LESSON 15 The travellers and the bear

第十五课 旅行者们和熊

Two men were going through a forest.

从前有两个人要穿过一座森林。

"I am afraid," said one, "that we may meet with wild beasts; I see the tracks of their paws on the ground."

一个说：“我好怕啊，我们可能会碰见很多的野兽，因为我看到它们的脚印了。”

"Fear nothing, friend Quickwit," cried the other, whose name was Braggart. "In case of an attack we shall stand by one another like men. I have a strong arm, a stout heart, and—

另一个叫巴戈特的人喊着：“不用担心，奎克维特，不管我们遇见什么野兽我们都要像男人一样勇敢。我的手臂将健有力，我的身体强壮结实，我的······”

"Hark!" cried the first in alarm, as a low growl was heard from a thicket near. In an instant Braggart, who was light and nimble, climbed up a tree like a squirrel, leaving his friend, who was not so active, to face the danger alone!

“听！”从一点钟方向的灌木丛中传来一声咆哮。巴戈特突然消失了，身手敏捷的像松鼠一样爬上树，留下傻傻的朋友独自面临危机。

But Quickwit's presence of mind did not fail him. He could not fight, he could not fly; but he laid himself flat on the ground, and held his breath, so as to appear quite dead. Out of the thicket rushed a huge bear, and at once made up to poor Quickwit; while Braggart looked down, trembling, from his perch in the tree.

但是奎克维特并不笨。虽然他不能打、不会飞，但是他平躺在地上，摒住呼吸，像死人一样。灌木丛跑来了一只大灰熊，一眼就看到了奎克维特，但是巴戈特就愣愣的呆在树上看着。

One may guess what were the feelings of Quickwit when the bear snuffed all round him, coming so near that he could feel its warm breath, when its muzzle was close to his ear! But Quickwit did not wince or move; and the bear, thinking him dead, plunged again into the thicket, leaving him quite unharmed!

难以想像的是，当大灰熊在奎克维特身边到处闻，用鼻子闻他耳朵的时候他几乎能感觉到熊的呼吸，他的心情是多么复杂啊！但是奎克维特始终一动不动，灰熊以为他死了，没有咬他，又跑回了灌木丛。

When Braggart saw that the danger was over, he came down from the tree. Somewhat ashamed of his cowardly conduct, he tried to pass off the matter with a joke.

巴戈特看到灰熊离开了，就从树上爬下来了。不管自己的胆小有多丢人，他只想开一个玩笑。

"Well, my friend Quickwit," he said, "what did the bear say to you when he whispered into your ear?"

他说：“奎克维特，我的朋友！灰熊在你耳边说了什么啊？”

"He told me," replied Quickwit, "never again to trust a boaster like you!"

奎克维特回答道：“灰熊告诉我，再也不要相信像你这样吹牛皮的人！”

The hour of danger often shows that the greatest boasters are the greatest cowards. Let courage be proved by deeds, not by words.

这个故事告诉我们牛皮大王往往是胆小鬼，勇敢是要行动证明的，而不是说说而已。

QUESTIONS

问题

What were the names of the two friends? Which appeared to be the braver, from his way of speaking? What did he do when the growl of the bear was heard? Who is lying close to the bear in the picture? Is he dead, or what? How did the other try to pass off the matter? What was the bear's advice?

故事中两个人的名字是什么？哪一个用行动证明了他更加勇敢？听到灰熊的咆哮，他做了什么？图片中是谁躺在地上而且灰熊近在咫尺？他死了还是怎样？另一个人试着略掉这件事，他是怎么做的？灰熊说了什么？