相传古时候，天帝和太阳女神有十个儿子。这十个儿子就是天上的十个太阳，十个兄弟每天一换，轮流值班，秩序井然，当时天地万物一片和谐。但日子久了他们发现，每次值班总是孤零零一个人，而玩耍打闹也总是只有九个人。于是十兄弟商量后决定一起值班，然后一起玩耍。这天他们一起跑向了天空。瞬时，人间变成了一个巨大的火炉。江河湖泊都干涸了，花草树木都枯死了，动物们也渴死了，人类生活在水深火热之中。有个叫后羿的年轻人实在不忍心看到这样的景象，他便劝说十个太阳赶快回家。可是太阳十兄弟不听劝说，一意孤行，后羿忍无可忍，拉开万斤的弓，搭上千斤的箭，瞄准天上火辣辣的太阳，嗖地一箭射去，第一个太阳被射落了。其他的太阳仍然坚持不回去。后羿一鼓作气，又连续射下了八个太阳。最后那个太阳一看大事不妙，连忙认罪求饶，后羿才息怒收弓，命令这个太阳今后按时起落，好好为老百姓造福。自此以后，这个太阳每天从东方的海边升起，晚上从西边山上落下，尽职尽责，人间又恢复了一片和谐的景象。 It is said that in the ancient time, the emperor of the heaven and the sun goddess had ten sons, which were the ten suns in the sky. The ten brothers worked together, taking turns to warm the earth in order, harmoniously. However, after a period of time, they became tired of working alone while the other nine playing around together. As a result, they made a decision that all of them work together and play together. One day, they went out and worked together, suddenly the earth turned into a giant furnace. With lakes dried up, plants and flowers seared, and animals died of thirsty, human suffered from extremely harsh environment. Then a youngster named Houyi, who didn't have the heart to see the tragedy, convinced the ten brothers that they should go home quickly, but they didn't listen. Without viable methods, Houyi pulled the bow, targeting at the one of the sun, shot down one sun, but the others still refused to go back home. Irrigated, Houyi consecutively shot down eight suns until the only sun left begged him for mercy. Houyi ordered that the sun rise and fall regularly and punctually and that the sun benefit the mankind to the maximum extent. Since then, the sun rises from the east and falls to the west every day, being responsible and accountable. The world restores harmony.

-- Jewel@

---

Can you imagine when there are ten suns in the sky? Today we are going to tell you a Chinese mythology about Houyi shooting down the sun. Lesson Content: It is said that in the ancient time, the emperor of the heaven and the sun goddess had ten sons, which were the ten suns in the sky. The ten brothers worked together, taking turns to warm the earth in order, harmoniously. However, after a period of time, they became tired of working alone while the other nine playing around together. As a result, they made a decision that all of them work together and play together. One day, they went out and worked together, suddenly the earth turned into a giant furnace. With lakes dried up, plants and flowers seared, and animals died of thirsty, human suffered from extremely harsh environment. Then a youngster named Houyi, who didn't have the heart to see the tragedy, convinced the ten brothers that they should go home quickly, but they didn't listen. Without viable methods, Houyi pulled the bow, targeting at the one of the sun, shot down one sun, but the others still refused to go back home. Irrigated, Houyi consecutively shot down eight suns until the only sun left begged him for mercy. Houyi ordered that the sun rise and fall regularly and punctually and that the sun benefit the mankind to the maximum extent. Since then, the sun rises from the east and falls to the west every day, being responsible and accountable. The world restores harmony.

• emperor [´empərə]   n.皇帝   (初中英语单词)
• goddess [´gɔdis]   n.女神   (初中英语单词)
• working [´wə:kiŋ]   a.工人的；劳动的   (初中英语单词)
• furnace [´fə:nis]   n.熔炉；火炉   (初中英语单词)
• extremely [ik´stri:mli]   ad.极端地；非常地   (初中英语单词)
• youngster [´jʌŋstə]   n.年轻人；小伙子；少年   (初中英语单词)
• tragedy [´trædʒidi]   n.悲剧；惨案；灾难   (初中英语单词)
• extent [ik´stent]   n.长度；程度；范围   (初中英语单词)
• responsible [ri´spɔnsəbəl]   a.尽责的；责任重大的   (初中英语单词)
• harmony [´hɑ:məni]   n.调合，协调，和谐   (初中英语单词)
• environment [in´vaiərənmənt]   n.郊区；周围；条件   (高中英语单词)
• regularly [´regjuləli]   ad.有规律地；经常地   (高中英语单词)
• maximum [´mæksiməm]   n.极点 a.最大的   (高中英语单词)
• summary [´sʌməri]   a.&n.摘要(的)   (英语四级单词)
• taking [´teikiŋ]   a.迷人的 n.捕获物   (英语六级单词)