High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 37 · A Budget for Our Festival
Audio track 37
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Our class had a fixed budget for its festival exhibit. We wanted bright decorations, printed guides, and a short video. The first list cost more than we could spend, so we had to decide what each item would do for visitors.
We borrowed reusable decorations from another class. That left money for larger signs and a few printed guides for visitors who did not want to use a phone. We made the video ourselves, but two students spent time checking the captions and sound. We also saved a small amount for materials that might break during setup.
One classmate said the exhibit would look less exciting without new decorations. She was partly right. We added one colorful entrance panel made from materials we already had. The final plan looked different from our first wish list, but it was easier for more people to use.
A budget did not simply tell us what we could not buy. It made us explain what mattered most and why.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
班级为校园节展览准备的预算是固定的。我们想要鲜艳的装饰、印刷导览和一段短片。最初列出的清单超出了可用金额，我们只好想清楚每一项对参观者有什么用。
我们向另一个班借来可重复使用的装饰。这样就有钱制作较大的指示牌，以及几份给不想用手机的参观者看的纸质导览。视频由我们自己制作，但两名同学花时间检查字幕和声音。我们还留了一小笔钱，以备布展时材料损坏。
一位同学说，没有新装饰，展览会少些吸引力。她说的有一部分道理。我们用手头已有的材料做了一块彩色入口展板。最终方案与最初的愿望清单不同，却让更多人用起来更方便。
预算不只是告诉我们哪些东西买不起。它还促使我们说明，什么最重要，以及为什么重要。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- fixed budget
- 固定预算；可用金额不能增加。
- exhibit
- 展览；校园节上的班级展示。
- item
- 一项；清单上的各个项目。
- borrow
- 借来；装饰向另一班借用。
- reusable
- 可重复使用的；装饰以后还可用。
- caption
- 字幕；视频制作时需核对。
- setup
- 布展；材料可能在摆放时损坏。
- partly
- 部分地；同学的担心有一部分道理。
- wish list
- 愿望清单；最初想买的所有东西。
- matter most
- 最重要；预算迫使班级确定优先项。
Background notes (Chinese)
固定预算要求学生在装饰、导览、字幕和备用材料之间取舍。班级通过借用旧装饰、自己制作展板，把钱用在更有助于参观者的项目上。