In the past, someone said: "The pear is good for the teeth, but bad for the spleen; the date is good for the spleen, but bad for the teeth."

　　从前，有个人说：“吃生梨对牙齿有好处，但是会伤脾;吃红枣对脾有好处，但是会损害牙齿。”

　　A young man heard this, thought it over for a long time and said: "Then, when I eat a pear, I'll keep it in my mouth and chew it with my teeth, but won't swallow it, so it will not do any harm to my spleen. When I eat a date, I won't chew it, but will swallow it whole, so it will not do any harm to my teeth."

　　一个年轻人听了这句话，想了很久，说道：“那我吃生梨的时候，就含在嘴里，用牙齿咀嚼，但是不往肚里咽，它就损伤不了我的脾。吃枣的时候，我把它整个儿吞下去，不去咀嚼，这样就不会损害我的牙齿了。”

　　When people heard this, they jeered at him: "You are swallowing a date whole!"

　　人们听了他的话，讥笑说：“你这是在囫囵吞枣啊!”

　　小贴士——双语例句：

　　1. We bolted a few mouthfuls of food and went out.

　　我们囫囵吞枣地吃了几口就出门了。

　　2. Smith rammed down his supper as though he had not eaten for three days.

　　史密斯囫囵吞枣地把晚饭塞下肚，好像三天没吃过东西似的。