爱华网
暑假过后，新初三生们迎来了初中最重要的一年——初三。为方便2013年中考考生及家长查询相关信息，出国留学网中考频道特别搜集汇总了中考英语阅读素材以供参考：
Stunning the World with a Single Cry
Explanation：
A sudden rise from obscurity to prominence.
一鸣惊人
解释：
比喻平时表现并不突出的人，一下子干出了惊人的成绩。
Story:
In the Spring and Autumn Period, King Zhuang came to the throne of the State of Chu. For the first three years of his reign, he devoted himself entirely to hunting during the daytime and feasting at night. Well knowing that his ministers frowned on such prodigal conduct, he decreed execution for anyone who dared to admonish him.
Although no one dared to criticize the king to his face, a certain wily minister, Wu Ju by name, managed to get King Zhuang to change his ways by purporting to entertain him with a riddle, as follows: "Your Majesty, here m our State of Chu there lives a big bird renowned for its gorgeous plumage . However, for three years it has never soared aloft nor uttered its majestic cry. What kind of bird is it?"
故事：
春秋时，楚庄王即位已经三年，白天打猎，晚上喝酒，对国家大事全不放在心上。他知道大臣们对他不满意，就下了一道命令：“谁要是敢劝谏，就判他的死罪!”
有个名叫伍举的大臣对庄王说：“我有个谜请大王猜猜。”庄王说：“你说吧。”伍举说：“楚国有一只大鸟，身披五彩，可是一停三年，不飞也不叫，这是什么鸟?”
King Zhuang replied, "It is no ordinary creature. A bird of that kind does not casually take wing, but once it does, it will make straight for the very summits of the heavens. Nor does it sing on just any occasion, but when it does, it will stun the world with a single cry. Begone! The meaning of your riddle is perfectly plain to me. "
楚庄王说：“这不是普通的鸟，这种鸟不飞则已，一飞将要冲天，不鸣则已，一鸣将要惊人。你去吧，我已经明白了。”
From that day on, King zhuang dedicated himself to the governance of his realm. Before long the State of Chu waxed strong, and King Zhuang who "stunned the world with a single cry" became one of the five powerful rulers of the Spring and Autumn Period.
从那天开始，楚庄王振作起来，认真治理国家，楚国也渐渐强大起来。最后，这个一鸣惊人的楚庄王成了春秋五霸之一。
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