无论我们的朋友平凡与否，都有可能在我们身处困境的时候提供巨大的帮助。蚂蚁和鸽子的故事就体现了关于知恩图报和互相帮助的道理。

An ant went to the river to get a drink. The water rushed along so fast that he was washed off the bank into the river.

“I shall drown！” he cried. “Help！ help！ help！” But his voice was so tiny that nobody can hear it.

A dove was sitting in a tree over the water. She saw the ant struggling， and quickly nipped off a leaf and let it fall into the water. The ant climbed upon the leaf and got saved.

The ant called out in his tiny voice， “Thank you， kind dove， you have saved my life.” But of course the dove could not hear him.

Several days later， the dove was again sitting in the tree. A hunter crept carefully up to the tree. He pointed his gun at the dove and was about to shoot. Then the ant bit his leg.

Words：

rush （水流）奔涌（過去式：rushed）

drown 淹死

tiny 微小的

struggle 挣扎，努力（-ing形式：struggling）

nip 夹，捏，掐（过去式：nipped）

creep 爬，蹑手蹑脚（过去式：crept）

He cried out with pain and dropped his gun. The dove heard the sound and flew away.

（中文大意请见P48）

1. nip off掐掉

例如：

Don’t nip off the beautiful flowers.不要掐掉美丽的鲜花。

2. save one’s life救了某人的命

我们再学一个相关的词组：lose one’s life丢掉某人的性命。例如：

He saved my life.他救了我的命。

Her son lost his life in a car accident.她的儿子在一场车祸中丧生了。