A tortoise is a slow land animal with a hard, high, rounded shell on its back. When it is frightened, it pulls its head, tail and legs inside the shell and waits. Tortoises eat plants, walk very slowly, and famously live a long time — some more than a hundred years.

A tortoise is a slow land animal tortoise 是一種行動緩慢的陸地動物 with a hard, high, rounded shell on its back背上有一個又硬又高、圓圓的殼。When it is frightened牠受到驚嚇時, it pulls its head, tail and legs inside the shell會把頭、尾巴和腳縮進殼裡 and waits然後等著。Tortoises eat plants牠們吃植物, walk very slowly走得很慢, and famously live a long time而且以長壽出名 — some more than a hundred years有些能活超過一百歲。

The pronunciation is a trap. It is "TOR-tuss", with the ending sounding like the word "tortoise" rhyming with "porpoise" — NOT "tor-TOISE" with a clear "oy" sound at the end. The spelling promises something the mouth never delivers.

The pronunciation is a trap發音是個陷阱。It is "TOR-tuss",唸法是「TOR-tuss」 with the ending sounding like the word "tortoise" rhyming with "porpoise"字尾聽起來跟「porpoise」（鼠海豚）押韻 — NOT "tor-TOISE" with a clear "oy" sound at the end不是唸成「tor-TOISE」，字尾帶明顯的「oy」音。The spelling promises something拼法看起來像會唸出某種音 the mouth never delivers但嘴巴實際上從來不會這樣唸。

Now, tortoise versus turtle. In British English the difference is clear and people care about it: a tortoise lives on land and has stumpy feet like an elephant's; a turtle lives in the sea and has flippers for swimming; and a freshwater one that lives in ponds and rivers is a terrapin. In American English, though, "turtle" is the general word for all of them, and Americans will happily say "turtle" about the land animal a British person would firmly call a tortoise. Neither side is wrong — they are just different systems.

Now現在來看, tortoise versus turtle tortoise 對比 turtle。In British English在英式英語裡, the difference is clear這個差別很清楚 and people care about it人們也很在意這個區別: a tortoise lives on land tortoise 住在陸地上 and has stumpy feet like an elephant's腳短短的，像大象的腳; a turtle lives in the sea turtle 住在海裡 and has flippers for swimming有用來游泳的鰭狀肢; and a freshwater one而住在池塘、河流裡的淡水那種 that lives in ponds and rivers is a terrapin叫 terrapin。In American English在美式英語裡, though不過, "turtle" is the general word for all of them「turtle」是統稱所有這些動物的字, and Americans will happily say "turtle"美國人會很自然地說「turtle」 about the land animal去指那種陸地動物 a British person would firmly call a tortoise而英國人一定會堅持叫牠 tortoise。Neither side is wrong沒有哪一邊是錯的 — they are just different systems只是系統不一樣。

If you learn British English, keep the three words apart. If you watch American shows, do not be surprised when everything is a turtle.

If you learn British English如果你學的是英式英語, keep the three words apart把這三個字分清楚。If you watch American shows如果你看美國的節目, do not be surprised不要太驚訝 when everything is a turtle怎麼什麼都叫 turtle。

The word carries a strong feeling of slowness, so English uses it as a comparison: "slow as a tortoise". This comes partly from Aesop's old story of the tortoise and the hare, where the slow steady tortoise beats the fast lazy rabbit — so "tortoise" can also quietly suggest patience that wins in the end, not just being slow.

The word carries a strong feeling of slowness這個字帶著強烈的「慢」的感覺, so English uses it as a comparison所以英文會拿它來做比喻: "slow as a tortoise"「slow as a tortoise」（像烏龜一樣慢）。This comes partly from Aesop's old story這一部分來自伊索寓言的老故事 of the tortoise and the hare龜兔賽跑, where the slow steady tortoise beats the fast lazy rabbit慢但穩定的烏龜打敗了快但懶惰的兔子 — so "tortoise" can also quietly suggest所以「tortoise」也可以悄悄暗示 patience that wins in the end最後獲勝的那種耐心, not just being slow不只是單純的慢。