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We call a small boy a “minor” until he grows up. The corner of Asia on the other side of the Bosporus is only a small part of Asia, so we call it Asia Minor. Asia Minor does not touch Europe, although it comes so close to it in two places that a giant could stride across. One of these crossings is the Bosporus; it is only about half a mile wide. The other crossing, called the Dardanelles, is only about a mile wide at the narrowest point. People have swum across the Dardanelles, and floating bridges have been made here by tying boats together, but there are now no bridges from Asia to Europe, and men and animals have to be carried across in boats if they want to get from Asia to Europe or from Europe to Asia.

Asia Minor is a “Once-was” country. It once was the richest part of the whole World.

Croesus, who once was the richest man in the World, lived in Asia Minor.

Helen, who once was the most beautiful woman in the World, was stolen away from her home in Greece and brought to a place called Troy in Asia Minor. Here the Trojan War was fought on her account.

Homer, one of the greatest story poets who ever lived, was said to have been born in Asia Minor.

St. Paul—the Apostle—was born in a little town in Asia Minor, a town called Tarsus, where he made tents for soldiers.

You have probably heard of the Seven Wonders of the World. They were supposed to be the seven most wonderful things made by the hand of man in Ancient Times. Three of the Seven Wonders were in Asia Minor:

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在一个小男孩长大成人之前，我们都称之为“小”。在博斯普鲁斯海峡的另一边是亚洲的一个角落，这个角落是亚洲很小一块地方，我们称之为“小亚细亚”。小亚细亚与欧洲并不相连，不过有两处离欧洲很近，如果有个巨人，一步就能跨过去。其中一处就是博斯普鲁斯海峡，只有半英里宽，另一处是达达尼尔海峡，最窄处只有一英里宽。有些人曾成功游过达达尼尔海峡。人们在这儿将船拴在一起建成一些浮桥，但是目前在亚洲和欧洲之间还没有桥梁，人和动物也只得乘船来往于两边。

小亚细亚很久以前是一个国家，曾是全世界最富庶的地方。

克罗伊斯国王，曾经是世界上最富有的人，就居住在小亚细亚。

海伦，曾经是世界上最美丽的女人，被人从希腊的故乡偷走，带到小亚细亚一个叫特洛伊的地方。因为海伦的缘故发生了特洛伊之战。

荷马，是迄今为止最伟大的叙事诗诗人之一，据说就出生于小亚细亚。

圣保罗——那个传福音的使徒——出生在小亚细亚一个叫“塔尔苏斯”的小镇。在这个小镇，保罗曾以为士兵制作帐篷为生。

你可能听说过世界七大奇观，它们被认为是古代人工建造的世界上七个最奇妙的景观，七个当中就有三个在小亚细亚。