【雅思培训-口语】口语素材：童年故事

　　用于话题“童年故事”

　　一个流传千古的犹太故事

　　世间万物,有什么能使“高兴的人看了悲伤,悲伤的人见了高兴”的呢?

　　One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it.”

　　某一天,国王所罗门有意想羞辱一下其最信任的一位大臣,本奈·本·耶海雅达。于是对他说:“本奈,我想你去为我找一枚戒指。我要在住棚节上佩带,你有六个月的时间去觅寻。”

　　“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”

　　本奈回答道:“陛下,只要这枚戒指是存在于这世上的,我定将找到带给您。但这枚戒指有何独特之处呢?”

　　“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.”

　　“它有着不可思议的力量,”国王答道,“使高兴的人看了悲伤,悲伤的人见了高兴。”

　　Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility. Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet.

　　所罗门知道世上根本无此物,只想给其大臣一个下马威。春去夏来,本奈还是想不到该往何处找寻此戒指。就在住棚节前夜,他决定去耶路撒冷最贫困的一区走走。他遇到了一个正往破毯子上摆出当天售卖货物的商贩。

　　“Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.