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1、Unit 1ALearning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiencesof my life.Although at times learning a language was frustrating,it was well worth the effort.My experience with learning a foreign language began in junior middle school,when I tookmy first English class.
2、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,neverworrying much about making mistakes.I was at the top of my class for two years.When I went to senior middle school,I was eager to continue studying
3、 English;however,my experience in senior middle school was very different from before.While my former teacher had been patient with all of the students,my new teacher quicklypunished those who gave incorrect answers.Whenever we answered incorrectly,she pointed a long stick at us and,shaking it up an
4、ddown,shouted,No!No!No!It didnt take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions.Not only did I lose my joy in answering questions,but I also lost my desire to say anythingat all in English.However,that state didnt last long.When I went to college,I learned that all students were required to ta
5、ke an English course.Unlike my senior middle school teacher,my college English teachers were patient andkind,and none of them carried long,pointed sticks!The situation was far from perfect,though.As our classes were very large,I was only able to answer a couple of questions in eachclass period.Also,
6、after a few weeks of classes,I noticed there were many students who spoke muchbetter 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.That was the situation until a couple of yea
7、rs later when I was offered an opportunity tostudy English through an online course.The communication medium was a computer,a phone line,and a modem.I soon got access to the necessary equipment,learned how to use the technology from afriend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a wee
8、k.Online learning is not easier than regular classroom study;it requires a lot of 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 completeassignments on time.I practiced all the time.I carried a little diction
9、ary with me everywhere I went,as well as a notebook in which Ilisted any new words I heard.I made many,sometimes embarrassing,mistakes.Once in a while I cried out of frustration,and sometimes I felt like giving up.But I didnt feel intimidated by students who spoke faster than I did because I took al
10、l thetime I needed to think out my ideas and wrote a reply before posting it on the screen.Then,one day I realized I could understand just about everything I came across,and mostimportantly,I could say anything I wanted to in English.Although I was still making many mistakes and was continually lear
11、ning new ways to saythings,I had finally reaped the benefits of all of my hard work.Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me,but one that Iwouldnt trade for anything.Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work,but it also gaveme insights into an
12、other 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 couldcommunicate with many more people than before.Talking with people is one of my favorite activities,so being able to speak a new languagelets me meet new pe
13、ople,participate in conversations,and form new,unforgettablefriendships.Now that I speak a foreign language,instead of staring into space when English is beingspoken,I can participate and make friends.I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture andtheirs.Unit
14、1BWhile regular schools still exist,the virtual classroom plays an important role in todayslearning community.Job opportunities for students are expanding rapidly and more people of all ages arebecoming aware of online learning that allows them to study at home.Online students,however,require unique
15、 qualities to be successful.The following list discusses some ideal qualities of successful online students.1.Be open-minded about sharing life,work,and learning experiences as part of onlinelearning.Many people find that the online method requires them to use their experiences and thatonline learni
16、ng offers them a place to communicate with each other.This forum for communication removes the visual barriers that hinder some students fromexpressing themselves.In addition,students are given time to reflect on the information before replying.In this way,students can help to keep the online enviro
17、nment open and friendly.2.Be able to communicate through writing.In the virtual classroom nearly all communication is written,so it is critical that studentsfeel comfortable expressing themselves in writing.Some students have limited writing abilities,which need to be improved before or as partof th
18、e online experience.This usually requires extra commitment by these students.Whether working alone or in a group,students share ideas,perspectives and discussionson the subject being studied,and read about those of their classmates.In this way,students gain great insights from their peers,learning f
19、rom each other as wellas the instructor.3.Be willing to speak up if problems arise.Remember that instructors cannot see their students in an online course.This means students must be absolutely explicit with their comments and requests.If they experience technical difficulties,or problems in underst
20、anding something about thecourse,they MUST speak up;otherwise there is no way anyone can know something iswrong.If one person does not understand something,possibly several others have the sameproblem.If another student is able to help,he or she probably will.While explaining something to others,stu
21、dents reinforce their own knowledge about thesubject.4.Take the program seriously.Online learning is not easier than study in regular classrooms.In fact,many students say it requires much more time and effort.Requirements for online courses are no less than those of any other quality program.Success
22、ful online students,however,see online learning as a convenient way to receivetheir educationnot an easier way.Many online students sit at computers for hours at a time during evenings and onweekends in order to complete their assignments.When other people are finished with their work and studies an
23、d having fun,youll mostlikely find online students doing their course work.Online students need to commit 4 to 15 hours a week to each course.5.Accept critical thinking and decision making as part of online learning.Online courses require students to make decisions based on facts as well as experien
24、ce.It is absolutely necessary for students to assimilate information and make the rightdecisions based on critical thinking.In a positive online environment,students feel valued by the instructor and by theirclassmates and feel good about their own work.6.Be able to think ideas through before replyi
25、ng.Providing meaningful and quality input into the virtual classroom is an essential part ofonline learning.Time is given to allow for careful development of answers.Testing and challenging of ideas is encouraged.Online students will not always be right,so they need to be prepared to accept achallen
26、ge.7.Keep up with the progress of the course.Online learning is normally sequential and requires commitment on the students part.Keeping up with the class and completing all the work on time is vital.Once students get behind,it is almost impossible to catch up.Students need to want to be there and n
27、eed to want the experience.The instructor may have to communicate with students personally to offer help and remindthem of the need to keep up.Just as many excellent instructors may not be effective online facilitators,not all studentshave the necessary qualities to perform well online.People who ha
28、ve the qualities discussed above usually make very successful onlinestudents.If you have these qualities,learning online may be one of the best discoveries you will evermake.Unit 2AThe radio clicked on.Rock music blasted forth.Like a shot,the music woke Sandy.She looked at the clock;it was 6:15 A.M.
29、Sandy sang along with the words as she lay listening to her favorite radio station.Sandy,shouted her father.Sandy,turn that music off!Steve Finch burst into her room.Why do you have to listen to such horrible stuff?Its the same thing over and over.Im not sure it is really music,though it does have r
30、hythm.I like that music,Dad;its my favorite.Listen for a minute;Im sure youll like it.Sandy reached for the radio to turn it up louder.No,no,dont do that.I cant stand it.Turn that radio down so your mother and I cant hear it.Im sure that music is hurting your ears as well as your brain.Sandy walked
31、into the bathroom and turned on the shower.Then she grabbed the soap and washed thoroughly,including her hair.After her shower,Sandy brushed her hair,put on her old,green T-shirt and some jeans.Then she put on her makeup and went to the kitchen.As usual,she didnt know what to have for breakfast,so s
32、he grabbed a glass of milk andate a piece of toast while standing by the sink.Just then,her mother,Jane,entered the kitchen.Sandy,why dont you sit down and eat your breakfast?It isnt healthy to eat standing up.I know,Mom,but I dont have time to sit down and eat.Did you finish your homework,dear?Yes.
33、Did you brush your teeth?Mom,I havent finished eating breakfast yet.Ill brush my teeth when Im done.Sandy,why are you wearing that old T-shirt?Its disgusting.Mom,please stop.Stop what,dear?Stop bugging me.Sandy,are you wearing eyeliner?Yes,Mom,Ive been wearing eyeliner for months.Isnt it pretty?Sand
34、y Finch,youre too young to wear that much makeup.Mom,Im fifteen.Im old enough to wear makeup.Believe me,all the girls at school wear makeup.Some have tattoos and pierced ears,andnoses and tongues,too.Mom,I dont have time to talk about this now Im late.Ive got to go.See you later.Sandy kissed her mot
35、her quickly on the cheek,picked up her books,and bolted out of thehouse.After Sandy had left for school,Jane Finch sat down in peace and quiet to drink her coffee.Soon her husband joined her.Would you like some coffee,Steve?asked Jane.No,thanks,honey.My stomach feels upset like its full of knots.Its
36、 probably that awful music that wakes me up every morning.I dont think Im old-fashioned,but hearing those tuneless,offensive lyrics repeatedlymakes my blood boil.You know,honey,different music appeals to different generations,reasoned Jane.Remember some of the music we listened to?Steve smiled.Youre
37、 right.Maybe eating breakfast will help me get rid of some of theknots in my stomach.Did you notice how much makeup our fifteen-year-old daughter was wearing thismorning?I cant believe I didnt notice.I suppose we should feel lucky because makeup is our biggest problem with her.Ive seen other teenage
38、rs walking around town with tattoos and piercings all over theirbodies.What worries me,said Steve,is that music could have a negative influence on Sandy.I dont know whats happening to our little girl.Shes changing and Im concerned about her.Makeup,terrible musicwho knows what will be next?We need to
39、 have a talk with her.The news is full of stories about teenagers in trouble whose parents hardly know anythingabout their problems.Oh,I dont think her music is so terrible.But in any case,youre right.We need to have a talk with Sandy,said Jane.As Jane Finch drove to work,she thought about her Sandy
40、.She knew what she wanted to say,what she had to say to Sandy.She was so glad that she and Sandy could still talk things over.She knew she had to have patience and keep the lines of communication with herdaughter open.She wanted to be there as an anchor for her,but at the same time she would give he
41、rfreedom to find her own identity.Unit 2BThe term generation gap was coined in the 1960s.One concept of the generation gap is that parents and children have different values andbeliefs.As a result,many parents fear that peer opinions will become more highly valued and thatthey in turn will lose infl
42、uence.Although the term continues to be used often,some people are beginning to ask thequestion,Is there a generation gap in todays society?One study compared four generations,aged 18-30,31-48,49-62,and 63 and over.Several questions were asked to tap into basic beliefs and values,such as Hard work i
43、sthe key to getting ahead and America is the very best place in the world to live in.Across the generations,there was great consistency in the responses.Many studies on youth also refute the concept of a generation gap.These studies show that while young people tend to value their peers evaluations
44、overparentson things like music,clothing and whats cool,they continue to look to parents forbasic values and guidance in the more important areas of life,such as career and lifetimegoals.Of course,general trends cant always be applied to individual cases.It is natural to feel like there is an uncomf
45、ortable gap between our teens and us and thatthere is a need to bridge it.Perhaps,though,the problem does not lie in a difference of opinions or values,but in theway we relate to and communicate with each other.Here are some tips from an article entitled Bridging the Generation Gap that might help.S
46、how respect.An attitude of respect and trust can be contagious.Young people tend to see themselves the way their parents see them.In turn,they gain self-confidence and respect for themselves when you show that yourespect their ability to make decisions and learn from their mistakes.Listen more than
47、you talk.Questioning can sound like interrogation.Instead,adopt an attitude of curiosity rather than control.Ask questions like How so?What do you think now?Were you surprised?What willyou do now?Whats your plan?Is this something you want help with?If your object is only to listen,you should be care
48、ful not to be preparing your responsewhile your teen is still talking.Youll hear better that way,and they will be encouraged to talk more.Ask whether your child wants to hear it before sharing your point of view.Only go on if they say yes.Then be brief.Dont lecture,and dont expect them to agree with
49、 you.If you state your case with a This is what makes sense to me attitude as opposed to Thisis the right way to see things,he or she can listen more openly instead of planningrebellion.Think we instead of you.We have chores to do before we leave the house;how can we take care of what needs tobe don
50、e?Any way you can get across the message Were in this together can help bridge gapsthat conflicts might otherwise create.Keep calm.You can easily destroy your credibility by getting angry or too excited during aconversation.Instead of Youre ruining your life!,say Tm concerned about what might happen