doublel0814
随着经济活动的全球化，英语日益成为国际交往的重要工具，英语教育的低龄化使幼儿园英语教育逐渐成为教育界的一个热点话题。本文是初一英语课外短文，希望对大家有帮助!
名落孙山
In the Song Dynasty (宋朝) there was a joker called Sun Shan (孙山).
宋朝有一个很幽默的人，他叫孙山。
One year he went to take the imperial examination, and came bottom of the list of successfulcandidates.
有一年他去参加考试，公布名单时他是最后一名。
Back in his hometown, one of his neighbor asked him whether the neighbor's son had also passed.
回到家，他的邻居向他打听自己的儿子考得怎么样。
Sun Shan said, with a smile:"Sun Shan was the last on the list. Your son came after Sun Shan."
孙山笑着对邻居说：“孙山考了最后一名，你儿子的名字还在孙山的后面呢。”
The people used this idiom to indicate failing in an examination or competition.
人们用“名落孙山”来比喻考试没有考上或者选拔没有被录取。
毛遂自荐
In the Warring States Period, the State of Qin besieged the capital of the State of Zhao.
战国时代，秦国军队攻打赵国的都城。
Duke Pingyuan of Zhao planned to ask the ruler of the State of Chu personally forassistance.He wanted to select a capable man to go with him.
赵国的平原君打算亲自到楚国去请救兵，想挑选一个精明能干的人一同前去。
A man called Mao Sui volunteered.
有一个名叫毛遂的人，自告奋勇愿意同去。
When the negotiactions between the two states were stalled because the ruler of Chu hesitated to send troops, Mao Sui approached him, brandishing a sword. At that, the ruler of Chu agreed to help Zhao, against Qin.
平原君到楚国后，与楚王谈了半天，没有一点结果。毛遂怒气冲冲地拿着宝剑，逼近楚王，终于迫使楚王答应出兵，与赵国联合共同抵抗秦国。
This idiom means to recommend oneself.
“毛遂自荐”这个成语用来比喻自己推荐自己，不必别人介绍。
买椟还珠
A man from the state of Chu wanted to sell a precious pearl in the state of Zheng.
有个楚国人想在郑国出售一颗珍贵的珍珠。
He made a casket for the pearl out of the wood from a magnolia tree, which he fumigated with spices. He studded the casket with pearls and jade, ornamented it with red gems and decorated it with kingfisher feathers.
他用木兰为珍珠作了个匣子，用香料把匣子熏香，还用珠，玉，红宝石来加以装饰，并插上了翠鸟的羽毛。
A man of the state of Zheng bought the casket and gave him back the pearl.
一个郑国人买走了这个匣子，却把珍珠还给了他。
Too luxuriant decoration usually supersedes what really counts.
过于华丽的装饰往往会喧宾夺主。
This man from Chu certainly knew how to sell a casket but he was no good at selling his pearl. And the man of Zheng didn't know which is really valuable.
那个楚国人知道如何卖掉匣子，却不擅长出售珍珠(忽略了物品的重点，取舍不当)。至于买匣子的郑国人，他根本不懂什么才是真正有价值的。
silvia147852
初一英语阅读短文一：友谊的颜色
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel.All claimed that they were the best.The most important.The most useful.The favorite.
从前，世界上的各种颜色进行过一次争吵。每一种颜色都说自己是最好的，最重要的，最有用的，最美丽的、最受人喜欢的。
Green said:"Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."
绿色说：显然，我是最重要的。绿色是生命和希望的标志。草、树、叶子都选择了绿色。如果没有我，所有的动物都将死亡。鸟瞰乡村大地，到处都是绿色。
Blue interrupted:"You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."
蓝色打断他说：“你只考虑了陆地上的颜色，但是想想天空和海洋。水是生命之源，由云层从深海里带来。天空显得那么广阔、平和、宁静。没有我的平和，你们什么也不是。”
Yellow chuckled:"You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."
黄色轻声笑道：“你们全都如此严肃。而我把笑声、欢乐和温暖带给了世界。太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，星星也是黄色的。每次看见向日葵，全世界都开始微笑。没有我，世界将索然无味。”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet:"I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."
橙色紧接着开始自吹自擂：“我是健康和力量的颜色。我可能稀少，但是很珍贵，因为我能满足人类生命的需要。我含有最重要的维生素。想想胡萝卜、南瓜、橙子、芒果，还有木瓜。我没有一直闲着，当日出或日落时，天空涂满橙色，我的美丽让人震撼，那时没有人会想到你们。”
Red could stand it no longer he shouted out:"I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy."
红色再也控制不住了，他大声嚷道：“我是你们所有颜色的统治者。我是血--生命的颜色!我是危险和勇敢的颜色。我愿意为伟大的事业而奋斗。我把满腔热情融进血液。如果没有我，地球将像月球一样空空如也。我是激情和爱情的颜色，是红玫瑰、猩猩木和罂x的颜色。”
Purple rose up to his full height:He was very tall and spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom.People do not question me! They listen and obey."
紫色有高大的身躯，他伸展全身站起来，用洪亮的声音说道：“我是王位和权力的'颜色。国王、首领、主教总是选择紫色，因为我是权威和智慧的象征。人们从来不质疑我!他们只是聆听和服从。”
Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination:"Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."
最后，青色说话了，他比起其他的颜色显得安静很多，但其语气也非常坚定：“想想我。我是寂静的颜色。你们几乎注意不到我，但是如果没有我，你们将变得肤浅。我代表思索和反省、黄昏和深水。你们需要我作为反衬来取得平衡，需要把我作为祈祷文来求得内心的安宁。”
And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder.
颜色们继续自夸，每种颜色都确信自己的优越。他们的争吵声越来越大。
Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly.The colors crouched down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.
突然电闪雷鸣，大雨无情倾泻。因为恐惧，颜色们蹲下身子，互相靠拢以求安慰。
In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak:"You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."
在吵闹中，雨开始说话了：“你们这些愚蠢的颜色，相互争斗，试图支配其他的颜色。难道你们不知道每种颜色的形成都有着特殊的目的，每种颜色都是独特而与众不同的吗?手拉手，到我这儿来!”
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