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Deep in a valley, there was a pretty little house.
It was surrounded by many tall trees.
Sitting in front of their small home, a mother and her young son were watching the sun go down.
"It is a very beautiful evening, isn't it?" the mother asked the boy.
He just nodded.
He was staring at something in the distance.
Very far away, they could see the Great Stone Face.
They were many miles from it, but they could see it clearly.
It was an amazing sight.
It looked like a sculpture of a giant in the rocks.
The Face had a long nose and big lips and eyes.
It was a very noble face.
It was easy to see this face from a distance.
But the further people walked away, the more clearly they could see the face.
People living in the area were very happy.
They were very proud of the Great Stone Face.
It was a famous symbol of the area.
It was also a symbol of strength, nobility, fertility, and education.
There were many stories about the Great Stone Face.
Some believed that the Stone Face made the land fertile.
When the sun was needed, the sun shone.
When the rain was needed, the rain poured down.
The mother, sitting outside of her house, was thinking about this Stone Face.
Her son, Ernest, was still staring at the Great Face.
He turned to her now and said, "Mother, Great Stone Face looks so kind and smart.
If it could speak, it would have a very kind voice.
I want to meet a man like him."
His mother said, "A very old story says that one day a man like him will be born.
Did you hear this story?"
The boy excitedly said, "No, mother! I haven't! Please tell me."
The mother began to tell her son the story.
"It began a long time ago.
Long ago, many Indian people lived in this valley.
They believed that one day a child would be born.
The child would have a great destiny.
He would be one of the smartest, richest and noblest men.
He would also look like the Great Stone Face.
Many people are waiting for the child to be born.
Others think it is only a story.
Whatever people believe, it has not happened yet."
The boy listened very carefully to his mother.
"Mother! I really hope it will happen.
I want to see the man.
I know I will really like him."
The mother didn't believe the story, but she wanted to give hope to her son.
So she said, "It might happen.
One day soon, it might happen."
The little boy never forgot that story.
Every day, he woke up and looked at the Stone Face.
He hoped he would meet the man who looked like the Great Stone Face.
Ernest was a wonderful little boy.
He loved his mother very much.
He always helped her.
He always obeyed his mother.
But the biggest help was his love for her.
Ernest quickly grew up.
He spent many days working in the fields.
He was always loving and devoted.
He was also very smart.
He did not have a good education, but some people said, "Ernest is so smart.
Many boys study at famous schools.
But Ernest is smarter than all of them.
He has such wisdom.
He will be a great man one day."
Usually, after working very hard all day, Ernest went to look at the Great Stone Face.
He sat quietly for hours just watching it.
During this time, he thought about many things.
He developed clear ideas about life.
He sat thinking about hate, pain, jealousy and many other things in life.
But the most important thing he thought about was love.
He developed a calm and loving attitude for all things.
be surrounded by 为……所环绕
go down （太阳）落山
nod v. 点头
stare at 凝视，盯住
in the distance 在远处
far away 远处
clearly adv. 清楚地
amazing adj. 令人惊讶的
sight n. 景象
look like 看起来像
sculpture n. 雕像
giant n. 巨人
noble adj. 高贵的
further adv. 更远地
walk away 走开
be proud of 为……而自豪
symbol n. 标志
strength n. 力量
nobility n. 高贵
fertility n. 肥沃，富饶
education n. 教养，修养
fertile adj. 肥沃的，富饶的
shine v. 照耀
(shine-shone-shone)
pour v. 倾泻
still adv. 还，依然
turn v. 转向
smart adj. 神气的，聪明的
born adj. 出生的
excitedly adv. 兴奋地
a long time ago 很久以前
Indian n. 印第安人
believe v. 相信
destiny n. 命运，使命
whatever pron. 无论什么
carefully adv. 仔细地
hope v. 希望
might v. 也许，可能
forget v. 忘记
(forget-forgot-forgotten)
wake up 醒来
wonderful adj. 极好的
grow up 长大
field n. 田地
loving adj. 仁爱的
devoted adj. 投入的
wisdom n. 智慧
all day 一整天
quietly adv. 安静地
develop v. 培养，形成
hate n. 仇恨
jealousy n. 嫉妒
important adj. 重要的
calm adj. 坦然的
attitude n. 态度
But the further people walked away, the more clearly they could see the face.
不过，离它越远，看得也就越清楚。
the ＋形容词比较级……， the ＋形容词比较级……：越……越……
e.g. The more you practice, the higher you can jump.
你练习得越多，跳得也就会越高。
He would be one of the smartest, richest, and noblest men .
这孩子将会成为世上最聪明、最富有、最高贵的男子之一。
one of the ＋形容词最高级＋可数名词复数：最……的……之一
e.g. She is one of the prettiest girls in our school.
她是我们学校最漂亮的女孩之一。
He spent many days working in the fields.
他花了很多时间来干农活。
spend ＋时间＋ doing ：花时间做……
e.g. He spent three hours playing basketball with his friends.
他与朋友打了三个小时的篮球。