Long ago, the Jade Emperor held a great race. The Cat and Rat were good friends but couldn’t swim.
The Rat said, “Let’s ask the Ox for help!” The strong and kind Ox let them ride on his back.
As they crossed the river, the Cat fell asleep in the warm sun. The clever Rat wanted first place.
He quietly pushed the Cat into the cold water! The Cat fell far behind, splashing and crying.
Near the shore, the Rat jumped off the Ox’s head and ran to the bank first.
The Jade Emperor said, “Rat is first! Faithful Ox is second!”
The wet, angry Cat arrived much later with no place in the zodiac.
That’s why cats still chase rats today![web:12]
后来hòuláilater (HSK3)，龙lóngdragon (HSK4)对玉皇大帝Yù Huáng DàdìJade Emperor (HSK5+)说他还帮村民下雨bāng cūnmín xiàyǔbring rain (HSK4+)。
所以老虎第三lǎohǔ dì sānTiger 3rd (HSK3+)，兔子第四tùzi dì sìRabbit 4th (HSK3+)，龙第五lóng dì wǔDragon 5th (HSK3+)。[web:12]
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon
Long ago during the great race, the Tiger swam powerfully through the cold waves.
He roared loudly to show his strength, but the river was wide, and he grew tired halfway.
Nearby, the Rabbit hopped nervously on floating logs and stones.
He was small and gentle but clever.
A big wave almost swept him away when suddenly, a mighty Dragon flew overhead.
The kind Dragon saw the Rabbit’s danger and breathed wind to push the logs forward, helping the Rabbit reach safety.
Later, the Dragon explained to the Jade Emperor that he had also stopped to bring rain to dry village fields.
That’s why the Tiger arrived third, the Rabbit fourth, and the Dragon fifth.[web:12]
后来hòuláilater，龙lóngdragon对玉皇大帝Yù Huáng DàdìJade Emperor说他还帮村民下雨bāng cūnmín xiàyǔbring rain to village。
所以老虎第三lǎohǔ dì sānTiger third，兔子第四tùzi dì sìRabbit fourth，龙第五lóng dì wǔDragon fifth。[web:12]
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon
Long ago during the great race, the Tiger swam powerfully through the cold waves.
He roared loudly to show his strength, but the river was wide, and he grew tired halfway.
Nearby, the Rabbit hopped nervously on floating logs and stones.
He was small and gentle but clever.
A big wave almost swept him away when suddenly, a mighty Dragon flew overhead.
The kind Dragon saw the Rabbit’s danger and breathed wind to push the logs forward, helping the Rabbit reach safety.
Later, the Dragon explained to the Jade Emperor that he had also stopped to bring rain to dry village fields.
That’s why the Tiger arrived third, the Rabbit fourth, and the Dragon fifth, showing that strength, cleverness, and kindness all matter.[web:12]
Em um tempo muito antigo, durante a grande corrida do zodíaco chinês, o tigre nadava com força nas ondas frias.
Ele rugia alto para mostrar sua força, mas o rio era largo e ele começou a ficar cansado no meio do caminho.
Perto dali, o coelho pulava nervoso em toras de madeira e pedras flutuantes.
Ele era pequeno e delicado, mas muito esperto.
Uma grande onda quase levou o coelho embora, quando, de repente, um dragão enorme voou sobre o rio.
O dragão bondoso viu o perigo do coelho e soprou vento para empurrar a madeira para frente, ajudando o coelho a chegar em segurança à outra margem.
Mais tarde, o dragão explicou ao Imperador de Jade que também tinha parado para levar chuva aos campos secos de uma aldeia.
Por isso, o tigre chegou em terceiro lugar, o coelho em quarto, e o dragão em quinto, mostrando que coragem, inteligência e bondade podem andar juntas.
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon
Long ago during the great race, the Tiger swam powerfully through the cold waves.
He roared loudly to show his strength, but the river was wide, and he grew tired halfway.
Nearby, the Rabbit hopped nervously on floating logs and stones.
He was small and gentle but clever.
A big wave almost swept him away when suddenly, a mighty Dragon flew overhead.
The kind Dragon saw the Rabbit’s danger and breathed wind to push the logs forward, helping the Rabbit reach safety.
Later, the Dragon explained to the Jade Emperor that he had also stopped to bring rain to dry village fields.
That is why the Tiger arrived third, the Rabbit fourth, and the Dragon fifth, showing that strength, cleverness, and kindness all matter.
Vocabulário da História
老虎
lǎohǔ
tiger
– tigre
兔子
tùzi
rabbit
– coelho
龙
lóng
dragon
– dragão
比赛
bǐsài
race; competition
– corrida, competição
河
hé
river
– rio
危险
wēixiǎn
danger
– perigo
帮助
bāngzhù
to help
– ajudar
玉皇大帝
Yù Huáng Dàdì
Jade Emperor
– Imperador de Jade
第三名
dì sān míng
third place
– terceiro lugar
善良
shànliáng
kind; kind-hearted
– bondoso
Gramática
Uso de passado simples em inglês para contar histórias: swam, roared, flew, helped.
Conjunções de causa e efeito: because, so, that is why.
Em português, uso do pretérito perfeito: nadava, viu, ajudou, explicou.
Expressões Informais
“grande corrida do zodíaco” – maneira simples de falar da lenda da corrida.
“quase levou o coelho embora” – expressão para perigo muito perto.
“chegar em terceiro lugar” – forma comum de falar de posição em competição.
Dicas Culturais
A história faz parte da lenda da escolha dos 12 animais do zodíaco chinês.
O dragão, na cultura chinesa, é símbolo de poder, mas também de bondade e proteção.
Os lugares dos animais na corrida influenciam a ordem dos anos do calendário chinês.
Áudio
(adicione aqui o link ou o player de áudio da história)
Preencher as Lacunas
(crie frases com espaços em branco usando tigre, coelho, dragão, corrida, rio, ajudar, etc.)
10 Perguntas
(perguntas de compreensão sobre quem ajudou quem, quem chegou em que lugar, etc.)
Recontar a História
(instruções para o aluno recontar a história em 5–6 frases)
Múltipla Escolha
(questões de múltipla escolha sobre detalhes da história)
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