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Lesson 70 The Trunk Of The Elephant
第70課 大象的鼻子
The long trunk of the elephant is a wonderful example of design and skill.
大象的長鼻子是體現造物主的設計和技巧的絕妙例子。
The neck of four-footed animals is usually long, to enable them to reach their food without difficulty;
四足動物的脖子通常是很長的，為的是能夠讓它們不費力氣地夠得到食物，
but the elephant has a short neck, to enable him more easily to support the weight of his huge head and heavy tusks.
但大象的脖子很短，這樣它就能更好地支撐自己頭部和軀干的巨大重量。
The difficulty of getting food is admirably overcome by his long trunk.
而獲取食物的困難則由它的長鼻子神奇化解了。
The trunk of the elephant is to him what the neck is to other animals.
大象的鼻子對于大象，就好像脖子對于其他動物一樣重要。
It is also a nose to him, for at the end of it there is a hollow place like a cup,
同時，長鼻也是它的鼻子，因為鼻子的末端有一個像杯子一樣中空的地方，
and in the bottom of the cup are two holes or nostrils, through which the animal smells and breathes.
而在杯子底部，有兩個孔或者鼻孔，透過它們，大象就能嗅聞和呼吸了。
It is an arm and a hand too; so that it has been said that the elephant carries his nose in his hand;
同時，象鼻還是大象的胳膊和手，
and it might also have been said that he breathes by his hand.
據說大象還能用自己的腳掌呼吸。
How strange it would seem to us if we were to breathe through our hand!
這多么奇妙啊，就好像我們能用自己的手掌呼吸一樣神奇！
At the end of the trunk, there is a curious part, about five inches long, which forms a finger.
象鼻的末端有個很奇怪的部分，它大約一米長，形成一個手指。
With this finger the animal can pick up a pin or the smallest piece of money from the ground;
用這手指，大象就能拾起地上的大頭針或者是最小的錢幣了：
he can select herbs and flowers, and take them one by one;
它能選擇草木和花朵，然后逐一采摘；
he can untie knots; he can open and shut gates, by turning the keys or pushing back the bolts:
它能解開扣結；能扭動鑰匙或推動門閂來開關門。
and with this finger an elephant has been taught to make regular marks like letters, with an instrument as small as a pen!
用這手指，一頭大象能被馴化地比畫出字母的樣子，就好像使用筆一樣！
The trunk of a full-grown elephant is about eight feet long.
成年大象的象鼻有大約二米長。
It can be made shorter or longer as the animal chooses, and can be moved with great ease in every possible direction.
大象可以伸縮象鼻的長短，并能輕易地向各個方向移動。
It has such prodigious strength that he can knock down a man with it, and pull up trees of moderate size by the roots.
它力道很大，以至于可以推倒一個成年人，并能連根拔起一棵中等大小的樹木。
