01 Is That Real Courage?
/01 Is That Real Courage?
*Yūsei was a cheerful boy who was good at sports.
/*Yūsei was a cheerful boy who was good at sports.
He loved riding his bicycle and often raced with his friend *Yang at the nearby park.
/He loved riding his bicycle and often raced with his friend *Yang at the nearby park.
One day, *Yang said, “The park is boring. Let’s race on the road! There aren’t many cars, and it’s thrilling and fun!”
/One day, *Yang said, “The park is boring. Let’s race on the road! There aren’t many cars, and it’s thrilling and fun!”
*Yūsei felt a little uneasy. “But isn’t the road dangerous?”
/*Yūsei felt a little uneasy. “But isn’t the road dangerous?”
*Yang laughed and said, “What, are you scared, *Yūsei? You don’t have courage. It’s fine! I did it yesterday and looked super cool!”
/ *Yang laughed and said, “What, are you scared, *Yūsei? You don’t have courage. It’s fine! I did it yesterday and looked super cool!”
*Yūsei hesitated. But he didn’t want to be seen as lacking courage, so even though he felt uneasy, he agreed to *Yang’s suggestion.
/*Yūsei hesitated. But he didn’t want to be seen as lacking courage, so even though he felt uneasy, he agreed to *Yang’s suggestion.
Then, *Yūsei stood on the road with *Yang.
/Then, *Yūsei stood on the road with *Yang.
There weren’t many cars, but some passed by at high speed.
/There weren’t many cars, but some passed by at high speed.
“Ready, go!” At *Yang’s signal, the two began pedaling.
/“Ready, go!” At *Yang’s signal, the two began pedaling.
Riding through the wind felt great. But *Yūsei’s heart kept pounding.
/Riding through the wind felt great. But *Yūsei’s heart kept pounding.
Then, he heard the sound of a car approaching from afar.
/Then, he heard the sound of a car approaching from afar.
*Yūsei hit the brakes hard and stopped.
/*Yūsei hit the brakes hard and stopped.
*Yang kept going, but when he saw the car getting closer, he quickly turned the handlebars and stopped.
/ *Yang kept going, but when he saw the car getting closer, he quickly turned the handlebars and stopped.
He almost crashed into a road sign.
/He almost crashed into a road sign.
“That was close! But it was thrilling!” *Yang laughed.
/“That was close! But it was thrilling!” *Yang laughed.
*Yūsei couldn’t laugh. When he got home, his grandmother greeted him.
/*Yūsei couldn’t laugh. When he got home, his grandmother greeted him.
“*Yūsei, were you energetic today too?”
/“*Yūsei, were you energetic today too?”
*Yūsei nodded. But he still felt uneasy inside.
/*Yūsei nodded. But he still felt uneasy inside.
“Grandma, what does it mean to have courage?”
/“Grandma, what does it mean to have courage?”
Grandma thought for a moment and said, “Having courage means being able to care for yourself and for others.”
/Grandma thought for a moment and said, “Having courage means being able to care for yourself and for others.”
Hearing those words, *Yūsei was struck.
/Hearing those words, *Yūsei was struck.
“I did something a little dangerous today. I raced bicycles with *Yang on the road…”
/“I did something a little dangerous today. I raced bicycles with *Yang on the road…”
Grandma gently said, “That might not be courage, but just wanting to stand out.
/Grandma gently said, “That might not be courage, but just wanting to stand out.
True courage is being able to say ‘That’s not right’ even when everyone else is doing it.
/True courage is being able to say ‘That’s not right’ even when everyone else is doing it.
And if you got hurt, *Yūsei, Grandma’s heart would hurt a lot too.”
/And if you got hurt, *Yūsei, Grandma’s heart would hurt a lot too.”
The next day, *Yūsei said to *Yang,
/The next day, *Yūsei said to *Yang,
“I won’t race on the road anymore. It’s dangerous and someone might get hurt.”
/“I won’t race on the road anymore. It’s dangerous and someone might get hurt.”
*Yang looked surprised. But he looked into *Yūsei’s eyes and nodded slightly.
/*Yang looked surprised. But he looked into *Yūsei’s eyes and nodded slightly.
“Okay… then let’s make a new course in the park!”
/“Okay… then let’s make a new course in the park!”
*Yūsei smiled.
/*Yūsei smiled.
“Yeah! That way, we can race safely with all our strength!”
/“Yeah! That way, we can race safely with all our strength!”
*Yūsei thought,
/*Yūsei thought,
“I’m glad I had the courage to speak up.”
/“I’m glad I had the courage to speak up.”
Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
/Review Questions (Multiple Choice)
Q1. What did *Yang suggest to *Yūsei?
/Q1. What did *Yang suggest to *Yūsei?
A. Practice riding bicycles in the park
/A. Practice riding bicycles in the park
B. Race bicycles on the road
/B. Race bicycles on the road
C. Repair bicycles
/C. Repair bicycles
Correct Answer: B
/Correct Answer: B
Q2. Whose words made *Yūsei change his actions?
/Q2. Whose words made *Yūsei change his actions?
A. *Yang’s words
/A. *Yang’s words
B. A passerby’s warning
/B. A passerby’s warning
C. Grandma’s words
/C. Grandma’s words
Let’s Think!
/Let’s Think!
Have you ever thought, “This might be dangerous”? How did you decide what to do?
/Have you ever thought, “This might be dangerous”? How did you decide what to do?
What does “real courage” mean to you? Have you ever acted like *Yūsei, thinking for yourself?
/What does “real courage” mean to you? Have you ever acted like *Yūsei, thinking for yourself?
