One day, Confucius led his disciples to the State of Chu.

When crossing a stretch of forest, they saw a hunchbacked old man standing under a tree, catching cicadas with a bamboo stick.

With each stroke he caught one cicada, just as easily as picking it up at will.

Confucius asked: "You are very skillful at catching cicadas.

You must have followed some pattern.

"　　"That's right!

”the old man answered.

"The cicada is a clever little insect.

It would fly away at themere rustling of leaves in the wind.

Therefore, to catch cicadas, one must, first of all, train one's hand to hold the bamboo stick without shaking.

When 2 pellets are put on the top of the bamboo stick and do not fall off, one has certain assurance in catching cicadas; when 3 pellets are put there and do not fall off, only one cicada out of ten can manage to escape; when 5 pellets are put there and do not fall off, then catching cicadas is as easy as picking them up at will.

"　　He then added: "But that is not enough.

One must be good at hiding oneself.

Now I am standing under a tree, just like half of a tree stump, with my arm stretching out like part of awithered twig.

Last of all, one must be attentive.

When I am catching cicadas, I don't think at all of the vastness of the universe, nor do I look at the numerous things around.

I only see the two wings of the cicada.

No matter what happens, nothing will distract my attention.

As I manage to accomplish all these, I can be so skillful at catching cicadas.

"　　Hearing this, Confucius turned to his disciples and said: "Whatever you do, only when youpersevere with concentrated attention and devotion, can you achieve the acme of perfection.

This is the truth that this hunchbacked old man has taught us.

"　　一天，孔子带着弟子去楚国。

穿过一片树林的时候，他们看到一位驼背老人站在树下，手拿竹竿捕蝉，一粘一只，就像随手拾来一样容易。

孔子问：您捕蝉捕得这么熟练，一定掌握了什么规律吧?

”　　老人回答说：是啊!

蝉是一种非常乖巧的小虫。

一有风吹草动，它就飞掉了，所以要捕蝉，首先要练得手拿竹竿不晃动。

一直练到在竹竿顶端放两颗弹丸不掉下来的时候，捕蝉就有了一定的把握;当放三颗弹丸不掉下来的时候，捕十只蝉只会逃走一只;当放五颗弹丸不掉下来的时候，捕蝉就像随手拾取一样容易了。

”　　又说：不过，这还不够，还必须善于隐蔽自己。

我现在站在树下，就像是半截子树桩;伸出去的手臂，就像是一段枯萎的树枝。

最后，还必须用心专一。

我捕蝉时，根本不想天地多么广大，也不看众多万物，只看见蝉的两只翅膀，不管发生什么情况，都不会分散我的注意力。

因为我能够做到这些，所以捕蝉才会这样熟练。

”　　孔子听了，回头对他的弟子说：无论做什么事情，只有锲而不舍，专心致志，才能达到这样出神人化的境界。

这就是这位驼背老人告诉我们的道理。

”　　1 disciples　　n.

信徒( disciple的名词复数 );门徒;耶稣的信徒;(尤指)耶稣十二门徒之一　　参考例句：　　Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.

犹大是耶稣十二门徒之一。

　　"The names of the first two disciples were --" 最初的两个门徒的名字是——”　　2 standing　　n.

持续，地位;adj.

永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的　　参考例句：　　After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.

地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。

　　They're standing out against any change in the law.

他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

　　3 catching　　adj.

易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住　　参考例句：　　There are those who think eczema is catching.

有人就是认为湿疹会传染。

　　Enthusiasm is very catching.

热情非常富有感染力。

　　4 mere　　adj.

纯粹的;仅仅，只不过　　参考例句：　　That is a mere repetition of what you said before.

那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。

　　It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.

再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

　　5 rustling　　n.

瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj.

发沙沙声的　　参考例句：　　the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声　　the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声　　6 stump　　n.

残株，烟蒂，讲演台;v.

砍断，蹒跚而走　　参考例句：　　He went on the stump in his home state.

他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。

　　He used the stump as a table.

他把树桩用作桌子。

　　7 withered　　adj.

枯萎的，干瘪的，(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式　　参考例句：　　The grass had withered in the warm sun.

这些草在温暖的阳光下枯死了。

　　The leaves of this tree have become dry and withered.

这棵树下的叶子干枯了。

　　8 twig　　n.

小树枝，嫩枝;v.

理解　　参考例句：　　He heard the sharp crack of a twig.

他听到树枝清脆的断裂声。

　　The sharp sound of a twig snapping scared the badger away.

细枝突然折断的刺耳声把獾惊跑了。

　　9 attentive　　adj.

注意的，专心的;关心(别人)的，殷勤的　　参考例句：　　She was very attentive to her guests.

她对客人招待得十分周到。

　　The speaker likes to have an attentive audience.

演讲者喜欢注意力集中的听众。

　　10 persevere　　v.

坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠　　参考例句：　　They are determined to persevere in the fight.

他们决心坚持战斗。

　　It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.

他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。

　　11 acme　　n.

顶点，极点　　参考例句：　　His work is considered the acme of cinematic art.

他的作品被认为是电影艺术的巅峰之作。

　　Schubert reached the acme of his skill while quite young.

舒伯特的技巧在他十分年轻时即已达到了顶峰。

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