Reading: A Short Story
BasicBeginning, middle and end.
- Story shape: beginning (character and setting) → middle (problem) → ending (solution).
- Find the main character first: Tom.
- Time and scene words set the mood: one cold winter morning.
文體小知識：Read and understand.
§Text Passage
1Last week, I read a story called 'A Snow Day'. The title is short and lovely. The author is a young writer from Canada. The main character is a boy named Tom. One cold winter morning, Tom woke up and looked out the window. Everything was white. It had snowed during the night. Tom jumped out of bed and ran downstairs happily. He put on his warm coat and boots.
2Outside, he made a big snowman. He used a carrot for its nose and two buttons for its eyes. His sister Mary came out and helped him find two sticks for its arms. Then they had a snowball fight. Tom laughed when a snowball hit his shoulder. Their dog ran around them in the snow. The problem came at noon when dark clouds covered the sky.
3Soon, big snowflakes began to fall again. Tom and Mary ran inside just in time. They drank hot chocolate and had warm soup. Later, the sun came out, and the ending was happy because the snowman was still standing. Every paragraph of the story is fun to read. The moral is simple: enjoy every happy day with your family.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Last week, I read a story called 'A Snow Day'.
上星期，我看了個叫《雪天》的故事。
The title is short and lovely.
這個標題又短又可愛。
The author is a young writer from Canada.
作者是一位來自加拿大的年輕作家。
The main character is a boy named Tom.
主角是一個叫 Tom 的男孩。
One cold winter morning, Tom woke up and looked out the window.
一個寒冷的冬天早上，Tom 起床望出窗外。
Everything was white.
全部都是白色。
It had snowed during the night.
整晚都下著雪。
Tom jumped out of bed and ran downstairs happily.
Tom 開心地跳下床，跑下樓。
He put on his warm coat and boots.
他穿上暖和的外套同雪靴。
Outside, he made a big snowman.
他在外面堆了個大雪人。
He used a carrot for its nose and two buttons for its eyes.
他用紅蘿蔔做鼻子，兩顆鈕扣做眼睛。
His sister Mary came out and helped him find two sticks for its arms.
家姐 Mary 出來幫他找了兩支樹枝做手臂。
Then they had a snowball fight.
接著他們打起雪仗。
Tom laughed when a snowball hit his shoulder.
有個雪球擊中 Tom 的肩膀，他哈哈大笑。
Their dog ran around them in the snow.
他們的狗在雪地上圍著他們跑。
The problem came at noon when dark clouds covered the sky.
到中午，問題來了——黑雲遮住了整個天空。
Soon, big snowflakes began to fall again.
不久，大片雪花又開始飄下來。
Tom and Mary ran inside just in time.
Tom 同 Mary 剛剛好及時跑回屋裡。
They drank hot chocolate and had warm soup.
他們喝熱朱古力，還有熱騰騰的湯。
Later, the sun came out, and the ending was happy because the snowman was still standing.
後來太陽出來，這個結局好開心，因為雪人還站著。
Every paragraph of the story is fun to read.
故事每一段都好好看。
The moral is simple: enjoy every happy day with your family.
教訓好簡單：和家人一起，好好享受每個開心的日子。
1Summary 重點摘要
Beginning, middle and end.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Tale.
Name.
Writer.
Section.
Hero.
Difficulty.
End.
Lesson.
3Step by step Steps
- BeginningThe beginning of a story introduces the characters and the setting: who the main character is, and when and where the story happens. Hold on to these facts, because everything that follows is built on them. If a story opens with Tom looking out of the window on a winter morning, we know at once who he is and where we are.
- MiddleThe middle is the main body of the story, where a problem or a difficulty appears and pushes the plot along. As you read, ask three questions: what happens, why does it happen, and how does the character react? The answers carry the story from the opening towards the climax and keep the reader interested.
- ClimaxThe climax is the most exciting part, where the problem is solved or the action peaks. Slow down here and notice the words the writer uses to build the mood, such as Suddenly or at last, along with exclamation marks. Exciting verbs and short, lively sentences often signal that the climax has arrived.
- EndThe ending settles the problem and usually leaves the reader with a moral or a message, for example the value of friendship or the joy of simple things. Ask yourself how the character has changed and what the writer wants to say. If you can state the moral in one line, you have truly understood the story.
- Follow the character's feelingsTrack how the main character feels from scene to scene, because these changes form the mood line of the story. Mark the feelings with simple words such as excited, worried or happy. For example, Tom is excited when he sees the snow, and that excitement sends him straight outside. Naming the change, and the reason for it, shows real understanding.
- Guess personality from actionsWriters seldom tell us directly what a character is like; they show it through actions and words. Find what the character does, then ask what quality it shows. For example, Tom rushes out to play in the snow at once, so we can infer that he is an excited and playful boy who loves the outdoors. Answer with the action plus the personality word, and your answer is well supported.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we break the story A Snow Day into its five parts — beginning, middle, climax, ending and moral?
- Step 1: Beginning — meet the character and the setting: the story opens with Tom on one cold winter morning, looking out of the window, so we know who and where before anything happens
- Step 2: Middle — say what happens: it begins to snow, and Tom goes out with his friends to play in it; the wish and the action appear here and push the plot forward
- Step 3: Climax — point to the most exciting moment: the part where Tom and his friends have the best time playing in the snow, the emotional peak of the whole story
- Step 4: End — tell how it closes: Tom goes home after playing and has something warm, so the story finishes on a warm, cosy note
- Step 5: Moral — sum it up in one line: simple joys with friends are the best, which is the message the writer wants to leave with us
- Answer: Sample answer: The beginning introduces the main character Tom on a cold winter morning; in the middle it snows and he goes out to play with his friends; the climax is the moment when they are happiest in the snow; the ending closes warmly at home with something warm to drink. The moral is: simple joys with friends are the best. When you break a story down, always answer in five parts — beginning, middle, climax, ending and moral — and give the key details of each part.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Story structure?
Q2Main character?
Q3Problem?
Q4Moral?
Q5Author?
Q6Title?
Q7What did Tom use for the snowman's nose?
Q8Who helped Tom make the snowman?
Q9How did Tom feel?
8Recap Recap
- Story shape: beginning (character and setting) → middle (problem) → ending (solution).
- Find the main character first: Tom.
- Time and scene words set the mood: one cold winter morning.
- The climax is the most exciting moment — watch how the writer builds it.
- Retell the moral in one sentence after reading.