Notes
crow – カラス
beak – くちばし: 鳥類の口の部分で、物をつかんだり食べたりするための硬い構造。
proud – 誇りに思う;
grab – つかむ;
show off – 見せびらかす;
flattery お世辞

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A crow was sitting high in a tree with a piece of cheese in its beak. The crow looked very proud and happy. Then, a fox came by and saw the meat. The fox really wanted the cheese, but instead of taking it, he had an idea.

“Hello, beautiful crow,” the fox said. “Your feathers are so shiny, and I’m sure your voice is just as lovely. Could you please sing a song for me?”

The crow, feeling proud, wanted to show off her voice. So, she opened her beak to sing. But as soon as she did, the cheese fell to the ground. The fox quickly grabbed the cheese and ran away, leaving the crow feeling silly.

This story teaches us that we should not trust people who only say nice things to get what they want. Be careful of flattery, because it can make you lose what’s important.　( A story from Aesop’s Fables*
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Notes
• rely – 頼る
• impression – 印象
• delay – 遅らせる
• participants – 参加者
• influenced – 影響を受ける

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People often rely too much on first impressions, which can be hard to change even if they are wrong. A study from Duke University found that delaying decisions can help us avoid this problem.

In the study, participants took part in a box auction experiment. Each box had 20 items, some valuable and others not, but all boxes had the same total value. The difference was only in the order of items. In some boxes, valuable items were on top, while in others they were mixed.

Some participants chose their favorite box immediately, while others decided after sleeping on it. Those who made quick decisions often judged based on the first items they saw. However, those who waited were less influenced by these first impressions.

This shows that taking time before making decisions can help us see the bigger picture and make better choices.
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