Near a dam along the Yangtze River, piles of urban waste accumulated, creating abundant food sources that allowed the ant population in the dam soil to grow rapidly.
Near a dam along the Yangtze River, piles of urban waste accumulated, creating abundant food sources that allowed the ant population in the dam soil to grow rapidly.
One day, an elderly ant shouted, “This dam may collapse. Everyone should move immediately!” Many ant colonies quickly began relocating.
The next day, people saw that the dam was still intact and questioned the old ant. The old ant replied, “I never said it would collapse ‘right away.’”
The ants hesitated but still moved their nests to areas on both sides of the dam with relatively stable soil.
Soon after, the dam still showed no signs of collapse, and the ants once again came to question the old ant. The old ant said, “I also never said it would not collapse ‘in the future.’”
The ants were furious, accusing it of speaking unclearly and wasting their effort.
However, not long after, repeated relocation by the ants disturbed the loose soil structure of the dam. Combined with the impact of floodwaters, the dam eventually collapsed earlier than expected.
In panic, the struggling ants cried out in the flood, “The old ant was right after all!”
原文中文
长江一处水坝附近堆满了城市垃圾,食物来源丰富,使坝土中的蚂蚁数量不断繁衍。
一天,一只年迈的蚂蚁喊道:“这里的水坝可能会倒塌,大家快搬家吧!”许多蚁群随即开始迁移。
第二天,人们发现水坝依然完好无损,于是便责问那只老蚂蚁。老蚂蚁回答:“我可没说‘马上’会倒塌啊。”
蚂蚁们虽然迟疑,但还是把新巢搬到了水坝两侧土质较好的区域。
不久后,水坝仍未出现倒塌迹象,蚁群再次前来质问老蚂蚁。老蚂蚁又说:“我也没说‘将来’不会倒塌啊。”
蚂蚁们十分愤怒,责怪它说话不清,让大家白忙一场。
然而不久之后,由于蚂蚁频繁搬迁扰动了坝体松散的土层,再加上洪水冲击,水坝最终提前崩塌。
惊慌失措的蚂蚁在洪水中挣扎时喊道:“还是老蚂蚁说对了!”
文章精选句子
This dam may collapse. Everyone should move immediately!
Near a dam along the Yangtze River, piles of urban waste accumulated, creating abundant food sources that allowed the ant population in the dam soil to grow rapidly.