For Grade Four Students

1. For Grade Four Students

2. This is Arthur before he gets glasses. He looks fine, but he can’t see very well. Sometimes he gets headaches.

3. “Are you blind?” she always asks. Francine gets every problem right. Arthur doesn’t. Arthur has to hold his book so close that his nose get in the way. He can’t see the board. Francine has to read Arthur the problems.

4. No one wants to play with Arthur.

5. Arthur’s father and mother takes him to the optometrist. Dr. Iris tests Arthur’s eyes. “You need glasses,” says Dr. Iris. [ɔp'tɔmitrist] 验光师

6. Arthur tries on all kinds of frames. He choose the ones he likes best. “ You look very handsome in your new glasses,” says his father. “Everything looks clearer,” says Arthur. His mother tells him he looks very smart.

7. But the next morning his friends laugh at him. Francine calls him four-eyes. “Sissy,” shouts Buster. None of Arthur’s friends wear glasses.

8. No one in his family wears glasses, either. Arthur feels awful. He doesn’t care if he can see. He doesn’t want to be called four-eyes. Arthur decides he will lose his glasses.

9. Arthur puts his shirt in the laundry. In the front pocket are his glasses. His mother finds them the next morning. “You have to be more careful, Arthur. You’re lucky they aren’t broken.”

10. That day at school, Arthur hide his glasses in the lunchbox. He tells his teacher he forgets them. But now things are harder to see than ever. When Arthur walks down the hall to the boy’s room he has to count the doors.

11. He opens the door. Francine is talking. What is Francine doing in the boys’ room? “Get out of here!” screams Francine. “This is the girls’ room!”

12. Arthur bumps into the wall. He can’t find the door. Now all the girls are screaming. Out in the hall, doors open. Teachers run out. The principle appears. Everyone is looking at Arthur. Arthur turns red. He wants to hide. The principle takes Arthur to his office.

13. Then Arthur’s teacher talks to him.” Why don’t you keep your glasses in a case in your pocket, as I do? he asks. “You wear glasses?” asks Arthur. “Yes, for reading,” says his teacher. He take them out. They look just like Arthur’s Brown. Suddenly Arthur feels better.

14. He gets every one right. Arthur can see Francine’s paper. She misses two. After school Francine asks Arthur to be on her team. “I’ll consider it,” says Arthur. He goes to his lunchbox and puts on his glasses. In the gym Arthur makes ten baskets. Francine makes four. That afternoon Arthur doesn’t need Francine to read the problems on the board.

15. But there isn’t any glass in them,” says Arthur. “It doesn’t matter. They help me concentrate and make me look beautiful,” says Francine. The next morning Arthur is very surprised when he sees Francine. “They’re my movie star glasses,” says Francine.

16. He carefully polishes them and puts them on. “Everyone ready?” asks the photographer. “Wait!” says Francine. She runs to get her purse. That afternoon a photographer takes the class picture. “Just a minute,” says Arthur. He takes out his glasses.

17. She takes out her movie star glasses. “Okay, I’m ready too!” says Francine. “Smile!” says the photographer.

18. Questions for you to think after reading 1. What’s wrong with Arthur’s eyes?2. Why nobody wants to play with Arthur? 3. What do his classmates call him when he wears glasses?4. How does he feel at that time?5. What does he decide to do? 6. Without glasses, can he do everything well? 7. When he bumps into the girl’s room, how does he feel?8. What does the principle do after that? 9. How does Francine help Arthur?