a prize was offered - or rather two prizes, a large one and a small one - for the greatest speed shown, not in just one race, but by one who had been racing for the whole year.

"i won the first prize," said the hare. "of course, one can expect justice when one's own family and good friends are members of the jury; but for the snail to have received the second prize i consider almost an insult to me!"

"no," assured the fence rail, who had been witness to the distribution of prizes. "you have to consider diligence and good will. several very worthy persons made that remark to me, and i quite agree with it. of course, the snail took a whole six months to cross the threshold, but he broke his thighbone in his haste, for haste it was for him. he devoted himself entirely to this race; and he even ran with his house on his back. all this is very commendable, and so he was awarded second prize."

"i think my claims ought to have received consideration," said the swallow. i believe no one has shown himself swifter than i, in flight and motion. and where haven't i been? far, far away!"

"that's just your trouble," said the fence rail. "you don't settle down enough. you're always going somewhere, leaving the country when it begins to freeze here. you haven't any love for your fatherland, so you can't claim any consideration in it."

"but suppose i slept the whole winter through on the moor," asked the swallow, "slept my whole time away. then would i deserve to be considered?

编辑:Liuxuepaper.Com

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