High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 1 · The Train I Almost Missed
Audio track 01
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On my third day of high school, I almost missed the train. I had checked the departure time, but I had not noticed that the platform had changed. By the time I reached the right stairs, the doors were closing.
I wanted to blame the confusing sign. Then I saw an older student calmly checking the station board. She told me another train would arrive in twelve minutes and showed me a different route to school. We reached the classroom just before the bell.
During lunch, I drew the route in my notebook so I would remember it. I also wrote down what had gone wrong: I had looked only for the time, not the platform number. The next morning, I checked both.
Missing one train would not have been a disaster. Still, almost missing it taught me something useful: a plan is stronger when I know which details might change.
Sentence practice
Play any sentence in Dicvo’s Jenny English voice. Before playing all, choose how many times each sentence plays. A practice pause about as long as the sentence follows each play, including before the next sentence. The complete reading remains above.
Choose a sentence to begin.
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On my third day of high school, I almost missed the train.
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I had checked the departure time, but I had not noticed that the platform had changed.
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By the time I reached the right stairs, the doors were closing.
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I wanted to blame the confusing sign.
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Then I saw an older student calmly checking the station board.
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She told me another train would arrive in twelve minutes and showed me a different route to school.
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We reached the classroom just before the bell.
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During lunch, I drew the route in my notebook so I would remember it.
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I also wrote down what had gone wrong: I had looked only for the time, not the platform number.
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The next morning, I checked both.
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Missing one train would not have been a disaster.
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Still, almost missing it taught me something useful: a plan is stronger when I know which details might change.
Check your understanding
主人公最初漏看了什么信息？
他只查了发车时间，没留意站台已经改变。
高年级学生怎样帮了他？
她告诉他十二分钟后还有一班车，并指出了另一条去学校的路线。
第二天，主人公改变了什么做法？
他同时核对发车时间和站台号码。
Chinese translation
上高中第三天，我差点没赶上火车。我查过发车时间，却没注意到站台换了。等我找到正确的楼梯时，车门正在关闭。
我本想怪指示牌太难懂。这时，我看见一位高年级学生正冷静地查看车站信息牌。她告诉我，十二分钟后还有一班车，又指给我另一条去学校的路线。我们在铃响前刚好走进教室。
午休时，我把那条路线画在笔记本上，以免忘记。我也记下了问题出在哪里：我只看了时间，没看站台号码。第二天早上，两项信息我都检查了。
错过一班车也不会是灾难。不过，这次差点误车让我明白：知道哪些细节可能变化，计划才更可靠。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- departure time
- 发车时间；主人公查了时间，却漏看站台。
- notice
- 注意到；notice that 后接发现的情况。
- platform
- 站台；列车发车的位置可能变动。
- by the time
- 到……的时候；找到楼梯时车门已在关。
- blame
- 责怪；主人公原想怪指示牌。
- route
- 路线；高年级学生指出替代走法。
- reach
- 到达；两人在铃响前到教室。
- go wrong
- 出错、出问题；主人公回顾自己漏看了什么。
- detail
- 细节；站台号码是关键细节。
- might change
- 可能改变；计划要考虑会变动的信息。
Background notes (Chinese)
通学路线涉及发车时间、站台和替代路线。故事的关键不是‘永远按原计划走’，而是看清哪些信息可能临时变化，并为变化留有余地。