英语简易读物

*1

Once upon a tine, there lived a rich man. He had a servant. He and the servant loved wine and go od food very much. Each tine the rich man left his home; the servant would drink the wine and e at up all the nice food in the house. The rich man knew what his servant did, but he had never ca ught his servant doing that. One morning, when he left home, he said to the servant, “Here are tow bottles of poison and some nice food in the house. You must take care of them.” With thes e words, he went out. But the servant knew what the rich man had said was untrue. After the ric h man was away from his home, he enjoyed a nice meal. Because he drank too much, he was dru nk and fell to the ground. When therich man came back, he couldn’t find his food and his wine. H e became very angry. He woke the servant up. But the servant told his story very well. He said a c at had eaten up everything. He was afraid to be punished, so he drank the poison to kill himself.

从前有一个时候，有一个富人。他有一个仆人。他和仆人爱酒水和良好的食物非常多。每当有钱人离开家；仆人就喝葡萄酒，吃的所有食物中的好房子。有钱的人知道仆人做了什么，但是他从来没有被他的仆人这样做。一天早上，当他离开家时，他对仆人说，“这里有两瓶毒药和一些不错的食物在家。你必须好好照看它们。”说完这些话，他出去了。

仆人知道富人说是不真实的。在富人离开家后，他有一个很好的餐。因为他喝得太多了，他喝醉了，倒在地上。富人回来后，找不到他的食物和酒。他变得很生气。他醒来的仆人了。仆人告诉他的故事非常好。他说，猫吃了一切。他害怕受到惩罚，所以他喝毒药自杀

*2

Once upon a time, there was a wolf. The Wolf was maimed . He couldn't out to eat.

He was very hungry and thirsty. He saw a sheep.

"If you bring me the water," he said, "I will find to get some food." But the sheep said , "if I bring y ou the water, then I will be your food."

很久很久以前，这里有一只狼。他受伤了。他不能外出捕食。他感到又饿又渴，这时，他看见一只羊。“你给我一点水解渴”，他说，“我就能自己去寻找食物了。”“是呀”，羊回答说，“如果我给你送水喝，那么我就会成为你的食物。”

*3

Once upon a time, a mountain shacked .

People came from far and near to see what would happen.

"A river will be appear." a people said ."Will soon have a dragon appear." another man said . After the day, a mouse jumped out from there. 山

很久以前，一座大山隆隆作响，摇晃起来。远近各处的人都来看是怎么回事。一个人说："要出现一条大河了。" 另一个人说："准会出现一条巨龙。"

等了几天之后，山坡上终于裂开一条小缝，却蹦出来一只耗子。

*4

Big Head 大脑袋

“All the kids make fun of me”the boy cried to his mother.“They say I have a big head”

“Don't listen to them.”his mother comforted him.“You have a beautiful head .Now stop crying and go to the store for ten pounds of potatoes”“Where's the shopping bag?”“I haven't got one,use your hat.”

“所有的孩子都拿我开玩笑，”小男孩哭着跟妈妈说：“他们说我长了一个大脑袋。”

“别听他们的，”他妈妈安慰说：

“你的脑袋长得很漂亮。好了，别哭了，去商店买10磅土豆来。”

“购物袋在哪？”“我没有购物袋，就用你的帽子吧。”

*5

The Thirsty Pigeon口渴的鸽子

A PIGEON, oppressed by excessive thirst, saw a goblet of water painted on a signboard. Not supp osing it to be only a picture, she flew towards it with a loud whir and unwittingly dashed against t he signboard, jarring herself terribly. Having broken her wings by the blow, she fell to the ground, and was caught by one of the bystanders. Zeal should not outrun discretion.

有只鸽子口渴得很难受，看见画板上画着一个水瓶，以为是真的。他立刻呼呼地猛飞过去，不料一头碰撞在画板上，折断了翅膀，摔在地上，被人轻易地捉住了。

这是说，有些人想急于得到所需的东西，一时冲动，草率从事，就会身遭不幸。

*6

The Raven and the Swan乌鸦和天鹅

A RAVEN saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage. Supposing th at the Swan's splendid white color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Rav en left the altars in the

neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But cle ansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of f ood he perished. Change of habit cannot alter Nature. 乌鸦非常羡慕天鹅洁白的羽毛。他猜想天鹅一定是经常洗澡，羽毛才变得如此洁白无瑕。于是，他毅然离开了他赖以生存的祭坛，来到江湖边。他天天洗刷自己的羽毛，不但一点都没洗白，反而因缺少食物饥饿而死。这故事是说，人的本性不会随着生活方式的改变而改变。

*7

The Goat and the Goatherd 山羊与牧羊人

A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, "Why, you silly fellow, the horn will speak though I be silent."

Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hid. 很多山羊被牧羊人赶到羊圈里。有一只山羊不知在吃什么好东西，单独落在后面。牧羊人拿起一块石头扔了过去，正巧打断了山羊的一只角。牧羊人吓得请求山羊不要告诉主人，山羊说：“即使我不说，又怎能隐瞒下去呢？我的角已断了，这是十分明显的事实。”

这故事说明，明显的罪状是无法隐瞒的。

*8

The Miser守财奴

A MISER sold all that he had and bought a lump of gold, which he buried in a hole in the ground b y the side of an old wall and went to look at daily. One of his workmen observed his frequent visit s to the spot and decided to watch his movements. He soon discovered the secret of the hidden t reasure, and digging down, came to the lump of gold, and stole it. The Miser, on his next visit, fou nd the hole empty and began to tear his hair and to make loud lamentations. A neighbor, seeing him overcome with grief and learning the cause, said, "Pray do not grieve so; but go and take a st one, and place it in the hole, and fancy that the gold is still lying there. It will do you quite the sa me service; for when the gold was there, you had it not, as you did not make the slightest use of i t."

有个守财奴变卖了他所有的家产，换回了金块，并秘密地埋在一个地方。他每天走去看看

他的宝藏。有个在附近放羊的牧人留心观察，知道了真情，趁他走后，挖出金块拿走了。守财奴再来时，发现洞中的金块没有了，便捶胸痛哭。有个人见他如此悲痛，问明原因后，说道：“喂，朋友，别再难过了，那块金子虽是你买来的，但并不是你真正拥有的。去拿一块石头来，代替金块放在洞里，只要你心里想着那是块金子，你就会很高兴。这样与你拥有真正的金块效果没什么不同。依我之见，你拥有那金块时，也从没用过。”这故事说明，一切财物如不使用等于没有。

*9

The Wolf and the Lamb 狼与小羊

WOLF, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf's right to eat him. He thus addressed him:"Sirrah, l ast year you grossly insulted me." "Indeed," bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, "I was not then born." Then said the Wolf , "You feed in my pasture." "No, good sir," replied the Lamb, "I have not yet tasted grass." Again said the Wolf, "You drink of my well." "No," exclaimed the Lamb , "I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother's milk is both food and drink to me." Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, "Well! I won't remain supper

less, even though you refute every one of my imputations." The tyrant will always find a pretext f or his tyranny.

一只小羊在河边喝水，狼见到后，便想找一个名正言顺的借口吃掉他。于是他跑到上游，恶狠狠地说小羊把河水搅浑浊了，使他喝不到清水。小羊回答说，他仅仅站在河边喝水，并且又在下游，根本不可能把上游的水搅浑。狼见此计不成，又说道：“我父亲去年被你骂过。”小羊说，那时他还没有出生。狼对他说：“不管你怎样辩解，反正我不会放过你。”

这说明，对恶人做任何正当的辩解也是无效的。

*10

The Bat and the Weasels蝙蝠与黄鼠狼

A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The W easel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he w as not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the grou nd and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel s aid that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a ba t, and thus a second time escaped. It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

蝙蝠掉落在地上，被黄鼠狼叼去，他请求饶命。黄鼠狼说绝不会放过他，自己生来痛恨鸟类。蝙蝠说他是老鼠，不是鸟，便被放了。后来蝙蝠又掉落了下来，被另一只黄鼠狼叼住，他再三请求不要吃他。这只黄鼠狼说他恨一切鼠类。蝙蝠改口说自己是鸟类，并非老鼠，又被放了。这样，蝙蝠两次改变了自己的名字，终于死里逃生。

这故事说明，我们遇事要随机应变方能避免危险。

*11

The Fawn and His Father

A YOUNG FAWN once said to his Father, "You are larger than a dog, and swifter, and more used to running, and you have your horns as a defense; why, then, O Father! do the hounds frighten you so?" He smiled, and said: "I know full well, my son, that all you say is true. I have the advantages y ou mention, but when I hear even the bark of a single dog I feel ready to faint, and fly away as fas t as I can."

小鹿和它的爸爸

一只小鹿对爸爸说："你比狗大，灵活，更善于奔跑，甚至还有角可以用来防御，那为什

么猎犬会让你感到害怕？"爸爸笑到："我了解，我的孩子，你说的都是真的。我拥有以上你提到的优点，但当我听到哪怕是一只狗的吠叫，我就会感到头昏，然后能跑多快就跑多快。*12

Cindy was from the richest neighborhood in town. One day, she had a heart attack and was taken to a hospital.

While on the operating table, she had a near-death experience. She saw an angel and asked, “Is this it?” the angel said, “No, you have another 40 years to live.” Upon her recovery, Cindy d ecided to stay in the hospital and have a facelift. She even had someone dye her hair. She figure d since she had another 40 years, she might as well make the most of it. She walked out of the hospital lobby and was killed by an ambulance speeding up to the hospital. She arrived in front of the angel and said,

“I thought you said I had another 40 years!” The angel replied, “Cindy? Is that you? I didn?t recognize you!”

辛迪生活在城镇一个富裕社区。一天，她心脏病发作被送进了医院。在手术台上时，她和死亡亲密接触了一下。她看到一个天使，问：“我就这样完了吗？”天使说：“不，你还能活40年。”

在恢复的时候，辛迪决定留在医院里做一次整容。她甚至让人给她染了头发。她盘算着既然她还能活40年，她就要充分地利用它。当她从医院大厅往外走的时候，被一辆疾驶的救护车撞死了。她来到天使面前说：“我想你说过我还能活40年！”天使回答：“辛迪？是你吗？我没认出你呀！”l

*13

An American, a Scot and a Canadian were killed in a car accident. They arrived at the gates of hea ven, where a flustered St. Peter explained that there had been a mistake. "Give me $500 each," h e said, "and I'll return you to earth as if the whole thing never happened."

"Done!" said the American. Instantly, he found himself standing unhurt near the scene. "Where a re the others?" asked a medic.

"Last I knew," said the American, "the Scot was haggling price, and the Canadian was arguing that his government should pay."

搞错了

一位美国人，一位英格兰人和一位加拿大人在一场车祸中丧生。他们到达天堂的门口。在那里，醉醺醺的圣彼德解释说是搞错了。“每人给我五百美元，”他说，“我将把你们送回人间，就象什么都没有发生过一样。”“成交!”美国人说。立刻，他发现自己毫不损伤地站在现场附近。“其他人在哪儿？”一名医生问道。“我离开之前，”那名美国人说，“我看见英格兰人正在砍价，而那名加拿大人正在分辩说应该由他的政府来出这笔钱。”

*14

One day, Tim's mathematics teacher looked at his homework and saw that he had got all his sums right. The teacher was very pleased-and rather surprised. He called Tim to his desk and said to hi m, "You got all your homework right this time, Tim. What happened? Did your father help you? " No, sir. He was too busy last night, so I had to do it all myself," said Tim.

一天，蒂姆的数学老师看了他的作业，发现他全做对了。老师很高兴，同时也十分惊讶。他把蒂姆叫到桌前说："蒂姆，你这次的作业全都做对了，怎么回事？你爸爸帮你做了吗？" "不，先生，我爸爸昨天很忙，我不得不全由自己做了。

*15

A man was going to the house of some rich person. As he went along the road, he saw a box of g

ood apples at the side of the road. He said, "I do not want to eat those apples; for the rich man w ill give me much food; he will give me very nice food to eat." Then he took the apples and threw t hem away into the dust.

He went on and came to a river. The river had become very big; so he could not go over it. He wai ted for some time; then he said, "I cannot go to the rich man's house today, for I cannot get over the river."

He began to go home. He had eaten no food that day. He began to want food. He came to the ap ples, and he was glad to take them out of the dust and eat them.

Do not throw good things away; you may be glad to have them at some other time.

一个人正朝着一个富人的房子走去，当他沿着路走时，在路的一边他发现一箱好苹果，他说：“我不打算吃那些苹果，因为富人会给我更多的食物，他会给我很好吃的东西。”然后他拿起苹果，一把扔到土里去。

他继续走，来到河边，河涨水了，因此，他到不了河对岸，他等了一会儿，然后他说：“今天我去不了富人家了，因为我不能渡过河。”

他开始回家，那天他没有吃东西。他就开始去找吃的，他找到苹果，很高兴地把它们从尘土中翻出来吃了。不要把好东西扔掉，换个时候你会觉得它们大有用处。

*16

Little Robert asked his mother for two cents. "What did you do with the money I gave you yesterd ay?"

"I gave it to a poor old woman," he answered.

"You're a good boy," said the mother proudly. "Here are two cents more. But why are you so inter ested in the old woman?" "She is the one who sells the candy."

好孩子

小罗伯特向妈妈要两分钱。“昨天给你的钱干什么了？”“我给了一个可怜的老太婆，”他回答说。“你真是个好孩子，”妈妈骄傲地说。“再给你两分钱。可你为什么对那位老太太那么感兴趣呢？”“她是个卖糖果的。”

*17

Drunk

One day, a father and his little son were going home. At this age, the boy was interested in all kin ds of things and was always asking questions. Now, he asked, "What's the meaning of the word 'D runk', dad?" "Well, my son," his father replied, "look, there are standing two policemen. If I regar d the two policemen as four then I am drunk." "But, dad," the boy said, " there's only ONE police man!"

醉酒

父亲与小儿子一道回家。这个孩子正处于那种对什么事都很感兴趣的年龄，老是有提不完的问题。他向父亲发问道：“爸爸，…醉?字是什么意思？”“唔，孩子，”父亲回答说，“你瞧那儿站着两个警察。如果我把他们看成了四个，那么我就算醉了。”“可是，爸爸，”孩子说，“那儿只有一个警察

*18

A GOATHERD had sought to bring back a stray goat to his flock. He whistled and sounded his horn in vain; the straggler paid no attention to the summons. At last the Goatherd threw a stone, and breaking its horn, begged the Goat not to tell his master. The Goat replied, "Why, you silly fellow, the horn will speak though I be silent." Do not attempt to hide things which cannot be hid.

很多山羊被牧羊人赶到羊圈里。有一只山羊不知在吃什么好东西，单独落在后面。牧羊人

拿起一块石头扔了过去，正巧打断了山羊的一只角。牧羊人吓得请求山羊不要告诉主人，山羊说：“即使我不说，又怎能隐瞒下去呢？我的角已断了，这是十分明显的事实。”

这故事说明，明显的罪状是无法隐瞒的。

*19

An old gentleman whose eyesight was failing came to stay in a hotel room with a bottle of wine in each hand. On

the wall there was a fly which he took for a nail. So the moment he hung them on, the bottles fell broken and the wine spilt all over the floor. When a waitress discovered what had happened, she showed deep sympathy for him and decided to do him a favour. So the next morning when he w as out taking a walk in the roof garden, she hammered a nail exactly where the fly had stayed. Now the old man entered his room. The smell of the spilt wine reminded him of the accident. Wh en he looked up at the wall, he found the fly was there again! He walked to it carefully adn slappe d it with all his strength. On hearing a loud cry, the kind-hearted waitress rushed in. To her great s urprise, the poor old man was there sitting on the floor, his teeth clenched and his right hand ble eding!

钉子还是苍蝇？

一位视力正在衰退的老绅士住进了一家旅馆的客房。他双手各拿一瓶酒。在墙上有只苍蝇，他误以为是枚钉子。他把两只瓶子朝上一挂，瓶子掉下来摔碎了，酒洒了一地。一个女服务员发现发生的事情以后，对他深表同情，决定帮他个忙。

于是，第二天早上他到楼顶花园散步时，她把一枚钉子钉在了苍蝇停过的地方。

这里，老人回到了房里。倒洒的酒味让他想起了那件事。他抬头往墙上一看，苍蝇又停在了那儿!他轻手轻脚地走近，使尽全力拍了一掌。听到一声大叫，好心的女服务员冲进房来。让她大为吃惊的是，可怜的老头正坐在地板上，牙关紧咬，右手滴血不止

*20

Jesus’ TV

A child on Christmas time asked for some paper and crayons in order to draw a crib. Eventually t he artistic masterpiece was displayed for parental approval. The manager, the shepherds, Jesus a nd Holy Family wore duly admired. "But what's that in the corner?" asked Mother.

"Oh, that's their TV," replied the tot.

耶稣的电视机

圣诞节时孩子要了纸和蜡笔，想画一张耶稣诞生像。最后这件艺术品被陈列出来供父

母鉴赏。

他们对耶稣诞生后睡的马槽，牧羊人，耶稣及其家庭都逐一表示赞赏。“可是那个角落里是什么？”妈妈问。“噢，那是他们的电视机，”孩子回答说。