An Expensive Head

    In the ancient¹ times there was² a king⁴ who wanted to find a swift⁵ horse that could⁶ cover⁷ a thousand 1i（half a kilometre）in one day and he was willing⁸ to pay⁹ one thousand pieces of gold for it．But for three years he was unsuccessful．A eunuch said¹⁰ to the king，“Please let me go and find such¹¹ a horse for you．”
    The king agreed¹² to send him After three months the eunuch found¹³ a very swift horse but it was dead¹⁴．He bought the horse's head for five hundred pieces of gold and returned¹⁵ to report¹⁶ to the king．“I want a living¹⁷ horse．”the king shouted furiously¹⁸．“What is the use of a dead one？And you gave¹⁹ away five hundred gold pieces as³ well！”
    “If a dead horse is worth²⁰ five hundred gold pieces，”answered the eunuch，“what would²¹ a living one be worth？People everywhere will know that the king is willing to pay a great deal²² to buy horses．Good horses will soon appear²³．”
    In less²⁴ than a year，three fine horses were brought²⁵ to the king．Exercises：
    回答下列问题：
    ① How much would the king afford²⁶ to buy a swift horse？
    ② How much did²⁷ a dead horse cost²⁸？
    ③ Why three fine horses were brought to the king？

1 ancient   

adj.古代的，古老的；n.古人

参考例句：

• This is an ancient story.这是一个古老的故事。
• Xian is an ancient city.西安是一座古城。

2 was   

v.(is,am的过去式)是，在

参考例句：

• He said he was right.他说他是正确的。
• He was cold and hungry.他又冷又饿。

3 as   

conj.按照；如同

参考例句：

• He got work in a hotel as a waiter.他在一家旅馆找到了当服务生的工作。
• In the hotel,the old men were drinking away as usual.在旅馆里，这些老人和往常一样喝个不停。

4 king   

n.君主，国王

参考例句：

• He was a good king!他是个好国王！
• The lion is the king of animals.狮子是百兽之王。

5 swift   

n.雨燕，大滚筒；adj.迅速的，快的，敏捷的，立刻的；adv.迅速地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He is swift to hear,but slow to speak.他听力敏锐，但不善言辞。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery.他康复得相当快。

6 could   

v.能，可能(can的过去式)；aux.v.(can的过去式)能；可以

参考例句：

• Could I open the window?我可以打开窗子吗？
• I could wait ten minutes.我可以等十分钟。

7 cover   

n.盖子，覆盖物；v.覆盖…，扩及，掩饰

参考例句：

• Under cover of the dark,the dog was stolen.在黑夜的掩护下，狗被偷走了。
• The book needs a new cover.这书需要装个新封面。

8 willing   

adj.愿意的，自愿的，乐意的，心甘情愿的

参考例句：

• We never lack food and clothing if we're willing to work.如果我们愿意工作,就不会缺吃少穿。
• He's quite willing to pay the price I ask.他很愿意照我的要价付钱。

9 pay   

v.付钱；n.付钱；薪金

参考例句：

• How much did you pay?你付了多少钱？
• His pay is below the average.他的工资低于一般水平。

10 said   

v.动词say的过去式、过去分词

参考例句：

• He said to me that he could not come.他对我说他不能来。
• He said to his mother that he would do it by himself.他对他的母亲说他将自己独立做那件事。

11 such   

adj.如此的，这样的；pron.这样的；adv.如此地

参考例句：

• He is such a man.他是这样一个人。
• He spent all his money,he is such a fool.他这样傻，花光了所有的钱。

12 agreed   

adj.同意的；接受的；经过协议的；双方共同议定的v.同意，赞同( agree的过去式和过去分词)；[语法学]（在性、数、人称或格方面）一致；相同；和睦相处

参考例句：

• He finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to help us. 尽管勉强，他最后还是同意帮助我们。
• Both sides in the dispute have agreed to go to arbitration . 争执双方已同意提请仲裁。

13 found   

v.建立，创立，创办；vbl.(find的过去分词)找到

参考例句：

• I found him at home.我发现他在家。
• The United Nations was found in 1945.联合国于1945年成立。

14 dead   

adj.死的；无生命的；死气沉沉的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• Mary threw away the dead flowers.玛丽把枯萎的花扔掉了。
• He was dead asleep.他完全睡着了。

15 returned   

adj.被送回的，归来的v.返回，回来( return的过去式和过去分词 )；恢复；还；归还

参考例句：

• He resigned as Home Secretary and returned to the back benches. 他辞去了内政大臣的职务，回到后座议员席。
• The painting has been returned to its rightful owner . 这幅画已归还给合法所有权人。

16 report   

n.报告，汇报；传说，传阅；v.报告，报到

参考例句：

• We're going to listen to a report this afternoon.今天下午我们要去听报告。
• I shall report to you.我将向你汇报。

17 living   

adj.活的，活着的，现存的；逼真的，一模一样的；生活的，维持生活的；n.生活，生计

参考例句：

• Nowadays it is very easy to earn a living.现今谋生很容易。
• I'll never forget that as long as I am living.这事我至死也不会忘记。

18 furiously   

adv. 狂怒地, 有力地

参考例句：

• He lit a cigarette and puffed at it furiously. 他点燃了一支香烟，狂吸了几口。
• An army of buyers haggles furiously with an army of salesmen. 一大群买主在和卖主拼命地讨价还价。

19 gave   

vbl.（give的过去式）给予，产生，发表

参考例句：

• He asked for money and I gave him some.他要钱，我给了他一些。
• I gave you a map so you wouldn't get lost. 我给你一张地图，这样你就不会迷路了。

20 worth   

adj.值钱；值得，具有..价值；n.价值，作用

参考例句：

• The book was old and it was not worth a cent.这本书旧了，一文不值。
• This novel is worth reading. 这部小说值得一读。

21 would   

aux.will的过去式；愿，要；常常；大概；将要，会

参考例句：

• Why would you say that?为什么你会这么说？
• Would you please help me?你能帮帮我吗？

22 deal   

n.交易，协定，份量；v.(dealt,dealt[delt])处理，应付，分配

参考例句：

• Be careful. She is very difficult to deal with.可得当心，她很难对付。
• Deal with a man as he deals with you.以其人之道，还治其人之身。

23 appear   

vi.出现，出场，出席，露面；似乎，好像，显得

参考例句：

• The students appear very nervous.学生们看起来很紧张。
• When night falls,stars appear.夜晚来到时星星出现。

24 less   

adj.更少的，更小的；adv.更少地，更小地；n.少量，次要；prep.减

参考例句：

• I read much less now than I did at school.我现在看书远比我上学时少。
• You can't buy the dress with less than 50 yuan.买这件衣服没有50元钱下不来。

25 brought   

vbl.bring的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He brought a new book with him.他带来一本新书。
• I brought you your shirt.我带来了你的衬衣。

26 afford   

vt.提供，负担得起的(后果，损失等)，给予

参考例句：

• At last they could afford a house.他们终于买得起房子了。
• I'll afford you a chance.我将给你提供一个机会。

27 did   

v.动词do的过去式

参考例句：

• How many goals did you score in the last game?上一场比赛你们进了几个球？
• Why did you choose basketball in the first place?你为何首先选择篮球呢？

28 cost   

n.价钱，费用，成本；损失，牺牲

参考例句：

• What does the book cost?这本书值多少？
• He saved his daughter at the cost of his life.他以牺牲自己的生命挽救了女儿。