High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 4 · The Second Draft of My Goal
Audio track 04
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
At the beginning of high school, our teacher asked us to write one goal for the term. I wrote, “I want to speak English perfectly.” It looked impressive on the page, but I did not know what to do with it on Monday morning.
During a pair activity, I forgot a word and stopped talking. My partner waited, then asked, “Can you describe it another way?” I used simpler words, and she understood. The conversation continued, although my sentence was far from perfect.
That evening, I made a second draft of my goal: “When I forget a word, I will keep the conversation going by explaining my idea in another way.” This goal was less exciting to read, but I could practice it the next day.
I still want to improve my English. However, I no longer measure every attempt against a perfect sentence. I pay attention to whether the other person understands and whether I learn something from the exchange.
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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At the beginning of high school, our teacher asked us to write one goal for the term.
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I wrote, “I want to speak English perfectly.”
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It looked impressive on the page, but I did not know what to do with it on Monday morning.
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During a pair activity, I forgot a word and stopped talking.
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My partner waited, then asked, “Can you describe it another way?”
-
I used simpler words, and she understood.
-
The conversation continued, although my sentence was far from perfect.
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That evening, I made a second draft of my goal: “When I forget a word, I will keep the conversation going by explaining my idea in another way.”
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This goal was less exciting to read, but I could practice it the next day.
-
I still want to improve my English.
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However, I no longer measure every attempt against a perfect sentence.
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I pay attention to whether the other person understands and whether I learn something from the exchange.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
高中刚开学，老师让我们写一项本学期的目标。我写道：‘我想把英语说得完美。’这句话在纸上很好看，可到了星期一早晨，我却不知道该从何练起。
一次两人活动中，我忘了一个词，便停了下来。搭档等了等，问：‘你能换个说法描述吗？’我用了更简单的词，她听懂了。虽然我的句子远非完美，对话却继续了下去。
当晚，我写了第二版目标：‘忘词时，我要换一种方式解释想法，让对话继续。’读起来没那么振奋人心，但第二天就能练习。
我仍想提高英语。不过，我不再拿每一次尝试去和‘完美的句子’比较。我更关注对方是否听懂，以及自己能不能从交流中学到东西。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- term
- 学期；老师让学生设定这一阶段的目标。
- impressive
- 给人深刻印象的；原目标在纸上很好看。
- describe
- 描述；忘词时可以换种说法。
- continue
- 继续；对话没有因一句不完美而中断。
- although
- 虽然；承认句子不完美，交流仍成功。
- draft
- 草稿、版本；主人公写了第二版目标。
- keep ... going
- 让……持续；keep the conversation going。
- measure against
- 拿……作比较；不再事事对照完美句。
- attempt
- 尝试；每次开口都是练习。
- exchange
- 交流；从对话中学习。
Background notes (Chinese)
‘说得完美’听起来雄心勃勃，却不容易转化为每天的行动。改成‘忘词时换种说法’，目标便具体、可练习，也更贴近真实交流。