Drawing legs on a snake

Story

1. 杨帆要给同学们做一张介绍学校的海报。

   Yáng Fān yào gěi tóngxué men zuò yì zhāng jièshào xuéxiào de hǎibào.

   Yang Fan has to make a poster introducing the school for his classmates.

   Words in this sentence

   杨帆 Yáng Fān

   Yang Fan (name)

   Learn to write

   要 yào

   to need to, to be going to; to want Dictionary

   给 gěi

   to give; for Dictionary

   同学 tóngxué

   classmate Dictionary

   们 men

   (plural for people) Dictionary

   做 zuò

   to make, to do Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   张 zhāng

   (measure word for flat things like photos) Dictionary

   介绍 jièshào

   to introduce Dictionary

   学校 xuéxiào

   school Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   海报 hǎibào

   poster Dictionary

2. 他很快就做好了，海报简单又清楚。

   tā hěn kuài jiù zuò hǎo le, hǎibào jiǎndān yòu qīngchu.

   He finishes quickly; the poster is simple and clear.

   Words in this sentence

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   很 hěn

   very Dictionary

   快 kuài

   fast Dictionary

   就 jiù

   then, right away Dictionary

   做 zuò

   to make, to do Dictionary

   好 hǎo

   good; OK Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   海报 hǎibào

   poster Dictionary

   简单 jiǎndān

   simple Dictionary

   又 yòu

   and also, on top of that Dictionary

   清楚 qīngchu

   clear Dictionary

3. 可是他觉得还不够漂亮，就加了很多花、星星和小动物。

   kěshì tā juéde hái bú gòu piàoliang, jiù jiā le hěn duō huā, xīngxing hé xiǎo dòngwù.

   But he thinks it isn't pretty enough, so he adds lots of flowers, stars and little animals.

   Words in this sentence

   可是 kěshì

   but Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   觉得 juéde

   to feel, to think Dictionary

   还 hái

   also, in addition Dictionary

   不 bú

   not Dictionary

   够 gòu

   enough Dictionary

   漂亮 piàoliang

   pretty Dictionary

   就 jiù

   then, right away Dictionary

   加 jiā

   to add Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   很 hěn

   very Dictionary

   多 duō

   many, a lot Dictionary

   花 huā

   flower Dictionary

   星星 xīngxing

   star Dictionary

   和 hé

   and Dictionary

   小 xiǎo

   small, little, young Dictionary

   动物 dòngwù

   animal Dictionary

4. 第二天，老师看了半天，问：“学校的电话在哪儿？”

   dì-èr tiān, lǎoshī kàn le bàntiān, wèn:“ xuéxiào de diànhuà zài nǎr?”

   The next day the teacher looks at it for ages and asks, "Where's the school's phone number?"

   Words in this sentence

   第二 dì-èr

   second Dictionary

   天 tiān

   day Dictionary

   老师 lǎoshī

   teacher Dictionary

   看 kàn

   to look, to watch, to read Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   半天 bàntiān

   a long time Dictionary

   问 wèn

   to ask Dictionary

   学校 xuéxiào

   school Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   电话 diànhuà

   phone call, telephone Dictionary

   在 zài

   at, in; to be at Dictionary

   哪儿 nǎr

   where Dictionary

5. 电话号码被一只小猫挡住了。

   diànhuà hàomǎ bèi yì zhī xiǎo māo dǎng zhù le.

   The phone number is covered by a little cat.

   Words in this sentence

   电话 diànhuà

   phone call, telephone Dictionary

   号码 hàomǎ

   number Dictionary

   被 bèi

   (passive: by) Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   只 zhī

   (measure word for animals and some objects) Dictionary

   小 xiǎo

   small, little, young Dictionary

   猫 māo

   cat Dictionary

   挡 dǎng

   to block, to cover Dictionary

   住 zhù

   to stay, to live Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

6. 老师给他讲了一个故事：几个人比赛画蛇，先画完的人能喝一壶酒。

   lǎoshī gěi tā jiǎng le yí gè gùshi: jǐ gè rén bǐsài huà shé, xiān huà wán de rén néng hē yì hú jiǔ.

   The teacher tells him a story: some men had a snake-drawing race, and the first to finish would get a pot of wine.

   Words in this sentence

   老师 lǎoshī

   teacher Dictionary

   给 gěi

   to give; for Dictionary

   他 tā

   he, him Dictionary

   讲 jiǎng

   to tell, to explain Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   一 yí

   one, a Dictionary

   个 gè

   (measure word for people and things) Dictionary

   故事 gùshi

   story Dictionary

   几 jǐ

   how many Dictionary

   个 gè

   (measure word for people and things) Dictionary

   人 rén

   person, people Dictionary

   比赛 bǐsài

   to compete; competition Dictionary

   画 huà

   to draw Dictionary

   蛇 shé

   snake Dictionary

   先 xiān

   first Dictionary

   画 huà

   to draw Dictionary

   完 wán

   finished Dictionary

   的 de

   (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

   人 rén

   person, people Dictionary

   能 néng

   can, be able to Dictionary

   喝 hē

   to drink Dictionary

   一 yì

   one, a Dictionary

   壶 hú

   pot Dictionary

   酒 jiǔ

   wine, alcohol Dictionary

7. 一个人最先画完，可是又给蛇画了脚，结果酒被别人喝了。

   yí gè rén zuì xiān huà wán, kěshì yòu gěi shé huà le jiǎo, jiéguǒ jiǔ bèi biérén hē le.

   One man finished first, but then drew feet on his snake, and in the end someone else drank the wine.

   Words in this sentence

   一 yí

   one, a Dictionary

   个 gè

   (measure word for people and things) Dictionary

   人 rén

   person, people Dictionary

   最 zuì

   most Dictionary

   先 xiān

   first Dictionary

   画 huà

   to draw Dictionary

   完 wán

   finished Dictionary

   可是 kěshì

   but Dictionary

   又 yòu

   and also, on top of that Dictionary

   给 gěi

   to give; for Dictionary

   蛇 shé

   snake Dictionary

   画 huà

   to draw Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

   脚 jiǎo

   foot, feet Dictionary

   结果 jiéguǒ

   as a result, in the end Dictionary

   酒 jiǔ

   wine, alcohol Dictionary

   被 bèi

   (passive: by) Dictionary

   别人 biérén

   other people Dictionary

   喝 hē

   to drink Dictionary

   了 le

   (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary

8. 老师说：“这就叫‘画蛇添足’。”

   lǎoshī shuō:“ zhè jiù jiào‘ huà shé tiān zú’.”

   The teacher says, "That's what we call 'drawing legs on a snake'."

   Words in this sentence

   老师 lǎoshī

   teacher Dictionary

   说 shuō

   to say, to speak Dictionary

   这 zhè

   this Dictionary

   就 jiù

   then, right away Dictionary

   叫 jiào

   to be called; to call Dictionary

   画蛇添足 huà shé tiān zú

   to draw legs on a snake (to spoil something by overdoing it) Dictionary