智慧背囊 品味人生-09-待售的小狗

[00:03.22]Puppies for Sale 待售的小狗
[00:05.20]A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.
[00:09.79] He painted a sign advertising¹ the pups
[00:12.64]and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard.
[00:16.57]As he was driving the last nail into the post,
[00:19.96]he felt a tug² on his overalls³.
[00:22.37] He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.
[00:25.76]“Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
[00:30.46]"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck,
[00:35.28] "these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
[00:40.74]The boy dropped his head for a moment.
[00:43.15]Then reaching deep into his pocket,
[00:45.99]he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.
[00:49.93]"I’ve got thirty-nine cents.
[00:52.33] Is that enough to take a look?" he said.
[00:55.29]"Sure," said the farmer.
[00:57.58]Out from the doghouse ran a female dog followed by four little balls of fur.
[01:03.93] The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence.
[01:07.76] His eyes danced with delight.
[01:10.06]As the dogs made their way to the fence,
[01:13.01] the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.
[01:16.94]Slowly another little ball appeared; this one noticeably smaller.
[01:21.75]Down the ramp⁴ it slid.
[01:24.16]Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others,
[01:28.97] doing its best to catch up....
[01:31.16]"I want that one," the little boy said,
[01:34.01] pointing to the smaller dog.
[01:36.08]The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said,
[01:39.58]"Son, you don’t want that puppy.
[01:42.10]He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."
[01:46.69]With that the little boy reached down,
[01:50.09]and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.
[01:52.93] In doing so he revealed a steel brace⁵ running down both sides of his leg.
[01:58.73]Looking back up at the farmer, he said,
[02:01.57] "You see sir, I don’t run too well myself,
[02:04.53] and he will need someone who understands."
[02:07.26]The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

1 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

2 tug   

v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船

参考例句：

• We need to tug the car round to the front.我们需要把那辆车拉到前面。
• The tug is towing three barges.那只拖船正拖着三只驳船。

3 overalls   

n.（复）工装裤；长罩衣

参考例句：

• He is in overalls today.他今天穿的是工作裤。
• He changed his overalls for a suit.他脱下工装裤，换上了一套西服。

4 ramp   

n.暴怒，斜坡，坡道；vi.作恐吓姿势，暴怒，加速；vt.加速

参考例句：

• That driver drove the car up the ramp.那司机将车开上了斜坡。
• The factory don't have that capacity to ramp up.这家工厂没有能力加速生产。

5 brace   

n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备

参考例句：

• My daughter has to wear a brace on her teeth. 我的女儿得戴牙套以矫正牙齿。
• You had better brace yourself for some bad news. 有些坏消息,你最好做好准备。