全文 The whole set, with pinyin and English
看图 The pictures
图①：越野赛跑开始了，老师举起手为大家加油。
yuè yě sài pǎo kāi shǐ le lǎo shī jǔ qǐ shǒu wèi dà jiā jiā yóu
The cross-country run begins, and the teacher raises a hand to cheer everyone on.
图②：跑到一半，我累得满头大汗，同学们都跑到前面去了。
pǎo dào yí bàn wǒ lèi de mǎn tóu dà hàn tóng xué men dōu pǎo dào qián miàn qù le
Halfway, I am worn out and dripping with sweat, and my classmates have all run on ahead.
图③：好朋友俊杰跑回我身边，鼓励我不要放弃。
hǎo péng you jùn jié pǎo huí wǒ shēn biān gǔ lì wǒ bú yào fàng qì
My good friend Junjie comes back to my side and tells me not to give up.
图④：我们一起跑到终点，老师高兴地为我们鼓掌。
wǒ men yì qǐ pǎo dào zhōng diǎn lǎo shī gāo xìng de wèi wǒ men gǔ zhǎng
We reach the finish together, and the teacher happily cheers for us.
想一想 Guiding questions
问：比赛开始的时候，大家的心情怎么样？
bǐ sài kāi shǐ de shí hou dà jiā de xīn qíng zěn me yàng
How did everyone feel when the race began?
答：大家都很兴奋，站在起点摩拳擦掌，准备出发。
dà jiā dōu hěn xīng fèn zhàn zài qǐ diǎn mó quán cā zhǎng zhǔn bèi chū fā
Everyone was excited, standing at the start eager to go.
问：跑到一半，我遇到了什么困难？
pǎo dào yí bàn wǒ yù dào le shén me kùn nan
What trouble did I run into halfway?
答：我累得满头大汗，两条腿像灌了铅一样重，同学们一个个超过了我。
wǒ lèi de mǎn tóu dà hàn liǎng tiáo tuǐ xiàng guàn le qiān yí yàng zhòng tóng xué men yí gè gè chāo guò le wǒ
I was dripping with sweat, my legs felt as heavy as lead, and my classmates passed me one by one.
问：那时候，我心里在想什么？
nà shí hou wǒ xīn li zài xiǎng shén me
What was I thinking then?
答：我想：我真的跑不动了，干脆放弃吧。
wǒ xiǎng wǒ zhēn de pǎo bú dòng le gān cuì fàng qì ba
I thought: I really can't run any more; I might as well give up.
问：俊杰做了什么？说了什么？
jùn jié zuò le shén me shuō le shén me
What did Junjie do? What did he say?
答：俊杰放慢脚步跑回我身边，笑着说：“别放弃！我陪你一起跑！”
jùn jié fàng màn jiǎo bù pǎo huí wǒ shēn biān xiào zhe shuō bié fàng qì wǒ péi nǐ yì qǐ pǎo
Junjie slowed down, came back to my side and said with a smile, "Don't give up! I'll run with you!"
问：最后的结果怎么样？
zuì hòu de jié guǒ zěn me yàng
How did it end?
答：我们肩并肩冲过了终点。虽然没有拿到名次，但是老师笑着为我们鼓掌。
wǒ men jiān bìng jiān chōng guò le zhōng diǎn suī rán méi yǒu ná dào míng cì dàn shì lǎo shī xiào zhe wèi wǒ men gǔ zhǎng
We crossed the finish line side by side. We didn't get a place, but the teacher clapped for us with a smile.
问：这件事让你明白了什么？
zhè jiàn shì ràng nǐ míng bai le shén me
What did this teach you?
答：做事要坚持到底，不能轻易放弃。朋友的鼓励能给我们很大的力量。
zuò shì yào jiān chí dào dǐ bù néng qīng yì fàng qì péng you de gǔ lì néng gěi wǒ men hěn dà de lì liàng
Keep going to the end and don't give up easily. A friend's encouragement can give us great strength.
好词好句 Good words and sentences
一年一度 摩拳擦掌 满头大汗 气喘吁吁 超过 干脆 鼓励 咬紧牙关 肩并肩 名次 坚持到底 轻易
一年一度 yì nián yí dù: once a year; 摩拳擦掌 mó quán cā zhǎng: eager to get going; 满头大汗 mǎn tóu dà hàn: dripping with sweat; 气喘吁吁 qì chuǎn xū xū: out of breath; 超过 chāo guò: to overtake; 干脆 gān cuì: might as well; 鼓励 gǔ lì: to encourage; 咬紧牙关 yǎo jǐn yá guān: to grit one's teeth; 肩并肩 jiān bìng jiān: side by side; 名次 míng cì: a placing; 坚持到底 jiān chí dào dǐ: to keep going to the end; 轻易 qīng yì: easily
我跑得气喘吁吁，两条腿像灌了铅一样，越来越重。
wǒ pǎo de qì chuǎn xū xū liǎng tiáo tuǐ xiàng guàn le qiān yí yàng yuè lái yuè zhòng
I was running out of breath, and my legs grew heavier and heavier, as if filled with lead.
我的心里打起了退堂鼓。
wǒ de xīn li dǎ qǐ le tuì táng gǔ
Inside, I began to want to back out.
我咬紧牙关，一步一步地向前跑。
wǒ yǎo jǐn yá guān yí bù yí bù de xiàng qián pǎo
I gritted my teeth and ran on, step by step.
只要坚持到底，就是最大的胜利。
zhǐ yào jiān chí dào dǐ jiù shì zuì dà de shèng lì
As long as you keep going to the end, that is the greatest victory.
范文 Sample composition: 坚持到底
星期五早上，学校举行一年一度的越野赛跑。
xīng qī wǔ zǎo shang xué xiào jǔ xíng yì nián yí dù de yuè yě sài pǎo
On Friday morning, the school held its yearly cross-country run.
天空蓝蓝的，白云飘飘，草地绿油油的。
tiān kōng lán lán de bái yún piāo piāo cǎo dì lǜ yóu yóu de
The sky was blue, white clouds drifted by, and the grass was lush and green.
同学们站在起点，个个摩拳擦掌，准备出发。
tóng xué men zhàn zài qǐ diǎn gè gè mó quán cā zhǎng zhǔn bèi chū fā
My classmates stood at the start, every one of them eager to go.
老师举起手，大声喊道：“预备，开始！”我们立刻向前冲了出去。
lǎo shī jǔ qǐ shǒu dà shēng hǎn dào yù bèi kāi shǐ wǒ men lì kè xiàng qián chōng le chū qù
The teacher raised a hand and shouted, "Ready, go!" We dashed off at once.
一开始，我跑得很快，还跑在最前面。
yì kāi shǐ wǒ pǎo de hěn kuài hái pǎo zài zuì qián miàn
At first I ran fast, right at the front.
可是跑到一半，我就累得满头大汗，气喘吁吁，两条腿像灌了铅一样，越来越重。
kě shì pǎo dào yí bàn wǒ jiù lèi de mǎn tóu dà hàn qì chuǎn xū xū liǎng tiáo tuǐ xiàng guàn le qiān yí yàng yuè lái yuè zhòng
But halfway, I was dripping with sweat and out of breath, and my legs grew heavier and heavier, as if filled with lead.
汗水顺着脸颊不停地往下流。
hàn shuǐ shùn zhe liǎn jiá bù tíng de wǎng xià liú
Sweat kept running down my cheeks.
同学们一个接一个地超过了我，我急得快要哭出来了。
tóng xué men yí gè jiē yí gè de chāo guò le wǒ wǒ jí de kuài yào kū chū lái le
My classmates overtook me one after another, and I was so upset I nearly cried.
“我真的跑不动了，干脆放弃吧！”我的心里打起了退堂鼓，脚步也越来越慢。
wǒ zhēn de pǎo bú dòng le gān cuì fàng qì ba wǒ de xīn li dǎ qǐ le tuì táng gǔ jiǎo bù yě yuè lái yuè màn
"I really can't run any more. I might as well give up!" Inside, I began to want to back out, and my steps got slower and slower.
眼看终点还那么远，我真想坐在路边休息一下。
yǎn kàn zhōng diǎn hái nà me yuǎn wǒ zhēn xiǎng zuò zài lù biān xiū xi yí xià
Seeing how far away the finish still was, I really wanted to sit down by the path and rest.
就在这时，跑在前面的俊杰回过头来。
jiù zài zhè shí pǎo zài qián miàn de jùn jié huí guò tóu lái
Just then, Junjie, who was ahead of me, turned round.
他放慢脚步，跑回我身边，笑着说：“别放弃！终点就在前面，我陪你一起跑！”
tā fàng màn jiǎo bù pǎo huí wǒ shēn biān xiào zhe shuō bié fàng qì zhōng diǎn jiù zài qián miàn wǒ péi nǐ yì qǐ pǎo
He slowed down, came back to my side and said with a smile, "Don't give up! The finish is just ahead. I'll run with you!"
听了他的鼓励，我的心里一下子有了力量。
tīng le tā de gǔ lì wǒ de xīn li yí xià zi yǒu le lì liàng
Hearing his encouragement, I suddenly felt strength inside me.
我咬紧牙关，跟着俊杰的节奏，一步一步地向前跑。
wǒ yǎo jǐn yá guān gēn zhe jùn jié de jié zòu yí bù yí bù de xiàng qián pǎo
I gritted my teeth and kept to Junjie's pace, running on step by step.
我的腿还是很酸，可是一想到俊杰的话，我就不想停下来。
wǒ de tuǐ hái shi hěn suān kě shì yì xiǎng dào jùn jié de huà wǒ jiù bù xiǎng tíng xià lái
My legs were still sore, but whenever I thought of what Junjie had said, I didn't want to stop.
终于，红色的终点牌出现在眼前。
zhōng yú hóng sè de zhōng diǎn pái chū xiàn zài yǎn qián
At last, the red finish sign came into view.
我们肩并肩冲过了终点，老师站在终点旁，高高地举起手，为我们鼓掌。
wǒ men jiān bìng jiān chōng guò le zhōng diǎn lǎo shī zhàn zài zhōng diǎn páng gāo gāo de jǔ qǐ shǒu wèi wǒ men gǔ zhǎng
We dashed across the line side by side. The teacher, standing by the finish, raised a hand high and clapped for us.
虽然我们没有拿到名次，但是我一点也不失望。
suī rán wǒ men méi yǒu ná dào míng cì dàn shì wǒ yì diǎn yě bù shī wàng
Although we didn't get a place, I wasn't disappointed at all.
这次比赛让我明白：做事要坚持到底，不能轻易放弃。
zhè cì bǐ sài ràng wǒ míng bai zuò shì yào jiān chí dào dǐ bù néng qīng yì fàng qì
This race taught me to keep going to the end and not give up easily.
我也很感谢俊杰。有朋友的鼓励，再大的困难也不怕。
wǒ yě hěn gǎn xiè jùn jié yǒu péng you de gǔ lì zài dà de kùn nan yě bú pà
I am grateful to Junjie, too. With a friend's encouragement, no difficulty is too big.
范文二 倒叙开头 Starting at the finish line
终点的红色横幅下，老师笑着向我们挥手。
zhōng diǎn de hóng sè héng fú xià lǎo shī xiào zhe xiàng wǒ men huī shǒu
Under the red banner at the finish, the teacher waved to us with a smile.
我和俊杰一起冲过了终点线，两个人都笑了。
wǒ hé jùn jié yì qǐ chōng guò le zhōng diǎn xiàn liǎng gè rén dōu xiào le
Junjie and I crossed the finish line together, and we both smiled.
虽然我们是最后几个到达的，但是我觉得自己是最棒的。
suī rán wǒ men shì zuì hòu jǐ gè dào dá de dàn shì wǒ jué de zì jǐ shì zuì bàng de
Though we were among the last to arrive, I felt I was the best.
因为在半个小时前，我差点就放弃了。
yīn wèi zài bàn gè xiǎo shí qián wǒ chà diǎn jiù fàng qì le
Because half an hour earlier, I very nearly gave up.
那天早上，学校举行越野赛跑。
nà tiān zǎo shang xué xiào jǔ xíng yuè yě sài pǎo
That morning, the school held a cross-country race.
站在起点的时候，我信心满满，觉得自己一定能跑第一。
zhàn zài qǐ diǎn de shí hou wǒ xìn xīn mǎn mǎn jué de zì jǐ yí dìng néng pǎo dì yī
Standing at the start, I was full of confidence and sure I would come first.
老师一声令下，我就像小马一样冲了出去。
lǎo shī yì shēng lìng xià wǒ jiù xiàng xiǎo mǎ yí yàng chōng le chū qù
At the teacher's signal, I shot off like a pony.
可是没跑多远，我的速度就慢了下来。
kě shì méi pǎo duō yuǎn wǒ de sù dù jiù màn le xià lái
But before I had run far, I began to slow down.
我的喉咙干得像要冒烟，汗水把衣服都湿透了。
wǒ de hóu lóng gān de xiàng yào mào yān hàn shuǐ bǎ yī fu dōu shī tòu le
My throat was so dry it felt like smoking, and sweat soaked my shirt.
一个又一个同学从我身边跑过，我看着他们的背影，心里很难过。
yí gè yòu yí gè tóng xué cóng wǒ shēn biān pǎo guò wǒ kàn zhe tā men de bèi yǐng xīn li hěn nán guò
One classmate after another ran past me; watching their backs, I felt miserable.
我停下脚步，想：反正追不上了，不如放弃吧。
wǒ tíng xià jiǎo bù xiǎng fǎn zhèng zhuī bu shàng le bù rú fàng qì ba
I slowed to a stop and thought: I can't catch up anyway, so I may as well give up.
这时，一个熟悉的身影跑了回来，原来是我的好朋友俊杰。
zhè shí yí gè shú xī de shēn yǐng pǎo le huí lái yuán lái shì wǒ de hǎo péng you jùn jié
Just then a familiar figure came running back: it was my good friend Junjie.
他拍拍我的肩膀说：“我们是一起训练的，也要一起跑到终点！”
tā pāi pai wǒ de jiān bǎng shuō wǒ men shì yì qǐ xùn liàn de yě yào yì qǐ pǎo dào zhōng diǎn
He patted my shoulder and said, "We trained together, so let's reach the finish together too!"
看着他真诚的笑容，我一下子又有了力气。
kàn zhe tā zhēn chéng de xiào róng wǒ yí xià zi yòu yǒu le lì qi
Seeing his sincere smile, all at once I had strength again.
现在回想起来，我真庆幸那天没有停下来。
xiàn zài huí xiǎng qǐ lái wǒ zhēn qìng xìng nà tiān méi yǒu tíng xià lái
Looking back now, I'm so glad I didn't stop that day.
比赛的名次并不重要，重要的是坚持到底。
bǐ sài de míng cì bìng bú zhòng yào zhòng yào de shì jiān chí dào dǐ
Your place in the race doesn't really matter; what matters is keeping going to the end.
我也明白了，一个真正的朋友，会在你最需要的时候回头拉你一把。
wǒ yě míng bai le yí gè zhēn zhèng de péng you huì zài nǐ zuì xū yào de shí hou huí tóu lā nǐ yì bǎ
I also learnt that a true friend comes back to give you a hand when you need it most.