由小学生的认知水平和年龄特点所决定,小学英语教学应注重激发学生的学习兴趣,吸引学生主动参与英语学习,从而提高课堂教学效率。本文是三分钟英语故事，希望对大家有帮助!

三分钟英语故事：King Canute on the Seashore

克努特国王在海滨

Long ago, England was ruled by a king named Canute. Like many leaders and men of power, Canute was surrounded by people who were always praising him. Every time he walked into a room, the flattery began.

很久以前，统治英格兰的国王名叫克努特。像许多领导者和掌权人一样，克努特总是被称赞他的人包围着。每当他走进房间，奉承就片始了。

"You are the greatest man that ever lived," one would say.

“您是古往今来最伟大的人，”有个人会这么说。

Then another would insist, "O king! There can never be another man so mighty as you,"

接着另一个会坚持说:“啊，国王，再不能有别的人像您这样强大了。”

And someone would smile and say,‘Your highness, there is nothing you cannot do."

又一个人会微笑着说：“殿下，没有什么是您不能做的。”

"Great Canute, you are the monarch of all," another would sing. "Nothing in this world dares to disohey you."

“伟大的克努特，您是万王之王，”另一个会高唱。“在这世上没有人敢违背您。”

The king was a man of senses, and he grew tired of hearing such foolish speeches.

国王是个明白人，他听腻了这些蠢话。

One day he was walking by the seashore, and his officers and courtiers were with him, praising him as usual. Canute decided to teach them a lesson, so he bade them set his chair on the beach close by the edge of the water.

一天，他走在海边，军官和朝臣们陪同在他左右，仍像往常一样颂扬他。克努特决定给他们一个教训，所以他命令他们把椅子放在沙滩上，紧靠水边。

"So you say I am the greatest man in the world?" he asked.

“你们说我是世界上最伟大的人，是吗?”他问。

"O king," they cried, "there never has been anyone as powerful as you, and there never be anyone so great, ever again!"

“噢，国王陛下，”他们喊道，“从来没有像您一样强大的人了，将来也不会有和您一样伟大的人，绝不会胡!”

"And you say all things obey me'?" Canute asked.

“你们说一切都听我的吗?”克努特问。

"Absolutely!" they said. "The world bows before you, and gives you honor."

“绝对!”他们说。“世界都要向您屈服，向您致敬。”

"I see”the king answered."In that case. bring me my chair, and we will go down to the water."

“我明白了，”国王答道。“这样的话，把我的倚子拿来，让我们走到水里。”

"At once, your majesty!" They scrambled to carry his royal chair over the sands.

“马上，陛下!”他们争相把宝座从沙滩上抬起来。

"Bring it closer to the sea," Canute called. "Put it right here, right at the water's edge."He sat down and surveyed the ocean before him. "I notice the tide is coming in. Do you think it will stop if I give the command'?"

“把它放得离大海更近些，”克努特喊道，“就把它放在这里，就在水边。”他坐下来.环视着眼前的大海。“我注意到潮水就要上涨。你们认为如果我命令它，它会停止吗?”

His officers were puzzled, but they did not dare say no. "Give the order, O great king, and it will obey," one of then assured him.

官员们被难住了，但是他们不敢说不。“下命令吧，噢，伟大的国王，它一定会听从的。”一个人向他保证。

"Very well. Sea," cried Canute, "I command you to come no further! Waves, stop your rolling! Surf, stop your pounding! Do not dare touch my feet!"

”很好。大海，”克努特大喊道，“我命令你，不许再向前!海浪，停止翻滚!浪涛.停止撞击!不许碰到我的脚!”

He waited a moment, quietly, and a tiny wave rushed up the sand and lapped at his feet.

他静静地等了一会儿，一个小小的波浪冲上沙滩，拍扫一着他的脚。

"How dare you!" Canute shouted. "Ocean, turn back now! I have ordered you to retreat before me, and now you must obey! Go back!"

“大胆!”克努特大喊道。“大海，现在就回头!我已经给你下达了命令，在我面前后退，现在你必须遵守!后退!”

And in answer another wave swept forward and curled around the king's feet. The tide came in, just as it always did. The water rose higher and higher. It came up around the king's chair, and wet not only his feet, but also his robe. His officers stood before him,alarmed, and wondering whether he was not mad.

作为回答，另一个波浪冲上前来，包围了国王的脚。潮水依然像往常一样上涨起来。海水越涨越高，涨到了国王椅子周围，不仅打湿了国王的脚，还有他的长袍。军官们站在他的面前，大感震惊，怀疑国王是不是疯了。

"Well, my friends," Canute said, "it seems I do not have quite so much power as you would have me believe. Perhaps you have learned something today. Perhaps now you will remember there is only one King who is all-powerful, and it is he who rules the sea, and holds the ocean in the hollow of his hand. I suggest you reserve your praises for him."

嗯，我的朋友们，”克努特说，“看来我并不像你们让我相信的那样强大。也许你们今天学到了什么。也许现在你们记起只有一个国王是万能的，是他主宰着大海，把海洋握在手心。我建议你们把赞美留给他吧。”

The royal officers and courtiers hung their heads and looked foolish. And some say Canute took off his crown soon afterward, and never wore it again.

王宫军官和朝臣们垂下头，看起来很可笑。有人说，不久克努特摘下了他的王冠，再也没戴过。

三分钟英语故事：The Giving Tree

奉献树

Once there was a tree…and she loved a little boy. Every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest.He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide-and-go-seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree very much….And the tree was happy.

从前有一棵树，她喜欢一个小男孩。每天男孩都会跑到这棵树下捡落叶，做成王冠，把自已装扮成森林之王。男孩总是爬上树干，在树枝扛荡秋千，吃树上的苹果，他们还会一起玩捉迷藏的游戏。男孩累了，就在树荫里睡觉。小男孩非常喜爱这棵树，大树也十分开心。

But time went by. The boy grew older, and the tree was often alone.

但是时光流逝，男孩逐渐长大，大树常常形单影只。

Then one day the boy came to the tree and the tree said."Come, Boy, come and climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and eat my apples and play in my shade and be happy."

有一天男孩来到大树旁，大树说:“来吧，孩子，爬到我的树干上，在树枝上荡秋千，吃几个苹果，再到阴凉里玩一会儿，你会开心的!”

"I am too big to climb and play." said the boy. "1 want to buy things and have fun. I want some money. Can you give me some money?"

“我已经大了，不爱爬树玩儿了，”男孩说，“我想买些东西，想找些乐子。我需要钱，你能给我些钱吗?”

"I'm sorry," said the tree, "but I have no money. I have only leaves and apples. Take my apples, Boy, and sell them in the city. Then you will have money and you will be happy."

“很抱歉，”大树说，“我没有钱，我只有树叶和苹果。把我的苹果拿去，孩子，把它们拿到城里卖掉，你就会有钱，就会快活了。”

And so the boy climbed up the tree and gathered her apples and carried them away.

于是男孩爬上树，摘下苹果，把苹果带走了。

And the tree was happy.

大树很快乐。

But the boy stayed away for a long time…and the tree was sad.

但是男孩离开了很久，大树很难过。

And then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come,Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy."

后来有一天，男孩回来了，大树高兴地摇晃着肢体，说道:“来吧，孩子，爬到我的树干上，在树枝上荡秋千，你会很快活的!”

I am too busy to climb trees," said the boy. "I want a house to keep me warm," he said. "I want a wife and I want children, and so I need a house. C an you give me a house?"

“我太忙了，没有时间爬树”男孩说，“我需要一幢房子保暖。”他接着说，“我要娶个妻子，还要生些孩子，所以我需要一幢房子。你能给我一幢房子吗?”

"I have no house," said the tree. "The forest is my house, but you may cut my branches and build a house. Then you will be happy."

“我没有房子，”大树说，“森林就是我的房子。但是你可以砍下我的树枝去盖房，那样你就会开心了。

And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house. And the tree was happy. But the boy stayed away for a long time.

于是男孩把大树的树枝砍了下来，把它们带走盖了一幢房子。大树很快乐，但是男孩很久都没有再来。

And when he came back, the tree was so happy that she could hardly speak. "Come,Boy," she whispered, "come and play."

当他又回来的时候，大树非常高兴，高兴得几乎说不出话来。“来吧，孩子，”她低声说，“来和我玩吧!”

"I am too old and sad to play," said the boy. "I want a boat that will take me far away from here. Can you give me a boat?"

“我年纪已经大了，心情也不好，不愿意玩。”男孩说，“我需要一条船，离开这里，去遥远的地方。你能给我一条船吗?”

"Cut down my trunk and make a boat," said the tree. "Then you can sail away and be happy.”

“把我的树干砍断，用它造船吧。”大树说，“这样你就可以远航，你就会快乐了。”于是男孩砍断树干，造了一艘船，乘船离开了。

And so the boy cut down her trunk and made a boat and sailed away.

大树很快乐……但并不是真的快乐。

And the tree was happy...but not really.

又过了很长时间，男孩又回来了。“非常抱歉，孩子，”大树说，“我没有什么可以给你—我没有苹果了。”

And after a long time the boy came back again, "I am sorry, Boy," said the tree,‘but I have nothing left to give you-my apples are gone."

“我的牙齿已经老化，吃不动苹果了。”男孩说。

“My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.

“我没有枝条了，”大树说，“你没法儿在上面荡秋千了—”

"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them -”

“我年纪太大了，荡不了秋千。”男孩说。

"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.

“我没有树干了，”大树说，“你不能往上爬了—”

“My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb-"

“我很累，爬不动了。”男孩说。

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.

“真是抱歉，”大树叹了口气，“我多么希望能给你点什么呀……但是我什么也没有留下，我现在只是个老树墩，抱歉……”

"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish that I could give you something…but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry…"

“我现在不需要太多，”男孩说，“只想找个安静的地方坐坐，好好休息。我很累。”

"I don't need very much now," said the boy,"just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."

“那好。”大树说，她尽量把身子挺直，“那好，我这个老树墩正好可以让你坐着休息来吧，孩子，坐下吧，坐在我身上休息吧。”

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could, "Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."

于是男孩坐下了。

And the boy did.

大树很快乐。

And the tree was happy.

三分钟英语故事：Hanging Up an Ox but Selling a Horse悬牛卖马

One day, Ling Gong, King of the State of Qi, had a sudden whim. He liked to see women wearing men's clothes and let all the women in his harem do so.

一天，齐灵公心血来潮，喜欢看女扮男装，并且让内宫的女人都这样做。

Soon afterwards, all the women in the whole country followed

the fashion and dressed like men.

不久，全国的女人赶时髦，都女扮男装。

Seeing the whole country follow this example, Ling Gong became angry, and gave orders to the officials in all parts of the ountry:

可是，灵公看全国都这样，就生气了，又命令各地官吏:

"Whenever you see women dressed like men, you are to tear up their clothes and rip their waistbands."

“只要发现女扮男装的人，就撕破她们的衣服，扯断她们的腰带。”

But this trend among women to dress like men couldn't be

discouraged.

可是，这股女扮男装的风气，仍然没有能够刹住。

One day, when the prime minister Yan Zi came to court for an audience with him, Ling Gong asked him:

一天，宰相晏子朝见灵公，灵公问晏子:

"I ordered all the officials to forbid women to wear men's

clothes. Whenever they see them doing so, they are to tear up their clothes and rip their waistbands without exception. But this trend couldn't be stopped. What exactly is the reason?"

“我让各地官吏禁止女人穿男人的服装，只要看到，就一律撕破衣服，扯断腰带，可就是禁止不了。这究竟是什么原因?”

Yan Zi answered:

晏子回答说:

"Your Majesty, you allow the women in your harem to dress like men, but you forbid the common people to do so. This is like hanging up the head of an ox outside the door, but selling horsemeat inside. How can that be done? If women in your harem are rorbidden to wear men's clothes, then how would the people outside the palace dare to do so any longer?"

“大王，您让内宫女扮男装，却不让百姓这样做;这就好比门外挂的是牛头，而门里卖的是马肉，这怎么行呢?如果宫内禁止女扮男装，那么宫外的人怎么再敢这样做呢?”

Ling Gong nodded his head again and again, and said:

灵公连连点头，说:

"What you have said is right! What you have said is right!"

“你说得对!你说得对!”

Ling Gong ordered his officials to do according to what Yan Zi had said. Sure enough, in less than one month, the trend of dressing like men among women in the whole country was stopped.

灵公命令官吏按照晏子的话去办。果然，不到一个月，全国各地女扮男装的风气就刹住了。