在當今快節奏的生活中，我們常常感到焦慮，為一些可能發生在我們身邊的壞事感到擔憂。這種情緒其實很正常。然而，接下來的故事里，卻有一個人時常憂慮天會塌下來，擔心地面會陷進去，擔心自己無法進食。此人日日深陷恐慌之中，直到朋友勸慰他說：這些虛無縹緲的事物不會傷害到他，此人才幡然醒悟。

Once upon a time, in ancient China, an artist named Dan You lived in the state of Qi.Dan You had a very big imagination. He made up many wonderful fantasies, which he then drew and painted. Everyone in the village loved his artwork and praised his creativity.

However, there was a dark side to Dan You’s imagination. He was always imagining that bad things would happen to him. He worried a lot.

Once, he made himself believe that the fish in the river by his house were growing legs! Not only that, but he was convinced that the fish were coming to steal his money!

His friend Li Xing said, “Dan You, those are not fish. They are tadpoles that want to grow into money-frogs! This is good fortune!”

Dan You wasn’t convinced. He just went to get his fishing net.

One day Dan You had his worst fear yet. He was sitting outside when, out of the blue, he began to worry that the sky was going to fall. He thought that the sky would come crushing down on his head. He also started to fear that the ground would sink and bury him alive. This time, he was so afraid that he could no longer eat.

“Oh no!” Dan You yelled. “This is terrible! I am surely going to die! The sky will fall and the ground will sink!”

That night, he tried to get some sleep. But the thoughts wouldn’t stop. His mind was racing. He couldn’t sleep at all. Instead, he spent the rest of the night pacing around his house.

In the morning, Li Xing came by his house to check on his friend.

“Dan You!” he called out. “Are you home?”

Dan You walked towards the front door. Li Xing could hardly believe his eyes. Dan You looked… terrible! His hair was all messy. His clothes were wrinkled. His eyes were dark and heavy with tiredness.

“Oh my! What’s the matter, Dan You? You look sick!” said Li Xing.

“I couldn’t sleep all night,” replied Dan You. “The sky is going to fall, and the ground is going to sink!

We’re all going to die!” Dan You’s eyes widened in fear.

Li Xing sighed inwardly. Here we go again, he thought.

Then he said, “No, Dan You! We will all be okay,” Li Xing reassured. “The sky is part of the air that is all around us. You don’t need to worry about it falling!”

“But what about the sun, the moon, and the stars?” asked Dan You. “Those can surely fall out of the sky!”

“Don’t worry, my friend,” said Li Xing. They are far, far away. They will never hurt anyone. You can relax! The ground won’t sink either. It’s all made of rock. You stand on this solid ground every day. Giant animals like elephants walk across it every day. Yet, it has never sunk before. You have nothing to worry about!”

Hearing all this, Dan You realized how foolish he had been. Li Xing was right. His fears were silly. Of course, the sky wasn’t going to fall! Of course, the ground wasn’t going to sink! Everything would be all right. Probably. Dan You continued to look at tadpoles with suspicion.

The EndQuestion:?Have you ever been afraid of something that probably wasn’t going to happen?
核心詞匯

fantasy n. 想象，幻想

creativity n. 創造力

convinced adj. 確信的

tadpole n. 蝌蚪

money-frog n. 蟾蜍

out of the blue 出乎意外地，突然

pace? v. 踱步于，踱方步

check on 檢查，查看

wrinkled adj. 有皺紋的

sigh v. 嘆氣

reassure v. 安慰，使放心，向……保證

suspicion n. 懷疑

bury sb alive 將某人活埋。

eyes widen in fear 由于害怕而睜大雙眼

Here we go again. 口語表達，又來了，又是如此。

how foolish he had been 他有多么的愚蠢。本句作為realize的賓語從句，語序為陳述句語序。
以下翻譯來自百度翻譯：很久以前，在中國古代，有一位名叫丹游的藝術家生活在齊國。丹游有著非常豐富的想象力。他創作了許多奇妙的幻想，然后畫了出來。村里的每個人都喜歡他的作品，并贊揚他的創造力。然而，丹佑的想象力中也有陰暗的一面。他總是想象壞事會發生在他身上。他很擔心。有一次，他讓自己相信他家旁邊河里的魚正在長腿！不僅如此，他還確信這條魚是來偷他的錢的！他的朋友李星說：“丹友，那些不是魚。它們是想長成錢蛙的蝌蚪！這是好運氣！”丹，你沒有被說服。他只是去拿他的漁網。有一天Dan You遇到了他最害怕的事。他坐在外面，突然開始擔心天要塌下來了。他以為天空會壓碎他的頭。他也開始擔心地面會下沉，活埋他。這一次，他非常害怕，再也吃不下東西了?！芭叮?！”丹，你喊道。“這太可怕了！我肯定要死了！天塌地塌！”那天晚上，他試圖睡一覺。但這種想法不會停止。他腦子里亂七八糟的。他根本睡不著。相反，他整個晚上都在家里踱來踱去。早上，李星到他家來看望他的朋友?！暗?，你！”他喊道?！澳阍诩覇?？”你朝前門走去。李星簡直不敢相信他的眼睛。丹，你看起來…糟透了！他的頭發亂七八糟。他的衣服起皺了。他的眼睛因疲勞而黝黑而沉重。“哦，天哪！你怎么了，丹？你看起來病了！”李星說。“我整晚都睡不著，”你丹回答說?！疤煲?，地要沉了！“我們都要死了！”Dan You害怕得睜大了眼睛。李星心里嘆了口氣。我們又來了，他想。然后他說：“不，你丹！我們都會沒事的?！崩钚前参康馈！疤炜帐俏覀冎車諝獾囊徊糠帧Ｄ悴槐負乃鼤嬄洌　薄暗翘?、月亮和星星呢？”你丹問。“那些肯定會從天而降！”“別擔心，我的朋友，”李星說。他們在很遠很遠的地方。他們永遠不會傷害任何人。你可以放松！地面也不會下沉。都是石頭做的。你每天都站在這堅實的土地上。像大象這樣的巨型動物每天都會穿過它。然而，它從未沉沒過。你沒什么好擔心的！”聽到這一切，丹你意識到他是多么愚蠢。李星是對的。他的恐懼是愚蠢的。當然，天不會塌下來！當然，地面不會下沉！一切都會好的。可能但你繼續懷疑地看著蝌蚪。