英國學生科學讀本 Lesson 62 吃苦耐勞的驢子(2)

There is a clear space in the jaws between the front and the back teeth, and into this space we put the steel bit to which the reins are fastened when we drive or ride the donkey.

在驢子前后牙齒之間的腭部有一片空白區(qū)域，我們將鐵制馬嚼子放進這里，在馬嚼子上拴上韁繩，這樣就可以騎驢或趕驢了。

Each of the donkey's four feet consists of a single large, strong toe, which is protected by a horny covering or nail called the hoof. The hoof alone would wear away too quickly on the stony roads over which the donkey has to walk in our country; so the blacksmith fastens plates of iron, which we may call "donkey-shoes, " to its hoofs. They are of the same shape as horses-hoes, but are a good deal smaller.

驢子的四個足上分別長有一個強壯的大腳趾，外面則包裹著一層名叫蹄子的角質結構或指甲，能夠對腳趾起到保護作用。我們國家的道路是石頭鋪的，而驢子們則需要不停跋涉，如果只是依靠這些蹄子，那么它們將很快磨平;于是，鐵匠們把鐵板(我們可以稱之為“驢蹄鐵”)固定在它們的蹄子上。這些鐵板與馬蹄鐵形狀一樣，只是小得多。

The donkey is an extremely useful animal. It costs much less than a horse, and it is very hardy, strong, and sure-footed. Many people think that a donkey is a very stupid creature, but this is a great mistake. When it is worked too hard, badly treated, and badly fed, the donkey becomes both stubborn and stupid; but if any other animal were treated in that way, it would do just the same.

驢子是一種非常有用的動物。它們比馬要便宜很多，而且它們吃苦耐勞、強壯有力并且腳踏實地。很多人覺得驢子很笨，實際上，這是一種錯誤觀點。它們辛勤勞作，但卻總是遭到粗魯?shù)膶Υ?，伙食情況也非常惡劣。在這種情況下，驢子就會變得頑固且遲鈍;然而，如果總是承受這樣的悲慘生活，那么任何動物都會變得像驢子一樣。

Any boy or girl who has a pet donkey to ride will find that the donkey can be both clever and patient, as well as loving and good. But to get the donkey to do its best for us, we must be very kind to it.

如果哪位小朋友能夠擁有一頭寵物驢，就會發(fā)現(xiàn)，驢子聰明異常、吃苦耐勞、討人喜歡并且善良可靠。不過，為了充分發(fā)揮驢子的作用，我們必須善待它們。

Any one who ill-uses a dumb animal must be either ignorant or wicked, or perhaps both. People who beat and ill-treat the donkey or any other animal can now be punished either by having to pay a fine or by being put into prison.

虐待這樣一種老實的動物不是愚蠢就是邪惡，或許既愚蠢又邪惡吧。如今，毆打與虐待驢子或其他動物的人都會受到罰款或入獄的懲罰。

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