The Ass and the Flutev

    As an ass¹ was quietly dining on thistles，he beheld² a shepherd seated beneath a tree，awakening sweet echoes on his flute³，and charming the ears of all within hearing，excepting our discontented lop-eared brute，who thus soliloquized：“The world is going mad！Be-hold all the people admiring，with open mouths，a fool who is straining and puffing⁴ himself into a perspiration⁵ with blowing into a little hollow tube．So easily are mankind pleased，while-but no matter．Let me hasten out of the fool's hearing．I shall go mad．”
    As our scandalized ass was moving off at a brisk canter，he presently almost kicked against a flute，which chanced to have been left on the turf by an amorous⁶ shepherd．The ass stopped，gazed knowingly round，and contemplated⁷ the flute as it lay；slowly he lowered his head，and placing his under lip on the mouth-hole，he blew in- to the despised instrument，when，mirabile dictu，it yielded an agree- able sound．Our ass thought himself a clever fellow，and cried aloud，as he kicked his hind⁸ legs in the air with joy，“Bravo！I too can play on the flute！”
    Exercises：
    回答问题：
    ① What did the ass see when dining on thistles？
    ② What did the ass think himself？

1 ass   

n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人

参考例句：

• He is not an ass as they make him.他不象大家猜想的那样笨。
• An ass endures his burden but not more than his burden.驴能负重但不能超过它能力所负担的。

2 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

3 flute   

n.长笛；v.吹笛

参考例句：

• He took out his flute, and blew at it.他拿出笛子吹了起来。
• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。

4 puffing   

v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He was puffing hard when he jumped on to the bus. 他跳上公共汽车时喘息不已。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe. 父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

6 amorous   

adj.多情的；有关爱情的

参考例句：

• They exchanged amorous glances and clearly made known their passions.二人眉来眼去，以目传情。
• She gave him an amorous look.她脉脉含情的看他一眼。

7 contemplated   

adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式

参考例句：

• The doctor contemplated the difficult operation he had to perform. 医生仔细地考虑他所要做的棘手的手术。
• The government has contemplated reforming the entire tax system. 政府打算改革整个税收体制。

8 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。