Borrowing Light through a Wall

During the Western Han Dynasty, there lived a boy named Kuang Heng. His family was very poor, but Kuang Heng loved learning a lot. Because his family couldn't afford to send him to school, he often went to the school secretly, stood outside the classroom, and listened to the teacher's lessons through the window. In this way, he learned to read and write all by himself.

Kuang Heng wanted to read books very much, but he had no money to buy them. So he tried hard to borrow books from others. At that time, it was not easy to borrow books. However, his hard work and honesty deeply touched a rich family in the village. They let Kuang Heng work for them, and in return, he could read their books.

During the day, Kuang Heng worked in the fields to earn a living. At night, he read books by the dim candlelight. But sometimes, his family was so poor that he couldn't even afford a candle. One night, while he was studying, he noticed light coming through the cracks in the wall from his neighbor's house. Suddenly a wonderful idea came to him. He quietly made a small hole in the wall. From then on, he sat by the hole and used the neighbor's light to read books every night.

This story tells us that no matter how hard things are, if we love learning and are not afraid of difficulties, we can succeed.

在西汉时期，住着一个名叫匡衡的男孩。他家境十分贫寒，但匡衡非常热爱学习。因为家里负担不起送他上学，他便常常悄悄来到学堂外面，隔着窗子听老师讲课。就这样，他完全依靠自学学会了读书写字。

匡衡非常渴望读书，却没有钱买书。于是他努力向别人借书。在那个时候，借书并不是一件容易的事。然而，他的勤奋和诚实深深打动了村里的一户富有人家。这户人家让匡衡帮他们干活，作为回报，匡衡可以阅读他们家的藏书。

白天，匡衡在田间辛勤劳作以维持生计；夜晚，他便借着昏暗的烛光读书。但有时，家里实在太穷，他连一根蜡烛也买不起。一天夜里，他在读书时，忽然注意到邻居家透过墙壁裂缝照进来的光。霎时间，他心生妙计。他悄悄在墙上凿了一个小洞。从此以后，他每天夜里都坐在小洞旁，借着邻居家的光刻苦读书。

这个故事告诉我们：无论处境多么艰难，只要我们热爱学习、不畏惧困难，就一定能获得成功。

重点核心短语

• in the Western Han Dynasty 在西汉时期

• couldn't afford to do sth. 负担不起做某事

• love learning a lot 非常热爱学习

• listen to the teacher's lessons 听老师讲课

• learn to read and write all by oneself 全靠自学读书写字

• try hard to borrow books from… 努力向某人借书

• work for sb. 为某人干活

• in return 作为回报

• during the day 白天

• by the dim candlelight 借着昏暗的烛光

• come through the cracks 透过裂缝照进来

• make a small hole in the wall 在墙上凿一个小洞

• from then on 从那时起

• no matter how… 无论多么……

• be not afraid of difficulties 不畏惧困难

阅读理解问答题

Questions:

1. Why couldn't Kuang Heng go to school?

2. How did Kuang Heng learn to read and write without going to school?

3. Why did the rich family in the village let Kuang Heng read their books?

4. What did Kuang Heng do when he couldn't afford a candle at night?

5. What lesson does this story tell us?

Keys:

1. Because his family was very poor and couldn't afford to send him to school.

2. He often went to the school secretly, stood outside the classroom and listened to the teacher's lessons. In this way, he learned to read and write all by himself.

3. Because his hard work and honesty touched the rich family deeply. They let him work for them, and in return, he could read their books.

4. When he noticed the light coming through the cracks in the wall from his neighbor's house, he made a small hole in the wall. From then on, he sat by the hole and used the neighbor's light to read books every night.

5. The story tells us that no matter how hard things are, if we love learning and are not afraid of difficulties, we can succeed.

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