一鸣惊人

◎Micky

Track 3

一鸣惊人最早出自 《韩非子·喻老》，本指鸟鸣叫一声就使人震惊，后用以比喻平时表现平平，一做起来就取得突出的成绩。

It had been three years since King Zhuang of Chu1)ascendedthe throne, but he had neither2)issueda decree nor dealt with any state affairs.Furthermore, there were no deeds worth mentioning. All the officials of the court couldn’t understand what was the matter.

One day, an official quietly asked King Zhuang of Chu in the carriage,“I heard that in the south, there was a big bird dwelling in the hills. Three years passed, it neither flew nor cried. Could you tell me the reason?”

King Zhuang of Chu smiled and answered, “It didn’t spread its wings to fly for three years in order to grow full-fledged. It didn’t cry for three years in order to carefully observe the conditions of the people in the world. This bird, once it flies, will3)soarhigh into the sky; once it cries, it will startle the world with a single cry.”

Another half a year passed before King Zhuang of Chu began to personally administer state affairs. He abolished ten outmoded rules and regulations, issued nine new policies,4)sentencedfive ministers to death for their evil deeds and promoted six people with real talents.

From then on, the State of Chu became stronger and stronger.

1) ascendv.登基；即位

2) issuev.发布

3) soarv.高飞

4) sentencev.判决

楚庄王即位已经三年了，可是他还没有颁布过一项法令，没有处理过一件政事，更谈不上有什么作为。朝廷中的官员都弄不懂这是怎么回事。

一天，一位大臣在马车里悄悄地问楚庄王:“我听说南方有一只大鸟栖息在山上。三年过去了，它既不飞，也不鸣。这是什么原因呢？”

楚庄王笑了笑，回答说:“三年不展翅飞翔，是为了让羽翼长得更加丰满；三年不鸣，是在细心观察天下的民情。这只鸟，不飞则已，一飞冲天；不鸣则已，一鸣惊人。”

又过了半年，楚庄王开始亲自处理政事。他废除了十项旧的规章制度，颁布了九项新的政策，处决了五个专干坏事的大臣，还提拔了六个真正有才能的人。

从此，楚国变得越来越强大。

Questions:

1. Did the King do deeds worth mentioning in the first three years?

2. After the King administered state affairs, what happened to the State of Chu?

Background Knowledge

King Zhuang of Chu (died 591 BC), was a leader in the State of Chu and one of the Five Hegemons in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history.

King Zhuang of Chu took his throne in 613 BC. When he ascended the throne, the State of Chu was in disarray. For the first three years of his kingship, he wasted time on hunting excessively and partying lavishly. Several courtiers were anxious about the King but none dared speak up as the King had given orders that anyone who challenges his rules shall be killed. Later,he started reforms and made the State of Chu much stronger.

楚庄王（卒于公元前591 年），是中国历史上春秋时期楚国的领袖，也是春秋五霸之一。

公元前613 年，楚庄王即位。他登基时，楚国一片混乱。即位后的前三年里，他浪费时间过度打猎和狂欢。几个朝臣都为楚国着急，但没有一个人敢说话，因为楚王下令杀死了所有挑战他规则的人。后来，他开始改革，使楚国变得更加强大了。