High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 2 · The Seat I Chose
Audio track 02
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
On the first morning in my new classroom, I chose a seat near the window. It was not the best place to see the board, but I could look outside when I felt nervous. A student named Mei sat beside me and asked whether the seat next to her was taken.
I almost said yes. I had expected to spend the first week quietly and meet people later. Instead, I moved my bag. Mei smiled, sat down, and took out a small notebook filled with questions about the school.
At lunch, we discovered that neither of us knew where the science rooms were. We found them together, then helped another student who was also lost. I had chosen my seat to feel safe, not to make a friend. Yet the seat became a place where I could begin a conversation.
That evening, I realized how quickly I had made an assumption: I had thought talking to someone new would make the day harder. In fact, it made the unfamiliar building feel smaller.
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 the first morning in my new classroom, I chose a seat near the window.
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It was not the best place to see the board, but I could look outside when I felt nervous.
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A student named Mei sat beside me and asked whether the seat next to her was taken.
-
I almost said yes.
-
I had expected to spend the first week quietly and meet people later.
-
Instead, I moved my bag.
-
Mei smiled, sat down, and took out a small notebook filled with questions about the school.
-
At lunch, we discovered that neither of us knew where the science rooms were.
-
We found them together, then helped another student who was also lost.
-
I had chosen my seat to feel safe, not to make a friend.
-
Yet the seat became a place where I could begin a conversation.
-
That evening, I realized how quickly I had made an assumption: I had thought talking to someone new would make the day harder.
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In fact, it made the unfamiliar building feel smaller.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
到新教室的第一个早晨，我选了靠窗的座位。那里不是看黑板的最佳位置，但紧张时我能看看窗外。一个叫美的学生走过来，问我旁边的座位有没有人。
我差点说‘有’。我原本打算第一周安静地过，晚些再认识别人。结果，我挪开了书包。美笑着坐下，拿出一本小笔记本，上面写满了关于学校的问题。
午饭时，我们发现谁都不知道理科教室在哪里。我们一起找到了，还帮了另一位迷路的同学。我选这个座位，是为了让自己安心，不是为了交朋友。可它成了我开启一段对话的地方。
那天晚上，我才意识到自己下判断有多快：我以为跟陌生人说话会让这一天更难过。实际上，这让陌生的校舍变得亲切了些。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- choose a seat
- 选座位；主人公起初想坐得安心。
- nervous
- 紧张的；窗外景色让他放松。
- be taken
- 已被占用；询问旁边是否有人坐。
- expect to do
- 原本打算做；他想晚些再认识同学。
- instead
- 反而、结果；最终挪开书包。
- be filled with
- 装满；笔记本写满了问题。
- discover
- 发现；两人都不认识理科教室。
- begin a conversation
- 开启对话；靠窗座位带来交流机会。
- assumption
- 想当然的判断；以为交谈会让一天更难。
- unfamiliar
- 不熟悉的；原本陌生的校舍。
Background notes (Chinese)
新环境里，想先找一个让自己安心的座位很自然。但一次小小的让座和共同找路，让主人公重新认识了与新同学交谈的可能性。