Unit 4 Study Abroad
Key to Exercises Opener
Suggested answers for reference
1. Between the 2006/07 academic year and the 2013/14 academic year, the number of Chinese students at US colleges grew from 67,723 to 274,439, making China the single largest country of origin for all international students in the US. 2. There are several reasons. For starters, Chinese families are better off now and can afford international study for their kids. Secondly, in this age of globalization, it’s natural for people to move from country to country seeking opportunities, including opportunities in a different education system. Thirdly, studying abroad is a way for countries to learn from each other. When Chinese students return from overseas, they can help develop China.
3. I’d like to study abroad. I’m curious about the outside world, want to pick up different perspectives, and broaden my mind. I’d like to draw on the best of the Chinese education system and the Western one.
Reading & Interacting
I. Understanding the Text
1. Text Organization Name of the calssic Theme of the classic Paragraphs Related events in author’s life 1. She had left home because she wanted to The Odyssey Going home 1-6 understand better Western civilization and American society. 2. She missed home because studying humanities at Yale was 1) different from that in China, e.g. no correct answers to memorize, originality needed in class and for homework; 2) difficult for a foreign student, e.g. reading, listening and note-taking. Being torn The Aeneid between the past and the future
2. Comprehension Check 2.1 Focusing on the main ideas
I was admitted into a freshman program at Yale that required us to read up Western classics, comprehend them, analyze them and turn in papers with original ideas on them. Although this was my first year in an all-English environment, and sometimes I was tired of all the hard work, I yearned to understand Western society. I made up for my lack of preparation with diligence. I pulled all-nighters, I lingered after class to ask questions, I learned note-taking in English from my classmates, and I visited the writing tutor. As a result, as the year came to an end, I received A’s for all my papers. 2.2 Digging into detail
1. No, there wasn’t. Because when she reached out for a human being, she
grabbed a book instead.
2. Because it was like committing suicide to try to read up and understand Western canons in a year’s time.
3. Force students to read without being concerned about whether they are interested, willing or able to.
4. Because she had been used to the Chinese way of learning humanities, i.e., teachers giving out standard interpretations for students to memorize.
7-9 1. Her mother wanted her to take science like Chinese students traditionally did. 2. She wanted to study humanities and write better English. 5. She would spend the night reading their works and trying to understand their ideas.
2.3 Understanding difficult sentences 1. B 2. B 3. A 4. A 5. A
II. Focusing on Language in Context
1. Key Words & Expressions 1.1
1. Which one is better, a secure job with a low pay or a job with a high pay but easy to lose?
2. News filtered through from Bombay last night of a city on strike and tourists stuck at the airport.
3. Suicide ranks as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Globally, an estimated 700,000 people take their own lives annually.
4. A large product catalog is critical to a successful furniture store website. People who visit your website are looking for new furniture. You need to show it to them.
5. Some of the most provocative thinkers, writers, artists, business people, teachers and other leaders drawn from different fields around the world will gather at this summer program — to teach, speak, lead, question, and answer. 6. The guy tried to run away but the policeman caught him by grabbing the collar of his coat.
7. This dialogue window pops up in my game every five seconds! How do I disable it?
8. Life is like a journey with no known destination. 9. No one can finish all the tasks alone. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. We can all benefit from cooperation.
10. Manchester United, dubbed the Red Devils, is a top football team in England. 11. The police officer turned to the crowd and shouted, “Come on. You need to get
out of here. No lingering around the crime scene.”
12. The flower show is so crowded that there is never an ideal spot for taking pictures no matter how you position yourself.
13. Our mutual friend John has got a rare ability to memorize facts and figures. 14. John stretched out an arm from bed to pick up his phone. Sleepily he asked, “Who is it?”
15. An advance team was sent to the UK to make preparations for President Xi Jinping’s visit. 1.2
1. for instance 2. was flooded with 3. destined to 4. reluctant 5. pull them apart 6. stick to 7. pleaded with 8. As a result 1.3
1. No flowers grew here. No humans ever came. Only the bare grey sand stretched out towards/to the roaring sea. 2. As a Harry Potter fan, Emily felt obligated to visit the Elephant House, the café shop in Edinburgh where J. K. Rowling started writing the series.
3. The saying “Students must do the boring stuff before they can do the interesting stuff” can be roughly translated as “Students must memorize before they can be allowed to think.”
4. According to The Odyssey, Odysseus was the only human being to hear the alluring song of the Sirens and live to tell of it. 5. At first, she pleaded with the doctors to save/not to cut off her son’s arm, but the doctor said there was no choice.
2. Collocation
1. Many Chinese tourists are disappointed to find shops in Europe closed on
weekends.
2. Peter Mayle, author of A Year in Provence, is content to live a quiet life in rural France.
3. I am sorry to say that, despite the efforts of our care team, the patient is going from bad to worse.
4. Because of pollution, water here is no longer fit to drink. 5. The old lady impressed me as someone hard to deal with. 6. This sofa is comfortable to sit on. I’ll take it.
3. Sentence Patterns
1. What better way to remember our beloved daughter than to set up/setting up a scholarship in her name?
2. What better way to start off the new year than to draw up/drawing up a list of goals to be attained in it?
3. Yes, listing Americans’ favorite foods may depend a lot on whom you ask, but one thing is sure: The United States owes many of its favorite dishes, or the ideas for these foods, to the rest of the world.
4. Yes, Claire is young, but she is very good at attending to difficult customers. 5. Yes, he talked like a man of sense, but his action was that of a fool.
4. Comprehensive Practice 4.1 Cloze
What would you do if a chance to study abroad popped up? Would you hesitate or would you grab it straight away? Your answer may well depend on the destination on offer. For instance, studying at Cambridge may well seem more alluring than studying at a less well-known university. And then, of course, there is the program on offer to take into consideration. Do you yearn to explore subjects totally new to you or are you reluctant to stray from areas in which you feel secure? In making the choice you may just have to rely on your instinct about what will suit you best. 4.2 Translation
1. I grabbed my baby from the tiger before I had time to feel afraid. I guess it was a mother’s natural instinct.
2. Modern tourists yearn for mysterious places like Tibet. You should go there
before it is flooded with visitors.
3. Now that my daughter can crawl, there is not a spot in the house she hasn’t reached. I’m just tired of picking up toys constantly after her.
4. I felt pulled apart of late by work and taking care of my sick child. Can I postpone turning in the business plan?
5. I don’t mean to be provocative, but I do think it’s better for our company to split into two.
6. The US government feels obligated to prefer US-made products, but it’s still possible for a foreign company to be its supplier. For instance, if a product is not made in the US, then the US government will buy abroad.
7. We must constantly analyze changes in the environment to see if there is a need to change the original program.
8. What’s your interpretation of the Chinese government’s new policy of allowing two children per family? Is it to make up for the shortage of young people in the future in China?
Reading & Comprehending
Reading 1
1. Comprehension Check for Reading 1
1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. T 6. T 7. F 8. T 9. F 10. T
2. Translation
1.“这是一种全然不同的学习风格，非常注重课堂参与。”他说。“课上教授们从不‘满堂灌’，课堂参与占总成绩的一定比例。”
2. 我不认为英国有哪所大学会把这么多不同的人聚集到一间教室里。因为我学的是哲学和社会学这样的课题，所以多元化的学生构成使得课堂上的交流和辩论精彩纷呈。
3. 周游各地不但给人留下美好回忆，还能让毕业生们在职场占据优势。 4. 你了解了另一种文化和它的行政管理系统。你变得更为独立、更积极、更
自信。所有这些技能都是你在找工作时雇主所看重的。
Reading 2
Comprehension Check for Reading 2
1. Yes. Many countries are working hard to increase their share of Chinese students. The University of Sydney is now accepting the Gaokao as an application credential.
2. The trend towards Chinese students becoming more self-funded.
3. To show that studying overseas may not ensure a high income or comfortable living.
4. When the Chinese economy makes the successful transition from a heavy manufacturing emphasis to one more in line with a “knowledge economy” model.
Integrated Skills Practicing
I. Viewing & Listening
Segment 1
1. Excellent recommendations from your professors. 2. A heck of an admissions essay. 3. At least a 175 on your LSATs. Segment 2
1. She is skilled at commanding the attention of a room and discussing very important issues. 2. She is able to recall hundreds of important details at the drop of a hat. 3. She feels comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life. Segment 3
1. Her GPA or Grade Point Average is 4.0, and her LSAT score is 179. 2. Since Harvard Law School has never had a fashion major before, admitting Elle would add to the diversity of the student make-up.
3. Her list of extracurricular activities is impressive.
III. Writing
Model paper for your reference
Yilu Zhao
No. 2 High School of East China Normal University 155 Jinshajiang Road Shanghai 200062 China
December 1, 1993
Office of Undergraduate Admissions Yale University 38 Hillhouse Avenue New Haven, CT 06511 USA
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my interest in studying history at Yale University, especially your Directed Studies program.
History has always fascinated me, and I firmly believe that the best way to study Western history is to go to a top university in the West, which would greatly help put things into perspective. I understand that your Directed Studies program will guide students through the Western canons of philosophy and literature as well as history, which is exactly the education I yearn for.
History is usually written from the viewpoint of a country. I expect that, at classes in Yale, my historical concepts will differ from, and even clash with, my fellow American students. This will be an enriching experience for all of us.
My ultimate goal is to become a journalist reporting on Western news to the Chinese audience and Chinese news to the West in ways that can promote mutual understanding. A solid grasp of both Chinese and Western history will be a very necessary first step.
Attached please find the duly filled-in application form, my resume, two essays and three letters of recommendation.
I would be much obliged if I could be considered for any kind of financial assistance or scholarship, which would help me greatly in the completion of the degree.
Again, I sincerely thank you for your time and kind consideration. Sincerely,
Yilu Zhao (265 words)