Level 3 · Reading series
Lesson 29 · The Light That Reached the Back Row
Audio track 29
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During an art lesson, the back row of our classroom was too dark to see the colors clearly. We could not move the desks, so our teacher gave us a small mirror and asked what it might do.
I held the mirror near the window. A bright patch appeared on the far wall. When I turned the mirror slightly, the patch moved. My partner followed it with her eyes and marked the spot where we needed more light.
We did not use the mirror to stare at the sun. We used the daylight already entering the room and changed its direction. The patch was too small to light the whole classroom, but it helped us understand how reflected light travels. Our painting still needed a lamp.
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After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
美术课上，教室后排太暗，我们看不清颜色。桌子又不能挪，老师便给我们一面小镜子，让我们想想它能做什么。
我把镜子举到窗边，远处的墙上出现了一块亮斑。我稍稍转动镜子，亮斑也跟着移动。我的搭档用目光追着它，标出我们需要更多光线的位置。
我们没有用镜子直视太阳，只利用已经照进屋里的日光，改变了它的方向。亮斑太小，照不亮整间教室，但它让我们明白了反射光是怎样传播的。画画时，我们仍然需要一盏灯。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- back row
- 后排；教室后面的座位。
- clearly
- 清楚地；光线太暗使颜色难辨。
- mirror
- 镜子；把窗边的日光反射到墙上。
- bright patch
- 亮斑；墙上出现的一小片亮光。
- slightly
- 略微地；镜子转一点，亮斑就移动。
- partner
- 搭档；与主人公一起做观察的同学。
- mark
- 标出；指出需要更多光的位置。
- daylight
- 日光；从窗户进入教室。
- direction
- 方向；转动镜子会改变光路。
- reflected light
- 反射光；从镜面改变方向后传播的光。
Background notes (Chinese)
镜子可以反射射到镜面上的光，转动镜子会改变反射光的方向。文中只借助室内日光做观察，并没有让学生看向太阳；小镜子的亮斑也不足以代替照明。