High 1 · Reading series
Lesson 47 · Ten Seconds of Video
Audio track 47
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Our media club recorded a discussion about the school courtyard. In the full video, Ken said, “I don't think more benches are the first thing we need.” He then explained that the path became crowded after rain and should be checked before new furniture was added.
I cut a ten-second clip for our class page. It ended after his first sentence. The clip made Ken sound as if he disliked benches, although his point was about the order of improvements.
When Ken saw it, he asked me to watch the longer recording with him. I had not meant to change his view, but I had done exactly that by choosing where the clip ended. We made a new version that included his reason and added a link to the full discussion in our class materials.
Short videos help people start watching. They also make every cut important. Editing is not only removing time; it is deciding which connections between sentences viewers can still see.
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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Our media club recorded a discussion about the school courtyard.
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In the full video, Ken said, “I don't think more benches are the first thing we need.”
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He then explained that the path became crowded after rain and should be checked before new furniture was added.
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I cut a ten-second clip for our class page.
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It ended after his first sentence.
-
The clip made Ken sound as if he disliked benches, although his point was about the order of improvements.
-
When Ken saw it, he asked me to watch the longer recording with him.
-
I had not meant to change his view, but I had done exactly that by choosing where the clip ended.
-
We made a new version that included his reason and added a link to the full discussion in our class materials.
-
Short videos help people start watching.
-
They also make every cut important.
-
Editing is not only removing time; it is deciding which connections between sentences viewers can still see.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
媒体社录了一段讨论学校中庭的视频。完整录像里，健说：‘我认为现在最需要的不是增加长椅。’随后他解释，下雨后小路会变得拥挤，应先检查通行情况，再考虑添置新设施。
我为班级页面剪了一个十秒片段，恰好停在他的第一句话后。片段听起来像健反对长椅，虽然他真正说的是改进工作的先后顺序。
健看到后，请我和他一起看较长的录像。我并非有意改变他的观点，但选择在哪里剪断，恰恰做到了这件事。我们重做了一个包含理由的版本，并在班级资料里加上完整讨论的链接。
短视频能吸引人开始观看，也让每一次剪切都变得重要。剪辑不只是删掉时间，还决定观众能否看见句子之间的联系。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- record
- 录制；媒体社保存讨论视频。
- full video
- 完整视频；说明了健的全部观点。
- courtyard
- 中庭；讨论的校园空间。
- clip
- 片段；十秒剪辑截断了理由。
- as if
- 仿佛；剪后听起来像反对长椅。
- improvement
- 改进；健关心事情的先后顺序。
- recording
- 录像；两人回看较长版本。
- mean to
- 有意；作者并非故意改动观点。
- include
- 包含；新版本补入健的理由。
- connection
- 联系；剪辑会影响句意间的连接。
Background notes (Chinese)
短片截取了发言开头，却删掉随后说明的理由，因此改变了观众对发言人的理解。学生与健复看片段后，补上理由并链接完整讨论。