- Y2 x1 q. L/ L/ }/ i- 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. ' c" s9 L2 ?: V' w 4 _, E* Q; n+ Z7 GBelker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。 : O) G/ a; x- c; F+ \5 W' z7 u
I 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." r# U0 |( r. o) M# v4 b1 _# S
9 Z. q- T/ x0 b |1 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。 0 [* V- c! A7 K * h: m1 w2 W- p9 v- b- j* iAs 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.% |( s6 z: M b. R: T8 U
$ U' [* N3 X0 \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。& c2 F. l: f. l- {# @
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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. O, r) w$ `8 q# P9 A( W e8 @; d+ u; H0 ~ \4 F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。' A( ^$ g6 Y# g$ W. j& t8 m* @
) N3 j! X' m/ l, yThe 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. ( D& B: M6 Z* R/ Q! z3 c # }- B$ |1 z2 b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。% w w" X9 M- s O& A6 \
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Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."5 r% ?* R: O% s j- i
4 O" U& ^" z* z, }靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」) M0 \ P. I: b3 s) Z" p+ _; A
# {; e, H2 e4 p6 l& a7 S3 QStartled, 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?" {$ C4 g8 J6 a5 h% y
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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？」 5 x* D/ J) C3 b9 n; m" y" g. f$ R 0 J Q0 Y4 q \- YThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) 0 Z- v" P' z! E, P & L: Y" R, l3 D9 Q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) % j" ~' j9 @. Y- J6 U9 g) @6 Y0 L; X % G" z3 J) T7 g# W詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 , {$ p: e. G# x+ a$ f7 t ! S1 s# Q) k0 k2.transition：過渡，轉變 ) \$ G! L' u7 r( Y$ g J 7 x9 j; k$ L3 z G5 N3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 # g( a8 P- r! ?3 p& f & n' k# }/ o" T$ e' a& [1 l●狗老師的啟示…/ j0 i2 p' h. U/ D R0 d& W
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Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: ' s4 b- R% l" K" x5 T: L: y$ j 6 d" h' E, y0 o記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西： . j' W7 e, E* e# H 6 W9 S: T, I" @3 [When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. ?% x, @; C: W & {) |# s! d) t1 }- o當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。% g1 K) Q' W, p3 J$ }5 n
& ~- u: H! r2 n5 T" u5 X6 y+ _2 y! Q/ KNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.5 z0 ^1 |9 M% c ]0 g* _; q' L
' c" ]6 w: X5 w7 G0 gThrive on attention and let people touch you. 2 T4 W' c2 f# J3 R! s( ]% Q( c9 a# ]! |& ]$ @
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。7 w. Z: c4 S. E2 [) L9 A4 S
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When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.: X- J4 w( N0 j* v6 b9 O
6 w7 G- Z: R* C忠誠。# B& I+ ]0 X+ T0 A; M Z
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Never pretend to be something you're not." ]8 E* t; ^! T+ `* F
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永遠不假裝。6 c/ c! [$ L- }
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.1 k' e/ W+ S) \+ g$ A* ?4 { N& j( N! q