2. Unit 1
School Life

3. What do you think of your junior high school life?
Have you ever experienced anything interesting or unforgettable during the junior high school life?

4. joys sorrows dreams excitement school life discoveries challenges
failures
successes
tears
laughter

5. Do you know about the schools in the United Kingdom?
Appreciate more photos and describe what you see to the class.

6. There are four pictures that show some aspects of school life in the UK. Please look at the pictures, read the instructions and try to determine the differences
between schools in China and
in the UK.

7. In the United Kingdom, we can see huge campus and low buildings in this picture.

8. In China, schools in China usually have a large enough campus to make sure that students have enough space to study and play in. However, most school buildings are taller, at least three storeys.

9. In the United Kingdom, there are rows of lockers by the classrooms for students to put their stationery, books, exercise-books and other belongings.

10. In China, students bring what they need for lessons to school and then take it all back home after school. Most schools in China do not have equipment in the classroom.

11. In the United Kingdom, there are fewer students in a class — no more than 30 per class.

12. In China, there are usually more students in Chinese high school, perhaps 40 to 50 per class. Recently, some schools are beginning to limit the number of students in each class.

13. In the United Kingdom, when classes are over in the afternoon, students take part in different outdoor activities, which makes their school life more interesting. They can enjoy nature, play ball games or do what else they like. They don’t have to hurry home to do a lot of homework.

14. After school, some may read or study in the library
After school, some may read or study in the library. Some may discuss with their classmates about the lessons.

15. In China
It is similar in some urban schools in China. Nowadays, schools there lay emphasis on students’ overall development. They provide chances for their students and encourage them to do outdoor activities. Students are taught to keep a good balance between their study and outdoor activities. However, in some schools, students are burdened with too much homework. They have no time to go out and relax after studying a whole day.

17. Discussion 1. What kind of school activities do you enjoy?
2. Do you know of any further differences between the schools in the United Kingdom and China?
3. What is your dream school life like?

18. Discussion
Nowadays, more and more young students are going abroad to study. What effects will the new school life have on them?

19. Advantages: 1. widen their view 2. improve their English
3. learn to be independent and cooperate
with others
4. learn about foreign customs and
culture
5. let the foreigners learn about China
and attract them to invest in China
6. learn advanced technology

20. Disadvantages:
1. cost a lot of money and cause a heavy burden to their parents
2. feel homesick
3. form bad habits
4. stay in a foreign country and refuse to come back

21. Reading
Read the passage quickly and answer these questions.

22. 1.How long did Wei Hua stay in Britain? _________
2.What was the name of Wei Hua’s class teacher ? ______________ What did Wei Hua make in her Art class ?_______________
One year
Mr Heywood
A small sculpture

23. How many parts are there in the passage?
What’s the main idea of each part?
Parts
Paragraphs
Main idea
Wei Hua's feeling about staying
in a British high school for
one years.
Part 1
Para. 1
Paras.
2-7
Different aspects of school
life in the UK.
Part 2
Wei Hua's hope.
Part 3
Para. 8

24. Skim the text and answer these questions.
What did Wei Hua think of her life in the UK?
She thought it was a very enjoyable and exciting experience.

25. 2. What subjects did Wei Hua study in the past year?
3. Which British city did Wei Hua go to?
English, History, English Literature, Computer Science, Maths, Science, PE, Art, Cooking and French.
Manchester.

26. True or False F Wei Hua’s favorite teacher was Mr. Heywood.
Most British classes have fewer than thirty students.
Wei Hua had more homework in her school in China. T T

27. F
4. It was very expensive for Wei Hua to communicate with her parents.
5. In the UK, students can choose to stop studying any subject.
6. The cake made by Wei Hua did not taste good. F F

28. Read the article again carefully and answer the following questions.
According to the headmaster, what should the students spend much time on?
They should devote themselves to study.

29. 2. Why was it a struggle for Wei Hua to remember the names of her classmates?
3. Why did Wei Hua find her homework difficult at first?
Because there were different students in some classes.
Because all the homework was in English.

30. 4. Who gave Wei Hua a lot of support in her studies.
5. How did Wei Hua manage to improve her English?
The teachers gave her much encouragement.
She used English every day and spent an hour each day reading English books in the library.

31. 6. What do the British like eating at the end of dinner?
They like to eat dessert at the end of dinner.

32. Comprehension Give the best answers to the questions below:
1.Which of the following statement is TRUE according to the passage?

33. A. What the headmaster told them
sounded like what she used to hear in
China.
B. She used to get up at 8 am in China.
C. She was such a good cook that she
liked cooking British food.
D. She didn’t like History or Art, so she
chose Woodwork.

34. 2. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Her English improved a lot as she
used English every day.
B. School life in the UK is busy and
bitter.
C. She had a wonderful experience in
a British school.
D. She was happy with the British
school hours.

35. 3. Which of the following has the closest
meaning to “I could my family
and friends back home for free”?
A. I could my family and friends
back home without paying money.
B. I could my family and friends
back home freely.
C. I could my family and friends in
my free time.
D. I could be free to my family and
friends back home.

36. 4. The writer’s purpose of writing the
passage is to ______.
A. tell us that she doesn’t like school life
in Britain
B. excite more students to study abroad
C. improve her English
D. introduce her exciting and happy
school life in Britain

37. 5. She felt lucky because _______.
A. she could get up an hour later than
usual
B. the headmaster told them to earn
respect by working hard and achieving
high grades
C. she had been given a golden
opportunity to study in Britain and
met helpful and friendly teachers
and students
D. she improved her English

38. Fill in the following table according to the article.
On the
first day
attended an assembly in the school hall
Mr. Heywood
Miss Burke
Teachers
Size of a classroom
about 28 students

39. English, History, English Literature, Computer Science, Maths, Science, PE, Art, Cooking and French
Subjects
learned how to buy, prepared and cook food; made cake; missed Chinese food
Food
Wei Hua’s feelings and progress
very lucky to experience this different way of life

40. Suppose you have a chance to interview Wei Hua
Suppose you have a chance to interview Wei Hua. What other information would you like to know about her life and study in the UK? Work in groups and make a dialogue.

41. Compare your own school experience with the school life in UK mentioned in the article.
timetable, subjects, teachers and students, size of the classroom, campus, school facilities, atmosphere, teaching methods, school rules and principles

42. Write a short passage about your dream school. (About 100 words)

43. Enjoy a song, Be What You Wanna Be.