内容正文:
Unit 6 A Writing Kit for a Short Story About Wisdom
I. Story Planning Table: Sima Guang and the Water Tank (Title)
Part
Section
Details & Questions to Answer
Content
Part 1: Setting the Scene
Time
When does the story happen?
One sunny afternoon.
Place
Where does the story happen?
In a garden with a large water tank.
Weather/Atmosphere
What is the weather like? What is the mood of the setting?
Sunny day; happy at first, then scary
Character(s)
Appearance: What do they look like?
Clothes: What are they wearing?
Feelings: How do they feel at the start?
Sima Guang and his friends were young children.
They were happy and playing.
Part 2: Developing the Story
Beginning
What event starts the story? What is the first thing that happens?
One of the youngest boys climbed onto the tank, slipped, and fell into the deep water.
Middle
What is the main event or problem? What happens next? How does the character react?
The boy was drowning. The other children panicked.
Sima Guang thought quickly. He picked up a big stone and hit the tank.
End
How is the problem solved or the event concluded? What is the final action?
Sima Guang broke the tank, the water flowed out.
And the boy was saved.
Part 3: Ending the Story
Character's Action
What does the character do after the main event is over?
The adults arrived. Sima Guang had saved his friend.
Character's Feeling
How does the character feel at the very end?
The adults were amazed.
Sima Guang felt proud of his quick thinking and wisdom.
Ⅱ.Sentence Imitation
Model Sentence
Your Turn to Imitate
1. It was another hot and dry summer.
It was a sunny morning. Sima Guang and some children were playing happily in the yard.
2. Outside the main gate of the city stood a huge wooden horse.
In the corner of the yard stood a deep water tank, filled with water.
3. Seconds later, the captain stood on the high wall of the city of Troy.
Moments later, the boy struggled in the deep water tank.
4. But the captain was no longer listening. He was going up the stairs—three at a time.
But Sima Guang was not panicking. He was looking around quickly—for something heavy.
5. They waited for another hour, to be sure. Then, very carefully, they opened the secret door...
Sima Guang thought for a second, to be sure. Then, very quickly, he picked up a big stone and ran toward the tank.
6. No guards were around so they quietly made their way to the main gate...
No adults were near so he lifted the stone with all his strength and hit the tank hard.
7. In the end, they succeeded in capturing it in just one night with a clever trick—and without any fighting.
In the end, Sima Guang succeeded in saving the child in just a minute with a smart idea—and without waiting for adults.
8. By midnight, the main square was empty, except for the huge horse.
By sunset, the yard was silent again, except for the broken tank.
9. The Trojan captain cried when we captured him, but all the Greeks were of course happy.
The child's parents felt thankful when they saw him safe, and all the kids of course looked at Sima Guang with admiration.
10. Now, we could finally go home!
Now, they could finally celebrate his quick thinking!
Ⅲ.Toolkit for Writing a Short Story About Wisdom
Category
Sub-category
Examples
Part 1: Setting the Scene
Time and Place
One sunny afternoon...
In a faraway kingdom...
A long time ago, in a small village...
It was a dark and stormy night...
In the heart of the forest...
Weather
The sun was shining brightly.
A gentle breeze was blowing.
Dark clouds covered the sky.
It was cold and windy.
The air was fresh after the rain.
Character Description
(Appearance, Clothes, Feelings)
He/She looked tired but determined.
She wore a long, blue dress.
His eyes were full of curiosity.
They felt nervous and excited.
She had a kind smile.
He was dressed in old, worn-out clothes.
Part 2: Developing the Story
Beginning the Story
One day, something strange happened...
The problem started when...
Everything changed when...
He/She had an idea...
They decided to...
Middle of the Story (Events)
First, they tried to...
Then, something unexpected occurred...
After that, they realized...
Meanwhile, the situation became more difficult.
They worked together to solve the problem.
Using Wisdom
He/She thought carefully and came up with a plan.
Using his/her wisdom, he/she found a solution.
They used a clever trick to...
It was a smart idea to...
He/She remembered an old saying: “...”
Part 3: Ending the Story
Character’s Actions and Feelings
In the end, they felt proud and happy.
He/She learned an important lesson.
They celebrated their success.
Everyone was relieved and joyful.
He/She knew that wisdom was more powerful than strength.
Moral or Lesson
The experience taught them that...
From that day on, they always remembered...
They understood the true meaning of wisdom.
It was a story people would tell for generations.
Useful Transition Words and Phrases
Suddenly...
Soon after...
As a result...
Therefore...
Finally...
Luckily...
Unfortunately...
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