内容概述
泰勒斯经营盐矿时，一头驮盐的骡子在过河时摔倒，背上的盐溶解后变轻。骡子学会故意在河里打滚以减轻负担。普通人会拿棍子教训骡子，泰勒斯却用智慧解决问题：第二天给骡子背上驮海绵，骡子再打滚时海绵吸水变重，从此改掉了坏习惯。
中文正文
25° 犟骡子
泰勒斯做过小生意，在山上开了口盐坑。每天，他的骡子来驮盐下山。下山的小路横过一条小河。一天，一头满载盐的骡子在过河时滑倒了。骡子奋力挣扎，四脚朝天，背上的盐袋浸在水里，盐溶解了。于是，骡子轻轻松松走了下山。骡子记住了这次经历，接下来的三天里，它都在过河时打一个滚，让盐溶解，减轻自己的包袱。像我这等凡人，一定会拿根小棍跟在骡子后面吆喝，打它屁股，帮它改掉坏毛病。可泰勒斯是“大贤人”，第二天那骡子下山时，背上驮的是一袋海绵。
英文正文
25° The recalcitrant mule. As one of his smaller business ventures, Thales had a salt mine up in the hills. Each day his mules came down the hill carrying bags of salt from the mine. The trail down the hill crossed a small stream, and one day while fording the stream one of the laden mules slipped and fell. In struggling to its feet, the mule chanced to roll onto its back and the salt dissolved from its bags, leaving the mule light and comfortable for the rest of the trip down the hill. The mule remembered this experience, and on the three successive days when it came down the hill it rolled about in the stream to dissolve and lose the contents of its load. Now ordinary mortals, like you and me, would have seized a stick and, with much shouting, would have beaten the animal over its hind quarters to cure it of this troublesome habit. But Thales was a "wise man," and the next time that mule came down the hill it was loaded with bags of sponges.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
recalcitrant音标/rɪˈkælsɪtrənt/
倔强的；不听话的。
原文用法：The recalcitrant mule
venture音标/ˈventʃə(r)/
商业冒险；企业。
原文用法：one of his smaller business ventures
laden音标/ˈleɪdn/
满载的。
原文用法：one of the laden mules
ford音标/fɔːd/
涉水而过。
原文用法：while fording the stream
slipped音标/slɪpt/
滑倒（slip 的过去式）。
原文用法：slipped and fell
dissolve音标/dɪˈzɒlv/
溶解。
原文用法：the salt dissolved from its bags
successive音标/səˈkesɪv/
连续的。
原文用法：on the three successive days
mortal音标/ˈmɔːtl/
凡人。
原文用法：ordinary mortals, like you and me
seize音标/siːz/
抓住。
原文用法：would have seized a stick
hind quarter：后躯；臀部。原文用法：beaten the animal over its hind quarters
sponge音标/spʌndʒ/
海绵。
原文用法：it was loaded with bags of sponges
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：recalcitrant
对应核心词汇：recalcitrant。
辨析：recalcitrant 较正式，指反抗权威或不服从；stubborn 最常用，指固执；obstinate 强调顽固不化。
对应核心词汇：dissolve
对应核心词汇：dissolve。
辨析：dissolve 指固体在液体中溶解；melt 指受热融化；liquefy 泛指变成液体。
对应核心词汇：seize
对应核心词汇：seize。
辨析：seize 强调突然用力抓住；grab 更口语化；grasp 强调握紧或理解。
常用短语与固定搭配
- business venture：商业投资/事业。原文用法：one of his smaller business ventures
- come down the hill：下山。原文用法：his mules came down the hill
- slip and fall：滑倒。原文用法：slipped and fell
- struggle to one's feet：挣扎着站起来。原文用法：In struggling to its feet
- roll onto one's back：仰面翻滚。原文用法：roll onto its back
- roll about：打滚。原文用法：it rolled about in the stream
- ordinary mortals：凡人。原文用法：Now ordinary mortals, like you and me
- cure someone of something：纠正某人的某种毛病。原文用法：to cure it of this troublesome habit
- be loaded with：装载着。原文用法：it was loaded with bags of sponges
常用句式
- Pattern: In doing …, …：在做……时，……。原文例句：In struggling to its feet, the mule chanced to roll onto its back…
- Pattern: …, leaving …：……，使……。原文例句：…the salt dissolved from its bags, leaving the mule light and comfortable for the rest of the trip down the hill.
长难句解析
Now ordinary mortals, like you and me, would have seized a stick and, with much shouting, would have beaten the animal over its hind quarters to cure it of this troublesome habit.
- 主干：ordinary mortals would have seized a stick and would have beaten the animal
- 修饰与从句：
- like you and me 为插入语，举例说明“凡人”； - with much shouting 为伴随状语； - over its hind quarters 说明击打部位； - to cure it of this troublesome habit 为目的状语。
- 逻辑关系：通过描述普通人的粗暴做法，与泰勒斯的智慧形成对比。
语言使用特点
- 用 recalcitrant 等较正式词汇制造幽默感；
- 用 ordinary mortals, like you and me 拉近与读者距离；
- 结尾突转（loaded with bags of sponges）点明泰勒斯的智慧。
迁移练习
- 用 cure someone of something 写一个句子，描述纠正坏习惯的方法。
- 解释 recalcitrant 在文中的含义，并造句。
- 翻译：盐溶解后，骡子轻轻松松走完了下山的剩余路程。
点击展开参考答案
- （示例）Reading more books helped cure him of his fear of public speaking.
- （示例）A recalcitrant person refuses to obey rules. Example: The recalcitrant student refused to do his homework.
- The salt dissolved from its bags, leaving the mule light and comfortable for the rest of the trip down the hill.