Level 3 · Reading series
Lesson 45 · A Repair Day for Old Things
Audio track 45
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Our community center held a repair day. People brought lamps, bags, and toys that they did not want to throw away. My family carried an old desk lamp with a loose switch.
A volunteer checked it and explained that the electrical part needed a qualified repairer. We did not try to fix it ourselves. At another table, a torn bag was sewn, and a toy wheel was replaced. The lamp could not be used that day, but we learned what to ask a repair shop.
I had expected a room full of broken objects. Instead, I found people sharing tools, skills, and stories about why they wanted to keep those things. Repair did not mean that every object was easy or safe to fix.
Check your understanding
After reading, state the main idea in one sentence and find a line that supports it.
Chinese translation
社区中心举办了一个维修日。人们带来不想扔掉的台灯、包和玩具。我们家拿来一盏旧台灯，它的开关松了。
一位志愿者检查后解释，电气部分需要由合格的维修人员处理，我们没有自己动手。另一张桌上，有人缝好了破包，又给玩具换了个轮子。台灯那天没能重新使用，但我们知道了去维修店时该问些什么。
我原以为这里会堆满坏东西，看到的却是人们分享工具、手艺，还有他们为什么想留下这些物品的故事。维修并不意味着每样东西都能轻松、安全地修好。
Key words and expressions
Key terms have Chinese explanations. Hover over dotted words in the English passage for word help and pronunciation when available.
- repair
- 修理；活动主题是修旧物。
- throw away
- 扔掉；主人公家不想丢弃台灯。
- loose switch
- 松动的开关；台灯的问题。
- volunteer
- 志愿者；检查并给出建议。
- electrical part
- 电气部件；不能随意自行维修。
- qualified repairer
- 合格的维修人员；应处理电气问题。
- sew
- 缝；破包在另一张桌上被缝好。
- replace
- 更换；玩具换了新轮子。
- expect
- 原以为；实际场景与想象不同。
- skill
- 技能、手艺；人们在活动中交流。
Background notes (Chinese)
维修能延长物品使用时间，但电气故障等工作需要合格人员处理。文章没有鼓励自行拆修台灯，重点也不只是‘修好多少件’，还包括分享经验与判断修理是否安全。