Unit 1 拓展阅读 2026-2027学年外研版英语八年级上册

新外研八上时文阅读 U1-2答案与详解 1. 答案：B 详解： 文章第二段写道 Kevin说 “Because what if I’m wrong? Everyone will laugh.” 他害怕答错被嘲笑。A选项与原文相反（他知道答案），C、D选项原文未提及。 2. 答案：B 详解： 文章第三段写道 母亲说 “I think about the worst thing that could happen. Then I ask myself: Can I survive it?” 她让Kevin想最坏的结果，然后问自己能不能承受。A、C、D选项均与原文不符。 3. 答案：C 详解： 文章第五段写道 “Slowly, nervously, he raised his hand.” Kevin紧张地举起了手。同时他心里在想母亲的话，最终决定尝试。A选项与原文相反，B、D选项原文未提及。 4. 答案：C 详解： 文章写道 “No one laughed... ‘That’s right!‘ the teacher said. ’Well done, Kevin.‘” 没有人笑，老师还表扬了他。A、B、D选项均与原文不符。 5. 答案：B 详解： 文章最后一段写道 Kevin学到 “being wrong for a moment was better than being invisible forever.” 短暂地犯错比永远被忽视要好。A、C、D选项均不是故事的核心主旨。 汉语翻译 我举手的那一天 Kevin是班上最安静的男孩。他知道答案，但从不说出来。他的手一直放在课桌下面。他的声音一直卡在喉咙里。 “你为什么从不举手？”一天晚上，妈妈问他。 “因为如果我错了怎么办？”Kevin说。“大家会笑我的。” 妈妈沉默了一会儿。然后她说：“你知道我害怕的时候怎么做吗？我想最坏的结果是什么。然后我问自己：我能承受吗？通常，答案是能。” Kevin想了想。课堂上最坏的结果就是他说错答案。人们可能会笑。但他能承受吗？大概能。 第二天科学课上，老师问了一个关于太阳系的问题。Kevin知道答案。他的心跳开始加快。他能感觉到自己的手想举起来，但它很沉重，像石头做的一样。 他想到妈妈的话。我能承受吗？能。 慢慢地，紧张地，他举起了手。老师看起来很惊讶。“Kevin？” “答案是……木星？”他的声音很小，但没有颤抖。 “答对了！”老师说。“做得好，Kevin。” 没有人笑。几个同学转过头惊讶地看着他。但世界没有终结。天花板没有塌下来。Kevin还在那里，他没事。 从那天起，Kevin开始更经常地举手。有时他会答错。有时人们确实会笑。但他学到了重要的一课：短暂地犯错，比永远被忽视要好。 Stella原创 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $外研八上时文阅读 Unit1时文阅读全能训练三 拓展阅读 建议作答时间：10分钟 姓名： 评价： The Boy Who Was Different Sam was born with a birthmark on the left side of his face. It was large and dark brown, like a shadow that never went away. When Sam was little, he didn’t think about it. But when he started middle school, things changed. Kids stared at him. Some whispered behind his back. One boy called him “Shadow Face.” Sam started growing his hair long to cover his face. He wore hoodies even in summer. He avoided looking people in the eye. One afternoon, Sam’s art teacher, Ms. Chen, asked the class to draw a self-portrait. Sam felt his stomach drop. He hated looking at himself. He didn’t want to draw his face. Ms. Chen walked by his desk. She saw that his paper was empty. “Sam, why haven’t you started?” “I don’t want to draw my face,” he mumbled. Ms. Chen knelt beside him. “Can I tell you something? When I was your age, I had a big scar on my arm from a dog bite. I hated it. I always wore long sleeves. But one day, my grandmother said something that changed me. She said, ’That scar is a story. It says you survived something.’“ Sam looked at her. “But my birthmark isn’t a story. It’s just... there.” Ms. Chen smiled. “Maybe it’s a story that hasn’t been written yet. Maybe it’s the story of someone who learns to be brave.” Sam didn’t know what to say. But when he started drawing, he didn’t hide his face. He drew the birthmark. He drew his eyes, which were bright and curious. He drew himself. When the drawings were put on the wall, Sam was nervous. He waited for someone to laugh. But instead, a girl from his class said, “Your drawing is really cool. You look like a superhero.” Sam looked at his self-portrait. For the first time, he thought: Maybe being different isn’t a weakness. Maybe it’s just being me. Core Vocabulary birthmark /ˈbɜːθmɑːk/ n. 胎记 whisper /ˈwɪspə/ v. 低声说；耳语 self-portrait /ˌself ˈpɔːtrət/ n. 自画像 mumble /ˈmʌmbl/ v. 含糊地说；咕哝 scar /skɑː/ n. 伤疤 survive /səˈvaɪv/ v. 幸存；活下来 Comprehension Questions 1. Why did Sam grow his hair long and wear hoodies? A. Because he liked the style. B. Because he wanted to hide his birthmark. C. Because his mother told him to. D. Because it was cold at school. 2. What did Ms. Chen share with Sam? A. A story about her own scar. B. A book about art. C. A picture of her family. D. A song she wrote. 3. What did Ms. Chen say about her grandmother’s words? A. The scar was ugly and should be hidden. B. The scar was a story that showed she survived something. C. The scar was a mistake. D. The scar was nothing to worry about. 4. What did Sam draw in his self-portrait? A. A superhero. B. His face, including the birthmark. C. A dark shadow. D. Ms. Chen. 5. What did Sam learn at the end of the story? A. He should change his appearance. B. Being different might not be a weakness. C. Art is too difficult. D. He should never look at himself. Stella原创资料 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $The day I raised my hand, Kevin was the quietest boy in class. He knew the answers, but he never said them. His hand stayed under his desk. His voice stayed in his throat. Why don't you ever raise your hand? His mother asked one evening because, what if i'm wrong? Kevin said, everyone will laugh. His mother was quiet for a moment. Then he said, you know what I do when i'm afraid I think about the worst thing that could happen. Then I ask myself, can I survive IT? Usually the answer is yes. Kevin thought about that. The worst thing that could happen in class was that he would say the wrong answer. People might laugh, but would he survive IT? Probably the next day in science class, the teacher asked a question about the solar system. Kevin knew the answer. His heart started beating fast. He could feel his hand wanting to go up, but I felt heavy, like I was made of stone. He thought about his mother's words, can I survive? IT? yes. Slowly, nervously, he raised his hand. The teacher look surprised. Yes, Kevin, the answer is jupiter. His voice came out small, but I didn't say that's right. The teacher said, well done, Kevin. No one laughed. A few classmates turned to look at him, was surprised. But the world didn't end. The ceiling didn't fall. Kevin was still there, and he was still okay. After that day, Kevin started raising his hand more often. Sometimes he was wrong, sometimes people did laugh, but he learned something important. Being wrong for a moment was Better than being invisible forever. 外研八上时文阅读 Unit1时文阅读全能训练一 拓展阅读 建议作答时间：10分钟 姓名： 评价： The Girl in the Mirror Lily used to hate mirrors. Every morning, she would look at herself and find something wrong. “My hair is too curly,” she thought. “My nose is too big. My glasses make me look like a nerd.” At school, Lily tried to be invisible. She sat at the back of the class and never raised her hand. When the teacher asked a question, she looked down at her desk. She was afraid that everyone was looking at her, judging her. One day, a new girl named Maya joined the class. Maya was friendly and confident. She sat next to Lily and smiled. “I like your glasses,” Maya said. “They make you look smart.” Lily was surprised. “Really? I think they make me look ugly.” Maya shook her head. “Why would you say that? You have beautiful eyes. The glasses just frame them.” Lily didn't know what to say. No one had ever said something nice about her appearance before. She had spent so many years telling herself that she wasn't good enough that she couldn't believe anyone who said otherwise. Over the next few weeks, Lily and Maya became friends. Maya was different from Lily. She laughed loudly, asked questions in class, and wore whatever she liked. When Lily asked her why she wasn't afraid of what others thought, Maya said, “I used to be. But then I realized something. Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves to notice my mistakes.” That night, Lily looked in the mirror again. This time, she didn't look for what was wrong. She looked at her eyes, which were bright and kind. She looked at her hair, which had soft curls. She looked at her glasses, which helped her read and learn. For the first time, she didn't want to look away. She whispered to herself, “This is me. And that's okay.” Core Vocabulary invisible /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ adj. 看不见的；被忽视的 judge /dʒʌdʒ/ v. 评判；对……说三道四 frame /freɪm/ v. 衬托；给……镶框 otherwise /ˈʌðəwaɪz/ adv. 另外；在其他方面 confidence /ˈkɒnfɪdəns/ n. 自信；信心 whisper /ˈwɪspə/ v. 低语；小声说 Comprehension Questions 1. Why did Lily hate mirrors? A. Because she didn‘t have a mirror at home. B. Because she always found something wrong with herself. C. Because her sister broke her mirror. D. Because mirrors were expensive. 2. What did Maya say about Lily's glasses? A. They were too old. B. They made Lily look smart. C. They were the wrong colour. D. They should be replaced. 3. Why was Lily surprised by Maya‘s compliment? A. Because she never received compliments before. B. Because Maya was a teacher. C. Because she didn't like Maya. D. Because compliments were not allowed. 4. What did Maya say about worrying about others‘ opinions? A. Everyone always notices your mistakes. B. You should always listen to others. C. Most people are too busy worrying about themselves. D. You should never change anything about yourself. 5. What did Lily learn at the end of the story? A. She should buy new glasses. B. She should become more like Maya. C. She could accept herself as she was. D. She should avoid mirrors forever. Stella原创资料 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $外研八上时文阅读 Unit1时文阅读全能训练四 拓展阅读 建议作答时间：10分钟 姓名： 评价： The Quiet Gift Jasmine was the quietest girl in the room. She didn’t talk much in class. She didn’t laugh loudly at lunch. When the teacher asked for volunteers, she looked at the floor. Her classmates thought she was shy. Some thought she was unfriendly. But none of them really knew her. What they didn’t know was that Jasmine was watching. She noticed everything. She saw that the boy in the corner was sad because his dog was sick. She saw that the girl who always smiled was actually tired and worried. She saw that the teacher’s hands shook when she handed back tests. Jasmine didn’t know how to say these things out loud. But she knew how to write them. Every night, Jasmine wrote in her notebook. She wrote about what she saw. She wrote about how she felt. She wrote about the world around her. Writing was her voice when speaking was too hard. One day, the school announced a writing competition. The theme was “What I See.” Jasmine’s teacher encouraged her to enter. “But I can’t,” Jasmine said. “My writing is just... for me.” “That’s exactly why it should be shared,” her teacher said. Jasmine worked on her story for two weeks. She wrote about the quiet things no one else noticed. She wrote about the boy with the sick dog, the tired girl who smiled, and the teacher with shaking hands. She wrote about how being quiet didn’t mean being empty. When the results came, Jasmine’s story won first place. The judges said it was “beautifully honest.” At the school assembly, Jasmine had to read her story aloud. Her hands shook. Her voice was soft. But she read every word. When she finished, the room was silent. Then the boy with the sick dog stood up and clapped. Then the girl who always smiled. Then the teacher. Then everyone. Jasmine realized something. She had always thought being quiet was a weakness. But it was her gift. She saw what others missed. And now, through her writing, she could share it with the world. Core Vocabulary volunteer /ˌvɒlənˈtɪə/ n. 志愿者 announce /əˈnaʊns/ v. 宣布；公布 competition /ˌkɒmpəˈtɪʃn/ n. 比赛；竞赛 encourage /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/ v. 鼓励 assembly /əˈsembli/ n. 集会；全校大会 observant /əbˈzɜːvənt/ adj. 善于观察的 Comprehension Questions 1. Why did Jasmine’s classmates think she was shy? A. Because she talked too much. B. Because she was quiet and didn’t volunteer. C. Because she was new to the school. D. Because she failed a test. 2. What was Jasmine good at doing? A. Speaking in public. B. Playing sports. C. Observing and writing. D. Making friends quickly. 3. What did Jasmine write about in her competition story? A. A fantasy world. B. The quiet things she noticed that others missed. C. Her favorite sports team. D. A trip to another country. 4. How did Jasmine feel when she read her story at the assembly? A. Completely relaxed. B. Angry and frustrated. C. Nervous but she did it. D. Bored and uninterested. 5. What is the main message of this story? A. Quiet people are unfriendly. B. Being quiet can be a gift, not a weakness. C. Writing is only for English class. D. You should always talk more in class. Stella原创资料 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $新外研八上时文阅读 U1-3答案与详解 1. 答案：B 详解： 文章第三段写道 Sam “started growing his hair long to cover his face. He wore hoodies even in summer.” 他留长发、穿连帽衫是为了遮住胎记。A、C、D选项均无依据。 2. 答案：A 详解： 文章写道 Ms. Chen说 “When I was your age, I had a big scar on my arm from a dog bite.” 她分享了自己手臂上伤疤的故事。B、C、D选项原文均未提及。 3. 答案：B 详解： 文章写道 奶奶说 “That scar is a story. It says you survived something.” 伤疤是一个故事，说明你挺过了某件事。A选项与奶奶的话相反，C、D选项与原文不符。 4. 答案：B 详解： 文章写道 “He drew the birthmark. He drew his eyes... He drew himself.” Sam画了自己的脸，包括胎记。A、C、D选项均与原文不符。 5. 答案：B 详解： 文章最后一段写道 Sam想 “Maybe being different isn’t a weakness.” 也许与众不同不是弱点。A、C、D选项均与故事主旨相反。 翻译 与众不同的男孩 Sam出生时，左脸上就有一块胎记。它很大，深棕色，像一片永远不散的阴影。 Sam小时候并不在意。但上初中后，事情变了。孩子们盯着他看。有些人在背后窃窃私语。一个男孩叫他“阴影脸”。 Sam开始留长发遮住脸。他夏天也穿连帽衫。他避免和别人对视。 一天下午，Sam的美术老师陈老师让全班画自画像。Sam感觉胃沉了下去。他讨厌看自己。他不想画自己的脸。 陈老师走过他的课桌。她看到他的纸是空白的。“Sam，你怎么还没开始？” “我不想画我的脸，”他嘟囔着。 陈老师蹲在他旁边。“我能告诉你一件事吗？我像你这么大的时候，手臂上有一个很大的狗咬伤疤。我恨它。我总是穿长袖。但有一天，我奶奶说了一句话，改变了我。她说：’那个伤疤是一个故事。它说明你挺过了某件事。’” Sam看着她。“但我的胎记不是故事。它只是……在那里。” 陈老师笑了。“也许它是个还没写出来的故事。也许它是关于一个人学会勇敢的故事。” Sam不知道该说什么。但当他开始画画时，他没有遮住自己的脸。他画了胎记。他画了自己明亮好奇的眼睛。他画了自己。 当画被挂到墙上时，Sam很紧张。他等着有人笑。但一个女同学说：“你的画真酷。你看起来像个超级英雄。” Sam看着自己的自画像。第一次，他想：也许与众不同不是弱点。也许那就是我。 Stella原创 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $外研八上时文阅读 Unit1时文阅读全能训练二 拓展阅读 建议作答时间：10分钟 姓名： 评价： The Day I Raised My Hand Kevin was the quietest boy in class. He knew the answers, but he never said them. His hands stayed under his desk. His voice stayed in his throat. “Why don't you ever raise your hand?” his mother asked one evening. “Because what if I'm wrong?” Kevin said. “Everyone will laugh.” His mother was quiet for a moment. Then she said, “You know what I do when I'm afraid? I think about the worst thing that could happen. Then I ask myself: Can I survive it? Usually, the answer is yes.” Kevin thought about that. The worst thing that could happen in class was that he would say the wrong answer. People might laugh. But would he survive it? Probably. The next day in science class, the teacher asked a question about the solar system. Kevin knew the answer. His heart started beating fast. He could feel his hand wanting to go up, but it felt heavy, like it was made of stone. He thought about his mother's words. Can I survive it? Yes. Slowly, nervously, he raised his hand. The teacher looked surprised. “Yes, Kevin?” “The answer is... Jupiter?” His voice came out small, but it didn't shake. “That's right!” the teacher said. “Well done, Kevin.” No one laughed. A few classmates turned to look at him with surprise. But the world didn't end. The ceiling didn't fall. Kevin was still there, and he was still okay. After that day, Kevin started raising his hand more often. Sometimes he was wrong. Sometimes people did laugh. But he learned something important: being wrong for a moment was better than being invisible forever. Core Vocabulary nervously /ˈnɜːvəsli/ adv. 紧张地； nervously survive /səˈvaɪv/ v. 承受住；从……中活过来 solar system /ˈsəʊlə ˈsɪstəm/ n. 太阳系 ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ n. 天花板 invisible /ɪnˈvɪzəbl/ adj. 被忽视的；看不见的 determined /dɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ adj. 坚定的；下定决心的 Comprehension Questions 1. Why did Kevin never raise his hand in class? A. Because he didn‘t know the answers. B. Because he was afraid of being wrong. C. Because the teacher never called on him. D. Because he didn’t like science. 2. What advice did Kevin‘s mother give him? A. Never speak in class. B. Think about the worst thing and ask if you can survive it. C. Always be the first to answer. D. Ask the teacher for easier questions. 3. How did Kevin feel when he raised his hand? A. Completely calm. B. Angry and frustrated. C. Nervous but determined. D. Sleepy and bored. 4. What happened after Kevin answered the question? A. Everyone laughed at him. B. The teacher said he was wrong. C. No one laughed, and the teacher said “Well done.” D. He ran out of the classroom. 5. What is the main message of this story? A. Science is the most important subject. B. Being wrong for a moment is better than being invisible forever. C. Teachers should never ask difficult questions. D. You should always listen to your mother. Stella原创资料 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $新外研八上时文阅读 U1-4答案与详解 1. 答案：B 详解： 文章第一段写道 “She didn’t talk much in class. She didn’t laugh loudly at lunch.” 她在课堂上不怎么说话，午饭时也不大声笑。所以同学们以为她害羞。A选项与原文相反，C、D选项原文未提及。 2. 答案：C 详解： 文章第二段写道 Jasmine在观察，注意到很多细节。第三段写道 “She knew how to write them.” 她善于观察和写作。A选项与她的性格相反，B、D选项原文未提及。 3. 答案：B 详解： 文章写道 她写的是 “the quiet things no one else noticed.” 别人没注意到的安静的事情。A、C、D选项均与原文不符。 4. 答案：C 详解： 文章写道 “Her hands shook. Her voice was soft. But she read every word.” 她的手在抖，声音很轻，但她读了每一个字。她紧张但做到了。A选项与原文相反，B、D选项无依据。 5. 答案：B 详解： 文章最后一段写道 Jasmine意识到 “being quiet was a weakness. But it was her gift.” 她曾以为安静是弱点，但它其实是她的天赋。A选项与故事主旨相反，C、D选项均不是核心信息。 翻译 安静的天赋 Jasmine是房间里最安静的女孩。她在课堂上不怎么说话。午饭时也不大声笑。老师找志愿者时，她就看着地板。 同学们以为她害羞。有些人觉得她不友好。但没有一个人真正了解她。 他们不知道的是，Jasmine在观察。她注意到了所有事情。她看到角落里的男孩因为狗生病而难过。她看到那个总是微笑的女孩其实又累又担心。她看到老师发试卷时手在抖。 Jasmine不知道怎样把这些大声说出来。但她知道怎样写下来。 每天晚上，Jasmine在笔记本上写东西。她写她看到的事。她写她的感受。她写她周围的世界。当说话太难时，写作就是她的声音。 一天，学校宣布了一个写作比赛。主题是“我所看到的”。Jasmine的老师鼓励她参加。 “但我不能，”Jasmine说。“我的写作只是……给我自己的。” “这正是它应该被分享的原因，”老师说。 Jasmine花了两周写她的故事。她写了那些别人没有注意到的安静的事。她写了那个狗生病的男孩，那个疲惫却微笑的女孩，那个手抖的老师。她写了安静不等于空虚。 结果出来时，Jasmine的故事得了第一名。评委说它“美得诚实”。 在学校大会上，Jasmine必须大声朗读她的故事。她的手在抖。她的声音很轻。但她读了每一个字。 当她读完时，全场安静。然后那个狗生病的男孩站起来鼓掌。然后那个总是微笑的女孩。然后老师。然后所有人。 Jasmine意识到了一件事。她一直以为安静是弱点。但它是她的天赋。她看到了别人错过的。现在，通过她的写作，她可以和世界分享它。 Stella原创 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $新外研八上时文阅读 U1-1答案与详解 1. 答案：B 详解： 文章第一段写道 “Every morning, she would look at herself and find something wrong.” 她每天照镜子都能发现自己哪里不好。A、C、D选项原文均未提及。 2. 答案：B 详解： 文章第三段写道 Maya说 “I like your glasses... They make you look smart.” Maya说Lily的眼镜让她看起来很聪明。A、C、D选项与原文不符。 3. 答案：A 详解： 文章写道 “Lily didn’t know what to say. No one had ever said something nice about her appearance before.” 她感到惊讶是因为从来没有人夸过她的外貌。B、C、D选项均无依据。 4. 答案：C 详解： 文章写道 Maya说 “Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves to notice my mistakes.” 大多数人都忙着担心自己，没有空注意别人的错误。A、B选项与原文相反，D选项原文未提及。 5. 答案：C 详解： 文章最后一段写道 Lily对着镜子说 “This is me. And that‘s okay.” 她学会了接纳自己。A、B、D选项均不是故事的核心信息。 翻译 镜子里的女孩 Lily以前很讨厌镜子。每天早上，她看着自己，总能找到哪里不好。“我的头发太卷了，”她想。“我的鼻子太大了。我的眼镜让我看起来像个书呆子。” 在学校，Lily尽量让自己不引人注意。她坐在教室后面，从不举手。老师提问时，她就低头看着课桌。她害怕所有人都在看她、评判她。 一天，一个叫Maya的新同学加入了班级。Maya友好又自信。她坐在Lily旁边，笑了笑。“我喜欢你的眼镜，”Maya说。“它们让你看起来很聪明。” Lily很惊讶。“真的吗？我觉得它们让我看起来很丑。” Maya摇了摇头。“你为什么要那样说？你有一双漂亮的眼睛。眼镜只是衬托了它们。” Lily不知道该说什么。以前从来没有人夸过她的外貌。她花了太多年告诉自己不够好，以至于无法相信任何相反的话。 接下来的几周，Lily和Maya成了朋友。Maya和Lily不同。她大声笑，在课堂上提问，想穿什么就穿什么。当Lily问她为什么不怕别人怎么看时，Maya说：“我以前也怕。但后来我明白了一件事。每个人都忙着担心自己，没空注意我的错误。” 那天晚上，Lily又照了照镜子。这一次，她没有找哪里不对。她看着自己明亮善良的眼睛。她看着自己柔软的卷发。她看着帮助自己阅读和学习的眼镜。 第一次，她不想把目光移开。她小声对自己说：“这就是我。这样也很好。” Stella原创 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $The girl in the mirror, lilly used to hate mirrors. Every morning, he would look at herself and find something wrong. My hair is too curly. SHE thought. My nose is too big. My glasses make me look like a nerd. At school, lilly tried to be invisible SHE SAT at the back of the class and never raised her hand. When the teacher asked a question, SHE looked down at her desk. He was afraid that everyone was looking at her, judging her. One day, a new girl named mayer joined the class. Mayer was friendly and confident, SHE SAT next to lilly and smiled, I like your glasses, my assad. They make you look smart. Lilly was surprised, really. I think they make me look ugly. Ma shook her head, why would you say that you have beautiful eyes? The glasses just frame them. Lilly didn't know what to say. No one had ever said something nice about her appearance before. SHE had spent so many years telling herself that he wasn't good enough that SHE couldn't believe anyone who said otherwise. Over the next few weeks, lilly and mayer became friends. Mi was different from lilly. SHE left loud ly asked questions in class and war, whatever SHE like. When lilly asked her why SHE wasn't afraid of what others thought, ma said, I used to be, but then I realised something. Everyone is too busy worrying about themselves to notice my mistakes. That night, lilly looked in the mirror again. This time, SHE didn't look for what was wrong. SHE looked at her eyes, which were bright and kind. SHE looked at her hair, which had soft curls. SHE looked at her glasses, which helped her read and learn for the first time. SHE didn't want to look away. SHE whispered to herself, this is me and that's okay. The quiet gift, Jason was the quietest girl in the room. SHE didn't talk much in class. SHE didn't laugh loudly at lunch. When the teacher asked for volunteers, SHE looked at the floor. Her classmates thought he was shy. Some thought he was unfriendly, but none of them really knew her. What they didn't know was that Jason was watching. SHE noticed everything. He saw that the boy in the corner was sad because his dog was sick. SHE saw that the girl who always smiled was actually tired and worried. He saw that the teacher's hand shook when he handed back tests. Jason didn't know how to say these things out loud, but he knew how to write them every night. Jasmine road in her notebook, SHE wrote about what he saw. SHE wrote about how he felt. SHE wrote about the world around her riding was her voice when speaking was too hard. One day, the school announced the riding competition. The theme is what I see. Jesson's teacher encouraged her enter, but I can't, Jason said. My writing is just for me. That's exactly why I should be shared. Her teacher said, Jason worked on her story for two weeks. SHE wrote about the quiet things no one else noted. SHE wrote about the boy with the sick dog, the tired girl who smiled, and the teacher was shaking hands. SHE wrote about how being quiet didn't mean being empty when the results came. Justman story one first place, the judges said IT was beautifully honest at the school assembly. Jasmin had to read her story a loud, her hand shook, her voice was soft, but SHE read every word. When SHE finished, the room was silent. Then the boy with the sick dog stood up and clapped. Then the girl who always smiled, then the teacher, then everyone Jasmine realized something. He had always thought being quiet was a weakness, but IT was her gift. SHE saw what others missed. And now, through her riding, SHE could share IT with the world. The boy who was different, sam, was born with a birthmark on the left side of his face. IT was large and dark Brown, like a shadow that never went away. When sam was little, he didn't think about IT. But when he started middle school, things changed. Kids stared at him, some whispered behind his back. One boy called him shadow face. Sam started growing his hair along to cover his face. He warhoon d is. Even in summer, he avoided looking people in the eye. One afternoon sounds, art teacher miss can asked the class to draw self portrait. Sam felt his stomach drop. He hated looking at himself. He didn't want to draw his face. Mister walked by his desk. He saw that his paper was empty. Sam, why haven't you started? I don't want to draw my face. He mumbled, LED. Mister elt beside him, can I tell you something? When I was your age, I had a big scar on my ARM from a dog bite. I hate IT IT. I always wore long sleeves. But one day my grandmother said something that changed me. SHE said that scar is a story. IT says you survived something. Sam looked at her, but my birthmark isn't a story. It's just there. mr. N smiled. Maybe it's a story that hasn't been writing yet. Maybe it's the story of someone who learns to be brave. Sm didn't know what to say, but when he started drawing, he didn't hide his face. He drew the birth mark. He drew his eyes, which were bright and curious. He drew himself when the drawings were put on the wall. Sam was nervous. He waited for someone to laugh, but instead a girl from his class said, your drawing is really cool. You look like a superhero. Sm looked at his self portrait for the first time. He thought, maybe being different isn't a weakness. Maybe it's just being me.