Many years ago, a Spanish officer named Coronado heard the story of seven great cities. "The walls of these cities are made of gold," his friends told him. "The people eat meat from golden plates and dress in nice clothes," they said. They called these cities the Seven Cities of Gold. Were the cities real? Coronado never considered asking his friends.
許多年前，一名叫科羅納多的軍官聽說了七座城市的故事。“這七座城的城牆都是金子做的，”他朋友對他說，“人們吃飯用的盤子也是金子做的，而且他們的穿戴都很好。”他們將這幾座城市稱為“七座金城。”金城是真的嗎？科羅納多從來沒有想過問他的朋友。
Coronado thought to himself, "The things in these cities must be worth a lot of money." So he went to find the Seven Cities of Gold. He took along three hundred men, many horses, and extra food. They headed west. Coronado wanted to achieve his goal very badly.
科羅納多心想：“這七座城市裡的東西肯定都很值錢。”所以他開始尋找著七座金城。他挑了三百人隨行，並且還帶了很多馬匹和食物。他們向西出發。科羅納多心裡特別想找到這七座金城。
Coronado and his men rode for many days. Then they saw some cities. "We found the Seven Cities of Gold!" his men yelled, but Coronado wasn't happy. He had a different opinion. "These can,t be the Seven Cities of Gold," he said. "Look, they're made of dirt!"
騎著馬走了很多天後，他們看到了幾座城市。“我們找到七座金城了！”他的隨從大聲喊道。然而，科羅納多卻並不高興。他看法不一樣：“這些不可能是七座金城，你們看，這些城牆都是泥土做的！”
Coronado was right. The cities weren't bright and golden. They were dirty and brown. The people didn't eat meat from golden plates. They ate vegetables from regular bowls. They wore the most basic clothes.
科羅納多說對了。這些城市並不那麼閃亮，也沒有遍地黃金。相反，它們都是泥土建成的，顏色灰暗。這裡的人們也並沒有用金盤子吃肉，用的是普通的盤子，吃的是蔬菜。人們的穿戴也顯得普普通通。
Coronado regarded the cities as ugly places."What happened to the cities of gold?" he thought."Did someone destroy them? Was there a war? Did someone already come and take the gold?"
在科羅納多眼裡，這幾座城不過是骯髒的土城罷了。“七座金城發生了什麼呢？”他心想。“難道是有人摧毀了它們？難道這裡曾發生過戰爭？還是說已經有人來過把金子都拿走了？”
That night, the people of the cities entertained Coronado and his men and served them food.They advised Coronado to go home. "There is no gold here," they told him. Coronado was angry. Did his friends lie to him?
那天晚上，城裡的居民招待了科羅納多一行。他們建議科羅納多帶人返回。“這裡根本就沒有所謂的黃金，”他們說道。科羅納多因此很生氣。難道是他的朋友騙了他嗎？
He left the next morning. He looked back at the cities one more time. The sun reflected light on the dirt houses. Coronado thought he saw a bit of gold. Were his friends right after all? "No," he told himself. "It's just the sun." Then he turned away and went home.
第二天一早，科羅納多一行人就離開了。他回頭看了一眼這幾座城市，城牆反射著太陽照射的光輝。科羅納多以為自己看到了金子。那麼他朋友沒有騙他嗎？“不，”他自言自語道。“這是陽光照射形成的罷了。”隨後他轉過身，開始回程。
單詞
achieve v.實現
advise v.建議
already adv.已經
basic adj.基本的，基礎的
bit n.少量
consider v.思考
destroy v.摧毀，毀滅
entertain v.娛樂，招待
extra adj.額外的
goal n.目標
lie v..說謊
meat n.肉類
opinion n.觀點
real adj.真實的
reflect v.反射
regard v.看待
serve v.招待
vegetable n.蔬菜
war n.戰爭
worth adj.值得的
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