Level 2 · Reading series
Lesson 28 · A Shadow at Noon
Audio track 28
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Our class measured a shadow three times in one day. At nine, the shadow of a pole was long. At noon, it was much shorter. At three, it became long again, but it pointed the other way.
The pole did not move. The sun's position changed in the sky.
I had seen shadows every day, but I had never watched one carefully before.
A shadow is not only a dark shape. It is a quiet clock made by light.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我们班在同一天里测了三次影子。上午九点，杆子的影子很长；中午时，影子短得多；下午三点，影子又变长了，却指向另一边。
杆子没有动，改变的是太阳在天空中的位置。
我每天都见到影子，却从没有这样仔细地观察过它。
影子不只是一块暗色形状，也是一只由阳光做成的安静时钟。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- shadow
- 影子；物体挡住光后出现的暗影。
- measure
- 测量；比较影子的长短。
- three times
- 三次；同一天在三个时刻观察。
- pole
- 杆子；用它的影子作比较。
- at noon
- 正午；一天中接近中间的时刻。
- point
- 指向；形容影子的方向。
- the other way
- 另一边；下午的方向与上午不同。
- position
- 位置；太阳在天空中的位置改变。
- carefully
- 仔细地；以前虽见过影子却没认真观察。
- made by light
- 由光造成的；结尾把影子比作时钟。
Background notes (Chinese)
固定一根杆子，在不同时间观察影子，就能看到太阳位置变化带来的长短与方向差异。最后的‘时钟’是比喻：影子会随时间变化，却不能像钟表那样直接显示准确分钟。