初一英语课外短文阅读
随着经济活动的全球化，英语日益成为国际交往的重要工具，英语教育的低龄化使幼儿园英语教育逐渐成为教育界的一个热点话题。本文是初一英语课外短文，希望对大家有帮助!
初一英语课外短文：fail the exam
名落孙山
In the Song Dynasty (宋朝) there was a joker called Sun Shan (孙山).
宋朝有一个很幽默的人，他叫孙山。
One year he went to take the imperial examination, and came bottom of the list of successfulcandidates.
有一年他去参加考试，公布名单时他是最后一名。
Back in his hometown, one of his neighbor asked him whether the neighbor's son had also passed.
回到家，他的邻居向他打听自己的儿子考得怎么样。
Sun Shan said, with a smile:"Sun Shan was the last on the list. Your son came after Sun Shan."
孙山笑着对邻居说：“孙山考了最后一名，你儿子的名字还在孙山的后面呢。”
The people used this idiom to indicate failing in an examination or competition.
人们用“名落孙山”来比喻考试没有考上或者选拔没有被录取。
初一英语课外短文：volunteer to do sth/recommend oneself
毛遂自荐
In the Warring States Period, the State of Qin besieged the capital of the State of Zhao.
战国时代，秦国军队攻打赵国的都城。
Duke Pingyuan of Zhao planned to ask the ruler of the State of Chu personally forassistance.He wanted to select a capable man to go with him.
赵国的平原君打算亲自到楚国去请救兵，想挑选一个精明能干的人一同前去。
A man called Mao Sui volunteered.
有一个名叫毛遂的人，自告奋勇愿意同去。
When the negotiactions between the two states were stalled because the ruler of Chu hesitated to send troops, Mao Sui approached him, brandishing a sword. At that, the ruler of Chu agreed to help Zhao, against Qin.
平原君到楚国后，与楚王谈了半天，没有一点结果。毛遂怒气冲冲地拿着宝剑，逼近楚王，终于迫使楚王答应出兵，与赵国联合共同抵抗秦国。
This idiom means to recommend oneself.
“毛遂自荐”这个成语用来比喻自己推荐自己，不必别人介绍。
初一英语课外短文：get the casket and return the pearl
买椟还珠
A man from the state of Chu wanted to sell a precious pearl in the state of Zheng.
有个楚国人想在郑国出售一颗珍贵的珍珠。
He made a casket for the pearl out of the wood from a magnolia tree, which he fumigated with spices. He studded the casket with pearls and jade, ornamented it with red gems and decorated it with kingfisher feathers.
他用木兰为珍珠作了个匣子，用香料把匣子熏香，还用珠，玉，红宝石来加以装饰，并插上了翠鸟的羽毛。
A man of the state of Zheng bought the casket and gave him back the pearl.
一个郑国人买走了这个匣子，却把珍珠还给了他。
Too luxuriant decoration usually supersedes what really counts.
过于华丽的装饰往往会喧宾夺主。
This man from Chu certainly knew how to sell a casket but he was no good at selling his pearl. And the man of Zheng didn't know which is really valuable.
那个楚国人知道如何卖掉匣子，却不擅长出售珍珠(忽略了物品的重点，取舍不当)。至于买匣子的郑国人，他根本不懂什么才是真正有价值的。