High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 18 · The Photo Before It Spread
Audio track 18
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Listen once before opening the English passage.
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I took a photograph of our school festival booth just as the doors opened. The colors looked wonderful, and I was about to post it. Then I noticed two details in the corner of the image: a classmate who had asked not to appear online, and a sheet listing volunteers' phone numbers.
I could have cropped the photograph, but the classmate was standing beside the best part of the display. I put my phone away and asked the group for a different picture. We photographed the booth after moving the contact sheet and after everyone in the frame had agreed.
The second photograph was less spontaneous. It still showed the work we were proud of. That evening, a friend thanked me for checking before posting. She said she would have felt uncomfortable seeing the first image online.
Sharing a picture is quick. Understanding what else the picture shares takes longer. The extra minute changed the photograph from a surprise for someone else into a choice we had made together.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
学校节日刚开门时，我拍下了我们班的摊位。照片色彩鲜艳，我正要发到网上，却注意到画面角落里的两处细节：一位曾要求不要出现在网上的同学，以及一张列着志愿者电话号码的纸。
我本可以裁剪照片，可那位同学正站在展品最精彩的部分旁边。我收起手机，请大家重新拍一张。我们先移开写有联系方式的纸，确认画面里每个人都同意，然后才拍下摊位。
第二张照片没有第一张那么自然，却依然展示了令我们自豪的成果。当天晚上，一位朋友感谢我发布前先检查。她说，如果在网上看到第一张照片，自己会很不舒服。
分享照片只需片刻，弄清照片还会泄露什么却要多花些时间。这短短的一分钟，让照片从给别人带来意外的东西，变成了大家共同作出的选择。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- be about to
- 正要；主人公即将发布照片。
- detail
- 细节；画面角落里的两处信息。
- appear online
- 出现在网上；同学明确表示不愿如此。
- list
- 列出；纸张写有志愿者电话。
- crop
- 裁剪；原本可以修掉照片一角。
- frame
- 画面；重拍前征询画面里所有人。
- spontaneous
- 自然抓拍的；第一张照片比较随意。
- proud of
- 为……自豪；大家喜欢自己的展品。
- uncomfortable
- 不舒服的；朋友看到第一张照片会有的感受。
- share
- 分享；发布时连背景信息也可能传开。
Background notes (Chinese)
公开活动照片也可能包含不愿露面的人或个人联系方式。故事中的主人公征得画面里每个人的同意，并移除电话号码后重新拍照。