蜕变，虽然痛苦，确实再生的必经之路。
The eagle has the longest life-span of its species. It can reach up to 70 years. But to reach this age, the eagle must make a hard and painful decision.
鹰是世界上寿命最长的鸟类，它的寿命可长达70年。但是，为了活到这么大的岁数，鹰不得不做出痛苦而又艰难的抉择。
When an eagle reached near 40, its beak1), talon2) and feathers become weak. Its short, sharp beak becomes bent. Its long and flexible talons can no longer grab prey. Its old and heavy wings with their thick feathers become stuck to3) its chest and make it difficult to fly. Then, the eagle is left with only two options: die or go through a painful process of change which lasts five months.
当鹰将近四十岁时，它的喙、利爪和羽毛都开始老化。它原本短小尖利的喙变得弯曲；而原本细长灵活的双爪不再有力，无法捕捉猎物；羽毛由于太过浓密使得老化厚重的翅膀贴在胸前，让它难以自如飞行。于是，鹰只有两个选择：要么死去，要么经历一场痛苦的、长达五个月的蜕变过程。
When the eagle feels weak and about to die, it retires to a place far away on the top of a mountain and sits on a nest. For new life, the eagle knocks its beak against a rock until it plucks4) its beak out. After plucking it out, the eagle waits for a new beak to grow back and then it plucks out its talons. When its new talons grow back, the eagle starts plucking its old feathers. And after five months, the eagle takes its famous flight of rebirth and lives for 30 more years.
当鹰感到自己变得羸弱不堪、濒临死亡的时候，它便隐退于遥远的山顶，栖于巢中。为了重生，它用自己的喙撞击岩石，直至完全脱落，然后静待新喙长出。接着，它开始拔下自己的利爪。等新的利爪长出后，它便开始拔掉自己老化的羽毛。五个月之后，重生的鹰就可以再度翱翔蓝天，同时也获得了另外三十多年的寿命。
Some change is needed to survive in difficulty. In miserable5) condition, we have to change our life style. That process may be very painful. But sometimes we have to throw off our old habits, memories and traditions. We can't go ahead with all our past burdens.
想要在困境中生存，就必须做出某些改变。在恶劣的条件下，我们不得不改变我们的生活方式。改变的过程也许会很痛苦，但是，有时我们必须舍弃已有的习惯、记忆以及传统惯例。背负着过去的所有重担，我们将无法前行。
1. beak [biːk] n. (鹰、鹦鹉等的)喙
2. talon [ˈtælən] n. [常作~s] (鸟、兽，尤指猛禽的)爪
3. stick to: (使)粘贴在……上；(使)固着在……上
4. pluck [plʌk] vt. 拔；摘，采
5. miserable [ˈmɪz(ə)rəb(ə)l] adj. 悲惨的