The Humble Peasant

时间：2007-11-07 07:47:11

（单词翻译:单击）

  AN Office Seeker whom the President had ordered out of Washington
was watering the homeward highway with his tears.

  "Ah," he said, "how disastrous1 is ambition! how unsatisfying its
rewards! how terrible its disappointments!  Behold2 yonder peasant
tilling his field in peace and contentment!  He rises with the
lark3, passes the day in wholesome4 toil5, and lies down at night to
pleasant dreams.  In the mad struggle for place and power he has no
part; the roar of the strife6 reaches his ear like the distant
murmur7 of the ocean.  Happy, thrice happy man!  I will approach him
and bask8 in the sunshine of his humble9 felicity.  Peasant, all
hail!"

   Leaning upon his rake, the Peasant returned the salutation with a
nod, but said nothing.

  "My friend," said the Office Seeker, "you see before you the wreck10
of an ambitious man - ruined by the pursuit of place and power. 
This morning when I set out from the national capital - "

  "Stranger," the Peasant interrupted, "if you're going back there
soon maybe you wouldn't mind using your influence to make me
Postmaster at Smith's Corners."

  The traveller passed on.

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1 disastrous 2ujx0     
adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的
参考例句：
  • The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
  • Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。
2 behold jQKy9     
v.看，注视，看到
参考例句：
  • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
  • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。
3 lark r9Fza     
n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏
参考例句：
  • He thinks it cruel to confine a lark in a cage.他认为把云雀关在笼子里太残忍了。
  • She lived in the village with her grandparents as cheerful as a lark.她同祖父母一起住在乡间非常快活。
4 wholesome Uowyz     
adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的
参考例句：
  • In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
  • It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。
5 toil WJezp     
vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事
参考例句：
  • The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
  • Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。
6 strife NrdyZ     
n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争
参考例句：
  • We do not intend to be drawn into the internal strife.我们不想卷入内乱之中。
  • Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.金钱是造成很多婚姻不和的一个主要原因。
7 murmur EjtyD     
n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言
参考例句：
  • They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
  • There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。
8 bask huazK     
vt.取暖，晒太阳，沐浴于
参考例句：
  • Turtles like to bask in the sun.海龟喜欢曝于阳光中。
  • In winter afternoons,he likes to bask in the sun in his courtyard.冬日的午后，他喜欢坐在院子晒太阳。
9 humble ddjzU     
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
  • In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
  • Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。
10 wreck QMjzE     
n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难
参考例句：
  • Weather may have been a factor in the wreck.天气可能是造成这次失事的原因之一。
  • No one can wreck the friendship between us.没有人能够破坏我们之间的友谊。

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