Unit 4 Section A?Studying Abroad

Teaching Plan

Students will be able to:

1. grasp the main idea of the text (The purposes of going abroad and the various challenges of studying in a different country. )

2. master the key language points and grammatical structures in the text;

3. conduct a serious of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.

Warm-up exercises:

1. What do you expect your study life would be if you had the opportunity to go abroad?

---- I have made so many new friends and contacts from all over the world. I especially love the social club and learning more about computers.” — Byoung-Chul Ahn, South Korea

---- I could hardly speak English before I spent ten months at Canadian College. Now people ask me if I was born and raised in Canada. It's unbelievable!” — Tai Hung Chen, Taiwan

2. What can we prepare for such an opportunity?

Cultural Notes

U.S. Military Academy: United States Military Academy is a public, coeducational military college at West Point, New York, maintained by the United States Department of the Army to train and educate students to be officers in the United States Army. Women were first allowed into the academy in 1976.

Host family is the family that provides ‘board and room’, food, etc. for overseas visitors or students.

Christians are followers of Jesus with whom they have a personal relationship and whom they accept/receive into their lives as God’s son and the way to heaven. They believe that there is one God. Most Christians are members of one of three major groups -- Roman Catholic, Protestant, or Eastern Orthodox.

Christianity has had an enormous influence on Western civilization, especially on art, business, government, and social relations.

Income tax one of the taxations on individuals and companies. In many countries or regions such as the US and Western Europe income tax is one of the major financial resources of the government. It first appeared in France in 1793.

Health insurance is a system for the advance financing of medical expenses by means of fees or taxes paid into a common fund to pay for all or part of health services specified in an insurance policy or law. Health insurance may apply to a limited or broad range of medical services and may provide for full or partial costs of specific services. Benefits may consist of the right to certain medical services or repaying the insured for specified medical costs and may sometimes include income benefits for working time lost owing to sickness or maternity leave.

New words:

1)1. fluent

(of a person) speaking, writing, etc. in an easy smooth manner

(說話、寫作等)熟練的，流暢的

He is fluent in five languages.

他能流利地講5種語言。

2. grant

vt. agree to give or allow (what is asked for)

準許，允許，答應給予

She granted their request.

她答應了他們的請求。

The US agreed to grant the new state diplomatic recognition.

美國同意給予這個新建立的國家以外交承認。

n. [C] thing given for a special reason, esp. money from the government

授予之物(尤指政府撥款、補助金、助學金)

You can get a grant to repair your house.

你可以得到一筆修房補助金。

They gave her a grant to study abroad for one year.

他們給予她一份助學金資助她出國學習一年。

y

vt. state or name clearly (details, materials, etc.)

明確說明，具體指定

It is specified that you may use a dictionary in the examination.

規(guī)定考試時可使用辭典。

She specified blue for the bedroom windows.

她指定臥室的窗戶用藍色。

vt. take away (an amount or part)

扣除，減去

Tax is deducted from your pay.

稅款從你薪金中扣除。

My employer deducted a pound from my wages this week.

我的雇主從我本周的工錢中扣除了1英鎊。

deduction

n. [U, C] deducting

扣除

The pay I receive is paid after the deduction of tax.

我得到的工資是扣過稅的。

Deductions of points will be made if competitors do not follow the rules.

如果選手不遵守規(guī)則將被扣分。

3. nourish vt.

(a person, an animal or a plant) alive and well with food

滋養(yǎng)，給予營養(yǎng)，養(yǎng)育

Most plants are nourished by water drawn up through their roots.

大部分植物依賴其根所吸水分來獲得營養(yǎng)。

Children need plenty of good fresh food to nourish them.

孩子們需要好的、新鮮的食物來滋養(yǎng)他們。

b. have or increase (a feeling, etc.)

持有或懷有(情緒);增進(情感)

Lisa has long nourished the hope of becoming a famous writer.

利薩長期以來一直希望能成為一位名作家。

The young man nourished a deep attraction for her.

這位年輕人深深地愛著她。

2). Phrases and expressions

through:

experience

經(jīng)歷，經(jīng)受住

My aunt has lived through three wars.

我的嬸嬸經(jīng)歷了三次戰(zhàn)爭。

She has lived through some terrible experiences.

她經(jīng)歷過一些可怕的事情。

on:

aim for; prepare

為……做準備

We hadn't planned on twins!

我們沒有生雙胞胎的思想準備。

We were planning on just having a snack and catching the early train.

我們打算吃份快餐然后去趕早班火車。

the target:

succeed; manage

達到目的，中肯

You certainly hit the target when you said that he was lazy.

你說他懶，可說中要害了。

He hit the target when he became president of the class.

他達到了目的，當上了班長。

the event of:

if sth. happens

如果……發(fā)生

In the event of his death, Mary will take the money.

如果他死了，瑪麗將得到這筆錢。

In the event of a strike, the army will take over responsibility for fighting fires.

如果發(fā)生罷工，軍隊將接過救火的任務。

on

little or not enough of sth. that is needed

缺乏，缺少，不足

The plan had to be cancelled for lack of money.

由于缺乏資金, 那個計劃不得不取消。

Her only problem is lack of confidence.

她唯一的問題是缺乏信心。

of

carry; take away

帶著 (某人或某物), 帶走 (某人或某物)

I took my music along, but no one asked me to sing.

我隨身帶著樂譜, 可沒人邀我唱歌。

Why don't you take your mother along to the concert? I'm sure she would enjoy it.

你為什么不帶你母親來聽音樂會，我肯定她一定會喜歡的。

along

carry; take away

帶著 (某人或某物), 帶走 (某人或某物)

I took my music along, but no one asked me to sing.

我隨身帶著樂譜, 可沒人邀我唱歌。

Why don't you take your mother along to the concert? I'm sure she would enjoy it.

你為什么不帶你母親來聽音樂會，我肯定她一定會喜歡的。

behind

go away with (sb. or sth. )remaining behind

留下 (某物或某人)

The wounded had to be left behind when the defeated army left.

敗軍撤離時，只好把傷員丟了下來。

turn

one after another

依次，逐個地

The boys called out their names in turn.

孩子們依次說出自己的名字。

Each of us collects the mail in turn.

大家輪流取信。

Summary of the Text

Summarize the passage using the tips below.

1. leaving for the U.S.A.

2. including a better command of English

3. a better understanding of the American culture

4. be faced with all kinds of difficulties

5. cover various expenses

6. learn to take care of themselves

7. rely on themselves

8. adjusting to the schedule of their new family

Summary of the Text:

Leaving for the U.S.A. is no ordinary flight experience for some foreign students planning to stay there for some time. Their purposes for going abroad vary, including a better command of English, the completion of high school and a better understanding of the American culture. These students may be faced with all kinds of difficulties. Finding a host family is the first challenge. But Gloria is an exception because she has made adequate preparation for that. Another big challenge is to cover various expenses. Students also have to learn to take care of themselves because they will no longer under the protection of their parents Saying good-bye to their parents and friends may be an unusual experience for them because from the moment on they have really to rely on themselves. And they are not sure whether they can adapt themselves to the new culture. Two new problems facing them upon their arrival in America would involve getting used to the local food and getting over their homesickness. Some students find trouble adjusting to the schedule of their new family. Some students who are not fluent in English have to go to private lessons, with the result that their total costs might be increased.

After reading

Further discussion:

1. Work in groups to discuss the following topic.

1) Some parents in China sent their children to foreign countries at a very early age, even when they are still in primary school. What do you think of this phenomenon?

2) Why do you think the Chinese government encourage young people to study abroad?

2. Discuss the following problem with your partner and see if you can reach an agreement with each other on these topics.

If you were offered a job in a joint venture enterprise and at the same time you received a letter from an American university informing you that you were admitted. What decision would you make and why?

Home work:

2.Write to your parents and discuss with them your future plan: finding a job immediately upon graduation; pursuing your graduate study here at home; furthering your education in a foreign country. For each decision list as many reasons as you can.

Section B Experiences in Exile

Objectives

Students will be able to:

the main idea of the text

2. master the key language points and grammatical structures in the text

the reading skill ---- Reading for the Key Idea in a Sentence

Reading skill---- Reading for the Key Idea in a sentence

Although a sentence may give a great deal of information, it usually offers one key idea. Readers should learn to find the key idea in order to understand the meaning of a sentence clearly.

The key idea of a sentence usually tells:

a) what a person or an object is

b) what a person or an object is doing

Look at the following examples taken from Reading Passage A:

At the end of each semester, as long as the students pass final exams, American authorities grant a certificate, which is recognized in Brazil. (Para. 3, Reading Passage A, Unit 4)

This sentence tells about American authorities. We know that American authorities grant a certificate. All the information about when and under what conditions they grant a certificate, or how the certificate is viewed in Brazil, adds details. The details are helpful in completing the scene for the reader, and we need to rely on these details to make the key idea clearer. But the key idea, or the main thought, in this sentence is simply “American authorities grant a certificate”.

American families, which host foreign students, are not paid, though they are allowed a small income tax deduction.

(Para. 5, Reading Passage A, Unit 4)

This sentence tells about American families. We know that American families are not paid. All the information about what kind of American families and under what condition they are not paid adds details. The details are helpful in completing the scene for the reader, and we need to rely on these details to make the key idea clearer. But the key idea, or the main thought, in this sentence is simply American families are not paid.

In order to find the key idea of a sentence we have to:

a) ask who or what the sentence is about;

b) ask what the person or object is doing, or what is happening to the person or object;

c) learn to separate details from the key idea.

Many words in a sentence describe things about the subject of the sentence and only add details around it. If we ask when, what kind, where, or why, we will find details. As a result it will be easier for us to see the key idea. Now look at the following example taken from Reading Passage A.

Yet for 38 young passengers between fifteen and eighteen years of age, it is the start of a new experience: they will spend 10 months of their lives studying abroad, far from their families. (Para. 2, Reading Passage A, Unit 4)

The key idea of this sentence is that it is a start of a new experience. The information as to for whom and why it is a start of a new experience simply adds details.

Detailed reading (Language Study)

1.) New words

a. [U] being sent away from one's native country or home, esp. for political reasons or as a punishment

放逐，流放，流亡

The President went into exile abroad in 1959 because of the political situation in his own country.

總統(tǒng)由于其本國的政治情況而于1959年流亡國外。

After many years of exile thousands of families will now be able to return to their homeland.

流亡多年之后，數(shù)千個家庭現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)能夠返回祖國了。

b. [C] person who lives away from his own country by choice or because he is forced to

自己選擇或被迫居留國外的人

There were many French exiles in England after the war.

戰(zhàn)后有許多法國人被迫移居英國。

The island is full of tax exiles.

這座小島上全是逃避納稅而流亡國外的人。

sb. into exile

放逐, 充軍

She was exiled from her country because of her part in the plot against the government.

她因參與反政府陰謀而被放逐國外。

The President was exiled for life.

總統(tǒng)被終身放逐。

without limits; endless

無限的，無窮的

The universe is potentially infinite.

從理論上講宇宙是無限的。

This is a discovery of infinite importance.

這是一項極其重大的發(fā)現(xiàn)。

s

tiring, because of being too long, slow or dull; boring

冗長的，沉悶的，乏味的

The work is tedious.

這個工作真乏味。

We had to sit through several tedious speeches.

我們不得不坐在那里聽完那幾個冗長而乏味的發(fā)言。

move back because of fear or not liking

退卻，退縮，畏縮

She recoiled at the idea of paying $70 for a theater ticket.

想到買一張戲票要70元錢，她退縮了。

She turned round to greet him and then seemed to recoil in horror when she saw the state he was in.

她轉(zhuǎn)過身去迎接他，可當看到他的樣子，她嚇得往后退縮。

so much longer

更長

We'll have to stay all the longer with the heavy rain.

因為大雨我們不得不再呆一些時間.

2. make a fortune

make a large amount of money

發(fā)財

He made a considerable fortune selling waste materials.

他賣廢品賺了相當可觀的一筆錢。

He made a fortune on games of chance.

他在賭博中賺了一大筆錢。

sb. In

put clothes on sb.

給……穿衣服

The mother dressed the children in green skirts.

母親給孩子們穿上綠色的裙子。

The bride dressed herself in white.

新娘穿著一身白色衣服。

4. with a heavy heart

unhappy

心情沉重，不開心

With a heavy heart, she turned to wave goodbye.

她心情沉重地轉(zhuǎn)過身向人們揮手告別。

5. make sure

find out whether sth. is so

查明，證實，了解清楚

I think the door's locked, but I'd better go and make sure.

我想門已上鎖了，但我最好還是去確定一下。

Make sure that the film is on tonight.

務必弄清楚電影確是今晚放映。

Exercises(P108-P110)

Discussion:

Discuss the following problem with your partner and see if you can reach an agreement with each other on the topic.

What do you think is the biggest challenge studying in a foreign country?