Hello，This is Teacher Bear，我是 Bear老師。

小朋友，冬天快到了，天氣越來越來冷(Winter is coming, and the weather is getting colder and colder)，可是我們不必擔心，因為我們有溫暖的家(but we don't have to worry, because we have a warm home)。可是，那些窮人怎麼辦呢(But what about the poor)？這個時候，如果有人送給他們溫暖的衣服，是不是很大的幫助呢(At this time, wouldn't it help a lot if someone gave them warm clothes)？

今天我們就要學一個跟幫助別人有關的成語「雪中送炭」(Today we are going to learn an idiom related to helping others “雪中送炭")。

大概1000年以前(About 1000 years ago)，在中國的北宋朝(in the Northern Song Dynasty of China)，有一個皇帝叫宋太宗(there was an emperor named Song Taizong)。有一年冬天，天氣特別冷，大雪不斷(One winter, the weather was extremely cold and the snow kept falling)，宋太宗在溫暖的皇宮裡想到(In the warm palace, Song Taizong thought:)：「天氣這麼冷，皇宮以外的老百姓一定冷死了(The weather is so cold, the people outside of the palace must be freezing)。」於是宋太宗便命令手下把木炭分送到老百姓家裡(So Song Taizong ordered his subordinates to distribute charcoal to the people’s homes)，讓他們可以生火、取暖，度過寒冷的冬天(so that they could make a fire and keep warm during the cold winter)。老百姓們非常感謝宋太宗在下雪的日子裡送木炭給他們(The people were very grateful to Song Taizong for sending them charcoal during the snowy days)，因此，後來的人就用「雪中送炭」這個成語來表示在別人真的有困難的時候給予幫助(Therefore, later people used the idiom "雪中送炭" for helping others when they are really in trouble)。

比如說(For example)，你正要吃麵包，忽然發現你的朋友Amy肚子也好餓啊(when you are about to eat bread, you suddenly realize that your friend Amy is starving)，於是，你就把麵包分了一半給她(so you give her half of your bread)，這就是「雪中送炭」(this is “雪中送炭”)，因為你在Amy正需要幫助的時候給了她幫助(Because you sent Amy help in her hour of need)。

相反的(On the other hand)，如果Amy自己已經有麵包了(if Amy already has a bread)，但是你也想讓她試試看不同口味的麵包(but you also want her to try different flavors)，所以你也把自己的麵包分給她(so you share your bread with her)。這個情況(In this case)，我們就可以說是「錦上添花」(we can say it is “錦上添花”)，意思是「在美麗的布上面再加上漂亮的花，更美了」。用英文的說法就是「icing on the cake」，意思是在蛋糕上再加上糖霜，看起來更好吃了。

小朋友，你覺得「雪中送炭」跟「錦上添花」，哪一個行為更讓人感動呢(Which behavior makes you feel more touched?)？你希望能對你雪中送炭的朋友多，還是對你錦上添花的朋友多呢？為什麼呢(Why)？請想一想這個問題喔(Please think about this question)。

你知道如果有人對你「雪中送炭」，你要怎麼用英文謝謝他呢？

“Thanks for sending help in my hour of need.”意思是「謝謝你在我需要的時刻送來了幫助」。

請跟Bear老師再說一次

“Thanks for sending help in my hour of need.”

再說一次喔

“Thanks for sending help in my hour of need.”

小朋友，Bear老師希望你有能力能對別人雪中送炭(I hope you can send help in someone’s hour of need)，所以，你一定要先把自己照顧好(So, you have to take care of yourself first)，讓自己將來成為有能力幫助別人的人(and make yourself become someone who can help others in the future)，好嗎(okay)？

我們下次見嘍！

See you next time.

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