The Shepherd and the Sheep

A grandfather's lesson about the lost sheep · 祖父的一堂「失羊」课

Have you ever been lost? How frightening that would be!

When I was just a little boy, I used to visit my grandparents on their farm, far from the city. My grandfather was a shepherd. That means he was a sheep farmer. He looked after the sheep. He kept them safe and protected them from wolves and other wild animals in the forest.

Each morning, Grandfather gathered the sheep and we set off for distant fields. The sheep stayed together, eating grass under the watchful eye of Grandpa.

One day, as we were guarding the sheep, Grandpa asked me what I would do if one of these sheep were to get lost. "Would you go to look for it?" he asked. "I am not sure," I replied. "If I went off to look for that one lost sheep, all these others would be alone and unprotected while I was gone."

Grandpa said, "You are wise, my grandson. But how do you think that lost sheep would feel all alone, lost in the wild without its fellow sheep? Don't you think it would be frightened? A shepherd loves and protects all of his sheep. It is not easy to leave the whole flock to go in search of just one that is lost. That is the job of a shepherd. He will not rest as long as one of his sheep is lost or in danger."

The more I thought about what he said, the more I realized how true it was. If I were lost, I would want my parents to come for me, even if they had to leave my brothers and sisters alone while they searched.

When I grew up, I heard the bible story about the shepherd and one lost sheep. Jesus told the story to the people to explain how important each and every person is to God.

As long as one person is in danger, the shepherd does whatever it takes to bring that person back safely to the flock.

The Shepherd and the Sheep — A grandfather's lesson about the lost sheep

Have you ever been lost? How f(1)__________ that would be!

When I was just a little boy, I used to visit my grandparents on their farm, far from the city. My grandfather was a shepherd. That means he was a sheep farmer. He looked after the sheep. He kept them safe and p(2)__________ them from wolves and other wild animals in the forest.

Each morning, Grandfather g(3)__________ the sheep and we set off for distant fields. The sheep stayed together, eating grass under the w(4)__________ eye of Grandpa.

One day, as we were guarding the sheep, Grandpa asked me what I would do if one of these sheep were to get lost. "Would you go to look for it?" he asked. "I am not sure," I r(5)__________. "If I went off to look for that one lost sheep, all these others would be alone and unprotected while I was gone."

Grandpa said, "You are w(6)__________, my grandson. But how do you think that lost sheep would feel all alone, lost in the wild without its f(7)__________ sheep? Don't you think it would be frightened? A shepherd loves and protects all of his sheep. It is not easy to leave the whole flock to go in s(8)__________ of just one that is lost. That is the job of a shepherd. He will not rest as long as one of his sheep is lost or in danger."

The more I thought about what he said, the more I r(9)__________ how true it was. If I were lost, I would want my parents to come for me, even if they had to leave my brothers and sisters alone while they searched.

When I grew up, I heard the bible story about the shepherd and one lost sheep. Jesus told the story to the people to e(10)__________ how important each and every person is to God.

As long as one person is in danger, the shepherd does whatever it takes to bring that person back safely to the flock.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🐑 文化拓展 · The Parable of the Lost Sheep

「失羊的比喻」出自《圣经·新约》路加福音第十五章：一位牧羊人拥有一百只羊，失去一只时，他会把九十九只留在旷野，去寻找那只迷失的羊，直到找着。在西方文化中，"好牧人"（the Good Shepherd）由此成为舍己守护、不放弃任何一个人的经典象征。

现实中，牧羊是一项古老而艰辛的职业。羊天性胆小、容易走散，牧羊人要熟悉每一片草场、每一条水路，夜间还要防备狼群。文中「He will not rest as long as one of his sheep is lost or in danger」正是这种职业精神的写照——责任不是对群体，而是对群体中的每一个个体。

这篇文章的巧妙之处在于用孩子的视角讲大道理：作者没有直接说教，而是让祖父用一个反问（「Don't you think it would be frightened?」）完成说服。换位思考——如果迷路的是我自己，我希望父母怎样做——让抽象的道理变得可感可信，这也是记叙文常用的「以小见大」写法。