Fishing Derby

Girls can be good at anything · 女孩什么都能行

Every year in my town, we have a fishing contest. It's very exciting, and everyone wants to catch the biggest fish. If you win, you get a trophy and your picture in the local newspaper.

The rules are easy. When you catch a fish, you take it to the newspaper office and they weigh it. At the end of the day, the kid with the heaviest fish gets the prize. All you have to do is fish, fish, fish and if you're lucky, you'll catch the biggest.

I'm a girl, so the boys make fun of me for wanting to win. They say things like, "Girls shouldn't be in this contest. Fishing is a boy's sport." It makes me mad, but it also makes me more determined to win.

This year, I brought my fishing rod and my lucky fishing bait to a small lake near the town. Billy is the town bully. He decided to fish near where I was fishing. All day, he made rude comments about girls and fishing. I tried to ignore it. Still, it hurt a little.

Towards the end of the day, I had a few small fish, but I knew they were not big enough to win.

But finally, I caught a huge fish. It took a lot of skill to bring it to shore, but I managed! I decided to take it to the weighing station. As I was leaving, I noticed that Billy had a fish too. Not as big as mine, but pretty big. I was still sure that mine would weigh more.

That night, Mr. Jones announced that Billy had the biggest fish. Billy looked at me and sneered, "I told you that girls are not good at fishing."

A little later, Mr. Jones made another announcement. He said that Billy had cheated. Apparently, Billy had put some small stones inside the fish's mouth, and that made it weigh more than the true winner's fish.

"Sally is the winner," Mr. Jones announced. "She's a true sportsperson. She did not cheat."

When I look at my trophy, I smile.

Girls can be good at anything.

Best of all, I won the contest fair and square.

Fishing Derby — She won it fair and square

Every year in my town, we have a fishing contest. It's very exciting, and everyone wants to catch the biggest fish. If you win, you get a t(1)__________ and your picture in the local newspaper.

The rules are easy. When you catch a fish, you take it to the newspaper office and they w(2)__________ it. At the end of the day, the kid with the h(3)__________ fish gets the prize. All you have to do is fish, fish, fish and if you're lucky, you'll catch the biggest.

I'm a girl, so the boys make fun of me for wanting to win. They say things like, "Girls shouldn't be in this contest. Fishing is a boy's sport." It makes me mad, but it also makes me more d(4)__________ to win.

This year, I brought my fishing rod and my lucky fishing bait to a small lake near the town. Billy is the town b(5)__________. He decided to fish near where I was fishing. All day, he made rude comments about girls and fishing. I tried to i(6)__________ it. Still, it hurt a little.

Towards the end of the day, I had a few small fish, but I knew they were not big enough to win.

But finally, I caught a huge fish. It took a lot of s(7)__________ to bring it to shore, but I managed! I decided to take it to the weighing station. As I was leaving, I noticed that Billy had a fish too. Not as big as mine, but pretty big. I was still sure that mine would weigh more.

That night, Mr. Jones a(8)__________ that Billy had the biggest fish. Billy looked at me and sneered, "I told you that girls are not good at fishing."

A little later, Mr. Jones made another announcement. He said that Billy had c(9)__________. Apparently, Billy had put some small stones inside the fish's mouth, and that made it weigh more than the true winner's fish.

"Sally is the winner," Mr. Jones announced. "She's a true sportsperson. She did not cheat."

When I look at my trophy, I smile.

Girls can be good at anything.

Best of all, I won the contest f(10)__________ and square.

📌 重点单词 · Key Vocabulary

🔗 重点词组 · Key Phrases

💡 语法小贴士 · Grammar Tips

🎣 文化拓展 · Derby, Sportspersonship and Fair Play

标题里的 derby 原指英格兰德比郡的赛马会（derby day），后来泛指同城对决或社区里的年度大赛——Fishing Derby 就是北美小镇常见的钓鱼比赛。这种比赛通常由社区或报纸主办，规则和文中一样朴素：称重、拍照、登报。它是小镇的社交日，也是孩子的「第一次荣耀」：一张报纸照片，够吹一整年。

Mr. Jones 夸 Sally 用的词是 sportsperson——注意不是 sportswoman：体育精神的正式说法 sportsmanship 从来不分性别。往鱼嘴里塞石头是经典作弊桥段（世界真有钓鱼赛的「藏鱼」「塞秤」丑闻），而故事的解法很漂亮：不靠争论，靠诚实本身揭穿作弊。Sally 的三连句结局值得抄进作文——Girls can be good at anything. Best of all, I won the contest fair and square. 赢只是其次，fair and square 才是排面。

这也是我们这个系列反复出现的主题：上上篇里想当老师的男学生、上篇里昂首走路的 Sheena，到今天提着鱼竿的 Sally——偏见最好的回答，从来不是辩论，而是像她一样，把奖杯光明正大地抱回家。