C: OK.

Unit 8

Learning to learn P46

2 Conversation A Listen and practice.

Paula: Do you want to take a class with me at the community college? Jason: Maybe. What are they offering?

P: Well, here’s the course catalog. Take a look.

J: Hmm. They’ve got a lot of language classes – Chinese, German, Japanese. Would you rather learn an Asian language or a European one?

P: Um, actually, I think I’d rather take an art class. They have one on landscape photography and another on making videos.

J: That sounds OK. But I think I’d prefer studying video to learning about photography. P: OH, wait. It says here that you need to provide your own video equipment. J: Oh, I’d rather not spend a lot of money. Let’s see what else they’re offering. B Listen to the rest of the conversation. What course do they decide to take? Why?

Paula: Hmm. Hey, this sounds kind of interesting: the art of bonsai. Jason: What’s bonsai?

P: You know, those miniature trees they grow in little tubs. It says here that they have a course on how to grow them, and on how to develop a business selling bonsais. Apparently, you can sell them for up to $500 apiece.

J: Really? Wow! That does sound good. We could learn how to grow them and then maybe set up a little business.

P: Yeah. We could do it out at my dad’s place. He has lots of room to grow things in his garden.

J: Is the course expensive? Do you have to buy any special equipment?

P: It says no special equipment is required except plant containers and some young trees. J: Let’s check it out, then. P48

Listening:

A Listen to three people talking about the part-time courses they took recently. Complete the chart.

1. Linda

M: So, Linda, what have you been doing with yourself?

L: Not much. Oh, wait! That’s not true. I took this great dancing course last semester. M: Oh, yeah! What kind of dancing?

L: We learned tap dancing and square dancing.

M: Wait……why on earth would you want to learn tap dancing and square dancing? It sounds exhausting.

L: Oh, just for fun. You should try taking the course. You’ll see that you learn more than just dancing. You also learn how to be more confident and how to interact better with other people.

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M: Hmm. I think with all that hopping around I’d be too exhausted to interact with anyone. 2. Rich

W: So, how did you enjoy your cooking course? R: It was great.

W: What kinds of things did you learn to cook? R: Well, it was a course on vegetarian cooking. W: I didn’t know you were a vegetarian.

R: Oh, I’m not. But a lot of people are these days. So I thought it would be useful to know how to make some interesting dishes without meat for times when I invite friends over for dinner.

W: Hmm. Well, I guess that makes sense.

R: Oh, but we learned more than just cooking. They also taught us all kinds of useful things about…uh…the health value of different kinds of vegetables, and how to prepare them so that you don’t remove all the valuable vitamins and minerals that they contain. W: So…uh…when’s dinner? 3. Gwen

G: I just got my grade in the mail. I got an A!

M: Wow! That’s terrific. Congratulations. What kind of course was it?

G: Oh, it was one of those business courses. They just taught us how to open a small business.

M: Oh, did it help?

G: Oh, absolutely. We learned a lot of general principles, and then they taught us about how to run a small retail business. I got a lot of great information that I could use if ever I decide to open……oh, let’s say a plumbing supply store. M: A plumbing supply store? P48

7 Conversation

A Listen and practice.

W: So, how’s your French class going?

J: Not bad, but I’m finding the pronunciation difficult.

W: Well, it takes a while to get it right. You could improve your accent by listening to tapes. J: That’s a good idea. But how do you learn new vocabulary? I always seem to forget new words.

W: I learn new words by writing them on pieces of paper and sticking them on my bedroom wall. I look at them every night before I go to sleep. J: Maybe I should try something like that!

B Listen to two other people explain how they learn new words in a foreign language. What techniques do they use? First person

I keep a record of new words I come across. Then I make up study cards. I write the word on one side of the card and the meaning on the other side. Oh, and I always include at least one sentence with the word in it. Then I go through the cards whenever I have some spare time – like when. I’m waiting for my clothes at the Laundromat or between classes – and study the words until I know them by heart. Every week or so, I organize the cards

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into categories: you know, I put all the words together that have to do with food…or work…or home…or school…whatever I can find that my new words have in common. Second person

I keep a vocabulary notebook. It’s organized alphabetically. Whenever I hear or read a new word. I write it down. Then when I have time, I look it up in my dictionary. Then I put down some key information about the word – you know, whether it’s a noun or a verb, and some examples of how it’s used. I go through the notebook and study the words as often as I can. I really believe that the only way to learn new words – even in your own language – is by memorizing them. P49

9 Ways of learning

A First, discuss how you would learn to do the things in the chart. Then listen to two people describe how they developed these skills. How did they learn? 1. Become a good cook

First person

Well. I first learned to cook by watching my mom. She’s a great cook, so I used to help her in the kitchen whenever I had the chance. I also took a couple of cooking classes to learn how to do other kinds of cooking, like pastries and Chinese cooking. Second person

I never actually spent any time in the kitchen until I moved away form home and got my own apartment. Then I had to learn – that is, if I wanted to eat something besides fast food! So I learned to cook just by getting some cookbooks and trying the recipes out. I made a lot of really awful mistakes, and…ugh…ate some of those mistakes, but practice does make perfect. Now I’m a pretty good cook, I’ve even thrown some dinner parties. 2. Become a good conversationalist

First person

I had always been really shy. I was the sort of person who could go to a party and never talk to anybody, and when you don’t talk to anybody, it’s hard to make friends. Anyway, my sister suggested I take an acting class. She said it might help me become more

outgoing. So, I did. I was really frightened in that first acting class. But you know it really helped. The teacher was very kind, and taught me that I could talk to anybody just by pretending to be someone else.

Second person

I guess I learned how to communicate with people when I was a flight attendant. I worked as a flight attendant for five years. The most important thing you have to do in that job is to talk to passengers – especially during long flights. You learn to talk about all kinds of stuff, and you find out just how interesting some people’s lives are. I think the key to being a good conversationalist is to be sincerely interested in other people and to try to get them to talk about themselves as much as possible. Review of Units 5-8 P52

2 Listening Tenant complaints

Listen to three tenants complaining to their building manager. Complete the chart. 1.

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A: Hello, Mr. Smith? I was wondering if you could, uh, change the lightbulb out front? It went out again.

B: Look, why are you bothering me now? It’s still light outside and it will be for another five hours.

A: Well, I realize that, but it was dark last night, and I was fumbling with my keys, and …I’m headed out now, and …

B: Miss, it just rained. It’s very wet. It’s dangerous to work with electricity when it’s wet outside.

A: Oh, I…I don’t want to endanger you. It’s just that I’ll be coming home late tonight and I just want to make…

B: I would love to help you miss, but somebody borrowed my ladder. I don’t have a ladder. A: Well, you know, I have a chair! If you’d just give me a lightbulb, I wouldn’t mind doing it myself. OK?

B: Oh, oh. Oh! OK. Here. Take a lightbulb from one of my lamps… A: Oh, no, you don’t have to do that!

B: …so you know it works. No, please. It’s my pleasure. A: Oh! Thank you! 2.

A: Uh, excuse me. Mr. Smith? B: Yeah?

A: Uh, I was wondering if you could do something about my next-door neighbor’s dog? It’s been barking and…and keeping…keeping…

B: Hey! Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, dogs gotta…… A: Dogs…

B: That’s nature’s way.

A: Dogs…yes, but they don’t have to bark all night! This is three nights in a row…… B: Oh! Wait! Wait! Have you tried earplugs?

A: I’ve tried earplugs. They don’t……

B: Have you seen the size of that dog? You want me to go in there? That dog could hurt me! A: Well, I need my sleep! I don’t know what to tell you, I mean……

B: Look, look. I tell you what. I’ll call him on the phone, and ask if he can keep his dog quiet. A: Thank you! 3.

A: Mr. Smith. B: Mrs. Taylor.

A: I have a bone to pick with you.

B: What is it?

A: My mail keeps arriving every day later and later. B: Mrs. Taylor, that’s the government’s fault-not mine…… A: Well, I think……

B: Well, complain to the post office.

A: Mr. Smith! I think that it’s your job to take care of this!

B: Mrs. Taylor, why do you need your mail early? Take my advice. Just relax, put your feet

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