Merry Christmas！
今天小 V 要來講個小故事，
內容是關於一對善良平凡的鞋匠夫婦和手很巧的小矮人，
如果你覺得這很幼稚而不想點開，那你就錯了！
「閱讀」英文文章對英文實力的增進有很大的幫助！
讀得更快、更準，可以讓你在工作上如虎添翼！
讀得更深、更廣，可以提升生活質感，讓你更有氣質！
放下工作五分鐘，看個故事，回憶一下曾經天真、無憂無慮的童年吧！
在你開始閱讀(或是關掉視窗)之前，小編想先問問你，我們為什麼需要閱讀？閱讀不只是看懂文字，還包含解讀作者隱喻以及在腦海中建構出一個完整想像世界的能力，同時也影響我們「說話」的能力。也就是說，如果你在看完故事後能在腦海裡構築出詳細的故事場景，那表示你在接收及表達資訊的能力上已有相當的底子，學起英文當然也更容易上手囉！John Green 在這部影片中會詳細地告訴你許多有關閱讀的小秘密(雖然他的表現方式有點…… 激動?)，或許看完影片後你能更了解小編為啥要拿一篇童話故事來讓大家瞧瞧。
如何閱讀，以及我們為何需要閱讀 (How and Why We Read)
如果你能看到這段文字，表示你已經看完上面的影片並了解閱讀能帶給你多大的幫助或是你和小編一樣是個心血來潮想回憶一下童年的大孩子。不管怎麼樣，我們現在就放開我們的心靈，享受一下這單純的故事吧。
The elves and the shoemaker.
There was once a shoemaker, who worked very hard and was very honest, but still he could not earn enough to live upon; and at last all he had in the world was gone, save just leather enough to make one pair of shoes.Then he cut his leather out, all ready to make up the next day, meaning to rise early in the morning to his work. His conscience was clear and his heart light amidst all his troubles; so he went peaceably to bed, left all his cares to Heaven, and soon fell asleep.
從前從前，有個平凡的鞋匠，他做的鞋子並不差、他也很努力工作，但不知道為什麼，生意卻總是好不起來。有一天，他發現家裡的皮革材料只剩下做一雙鞋的份了。鞋匠把皮革切割好，準備明天一大早起來做出這最後的一雙鞋。雖然面對這樣的困境，但他的心情相當平靜，因為他已經把一切交給上帝決定。於是，鞋匠安詳地進入夢鄉。
- shoemaker (n.) 修鞋匠、補鞋匠
- honest (adj.) 誠實、正直的
- honesty (n.) 真誠、正直
Honesty is the best policy.
誠實為上策。
- leather (n.) 皮革、皮製品
- conscience (n.) 良心、道德
- conscientious (adj) 有良心的、有道德的
你們可能會好奇，為什麼歷史上有這麼多作家花了大把的時間寫出一本又一本厚厚的「文學」書？而文學跟一般的故事又有什麼差別？其實文學比你想像的重要得多、也普遍得多，看看這些文學如何影響你的大腦！
文學有什麼用? (What is Literature for?)
In the morning after he had said his prayers, he sat himself down to his work; when, to his great wonder, there stood the shoes already made, upon the table. The good man knew not what to say or think at such an odd thing happening. He looked at the workmanship; there was not one false stitch in the whole job; all was so neat and true, that it was quite a masterpiece. The same day a customer came in, and the shoes suited him so well that he willingly paid a price higher than usual for them; and the poor shoemaker, with the money, bought leather enough to make two pairs more.
第二天一早，當鞋匠完成禱告準備開始工作時，他驚訝地發現，桌上已經擺著一雙做好了的鞋子！而且做工和設計都堪稱傑作！而在這一天，有個顧客來買鞋，發現這雙鞋出乎意料地合腳，於是他付了比平常更高的價錢買下它，鞋匠因此有錢買下能做出兩雙鞋子的皮革。
- prayer (n.) 祈禱、禱告、禱詞
- wonder (v.) 納悶、對…感到疑惑 (n.) 驚奇、訝異
- odd (adj.) 奇特的、古怪的
In the evening he cut out the work, and went to bed early, that he might get up and begin betimes next day; but he was saved all the trouble, for when he got up in the morning the work was done ready to his hand. Soon in came buyers, who paid him handsomely for his goods, so that he bought leather enough for four pair more. He cut out the work again overnight and found it done in the morning, as before; and so it went on for some time: what was got ready in the evening was always done by daybreak, and the good man soon became thriving and well off again.
當天晚上他完成前置作業後也早早休息，預備隔天能夠準時開始工作。然而他發現他並不需要擔心這些，因為當他起床時，鞋子又已經都做好了！而且當天的顧客也對鞋子非常滿意，付給鞋匠一筆可觀的價格，於是鞋匠又有錢買做更多鞋子的材料了。當他把皮革裁切好去睡覺後，神奇的事情又發生了，每天早上，皮革原料都會變成已經製作完成的漂亮鞋子，放在鞋匠的桌上。
- betimes (adv.) 早、及時
- handsomely (adv.) 漂亮地、氣派地、可觀地
- handsome (adj.) 英俊的、慷慨大方的、可觀的
The waiter received a handsome tip.
這位服務生收到了相當大方的小費。
讀到這邊覺得還是卡卡，沒辦法像中文一樣讀的又順又快？讓老師教教你，用簡單五招來加快你的閱讀速度！
【超實用】5種方法提高閱讀速度 (5 Ways to Improve Your Reading Speed That ACTUALLY Work)
One evening, about Christmas-time, as he and his wife were sitting over the fire chatting together, he said to her, “I should like to sit up and watch tonight, that we may see who it is that comes and does my work for me.” The wife liked the thought; so they left a light burning, and hid themselves in a corner of the room, behind a curtain that was hung up there, and watched what would happen.
就在聖誕節前一天的晚上，當鞋匠和他的太太正在爐火邊聊天時，他說：「我今晚想躲起來，看看到底是誰幫我完成了我的工作？」太太同意了，於是他們沒有把蠟燭吹熄，躲在房間角落的窗簾後面，看看會發生什麼事？
- sit up / stay up / pull an all-nighter / burn the midnight oil 熬夜不睡
- curtain (n.) 窗簾、門簾、幕狀物
A curtain of fog hid the mountain from the view.
眼前的山巒被一層霧遮蓋住了。
As soon as it was midnight, there came in two little naked dwarfs; and they sat themselves upon the shoemaker’s bench, took up all the work that was cut out, and began to ply with their little fingers, stitching and rapping and tapping away at such a rate, that the shoemaker was all wonder, and could not take his eyes off them. And on they went, till the job was quite done, and the shoes stood ready for use upon the table. This was long before daybreak; and then they bustled away as quick as lightning.
當午夜來到後，兩個沒穿衣服的小矮人跑出來了，他們跳上鞋匠的長椅，開始所有的工作，用他們小小的手指，一邊有節奏地敲敲打打一邊做出新的鞋子。鞋匠看得下巴都要掉下來了，無法將眼睛從他們身上移開。不一會桌上就出現了幾雙亮晶晶的新鞋，當他們完成工作後就像閃電一般消失不見了，而這時離天亮還久呢！
- midnight (n.) 午夜、半夜
- naked (adj.) 暴露的、赤裸的
The mountain was left naked of plants.
這片山頭光禿禿的，沒有任何植物覆蓋。
- dwarf (n.) 小矮人、侏儒 (adj.) 矮小的、發育不良的
- bench (n.) 板凳、長椅
- ply (v.) 不斷地工作
- bustle (v.) 忙碌地奔走
The hustle and bustle of the big city exhausts people who live in.
大都市的喧囂忙亂使人精疲力盡。
故事進展到這裡，準備進入最後的結局或高潮(雖然童話故事通常沒什麼劇情高潮可言，你懂的)，你的思緒是否有跟上故事的進度呢？你是看著一行一行的文字在讀書，還是彷彿看見劇情在腦海中上演？試試這種新方法，藉由多樣化的感官刺激，能讓你的大腦更直覺的理解文字內容在說什麼！
我喜歡的閱讀新方式 (MY NEW FAVORITE WAY TO READ)
The next day the wife said to the shoemaker. “These little wights have made us rich, and we ought to be thankful to them, and do them a good turn if we can. I am quite sorry to see them run about as they do; and indeed it is not very decent, for they have nothing upon their backs to keep off the cold. I’ll tell you what, I will make each of them a shirt, and a coat and waistcoat, and a pair of pantaloons into the bargain; and do you make each of them a little pair of shoes.”
天亮後，鞋匠的太太對他說：「是這些小傢伙幫我們賺到這些錢，我們應該要好好感謝他們才對。我覺得他們這樣光著身體跑來跑去不是很好，我想做些能禦寒的衣物給他們，像是外套、背心、長褲等等。而你也可以幫他們做幾雙小鞋子。」
The thought pleased the good cobbler very much; and one evening, when all the things were ready, they laid them on the table, instead of the work that they used to cut out, and then went and hid themselves, to watch what the little elves would do.
善良的鞋匠覺得這個主意真是不錯，於是有意天晚上，鞋匠夫婦將這些小衣物留在桌上，而不是留下隔天工作所需的材料，然後他們躲了起來，看看小矮人們會有什麼反應。
- waistcoat (n.) 背心
- into the bargain 而且、再加上
He is a shoemaker and a kind husband into the bargain.
他是個鞋匠，也是個好先生。
- cobbler (n.) 鞋匠 (=shoemaker)
About midnight in they came, dancing and skipping, hopped round the room, and then went to sit down to their work as usual; but when they saw the clothes lying for them, they laughed and chuckled, and seemed mightily delighted.
當午夜再次來臨時，小矮人們蹦蹦跳跳地出現了。當他們坐下來，正準備一如往常地開始工作時，他們發現了這些為他們而準備的衣服！他們笑了，看起來超開心的！
- skip (v.) 蹦蹦跳跳、略過
- chuckle (v.) 顆顆地笑
- delight (n.) 欣喜、愉快
Then they dressed themselves in the twinkling of an eye, and danced and capered and sprang about, as merry as could be; till at last they danced out at the door, and away over the green. The good couple saw them no more; but everything went well with them from that time forward, as long as they lived.
然後他們把這些衣服穿了起來，開心地跳著舞，一路跳著跳著跳出門外。鞋匠夫婦從此再也沒看到這些小矮人，不過他們也從此過著幸福安定的生活。
- twinkle (v.) 閃爍、閃耀
- caper (v.) 雀躍、蹦跳
故事結束了，你有沒有辦法成功在腦海裡畫出剛剛故事的場景呢？你有沒有在表面的故事文字中發現什麼作者藏起來的彩蛋呢？說到彩蛋，小編一定要提一下自己的親身經歷。小編曾在高中時期讀過當時超紅（現在還是不錯，而且外傳電影明年要上映了）的 Harry Potter 原文版，在當時只覺得 J.K Rowling 怎麼發明了這麼多自創單字，就算讀過中文版、知道劇情了都還是不太能理解哈利(或是妙麗)在說什麼東西。但是在小編讀完四年外文系畢業後再回頭看才發現，天哪！Rowling 原來在書中放滿這麼多的小秘密！有的是在角色名字上做文章，有的是從第一集鋪到第七集才爆出來的梗，還有更多開放給讀者想像的 open end。這些都是只有讀原文版小說才有的好康大放送啊！如果你想說「我都已經離開學校、離開英文這麼久了，現在開始練習還來得及嗎？」當然來得及！大腦學習閱讀是有方法的，只要掌握技巧，就可以在短時間內快速提升閱讀實力～
長知識！你知道大腦是如何學習「閱讀」的嗎？ (How Does Your Brain Learn To Read?)
迫不及待想馬上開始練習嗎？
快打開 VoiceTube App 練英文！
✦ 立即下載 >>> https://bit.ly/myenglishissogood
英文單字不要硬背！ 藉由 VoiceTube App 看影片，不會的單字反覆聆聽，加上單字測驗練習，聽寫齊下，立刻熟記！
文/ Harvey Pan
圖/ Wikimedia CC licensed
來源/ Longman English Dictionary、Wikipedia、Urban Dictionary、Fairy Tales By the Grimm Brothers
作者簡介/ VoiceTube 看影片學英語
《Ride the Vibes 脈搏秀》VoiceTube 原創 Podcast 於 iTunes、Spotify 雙平台上線了！快點擊下方連結下載收聽！
iTunes：https://apple.co/38h1b6j
Spotify：https://spoti.fi/2GSR1wE