Words & phrases
团长
tuán zhǎng
regimental commander
承担
chéng dān
take responsibility
Model sentences
故事里的总统后来认真听完团长的请求。
gù shì lǐ de zǒng tǒng hòu lái rèn zhēn tīng wán tuán zhǎng de qǐng qiú。
The president in the story later listens carefully to the commander’s full request.
团长说明自己为什么急着回家。
tuán zhǎng shuō míng zì jǐ wèi shén me jí zhe huí jiā。
The commander explains why he urgently wants to return home.
发现自己误会对方以后，总统当面道歉。
fā xiàn zì jǐ wù huì duì fāng yǐ hòu， zǒng tǒng dāng miàn dào qiàn。
After realising that he misunderstood the other person, the president apologises face to face.
没有听完说明就作出判断，容易产生误解。
méi yǒu tīng wán shuō míng jiù zuò chū pàn duàn， róng yì chǎn shēng wù jiě。
Making a judgement before hearing the full explanation can easily cause a misunderstanding.
尊重别人包括认真听取他们的理由。
zūn zhòng bié rén bāo kuò rèn zhēn tīng qǔ tā men de lǐ yóu。
Respecting others includes listening carefully to their reasons.
真诚道歉还要承担自己的决定造成的后果。
zhēn chéng dào qiàn hái yào chéng dān zì jǐ de jué dìng zào chéng de hòu guǒ。
A sincere apology also requires taking responsibility for the consequences of one's decision.
总统道歉
A retold anecdote about Lincoln; dialogue and scene details are adapted.
在这则改编故事里，一天晚上，一位团长来见林肯，希望获准回家照顾病重的妻子。
zài zhè zé gǎi biān gù shì lǐ， yì tiān wǎn shàng， yí wèi tuán zhǎng lái jiàn lín kěn， xī wàng huò zhǔn huí jiā zhào gù bìng zhòng de qī zǐ。
In this adapted story, a commander visits Lincoln one evening to request leave to care for his seriously ill wife.
林肯当时承受着战争带来的压力，没有把请求听完，就用严厉的语气拒绝了他。
lín kěn dāng shí chéng shòu zhe zhàn zhēng dài lái de yā lì， méi yǒu bǎ qǐng qiú tīng wán， jiù yòng yán lì de yǔ qì jù jué le tā。
Under wartime pressure, Lincoln rejects him harshly before hearing his full request.
团长失望地离开，林肯却在安静下来以后想起了刚才的谈话。
tuán zhǎng shī wàng de lí kāi， lín kěn què zài ān jìng xià lai yǐ hòu xiǎng qǐ le gāng cái de tán huà。
The commander leaves disappointed, but once things quiet down Lincoln reflects on their conversation.
桌上还有许多事情等着处理，林肯却停下来想起团长离开时的神情。那不是一个随便的请求，而是一个人面对家人病重时的担忧；自己的严厉回答，没有让问题更清楚，只让对方带着失望走开。
zhuō shàng hái yǒu xǔ duō shì qíng děng zhe chǔ lǐ， lín kěn què tíng xià lai xiǎng qǐ tuán zhǎng lí kāi shí de shén qíng。 nà bú shì yí ge suí biàn de qǐng qiú， ér shì yí ge rén miàn duì jiā rén bìng zhòng shí de dān yōu； zì jǐ de yán lì huí dá， méi yǒu ràng wèn tí gèng qīng chu， zhǐ ràng duì fāng dài zhe shī wàng zǒu kāi。
Amid unfinished work, Lincoln recalls the commander’s expression and realises his harsh reply added disappointment rather than clarifying a serious family need.
他意识到，自己的疲倦不应该成为忽略别人痛苦的理由，越想越觉得不安。
tā yì shí dào， zì jǐ de pí juàn bù yīng gāi chéng wéi hū lüè bié rén tòng kǔ de lǐ yóu， yuè xiǎng yuè jué de bù ān。
He realises his exhaustion is no excuse for ignoring another person’s distress and grows increasingly uneasy.
第二天清早，他亲自来到团长的住处，说明自己昨晚的话不合适。
dì èr tiān qīng zǎo， tā qīn zì lái dào tuán zhǎng de zhù chù， shuō míng zì jǐ zuó wǎn de huà bù hé shì。
Early the next morning, he visits the commander and acknowledges that his words the night before were inappropriate.
来到门前，他没有只派人转告，而是亲自敲门。团长原以为请求已经没有希望，看见总统站在那里，先有些惊讶；林肯请他把情况说完，这一次没有打断，也没有替他把需要简单地归成不重要的事情。
lái dào mén qián， tā méi yǒu zhǐ pài rén zhuǎn gào， ér shì qīn zì qiāo mén。 tuán zhǎng yuán yǐ wéi qǐng qiú yǐ jīng méi yǒu xī wàng， kàn jiàn zǒng tǒng zhàn zài nà lǐ， xiān yǒu xiē jīng yà； lín kěn qǐng tā bǎ qíng kuàng shuō wán， zhè yí cì méi yǒu dǎ duàn， yě méi yǒu tì tā bǎ xū yào jiǎn dān de guī chéng bú zhòng yào de shì qíng。
He knocks personally rather than sending a message. The surprised commander explains fully while Lincoln listens without interrupting or dismissing the need.
他说：“我没有认真听你的请求，这是我的错，请接受我的道歉。”
tā shuō：“wǒ méi yǒu rèn zhēn tīng nǐ de qǐng qiú， zhè shì wǒ de cuò， qǐng jiē shòu wǒ de dào qiàn。”
“I failed to listen properly to your request. That was my fault; please accept my apology,” he says.
随后，他批准团长回家，并帮助安排离开的事情，不让歉意只停留在一句话里。
suí hòu， tā pī zhǔn tuán zhǎng huí jiā， bìng bāng zhù ān pái lí kāi de shì qíng， bù ràng qiàn yì zhǐ tíng liú zài yī jù huà lǐ。
He then grants leave and helps arrange the departure, putting the apology into action.
安排离开时，还需要有人接手相关工作，林肯便与工作人员商量，把批准和后续事情联系起来。团长说了感谢，赶紧收拾行李，原先被拒绝的愿望终于变成了可以出发的安排。
ān pái lí kāi shí， hái xū yào yǒu rén jiē shǒu xiàng guān gōng zuò， lín kěn biàn yǔ gōng zuò rén yuán shāng liáng， bǎ pī zhǔn hé hòu xù shì qíng lián xì qǐ lai。 tuán zhǎng shuō le gǎn xiè， gǎn jǐn shōu shi xíng li， yuán xiān bèi jù jué de yuàn wàng zhōng yú biàn chéng le kě yǐ chū fā de ān pái。
Lincoln coordinates the work needed for the departure, turning approval into practical arrangements. The thankful commander packs, finally able to go.
团长终于能够启程，林肯也把这次失误记在心里，提醒自己下一次先听人说完。
tuán zhǎng zhōng yú néng gòu qǐ chéng， lín kěn yě bǎ zhè cì shī wù jì zài xīn lǐ， tí xǐng zì jǐ xià yí cì xiān tīng rén shuō wán。
The commander can finally depart, and Lincoln remembers the mistake as a reminder to hear people out next time.
Conversation
A 团长为什么来请求回家？
tuán zhǎng wèi shén me lái qǐng qiú huí jiā？
Why does the commander ask to return home?
B 因为他的妻子病重。
yīn wèi tā de qī zǐ bìng zhòng。
His wife is seriously ill.
A 总统后来认识到什么？
zǒng tǒng hòu lái rèn shi dào shén me？
What does the president later recognise?
B 自己的压力不能成为责备别人的理由。
zì jǐ de yā lì bù néng chéng wéi zé bèi bié rén de lǐ yóu。
His stress does not justify blaming others.
A 故事里的道歉有什么行动？
gù shì lǐ de dào qiàn yǒu shén me xíng dòng？
What action accompanies the apology?
B 他批准请求，并帮助安排离开。
tā pī zhǔn qǐng qiú， bìng bāng zhù ān pái lí kāi。
He grants the request and helps arrange departure.
