老故事-我听不懂。

有人可以帮助我理解这个故事？ 你可以用英语解释一下吗？
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This is a famous story to teach that we must not be someone whom we are not.  In another words, "if you are good looking, even the rags you wear is considered as shabby chic!".  There is another Chinese saying, 着起龍袍不似太子 (wearing the dragon robes, one still does not look like a prince)

Si Hsi was considered the most beautiful of the four great Chinese beauties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Beauties

Dong Hsi (not a historical character but a fabrication to illustrate the point of the story) is the ugliest woman who lives on the east side of the village.  Actually Si Hsi means "Hsi who lives in the west".

东施效(1) Dōng shī xiào 颦(2) Pin

中国古代有一个美女叫西施(3)，大家都认为她长得非常美。
Zhōngguó gǔdài yǒu yīgè měinǚ jiào xīshī (3), dàjiā dōu rènwéi tā zhǎng de fēicháng měi.

西施的隔壁住着一个叫东施(4)的女人，她看见西施那么好看，听见别人都说西施这么漂亮，她非常羡慕(5)。
Xīshī de gébì zhùzhe yīgè jiào dōng shī (4) de nǚrén, tā kànjiàn xīshī nàme hǎokàn, tīngjiàn biérén dōu shuō xīshī piàoliang, fēicháng xiànmù (5)


有一天，西施病了，皱(6)着眉头(7)，从东施的家门前走过。
Yǒu yītiān, xīshī bìngle, zhòu (6) zhe méitóu (7), cóng dōng shī de jiā mén qián zǒuguò.

东施看见了，觉得西施皱着眉头的样子非常好看，就模仿西施的样子，整天皱着眉头。
Dōng shī kànjiànle, juéde xīshī zhòuzhe méitóu de yàngzi fēicháng hǎokàn, jiù mófǎng xīshī de yàngzi, zhěng tiān zhòuzhe méitóu.

大家见了她，不是赶紧关上门不出来了，就是赶紧走开了。
Dàjiā jiànle tā, bùshì gǎnjǐn guān shàngmén bù chūláile, jiùshì gǎnjǐn zǒu kāile.

东施只知道西施皱眉的样子好看，可是她不知道为什么西施皱眉好看。
Dōng shī zhǐ zhīdào xīshī zhòuméi de yàngzi hǎokàn, kěshì tā bù zhīdào wèishéme xīshī zhòuméi hǎokàn.

请你们猜猜“东施效颦”这句话的意思是什么？Qǐng nǐmen cāi cāi “dōngshīxiàopín” zhè jù huà de yìsi shì shénme? 

(1) 效(xiào): to imitate; (literary) 模仿，仿效
(2) 颦(pín): to knit one’s eyebrows; (literary)皱眉
(3) 西施(Xīshī): person’s name
(4) 东施(Dōngshī): person’s name Dong Hsi, the ugliest of all women!
(5) 羡慕(xiànmù): to envy; envious more of admire, admiration, 妒忌 = jealous
(6) 皱(zhòu): to wrinkle; to furrow, 
(7) 眉头(méitóu): eyebrows



Questions (True/False):
____ 1. 大家都说西施好看。Dàjiā dōu shuō xīshī hǎokàn.

____ 2. 东施希望自己和西施一样好看。Dōng shī xīwàng zìjǐ hé xīshī yīyàng hǎokàn.

____ 3. 西施皱眉头的样子很好看。Xīshī zhòuméi tóu de yàngzi hěn hǎokàn.

____ 4. 东施皱眉的样子一点儿不好看。Dōng shī zhòuméi de yàngzi yīdiǎn er bù hǎokàn.

____ 5.。 东施不知道西施为什么好看。Dōng shī bù zhīdào xīshī wèishéme hǎokàn.

____ 6. 这个故事是叫人不要随便地模仿别人。Zhège gùshì shì jiào rén bùyào suíbiàn de mófǎng biérén.

http://idiom.wlps.kl.edu.tw/index.php?id=2544

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