Mid-Autumn Festival
cháng é
嫦 娥
[唐] 李商隐
云母屏风烛影深
长河渐落晓星沉
嫦娥应悔偷灵药
碧海上苍夜夜心
佳节团圆 · 千里共婵娟
——中秋节传说：嫦娥奔月英文版
Legend says that there were once ten suns in the sky, which made plants wither, water in rivers and lakes run dry. It’s too hot to live on the sun.
相传，远古时候有一年，天上涌现了十个太阳，直烤得大地冒烟，海水枯干，老百姓眼看无法再生活去。
Wither [ˈwɪðɚ]
vt. 使枯萎；使畏缩；使衰弱；vi. 凋落；衰弱；萎缩；
If a flower or plant withers, it dries up and dies.
例如：
Age cannot wither her. 岁月并未使她的容颜逊色.
The grass had withered in the warm sun. 草在温暖的阳光下枯萎了。
Live on [liv ɑn] 连续活着；连续存在；住在…上；以…为食
例如：
They are still having to live on very low incomes.
他们现在还得靠微薄的收入过日子。
The fish live on the plankton [ˈplæŋktən] .
这种鱼靠吃浮游生物为生。
This event shocked a hero named Hou Yi, who climbed to the top of Kunlun Mountains, draw his bow and shot down nine extra SUNS at one go.
这件事惊动了一个名叫后羿的英雄，他登上昆仑山顶，运足神力，拉开神弓，一气射下九个多余的太阳。
Draw bow 拉弓
例如：
When you shoot an arrow, you draw the bow.
射箭时, 得拉弓。
Mountains ['maʊntɪns] n. 山，山峰( mountain的名词复数 )；山脉；群山；
例如：
I took a wrong turn and we got lost in the mountains.
我拐错了弯，我们便在山里迷了路。
at one go 一口气，一下子，一举；一气；
例如：
Few authors write a book at one go.
很少有作家能一口气写出一本书来.
Houyi thus was respected and honored by people as a hero. Young men who were fond of archery flocked to him to learn shooting.
后羿立下盖世神功，受到百姓的尊敬和爱戴，不少志士慕名前来投师学艺。
archery [ˈɑrtʃəri] n. 箭术；
例如：
He's a hotshot at archery.
他是箭术高手。
What interested you when you thought about archery?
当你想要射箭的时候是什么缘故原由在使令你?
flocked to somebody/somewhere
成群结队地走向…，蜂拥而至
例如：
Crowds of visitors flock to zoos to observe the animals.
大批游人涌向动物园去看动物。
In the summer, tourists flock to the museums and art galleries.
夏季，游人成群结队到博物馆和艺术馆参不雅观。
Fraudulent [ˈfrɔdʒələnt], unscrupulous[ʌnˈskrupjələs] Pengmeng also mixed in.
巧诈刁钻，心术不正的蓬蒙也混了进来。
Fraudulent [ˈfrɔdʒələnt] adj. 欺骗的，不老实的；巧诈；
intended to cheat somebody, usually in order to make money illegally
例如：
fraudulent advertising 欺骗性广告
fraudulent insurance claims 敲诈性保险索赔
Houyi later married a pretty lady called Chang E and lived a happy life with her.
不久，后羿娶了个俏丽善良的妻子，名叫嫦娥，并和她过着幸福的生活。
One day on his way to a friend’s home in the Kunlun Mountain, Houyi came across the Queen of Heaven.
后羿到昆仑山探友求道，巧遇由此经由的王母娘娘。
came across（come across） [kʌm əˈkrɔs] 偶遇；有时创造；使产生…印象；
If you come across something or someone, you find them or meet them by chance.
例如：
I came across children sleeping under bridges.
我有时创造孩子们睡在桥下。
She came across some old photographs in a drawer.
她在抽屉里有时创造一些旧照片。
Houyi was enamored of the happy life with his wife and wanted to be with her forever so he asked the The Queen of Heaven to give him some elixir.
后羿因与嫦娥恩爱，想与她永久在一起，便向王母求一包不去世药。
enamored [en'æməd]
adj. 爱慕的，被迷住的；v. 使爱慕，使迷恋( enamor的过去式和过去分词 )；
Liking something a lot
例如：
I became totally enamored of the wildflowers there.
我特殊喜好那里的野花。
He became enamored of a girl in New York.
他为一位纽约的姑娘而倾倒.
elixir [ɪˈlɪksɚ] n. 炼金药，永生不老药；酏剂；
a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses or to make people live for ever
例如：
the elixir of life/youth 永生不老药
Keep your mind awake and active; that's the only youth elixir.
保持头脑复苏和灵巧便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹灵药。
The elixir was strictly controlled off normal people. The Queen of Heaven, however, moved by Houyi’s contribution and affection to love and gave him one.
然则以药世间掌握得严，王母被后羿的贡献和精神打动，就给了神药。
Affection [əˈfɛkʃən] n. 喜好；钟爱；
the feeling of liking or loving somebody/something very much and caring about them
例如：
Their affection for her soon increased almost to idolatry.
他们对她的喜好不久就发展到了盲目崇拜的地步。
he had trouble expressing the affection he felt
他很难表达自己的感情
The drug was said very powerful and people who took it can fly to the heaven and became an immortal immediately.
听说，服下此药能即刻仙游羽化。
Immortal [ɪˈmɔrtl] adj. 不去世的；永恒的；n. 神仙；流芳百世的人；
that lives or lasts for ever and never die or be destroyed.
例如：
The soul is immortal. 灵魂是永恒不朽的。
He believed himself immortal. 他相信自己是不朽的。
However, the content was only enough for one person and Houyi was reluctant to leave his beloved wife alone on the earth so he gave the elixir to Chang E to preserve and wanted to seek another one for his wife.
但是药量只够他一个人服用，后羿舍不得撇下妻子，只好暂时把不去世药交给嫦娥珍藏。
Reluctant [rɪˈlʌktənt] adj. 不宁愿的，勉强的；顽抗的；难处理的；厌恶的
hesitating before doing something because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure
that it is the right thing to do
例如：
reluctant agreement 勉强赞许
She was reluctant to admit she was wrong. 她不愿承认自己错了。
He finally gave a reluctant smile. 他末了勉强地笑了笑。
Chang E carefully stored it in a wooden box while her action was peeked by the evil Pengmeng -one of his husband’s adherents.
嫦娥小心翼翼地把它放在一个木箱里，而她的行动却被邪恶的蓬蒙——他丈夫的一个追随者——偷看了。
Adherent [ədˈhɪrənt] n. 支持者，推戴者；adj. 粘着的；
a person who supports a political party or set of ideas
例如：
This idea is gaining adherents.
这种不雅观念正在赢得更多的推戴者。
The brass plate must be adherent to the steel.
黄铜片必须和钢粘结.
Three days afterward, Houyi lead his disciples to go out for hunting but Fengmeng who wanted to steal the elixir while Houyi was away, stayed at home deliberately.
三天后，后羿率众徒外出佃猎，心怀鬼胎的蓬蒙假装生病，留了下来。
Disciple [dɪˈsaɪpəl] n. 信徒，追随者；徒弟，弟子；
a person who believes in and follows the teachings of a religious or political leader
Deliberately [dɪˈlɪbərɪtlɪ] adv. 故意地；寻思熟虑地；从容不迫地；
例如：
It looks as if the blaze was started deliberately.
看起来彷佛是有人蓄意纵火。
The police deliberately kept a low profile in most places.
警方在大多数地方故意保持低调。
No sooner as Houyi left his house, Fengmeng knocked into the courtyard where Chang E was working. He wielded his glitter sword and threatened Chang E to give him the elixir.
待后羿率众人走后不久，蓬蒙手持宝剑闯入内宅后院，威逼嫦娥交出不去世药。
Courtyard [ˈkɔrtjɑrd] n. 庭院，院子；天井；
an open space that is partly or completely surrounded by buildings and is usually part of a castle,
a large house, etc.
例如：
Sunlight was streaming into the courtyard.
阳光照到院子里。
Wield [wild] vt. 利用（武器、工具等）；利用（权力），施加（影响）；行使；支配
to hold something, ready to use it as a weapon or tool
例如：
They wield enormous political power.
他们行使巨大的政治权力.
He who knows>wield a pen usually feels quite helpless in the face of practical problems.
光会耍笔杆的人,碰到实际问题每每束手无策.
Sword [sɔrd] n. 剑，刀；兵权，权力；
a weapon with a long metal blade and a handle
例如：
Fame can be a two-edged sword .
名声是把双刃剑。
Chang E had no better idea than swallowed the elixir herself.
嫦娥知道自己不是蓬蒙的对手，只得拿出不去世药一口吞了下去。
No better than [noʊ ˈbɛtɚ ðən] adv. 险些即是；倒不如；
例如：
The train's average speed was no better than that of our bicycles.
火车的均匀速率比我们骑自行车的速率快不了多少。
As soon as she took it, Chang E flew from her house toward the heaven and finally landed on the moon.
嫦娥一吞下药，身子急速飘离她的家，冲向天，末了登录月球。
Took take的过去式
Take medicine吃药
heaven [ˈhɛvən] n. 天；天国；上帝；极乐
Land on
例如：
We never imagined that men would land on the moon.
我们从未想到过人类能登上月球.
Houyi was told what was happening in the evening when he returned home from bumper hunting.
傍晚，后羿打猎回到家，侍女们哭诉了白天发生的事。
He was astonished, anguished and then very anger so he decided to kill the evil man. But Fengmeng had fled away.
后羿既惊又怒，抽剑去杀恶徒，蓬蒙早逃走了。
what was happening 当时正在发生的事情
例如：
I had a mistaken view of what was happening.
我对当时发生的事情曾有一种缺点的认识。
Bumper [ˈbʌmpɚ] adj. 特大的，丰硕的；n. 减震器；保险杠；
例如：
a bumper crop of rice... 稻米丰收
a bumper pack of matches. 一大盒火柴
astonished [ə'stɑnɪʃt] adj. 吃惊的
very surprised
例如：
She was quite astonished at his rudeness.
What he said at the meeting astonished everybody present.
他在会上说的话令在场的人很吃惊。
Anguished ['æŋgwɪʃt] adj. 极度痛楚的 v. 使极度痛楚（anguish的过去式）
showing severe pain, mental suffering or unhappiness
例如：
She let out an anguished cry.
她痛楚地大叫了一声。
Chang E decides to live on the moon because it is nearest to the earth.
嫦娥决定在玉轮上住下来，由于玉轮离地球最近。
There she lives a simple and contented life. Even though she is in Heaven, her heart remains in the world of mortals. Never does she forget the deep love she has for Hou Yi.
她在月宫里过着大略的生活。只管她上了天宫，她的心还是活着间。嫦娥从未忘却与后羿之间的爱。
Contented [kənˈtɛntɪd] adj. 满意的，知足的；
If you are contented, you are satisfied with your life or the situation you are in.
例如：
Whenever he returns to this place he is happy and contented...
每次回到这个地方，他都十分快乐，心满意足。
She was gazing at him with a soft, contented smile on her face.
她注目着他，脸上带着温顺而知足的微笑。
Mortal [ˈmɔrtl] n. 凡人，人类；adj. 致命的；终有一去世的；
You can describe someone as a mortal when you want to say that they are an ordinary person.
Mortals n. 凡人，人类( mortal的名词复数 )
例如：
We are all mortal.
我们都总有一去世。
Tickets seem unobtainable to the ordinary mortal.
普通人彷佛根本买不到票。
Each year on the 15th day of the eighth month, when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, people look at the moon and try to see it the image of a beautiful maiden.
每年八月十五，当玉轮最圆最通亮的时候，人们会不雅观赏月亮，并探求那个俏丽少女的身影。
Maiden [ˈmedn] n. 未婚女子；少女；初次
a young girl or woman who is not married
例如：
The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.
王子爱上了一位年轻俏丽的少女。
The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.
这架飞机来日诰日首航。
PS: 这里用maiden这个次词来形容嫦娥，意在表明嫦娥像少女一样俏丽。
Mid-Autumn Festival
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