智慧背囊 思想的珍珠-07-美洲鹫、蝙蝠与大黄蜂

[00:02.87]The Buzzard, the Bat and the Bumblebee美洲鹫、蝙蝠与大黄蜂
[00:07.35]If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely¹ open at the top,
[00:13.81]in spite of his ability to fly,
[00:16.10] will be an absolute prisoner.
[00:18.94]The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet.
[00:25.62]Without space to run, as is his habit,
[00:28.57] he will not even attempt to fly,
[00:30.86] but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
[00:35.90]The ordinary bat that flies around at night,
[00:39.51]a remarkably² nimble creature in the air,
[00:42.35]cannot take off from a level place.
[00:44.54] If it is placed on the floor or flat ground,
[00:48.25]all it can do is shuffle³ about helplessly and, no doubt,
[00:52.63] painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation⁴ from which it can throw itself into the air.
[00:59.96] Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
[01:03.02]A Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies,
[01:08.38]unless it is taken out.
[01:10.57]It never sees the means of escape at the top,
[01:13.63] but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom.
[01:18.77] It will seek a way where none exists,
[01:21.40]until it completely destroys itself.
[01:24.13]In many ways,
[01:25.44]there are many people like the buzzard, the bat and the bumblebee.
[01:29.71] They struggle about with all their problems and frustrations⁵,
[01:34.08]not realizing that the answer is right there “above” them.

1 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

2 remarkably   

ad.不同寻常地，相当地

参考例句：

• I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。

3 shuffle   

n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走

参考例句：

• I wish you'd remember to shuffle before you deal.我希望在你发牌前记得洗牌。
• Don't shuffle your feet along.别拖着脚步走。

4 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

5 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。