狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch
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Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.
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0 _5 f2 q5 y; G' c; Y$ _0 Z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。
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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.
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- N$ h% |1 `* ^: N! C- k/ Z# l8 |8 D5 nBelker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。

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.

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。

5 [( `8 _" V$ b$ e; B2 PAs 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.

. S3 o9 w% Z1 x6 D: }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。

( f, g" _( i& V) v7 x5 z3 \- aThe 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.
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( z  @7 e1 I; D( C" s6 G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。
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* r0 A8 H, L* P+ e- G5 A9 t) mThe 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.
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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。

. Q4 A+ n! @+ d: O9 _Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

, ~! Q" \, l" c" m) _$ c靜靜地聽著我們談話的西恩，忽然冒出一句：「我知道為什麼。」
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& y9 q& y- a. y' OStartled, 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?"
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# X* N! {! }! q* w- O% Q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？」
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The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."(allone.com)
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/ P5 R) X  G1 B- V+ b' a+ O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)

詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

* K! O2 O6 X- l. L9 O- k2.transition：過渡，轉變
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3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出
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+ |. x. @3 Y3 P5 D5 ^●狗老師的啟示…
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2 s4 r0 {- J6 r8 R( }Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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& |9 A% |/ j; l記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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! C. m$ }% N; V  i) _' e  ?& E+ MWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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2 T, M* Y+ x$ e* G1 k& F當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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* J7 W" B  y. B! F. B: n  r! tThrive on attention and let people touch you.

: W1 M# r/ g) {8 S9 T隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。
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0 ?7 p3 J$ A2 j: C7 E8 ^& K, i( ^& J* J4 YWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

: M! _9 w9 n0 ?Be loyal.

忠誠。

4 n: k6 b) }* f5 B. r% ?3 VNever pretend to be something you're not.

' W; D) J. n  _% v永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

8 [  k9 m$ e# M3 d0 [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。
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