Be Whoever You Want To Be

Be Whoever You Want To Be

If you are now a schoolwork-stricken student, you must have a confusion: Why do we learn English? This question might have confused plenty of students, and I’m no exception. I've been learning English since I was six, and it has given me so much joy. I still remembered while reading my first English novels, the Magic Tree House series, I had a better understanding of the stories, because I was able to read them in English, not the translation ones. People say that a good book isn't only functioned as a book; it also triggered the confidence of the inner world. To me, the Magic Tree House stories were the very kingdom, not only did they spur on my creativity, but let me know  I can be whoever I want to be. That's why I was immersed in the stories all the time in my childhood. 

 Since then, I often ask myself, how can I help others in a way which is not everyone would do? Then, it dawned on me that I can use my English ability to make people's lives be more convenient. I have applied to some organizations for the position of volunteering translator, and fortunately, I got picked. As the old proverb goes, "it's more blessed to give than to receive." Words can't describe how much sense of achievement I have when I can finally use my own power to contribute to society. Now I sincerely believe that’s the gift of English and that is  Magic Tree House stories taught me- be whoever you want to be.

高中生的青春告白  

如果你現在是一個課業繁重的學生，你一定有個疑問：為什麼我們要學英文？很多人應該都對這個問題很疑惑，我也不例外。我從小開始學英文，而它帶給了我很多快樂。我還記得當我在閱讀我最初的英文小說，《神奇樹屋》系列時，因為讀的是原文而非翻譯過的譯本，我對劇情的了解更加清楚，因為英語的自然韻律和語感富含其中。人們說一本好書不僅僅是一本書，它更激發內心原生的力量。對我來說，《神奇樹屋》系列正是這樣的奇幻疆土，它們不僅激起了我的創造力，更讓我知道我可以成為任何想要成為的人，這就是為什麼我小時候常沉浸在它所賦予我的奇幻世界。

隨著年齡的增長，那些深根在我心的魔力並未消退，我常捫心自問，我要如何用不是每一個人都會做的方法幫助他人？後來，我想到英語力正是我的魔法，我要藉此力量讓人們的生活更方便。因此，我向幾個機構申請了翻譯志工，很幸運地我都被選中了。而當我開始用個人的力量貢獻到社會時，這樣的欣喜和成就感，更超越了文字能訴說的快樂。現在的我更深信這是英語帶給我的禮物，更是魔法樹屋教我的道理-成為你想成為的人。

撰文
Joyce Lee
薇閣高中二年級學生

文章修訂
Lily Wang
說故事的人英語工作室

老師對文章評論解析

大多數的人在處理閱讀之於英語的正向影響時，會將視角放在需要多閱讀讓英語變好，這樣飄渺的口號書寫。但其實這樣的共鳴非常有限，好的英語表達需要縮編，先將視角聚焦，提出實際的舉證，將你要表達的內容具體化。

此篇文章，兩個例證完整詮釋，Magic Tree House 作為夢想製造的源頭，此為範例一；範例二是他如何運用英語力完成了他對於曾在書中讀到的夢想"成為你想成為的人"生活的實踐，兩相呼應連貫，成為一篇輕鬆易讀，但意念清晰的文字內容，成功地告訴讀者英語對她的意義是甚麼。