小故事

Blind Benny
瞎本尼
An out-of-towner accidentally drives his car into a deep ditch on the side of a country road. Luckily a farmer happened by with his big old horse named Benny.
一个外地人在乡村公路上开车时不小心开到了路边的沟渠里。幸运的是正巧有个农夫牵着他高大的老马从旁经过。
The man asked for help. The farmer said Benny could pull his car out. So he backed Benny up and hitched Benny to the man's car bumper.
外地人向他求助。农夫说他的马本尼能把车拉出来。他让马后退几步，拴在车的保险杠上。
Then he yelled, "Pull, Nellie, pull."
然后，农夫喊道：“拉，内莉，拉啊。”
Benny didn't move.
本尼没动。
Then he yelled, "Come on, pull Ranger."
农夫又喊道：“来啊，拉，兰格。”
Still, Benny didn't move.
本尼还是没动。
Then he yelled really loud, "Now pull, Fred, pull hard."
农夫再次大声叫道：“拉呀，弗雷德，使劲拉。”
Benny just stood.
本尼站着一动不动。
Then the farmer nonchalantly said, "Okay, Benny, pull."
最后，农夫淡淡地说：“好啦，本尼，拉吧。”
Benny pulled the car out of the ditch.
本尼把车从沟渠里拉了出来。
The man was very appreciative but curious. He asked the farmer why he called his horse by the wrong name three times.
外地人非常感激农夫，但是对农夫的做法很好奇。他问农夫为什么三次叫错马的名字。
The farmer said, "Oh, Benny is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling he wouldn't even try."
农夫说：“是这样的，本尼的眼睛瞎了，如果它认为只有它自己在拉车，那这根本就不会卖力尝试的。”

重点讲解

重点讲解：
1. out-of-towner
外地人；
eg. In the audio interview, we will speak with an out-of-towner and learn his thoughts regarding reconstruction on the site.
在音频的采访中，我们会跟一位外省人士聊聊，了解一下他对于旧址重建是怎么想的。
eg. Out of towners can at last join in the final dance just before dusk.
快到黄昏时，外地人才终于可以加入到最后的跳舞行列了。
2. ask for
索要；请求，恳求（给予）；
eg. He felt too ashamed to ask for help.
他不好意思请求帮助。
eg. It galled him to have to ask for a loan.
必须向人借钱使他感到羞辱。
3. hitch sth. to sth.
把…钩（或拴、系）在…上；
eg. Last night we hitched the horse to the cart and moved here.
昨晚我们套上马车，拉着东西搬到了这里。
eg. Mr.Hess hitched his horse to the tree.
赫斯先生把马拴在树上。