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.

9 p% C. d! g$ |" f2 X. j$ b0 q0 J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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1 @3 o- N, o7 Q# h& ?* z6 ?% IThe 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.

, o1 q7 ?( u' I; 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。

0 F) ~" v" a9 [* g+ S: k4 rI 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。
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% ]0 i9 B3 a8 ]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.

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 K* A# V. w% m. p/ j. 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.
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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。

$ j/ x/ \) J- IThe 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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$ G9 |" O6 i5 b: f, T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。
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  \9 p& b( }, \# u1 nShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
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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。」

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?"
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% O+ i7 r' a6 H; d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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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)
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( p* @, p+ U  t詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死

- P! z+ D) \, h& c3 K& k  p4 Z8 G2.transition：過渡，轉變
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: X/ \8 f& _4 O3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

+ B& ?. P: h0 h0 o& ~7 j記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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0 I8 t% @* A+ e' D. _* ~1 j2 EWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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, T3 [' W9 {2 T( Y& l5 d9 ^當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。

9 w9 K# |- c* f& M8 D( LNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
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永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。
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8 r3 i. K# O+ {Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
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隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

  Q0 d4 b# a1 [# P& {, f8 p6 ^* JWhen you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
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高興的時候，跳舞並搖動整個身體。

Be loyal.
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3 U  ~/ p# V! j- c2 n4 P忠誠。

Never pretend to be something you're not.
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永遠不假裝。

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
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& i1 ^. h. Y7 I; f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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