的努力工作表明了他的决心。这使他成为一位才华横溢的诗人。当时写诗不是一份高薪的工作。孟郊一生大部分时间都很穷。当他长大后，他意识到这必须改变。科举考试是中国的官方考试制度。考试对任何人都开放。从农民到学者，任何人都可以参加考试。科举给了每个人一个机会。任何通过考试的人都可以得到一份正式工作。孟郊为了考试而努力学习。他拿了好几次。每次他都失败了。但孟郊从未放弃。他学习越来越努力。他一次又一次地参加考试。终于，当他46岁的时候，孟郊通过了考试！他太高兴了！孟郊穿上了新衣服。他系上红花庆祝。然后他骑马穿过长安城。在旅途中，孟郊写了一首诗。英文是这样写的：“骑马在春风中疾驰，一天之内就能看到长安所有的风景和鲜花。”孟郊的诗讲述了他在那激动人心的一天的感受。他的话描述了一天骑马、欣赏风景和鲜花的感觉。它讲述了在一天内游览整个长安城的故事。那天，他能够放下过去的失望。这首诗是多年来流传下来的。它出名了。但是人们说不可能在一天内真正享受一切。这就引出了“骑马时看花”这句话。它描述的是在不注意细节的情况下快速看一眼某样东西。
