Unit One Some Strategies for Learning English

Designed by Shi Yuan

BookⅠ

The Second Two Periods

Reading and Translation

Reading and Translation

• Review—Memorize the new words • Comprehension of the text• Chinese and English phrases • Words and expressions • Difficult sentences • Assignments

Comprehension of the text Multiple Choice

1. In the first sentence, “by no means” means ____.

A) without method

B) not at all

C) absolutely

D) above all

2. According to the author, in order to have a good command of English

one must ____.

A) employ as many learning strategies as possible

B) expect to gain an easier task

C) exert oneself constantly

D) sustain oneself

3. In the author’s opinion, if you cannot memorize all the new words you

are learning, it is because _____.

A) you are forgetful

B) you are not working hard enough

C) you are not interested in memorizing English words

D) you are trying to memorize too many new words at a time

4. As for words which do not often occur in everyday situation, you just

need to be able to ____.

A) recognize them

B) nod at them

C) concentrate much on them

D) practice using them constantly

5. If you listen to the tape again and again, you may ____.

A) want to retell the general meaning of what you hear from the tape

B) feel so bored that you cannot understand what you hear from the

tape

C) understand what you hear from the tape better and better

D) repeat the exact words you hear from the tape

6. According to the text, which of the following is NOT one of the possible

activities for you to practice speaking English at school?

A) To talk to native speakers on campus.

B) To speak English to the waitress in English as you pay for a meal in a

restaurant.

C) To rehearse aloud by yourself.

D) To talk with your classmates in English.

7. In the eyes of the author, one should start from ______ in wide

reading.

A) interesting materials

B) books with very few pages

C) materials not too difficult

D) both A and C

8. A pen pal provides good motivation for your writing because he or she

____.

A) lives far away from you

B) knows China a lot so that you can have a lot to talk about

C) also keeps a diary

D) may inform you of many interesting things in his or her culture

Questions to the Text

1. How many strategies you can find in the text? And which do you think is the most one suitable for you?

2. Can you work out a plan for you future English learning?

Discourse Analysis

• A strategy refers to a set of carefully planned methods for achieving something that is difficult and may take a long time.

• In introducing some strategies, the author adopts the structure of Problem—Strategy within a paragraph to show us the problems in English learning and then proposes strategies to solve the problems. Please scan the text for some examples of the Problem—Strategy structure.

Problems StrategiesStrategies

It’s impossible to memorize all the new words you’re learning

Deal with active and passive vocabulary differently

You don’t know the idiomatic usage of some words

Watch out its usage in daily life

First listening maybe a failure

No speaking chances in school

Listen to it over and over again

Seize every opportunity to speak

Words and expressions

• by no means: not at all• This is by no means out of the ordinary.• 我对目前的表现一点也不满意。• I am by no means satisfied with my present performance.

• by means of 以… ，借着…• by all means 无论如何 , 务必• by fair means or foul 不择手段地• by no means/not by any means/by no manner of means

决不，一点也不

• diligence: careful and hard effort

• Diligence is the mother of good luck.

• 勤为佳运之母。

• prolonged: adj. continuing for a long period of time• A prolonged period of low interest rates has discouraged

people to save their money into the bank.

• NB: • prolonged 是过去分词作形容词用，它的动词原型是 prolo

ng ，意为“延长、拖延”。例如：他又问了她一个问题，仅仅是为了延长谈话时间。 He asked her another question just to prolong the conversation.

• command: • n. possession and mastery①• Those artists whose paintings are on display show a good comman

d of watercolor.• ② knowledge of or the ability to use• This young girl’s command of English is really excellent.

• v. be in a position to use; have at one’s service①• Many college students today command a large vocabulary.• ② overlook from a higher position• This fort commanded the entire valley.

• sustained: adj. continuing for a long time

• The conference discussion focuses on the sustained development of agriculture.

• NB: • sustained 是过去分词作形容词用，它的动词原型是 susta

in ，意为“支撑、维持”。例如：在医院里，惟一让我支撑下去的就是回家的想法。 The thought of getting home was the only thing that sustained me in the hospital.

• employ: vt. • ① pay someone to work for you• The factory employs over 2000 people.• ② use a particular object, method, skill, etc. in order to achieve something• The report examines teaching methods employed in the classroom.• 这种设备使用激光束制作电脑芯片。 The equipment employs laser beams t

o make the computer chips.

• CF:• employ, hire & engage 这三个词都是动词，都有“雇用”之意。• employ 表示支付薪水，较长期、固定地雇用某人。例如：• Hotels employ more women than men.• hire 表示支付一定钱额，雇用某人短期从事某项工作。例如：• I hired a bricklayer to build a wall on the balcony. • engage 表示任命、安排某人从事某项工作。例如：• The boss has engaged a new secretary.

• Employer 雇主• Employee 雇员

• complain:• vi. express dissatisfaction, unhappiness, annoyance or p

ain• He constantly complains about how he's treated at work.

• Pattern: • complain (to sb.) about/of sb./sth. • 街坊邻居们向警方投诉工地上传来的噪音。• Neighbors complained to the police about the noise from

the building site.

• n. complaint

• memorize: vt. commit to memory; learn by heart• He studied his map, trying to memorize the way to Rose's street.

• CF: memorize, remember, recall & remind 这四个词都是动词，均有“记忆，记住，回忆”之意。

• memorize 指有意识的下功夫把某事的整个细节都记在脑子里。例如：Don't write down your PIN number, memorize it.

• remember 表示记得，多指无意识地回忆起往事。例如： He remembers every detail of that occurrence as though it happened yesterday.

• recall 指想方设法回忆已经遗忘之事。例如： I seem to recall I've met him before somewhere.

• remind 指经某人或某事的提醒而回忆起某件已遗忘之事。例如： If I forget, please remind me.

• at fault: responsible for something bad that has happened

• The police said that the driver was at fault.• 关于空气污染大多数人认为是钢铁厂的责任。• As for air pollution, most people believe that steel factori

es are at fault.

• cram: v.• ① force (sth.) into a small space• A lot of information has been crammed into this

book.• ② make (sth.) full • We all crammed in and Peter started the car.• 三万六千名观众挤进运动场观看比赛。• 36,000 spectators crammed into the stadium to s

ee the game.

• bound: • adj.• ① certain or very likely• I knew that the invitation was bound to come.• 你一次处理这么多事务，肯定会出错。• When you are handling so many affairs at a time, mistakes are boun

d to happen.• ② obliged to do (sth.) or having the duty to do (sth.)• Tom felt bound to tell Joanna the truth.• ③ travelling towards a particular place or in a particular direction• The plane is bound for Somalia.

• n. a line determining the limits of an area 范围 , 限度

• v. move forward by leaps and bounds跳跃 • The dog bounded down the hill. • 狗跳跃着朝山下跑去。

• crowd:• n. a large group of people• There were crowds of people in the street. • v. • ① gather together in large numbers• Hundreds of people crowded into the church for the funeral.• ② fill in• Range after range of mountains crowd the horizon.• 他的脑海里充满了奇怪的想法。 Strange thoughts are crowding his

mind.

• Collocation: • crowd into 挤入• crowd round/around 聚集在…周围• be crowded together 汇聚在一起• crowd sb./sth. out 将某人或某物挤出

• occur: vi. happen

• The explosion occurred at 5:30 a.m.

• Pattern: • It occurs to somebody to do (sth.). • 我的孩子们似乎从来想不到和我联络。 It never seems to

occur to my children to contact me.

• constant:• adj.• ① happening regularly or all the time• There was a constant stream of visitors to the house.• 她的诊室不断有家长前来求助。 Her clinic has a constant stream of

parents wanting help.• ② staying the same• The truck was traveling at a fairly constant speed.• ③ loyal and faithful• He is a constant friend.

• n. something that never changes such as a number or quantity.• 这一常量非常重要，因为它确定了一个原子中的一个电子轨道的大小，

周期和能量。 This constant is very important because it fixes the sizes, period and energy of an electron's orbit in an atom.

• commit: v. • ① do (sth.) wrong or illegal• Women commit fewer crimes than men.• ② say that (sb.) will definitely do (sth.) or must do (sth.)• He has clearly committed his government to continuing economic reform.• 这一奖学金要求学生们必须在公立学校授课。 The scholarship commits stud

ents to teaching in public schools 。• ③ pledge devotion to (sb. or sth.)• He wasn't yet ready to commit to the relationship.

• Collocation: • commit a crime/error/murder/arson/suicide 犯罪 /犯错 /犯谋杀罪 /犯纵火罪 /自杀

• commit (sb.) to doing (sth.) 向某人承诺做某事• commit oneself to (sth.) 致力于• commit (sb./sth.) to (sth.) 为某一特定目的而使用人力或物力• commit (sth.) to memory 把…记住• commit (sth.) to paper 把…写下来• commit (sth.) to flames 烧毁某物 , 将某物付之一炬

• acquaintance: n. • ① somebody you know a little• She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna 。• ② knowledge of sb. or sth. • He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects.• 律师工作要求熟悉法庭程序。• The practice of a lawyer requires acquaintance with court procedures.

• Collocation: • casual acquaintance 偶尔见面的人• make somebody's acquaintance 第一次见某人• mutual acquaintance 双方都认识的人• have a passing/nodding acquaintance with sth. 对…知之甚少

• nodding acquaintance : note2 P6• This phrase is used as a metaphor. An acquaintance refers to someone we

know slightly but who is not a close friend. So we only nod as a greeting when we see him or her. This interpersonal relationship is used to interpret the attitude we should hold to words that do not often occur in everyday situations.

• concentrate: v. • ① give all your attention to what you are doing• Mike tried his best to concentrate on his homework.• 我发现刚睡醒后很难集中注意力。 I find it difficult to conc

entrate soon after waking up.• ② cause people or things to be present somewhere in la

rge numbers or amounts • Italian industry is concentrated mainly in the north.

• route: n. a particular way or direction between places• Kennedy arrived at the same conclusion by a different route.

• CF: route, course, pass & passage 这几个词都是名词，都有“路”之意。

• route 指路线、路程，尤指长距离的旅行路线或固定线路。例如： What’s the shortest route from London to Edinburgh?

• course 指所经之路或方向。例如：• The ship changed course to avoid the iceberg.• pass 指山间隘路、山口。例如：• This pass has witnessed the death of hundreds of soldiers in the pas

t.• passage 指过道、走廊或通道。例如：• He forced a passage through the crowd.

• watch out for: look out for; be on (one's) against

• What problems should I watch out for when buying an old house?

• 你们开会的时候当心间谍窃听。• Watch out for the spy' s wiretapping when you have the

meeting.

• on a regular basis: often and according to a set frequency

• I write to him on a regular basis.• 送奶员定期给我们送奶。• The milkman sends us milk on a regular basis.

• in addition to: used to add another piece of information to what has just been said

• There is a postage and packing fee in addition to the repair charge.

• NB: • in addition to 表示“除…之外”，后接具体事物； in addi

tion 在句中作状语，表示“此外”。例如：这家公司提供廉价的因特网访问服务。此外，还做免费的共享软件。 The company provides cheap Internet access. In addition, it makes free shareware.

• catch: v.• ① get and hold; capture and seize• The kids were throwing and catching a frisbee down on the beach.• ② see (sb.) doing (sth.)• I caught him reading my private letters.• 他被看到偷拿电池。 He was caught stealing batteries• ③ get stuck• His overalls caught in the engine.

• Collocation: • be caught in 陷入• get caught up in 卷入• catch on 流行开来• catch (sb.) doing (sth.) 撞见某人在做某事• catch sb. out 发觉某人的错误• catch sb. red-handed 当场抓住某人• catch sight of 瞥见• catch sb.’s eye 引人注目• catch up 追上• catch up on 弥补

• seek out: look for; try to find someone or something, especially when this is difficult

• Now is the time for local companies to seek out business opportunities in Europe.

• 科学家们需要寻找实验中的因果关系。 Scientists need to seek out cause-and-effect relationships in the experiment.

• feel free to: not hesitate to

• Should you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us.

• in detail: including all or most particulars or items thoroughly

• Most of these topics have been discussed in detail at the forum.

• purchase: • n. the act of buying• She made two purchases from my stall.

• vt. buy something• You can purchase insurance on-line.• 他以 20 万美元买了那块地。 He purchased the l

and for two hundred thousand dollars.

• environment: n. conditions in which people carry on a particular activity; natural world in which animals, people and plants live

• Young children often feel happier in the home environment.

• CF: environment, circumstance & surroundings 这三个词都有“环境”之意。

• environment 表示由周围的人、物等一切物质和精神因素所构成的环境。例如： A pleasant working environment is of vital importance

• circumstance通常用复数，表示对局势产生影响的各种条件的总和。例如： Prisoners can only leave their cells under certain circumstances.

• surroundings 指环境时只可用复数形式，表示各种物体所构成的物质上的自然环境。例如： He switched on the light and examined his surroundings.

• reliable: that may be relied or depended on

• UPS is known for its reliable on-time delivery.

• reliant: relying on another for support• He is reliant on his parents.• self-reliant

• rely: vi. trust or depend on (sb. or sth.)

• Pattern: • rely on/upon (sb./sth.) for/to do (sth.)• I knew I could rely on David to look after my pare

nts.

• apart from: as well as, besides• Apart from his earnings as a football coach, he also owns and runs

a chain of sports shops.

• CF: besides, except, except for & apart from 这几个词和短语都有“除…之外”的意思。

• besides 表示“除了…还有”。例如：• Besides Li Ming, there are many other students attending the meeti

ng.• except 表示“除去，不包括”。例如：• He goes to work everyday except Sunday.• except for 表示“除…以外”，指对某种基本情况进行具体的细节方面的修正。例如：

• Your writing is good except for a few grammar mistakes.• apart from 表示“除…外”，它既可以表示 besides 的意思，也可以

表示 except 或 except for 的意思。例如：• Apart from his uncle, the orphan had no one to take care of him.

• assign v.

• ① give out as a task; place at some task or duty• The teachers always assign homework after class.• I was assigned to the new project for the Department.• ② set aside for a specific purpose• A whole week was assigned for the conference.

• pay: v. give money in exchange for goods or services; bear a cost or penalty

• He paid the bill.• Mum paid for my driving lessons.

• Collocation: • it pays to do (sth.) 做某事是大有益处的• pay attention to 注意• pay tribute to 赞颂• pay a call/vist to 拜访• pay off 付清• pay out 付出

• put…into practice: carry out or perform

• Joan was keen to put some of the things she had learned into practice.

• 对任何理论，先要融会贯通，才谈得上运用自如。• One must have thoroughly mastered a theory be

fore one can put it into practice properly.

Difficult sentences

• 1. Nevertheless, while you cannot expect to gain a good command of English without sustained hard work, there are various helpful learning strategies you can employ to make the task easier.

• 虽然不经过持续的刻苦努力就不能期望精通英语，但还是有各种有用的学习策略可以用来使这一任务变得容易一点。

• 2. Have you ever complained about your memory because you find it simply impossible to memorize all the new words you are learning?

• 你是否曾经因为简直无法记住所学的所有生词，而抱怨自己的记忆力太差呢？

• 3. What you need to do is to deal with new words in different ways according to how frequently they occur in everyday use.

• 你需要做的就是根据生词日常使用的频率以不同的方式对待它们。

• 4. While active words demand constant practice and useful words must be committed to memory, words that do not often occur in everyday situations require just a nodding acquaintance.

• 积极词汇需要经常练习，有用的词汇必须牢记，而在日常情况下不常出现的词汇仅仅需要见到时认识就可以了。

• 5. In learning English, you must pay attention not only to the meaning of a word, but also to the way native speakers use it in their daily lives.

• 在学习英语时，你不仅必须注意词义，还必须注意以英语为母语的人在日常生活中如何使用它。

• 6. Listening to English on a regular basis will not only improve your ear, but will also help you build your speaking skills.

• 经常听英语不仅会提高你的听力，而且有助于培养你的口语技能。

• 7. It is true that there are few situations at school where you have to communicate in English, but you can seek out opportunities to practice speaking the language.

• 的确，在学校里必须用英语进行交流的场合并不多，但你还是可以找到练习讲英语的机会。

• 8. It pays to absorb as much as you can from reading and listening and then try to put what you have learned into practice through speaking and writing.

• 尽可能地从读和听中几首更多的东西，然后再尝试着吧学到的东西通过说和写运用到实践，定会大有收获。

Assignments

• Read the new words by heart after class, next time we’ll have a dictation.

• Read the phrases again and again.• Translate the sentences into English.• Do the rest exercises.• Preview Writing.