从前有个贫苦的读书人，整天做着发家致富的白日梦。一天，他在园子里看到螳螂用叶子隐蔽自己，以便捕蝉。读书人忽然来了灵感，用叶子遮住自己的眼睛，反复问妻子是否还看得见他。妻子嘲讽地表示看不到他。读书人信以为真，用叶子遮住眼睛，走到集市上偷盗，最终落到被扭送至官府的结局。Once upon a time, in ancient China, there lived a poor scholar. He dreamed of becoming rich. He dreamed about it all day long, every day. Reading at his desk, he imagined himself relaxing in a grand palace. Having dinner with his wife, he would pretend there was a feast on the table, instead of one measly dish.WHACK! His wife slapped the side of his head.“Wake up! Stop daydreaming!” she scolded him. “It’s time to clear the dishes.”One day, the scholar was reading a book under the big willow tree outside. His wife was weeding the vegetable garden nearby.Suddenly, he jumped up so high that he bumped his head on the branch above him.“Wah!” he cried. “I’m going to be rich!”His wife looked up, startled.“It says here,” he said excitedly, “there is a leaf once used by the mantis to help him catch the cicada. The leaf is a screen. It made the mantis invisible. The cicada never saw him coming!”“And how will that make you rich?” his wife scoffed.“I will find this leaf. It will make me invisible too!” cried the scholar.His wife rolled her eyes, shook her head, and went back to gardening.From that moment on, the scholar was determined to find the leaf.“Could it be this one?” he wondered, climbing high on a branch.“Maybe this one?” he said, swinging through another tree.“Maybe that one?” he hoped, crawling to the highest branch.Early one morning, he climbed up the giant willow tree in front of the house. He carefully crawled out on a high branch.Suddenly, he spotted a mantis and a cicada near the end of the branch.“Whoa! This must be the tree!” he whispered excitedly.As he got closer to the mantis, a drop of dew on a leaf caught the sunlight. The scholar examined the leaf.“That must be the one!”He stretched out his hand and grabbed hold of the glistening leaf.“Got it!” he cried. The scholar was so excited he almost fell off the branch.“Wife! I found it! I shall be rich!” he cried, rushing down the tree and running toward his wife.His wife ran out of the house to see what her husband was yelling about.“I found it, Wife! Here it is!” he said, excitedly showing her the leaf. “We’re going to be rich!”He held up the leaf in front of his eyes.“Can you see me?” he asked excitedly. “I’m invisible, right?”His wife shook her head in disbelief. This time, she did not whack him across the head, though. A waste of energy, she thought.Instead, she said mockingly, “Where are you? I can’t see you at all.”“Waahh!! It works! It works! I’m invisible!” the scholar cried. “I’m going to be rich!” he cried.With that, he turned and ran to the market. His wife shook her head at her husband’s foolishness and went back inside At the market, the scholar walked over to the vendor selling buns. They smelled delicious.As he got closer, he held the leaf in front of his eyes.“No one can see me now,” he snickered. “Heh, heh.”With his other hand, he reached for a steamed bun. He put the bun in his mouth. It tasted so good! He smiled and began to walk away.“Stop! Thief!” cried the vendor. He came around the stand and chased the scholar. “What? You can see me?” asked the confused scholar. “But I’m invisible.”“Right, you’re invisible, and so is your money,” scoffed the vendor. “Pay up. You can’t just steal my buns.”“But…but…you can’t see me!” the scholar stammered.“Stop your foolishness and pay up! If you don’t, I will haul you in front of the judge,” yelled the vendor.The scholar couldn’t pay, so the vendor took him to the courthouse.The judge listened to the story. Then he looked at the scholar, shook his head and said, “A leaf before your eyes makes you blind to Mount Tai! The idiom, “One Leaf Obstructs Sight” refers to people who have their view of important things blocked by small matters. They fail to see the whole or the big picture. The End
Question: Why do you think the scholar’s wife didn’t tell him the truth when he asked if she could see him?
从前，中原地区由许多诸侯国组成，这些诸侯国常年征战，所以军事能人对诸侯国十分重要。齐国有一位大将名叫田忌，他有一位好友叫孙膑。当时，赌马成为一时风尚，田忌十分喜爱赛马，但他不擅长下注。一天，田忌在赌马上又输光了所有的钱，孙膑建议，下次赌马可以带上他，田忌欣然同意。孙膑发现，马分为三等，每一等都有各自的比赛，要赌赢，必须在三场比赛中赢两场。孙膑能提出什么妙计呢？Long ago, China was divided into kingdoms. The kingdoms were often at war, so good military leaders were important. One such leader was Tian Ji, a general in the State of Qi.Tian Ji’s best friend was Sun Bin. Sun Bin had been a military official in the State of Wei. After he was unfairly fired from his job, he moved to the State of Qi. Sun Bin taught Tian Ji a lot about military strategy.At that time, horse racing was the most popular entertainment for the rich. People bet money on the races. Tian Ji was a fan of horse racing, but he wasn’t very good at betting.One day, Tian Ji again lost money at the races. He went home feeling sorry for himself. When Sun Bin saw how sad Tian Ji was, he said, “Take me with you next time. Maybe I can help you win!”A week later, Tian Ji did just that. Sun Bin learned how the races worked very quickly. He saw that the horses were divided into three types according to speed. First-class horses were the fastest, and third-class horses were the slowest. Each type had their own race and people bet on each race. In order to win the overall bet, a person only needed to win two of the three races. Sun Bin also noticed that each type had a different saddle color. This was to tell the different horses apart. Soon, Sun Bin developed a strategy to help Tian Ji.“Trust me,” he told Tian Ji. “I know exactly how you can win!”Tian Ji got so excited he challenged the king to a race.Tian Ji did everything that Sun Bin told him to do. For the first race, he put the first-class saddle on his third-class horse. The king’s first-class horse easily beat Tian Ji’s third-class horse For the second race, Sun Bin told Tian Ji to put the second-class saddle on his first-class horse. And sure enough, Tian Ji won the second race. His first-class horse was better than the king’s second-class horse.Finally, for the third race, Tian Ji used his second-class horse. Once again, he won. This time it was against the king’s third-class horse. The king was shocked. Tian Ji was the overall winner.The king congratulated Tian Ji, but he was curious.“Tian Ji, where did you get such good horses?” he asked.“Your Majesty,” Tian Ji replied,” I did not win because I found great horses. I won because of the strategy I used. It was Sun Bin’s strategy, and it worked!”“Really?” said the king. “What exactly was this strategy?”Tian Ji told the king all about how he switched horses. He explained how Sun Bin knew that even when two opponents were unevenly matched, a strategy could be used to minimize losses. In this case, losing only once meant that Tian Ji was still the overall winner.Hearing this, the king immediately made Sun Bin the military adviser for the whole army. Sun Bin’s strategies and Tian Ji’s leadership led the State of Qi to many military victories. The End
Question:
How did people know what type a horse was?
1. Each type had different markings.
2. Each horse wore a different color of saddle, no two were alike.
3. Numbers one, two, or three were written on each saddle.
4. Each type had a different color of saddle.
核心词汇
general n. 将军，军事家，战术家，战略家
unfairly adv. 不公平地，不公正地; 不正当地
entertainment n. 娱乐节目; 娱乐，消遣; 招待，款待
bet v. 打赌，赌博，赌注
overall adj. 全部的; 全体的; 一切在内的; 综合的; 全面地; 总地; 总的说来
saddle n. 马鞍; 车座; 鞍形架，鞍状物; 脊肉
challenge v. 挑战; 质疑; 盘问; 怀疑; 向…挑战; 提出挑战，要求竞赛; 驳斥
switch v. 转换; 转变，改变
opponent n. 对手; 敌手; 反对者
unevenly adv. 不规则地; 不稳定地; 不平行地; 参差不齐地
minimize v. 把…减至最低数量[程度]; 对作最低估计，极力贬低的价值[重要性]
I did not win because I found great horses. 我不是因为发现了优良的骏马。本句含义为田忌在解释他获胜的原因，不是因为良马，而是因为谋略。
在一个炎炎夏日，曹操领兵行军。士兵们都负重行进，十分缺水，两眼无神，行军速度缓慢。曹操询问附近是否有水源时却得到否定的答案：如果要去最近的水源，会延迟整整一个小时达到目的地。曹操忽然灵机一动，他告诉士兵们：“前面有一个梅子树林，就在山后，梅子甘甜可口，可以缓解大家的饥渴！”曹操的计谋能奏效吗？A long, long time ago, there was a Chinese warlord named Cao Cao. He was a good fighter, and an even better leader. His army knew he was wise and knowledgeable, so they trusted him.One summer day, Cao Cao was leading his army to battle with his rival, Zhang Xiu. It was a truly hot day. The sun burned brightly.The soldiers struggled in the heat. It didn’t help that they were walking up and down hills. Even worse, they had no water. They were already carrying heavy military supplies, so there was no room for water.Cao Cao looked out across the crowd of soldiers. He saw tired faces staring back. Their eyes were blank, their faces shiny with sweat. They were slowing down. They looked like they were about to fall over!Cao Cao knew if the soldiers walked slowly, it might make them lose the battle. He quickly called over his head navigator.“Is there any water nearby?” Cao Cao asked quietly. He didn’t want the soldiers to hear him and worry.“No sir,” the navigator replied. “The nearest water is a lake on the other side of that mountain. It is many miles out of our way. If we go to the lake, it will take at least an hour longer to reach the battle.”An hour? An hour was much too long! By that time his rival Zhang Xiu would have already set up his army. Cao Cao couldn’t let his enemy gain the upper hand. He knew his own army could win the battle if they were prepared.Cao Cao thought for a moment. What else could he do? Giving up was not an option. But getting drinking water wasn’t an option either. So what’s almost as good as drinking water?And that’s when he had an idea. Of course! He needed to give his soldiers motivationto continue! And he knew just how to do that.“Soldiers,” he yelled, “I know it has been a hard day. But there will be an end to your thirst soon! There is a forest of plum trees ahead. The trees are full of ripe, juicy, fat, delicious plums. And they are just waiting to be eaten! The forest is just beyond that hill. Think of the plums and how happy you’ll be when we get there!”Hearing this, the soldiers’ mouths began to water. They all imagined the sweetness of the plums. Wanting to get to the plums quickly, the army quickened its pace.Of course, there was no forest of plum trees. But because Cao Cao had given them something to strive for, the soldiers were able to carry on. The EndToday, Chinese people use the idiom “Ending Thirst by Wishing for Plums” to mean wishful thinking, or to make decisions based on hope instead of logic.
Question: Why couldn’t Cao Cao bring his army to the lake?
1. Because the lake was on the other side of a desert.
2. Because the lake was on the other side of a mountain. [Answer]
3. Because the soldiers were too tired to walk to the lake.
4. Because the enemy was waiting for them at the lake.
核心词汇
warlord n. 军阀
rival n. 对手; 竞争者
military supplies 军资；军需；军需品
be about to do 即将做某事
navigator n. 领航员; 航海家，航行者，航海者; 驾驶员
gain the upper hand 占上风; 处于有利地位; 占优势
option n. 选项; 选择权; 选择; 选择能力
motivation n. 动机; 动力; 诱因
plum n. 葡萄干; 李子，李树; 李属植物
water v.留口水
It didn’t help that they were walking up and down hills. 他们上上下下地爬山也未能使情况好转。it didn’t help指代的是it didn’t help them fight against the heat.
It is many miles out of our way. 它（水源）偏离我们的路线许多里外。out of the way指的是偏离路线。
By that time his rival Zhang Xiu would have already set up his army. 到那时他的对手张绣早已建立了军队。本句为虚拟语气，以过去完成时表示对于将来的推测。
有个老人住在大山旁边，山中又许多猴子。此人喜欢这些猴子，乐于看他们玩耍嬉戏，猴子们也习惯了这个老人的存在。他将其中三只带回家养着，像父亲一样照顾它们。冬天到了，因食物匮乏，老人决定限制猴子的食物量。他对猴子们说：“以后早上三个果子，晚上四个，如何？”猴子们都不同意。他又改口道：“早上四个，晚上三个，如何？”猴子们对此又会如何反应呢？Once upon a time, an old man named Li Tao lived next to a big mountain. Many monkeys lived on the mountain. Li Tao loved those monkeys. He watched them as they played, chasing each other and jumping from tree to tree. They were a lively bunch! At first the monkeys would run away when they saw Li Tao, but they got used to him. They would even play with him too. Li Tao and the monkeys became best friends.He brought three of the monkeys to live in his house. One was very loud. She was always banging around, laughing and singing. One was very playful. He liked to play pranks on the other monkeys and Li Tao. The third was very curious. She was always poking things that lay around the house.Li Tao looked after the monkeys like a father. He fed them delicious fruit every day. The monkeys learned to understand everything Li Tao said. He also understood what the monkeys were saying to him.It was autumn, and winter was coming soon. Li Tao counted the fruit that he had harvested. There wasn’t enough to last the whole winter. He knew that the monkeys would have to eat less, or else the food would not last until spring.He needed to explain this problem to the monkeys. He pointed at the fruit. Immediately, the curious monkey began to pick the fruit up. She spun them in her hands and held them to her ear. She smelled the fruit. She nodded her head, enjoying the fruit.“I’m glad you are happy with the fruit,” Li Tao said with a smile. “However, there isn’t enough fruit to last through winter. Starting today, each of you can only eat seven pieces of fruit a day.” The monkeys all nodded. They understood what Li Tao was saying.He then said, “Every morning I will give you each three pieces of fruit. In the evening, I will give you each four pieces. How does that sound?”Immediately, the monkeys began to cry out. They were not happy. Not happy at all! The playful monkey got angry and started throwing fruit at Li Tao. More fruit! More fruit! he seemed to say.“All right, all right!” yelped Li Tao, dodging an apple that came flying at his head. “Every morning I will give you each four pieces of fruit! And in the evening, I will give you each three pieces. Is that okay?”The loud monkey led the others in hoot-hoot-hooting with happiness! All the monkeys heard was that they would be getting four instead of three pieces of fruit in the morning. To them, this was better already, so they stopped listening to see how their evening meal would change. They jumped around and laughed. The loud monkey hit the floor like a drum, showing her approval.Just like the monkeys, some people’s minds can be easily changed—even when something is not actually different. Today, the idiom “three in the morning and four in the evening” is used to describe someone who changes their mind often. The End
Question: Why did the monkeys have to start eating less fruit?
1. The fruit was making the monkeys sick.
2. There was not enough because the man needed to eat more fruit.
3. There was not enough fruit to last until spring.
4. The winter was cold, which killed a lot of the fruit.
核心词汇
chase v. 追赶
bunch n. 群，伙
bang v. 奔，冲，轰然而过
prank n. 胡闹，恶作剧
spin spun. v. （使）旋转
dodge v. 躲开，闪开
hoot v. 鸣叫，笑，喊叫
approval n. 赞成，认可
He knew that the monkeys would have to eat less, or else the food would not last until spring. 他知道猴子们将不得不少吃点，否则的话食物不能维持到春天。本句中or else表示否则，代指另一种情况。
从前，贵州没有驴，有一人从外地带了一头驴来到贵州，将驴拴在家旁边的树上。第二天，一只饥饿的老虎看到了这头驴，老虎从未见过驴，觉得驴看上去十分强壮，于是不敢轻举妄动，偷偷躲在树后观望。老虎一步步靠近驴，试探驴的反应，逐渐发现驴没有任何强大的技能。那天夜里，老虎饱餐一顿，扬长而去。A very long time ago, there were no donkeys in the province of Guizhou. Most people there did not know what a donkey looked like or what a donkey could do. One day, a government official returned to Guizhou from a trip. With him, he had a donkey that he had bought to carry his luggage. He didn’t have a stable at his house for the donkey. His house was next to the woods at the bottom of a mountain. So instead of a stable, he used a rope to tie the donkey to a tree near his house.The next day, a hungry tiger crept out of the woods. He was looking for his next meal and saw the donkey. At first the tiger thought it was a horse. But as he got closer, he realized that it wasn’t.“What is this strange, gray animal?” he said to himself. “I have never seen one before!” Curious, he crept a little closer.“Oh my, it looks delicious!” he cried. He was happy to have found something to eat. But he was also afraid. The animal looked big and strong, and the tiger was afraid that it would hurt him.So, he decided to hide behind a tree and spy on the donkey. He wanted to see what it did. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so scary after all!Soon, the tiger’s stomach started to growl with hunger. “If I do not eat soon, I will faint!” he thought.He quickly decided that it was safe to go out. The donkey hadn’t done much. All it had done was eat some grass around the tree.The moment the tiger took a step forward, however, the donkey reacted. It brayed loudly. It screeched.The tiger immediately jumped back behind the tree. He was terrified! He had never heard such a noise before. “I’m too young to die!” he shouted.His stomach growled again. He needed to eat something! So again, he waited and spied on the donkey. Perhaps it wouldn’t turn out to be so bad after all.The tiger quickly got used to the donkey’s brays. He realized that they were merely sounds. They didn’t mean anything, and the donkey wasn’t doing anything else. So, he came out again.This time, he walked in circles around the donkey to look at it more carefully. When it still didn’t do anything scary, he decided to do something else. He wanted to see what it would do when it was angry. So, he used one paw and touched the donkey.Immediately, the donkey kicked its two back legs. Its back legs were very strong, and those kicks probably would have hurt—a lot. At first, the tiger was surprised. He had not expected those kicks. But quickly his surprise turned into a smile. The donkey couldn’t do anything else. All it knew how to do was bray and kick! It was not a scary animal after all.That night, the tiger went to bed with a full stomach. The EndThe idiom “the donkey from Guizhou has run out of tricks” comes from this story. Today, people use it to describe someone who has no skills left. Someone who has done everything they can.
Question: Have you ever been afraid of an animal?
核心词汇
luggage n. 行李
stable n. 马厩，牛棚，羊棚
creep (crept) v. 爬行，匍匐; 缓慢地行进
spy v. 暗中监视（或窥视、侦探、刺探）
growl v. 作隆隆声; 嘟哝; 愤愤不平地抱怨; 低声咆哮着说; 粗鲁地说出
faint v. 头晕，昏过去
react v. 做出反应，反应
bray v. 发出驴叫似的声音; 发嘟嘟声
screech v. 发出尖叫声，发出尖锐刺耳的声音
immediately adv. 立即，马上
merely adv. 仅仅，只，不过
paw n. 爪子; 手
All it had done was eat some grass around the tree. 它所做的一切不过是在树周围吃吃草。本句的主语为all，it had done为修饰它的定语从句。
The moment the tiger took a step forward, however, the donkey reacted. 然而就在老虎向前一步的那一刻，驴子反抗了。本句中the tiger took a step forward为修饰the moment的状语从句。
I’m too young to die! 我太年轻了，不能死！too…to…句式的含义为“太……而不能……”。
Perhaps it wouldn’t turn out to be so bad after all. 也许情况最终也不会那么糟糕。本句为虚拟语气，用过去时表示对于将来的推测。句中turn out的含义为“结果是……”。
All it knew how to do was bray and kick! 它会做的事不过是驴叫和踢腿。本句的主语为all，修饰它的定语从句为it knew how to do。
唐代时期，中国邻国常派使者向长安进贡。邻国离长安很远，使者带的礼物是一只美丽、稀有的天鹅，关在一个金属笼子中。使者十分担心天鹅会飞走，所以一直小心翼翼地照顾天鹅。一天，使者经过一个秀美的村庄，在一个波光粼粼的湖边驻足。使者发现天鹅已经脏兮兮的，于是他取出天鹅，把它洗干净。可是他一洗完，天鹅就飞走了。使者现在该怎么办呢？The Tang Dynasty was a mighty Chinese empire. Every few years, nearby states would send messengers to the capital, Chang’an. The messengers brought gifts for the emperor.One year during Emperor Taizong’s rule, a man named Mian Bogao was selected as one of the messengers. His journey was long. Chang’an was a thousand miles away!The gift he carried was a beautiful and rare white swan. He kept it in a metal cage to make sure that it didn’t fly away.That was Mian Bogao’s biggest fear. He didn’t know what he would do if the swan flew away. What would he tell the emperor? He hated the thought of losing or hurting the swan. So he took great care of it. He made sure it ate well and always had enough water to drink.One day, Mian Bogao was traveling through a beautiful, green valley. He noticed a shimmering lake in the distance. Feeling the summer heat, he decided to stop by the lake.When he arrived at the lake, he got down from his horse. He drank some water. How refreshing! He dipped a metal bowl into the lake and filled it with water. He put the bowl in front of the cage, so the swan could drink.Then he noticed that the swan had become very dirty. It had been sitting in a cage for a dozen or so days. Its beautiful feathers weren’t white anymore. Not only was it dirty, but it also looked sad. Feeling sorry for the swan, Mian Bogao carefully let it out of the metal cage. He brought the swan over to the lake, so he could quickly wash it. However, as soon as Mian Bogao finished washing the swan, it spread its wings and flew away.He tried to grab the swan, but only managed to get a feather. A single feather! This was exactly what he had feared. He had lost the swan! What was he going to do? He began to panic. Surely, Emperor Taizong would punish him. He might be arrested!Mian Bogao had to decide whether or not to continue on to Chang’an. He thought about it for a while. On the one hand, he didn’t have anything to give to the emperor. On the other hand, he had already come very far. He decided to continue on his way. He picked up the feather and continued on his journey.When Mian Bogao finally arrived in Chang’an, he entered the palace. He took out the white swan feather and presented it to the emperor. The other people in the room gasped. They were shocked. Only a feather? For the emperor? Mian Bogao told the emperor he could explain.After Mian Bogao told the whole story, the emperor smiled. Sure, the feather wasn’t an impressive gift. But Mian Bogao had put in a lot of effort to get the feather to Chang’an. That showed great love for the emperor. The gift of Mian Bogao’s dedication was better than a swan. Emperor Taizong accepted the feather and rewarded Mian Bogao. The EndToday, the Chinese use the phrase “a feather from a thousand miles away; although the gift is light, the affection is deep.” Its meaning is similar to the English phrase “it’s the thought that counts.” The value of a gift is not measured by how expensive it is. It is the actions and the attitude of the gift-giver that gives a gift its meaning.
Question: What is the best present you’ve ever gotten? Why do you consider it the best?
核心词汇
mighty adj. 强大的; 趾高气扬; 巨大的; 浩瀚的; 非常，很
rare adj. 稀有的，罕见的，难得的
shimmering adj. 闪闪发光的，发微光的
dip v. 浸; 制造; 把的远光调为近光; 洗药水浴; 微降，下沉; 向下再向上; 倾斜; 浏览
dozen n. 打，十二个; 一打的
grab v. 抓取，攫取
panic v. （使）恐慌; 十分惊慌
arrest v. 逮捕，拘捕; 止住，阻止，抑制; 吸引; 心跳停止; 拘留; 停止，阻止; 制动
gasp v. 喘气，喘息; 倒抽气; 渴望; 喘着气说出
impressive adj. 可观的; 给人印象深刻的，感人的; 引人注目的
dedication n. 奉献; 献身精神; 教堂的)献堂礼; 题词
reward v. 报酬; 报答; 赏金; 酬金; 酬谢，奖赏; 报答，惩罚
He hated the thought of losing or hurting the swan. 他讨厌失去或者伤害天鹅的想法，也就是他不愿想到他会失去或者伤害天鹅。
Not only was it dirty, but it also looked sad. 它不仅很脏，而且看起来很伤心。本句中否定连词not only处于句首，需要使用倒装语序was it dirty。
一人花大价钱买到一颗珍珠，他将珍珠珍藏起来，展示给亲朋好友们看。其中一人心中十分妒忌，也想拥有一颗这样的珍珠。奇妙的是，第二天他在街边竟然找到一颗更大的珍珠。虽然没有将其示于人，但这不妨碍他四处吹嘘。直到有一天，两人都得了重病，需要珍珠磨成粉制成一味药。前一人将珍珠给了大夫，大夫对此赞不绝口，后一人也拿出了珍珠，却遭到了大夫的嘲笑。这是为什么呢？Once upon a time, in ancient China, a businessman named Man Yuan took a long trip to a faraway town. In the town market, Man Yuan saw some interesting items on display outside a little shop. He went inside.The first thing that caught his eye was a giant pearl on the shelf behind the shopkeeper. It was larger and more beautiful than any pearl he had ever seen. Man Yuan knew he had to have it!“Shopkeeper! Let me see that pearl!” called Man Yuan, pointing to the shelf.“Oh, you have good eyesight, Sir. This is a very rare pearl. There’s none other like it in the world,” replied the shopkeeper.Man Yuan used all the money and valuables he had on him to buy the pearl. He was thrilled!When he got back home, Man Yuan took out the pearl to admire it. He wanted a special place to store it. He made a box from the finest wood. He decorated the lid of the box with gold, silver, and gemstones.Man Yuan carefully placed the pearl inside the box. Then he hid the box. Every day, he took the pearl out of the box to admire it. Some days, he would even take it out twice!On special days and holidays, Man Yuan would take out the pearl to show his family and friends.“Oh! Look how big it is.”! said Man Yuan’s uncle.“Oh! Look how it shimmers. It’s so beautiful,” said his aunt.“You must have paid a lot of money for it,” cried his neighbor Shou Liang.“Oh yes, this pearl cost me a fortune!” replied Man Yuan.I wish I could own a pearl like that, Shou Liang thought to himself. It’s so beautiful!One day, Shou Liang was on his way to the market. The sunlight bounced off something on the ground and caught his attention.“Wow!!” he cried. “It’s a giant pearl!”He picked it up.“Oh, it is my lucky day! This pearl is even bigger than Man Yuan’s!” he gloated. “It’s smoother and prettier too.”Shou Liang hid his pearl in his pocket and ran home as fast as he could.In the days that followed, Shou Liang boasted to everyone about his big and beautiful pearl. But he never showed anyone. It was too precious to take out. He did not want to lose it.A few months later, Man Yuan and Shou Liang both became sick. Incredibly, they both had the same, strange illness.No one could figure out what the mysterious illness was. Their doctors tried different treatments. Nothing worked.One day, a traveling doctor came into town. He carried a sign that read, “DOCTOR OF STRANGE ILLNESSES.”The two families were desperate. They invited the doctor in. Since the families were neighbors, the doctor was able to look at both patients at the same time.“I know a cure,” the doctor told the families. “But the medicine must have one special ingredient. It won’t work without it.”“What is the special ingredient, doctor?” asked the families.“You need a pearl,” he explained. “You have to grind up the powder from inside the pearl, and add it to the medicine mixture.”Man Yuan hesitated. But he had no choice. He took out his pearl and showed it to the doctor.“Wow. This is beautiful. It is a precious pearl indeed!” exclaimed the doctor.Then Shou Liang showed his pearl to the doctor.The doctor examined the pearl. He burst into a loud laugh!“What? This is not a pearl! It’s just an eyeball from a giant fish,” laughed the doctor. “This is truly a case of passing off a fish eye as a pearl! How can you expect to be healed with a fake?”Today, this idiom is used to describe when something fake is passed off as the real deal. The End
Question: Why do you think Shou Liang thought the fish eye was a pearl?
核心词汇
pearl n. 珍珠
eyesight n. 视力
thrilled adj. 兴奋的，激动的
admire v. 欣赏
lid n. 盖子
gemstone n. 宝石矿石
shimmer v. 发微光，闪光
fortune n. 财富，大笔的钱
own v. 拥有
bounce v. 弹跳
gloat v. 心满意足地看（或想、看待）
smooth adj. 光滑的
boast v. 吹嘘
precious adj. 珍贵的
incredibly adv. 难以置信地
desperate adj. 绝望的，不顾一切的
cure n. 治疗，对策
ingredient n. 成分
grind v. 研磨
hesitate v. 犹豫
exclaim v. 大叫
pass off 把……冒充成
heal v.（使）治愈
fake n. 假货
any pearl he had ever seen 他曾见过的任何珍珠，这种表达方式常用于比较级。
战国时期，赵国有两位官员，一个叫蔺相如，另一个叫廉颇。廉颇是武将，他保家卫国，蔺相如是文官，很有辩才。蔺相如因为“完璧归赵”有功而被封为上卿，位在廉颇之上。廉颇很不服气，扬言要当面羞辱蔺相如。蔺相如得知后，尽量回避、容让，不与廉颇发生冲突。蔺相如的门客以为他畏惧廉颇，蔺相如将作何反应呢？During the Warring States Period, the two highest officials of the Zhao Kingdom were Lian Po and Lin Xiangru.Lian Po was the head of the army. He was in charge of all the soldiers. He made sure the Kingdom of Zhao was safe. He was strong and proud. People knew he was wise at military strategy.Lin Xiangru was the chief minister. He was not like a soldier at all. Instead, he worked in the government. He made sure that it worked well. He was smart and a great speaker.Lin Xiangru had quickly become powerful in the government. The king of Zhao liked him very much. He trusted him. Lin Xiangru had once saved the king from embarrassment.However, Lin Xiangru’s quick rise made many others jealous. Even Lian Po. Why? Well, Lin Xiangru was in charge of even Lian Po.Lian Po told his soldiers, “I had to risk my life in many battles to get where I am. But then this guy, Lin Xiangru, he gets to the top by doing nothing! All he did was talk!” Lian Po was so angry that he thought of a plan to embarrass Lin Xiangru.Word of Lian Po’s plan made its way to Lin Xiangru. He didn’t want to meet Lian Po. He stopped going out. He even faked being sick for a while, so he could have an excuse to stay inside.One day, Lin Xiangru could not stay inside. He went out in his carriage. Soon, he saw Lian Po’s carriage coming toward him. He told his driver to quickly turn around. Lin Xiangru went back home. When the government ministers heard about it, they mocked him. They said he should be embarrassed. They said he was a coward.But Lin Xiangru responded calmly. He said, “Do you want to know why I do not want to meet Lian Po? The conflict between us is personal. As the chief minister, I make sure that the government works correctly. As the head of the army, Lian Po makes sure that we stay safe. Together, we keep the kingdom running smoothly. So, if other kingdoms learn of our conflict, they might think that our government is weak. Then they might attack and destroy us. So, you see, I cannot let a personal matter destroy the kingdom!”The ministers were inspired by Lin Xiangru's words. Lian Po heard about what Lin Xiangru had said. His jealousy turned to regret. He asked Ling Xiangru for forgiveness. The two leaders became good friends. Due to their strong relationship, the State of Zhao remained peaceful for many years. The End
After many, many days just like these, he memorized all there was to know about bamboo. He knew what frozen bamboo looked like. He knew what burnt bamboo looked like. He knew what newly planted bamboo looked like. He knew what dying bamboo looked like. He knew what bamboo looked like in all seasons, in all weather, and at all ages.So when it was time to paint, he remembered everything he had seen. He knew the bamboo so well that one of his friends said, “When Wen Tong draws bamboo, he has its image in his mind.” The EndIn modern Chinese, you can say that someone has an image of bamboo in his or her mind. This means that the person plans ahead, just like Wen Tong planned ahead by always going outside to study his bamboo. Although it was inconvenient at the time, studying the bamboo meant that he could later create amazing paintings.
Question: Are you planning ahead for anything right now? What are you planning ahead for?
核心词汇
bamboo n. 竹子; 竹竿; 竹木家具
bounce v. 跳，反弹; 急促地动; 拒付，退票; 弹跳; 使弹起; 上下晃动
worth prep. 相当于……价钱，具有……价值
humid adj. 潮湿的; 湿润的; 湿气重的
detail n. 细节，详情
super adv. （口）特大的，极好的，顶呱呱的
memorize v. 记住，熟记
He went outside to his bamboo garden, come rain or shine! 他走到竹园中，风雨无阻。come rain or shine为习语，表示风雨无阻。
he memorized all there was to know about bamboo. 他记住所有关于竹子的知识。all 为本句宾语，表示一切事情，there was to know about bamboo为修饰all的定语从句，表示客观所存在的所有关于竹子的（知识）。
谢端是个孤苦伶仃，一贫如洗的农民，他十分渴望能找到一位妻子。有一天，在回家的路上，他看见路边有一只田螺，便将它捡起，带回了家好生照顾。第二天他回家时，却惊讶地发现晚饭已经做好，家中十分整洁。他十分好奇，几日后躲在暗处观察，发现是一个可爱的姑娘在为他做着这一切。这位姑娘是谁呢？ Xie Duan was a poor farmer. He lived alone. He had no family.Xie Duan wished he had a wife. He wanted a family.Xie Duan’s neighbors were friendly. They liked him a lot.They thought he was a good friend. They thought he was a hard worker. He was all of those things.Xie Duan worked on the farm every day. He woke up early. He fed the chickens and animals. He tilled the field. He picked the crops. He worked until late at night. Every night, he was tired. He was too tired to cook. He was too tired to clean his house. He just wanted to go to sleep.One night, Xie Duan was walking home. He saw a snail on the road. Xie Duan picked it up. He took it home with him.The snail needed water. Xie Duan put water in a pot.Then he put the snail in, too.The next night, Xie Duan came home late again. When he walked into his house, he found a big surprise!The house was clean and neat! There was a hot meal waiting for him!“Oh! How kind of my neighbors!” Xie Duan thought.“They cleaned my house. They cooked a hot meal for me.”The next morning, Xie Duan went to thank his neighbors.Who had cleaned his house, and cooked for him? No one knew what happened.The next night, Xie Duan came home late again. A clean home and a hot meal were waiting for him! It was the same on the third night. It was the same on the fourth and fifth nights, too!Xie Duan really wanted to solve the mystery.The next day, he went home early. He snuck up to his house. He hid below the window outside his kitchen. Then he peeked inside.Xie Duan could not believe what he saw! A pretty girl was cooking at his stove! “Who are you?” Xie Duan cried. “Why are you cooking for me? Why are you taking care of my house?” “I am the snail,” the girl told him. She pointed to the little pot.Xie Duan looked at the pot. It was empty. The snail was gone.“You were very kind to me,” said the Snail Girl. “You saved me. I wanted to thank you!”Xie Duan felt thankful too.The Snail Girl kept taking care of Xie Duan. Every day,he farmed. Every day, she cooked and cleaned.Xie Duan and the Snail Girl fell in love. They got married.Xie Duan was not lonely anymore. The two of them lived happily ever after. The End
Question: The Snail Girl surprised Xie Duan. What was agood surprise in your life?