A duck is very sad because he is the ugliest among his brothers and sisters. But to his surprise, when he grows up, he finds that he has become a handsome young swan (天鹅)! This is the story of The Ugly Duckling (丑小鸭) by Danish (丹麦) writer Hans Christian Andersen.
In fact, Andersen was an “ugly duckling” himself. In 1805, he was born into a poor family in Odense, Denmark. As a young boy, Andersen was tall, ugly and had a very big nose. His friends always made jokes about his big nose. During his school life, young Andersen spent most days dreaming about the stories he imagined (想象) in class.
Later, because of his father’s death, Andersen had to make a living (谋生) by himself. He once worked as a tailor (裁缝) and made money in a theater. The difficulties helped him write his fairy tales (童话). Andersen began his writing by writing plays and poems for some small magazines. He talks about love and sacrifice (牺牲) in The Little Mermaid (美人鱼), and makes fun of authority (权威) in The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Andersen wrote for 43 years until the end of his life in 1875. He finished 168 works and we can read them in about 150 languages. They never stop bringing happiness to kids around the world.
【小题1】Who wrote the story of The Ugly Duckling?【小题2】Did Andersen study hard at school?
【小题3】Why did Andersen have to make a living by himself?
【小题4】How did Andersen begin to write?
【小题5】How long did Andersen write in his life?
