1 The Wolf and the Lion
A wolf, roaming by the mountain’s side, 
saw his own shadow, as the sun was setting, become greatly extended and magnified, 
and he said to himself, “Why should I, being of such an immense size, and extending nearly an acre in length, 
be afraid of the lion? Ought I not to be acknowledged as
King of all the collected beasts?” While he was indulging in
these proud thoughts, a lion fell upon him, and killed him. He exclaimed with a too-late repentance, “Wretched me!this over-estimation
of myself is the cause of my destruction.”
—— Aesop
roam v 徘徊；漫步
magnified adj 放大了的
acre n 一英畝，喻指很大
collected adj 全體的
indulge in v 沉迷於
repentance n 後悔
wretched adj 可憐的；不幸的
over-estimation n 高估
中譯 狼和獅子
狼在山坡下徘徊，正值落日斜照，看見自己的影子變得又長又大，於是自言自語道：“我這麼巨大的個子，身長百尺，難道還要害怕獅子麼？我不該被公認為百獸之王嗎？”正當牠顧影自憐，想入非非之際，一頭獅子猛撲上來，一口把牠咬死。狼死前後悔地哀歎：“哎呀！過高地估計自己，是我送命的禍根。”
——伊索
原來如此！
中國人歷來以謙虛為美德，任何固步自封、夜郎自大的人，不僅與他人難以合群，而且對自己的事業發展也障礙重重。“龜兔賽跑”中最終得勝的是龜，而不是兔就是最好的例證。尤其我們現處於“資訊爆炸”、高科技迅速發展的年代，任何過高估計自己的人，往往因過於自信而落後於他人。所以，我們應記住：虛心使人進步，驕傲使人落後（Modesty helps one to go forward whereas conceit makes one lag behind.）及驕者必敗（Pride goes before destruction.或Pride will have a fall.）。
增值英語
by the mountain’s side
介詞by這裹意為“在…旁”及“靠近”。
There is a pumping station by the river.河邊有一個抽水站。
The floor electric fan stands by the desk.寫字桌邊有一台落地電扇。
注意 mountain‘s side解作“山的一邊”；如概括指“山邊”，可簡化為mountainside。同類單詞還有hillside、riverside、seaside、roadside等。
extended and magnified
magnify (v)意為“放大”或“誇大”；magnified用作形容詞。
We can see the magnified cell under the microscope.我們可以在顯微鏡下看到放大了的細胞。
They are trying to magnify the risk in order to deter us.他們設法誇大危機，目的要使我們裹足不前。
extending nearly an acre in length
in length解“長度”，可用形容詞long代替。同樣，in width/breadth或wide/broad解“寬度”；in height或high解“高度”；in depth或deep解“深度”等等。
The swimming pool is 100 meters in length and 50 in width.游泳池的長度為100米，寬度為50米。
The desk is four feet long and two feet wide.桌子長四英尺，寬兩英尺。
to be acknowledged as…
acknowledged as 意為“承認，認為”，相當於regarded as或considered (to be)。
Professor Yang is acknowledged as one of the prominent experts in the field of biophysics in the world.楊教授被認為是世界生物物理學界中著名的專家之一。
They are universally acknowledged/regarded as the best team in the football game.他們被公認為足球賽中的最佳球隊。
Knowledge in information technology is considered (to be)essential in a modern society.在現代社會中，資訊科技的知識被認為是至關重要的。
While he was indulging in these proud thoughts, …
indulge in動詞短語，解“（使自己）沉迷於…之中”。
He no longer indulges himself in gambling.他不再沉迷於賭博了。
I interrupted him while he was indulging in deep thoughts.他正在沉思時，我打擾了他。
This over-estimation of myself …
over-作為詞的前綴(prefix)，解作“過度，過多，過高”。
overestimate (v)指“高估”(= overrate)。
His contribution to the group is overestimated.他對小組的貢獻被高估了。
Excessive optimism and overestimation of the demand for housing lead to an uneven supply of houses.過度樂觀和高估對房屋的需求引致房屋供應失調。
under-是反義的前綴詞，解“不及，不足”。underestimate指“低估”(= underrate)。
We should not underestimate the importance of precaution.我們不應低估預防措施的重要。