- e1 Q( A0 Q5 [- W" ~) N# }Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. # V K1 z9 [: w6 T, \; O% ^. O6 S$ y# Q/ H' v% Y" ~4 @
身為獸醫，我曾被找去為一隻名叫「Belker」的10歲愛爾蘭獵狼犬看病。 & I8 t/ z h9 {) B6 R2 y4 b 8 z3 R2 ^6 r' ? ^The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.( v, F' [4 E4 m+ T" o- }$ i; Y
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Belker的主人羅恩，他的太太麗莎和他們的小男孩西恩都和Belker感情很好，也都期待奇蹟發生。* F: i1 `+ c( L0 q# q) E5 W
9 V4 }5 r$ L: q j' kI examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. & w% C( q0 R. @) B7 {$ i+ w. B }' n, U7 G$ `1 j+ a
檢查後，我發現Belker罹患癌症，回天乏術；我告訴這家人，我們無法幫Belker做點什麼了，也建議在家中為牠實施安樂死。; T0 D$ y' x* E1 y
j! y5 _/ ?4 A$ |As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. 6 v5 u( z8 T7 I8 b) V: L% s$ y $ `8 w" {; v* G) j& H" J在我們準備的時候，羅恩和麗莎告訴我，他們覺得讓西恩觀察整個過程會是好事，相信西恩也許能從這段經歷學到一些東西。 8 X d: j) v2 ^; N( \& W$ k+ V9 q% B) J* T
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.9 j4 }. E F' h7 M0 a
0 P0 l K5 m2 I9 ^: z) l隔天，這家人圍繞在Belker身邊時，我和以往一樣有了哽咽的感覺。西恩似乎很平靜，最後一次輕拍這隻老狗，我甚至懷疑他是否真的瞭解情況。幾分鐘之後，Belker安詳地死去了。 / c4 t* J S# G! d' k$ i1 w# h& ~2 T" r0 g" @$ T4 e4 p5 S2 ?
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. B$ A& k- [$ x$ B 3 u$ ^- }2 ], g- @0 l$ w+ Z小男孩似乎沒有太多困難和疑惑就接受了Belker的離去。我們在Belker死去後一起坐了一會兒，感嘆動物的壽命總是比人類短這個哀傷的現實。) [3 l3 g' C# F& v& s
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."- F6 d/ w* x: n! G
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靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」 ' G, _! a E' K ; u2 Q$ S% R' X$ c, b' F8 s* ZStartled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?"/ f9 X% y$ m+ |! }$ u# B6 r
) \+ i+ A# f! E& O我們非常驚訝地轉頭望著他，接下來他說的話，令我大為感動，是我聽過最令人欣慰的解釋。他說：「人們出生就是為了要學會如何過好生活，比如愛身邊的人，好好對待別人，對嗎？」 & Q2 e! a/ P# F/ b1 I$ N+ X" C ( K" J2 W6 N# W2 {The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) ! ^# V. M r2 m O& c7 ^0 s4 g2 _) J$ q$ o2 t
這個6歲的孩子繼續說：「而狗狗原本就知道怎麼做到這些了，所以牠們不需要活那麼久。」(取材自allone.com) 0 s7 } X) a3 P, G1 o) {* S! P; I( l' ?3 f* ~
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死; }8 B1 a$ s4 I9 F0 H2 J: H9 W2 E- _
7 d! ]3 }. h/ B: l% K: I2.transition：過渡，轉變 % x* |2 h) K! Y; ~" j9 g ' m: z. X, l, f2 i5 u3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 ; d' [) r0 J" |7 S) |$ K% l; L/ z' m3 z" [# D1 n$ j
●狗老師的啟示… ; ]7 N, }$ m, s& n, |- \, A* Y$ _+ C* T) M1 N
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:- c! b( d+ x) S* _" Z
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： 4 f+ V4 A1 f9 {8 H Y: B; t& ~) i" H: N! N5 R$ ^" l, d1 q' g& G
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. 9 s. o. _8 S; v6 S9 f5 o8 @: b; w! K* b/ }+ Z, ~0 z+ r& G
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 # m) X C3 _" `$ w% g) r9 H- t 4 `6 h6 V$ o3 ~1 g+ \Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. ' V. a( M/ l! d/ S- u1 z / V7 ^! n4 d5 a; v4 e9 d2 x$ k永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。: x; \' t o% H! j3 u9 i8 z
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you." `& R, m. p- R1 s
" p7 O! i2 B) n* R1 O1 Q隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。6 E. S, t v: r& g) Q/ o
2 t" q/ @2 g0 WWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. : Z+ ? {+ d7 d( C7 U6 C/ q/ J1 I& |# p. J( \# y' d
高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 ' n$ d0 N' q/ ]/ N . ?0 r4 L4 Q y7 ]' j4 m5 wBe loyal. % X D0 a/ v3 Y& U+ }2 z" `1 ~( x6 l6 T! R
忠誠。8 o" Y7 g" U2 m+ {2 z
5 F2 p+ ^! s' ~Never pretend to be something you're not.' B/ H3 s) E0 T: i
?4 |4 s- I/ z$ G永遠不假裝。' u! o/ q5 D" P. n
w( C U% _. s* Y" ?When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently./ R! D" G( \- J- P" k) O
5 s2 ^$ V4 T) A. X0 r c如果家裡有人不開心，保持沉默，坐到他身邊，溫柔地拱拱他、安慰他。 4 [' \, f1 J, I7 j. M; K0 I! Q8 q- B
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