Lesson 3
"My Toy" —Spinning Top

Guidance

Why did the author learn how to spin tops? 作者為什么要學習抽陀螺？

1 I was a top spinner almost by birth. My father was also a top spinner. As a kid I watched Dad's performances and thought of the spinning top as "his toy" .

2 Recently, I decided that I also wanted the spinning top to be "my toy" . I decided to start trying to actually spin the top and see how I could play it. ①

3 When I said "spinning top" , most people said, "What's that?" The top spinning community is much smaller in the United States now than it once was. ② As I understood it, Donald F. Duncan introduced the Yo-Yo to the United States when he first saw one of Pedro Flores Yo-Yo's in 1927. Later he bought the Flores Yo-Yo company and Yo-Yo trademark .

4 I bought my first spinning top in 1969. I was lucky to learn top spinning from my dad. ③ Spinning tops were still interesting. There were many ways that could be done with the spinning top requiring various levels of skills.

5 As I said, I was lucky to have my dad for a top spinning teacher. Unluckily I was not a very good student. As a child, I considered the spinning top as "Dad's toy". I had never thought that I could spin tops for myself. ④ Sure, I learned the simpleskill. I left the really cool tricks for Dad and the "experts" .

5 Currently , I am working to develop my skills so I can effectively share spinning tops with others. I have not put together a big performance yet, but I have performed in a few parades and small birthday parties.

(284 words)

Word bank

Notes

① I decided to start trying to actually spin the top and see how I could play it. 我決定開始試著認真地抽陀螺，并看看我究竟能玩到怎樣一種程度。

② The top spinning community is much smaller in the United States now than it once was. 如今在美國，玩陀螺的人比當年少了很多。

③ I was lucky to learn top spinning from my dad. 我有幸從我爸爸那兒學習抽陀螺。learn... from… 向……學習

④ I had never thought that I could spin tops for myself. 我之前從未想過我可以自己抽陀螺。

Practice

Ⅰ. Comprehension

1. What did the author think of the spinning top when he was a child?

A. He thought that he could spin tops for himself.

B. He had no idea what it is.

C. He considered the spinning top as "Dad's toy" .

D. He had no interest in spinning top.

2. When did Donald F. Duncan introduce the Yo-Yo to the United States?

A. In 1927.

B. In 1937.

C. In 1926.

D. In 1936.

3. Which of the following is not correct according to the fifth paragraph?

A. The author learned top spinning from his dad.

B. As a kid, the author had never thought that he could spin tops for himself.

C. The author learned the simple spinning top skill.

D. The author had learned all spinning top tricks.

4. We learn from the last paragraph that _____

A. the author had given up spinning top

B. the author is working to develop his spinning top skills

C. the author lose the interest in spinning top

D. the author has performed in lots of parades and big parties

5. When did the author start learning to spin tops and how did he learn?

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Ⅱ. Writing practice

What did the author think of spinning top as a child? What does he think of it now? How did the author change his attitude toward the spinning top?

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