High 3 · Reading series
Lesson 33 · A Claim That Sounded Like a Cure
Audio track 33
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
A short video claimed that one drink could “cure stress” during exams. The speaker described a difficult month and said the drink had changed everything. Her story sounded sincere, and that was exactly why I wanted to share it with a worried friend.
Before sending it, I noticed that the video linked to a shop. The speaker's experience might have been genuine, but it could not show what would happen to everyone, and the word “cure” made a much larger claim. I asked our health teacher where to find reliable information and how to help a friend who seemed overwhelmed.
Instead of forwarding the video, I asked my friend how she was doing and whether she wanted help speaking with a trusted adult at school. She did not need me to solve her situation with a product. She needed room to say what was happening.
A personal story can deserve respect without becoming medical evidence for strangers. I kept the concern for my friend and let go of the promise attached to the drink.
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.
-
A short video claimed that one drink could “cure stress” during exams.
-
The speaker described a difficult month and said the drink had changed everything.
-
Her story sounded sincere, and that was exactly why I wanted to share it with a worried friend.
-
Before sending it, I noticed that the video linked to a shop.
-
The speaker's experience might have been genuine, but it could not show what would happen to everyone, and the word “cure” made a much larger claim.
-
I asked our health teacher where to find reliable information and how to help a friend who seemed overwhelmed.
-
Instead of forwarding the video, I asked my friend how she was doing and whether she wanted help speaking with a trusted adult at school.
-
She did not need me to solve her situation with a product.
-
She needed room to say what was happening.
-
A personal story can deserve respect without becoming medical evidence for strangers.
-
I kept the concern for my friend and let go of the promise attached to the drink.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
一条短视频声称，某种饮料能在考试期间“治好压力”。讲述者谈起艰难的一个月，说饮料改变了一切。她的经历听起来真诚，正因如此，我很想分享给一位忧心的朋友。
发送前，我注意到视频附有商店链接。讲述者的经历或许是真的，却不能说明每个人喝后会怎样；“治好”更是远大于个人经历的断言。我问健康课老师哪里能找到可靠资料，以及怎样帮助看起来不堪重负的朋友。
我没有转发视频，而是问朋友近况，问她是否愿意让我陪她找学校里可信赖的成年人谈谈。她不需要我用一种产品解决处境，而需要有空间说出正在发生什么。
个人故事值得尊重，却不能因此变成适用于陌生人的医学证据。我保留了对朋友的关心，放下了饮料附带的承诺。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- claimed
- 声称；视频许诺疗效。
- cure
- 治愈；比个人经历大的断言。
- stress
- 压力；朋友在考试期感到不安。
- sincere
- 真诚的；叙述感人不等于证据。
- genuine
- 真实的；经历可能是真的。
- evidence
- 证据；不能由一人推广到所有人。
- reliable
- 可靠的；向老师寻找资料。
- overwhelmed
- 不堪重负的；朋友可能需要支持。
- forwarding
- 转发；学生最后没有这么做。
- product
- 产品；不能替代倾听。
Background notes (Chinese)
视频把个人体验推成产品疗效，还附带销售链接；学生选择关心朋友并寻找可靠支持。