背课文Learning by Heart

New words

• 背bèi — to recite from memory
• 脑子nǎozi — brain
• 简直jiǎnzhí — simply, practically
• 好不容易hǎobù róngyì — with great difficulty
• 一下子yíxiàzi — all at once
• 总算zǒngsuàn — at last

The story

王老师：考试的时候要说很多话。所以这个星期，你们要背课文。In the exam you'll have to speak a lot. So this week, you're learning texts by heart.

大卫：背课文？背多少？Learn texts by heart? How many?

王老师：一个人背一个。大卫，你背第十二课：“我的城市”。One each. David, you'll do lesson twelve: "My City."

大卫：第十二课？那个课文有二十句！简直太长了！Lesson twelve? That text has twenty sentences! That's way too long!

安娜：二十句？很容易！我的脑子很好，我一下子就能背会。Twenty? Easy! I've got a great brain — I'll have it down in no time.

安娜：我每天吃附近超市的新鲜水果，脑子当然好！I eat fresh fruit from the supermarket nearby every day — of course my brain's great!

马克：我已经把这本书都背了。你看，书都破了！I've already learned this whole book by heart. Look, it's falling apart!

大卫：这本书都背了？！你们俩的脑子是电脑吧？The whole book?! Are your brains computers, you two?

Opening the lesson…