farmer and donkey
英语课
One day a farmer’s donkey fell into an abandoned well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided 1 the animal was too old and the well needed to be covered up anyway; so it just wasn’t worth it to him to try to retrieve 2 the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They each grabbed a shovel 3 and began to shovel dirt into the well. Realizing what was happening, the donkey at first cried and wailed 4 horribly.
Then, a few shovel-fulls later, he quieted down completely. The farmer peered down into the well, and was astounded 5 by what he saw. With every shovel-full of dirt that hit his back, the donkey would shake it off and take a step up on the new layer of dirt.
As the farmer’s neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted 6 off, to the shock and astonishment 7 of everyone.
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to stop wailing 8, and not let the dirt bury you, but to shake it off and take a step up. Each one of our troubles is a stepping-stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
一日，农夫的驴子掉进了一口枯井里。这只动物凄惨地叫了几个小时，与此同时农夫努力地思考该如何处理。最后，他认为这头驴太老了，而且这口井也该填上，花力气把这头驴弄上来很不值得。
他找来所有的邻居帮忙。他们每个人都拿了一把铁锹，开始往井里扔土。驴子意识到将要发生什么，于是发出了痛苦的哀嚎声。
然而，几锹土下去之后，驴子平静了下来。农夫向井里望去，他被眼前的景象惊呆了：每当有一锹土落在驴背上的时候，它就会把土抖掉，踩在脚下。
当邻居们不断地把土扔到井里的时候，驴子就会把土抖掉踩在脚下。很快，驴子脚下的土就和井口一样高了，于是，它大摇大摆地从井里走出来，惊呆了周围的每一个人。
生活可能会把各种各样的土加在你的身上。从井中走出的秘密就在于停止悲叹，不要让土把你掩埋，抖掉身上的土，向上走一步。生活中遇到的每一次麻烦都是你向上攀登的台阶。只要不放弃，不停止奋斗，即使最深的井你也可以走出来。抖掉身上的土，向上走一步！
adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
vt.重新得到，收回；挽回，补救；检索
- He was determined to retrieve his honor.他决心恢复名誉。
- The men were trying to retrieve weapons left when the army abandoned the island.士兵们正试图找回军队从该岛撤退时留下的武器。
n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出
- He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
- He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。
v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )
- She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句
v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶
- His arrogance astounded her. 他的傲慢使她震惊。
- How can you say that? I'm absolutely astounded. 你怎么能说出那种话？我感到大为震惊。
小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走
- She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。
- Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。
n.惊奇，惊异
- They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
- I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。