袋鼠与笼子

(Kangaroos and the Cage) 

One day the staff members of a zoo called a meeting to discuss the problem--how to deal with the kangaroos that were found out of the cage. They came to the conclusion that the cage was placed too low and decided to raise it from one to two meters high. But the next day the kangaroos were still at large and they again raised the cage to three meters.

有一天,动物园的管理员们发现袋鼠从笼子里跑出来了, 于是开会讨论,一致认为是笼子的高度过低,所以他们决定将笼子的高度由原来的1米加高到2米。结果第二天他们发现,袋鼠还是跑到外面来,所以他们又决定再将高度加高到3米。

Quite beyond their expectation the next morning they saw the kangaroos still free to go about. They were alarmed and determined to go to all the length by raising the cage to the height of ten meters.

没想到隔天居然又看到袋鼠全跑到外面,于是管理 员们大为紧张,决定一不做二不休,将笼子的高度加高到10米。

Later a giraffe, while chatting with some kangaroos, asked them, “Do you think they will go on raising your cage?”

一天,长颈鹿和几只袋鼠在闲聊,“你们看,这些人 会不会再继续加高你们的笼子?”长颈鹿问。

“Hard to say,” said a kangaroo, “if they continue forgetting to fasten the cage door.”

很难说。”袋鼠说,“如果他们再继续忘记关门的话!”

风和太阳

(The Wind And The Sun) 

One day the wind said to the sun, “Look at that man walking along the road. I can get his cloak off more quickly than you can.” 

(有一天风跟太阳说: “看看那个沿着路上走的人.我可以比你快让他把披风脱下来.) 

“We will see about that,” said the sun. “I will let you try first.” 

(“我们等着看吧,”太阳说, “我让你先试.) 

So the wind tried to make the man take off his cloak. He blew and blew, but the man only pulled his cloak more closely around himself. 

(因此风尝试让那个人把披风脱下来.他用力地吹,可是那个人把披风拉得更紧.) 

“I give up,” said the wind at last. “I cannot get his cloak off.” Then the sun tried. He shone as hard as he could. The man soon became hot and took off his cloak. 

(“我放弃了,”风最后说, “我无法让他把披风脱下来.”然后由太阳试试看.他尽可能地晒他.不久,那个人很热就把披风脱下来了.)