& Z+ i! b! A4 B' C0 jBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. ) u U9 `0 _( X4 j1 h v+ C8 W4 e5 Y f& j4 j7 p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。) n, x/ k% H+ [3 ?1 u- j! G- ]
$ x- j' _% C4 G2 sThe 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.8 h+ t& Y6 r2 Q
5 G ~- ^! H3 ] 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。 . r; ?' O6 ]% W6 H5 e5 G. S . @9 E7 \, J2 [( X8 o+ {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.: P. t; E' p) z+ N' a; ~% x
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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。* Y+ S& p7 p4 r. ~
: j+ Q- Y% `: K& U: dAs 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.9 m6 N# ^2 d# W% n1 l' ?
. U6 J5 M5 P/ _9 o# O# zThe 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.5 |! F' L, E- q1 R9 e
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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。% N# D5 n+ d: H
& m% \- j4 k7 B+ N' _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, H2 X, h/ Z6 y' n% a) R ; v c: C' H9 O& L N3 U0 Q/ U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。 # k+ d- `7 O. t3 Q9 s6 V$ U- m C ' |* g" _$ C) `% H5 U, z+ xShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why." + o" Y# U7 v( H P" C3 T 5 |3 O) l" Q8 |! a: T1 l靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」# }, F, I9 \" @* s/ y* F& r9 [
* V0 X6 @" G" S# _- ~" e; YStartled, 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?"' B2 g! O9 E0 R* ]2 I
, s8 W+ U9 V- {4 @* s7 g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？」 ! V; |1 w; S2 o) }( {. I+ | v" o' a: U- b% y7 M( {! T: e; M' ~
The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com) - U+ G, Q# z( o# ]7 L1 a) W9 @: D! M* t, c9 z3 ?
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) 2 T( I. z% \1 @+ y! `6 d, i. \1 [0 J) W% m/ P
詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死, v( J; S% c# F' ?+ q0 S8 z
/ y% U6 ?* r D4 C ?2.transition：過渡，轉變 & Z6 @; I0 A& h, C! @6 J: X# h" G5 X' \8 i5 @! v
3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出 9 o7 H4 P/ i4 W# S! E7 \. z7 n4 ]1 W1 R( d' Y( h# B
●狗老師的啟示…; f% n4 L6 I/ }9 M3 Z
! _) n- V7 w/ g. T1 I2 a. ZRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:" d5 a1 H4 B* P) J8 }1 _9 F* X
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記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：7 b4 V- U4 [* Z
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. ( B8 Q" ~4 K( R1 ?* x/ f" c2 T! U- l0 E+ f( y8 V9 y
當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 ) ^ [; ]% s2 b, z 6 |" X' `& ?6 E: z6 b {# DNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. 4 m! r* W, {5 R3 U, A* S4 Y- X: o: [: A& B
永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。# l e/ T: s, D' Q z: K3 {. l9 M
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Thrive on attention and let people touch you. ; \( [/ l; M T0 @4 d! U. A. ^9 [* ~$ j* b4 L
隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。- P) C: X) B: J! S
: z8 Y7 y; }: x: ~! T$ J: Y7 y" lWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.# P [- @- v: D6 ^# j
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。 # X1 g S# T- U* i1 F* m7 e" A4 q4 I' B# F: l7 x
Be loyal./ a& Z* p% A! `# @9 u
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忠誠。 6 k2 O; B6 u! i* P( B, q: L- J 6 w! c; g8 f A+ UNever pretend to be something you're not.0 V+ i, n7 P1 N: Z. _* y8 U
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永遠不假裝。0 J. Z( r# M1 U3 N, ]
2 g( B- N2 h9 }: w. FWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.1 l. \( z, w" T0 L
) ?- r& P- d: I8 B/ c' f7 q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。 ; R2 y, o; |7 L8 n0 S( B* n0 L' ^* |* R/ K) m) N6 ]9 W
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