Notes
fireplace 暖炉;
thaw 解ける;
poisonous fangs 毒牙;
venom 毒;
wicked 邪悪な;

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One winter day, a kind-hearted farmer found a snake lying in the snow. It was nearly frozen to death. Feeling pity, the farmer picked it up and decided to help. He carried the snake home and placed it near the fireplace to warm up.

As the snake began to thaw, it slowly regained its strength. The farmer was happy to see the snake recovering and felt proud of his good deed. But then, as soon as the snake was fully warmed, it bit the farmer’s hand with its poisonous fangs.

Shocked and in pain, the farmer realized his mistake. He fell to the ground, his body growing weak from the venom. With his last breath, he said, “I should have known better than to trust a snake. Kindness to the wicked can only lead to harm.”

So, remember, helping those who are naturally harmful can bring danger to you.
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Notes
used items 中古品;
loyalty 公約・義務などへの）誠実，忠実;

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Amazon was started by Jeff Bezos 30 years ago. It began as a small online bookstore but has now become a giant company that sells almost everything. Amazon is important in many people’s lives, offering a wide range of products and fast delivery.

In Japan, Amazon is very popular, competing with big local companies like Rakuten. Rakuten is famous for its loyalty program and many services. Other important Japanese online stores are Yahoo! Shopping Japan, which offers a marketplace for different sellers, and Zozo, which specializes in fashion. Mercari is another favorite, known for buying and selling used items.

Big online stores like Amazon and Rakuten will keep growing by using new technology, entering new countries, and offering more services. However, they will also face problems like stricter rules, new competitors, and the need to be more eco-friendly. How well they handle these issues will decide their future success.
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