Listen to the story, then read along. Record yourself reading when you're ready.
先听故事，再跟读。准备好了就录音读一遍。
Mia woke up early. She sat on the edge of her chair and rubbed her eyes. Today was the science fair, and her stomach felt tight. She walked to the mirror on the wall and looked at her tired face. She pulled on her favorite green shirt and chose a pair of socks to wear. Mia laced up her shoes by the door. The morning air felt cool against her skin. She took a deep breath and stepped outside.
Mia climbed the stairs to the gym, one hand in her pocket. The gym was wide and full of noise. Long tables and chairs stood in rows under bright lights. One poster had a green leaf taped to the corner. Another had a paper airplane with a bent wing. Mia found her own table near a tall window. She set down her box with shaking hands. Her project was a homemade water filter, built from sand, stone, and cloth. She had even packed an extra spoon to stir the layers. Clean water would pour out the bottom if it worked.
At nine o'clock, the judges began to walk around. Mia could hear the sound of shoes on the floor, getting closer. She watched them move from table to table, second by second. Her heart beat faster with every step. The stress made her stomach tighten. When the judges reached her table, she froze. Her mouth opened, but she could not speak. She rubbed her hands together and looked down. The judge smiled and waited silently. Mia took a breath and reached for her pitcher.
Her hands shook as she poured the dirty, thick brown water. Some of it splashed onto the floor, and her face turned red. Every muscle in her arms stayed tight as she pushed the pitcher forward. The water moved slowly through the sand and stone. Drop by drop, it dripped into a clean glass below. The judges leaned in closer to watch. One judge picked up the glass, held it to the light, and took a small taste.
"It's clear," the judge said, and Mia's whole body relaxed. Her tight shoulders dropped. She stretched out her fingers, curled from fists. Mia's voice came back, quiet at first, then stronger. She found the strength to explain each layer's shape — round stones, flat sand, soft cloth. The judges nodded and asked a question. One judge smelled the water, and her smile turned sweet. Another touched the cool glass and said it felt fresh.
When the questions ended, the judges wrote something down, and Mia could not see what it said. She stood by her table for a long minute, waiting. Her friend Leo walked over, rolling up his own poster under one arm. He gave her a high five, then kicked an empty water bottle across the floor. Mia laughed and threw a balled-up napkin at him. "You did great," he said, and Mia's face lit up. Her cheeks felt warm, and her eyes began to shine.
That evening, the whole school filled the gym again. Mia and Leo sat close together near the front. The principal walked up to a microphone, and everyone grew quiet and still. When Mia's name was called, she jumped out of her seat. She did not shout or say a word. She simply smiled so wide it almost hurt. Leo laughed and clapped his hands. Mia walked up, holding her small blue ribbon tightly.
Outside, the evening sky was turning pink and gold. Mia held the ribbon close to her chest. She did not need to tell anyone how she felt. Her wide smile and shining eyes said it all.
word = today's new words word = review words from earlier days
Today in class, these 19 words only got a quick look — not enough time to really practice them yet. Watch this video to get to know them better before we practice using them soon.
今天课上这19个词只来得及"认识一下"，还没机会真正练习。看看这个视频，为很快要做的产出练习打好基础。
Sort all 60 words, then practice the ones you're not sure about.
把60个词都过一遍，然后针对不确定的词做练习。
Pick just 1–2 words below that you like. Tap 🔊 to hear each word, look at the meaning and example sentence, then say your own sentence out loud. It's OK to look at the example while you talk — you don't need to memorize anything.
从下面挑1-2个你喜欢的词就行。点🔊听发音，看看中文意思和例句，然后自己说一句话。说的时候可以看着例句，不用背下来。