雅思口语 Part 2&3 - [新增题目] - 传统故事

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Part 2

Describe an interesting traditional story.

You should say:

What the story is about

When/how you know it

Who told you the story

And explain how you felt when you first heard it

我的录音

I’d like to share the traditional Chinese story of Chang’e flying to the moon, which I first heard when I was about seven years old. My grandmother told me this story during the Mid-Autumn Festival, while we were sitting outdoors, admiring the full moon and eating mooncakes together.

Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节

The story is about Chang’e, a beautiful woman who was married to the legendary archer Hou Yi. After Hou Yi shot down nine suns to save the earth, he was rewarded with an elixir of immortality. However, due to a series of circumstances, Chang’e ended up consuming the potion herself and gradually floated towards the moon, where she has lived ever since, accompanied only by a jade rabbit.

an elixir of immortality

elixir noun /ɪˈlɪksə(r)/ (literary) a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses or to make people live forever 圣水；灵丹妙药；长生不老药

the elixir of life/youth 长生不老／永葆青春药

be rewarded with … 因……而获得奖励；被奖赏以……

float towards the moon 缓缓地飘向月亮

float 强调轻柔、缓慢、几乎不受重力影响的移动。

What made the experience especially memorable was the way my grandmother told the story. She used different voices for each character and added vivid gestures while describing Chang’e’s ascent into the sky. She even told me that this was why, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people believe they can see Chang’e’s silhouette on the surface of the full moon.

ascent into the sky /əˈsent/ 升入天空；飞向天空

ascent 指“向上的移动或上升过程”。

比 go up、fly up 更书面、更具画面感。

非常适合神话、传说或文学性叙述。

silhouette /ˌsɪluˈet/ 剪影；轮廓

When I first heard the story, I felt a mixture of wonder and sadness. The idea of someone living alone on the moon felt both magical and deeply lonely. That night, I remember staring at the moon, trying to catch a glimpse of Chang’e, and feeling amazed that such a romantic yet melancholic story could explain something as ordinary as the moon’s appearance. It sparked my long-lasting fascination with Chinese mythology and made the Mid-Autumn Festival feel far more meaningful and mysterious to me.

a mixture of wonder and sadness 惊叹与悲伤交织的情感

feel amazed that 对……感到惊叹

melancholic /ˌmelənˈkɒlɪk/ 忧伤而略带诗意的

spark my long-lasting fascination with Chinese mythology 激发了我对中国神话的长期兴趣

feel mysterious to me 在我看来充满神秘感

Part 3

What kind of stories do children like?

我的答案

Children tend to enjoy stories that are imaginative and emotionally engaging, especially those involving adventure, fantasy, or animals with human characteristics. These stories allow children to escape reality while still relating to the characters on an emotional level.

imaginative /ɪˈmædʒɪnətɪv/ 富有想象力的

emotionally engaging 情感上引人投入的

human characteristics 人类特征

What are the benefits of bedtime stories for children?

我的答案

Bedtime stories help children relax and develop a sense of security before sleep. More importantly, they foster language development, imagination, and emotional bonding between children and their caregivers.

caregiver noun /ˈkerɡɪvər/ (North American English) (British English carer) a person who takes care of a sick or old person at home 照料家居老弱病患者的人；家庭护理员

Why do most children like listening to stories before bedtime?

我的答案

Because stories create a calm and predictable routine, which helps children unwind after a stimulating day. Listening, rather than reading, also allows them to visualise the story without making any effort.

unwind verb /ˌʌnˈwaɪnd/ 放松；缓解压力

a stimulating day 充满刺激、信息量大的日子

What can children learn from stories?

我的答案

Stories often convey moral values, social norms, and emotional awareness. Through characters’ experiences, children learn empathy, problem-solving, and the consequences of certain actions.

convey moral values 传达道德价值观

social norms 社会规范；社会行为准则

emotional awareness 情绪意识；对情感的认知与理解

Do all stories for children have happy endings?

我的答案

Not necessarily. While happy endings are common, some stories deliberately include sad or bittersweet endings to teach children about loss, responsibility, or the complexity of real life.

bittersweet /ˈbɪtəˌswiːt/ adj. 苦乐参半的；既甜美又令人感伤的

complexity of real life 现实生活的复杂性

举例

For instance, some of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories, such as The Little Match Girl or the original version of The Little Mermaid, have sad or bittersweet endings. These stories reflect the complexity of real life and help children develop emotional maturity, rather than simply offering a happy conclusion.

Another example is The Little Mermaid by Andersen. In the original version, the ending is bittersweet because the mermaid does not get to be with the prince, but she gains spiritual growth instead.

This reflects the complexity of real life, where personal sacrifice does not always lead to romantic happiness.

Is a good storyline important for a movie?

我的答案

Absolutely. A strong storyline provides emotional depth and coherence. Even with impressive visuals, a movie without a compelling narrative often fails to leave a lasting impression.

a strong storyline 扎实、有吸引力的故事情节

storyline noun /ˈstɔːrilaɪn/ the basic story in a novel, play, film, etc. （小说、戏剧、电影等的）故事情节，本事 synonym plot

provide emotional depth and coherence 赋予情感深度和内在连贯性

coherence noun /kəʊˈhɪrəns/ [uncountable, singular] (formal) the situation in which all the parts of sth fit together well 连贯性；条理性

impressive visuals 令人印象深刻的视觉效果

a compelling narrative 引人入胜的叙事

narrative noun /ˈnærətɪv/ (formal)

[countable] a description of events （尤指小说中的）描述，叙述 synonym story
[uncountable] the part of a novel that tells the story, rather than the dialogue小说中讲述故事而不是对话的部分
[countable, uncountable] a way of explaining events to illustrate a set of aims or values 一种解释事件以说明一组目标或价值的方法