拇指英语说， 分享英语学习心得，技巧和方法。让英语学习变得更有趣，更简单。

在英语学习中，阅读是学生获得英语知识，提高英语能力与素养的重要途径。通过阅读，学生们可以增强语感、积淀文化知识，提高学生跨文化交际能力，从而整体提高他们的英语综合能力。

为增加阅读素材的多元化，拇指英语说特推出“报刊时文阅读素材积累系列”。众所周知，报刊阅读的材料内容丰富，真实感和时效性强，语言地道，话题轻松活泼，贴近学生生活。因此，报刊阅读是对校内英语教材的有益补充，有利于培养学生的阅读兴趣，提高阅读技能。本系列适合小学高年级至初中年级学生。按阅读难度，分为一星（小学高年级），二星（初中低年级）和三星（初中高年级）。

[来源】Teens

[主题语境】

[难度系数】 ***

学习的目的在于之后可以将学到的知识灵活运用。切莫刻舟求剑，生搬硬套。

Reading

There was once a very wise man who lived in ancient times. He was elderly and educated.

One day while on a walk, he realized that his shoes were starting to wear out. He knew he had to buy a new pair. But he didn’t want to buy the wrong shoes. He gathered some books and spent a lot of time reading about how to know if a pair of shoes fits properly.

Following the books’ instructions, the man took a stick and measured his feet with it. He then went to the market. However, he left the stick at home, which was far away from the shop.

By the time the man returned to the market, the shop was closed. And by that point, his shoes were completely worn out, so he had to return home barefoot.

The next morning, he walked back to the market with bare feet, but the shoes that he had chosen the day before had been sold. The wise man explained what had happened to the shopkeeper, who asked, “Why didn’t you buy the shoes yesterday?”

The wise man replied, “Because I forgot the stick that I had used to measure my feet back home. And you have to have the correct measurements of your feet before you can buy shoes. I didn’t want to buy the wrong size.”

Even more confused, the shopkeeper asked, “But your feet are always with you. Why didn’t you just try the shoes on?”

The wise man said, “All the books say shoes must be bought with the exact same measurements of the shoes you already own.”

Laughing, the shop owner replied, “You don’t need advice from books to buy shoes. You just need to have your feet, some money, and some common sense not to complicate things.”

【Word work】

gather v. 搜集instruction n. 说明measure v. 测量 (measurement 是其名词形式)complicate v. 使复杂化Difficult sentences:

By the time the man returned to the market, the shop was closed. And by that point, his shoes were completely worn out, so he had to return home barefoot.释义：到那时，他的鞋子已经完全磨破了，所以他不得不光着脚回家。点拨：point 除了指“观点；要点”之外，还可指“时刻；阶段”，by that point 指“到那一刻”。worn out 作形容词用，意为“不能再用的；穿破了的”。wear out 是动词词组，指“(使)磨损、用坏”。

At that point, a soldier opened fire on the car.

My trousers are almost worn out because I’ve worn them so much.

2. The next morning, he walked back to the market with bare feet, but the shoes that he had chosen the day before had been sold.

释义：第二天早上，他光着脚走回市场，但是前一天选的鞋已经卖了。点拨：the day before 单独使用时，指所叙述事情发生的“前一天”；

the day before yesterday 指“前天”；the day after tomorrow 指 “后天”。had been sold 是过去完成时的被动语态，表示“已经被卖了”。

Facing his questions, I completely forgot what I had done the day before.

Where did you go the day before yesterday?

【Comprehension test】

Choose the answer:

1. How did the man prepare to buy shoes?

A. He read lots of books about making shoes.

B. He used a stick to measure his feet.

C. He measured his worn-out shoes.

D. He asked the shopkeeper for advice.

2. Why didn’t the man buy shoes the second time he went to the market?

A. Because he didn’t know his measurements.

B. Because the shoe store was already closed.

C. Because he forgot to take his stick along.

D. Because the shoes he wanted were sold out.

3. What was the man like?

A. He was old and poor.

B. He was a real wise man.

C. He was not well-educated.

D. He lacked life experience.

4. What does the story teach us?

A. Books tell you everything you need.

B. It’s necessary to get more education.

C. Common sense can serve you well.

D. Deal with complicated things in a simple way.

【Vocabulary in use】

Fill in the blanks:

5. Some hospitals are using twins to __________ (搜集) information on a variety of diseases.

6. This book gives step-by-step __________ (instruct) for making curtains.

7. I can easily change the dress for you, but I’ll need your exact __________ (measure).

8. Some people are brilliant thinkers, but they have no __________ __________ (常识).

【Sharing seconds】 分享时刻

不唯上、不唯书、只唯实。——陈云

Keys:

1-4 BBDC 5. gather

6. instructions 7. measurements 8. common sense

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