古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。

懦夫？

At the outbreak of World War I, Harry Farr, who was 23, joined the British army, and fought in the trenches. In May 1915, he collapsed with strong convulsions. In hospital, he shook all the time, and could not even hold a pen. His symptoms were consistent with shellshock. Despite this, he was sent back to the front. After several months of fighting, he asked to see a medical orderly, but was refused.In September 1916, Farr refused to go to the trenches. He was court-martialled, found guilty of"misbehaving before the enemy in such a manner as to show cowardice", and sentenced to be executed. The trial lasted only 20 minutes.He refused a blindfold at his execution. John Laister, a member of the firing squad, talked about it before he died in 1999:"There were tears in his eyes and tears in mine.

"第一次世界大战爆发时，二十三岁的哈利．法尔加入英军，据战壕对敌。一九一五年五月，他不支倒下，身体剧烈抽搐，送到医院后，还是不住颤抖，连笔都拿不稳，看病征，是患了弹震症。但他还是被遣回前线，打仗打了几个月，要求看医疗护理员，却遭拒绝。一九一六年九月，法尔不肯上战壕，被军事审讯。军事法庭认为他犯了「敌人面前示怯」罪，判处死刑。审讯前后不过二十分钟。法尔枪毙时，拒绝蒙上眼睛。行刑队员约翰．莱斯特一九九九年去世前忆述当时情景：「他两眼含泪，我也泪盈两眼。」

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作文地带知识拓展:

• 英语（English）属于印欧语系日耳曼语族西日耳曼语支，最早被中世纪的英国使用，并因其广阔的殖民地而成为世界使用面积最广的语言。英国人的祖先盎格鲁部落是后来迁移到大不列颠岛地区的日耳曼部落之一，称为英格兰。这两个名字都来自波罗地海半岛的Anglia。该语言与弗里斯兰语和下撒克森语密切相关，其词汇受到其他日耳曼语族语言的影响，尤其是北欧语（北日耳曼语），并在很大程度上由拉丁文和法文撰写。

  英语的英文释义：

  English 名词 uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  the language that is spoken in the UK, the US, and in many other countries

  英语

  American/British English

  美式／英式英语

  Do you speak English?

  你会说英语吗？

  English   形容词 adjective   uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  in or relating to the English language

  英语的

  an English teacher

  英语老师

  relating to or from England

  英格兰的;英国的

  English films/food/people

  英国电影／食品／人

  English law

  英格兰法律