There was once a wise old woman who lived back in the hills. All the children used to come back and ask her questions. She always gave the right answers.

There was a naughty little boy among the children. One day he caught a tiny bird and held it in his cupped hands. Then he gathered his friends around. He said， “Lets trick the old woman. Ill ask her what Im holding in my hands. Of course， shell answer that I have a bird. Then I will ask her if the bird is living or dead. If she says the bird is dead， Ill open my hands and let the bird fly away. If she says the bird is alive， Ill quickly crush it and show her the dead bird. Either way， shell be wrong.”

The children agreed that this was a clever plan. Up the hill they went to the old womans hut.

“Granny， we have a question for you，” they all shouted.

“Whats in my hands？” asked the little boy.

“Well， it must be a bird，” replied the old woman.

“But is it living or dead？” demanded the excited boy.

The old woman thought for a moment and then replied， “It is as you will， my child.”

從前，有一位博學(xué)的老婦人，她住在后山。所有的孩子過去都經(jīng)常來找她問問題。她總是有求必應(yīng)。

其中有一個調(diào)皮的小男孩。有一天，他抓到一只小鳥，雙手捧住。然后把伙伴們叫到身邊，說：“咱們?nèi)ザ阂幌履莻€老太太。我要問她我手里握著什么東西。她肯定會回答說我握的是小鳥。然后，我問她小鳥是活的還是死的。如果她說鳥是死的，我就張開手讓小鳥飛走。如果她說小鳥是活的，我就馬上用勁一捏，讓她看到那只死鳥。不管用什么方法，她都說不對。”

孩子們都異口同聲地說這是一個聰明的計劃。他們爬上山，來到了老婦人的小屋。

“奶奶，我們要問您一個問題。”他們都大聲說道。

“我手里是什么東西？”那個小男孩問道。

“噢，肯定是一只小鳥，”老婦人回答說。

“可是它是活的還是死的呢？”小男孩興奮地問道。

老婦人想了一會兒，然后回答說：“孩子，這由你來決定。”

Vocabulary

naughty? adj. 頑皮的;淘氣的;不聽話的

gather? v. 聚集;集合;召集

demand? v. 強(qiáng)烈要求