The Elephant as Governor

    An elephant was once appointed ruler of the forest．Now，it is well known that the race of elephants is endowed with great intelligence；but every family has its unworthy scion²．Our Governor was as stout³ as the rest of his race are，but as foolish as the rest of his race are not．As to his character，he would not intentionally⁴ hurt a fly．Well the worthy¹ Governor became aware of a petition laid be-fore him by the sheep，stating that their skins were entirely⁵ torn off their back by the wolves．“Oh，rogues！”cried the elephant，“what a crime！Who gave you leave to plunder⁶？”
    But the wolves said：”Allow us to explain，Oh father．Did not you give us leave to take from the sheep a trifling⁷ contribution for our coats in winter？It is only because they are stupid sheep that they cry out．They have only a single fleece taken from each of them，but they grumble⁸ about giving even that！
    “Well，well，”said the elephant，“take care what you do．I will not permit anyone to commit injustice⁹．As it must be so，take a fleece from each of them．But do not take from them a single hair besides．He who has rank and power，but wants sense，however good his heart may be，is sure to do harm．Exercises：
    回答下列问题：
    ① Who was once oppointed ruler of the forest？
    ② Who gave the ruler a petition？
    ③ What can we learn from the text？

1 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

2 scion   

n.嫩芽，子孙

参考例句：

• A place is cut in the root stock to accept the scion.砧木上切开一个小口,来接受接穗。
• Nabokov was the scion of an aristocratic family.纳博科夫是一个贵族家庭的阔少。

3 stout   

adj.强壮的，粗大的，结实的，勇猛的，矮胖的

参考例句：

• He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
• The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。

4 intentionally   

ad.故意地，有意地

参考例句：

• I didn't say it intentionally. 我是无心说的。
• The local authority ruled that he had made himself intentionally homeless and was therefore not entitled to be rehoused. 当地政府裁定他是有意居无定所，因此没有资格再获得提供住房。

5 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

6 plunder   

vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠

参考例句：

• The thieves hid their plunder in the cave.贼把赃物藏在山洞里。
• Trade should not serve as a means of economic plunder.贸易不应当成为经济掠夺的手段。

7 trifling   

adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的

参考例句：

• They quarreled over a trifling matter.他们为这种微不足道的事情争吵。
• So far Europe has no doubt, gained a real conveniency,though surely a very trifling one.直到现在为止,欧洲无疑地已经获得了实在的便利，不过那确是一种微不足道的便利。

8 grumble   

vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声

参考例句：

• I don't want to hear another grumble from you.我不愿再听到你的抱怨。
• He could do nothing but grumble over the situation.他除了埋怨局势之外别无他法。

9 injustice   

n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利

参考例句：

• They complained of injustice in the way they had been treated.他们抱怨受到不公平的对待。
• All his life he has been struggling against injustice.他一生都在与不公正现象作斗争。