🔊 Jupiter announced that he intended to appoint a king over the birds, and named a day on which they were to appear before his throne, when he would select the most beautiful of them all to be their ruler. Wishing to look their best on the occasion they repaired to the banks of a stream, where they busied themselves in washing and preening their feathers.

朱庇特宣告,他意欲在众鸟之中册立一位君王,并定下日期,命它们齐聚于他的宝座之前,届时他将甄选最美者统领群鸟。为了在盛典上展现最佳仪容,众鸟纷纷飞往溪畔,忙于洗涤并梳理羽衣。

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appoint /əˈpɔɪnt/

v. 任命,委派➕

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throne /θrəʊn/

n. 王座,君主之位➕

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select /sɪˈlekt/

v. 挑选,选择➕

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occasion /əˈkeɪʒ(ə)n/

n. 特殊场合,时刻➕

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repaired /rɪˈpeəd/

v. 去,前往（古语或正式用语）➕

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preening /ˈpriːnɪŋ/

v. （鸟）用喙整理羽毛➕

🔊 The Jackdaw was there along with the rest, and realised that, with his ugly plumage, he would have no chance of being chosen as he was: so he waited till they were all gone, and then picked up the most gaudy of the feathers they had dropped, and fastened them about his own body, with the result that he looked gayer than any of them. When the appointed day came, the birds assembled before Jupiter's throne; and, after passing them in review, he was about to make the Jackdaw king, when all the rest set upon the king-elect, stripped him of his borrowed plumes, and exposed him for the Jackdaw that he was.

寒鸦亦在众鸟之列,它自知羽色丑陋,原样参选断无胜算:于是它静待群鸟散去,捡拾起它们遗落的最华美翎羽,粘附于己身,结果竟显得比任何鸟儿都光彩夺目。待到约定之日,众鸟齐聚于朱庇特的宝座之前；朱庇特逐一检视,正欲册封寒鸦为君,岂料其余鸟儿一拥而上,扯去它借来的羽饰,将它寒鸦的本相暴露无遗。

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plumage /ˈpluːmɪdʒ/

n. （鸟的）全身羽毛➕

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gaudy /ˈɡɔːdi/

adj. 花哨而俗气的,过分艳丽的➕

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fastened /ˈfɑːs(ə)nd/

v. 系牢,固定➕

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assembled /əˈsemb(ə)ld/

v. 集合,聚集➕

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review /rɪˈvjuː/

n. 检阅,审查➕

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king-elect /ˈkɪŋ ɪˈlekt/

n. 当选而尚未就职的国王➕

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set upon /ˌset əˈpɒn/

phrasal v. 袭击,攻击➕

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stripped /strɪpt/

v. 剥夺,夺走➕

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exposed /ɪkˈspəʊzd/

v. 揭露,使暴露➕

Chapter eighty-four: The Vain Jackdaw (第八十四章:虚荣的寒鸦)

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