（1）接触新事物，环境很重要（environment）. （2）勤加练习，善于学习（exercise and study）.

（3）每天进步一点点，就像孩子的成长一样（make progress every day）。 3.总结自己的观点。

Text B New Words

1、comparison n. the process of comparing two or more people or things 比较

2、tense n. any of the forms of a verb that may be used to show the time of the action or sexpressed by the verb 时态

3、preposition n. a word or a group of words, such as in, from, to, out, of, etc., used befnoun or pronoun to show place, position, time or method 介词

4、normally adv. usually, in normal circumstances 通常；在正常情况下

5、precise adj. exact and accurate in detail or description 确切的；准确的

6、creative adj. having the skill or ability to produce something new 有创造力的

7、enhance v. to improve the quality, amount or strength of （something） 提高；增强；改进 8、completely adv. totally, in every way possible 彻底地；完全地

9、exclude v. to prevent somebody/ something from entering a place or taking part in someth把…排斥在外

10、shun v. to determinedly avoid （somebody/something）; to refuse to accept （somebody/ something） 避开；回避；避免

11、relegate v. to put （something/ somebody） into a lower or less important rank or posit降级；降低…的地位

12、cheesy adj. cheap or of low quality 劣质的；庸俗的

13、receptive adj. willing to listen to and accept new ideas and suggestions 乐于接受的 14、frustrating adj. causing you to feel annoyed or impatient because you cannot do or achiwhat you want 令人懊恼的；令人沮丧的

15、medium n. a method or way of expressing something 媒介；手段；方法

16、profoundly adv. in a way that has a very great effect on somebody/something 极大地，深刻 17、melodic adj. pleasant to listen to, like music 悦耳的；优美动听的

18、grateful adj. showing or expressing thanks, especially to another person 感谢的；感激的 19、stubbornly adv determinedly, strongly refused to change 固执地；顽固地

20、ignore v. to intentionally not listen or give attention to 忽视；对…不予理会

21、community n. the people living in one particular area or people who are considered as abecause of their common interests, background or nationality 社区；群体 22、majority n. the largest part of a group of people or things 大多数 23、tongue n. a language 语言

24、isolated adj. without much contact with other people or other countries 孤独的；孤立的 25、realize v. to understand or become aware of a particular fact or situation 理解；意识到 26、immediately adv. without delay; at once 立刻；立即

27、translate v. to change （words） into a different language 翻译 28、immediate adj. happening or done without delay 立即的

29、credibility n. the quality that somebody / something has that makes people believe or tthem 可信性；可靠性

30、plain adv. completely, absolutely ＋足地；绝对地

31、corny adj. lacking new ideas and sincerity; too often repeated and therefore not amusininteresting 陈词滥调的；陈旧的；老生常谈的

32、pick-up n. talking to somebody in a friendly way in the hope of having a casual relatiowith them 调情

33、tastefully adv. attractively, elegantly, in good taste 高雅地；有品位地；雅致地

34、undeniably adv. truly, certainly, in a way that cannot be denied 无可辩驳地；不可否认地 35、refinement n. the quality of being polite and educated and able to judge the quality ofthings 优雅；有礼貌；有教养

36、coed n. a female student in a college with male and female students （男女同校的）女生

Phrases and Expressions

make sense to have a meaning that you can easily understand 有道理；有意义

hear … out to listen until somebody has finished saying what they want to say 听某人把话说 measuring stick criterion used to measure something 量尺；标准

take… for granted to believe something is true without even thinking about 认为……是理所当 get the most out of to gain or obtain the best out of, make the best use of 获益最多；充分利 exclude……from to prevent somebody or something from taking part in something 把……排斥在 make an effort to make an attempt to do something, especially when it is difficult 尽力；努 be struck by to be impressed or interested by somebody/something, to like somebody/ somethivery much 被……打动；迷恋某人（某物）

sell oneself short to put too low a value on oneself and what one does 低估，轻视，小瞧（自 set……apart to make somebody/something different from or better than others 使与众不同：使 be dying to do…… to be eager to do something, want to do something very much 渴望；极想

Text B

Pre-reading Questions

1.Are you interested in English? Why do you think English has become the international langof the modern world?

2.What reasons do you expect the author to give for learning a foreign language?

Five Good Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language

Still don't understand learning a foreign language is a good idea? Read the following and ywill get the idea!

1.Improve your native language

I know this might not make sense at first but hear me out. ⑴ As a person who speaks only olanguage, you have no basis for comparison; all you know is your native language. In different languages the same idea is often expressed in different ways. Knowing another language gives yogreat measuring stick. It will help you better understand tenses, prepositions and all the otheparts of speech we normally take for granted. ⑵ You will find yourself speaking and writing moprecise and creative sentences. There is a reason why most great writers and poets are studentsmany languages. ⑶

2.Enhance your experience of travel

Traveling is one of the great joys of life and also one of the most expensive. Why not get most out of it? If you don't know the language of the places you visit, you are completely exclfrom the culture. ⑷ The locals shun you and you are relegated to sightseeing and taking cheesyphotos. ⑸ Knowing even a few phrases of the language will make a huge difference. You will meemany more people and find it much easier to get around. People are much more receptive if you man effort to speak their language. ⑹ This can turn a frustrating experience into the trip of alifetime.

3.Languages are beautiful

Language is what makes us human. It is the medium we use to share our thoughts with the resthe world. Can you imagine thought without language? Great language also has a wonderful musicaquality. Learning a new language is like learning a new way to think and a new way to sing. I aoften struck by new phrases that are profoundly meaningful and melodic. ⑺ At those moments I f

grateful to be alive. Don't sell yourself short by stubbornly ignoring every language but one. 4.Join the global community

Believe it or not, the majority of the world does not speak our mother tongue. We are so isolated that we hardly realize this. ⑼ The truth is that new thoughts and ideas are appearingeverywhere and they are not being immediately translated. ⑽ The world is getting smaller and wcoming into contact with more non-Chinese speakers all the time. Gain an advantage for yourselfbusiness and personal relationships by being able to communicate with people in their language.This will set you apart and gain you immediate respect and credibility. Last, but not least: 5.It's just plain cool

I'm not saying you should learn a few corny French pick-up lines and go saying them to everyou meet, but knowing a foreign tongue and applying it tastefully is undeniably attractive.⑿ Iimplies education, good taste and refinement, and it will certainly make you stand out against competition. ⒀ Imagine saying a beautiful phrase with perfect pronunciation to a lovely coed. will immediately have her attention; she will be dying to know what it means. I know this from experience.

Key Sentences

1.I know this might not make sense at first but hear me out. 我知道最初这话听起来似乎没有道理,但是请让我把话说完.

2.It will help you better understand tenses, prepositions and all the other parts of speechnormally take for granted.

它将帮助你更好地理解时态、介词以及我们习以为常的其他部分。

3.There is a reason why most great writers and poets are students of many languages. 这就是为什么大多数伟大的作家和诗人都学过几门语言。

4.If you don't know the language of the places you visit, you are completely excluded from culture.

如果你不懂你所访问之处的语言，就完全被当地文化排除在外。

5.The locals shun you and you are relegated to sightseeing and taking cheesy photos. 当地人不搭理你，你只能观光游览，拍一些俗气的照片。

6.People are much more receptive if you make an effort to speak their language. 如果你尽量努力学说他们的语言，人们会更加乐于接受你。

7.I am often struck by new phrases that are profoundly meaningful and melodic. 一些意义深远、音调优美动听的短语常常使我印象深刻。

8.Don't sell yourself short by stubbornly ignoring every language but one. 不要由于顽固地忽视任何一门语言低估自己。

9.We are so isolated that we hardly realize this. 我们如此孤立，几乎没有意识到这一点。

10.The truth is that new thoughts and ideas are appearing everywhere and they are not beingimmediately translated.

事实上，新思想和新观念正在世界各地出现，并且它们不会立即被翻译。

11.Gain an advantage for yourself in business and personal relationships by being able to communicate with people in their language.

能用别人的语言与他们交流，这对你的事业和人际关系都是优势。

12.I'm not saying you should learn a few corny French pick-up lines and go saying them to everyone you meet, but knowing a foreign tongue and applying it tastefully is undeniably attrac 我并不是说你应该学习一些老掉牙的法语搭讪语，并且对每个你遇到的人说这些语言，但是了解外语且运如无疑是有吸引力的。

13.It implies education, good taste and refinement, and it will certainly make you stand ouagainst the competition.

这意味着你有学识、有品位、有教养，这无疑会使你在竞争中脱颖而出。

Notes

1. A pick-up line is a conversation opener with the intent of engaging an unfamiliar personsex, romance, or dating. Overt and sometimes humorous displays of romantic interest, pick-up liare often used as ''ice-breakers\casual and open-ended, offering the opportunity for romantic remarks and jokes.

Exercises

Ⅰ checking your comprehension Section A

Direction: Read the following statements and mark Y （for Yes） if the statement agrees witinformation given in the text; N （for No） if the statement contradicts the information given the text; NG （for Not Given） if the information is not given in the text.

（ ）1. Learning a foreign language can help you understand your mother tongue better. [答疑编号506494010601：针对该题提问]

【正确答案】Y

【答案解析】句意：学习一门外语能帮助你更好地理解你的母语。课文第二段提到，学习外语能够improve your native language，更好地理解时态、介词等。答案为Y。

（ ）2. Most great writers and poets know more than one language. [答疑编号506494010602：针对该题提问]

【正确答案】Y

【答案解析】句意：很多作家以及诗人都不只会一门语言。根据关键词writers and

poets定位到第二段最后一句，即这就是为什么很多伟大的作家和诗人都曾学习多门语言。答案为Y。

（ ）3. Knowing only a few words and phrases of a foreign language is of little help. [答疑编号506494010603：针对该题提问]

【正确答案】N

【答案解析】句意：知道几个外语单词和词组没有多大帮助。课文第三段第五句中提到，

knowing even a few phrases will make a huge difference，即学会一些外语句子就会有很大不同，比如可能会遇到很多人，更容易融入当地生活等。答案为N。

（ ）4. Knowing a foreign language can enhance your experience of travel. [答疑编号506494010604：针对该题提问]