LESSON 18 THE KINGBIRD 王鸟

1.The kingbird is not bigger than a robin.

2.He eats fl ies, and worms, and bugs, and berries.

3.He builds his nest in a tree, near some house.

4.When there are young ones in the nest, he sits on the top of a tree near them.

5.He watches to see that no bird comes to hurt them or their mother.

6.If a hawk, a crow, or even an eagle comes near, he makes a dash at it.

7.Though he is so small, he is brave, and he is also very active.

8.He never fails to drive off other birds from his nest.

9.He fl ies around and around the eagle, and suddenly strikes him with his sharp bill.

10.He strikes at his eye, and then darts away before the eagle can catch him.

11.Or he strikes from behind, and is off again before the eagle can turn round.

12.In a short time, the great eagle is tired of such hard blows, and fl ies away.He is very glad to get rid of his foe.

13.Is not the little fellow a brave bird?

14.Because he can drive off all other birds, he is called the KINGBIRD.

【中文阅读】

1.这只王鸟不如知更鸟大。

2.它吃苍蝇、蠕虫、昆虫和浆果。

3.它在房子附近的树上搭了一个窝。

4.当小鸟在窝里时，王鸟便趴在附近的树枝上。

5.它在留意是否有其他鸟来伤害小鸟和它们的妈妈。

6.如果有隼、乌鸦，甚至鹰靠近，它就会猛扑过去。

7.虽然它很小，但却很勇敢且活跃。

8.它总能把窝周围的鸟驱走，从没失过手。

9.它一圈又一圈地绕着鹰飞，然后突然用锋利的嘴去啄它。

10.它啄鹰的眼睛，然后迅速飞走，鹰根本抓不住它。

11.或者它从鹰的背后袭击，不等鹰转过身来便迅速飞走。

12.鹰无法忍受如此猛烈的攻击，不久便飞走了。王鸟很高兴赶走了敌人。

13.难道这个小家伙不勇敢吗？

14.因为它能赶走其他所有的鸟，所以人们都称它为“王鸟”。