短一点的英语成语故事

短一点的英语成语故事
短一点的英语成语故事

短一点的英语成语故事
Imitating Another without Success and Losing What Used to Be One'sOwn Ability
Tradition has it that more than 2,oooyears ago,there lived a young man in the Shouling area of the State of Yan.As his name is not known ,we just call him Shouling young man for convenience's sake.
self confident He was at a loss as to how to behave all the time.
His family members advised him to overcome this shortcoming,but he thought they were fond of poking their noses into his business and were unwilling to provide him with tuition fee.His relatives and neighbours sneered at him,saying that he would never be able to learn anything.Asthe days went by,he even began to doubt whether he should walk the way he did,for he felt more and more that his walking gestures were too clumsy and awkward.
One day,he met some people on the road who werechattingand laughing.One of themsaid that people in Handan walked most gracefully.And thatwas just what he was most concerned about,so he hurreed towards themand wanted to make further inquiries.To his surprise,when these people saw him,they stalked off laughing.
He could not picture to himself in what way their walking gestures were graceful,no matter how hard he racked his parents one day.He went to Handanwhich was far away to learn how to walk.
As soon as he arrived in Handan,he was dazzled to find that everything was novel.He learned from the children there how to walk,because he thought that the children's walking gestures were lively and pleasing to the eye.He learnd from the old people there how to walk,because he thought the old people's walking gestures were steady .He learnd from the women there how to walk,because he thought the women' swaying walking gestures were beautiful.That being the case with him ,in less than half a month he even forgot how to walk.As he had already used up his traveling expenses,he had to crawl back home.
Thisstory come from the article"Autumn Water"in The Works of Xhuang Zi(Zhuang Zi was a famous ancient Chinese philosopher of about 300B.c.).Later the set phrase"initating another without success and losing what used to be one's own ability"is used to refer to acts of copying others mechanisally in disregard of specififc conditions.
The Latecomers Surpass the Old-timers
This set phrase is derived from the complaints Ji An made to the emperor.
Ji Anlived at the time of Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D.24).He was respected for being upright and just and for daring to speak the truth.He did not bother about amall matters in personal behaviour and in being an official.He was particular about actual effects and ,although he did not cause a stir ,he could keep the prefecture he governed in perfect order.Because of this.the imperial court transferred him to the central government from being the perfect of the Donghai Prefecture to being a commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officals.
Once,Emperor Wudi said that he would implement the policy of benevolence and justice of Confucianism and would do good turns to the people.Emperor Wudi Had hardly finished his remards when Ji An said that there was no need for the emperor to say so.Why should the emperor bother,Ji An said,about pretending to implement the policy of benevolence and justice since he was so greedy and avaricious within himself?This choked the emperor off.The emperor suddenly Changed his countenance and declared the meeting over.All the civilian and military officers at court were breathless with anxiety for fear that Ji An might bring disaster upon himself because of this.After returning,Emperor Wudi said to the people around him that Ji An was a little too rude and too straightforward.
For this reason ,Ji An was never promoted again.When he was the commander in charge of the appointment and dismissal of the local officials,both Gongsun Hong and Zhang Tang were low -ranking lfficials of little importance.Later ,they were promoted continuously.Gongsun Hong became the prime minister and Zhang Tang became the imperial censor.However,JiAn's post remained thesame.One day,Ji An said to Emperor Wudi that the way the emperor used his ministers was just like piling up firewood,which meant that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.Of course,Emperor Wudi could see that Ji An was complaining.So,turning to his ministers,Emperor Wudi said,"It is true that no one can stop learning.You see,Ji An is making more and more indiscreet remarks."
This story comes from The Historical Records.Later generations use the set phrase "the latecomers surpass the old-timers " to indicate that successors can cxcel the predecessors,which is quite different from the original idea when Ji An said that the latecomers surpassed the old-timers.

刻舟求剑
Making His Mark (Ke Zhou Qiu Jian)
A man from the state of Chu was crossing a river. In the boat, his sword fell into the water. Immediately he made a mark on the boat.
"This is wh...

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刻舟求剑
Making His Mark (Ke Zhou Qiu Jian)
A man from the state of Chu was crossing a river. In the boat, his sword fell into the water. Immediately he made a mark on the boat.
"This is where my sword fell off," he said.
When the boat stopped moving, he went into the water to look for his sword at the place where he had marked the boat.
The boat had moved but the sword had not. Is this not a very foolish way to look for a sword?

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英语成语故事-井底之蛙
The Frog in the Shallow Well (Jing Di Zhi Wa)
Have you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, "I am so happy! When I ...

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英语成语故事-井底之蛙
The Frog in the Shallow Well (Jing Di Zhi Wa)
Have you not heard of the frog that lived in a shallow well? It said to a turtle that lived in the East Sea, "I am so happy! When I go out, I jump about on the railing beside the mouth of the well. When I come home, I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well. If I jump into the water, it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks. If I walk in the mud, it covers up my feet. I look around at the wriggly worms, crabs and tadpoles, and none of them can compare with me. Moreover, I am lord of this trough of water and I stand up tall in this shallow well. My happiness is full. My dear sir, why don't you come often and look around my place?"
Before the turtle from the East Sea could get its left foot in the well, its right knee got stuck. It hesitated and retreated. The turtle told the frog about the East Sea.
"Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea's width; even a height of a thousand ren cannot give you an idea of its depth. In the time of King Yu of the Xia dynasty, there were floods nine years out of ten, but the waters in the sea did not increase. ln the time of King Tang of the Shang dynasty there were droughts seven years out of eight, but the waters in the sea did not decrease. The sea does not change along with the passage of time and its level does not rise or fall according to the amount of rain that falls. The greatest happiness is to live in the East Sea."
After listening to these words, the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realization of his own insignificance and became very ill at ease.
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英语故事:惊弓之鸟
A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bow-String
This set phrase figuratively denotes those who have suffered disasters and so have a lingering fear when anything happen.
During the War Period ,in the Wèi State there lived a famous archer named Gēng léi.
One day,Gēng léi and the King of Wei standing on a high terrace saw some birds flying past.
At this Gēng léi said to the King:"I'll shoot a flying bird down for YourMajesty by drawing a bow with no arrow."
The King asked,"Is it possible that one's archery can attain such a level?"
A little later,a wild goose was flying from the east.
Gēng léi just drew his bow but didn't shoot an arrow.
As expected,the wild goose fell to the ground with the twang.
The King asked in surprise,"How can your archery reach such a high level?"
Gēng léi replied ,"This wild goose has been wounded."
The King got more surprised,asking,"How do you know it,sir?"
Gēng léi esplained,"This wild goose flew slowly and cried sadly.Its flying slowly suggested that it was still aching with the old wound; its crying sadly suggested that it had strayed long from its flock.When it heard the twang the wild goose had to flutter hard to fly high for its life.So it is evitably fell down with its old wound burst."
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刻舟求剑
Making His Mark (Ke Zhou Qiu Jian)
A man from the state of Chu was crossing a river. In the boat, his sword fell into the water. Immediately he made a mark on the boat.
"This is where my sword fell off," he said.
When the boat stopped moving, he went into the water to look for his sword at the place where he had marked the boat.
The boat had moved but the sword had not. Is this not a very foolish way to look for a sword

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