A wise man was walking from one town to another with a few of his followers（信徒）, and they happened to pass a lake. So they stopped there to _______ for a while, and the wise man said to one of his followers, “I am very _______. Could you please _______ me some water from the lake?”

The follower walked to the lake _______ the wise man requested（要求）. Some people were washing clothes in the water, and right at that moment, several carts（马车）started crossing the lake. _______, the water became very muddy （泥泞的）.

Then he went back and told the wise man that the water was very muddy and not _______ to drink.

After they had rested for about half an hour, the wise man again asked the _______ follower to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. As requested, the follower went to the lake again. This time he found that all the mud had settled to（沉淀）the _______. The water was very _______ and looked fit to drink. So he ________ his water bottle and took it to the wise man.

The wise man took the water bottle and drank, then looked up at the follower. “See what you did ________ the water clean?” he said. “You let it be for a while and the mud settled down on its own, ________ you could get some clear drinking water. Your ________ can also be like that lake when it is disturbed（打扰）by something. If you just let it be and give it a little ________, it will most likely settle down on its own ________ being put in any effort at all to calm it.”

One day, Bassanio came to visit Antonio. This was not unusual because they were good friends. But the visit was more important than usual for Bassanio. He already owed (欠) Antonio a lot of money, but now he wanted to borrow some more.

“I have been spending more money than I earn (挣钱),” began Bassanio. “I already owe you a lot of money. I will tell you how I am going to get enough money to pay back all the money I owe.”

“Yes, tell me,” said Antonio. “If I can help you, I will.”

“When I was a boy at school,” began Bassanio, “I sometimes lost a ball when I was playing. When that happened, I would throw another ball in exactly the same way and watch it carefully. I would often find the two balls together. You might think of your money that way. The money you gave me is the first ball. It is lost, and I know it’s my fault. But if you gave me some more money, it could be like that second ball and help you get all the money back. I will give back the money you give me now as well as the money that I have already lost.”

Antonio invited him to continue.

Bassanio told him about a rich young lady in Belmont. Her name was Portia. Her father died and left her a lot of money. She was beautiful as well as rich. And she was not married.

Many men came from all over the world to court (向……献殷勤)her, but nobody had succeeded. Bassanio had met Portia before, and he knew that she liked him. He told Antonio that if he had enough money he would soon make her his wife.

“She is rich and young and beautiful. Her hair is like gold. And her face is always sunny and happy. She is always smiling. Antonio! She is beautiful. She likes me. I am certain she would marry me, marry me.” he explained.

Antonio laughed. “You are my friend, Bassanio,” he comforted (安慰). “And I will help you. You know that all my ships are at sea just now, so I do not have much money to give you. However, you can go into town and try to borrow the money. Tell the moneylenders (放债者) that Antonio will guarantee the money is paid back to them. Don’t worry!”

——Adapted from The Merchant of Venice