Level 2 · Reading series
Lesson 8 · A Promise After Practice
Audio track 08
Listen first
Listen once before opening the English passage.
Open the English passage and hover for word help
Our team lost the basketball game by two points. I missed the last shot, so I could not look at anyone after the game.
Daichi sat next to me and said, "One shot did not make us lose. We missed passes, rebounds, and chances before that."
I knew he was right, but I still felt heavy.
Then he added, "Let's practice free throws together every Tuesday. Not because you failed, but because we want to get better."
That promise made the next practice easier to enter.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我们队以两分之差输掉了篮球比赛。我没投进最后一球，赛后都不敢看别人。
大地坐到我身边说：‘不是因为那一球我们才输的。在那之前，我们也有传球失误、没抢到篮板，还错过了几次机会。’
我知道他说得对，可心里还是沉甸甸的。
他又说：‘以后每个星期二，我们一起练罚球吧。不是因为你搞砸了，而是因为我们都想打得更好。’
有了这个约定，下一次走进训练场似乎容易了一些。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- lose by two points
- 以两分之差输掉比赛；by 表示分差。
- miss a shot
- 投篮没进；miss 表示没投中。
- look at anyone
- 看别人；主角因自责而不敢面对队友。
- next to
- 在……旁边；sit next to me 是‘坐在我旁边’。
- rebound
- 篮板球；投篮不中后争抢的球。
- chance
- 机会；文中指比赛中得分的机会。
- feel heavy
- 心情沉重；这里形容失利后的难受。
- add
- 补充说；在原先的话之后再说一句。
- free throw
- 罚球；篮球比赛中的一种投篮。
- get better
- 变得更好；文中指一起提高球技。
Background notes (Chinese)
比赛结果通常是许多回合共同造成的，最后一球格外显眼，却不必独自承担全部责任。大地没有空泛地安慰队友，而是提出每周一起练习，让鼓励变成可执行的行动。