See The Plum To Quench Thirst

It was a sweltering day. Cao Cao led a troop on a long journey. They had been marching for days. The soldiers groaned, "It's unbearably hot! We're almost like roasted potatoes." Along the way, there were no houses or people in sight. The soldiers couldn't get a single drop of water. One soldier exclaimed, "I'm dying of thirst. I can't move anymore." Then he collapsed and couldn't rise. Cao Cao was worried as the number of soldiers decreased. He thought, "If they all collapse before the battle, what can I do?" He rode his horse up a hill, scanning for water. But all he saw was parched land. The soldiers were desperate. Cao Cao suggested digging a well, but after much effort, there was still no water. Cao Cao knew they couldn't stay. Suddenly, seeing some dry trees, he got an idea. Standing high, he waved his flag and shouted, "There's water ahead!" The soldiers perked up and got back on their feet. Cao Cao continued, "There's a large plum grove nearby. The plums are big and plentiful. Let's rush there to eat them." Imagining the sour plums, the soldiers' mouths watered, and they felt less thirsty. With new energy, they marched on. Eventually, they reached a lake and quenched their thirst.

那是一个酷热难耐的日子。曹操率领一支军队长途行军。他们已经连续行军数日。

士兵们抱怨呻吟道：“热得实在受不了！我们快像烤土豆一样了。” 沿途看不到一间房屋，也见不到一个人影。士兵们连一滴水都找不到。一名士兵大喊：“我渴得要死，我一步也走不动了。” 说完他便倒在地上，再也站不起来。

看着士兵的人数不断减少，曹操忧心忡忡。他心想：“要是开战之前所有人都倒下了，我该怎么办？” 他策马登上一座小山，四处搜寻水源，可入目只有干裂的土地。

士兵们陷入了绝望。曹操提议挖一口井，可众人费了很大力气，依旧找不到水。曹操明白他们不能在此地久留。忽然，看到几棵干枯的树木，他想出了一个主意。他站在高处，挥动旗帜大喊：“前面有水！”

士兵们一下子振作起来，重新站了起来。曹操接着说道：“附近有一大片梅林，梅子又大又多。我们赶快赶到那里去吃梅子！” 想到酸酸的梅子，士兵们不由得口水直流，口渴的感觉也减轻了不少。

靠着重新燃起的力气，士兵们继续前行。最后，他们抵达一处湖泊，终于解了渴。

Key phrases

1. a sweltering day 酷热的一天
2. on a long journey 长途行军；踏上漫长旅途
3. march for days 连续行军数日
4. in sight 在视野内；看得见
5. a single drop of water 一滴水
6. die of thirst 渴得要死；渴极了
7. collapse and couldn't rise 倒下，无法起身
8. scan for water 搜寻水源
9. parched land 干裂的土地
10. get an idea 想出一个主意
11. perk up 振作起来
12. get back on one’s feet 重新站起来
13. a large plum grove 一大片梅林
14. mouths water 流口水
15. march on 继续行军
16. quench one’s thirst 解渴

Q&A

Questions

1. What was the weather like on the day of the long‑distance march?
2. Why couldn’t the soldiers get any water along the way?
3. What did Cao Cao do when he rode up the hill?
4. What idea did Cao Cao come up with to cheer up his soldiers?
5. Where did the soldiers finally get water to drink?

Answers:

1. It was a sweltering / unbearably hot day.
2. Because there were no houses or people in sight, so they had no way to get water.
3. He scanned for water, but he only saw parched land.
4. He told the soldiers there was a big plum grove nearby with big and plentiful plums. Imagining sour plums made their mouths water and reduced their thirst.
5. They finally reached a lake and quenched their thirst there.

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