The Two Cocks

    Two cocks once fought to decide who should be the king of the farmyard．After a long，hard struggle one cock could fight no more．He crept into the darkest corner of the hen house to hide his shame．The winner flew onto the top of the farmhouse，crowing and flap- ping his wings to let the world know was the new king．“Look at me，look at me，”he crowed．“I am the king of the farm-yard．”
    Just then an eagle flew by．Swooping¹ down，he seized the cock in his talons² and carried him off．The cock who was hiding in the hen house heard the crows of triumph turn to cries of despair．He peered out to see what was happening．All at once he began to feel better．He fluffed up his battered³ feathers，straightened his drooping⁴ comb and strutted⁵ out into the yard again．“I am the king of the farmyard now，”he crowed happily-just as if he had been the winner all along．Prid6 comes before a fall．Exercises：
    判断对（T）、错（F）：
    ①Two cocks once fought to decide who should be the king of the farmyard．② The winner was very proud of his victory．③ The loser turned out to be the winner at last．④ We can learn that pride comes before a fall．

1 swooping   

俯冲，猛冲( swoop的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The wind were swooping down to tease the waves. 大风猛扑到海面上戏弄着浪涛。
• And she was talking so well-swooping with swift wing this way and that. 而她却是那样健谈--一下子谈到东，一下子谈到西。

2 talons   

n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部

参考例句：

• The fingers were curved like talons, but they closed on empty air. 他的指头弯得像鹰爪一样，可是抓了个空。 来自英汉文学 - 热爱生命
• The tiger has a pair of talons. 老虎有一对利爪。 来自辞典例句

3 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

4 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

5 strutted   

趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The players strutted and posed for the cameras. 运动员昂首阔步，摆好姿势让记者拍照。
• Peacocks strutted on the lawn. 孔雀在草坪上神气活现地走来走去。