The Two Travelers and the Bear
兩個旅人在森林裡遇上熊，一個逃走、一個裝死——關於「真朋友」的經典寓言。
發音優先播放真人錄音；若尚無錄音，會自動改用系統語音。Two friends were walking through a forest together.
兩個朋友一起走過一座森林。
They had promised to help each other in any danger.
他們曾約定，遇到任何危險都要互相幫助。
Suddenly, a big bear appeared on the path.
突然間，一隻大熊出現在小路上。
One friend quickly climbed up a tree and hid.
其中一個朋友很快爬上一棵樹躲了起來。
The other could not climb, so he lay down on the ground.
另一個不會爬樹，於是他躺在地上。
He held his breath and pretended to be dead.
他屏住呼吸，假裝已經死了。
The bear came close and sniffed his ear.
熊靠了過來，聞了聞他的耳朵。
Then it walked away, because bears do not touch the dead.
接著熊就走開了，因為熊不會碰死掉的東西。
When the bear was gone, the first friend climbed down.
熊走了之後，第一個朋友從樹上爬下來。
"What did the bear whisper in your ear?" he asked with a laugh.
「熊在你耳邊說了什麼悄悄話？」他笑著問。
"It gave me some advice," the second friend said.
「牠給了我一些忠告，」第二個朋友說。
"It told me never to travel with a friend who leaves you in danger."
「牠叫我，絕不要和一個在危險時丟下你的朋友同行。」
The first friend felt ashamed and said nothing.
第一個朋友感到慚愧，一句話也說不出來。
A true friend is someone who stays when things get hard.
真正的朋友，是在困難來臨時仍留在你身邊的人。
單字表
| 單字 | 詞性 | 音標 | 中文意思 | 發音 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| forest | n. | /ˈfɔrɪst/ | 森林 | |
| promise | v. | /ˈprɑmɪs/ | 承諾、約定 | |
| danger | n. | /ˈdeɪndʒər/ | 危險 | |
| bear | n. | /bɛr/ | 熊 | |
| appear | v. | /əˈpɪr/ | 出現 | |
| climb | v. | /klaɪm/ | 攀爬 | |
| hide | v. | /haɪd/ | 躲藏 | |
| lie down | phr. | /laɪ daʊn/ | 躺下 | |
| hold one's breath | phr. | /hoʊld wʌnz brɛθ/ | 屏住呼吸 | |
| pretend | v. | /prɪˈtɛnd/ | 假裝 | |
| sniff | v. | /snɪf/ | 嗅、聞 | |
| whisper | v. | /ˈwɪspər/ | 低語、說悄悄話 | |
| advice | n. | /ædˈvaɪs/ | 忠告、建議 | |
| ashamed | adj. | /əˈʃeɪmd/ | 慚愧的 | |
| true friend | n. | /tru frɛnd/ | 真正的朋友 |
實用提示
- 寓意：患難見真情——真正的朋友是「困難時仍留下」的人（stays when things get hard）。
- 「pretend to be + 形容詞／名詞」＝假裝是…，例如 pretend to be dead / asleep / busy。
- 「someone who...」用關係代名詞描述「怎樣的人」，是很實用的定義句型：A true friend is someone who stays.
- 「never to + 原形」在轉述忠告時常見：It told me never to travel with...（叫我絕不要…）。