The Horse and the Loaded Donkey

A lazy horse and a donkey, carrying a large weight,were traveling along a road together.

The donkey,close tofalling under such a heavy load,begged the horse to help him by taking some of the weight from his back.

The horse was lazy andrefused to doit.

The donkey thenfell downin the middle of the highway, and died.

The master then took all the weight, and put it on the horse’s back, together with the skin of the donkey.

MORAL: Laziness often prepares a weight for its own back.

词组加油站

close to几乎要；接近

refuse to do拒绝做某事

fall down倒下

一匹懒惰的马和一头驮着重物的驴子一起沿着一条公路行进。

驴子在重负荷下快要垮掉了，他请求马帮助他减轻背部的重量。

这匹马很懒，不肯帮忙。

驴在路上精疲力竭，倒地身亡。

主人拿起所有的重物，连同驴皮一起，把它放在马背上。寓意∶ 我们总是要为自己的懒惰付出代价。（人本该互相帮助,否则伙伴倒地身亡,担子就会加在自己身上。）

名师考点小结

weight在文中是“重物”的意思。

原句：A lazy horse and a donkey, carrying a large weight, were traveling along a road together.

weight这个词除了文中的“重物”“负担”的意思,常见的意思还有“重量”“体重”。

例句：What is your weight? 你多重?

长难句分析

The donkey, close to falling under such a heavy load, begged the horse to help hi by taking some of the weight from his back .

close to falling under such a heavy load作为插入语在修饰补充donkey,意思是驴子的负荷太重快要摔倒了。

beg somebody to do something乞求某人做某事。这里驴乞求马帮他分担一些背上的重量,也就是帮他背一点东西。

例句：I beg you to keep quiet.我求你保持安静。