英語(yǔ)故事：自知之明

　　In ancient times a man named Zou Ji, 8 chi tall and impressive looking, had served as the prime minister of the State of Qi.

　　One morning, he tidied his clothes and hat, looked into the mirror, and asked his wife: "Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong living in the north of the city or I?"

　　His wife replied: "You are far more handsome. Xu Gong is no match for you!"

　　Xu Gong of the north of the city was a well-known handsome man in the State of Qi. Zou Ji really didn't believe he was more handsome than Xu Gong. So he asked his concubine: "Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"

　　His concubine also said: "Xu Gong is no match for you!"

　　The next day, a guest came to discuss some matter with him. Zou Ji asked his guest the same question: "Who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"

　　The guest answered positively: "Xu Gong is not as handsome as you."

　　Another day passed and Zou Ji met Xu Gong in person. He stared closely at the other for some time and carefully compared him with himself. He really couldn't see that he was more handsome than Xu Gong. Later, he again looked into the mirror. The more he looked at himself, the more he felt he was not as handsome as Xu Gong.

　　Zou Ji was rather restless in his mind. At night, lying on the bed, he pondered: He was not as handsome as Xu Gong, but why did these three persons say he was more handsome?In the end, he came to understand the reason: "My wife says I am handsome because she shows favouritism to me. My concubine says I am handsome because she is afraid of me. My guest says I am handsome because he wants to curry my favour."

　　古代齊國(guó)有個(gè)人名叫鄒忌，身高八尺，相貌堂堂，曾經(jīng)做過(guò)齊國(guó)的相國(guó)。

　　一天早晨，他整整衣服帽子，照照鏡子，問(wèn)妻子：“你看，我跟住在城北的徐公比，誰(shuí)長(zhǎng)得漂亮?”

　　妻子回答說(shuō)：“你漂亮多了。徐公哪里比得上你呢!”

　　城北的徐公，是齊國(guó)有名的美男子，鄒忌真的不相信自己比徐公長(zhǎng)得漂亮。于是，又問(wèn)他的妾說(shuō)：“你看，我同徐公比，哪個(gè)漂亮些?”

　　妾也說(shuō)：“徐公怎么比得上你漂亮呢?”

　　第二天，有個(gè)客人來(lái)找他，跟他商談一件事情，鄒忌又問(wèn)客人說(shuō)：“我與徐公誰(shuí)長(zhǎng)得美呢?”

　　客人肯定地回答說(shuō)：“徐公不如你美。”

　　又過(guò)了一天，鄒忌見(jiàn)到了徐公。他緊緊地盯著他看了一陣，又把自己和他仔細(xì)地比較了一番，實(shí)在看不出自己比徐公漂亮。后來(lái)，再去照照鏡子，越看越覺(jué)得自己不及徐公。

　　鄒忌心里很不平靜。晚上，他躺在床上，想來(lái)想去，自己本來(lái)不及徐公，為什么這三個(gè)人都說(shuō)自己美呢?最后，他終于明白了：“妻子說(shuō)我漂亮，是因?yàn)槠珢?ài)我;妾說(shuō)我漂亮，是因?yàn)榕挛?客人說(shuō)我漂亮，是因?yàn)橛幸庥懞梦摇?rdquo;

　　重點(diǎn)單詞解析：

　　ancient：英 [?e?n??nt] 美 [?en??nt]

　　adj.古代的，已往的; 古老的，過(guò)時(shí)的; 年老的; 老式的;

　　n.古代人; 古文明國(guó)的國(guó)民; <古>高齡老人; <古>旗手;

　　[例句]Or even ancient greek?

　　或是古希臘語(yǔ)也行?

　　the Prime Minister：

　　[釋義]首相，丞相，總理;

　　[例句]Unofficially authorised by the prime minister?

　　并且有首相的非官方授權(quán)?

　　tidied：v.整理; ( tidy的過(guò)去式和過(guò)去分詞 ) 使整潔; 使整齊; 使有條理

　　discuss:英 [d??sk?s] 美 [d??sk?s]

　　vt.商量; 討論，談?wù)? 論述，詳述;

　　[例句]Is this any time to discuss marriage?

　　這是討論婚嫁的時(shí)候嗎?

　　well-known：英 ['wel'n??n] 美 [?w?l?non]

　　adj.出名的，眾所周知的，熟悉的; 鼎鼎大名; 聞;

　　[例句]This is a well-known dynamic.

　　這是一個(gè)有名的動(dòng)態(tài)問(wèn)題.

　　compared：英 [k?m?pe?d] 美 [k?m?p?rd]

　　adj.比較的，對(duì)照的;

　　[例句]But it's nothing compared to my hurt.

　　但這跟我受過(guò)的傷無(wú)法相比.