Level 3 · Reading series
Lesson 30 · A Paper Plane with a Surprising Wing
Audio track 30
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My first paper plane turned left and landed after three meters. I thought one wing looked smaller, so I folded it again. On the next throw, the plane flew farther, but I had also thrown it harder. Which change had helped?
I made two new planes from the same kind of paper. I folded them in the same way except for one wingtip. My friend threw both from the same line, several times each. The plane with the changed wingtip still turned, but less sharply.
We could not say that our design was the best paper plane. We had only tested one small change. What surprised me most was not the distance. It was how hard it was to compare two flights fairly.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
我折的第一架纸飞机向左拐，飞了三米就落地。我觉得一侧机翼看着比较小，就重新折了折。第二次扔出去，飞机飞得更远，可我也扔得更用力了。到底是哪项改变起了作用？
我用同一种纸又折了两架新飞机。除了一个翼尖，两架的折法完全相同。朋友从同一条线把它们扔出去，每架都试了好几次。改过翼尖的那架仍会转弯，但没有原来那么急。
我们不能说自己的设计是最好的纸飞机；我们只测试了一处小改动。最让我意外的不是飞行距离，而是要公平比较两次飞行，竟然这么难。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- land
- 落地；纸飞机飞出三米后着地。
- fold
- 折叠；主人公重新折了机翼。
- throw
- 投掷；第二次可能扔得更用力。
- harder
- 更用力地；这是另一项可能影响结果的变化。
- except for
- 除了；两架飞机只在翼尖处不同。
- wingtip
- 翼尖；机翼最外侧的部分。
- several times
- 好几次；每架飞机都重复试飞。
- sharply
- 急剧地；改过翼尖后转弯没那么急。
- distance
- 距离；飞行距离不能单独说明设计最好。
- fairly
- 公平地；尽量让其他测试条件相同。
Background notes (Chinese)
第一次试飞时，机翼和投掷力度一起变了，无法判断哪一项影响距离。后来的测试尽量保持纸张、折法和起点相同，只改变翼尖，并重复多次。