Confucius

During the Spring and Autumn Period, a great man named Confucius was born in Lu State. Since he was a child, Confucius was very smart and loved learning. He was really interested in old-time cultures. Even though his family was poor, he always studied hard by himself.

As he grew up, Confucius started to take in students. No matter whether they were rich or poor, he would welcome them if they wanted to learn. One day, a boy called Yan Hui came. He was dressed in old clothes, but he was eager to learn. Confucius saw the love for knowledge in his eyes and took him in.

Confucius traveled around different states with his students. He hoped to find a kind king to listen to his ideas about kind governance. Once, they went to a small state. The king there didn't like Confucius' ideas and even made fun of them. But Confucius said, "If people have different goals, they can't work together. Let's keep going."

Confucius believed everyone should be able to get an education. He taught students in different ways according to their characters. He also fixed up many old books, which helped a lot in Chinese culture. Although he had a hard life, he never gave up.

Finally, he went back to Lu State and focused on teaching and passing on culture. His stories and ideas are still important to us today.

春秋时期，一位伟人孔子出生在鲁国。孔子从小聪慧好学，对古代文化十分感兴趣。尽管家境贫寒，他一直刻苦自学。

长大之后，孔子开始招收弟子。无论学生贫富，只要有心向学，他都愿意接纳。有一天，一个叫颜回的少年前来求学。他衣衫破旧，却求知若渴。孔子从他眼中看到了对知识的热爱，便收下了他。

孔子带着弟子周游列国。他希望找到一位贤明的君主，采纳他仁政的主张。有一次，他们来到一个小国。该国君主不认同孔子的思想，甚至嘲笑他们。但孔子说：“道不同，不相为谋。我们继续前行吧。”

孔子认为人人都有受教育的权利。他因材施教，根据学生的品性采用不同的教学方法。他还整理了大量古籍，为中华文化传承做出巨大贡献。尽管一生坎坷，他从未放弃。

最后，孔子回到鲁国，专心讲学、传承文化。他的事迹与思想至今仍然影响着我们。

Key phrases

1. be born /bi bɔːn/ 出生
2. study hard /ˈstʌdi hɑːd/ 努力学习
3. take in students /teɪk ɪn ˈstjuːdənts/ 招收学生
4. no matter whether /nəʊ ˈmætə ˈweðə(r)/ 无论是否
5. be dressed in /bi drest ɪn/ 穿着……
6. be eager to learn /bi ˈiːɡə tu lɜːn/ 渴望学习
7. travel around different states /ˈtrævl əˈraʊnd ˈdɪfrənt steɪts/ 周游列国
8. make fun of /meɪk fʌn ɒv/ 嘲笑
9. according to /əˈkɔːdɪŋ tu/ 根据
10. fix up old books /fɪks ʌp əʊld bʊks/ 整理古籍
11. give up /ɡɪv ʌp/ 放弃
12. focus on /ˈfəʊkəs ɒn/ 专注于
13. pass on culture /pɑːs ɒn ˈkʌltʃə(r)/ 传承文化

Questions

1. Where was Confucius born?
2. What was Confucius’ idea about education?
3. Why did Confucius travel around different states with his students?
4. What did Confucius do when he went back to Lu State at last?
5. What does the sentence “If people have different goals, they can’t work together” mean in Chinese?

Keys

1. He was born in Lu State.
2. He believed everyone should be able to get an education, and he taught students in different ways according to their characters.
3. He hoped to find a kind king to listen to his ideas about kind governance.
4. He focused on teaching and passing on culture.
5. 道不同，不相为谋。

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