new horizon college english unit 1 : section a learning a foreign language

New Horizon College English

Unit 1 : Section AUnit 1 : Section A

Learning a Foreign LanguageLearning a Foreign Language

Part IV: Topic-related Further Learning

Part III: Exercises

Part I: Pre-reading Activities

Background Information

Vocabulary

Part II: Text Learning

Text Analysis:A: Learning Ideas

Language Points

Some Recommended Books, Passages and

Websites.

B: Devices of Developing the Text

Structure

Translation

Story Summary

Text Structure Analysis

Structured Writing

Warm-up Exercises

Warm-up Exercises

Some questions for you to discuss:

1.What problems do you have in trying to learn English in your middle school?

Suggested Words for discussion:to be faced with, pronunciation, grammar rules, cultural background, vocabulary etc.

Warm-up Exercises


2. Why do you think the computer can help you in learning English?Suggested Words for discussion:

allow access to sth, network, regular classroom study, suitable for me, have freedom to set the pace of study, to my taste, exchange ideas with native speakers

Warm-up Exercises


3. What other things do you think we can gain through English language learning?

Suggested Words for discussion:rewarding, the value of practice, insights into other cultures, communicate with people, favorite activity


. Online learning Online learning, a form of distance education, refers to learning and other supportive resources that are available through a networked computer. With the development of the Internet, online learning often takes place on the Internet. In an online lesson, the computer displays material (often in web browsers) in response to a learner's request. The computer asks the learner for more information and presents appropriate material based on the learner's input.


The material can be as simple as traditional lessons and tests that are transcribed into a computer program. The material can also be a complex system that tracks users' input and suggests learning material as a result. Or the material can be a work session that occurs through a real time chat; learning occurs through the interaction. The material can be presented as text, graphics, animated graphics, audio, video, or a combination of these that are displayed in web browsers or other multimedia players such as Windows Media Player.


2. Junior middle school It refers to the stage in the Chinese education system which follows primary school and includes years six through nine in the school time sequence. Normally, students are 12 or 13 years of age when they begin the sixth or transition year of junior middle school. In the American system, junior middle school most closely approximates middle school or junior high school in which the beginning or ending years of this period may vary slightly from region to region. The beginning age is about the same as that of junior middle school students in China.


3. Senior middle school Senior middle school, the stage in the Chinese education system which follows junior middle school, includes years ten through twelve in the school sequence. Normally, students are 16 or 17 years of age when they begin senior middle school. Senior middle school most closely parallels high school in the American system which may sometimes include year nine as transition year. Students who graduate at this level in both systems may choose to write a university entrance examination: the National University Entrance Exam in China and the SAT or Scholastic Aptitude Test in America.

Text Analysis: A: Learning Ideas

Main idea: Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.

Text Analysis: Devices of Developing

Devices for developing :

演绎法演绎法演绎法演绎法时空法时空法时空法时空法对比法对比法对比法对比法

Deduction Organization

( 演绎法 ):

( 从‘ general’

到‘ specific’)

Sequence of Time and

Space ( 时空顺序法 )

Comparison and Contrast( 对比法 )

Details


Devices for developing : 演绎法演绎法演绎法演绎法

Deduction Organization: from ‘general’ to 'specific’:

1)My experience in junior middle school (Para. 2): a kind and patient teacher who praised all of the students … positive method…eagerly answered questions, at the top of my class2)My experience in senior middle school (Para. 3):an (impatient) teacher…punished those who made mistakes…shaking it up and down…shouted…lose my eagerness / desire to say anything in English

3) My experience at college(Para. 4): far from perfect…very large class and better students… feel intimidated… afraid to speak…at the same level forever4)My experience with the online course (Para. 5-7):require commitment and discipline …virtual classroom…practice all the time…cry with frustration…feel like giving up…reaped the benefits of hard work

5) Conclusion (Para. 8): a most trying experience, but one that I would not trade for anything…teach me the value of hard work…give me insights into another culture…my mind …opened to new ways of seeing things…the most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language …communicate with many more people than before…one of my favorite activities…bridge the gap between my culture and theirs



Typical Sentences:1) My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school. (Para. 2)2) When I went to senior middle school. (Para.3)3) However, that state didn’t last long. When I went to college. (Para. 4)4) That was the situation until a couple of years later, when ...participated in the virtual classroom. (Para. 5)5) I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work. (Para. 7)

时空法时空法时空法时空法

Sequence of Time and Space



Conjunctions: yet, while, unlike, although, but …“difficult”:frustrating, punish, lose my desire to say anything in English, very large, far from perfect, feel intimidated, afraid to speak, stay at the same level, cry with frustration, feel like giving up“rewarding”:well worth the effort, at the top of my class, eager to study, understand about everything, reap the benefits of all that hard work, teach me the value of hard work, give me insights into another culture, able to bridge the gap between cultures

The comparison and contrast is centered around “the most difficult” and “the most rewarding”.

对比法对比法对比法对比法

Text Analysis:

Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort.

Text Analysis:

My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school, when I took my first English class. I had a kind and patient teacher who often praised all of the students. Because of this positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying much about making mistakes. I was at the top of my class for two years.

Text Analysis:

When I went to senior middle school, I was eager to continue studying English; however, my experience in senior school was very different from before. While my former teacher had been patient with all the students, my new teacher quickly punished those who gave incorrect answers. Whenever we

Text Analysis:

answered incorrectly, she pointed a long stick at us and, shaking it up and down, shouted, "No! No! No!" It didn't take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions. Not only did I lose my joy in answering questions, but also I totally lost my desire to say anything at all in English.

Text Analysis:

However, that state didn't last long. When I went to college, I learned that all students were required to take an English course. Unlike my senior middle school teacher, my college English teachers were patient and kind, and none of them carried long, pointed sticks! However, the situation was far from perfect.

Text Analysis:

As our classes were very large, I was only able to answer a couple of questions in each class period. Also, after a few weeks of classes, I noticed there were many students who spoke much better than I did. I began to feel intimidated. So, once again, although for different reasons, I was afraid to speak. It seemed my English was going to stay at the same level forever.

Text Analysis:

That was the situation until a couple of years later, when I was offered an opportunity to study English through an online course. The communication medium was a computer, phone line, and modem. I soon got access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from a friend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week.

Text Analysis:

Online learning is not easier than regular classroom study; it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course. I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the course and to complete assignments on time.

Text Analysis:

I practiced all the time. I carried a little dictionary with me everywhere I went, as well as a notebook in which I listed any new words I heard. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. Once in a while I cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. But I didn't feel intimidated by students who spoke faster than I did because I took all the time I needed to think out my ideas and wrote a reply before posting it on the screen.

Text Analysis:

Then, one day I realized I could understand just about everything I came across, and most importantly, I could "say" anything I wanted to in English. Although I still made many mistakes and was continually learning, I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work.

Text Analysis:

Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. The most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language was that I could communicate with many more people than before.

Text Analysis:

Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, so being able to speak a new language lets me meet new people, participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs.

Text Analysis: Language Points

1. Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life. (Para.1)

Meaning: Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult things to do but it was most worth doing in my life.

Back to textBack to text


2. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort. (Para.1) Meaning: Although sometimes learning a language

is disappointing, it was rewarding enough to spend the time and effort on it. be well worth + doing sth.: rewarding enough for the time or effort This report about the effect of modernization on human nature is well worth reading.

He's decided to have a look at the house for it is well worth buying.


Meaning: Because of the effective and helpful method, I was very willing to answer all the questions I could, and I never worried about making mistakes.positive: a. 1) effective; helpful e.g.. Don't just watch me; give me some positive advice. 2) definite, allowing no room for doubt e.g. We still don't have a positive answer for his death. 3) sure, having no doubt about sth. e.g. Are you positive that he's the man you saw yesterday?


3. Because of the positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying about making mistakes. (Para.2)



4. I was at the top of my class for two years. (Para.2)

Meaning: I was one of the excellent students in my class for two years.



5. It didn't take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions. (Para3)

Meaning: Before long I was no longer eager to answer questions.



6. Unlike my senior middle school teacher, ... (Para.4)

Meaning: Different from my senior middle school teacher, ...unlike: prep. different; not like, not the samee.g. Her recent report is quite unlike her earlier work. e.g. Unlike me, my son likes to get up early.



7. However, the situation was far from perfect. (Para.4)

Meaning: But the situation was not faultless at all.far from: not ... at all; rather than, e.g. Far from (being) angry, he's very happy.

e.g. Her husband is far from (being) handsome; he is somewhat ugly.



8.As our classes were very large, I was only able to answer a couple of questions in each class period. (Para.4)

Meaning: Because there were many students in our classes, I could only answer two or three questions in each class period.a couple of: two or threee.g. I saw a couple of children playing in the garden. 比较 : a pair of: a pair of earrings, a pair of shoes, a pair of gloves, a pair of socks



9. began to feel intimidated. (Para.4)

Meaning: I began to feel frightened and lack confidence.intimidate: vt. make one frightened by threats e.g. The thieves intimidated the general manager by saying that they would kill him.

e.g. John intimidated his brother into not telling their parents the truth.



10. ... when I was offered an opportunity to study English through an online course. (Para.5)

Meaning: ... when I was given a chance to learn English by taking a computer course.opportunity: n. a good chance, a favorable moment e.g. With the help of his teacher, he got an opportunity to learn English in Britain. e.g. The month of May offers a wonderful opportunity to go traveling.



11. I soon got access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from a friend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week. (Para.5)

Meaning: I soon got the necessary equipment and learned how to use the equipment from a friend. Then I could take online courses 5 to 7 days a week.access: n. way of entering; right of using, reaching e.g. The only access to that building was guarded by the soldiers. virtual: a. almost what is stated; made-up e.g. The king was so much under the control of his wife that she was the virtual ruler of the country.



12. ... it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course. (Para. 6)

Meaning: ... and online learning requires that we give much time and attention to it and learn or work in a controlled way, so that we can keep up with the progress of the course.commitment: n. a promise to follow certain beliefs or certain course of actions e.g. He felt he didn't have to make such a commitment to Mary.



13. I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the course and to complete assignments on time. (Para. 6)

Meaning: I worked hard to reach the least standards allowed by the course and to finish the homework on time.Please note: "set by the course" in this sentence is a past participle phrase used as an attribute.minimum: a. the least, or the smallest possible e.g. He couldn't join the police because he was below the minimum height allowed by the rule.



14. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. (Para. 7)

Meaning: I made many mistakes which sometimes made me feel ashamed.embarrass: vt. make one shy, ashamed e.g. It embarrassed her that her husband was drunk at the dinner. e.g. This was an embarrassing situation for the gentleman for he couldn't afford the dinner.



15. felt like giving up. (Para.7)

Meaning: I wanted to stop doing online learning.feel like sth./doing sth.: want to do sth. e.g. At the sight of the miserable scene, the lady felt like crying. give up: stop having or doing e.g. Though faced with many difficulties, he would not give up online learning.

e.g. He had to give up his studies because of lack of money.



16. ... I realized I could understand just about everything I came across, (para.7)

Meaning: ... I realized I could understand just about everything I saw or heard ...



17. ... I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work. (Para.7)

Meaning: ... I gained the good things that happened as a result of all that hard work at last.reap: vt. get sth. as a reward; cut and gather( crop or grain) We say: reap a profit; reap a reward; reap wheat benefit: n. profit; good effect



18. Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. (Para. 8)

Meaning: Learning a foreign language has been an experience full of difficulties, but I wouldn't exchange it for anything else. trade (in) ... for... : exchange ... for... He decided to trade his car for a truck. trade on: make use of He traded on his brother's kindness to get more money from him.



19. Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. (Para. 8)

Meaning: Learning another language not only made me understand the benefit of hard work, but it also made me understand another culture, and I was willing to accept new ways of seeing things. insight: n. the act of seeing or understanding sth. very clearly e.g. Visiting the city gave me insight into the lives of the people who live there.



20. Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, ... (Para. 8)

Meaning: Talking with people is one of the activities I like best, ...



21. ... participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. (Para. 8)

Meaning: ... take part in conversations, and form new friendships, which are difficult to forget.participate in: take part ine.g. I want to have the opportunity to participate in the party. e.g. Over half of the population in the country participates in the sport.



22. Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. (Para. 8) Meaning: As I can speak a foreign language,

I can take part in the conversation and make friends, and I no longer look into the distance when someone is speaking English.now that. conj. because (something has happened) ... e.g. Now that John has arrived, we can begin our English class.



23. I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs. (Para. 8)

Meaning: I am able to communicate with others and make smaller the differences between my language and culture and theirs.reach out to: communicate with; contact With the introduction of the Internet, we can reach out to our friends by e-mail. reach out for: try to get reach for: hold out one's hand to get sth. bridge: vt. make up for the difference between ...; join or connect things together; build a bridge across


1.John was going to __________Mary by telling his friends how much weight she had gained.

2. __________ is essential to a successful scientist; he cannot hope to make any progress if he cannot work in a controlled way .

Direction: Fill in each of the blanks with the words given below. Change the form if necessary.

Exercises — Vocabulary P.7

positive frustrate intimidate access

commitment minimum discipline embarrass

reap insight participate assignment

embarrass

Discipline



3. 3. With the coming of the Internet, young people With the coming of the Internet, young people have _________ to the most recent events have _________ to the most recent events that happen in the world.that happen in the world.

4. 4. It’s no use just telling me to do it; suggest It’s no use just telling me to do it; suggest some ________ ways to do it.some ________ ways to do it.

access

positive




6. Don’t give students problems they can’t understand as this will only ________ them.

5. He made a ____________ to let all children learn English, but he soon found it impossible without an online course.



commitmentcommitment

frustrate




7. The boss tried to ___________ his men about striking by telling them he would fire them.

8. As long as you get regular exercise, you can ____________ the benefit of being fit.



intimidateintimidate

reap




1. The attempts to intimidate people ______ accepting the unreasonable decision did not work.

2. I hope that this talk has given you some insight _____ the kind of work that we’ve been doing.

4. Fill in each of the blanks in the following sentences with a suitable preposition or adverb.


into

into

3. It was clear that much of what he said was far _____ the truth.

4. You have to be patient _____ small children, since they cannot tell the difference between what is wrong and what is right.

5. Hard as they tried, these newspaper reporters didn’t get access ___ the building where a murder took place five hours ago.



from

with

to

6. John lost his wife and his work two months ago; his friends told him to be positive ___ his future and get on with living a normal life.

7. When she failed a third time, she cried ___ frustration and wanted to give up trying.

8. He wished to have the opportunity of participating ___ preparing for the sports meet.



about

with/in

in

1. When we climbed to the top of the tower, we saw a beautiful sight.

Climbing to the top of the tower, we saw a beautiful sight.

5. Rewrite the following sentences using a present participle phrase.

BackBackStructure. P 8



2. He refused to attend the party, because he didn’t want to meet John there.

Not wanting to meet John there, he refused to attend the party.

3. If you turn to the right, you will find a path leading to the cottage.

Turning to the right, you will find a path leading to the cottage.



4. It rained for two weeks on end, and it completely ruined our holidays.

It rained for two weeks, completely ruining our holidays.

5. The small girl stared into space and felt frustrated at what the teacher asked her.

Staring into space, the small girl felt frustrated at what the teacher asked her.

1. He not only easily accepts other people’s opinions, but he is also patient.

Not only does he easily accept other people’s opinions, but he is also patient.

VI. Rewrite the following sentences by using inverted ( 倒装 ) order.

Structure. P 8


Structure. P 8

3. We not only lost all our money, but we also came close to losing our lives.

Not only did we lose all our money, but we also came close to losing our lives.

2. She not only sings beautifully but also dances wonderfully.

Not only does she sing beautifully but she also dances wonderfully.


Structure. P 8

4. Through an online course we not only learned the technology but we also learned to communicate with friends in English.

Not only did we learn the technology through an online course but we also learned to communicate with friends in English.


Structure. P 8

5. Smith not only learned the Chinese language but also bridged the gap between his culture and ours.

Not only did Smith learn the Chinese language but also bridged the gap between his culture and ours.

Exercises — Translation P.9

1. 与以英语为母语的人交谈是非常有益的体验，从中我们能学到许多东西。

We can reap a lot from the rewarding experience of communicating with native speakers of English.

to communicate withto communicate with

to reap a lot from …to reap a lot from …

a native speaker of Englisha native speaker of Englishrewarding experiencerewarding experience


2. 在市长的帮助下，我们最终获准接触这起交通事故的受害者。

With the mayor’s help, we were at last allowed access to those people who suffered from the traffic accident.

to be allowed access to be allowed access toto

a person who suffers froma person who suffers from with sb’s helpwith sb’s help


3. 鲍勃和弗兰克一直不和。令他们尴尬的是，他们将到同一个部门工作。

not to get along not to get along well withwell with

Bob and Frank didn’t get along well with each other. It was embarrassing that they were to work in the same department.

in the same in the same departmentdepartment

embarrassingembarrassing


4. 小时候，我总告诉妹妹说狼来了，把她吓得直哭。

to tell sb. that a wolf is coming

As a boy, I used to intimidate my sister into crying by telling her that a wolf was coming.

to intimidate to intimidate her into cryingher into crying


5. 做科学研究不容易，不仅需要时间、精力和经费，还需要具有自制力和奉献精神。

It is not easy to do scientific research; it requires time, energy and money as well as discipline and commitment.

discipline and discipline and commitmentcommitment

to do scientific to do scientific researchresearch

Exercises — Translation P.9 Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. The most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language was that I could communicate with many more people than before. Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, so being able to speak a new language lets me meet new people, participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of stating into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs. 参考译文


参考译文：

学习外语对我来说是非常艰辛的经历，但却是一种无比珍贵的经历。它不仅使我懂得了艰苦努力的意义，而且使我认识厂不同的文化，让我以一种全新的思维去看待事物。学习一门外语最令人兴奋的收获是我能与比以前更多的人交流。我乐于与人交谈，新的语言使我能与以前不认识的人交往，参与他们的谈话，并建立新的难以忘怀的友谊。现在我已能够说外语，别人讲英语时我不再茫然不解了。我能够参与并结交朋友。我能理解别人的话，并能够弥合我所说的语言和所处的文化与他们的语言和文化之间的鸿沟。

Story Summary. P 9

Carefully read the following sentences and circle one answer from each pair that is the correct or best one. Learning a foreign language is not only a very difficult and rewarding 1 2 a frustrating and valuable one. When language teachers use positive methods, students feel encouraged to answer 3 , never 4 about making mistakes. 5 times, teachers who are not patient cause students to 6 their excitement for answering questions and their desire 7 say anything in English. 8 , very large classes may give

1.experience 2.but also 3.eagerly 4.worrying

5.Other 6.lose 7.to 8.However

Story Summary. P 9

students 9 chances to answer and may 10 them because of those who speak much better than 11 . Studying English online is 12 different from study in the regular classroom 13 it gives students freedom to think out their ideas and to write a reply before posting it 14 the screen. Online learning also brings many benefits such as 15 the value of hard work, gaining 16 into other cultures, and opening our minds to new ways 17 thinking. Learning a foreign language by computers 18 it possible to 19 with many more people and to bridge the gap 20 one culture and another.

9. fewer 10.intimidate 11.they 12.not

13.so 14.on 15.learning 16.insights

17.of 18.makes 19.communicate 20.between

Text Structure Analysis. P 10

Part I (Para. 1)

Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.

Main idea ?

Part II (Para.2-

4)

My different experiences with the regular course in junior and senior middle schools and at college

Part III(Para.5-7)

My experiences with the online course helped me reap the benefits of hard work.

Part IV

(Para.8)

Benefits of learning English : the value of hard work, insights into other cultures, new ways of seeing things, ability to bridge the gap between different cultures.

Structured Writing. P 11

1) As one of my most rewarding experiences, doing something has brought a lot of benefits to my life.

（划线部分可替换）

Topic Sentence

2) For onething, …( 理由 I) 3)Unlike…, it offers me much freedom to…

Detail 1Detail 1

4) For another…( 理由 II) 5)Through…, I havemore chances to…

Detail 2Detail 2

6) And the most amazing result of doing so is that…( 理由 III) 7)Now I tend to …

Detail 3Detail 3

8) In sum, there is notanything in …(my life)that is morebeneficial than doing sth.

conclusionconclusion


1) As one of my most rewarding experiences, chatting online has brought a lot of benefits to my life. 2) For one thing, it helps me avoid nervousness and embarrassment I used to feel in regular talks. 3) Unlike the face-to-face conversation, it offers me much freedom in time to think out my ideas and prepare them well before posting them on the screen. 4) For another,

Sample paragraph:

Chatting Online —My Most Rewarding Experience


it adds no little to the improvement of my English. 5) Through online chatting, I have more chances to speak with native speakers, thus bathing myself in the sea of genuine English. 6) The most valuable result of chatting online is that it gives me insights into other cultures and keeps my mind open to better ways of seeing things. 7) Now I tend to see things from a more objective perspective. 8) In short, there is not anything in my free time that is more beneficial than chatting online.

Part IV: Topic-related Further Learning

Some websites for English learning:

http://www.putclub.com/

http://www.tingroom.com/

http://www.wwenglish.com/

http://www.cet4v.com/

http://www.fltrp.com/

http://www.collegeboard.com/

Thank You!

new horizon college english unit 1 : section a learning a foreign language

Documents