双语文本
The Sick Lion
生病的狮子
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath .
有一头年老体衰的狮子，病倒在洞口快要死了，奄奄一息。
The animals, his subjects, came round him and drew nearer as he grew more and more helpless.
当他变得越来越无力时，动物们，他的臣民们，环绕着走近了他。
When they saw him on the point of death they thought to themselves: "Now is the time to pay off old grudges ."
当他们看到他就快要死去，他们心里想：“现在是清算旧账的时候了。”
So the Boar came up and drove at him with his tusks; then a Bull gored him with his horns; still the Lion lay helpless before them: so the Ass, feeling quite safe from danger, came up, and turning his tail to the Lion kicked up his heels into his face.
于是野猪走上前来用獠牙刺向他；随后一头公牛用角顶他：狮子仍然无能为力地躺在他们面前：于是驴子觉得完全没有危险了，就走了过去，尾巴转向狮子，用脚后跟蹬他的脸。
"This is a double death," growled the Lion.
“这是双重死亡，”狮子咆哮道。
Only cowards insult dying majesty.
只有懦夫才会冒犯垂死的君王。
1
重点词汇词组
1.the end of one's days 生命尽头，到了风烛残年
例：I'll love you to the end of my days .
我对你的爱至死不渝。
相关俚语：
①at the end of the day 最终，到头来，不管怎么说
例：It was a difficult decision, but at the end of the day , we knew we made the right choice.
这是一个艰难的决定，但最终，我们知道我们做出了正确的选择。
②come to the end of the road 结束，走到尽头
例：My relationship with Jeannie has come to the end of the road .
我和珍妮的关系走到尽头了。
2.gasp for breath 呼吸困难，喘不过气
例：Kelsey's head popped out of the water, and she started gasping for breath .
凯尔西从水里探出头来，她开始大口喘着粗气。
常见搭配：catch your breath 停下来喘口气；调整呼吸
例：You'd better catch your breath after running.
你最好跑完步调整一下呼吸。
相关俚语：take sb's breath away 极度美丽/令人惊讶（以至于无法呼吸）
例：The beauty of the Taj Mahal took my breath away .
泰姬陵的美丽让我惊叹不已。
3.pay off sth. 付清
例：I expect to pay the debt off within two years.
我希望在两年内还清债务。
常见搭配：
①pay off（单独使用，后不接宾语成分） 取得成功；取得回报
例：All her hard work paid off in the end, and she finally passed the exam.
她所有的努力最终都有了回报，她终于通过了考试。
②pay off sb. 付给某人钱（通常是非法的）
例：He paid off the inspectors with bribes of $500.
他用500美元贿赂检查员。
4.grudge 积怨
常见搭配：have/hold/bear a grudge against 对……怀恨在心
例1：I don't bear any grudge against you.
我对你没有任何怨恨。
例2：Amanda still holds a grudge against me for refusing to lend her that money.
阿曼达还在因为我拒绝借钱给她那事怨恨我。
2
长难句解析
A Lion had come to the end of his days and lay sick unto death at the mouth of his cave, gasping for breath.
有一头年老体衰的狮子，病倒在洞口快要死了，奄奄一息。
解析： 该句主语是“A Lion”，连词and连接两个并列谓语“had come...”和“lay...”；逗号后的“gasping for breath”是现在分词作伴随状语。