Unit 5 Travelling abroad Reading

The world is getting smaller and smaller The world is getting smaller and smaller. We have more and more opportunities to travel or study abroad. Travelling helps us learn a lot about the local customs and broaden our views. Besides, it is relaxing and we can get rid of our anxiety and stress.

Do you want to go abroad for a further study?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying in a foreign country?

Advantages Disadvantages 1. help us to be independent have communication difficulties 2. easy to learn a foreign language 2. cost a lot of money 3. easy to learn advanced knowledge and technology 3. would be tiring to live abroad 4. may feel lonely 4. learn about different customs and views 5. not easy to take good care 5. have new experience

We are going to read a newspaper article about a Chinese student who goes to study in England. What do you think she will find different from studying at a Chinese school / university? What do you think she might find difficult?

Read the text quickly and decide the sentences are true or false. It was the first time that Xie Lei had left her home country. 2. Xie Lei has come to the England University to complete a literature qualification. 3. Most foreign students must complete the preparation course before entering a course. 4. Xie Lei lives in student apartments with her students. 5. Now, Xie Lei doesn’t feel much more at home in England. T F T F F

Find out the main idea of each paragraph. Xie Lei, a Chinese girl, is studying in a foreign country--London. Para1 Para2 Para3 Para4 Para5 Para6 para7 The general introduction to Xie Lei and her study. The difficulties Xie Lei met while living in London. The advantages that Xie Lei gained while living with a host family. Xie Lei is getting used to the Western University’s way of learning. Xie Lei is now getting along well and is living an active life. The newspaper will follow Xie Lei’s progress in later editions.

Answer these questions about the text. 1. What is Xie Lei in England for? How long has she been in England? She is in England to study at a university. She has been in England for six months. 2. Why is she doing a preparation course first? Because studying in England is different from studying in China and she needs to learn about these differences and improve her English.

3. Why did Xie Lei feel like a child when she first arrived in England? Because she had to learn how to do everyday things like using a telephone, paying on a bus, finding her way around a strange city; understanding English as spoken in real life; learning how to write essays acceptable to her British lecturer.

4. Which two types of people have helped Xie Lei most since she came to England? 5. Why has Xie Lei decided to join a few clubs? Her host family and her teachers. Because she thinks it’s important to have a balance between study and a social life, and she wants to make new friends.

Some expressions … the first time she had ever left her motherland The word “ever” is in the sentence for emphasis. It is to underline the fact that this is her first opportunity to leave China. 2. … which can take up all your … This means that concentrating on how to live uses a lot of energy. “take up” in this context means “use”.

3. I was numb with shock! “Numb” is a very strong word to express how upset Xie Lei was at her tuitor’s response. It means she was unable to move or think for a short time as she was so surprised. However, it is important to stress that Xie Lin cope with the situation in a very mature way by going to see her tutor and discussing the matter with him.

4. an autonomous learner This is a learner who can organize her own study and find resources for her work on the Internet or in the library. She is not told what to do by a teacher but shows initiative.

Discussion While studying in London, Xie Lei has some difficulties as well as benefits. Benefits Xie Lei gained A: The benefit of doing a preparation course is helping her to get used to academic requirements of a Western University.

B: I think that the benefit of living with a host family is that she can get lots of advice; she has the opportunity to learn more about everyday life and customs in the new country. Living with a host family is a great comfort to have a substitute family to come home to.

C: And I think the benefit of having a tutor is getting some good advice on study and he or she can coach you with your article; you can make progress with the help of a tutor.

Difficulties Xie Lei met A: The difficulties that Xie Lei met at the University are that when she heard an expression, she can’t understand. It seems strange to her that someone does something. She didn’t know how to write a good essay on her own.

B: The difficulties that she has to get used to a new way of life are that she had to learn almost everything again. For example, how to use the phone, how to pay on the bus, how to ask a shopkeeper for things she didn’t know the English for. She didn’t understand the words that the local people say. She hasn’t had time for social activities.

Task 1 Suppose you are a newspaper reporter. Please interview Xie Lei using the following words or phrases: keep it up, get along, make progress, board, adjust to, It is the first time …, get used to, as far as one is concerned, feel at home, all the best, etc.

Task 2 Suppose you are Xie Lei. Please write a paragraph beginning with “When I came to England for the first time, it was hard for me to get used to …?

Task 3 Suppose your friends would travel abroad. What suggestions would you give?

Homework Learn more about studying abroad and travelling overseas. Collect the language points and useful expressions in reading passage.