Understanding...
理解万岁
A store owner was tacking1
a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale.?Signs like that
have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy
appeared under the store owner's sign. "How much are you going
to sell the puppies for?"he asked.
The store owner replied, "Anywhere from
$30 to $50."2
The little boy reached in his pocket and
pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can
I please look at them?"
The store owner smiled and whistled and out
of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed
by five teeny tiny balls of fur.3
One puppy was lagging considerably behind.4
Immediately the little boy singled out5
the lagging limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little
dog?"
The store owner explained that the veterinarian
had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip
socket.6 It
would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited.
"That's the little puppy that I want to buy."
The store owner said, "No, you don't
want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give
him to you.?
The little boy got quite upset. He looked
straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger and said,
"I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every
bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact I'll
give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for."
The store owner countered, "you really
don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to jump
and play with you like the other puppies."
To his surprise, the little boy reached down
and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left
leg supported by a big metal brace.7
He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't
run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"
1. tack: 用平头钉钉,此处为动词。
2. 三十到五十美元。anywhere: 在(限定范围内的)任何一点上。
3. 店主微笑着吹了声口哨,Lady从它的窝跑出来,穿过商店的走廊,后面跟着五只毛绒绒的小狗。teeny:
〈口〉很小的;balls of fur: 毛球,指小狗。
4. 一只小狗明显地落在后面。lag behind: 落在……后面;considerably:
相当大地;在很大程度上。
5. single out: 挑出。
6. veterinarian/;vet2ri#ne2ri2n/:
兽医;hip socket: 膝盖骨。
7. 那个小男孩弯腰卷起了裤腿,露出了严重变形的残疾的左腿,和一个支撑着它的大金属架。
pant leg: 裤腿;cripple:
使受伤致残。