玩物丧志的故事
this is a very well-known story that teaches us a lot about using our time wisely.这是一个大家熟知的故事，它告诉我们要明智地利用时间。
a grasshopper was playing on his violin where the ants were busy collecting food.
蚱蜢在拉小提琴，而蚂蚁却在忙着收集食物。
“it's the grasshopper again！”they said.“he's always playing that violin of his. he never seems to do any work.”
“又是蚱蜢。”它们说，“它总是在拉小提琴，似乎从来不工作。”
the grasshopper stopped when he saw the ants.“why are you working on such a beautiful day？”he asked.“don't you feel the gaiety of spring？ why aren't you dancing and singing while i play my violin？”
蚱蜢看见蚂蚁后停了下来。“这么好的天气，干吗工作呢？”它问道，“你们不觉得在春天心情是多么舒畅吗？我拉小提琴的时候，你们可以唱唱歌，跳跳舞啊！”
“we must collect food now,”said the queen of ants.“if we don't, what will we do when winter comes？”
“现在我们必须要收集食物。”蚁后说，“否则，我们冬天怎么办呢？”
“oh, winter's a long way off,”said the grasshopper.“you take life much too seriously.”
“哦，冬天还很远呢！”蚱蜢说道，“你们对待生活太认真啦。”
“but you must work today if you want to eat tomorrow,”said the little ant.“you can play your violin after you have finished working,”said another as the ants scurried busily about.
“但是，今天的工作是为了明天的生活。”小蚂蚁说。“你做完工作后再拉小提琴啊。”另一只忙于工作的蚂蚁说。
the grasshopper didn't wish to heed their advice,“go on with your work, my little friends,”he said.“i'm going to dance in the meadow in the sun！”and so the grasshopper left the busy ants and went on his way, singing.
蚱蜢却从来没有听从蚂蚁的建议。“我的小朋友们，你们继续工作吧。”它说，“我要到阳光照耀下的草地上跳舞去了。”蚱蜢唱着歌离开了忙碌的蚂蚁。
the spring soon passed and the warm days of summer came. all day long the grasshopper played his violin as he sat in the sun or just slept on a blade of grass. soon summer was over.
春天很快过去了，炎热的夏天来了。蚱蜢只是整日坐在太阳下，或躺在草叶上拉小提琴。很快夏天也结束了。
one morning, the grasshopper woke up and was surprised to see that snow had fallen during the night. he shivered and looked for a great leaf for food. but although he searched and searched he could not find a thing. the long winter had come.
一天早上，蚱蜢醒来后惊讶地发现昨天晚上下雪了。它哆嗦着想去寻找一片大叶子作食物，但是它找啊找，可是什么也没找到。漫长的冬天到来了。
“oh dear, oh dear！ what shall i do？”cried the grasshopper,“i shall die of hunger. i shall freeze to death！”
“哦，天哪！我该怎么办呢？”蚱蜢哀号着，“我要被饿死、冻死了。”
the grasshopper wandered around looking for a place to keep warm but there was no such place.“how silly i was not to listen to the ants. while i am dying of cold and hunger they are sitting in their warm nest with plenty to eat.”
蚱蜢四处徘徊着想找一个御寒的地方，但是根本找不到。“我真是太傻了，没有听蚂蚁的话。我快要被冻死饿死的时候，它们却待在温暖的巢穴里，不愁吃的。”
and sobbing loudly, the grasshopper sat down in the snow. the ants heard his cry and as they were really kind creatures they came hurrying to help him.
蚱蜢坐在雪地上大哭起来。善良的蚂蚁听到它的哭声后，急忙赶来帮忙。
by this time the poor grasshopper was frozen stiff. the ants picked him up and carried him to their nest.
等它们到那儿，可怜的蚱蜢已经冻僵了。蚂蚁把它扶起来，抬到它们的巢穴里。
they looked after the grasshopper until he felt better and spring had returned again. never did the grasshopper forget the lesson he had been taught.
它们一直照料着蚱蜢直到它好转，这时春天也来了。从此，蚱蜢再也没有忘记曾经的教训。
单词注解
ashore [ə'ʃɔː] ad.在岸上；在陆上；上岸
gaiety ['ɡeiəti]n.快乐；作乐
heed [hi:d] v.听某人的劝告；留心
stiff [stif] a.僵硬的；不灵活的
实用句型
sir, you see the sun would soon rise and the tide will ebb away.
先生，你知道吗，太阳很快就要升起来了，潮水也会退去。
all day long the grasshopper played his violin as he sat in the sun or just slept on a blade of grass.
蚱蜢只是整日坐在太阳下，或躺在草叶上拉小提琴。
智慧点津
the assist of one person is tiny. but to those who badly need the help, it makes a difference.
一个人的力量是渺小的，但是对于那些需要这些帮助的人来说，那将是莫大的安慰。
do right things at the proper time, or it's too late to regret for what has passed.
在合适的时节做应该做的事，否则，错过时节才醒悟为时已晚。
