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2月份第1周閱讀 | 亞瑟王
【文字共約2000字，難度初中詞彙】
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亞瑟王是「圓桌騎士團」的首領，在他繼位之時，不列顛一直受到外敵的入侵。於是，亞瑟王帶領圓桌騎士奮力廝殺，將入侵者趕出了不列顛的領土，守護了國家和百姓。而圓桌騎士至此成為了不列顛重要的組成部分。
圓桌的含義是平等和世界。在圓桌之上人人都是平等的，他們可以自由地發表意見。遇到爭執時，他們也會各成派系，相互反駁。圓桌騎士可以上戰場殺敵，也可以在圓桌之上暢談國事，圓桌騎士對王國的重要性不言而喻。
亞瑟王與圓桌騎士帶領不列顛人民走出了黑暗，給他們帶來了希望的曙光。所以，亞瑟王與圓桌騎士一直是他們心目中的英雄。時至今日，在英國人民的心中，亞瑟王與圓桌騎士已經不僅僅是一個名詞，而是英勇、忠誠的象徵，是英國人民的驕傲。亞瑟王與圓桌騎士創造了一個又一個的傳奇故事，也一直在民間廣為流傳。
【音頻時間：5min，先聽再讀，傳說英語聽力能提高不少哦】
【字數：400，閱讀時間：10min】
King Arthur goes to Aralon
King Arthur lived a long life, but it finished sadly. In the search for the Holy Grail, many of his knights left Britain. Other knights died. Arthur was alone.In 537, King Arthur went to a distant land to fight. Sir Gawain and other loyal knights went with him. Before leaving Camelot, King Arthur spoke toa knight called Mordred. He said, "Mordred, I ask you to rule① my land until I return. I know you are a loyal man."King Arthur and his knights left Britain to go to war. But Mordred was notloyal. He wanted to take King Arthur's place. He wanted to be King of Britain!So Mordred told everyone that Arthur was killed in the war, in France.Mordred became King of Britain! He was made King in Canterbury.When King Arthur heard the news, he was furious. He returned to Britain immediately. He and his knights arrived in Dover.Here he found Mordred and his army. They were waiting for him. There was a long, terrible battle. Only King Arthur and Sir Bedivere remained alive②. Sir Gawain died in Arthur's arms. The King buried③ him in Dover Castle.Arthur fought a long battle against Mordred.At the end of the battle, King Arthur took his spear④ and killed Mordred.But Mordred's sword went through Arthur's helmet⑤ and his head.
The great king was dying! He still had to do one thing. He called Sir Bedivere and said, "I must give my sword Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake. Take it to the lake. Then throw it far into the water."Sir Bedivere went to the lake. He threw Excalibur far into the water. Anarm came out of the water and caught the sword. Then it disappeared intothe water.Sir Bedivere returned to King Arthur. He told him about what he saw atthe lake. Arthur was satisfied and said, "Thank you, my loyal friend. Now carry me to the lake."At the lake, there was a boat waiting for Arthur. The Lady of the Lake wasin it."Put me in the boat," said Arthur. Sir Bedivere obeyed and said, "What can I do without you, my king?"Arthur answered, "My life is near the end. Pray① for yourself. Prayers cando many things. Farewell②! I am going to Avalon③."The boat moved away slowly. Sir Bedivere watched the boat on the lake until it disappeared.【詞彙、翻譯、朗讀...】
① rule：統治。
② alive：活著的。
③ buried：埋葬。
④ spear：矛。
⑤ helmet：頭盔。
① pray：祈禱。
② Farewell：再見。
③ Avalon：西方樂土島。
第九章:亞瑟王之死
亞瑟王活了很長時間，但結束的時候卻很慘。在尋找聖杯的過程中，他的許多騎士離開了英國。其他騎士死亡。亞瑟獨自一人。537年，亞瑟王去了一個遙遠的地方作戰。高文爵士和其他忠誠的騎士跟他一起去了。在離開卡梅洛特之前，亞瑟王與一位名叫莫德雷德的騎士交談。他說:「莫德雷德，我請求你統治我的土地，直到我回來。我知道你是個忠誠的人。亞瑟王和他的騎士們離開英國去打仗。但是莫德雷德並不忠誠。他想取代亞瑟王的位置。他想成為英國的國王!莫德雷德告訴大家亞瑟在法國的戰爭中被殺了。莫德雷德成為了不列顛的國王!他在坎特伯雷當上了國王。當亞瑟王聽到這個消息時，他非常憤怒。他立即回到了英國。他和他的騎士們到達了多佛。在這裡他找到了莫德雷德和他的軍隊。他們在等他。這是一場漫長而可怕的戰鬥。只有亞瑟王和貝德維爾爵士在世。高文爵士死在亞瑟的懷裡。國王把他葬在了多佛堡。亞瑟和莫德雷德打了一場持久戰。在戰鬥結束時，亞瑟王拿起他的長矛殺死了莫德雷德。但是莫德雷德的劍刺穿了亞瑟的頭盔和他的頭。
偉大的國王快死了!他還得做一件事。他叫來貝德維爾爵士說:「我必須把我的埃克斯卡利伯劍還給湖上夫人。」把它帶到湖邊去。然後把它扔到水裡。「貝德維爾爵士到湖邊去了。他把王者之劍遠遠地扔進了水裡。一隻胳膊從水裡伸出來抓住了劍。然後它消失在水中。貝德維爾爵士回到了亞瑟王身邊。他告訴他在湖邊看到的一切。阿瑟很滿意地說:「謝謝你，我忠實的朋友。現在把我帶到湖邊去。「在湖邊，有一艘船正等著亞瑟。湖上夫人也在裡面。「把我放到船上。」阿瑟說。貝德維爾爵士照辦了，說道:「陛下，沒有您我該怎麼辦呢?」阿瑟回答道:「我的生命即將結束。為自己祈禱。禱告可以做很多事情。告別!我要去阿瓦隆。船慢慢地開走了。貝德維爾爵士望著湖上的船，直到它消失為止。
1.King Arthur lived a long life, but it finished sadly
亞瑟王活了很長時間，但結局卻很慘。
2.The great king was dying! He still had to do one thing.
偉大的國王快死了!他還得做一件事。
3.Sir Bedivere watched the boat on the lake until it disappeared.
貝德維爾爵士望著湖上的船，直到它消失為止。