Level 1 · Reading series
Lesson 59 · One Question for My Future Self
Audio track 59
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Mao writes a letter to her future self.
“What did you learn from your biggest worry?” she asks. She writes one goal, one hope, and some advice: “Ask for help before a small problem grows.”
She will open it later, one year from now. Then she can look back and see what changed.
The letter is not a test. Her goal may take a new direction, and that is allowed. A future self is not a perfect stranger; it grows from today’s choices.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
Mao 给未来的自己写了一封信。
“你从最大的担忧中学到了什么？”她问。她写下一个目标、一份希望，还有一条建议：“趁小问题还没变大，早点求助。”
她打算一年后再拆开这封信。到那时，她可以回望这一年，看看有哪些变化。
这封信不是考试。她的目标可能转向新的方向，那也没有关系。未来的自己并不是一个完全陌生的人，而是从今天的选择中慢慢成长出来的。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- letter
- 信；信件。也可指文字。
- future self
- 未来的自己。
- worry
- 担忧；担心。
- goal
- 目标。
- hope
- 希望；盼望。
- advice
- 建议；不可数名词。
- open it later
- 以后再打开它。
- one year from now
- 从现在起一年后。
- look back
- 回头看；回顾。
- take a new direction
- 走向新的方向；转变方向。
Background notes (Chinese)
写信给未来的自己，不是为了预测未来，而是记录此刻的心情和想法。以后读信时，既能发现哪些事变了，也能看到哪些事还在。调整目标，也可能说明我们从经历中学到了东西。