狗狗天生知道如何愛

lingoma

http://www.worldjournal.com/view ... 9B?instance=wjengch

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker.

5 v+ D! O: E3 x$ L( j6 b3 q- V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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; G; o8 \( W. {# m0 ^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.

0 z/ W$ `; ^4 g) m* B& CBelker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。
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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.

, L5 `, C2 @! r4 E; E2 @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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& C& j+ j. n: ^) y) H( O# n4 bAs 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.

0 I/ e. f- v& S; M# D  U7 E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。

4 D& T+ x: g% g) gThe 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 a! d  K  S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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7 M2 F7 U/ m. o. }$ p; \4 GThe 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。

+ P# D0 W' d0 Q. H6 FShane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

1 v3 G9 w- e7 T* L0 k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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8 p2 ~) Z% g0 T8 J4 ~& Z# M4 ?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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6 r: \) o- o6 I2 q6 Y& Z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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1 d* h7 A$ G: }) a9 N. jThe 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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6 r: Y( Q0 z9 O) N2 N+ _詞解：1.euthanasia：安樂死
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2.transition：過渡，轉變

3.pipe up：尖聲的說，脫口而出

* x( K! K; E0 K●狗老師的啟示…

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
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3 X3 S# O$ K, ~+ g* F6 v% O記住，如果狗狗曾經是位老師，你會學到這些東西：
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8 }4 j; z5 G. ^3 yWhen loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
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當心愛的人回家了，永遠跑上前熱情地迎接他們。
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" |0 ?5 v! n' BNever pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

, g* L- _  j' L9 n6 e& Y永遠不要錯過能夠出去玩兒的機會。

Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

隨時尋求關注並讓人們撫摸。

3 [9 f, s! y% c5 cWhen 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.

忠誠。
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' T' u. I' V# ?2 x( T. b- j0 t8 ?Never pretend to be something you're not.

永遠不假裝。
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6 K3 Z, ~# F: k9 K% DWhen someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

2 @  t  f1 p3 j: J# t0 u# A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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