思想的珍珠篇07：The Buzzard, the Bat and the Bumblebee美洲鹫、蝙蝠与大黄蜂

If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely¹ open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
假如你把一只美洲鹫放在一个长宽均为6或8英尺、完全无顶的围栏里，尽管它能飞，却逃不脱阶下囚的命运，原因是当美洲鹫准备起飞的时候，它经常需要10至12英尺的助跑，作为它的习惯，没有空间助跑，它甚至不会尝试去飞，而是在这个没有顶的小监狱里，成为终生的囚徒。

 The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably² nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle³ about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation⁴ from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
 普通蝙蝠是夜空中飞掠的精灵，却不能从平地起飞。如果把它放在地板或平地上，它只能无助地而且无疑很痛苦地到处乱爬。直到它爬到有点坡度的地方，才可以飞身扑向空中。那时，它会一飞冲天、迅如闪电。

A Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
大黄蜂如果掉进一个敞口平底玻璃杯里，它只会在里面等死，除非你把它放出来。它从来看不到上面有脱离困境的出路，只是锲而不舍地在杯子下部的杯壁上求索着。实际上那里根本没有出路，最终只能自取灭亡。

 It many ways, there are many people like the buzzard, the bat and the bumblebee. They struggle about with all their problems and frustrations⁵, not realizing that the answer is right there "above" them.
 在好多方面，许多人都像美洲鹫、蝙蝠和大黄蜂一样。他们在困难与挫折中挣扎徘徊，却从来没有意识到：答案就在他们“上面”。

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

3 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

4 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

5 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。