The Fox and the Goat

    One day a fox fell into a well and could not scramble¹ out again．The water was not very deep，but the sides of the well were smoothand were covered with slippery moss² so that every time the fox struggled up a few inches，he slipped down again with a splash into the water．After some time a goat came along and peered curiously³ over the edge．“What are you doing down there，fox？”he asked．The fox saw his chance to escape．“Are you quite alone？”he asked mysteriously．“I don't want everyone to come at once．But the water in this well is so good that I just cannot stop drinking it．Come on in and try it．You'll see it is better than anything you ever tasted before．”
    Without thinking twice the goat jumped in and began to drink eagerly．After a while he had had enough to drink and he looked round to see how he could get out．“No problem at all，my dear fellow，”said the fox，“you stand on your hind⁴ legs and I'll climb on your back．If I balance myself on your horns I'll just about reach the ground．Then I'll lean over and pull you up after me．”
    So the goat stood on his hind legs and the fox climbed quickly out of the well．Trotting⁵ off across the fields he called out to the goat：
    “If you have as much sense in your head as you have hairs in your beard，my friend，you would have made sure you could get out of that well before ever you jumped in．”
    Look before you leap．Exercises：
    回答下列问题：
    ①What happened to the fox one day？
    ②Why did the goat jump into the well？

1 scramble   

v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料

参考例句：

• He broke his leg in his scramble down the wall.他爬墙摔断了腿。
• It was a long scramble to the top of the hill.到山顶须要爬登一段长路。

2 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。

3 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

4 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

5 trotting   

小跑，急走( trot的现在分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走

参考例句：

• The riders came trotting down the lane. 这骑手骑着马在小路上慢跑。
• Alan took the reins and the small horse started trotting. 艾伦抓住缰绳，小马开始慢跑起来。