% [9 i4 g6 B J, Y W$ v7 ~) pBeing a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.5 b2 z5 U9 j$ t5 [
. G9 X/ B6 x" W; ?. @( p1 B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。2 @" @' ~6 X0 b$ H
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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. - E3 n }1 V6 U' Y 6 |$ n2 X( n* l* Q1 @# mBelker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。" d) C N$ J6 w/ U( a: p2 b& t
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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.* l" n) l. s* ^: d Q- v9 Z4 z
% T/ K% m! \) s5 b& @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。) g" n' c0 E/ \( q j u
4 k; V( B9 o8 A2 C% nAs 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. : p# M" F" i& X9 _$ G/ e/ W7 _! x, L4 }4 c3 f* q% V
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。 1 M. i2 ^0 P6 v. U + I" i3 d5 ^) e2 ?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. & S' V7 ~/ g5 G; R, U0 ~/ L & F2 v9 B2 U* P& e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。 7 v e% w6 b9 S7 l F7 X" T, V& ~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. 8 c4 D. r$ U; T0 U9 @" k9 n! z t% b* N9 s' v
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。1 H2 Q3 o3 f$ p
9 u6 ?& A8 B( Y4 vShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."5 @# V' K# C4 w& j9 Q
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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。」 . [3 |9 o8 Y }4 n- x' f4 q2 t0 Z
Startled, 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?" " k/ n g- u! Q5 j9 Q8 K' {/ o& x+ ]' Z* q$ Q R! x$ ]
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？」6 H, a; v' ^- b$ H6 C, ^
1 q, B* X2 D" e$ n n2 p: {/ lThe six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)5 ?: D' A$ n9 c+ S0 M
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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)" r# G! a+ ~( R$ W ^
7 P& a( L- Y1 D% d Q詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死 4 R; z b+ m* B! y0 n. U# z9 y$ q( f& N4 C: T/ M B( Y
2.transition：過渡，轉變7 l6 _# g: p$ n" s
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出6 v5 t& {) G. q; r
, P+ C3 |0 B, g3 F% Y' ^, a●狗老師的啟示… 0 p% U0 B. _9 m5 X. v ! o9 ~! J7 L3 V; G$ VRemember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: , Y; E5 f. s5 w: D0 h) A! h 5 f- h+ N! {% c) x# b記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：8 O' U+ y* D, b: ^, t
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When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. % o5 l* q& ~% A2 U% K2 m M0 _& n' d 7 Q* A( ^0 D/ U1 S當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。 ' @' o- G# n ?- z9 E* l t1 d. l/ M* }
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. ( P6 O; Y6 C; V7 z# H% f# Z " T0 `9 B( ?* |+ x5 a永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。 L5 | i' a) Y0 B8 m7 x
" _8 D% K+ W) Z' x7 o$ xThrive on attention and let people touch you.. v! x6 Y# x" _" K; [) M4 P
& h; i% _7 M: `3 Z3 g隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。 % n2 W% t& M/ T. g* d; W7 `2 ^5 j. l. v; o5 ^0 `
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.9 y# v! b7 G' ? H7 { r
+ C$ I* Q: o+ ?6 c- C* a6 k永遠不假裝。5 O2 \2 p4 t! u
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When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. ' S' _5 A2 z3 l* i. C2 H4 a% G0 p( s4 e I9 @7 l, U
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。7 F, A4 Q& r1 X' P) R7 X- i- C( a