第4课（2分钟）

Lesson Four

Cao Chong Weighs the Elephant

1. In ancient times, there was an important official named Cao Cao.

2. He was very happy when someone presented him with an elephant. He took his son and officials to see it.

3. The elephant was tall and big, with a body like a wall and legs like four pillars.

4. The officials watched and talked: “It looks so big! How much does it weigh?’

5. Cao Cao asked: “Who has a way to weigh this elephant?”

6. Some said: “You need to build a big scale and cut a big tree to make a beam.”

7. Some said: “It wouldn't be possible even if you had a big scale. Who would have enough strength to carry this big scale?”

8. Some others said: ‘There is a way.  You could slaughter the elephant and cut it into pieces before weighing it.”

9. Cao Cao shook his head.

10. Cao Cao's son Cao Chong was only seven years old. He stood up and said, “I know a way.

11. Drive the elephant into a big ship, see how much the ship sinks, and draw a line along the water surface on the ship's gunwale.

12. Then drive the elephant back ashore and load stones on the boat until the boat sinks to the benchmark where the line was drawn.”

13. Cao Cao smiled and nodded.

14. He asked the people to do what Cao Chong said and the elephant was finally weighed.

生词表：

ancient 古代

official   官员

presented   赠送（过去式）

pillars 柱子（复数）

heavy   重量

weigh 称量

scale   称

beam 梁

strength 力气

slaughter   宰

shook   摇（过去式）

stood up 站起来（过去式） 

sinks 下沉（第三人称单数）

surface   表面

gunwale 舷边

ashore 上岸

benchmark   基准

nodded 点头（过去式）

finally 最后

曹冲称象

1.古时候有个大官，叫曹操。

2.别人送他一头大象，他很高兴，带着儿子和官员们一同去看。

3.大象又高又大，身子像一堵墙，腿像四根柱子。

4.官员们一边看一边议论：“象这么大，到底有多重呢？”

5.曹操问：“谁有办法把这头大象称一称？”

6.有的说：“得造一杆大秤，砍一棵大树做秤杆。”

7.有的说：“有了大秤也不成啊，谁有那么大的力气提得起这杆大秤呢？”

8.也有的说：“办法倒有一个，就是把大象宰了，割成一块一块的再称。”

9.曹操听了直摇头。

10.曹操的儿子曹冲才七岁，他站出来，说：“我有个办法。

11.把大象赶到一艘大船上，看船身下沉多少，就沿着水面，在船舷上画一条线。

12.再把大象赶上岸，往船上装石头，装到船下沉到画线的地方为止。

13.曹操微笑着点点头。

14.他叫人照曹冲说的办法去做，果然称出了大象的重量。