New Horizon English

1. New Horizon English Book 1 Unit 1

2. Contents • Section A • Section B • Writing

3. Paragraph 1 • Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort.

4. Paragraph 2 • My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school, when I took my first English class. I had a kind and patient teacher who often praised all of the students. Because of this positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying much about making mistakes. I was at the top of my class for two years.

5. Paragraph 5 • That was the situation until a couple of years later, when I was offered an opportunity to study English through an online course. The communication medium was a computer, phone line, and modem. I soon got access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from a friend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week.

6. Paragraph 6 • Online learning is not easier than regular classroom study; it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course. I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the course and to complete assignments on time.

7. Paragraph 7 • I practiced all the time. I carried a little dictionary with me everywhere I went, as well as a notebook in which I listed any new words I heard. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. Once in a while I cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. But I didn't feel intimidated by students who spoke faster than I did because I took all the time I needed to think out my ideas and wrote a reply before posting it on the screen. Then, one day I realized I could understand just about everything I came across, and most importantly, I could "say" anything I wanted to in English. Although I still made many mistakes and was continually learning, I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work.

8. Paragraph 8 • Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. The most wonderful result of having learned a foreign language was that I could communicate with many more people than before. Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, so being able to speak a new language lets me meet new people, participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. I am able to reach out to others and bridge the gap between my language and culture and theirs.

9. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort. Read these sentences and see which situations can not be described as frustration. 1. You say hello to a friend on the road, but he ignores your greeting. Your friend’s attitude is frustrating. 2. We planned to go out. Then it began to rain. The weather was frustrating. 3. We arrived the station in a hurry, but our train disappeared round the bend. It was rather frustrating. 4. He found that his money was stolen by a pickpocket. He was rather frustrated.

10. Frustrating? 1. You can be annoyed by your friends attitude because your friend is being impolite. 4. Frustration is too weak for this situation. You may be mad.

11. Put the following sentences into English, using worth. The machine is worth repairing. 1. 这台机器修一修还可以用。 2.这种流行作家的作品值得我们密切关注吗？ Are the works of this kind of popular writers worth our close attention? 3. 听说这个培训班(training course) 很贵，他决定不放过任何一个练习，不让他的钱白花。 Learning that the training course is expensive, he is determined that he will do every exercise to make it worth his money?

12. Summary • worth is an adjective, used in the pattern be worth sth./doing sth.

13. Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort. • Find other words to replace effort in the sentence. hard work, trying, learning Rewrite the following sentences using effort. She knew that even if she tried hard, it was useless. She knew that her effort was useless. They worked very hard for the whole semester, but they still failed in the end. All their efforts in the whole semester failed in the end.

14. The task is simple. It is easy. The task is simple—it doesn't need much effort. You have to spend a lot of time learning a foreign language. Learning a foreign language takes a lot of effort.

15. My experience with a foreign language began in junior middle school • Can you use learning to replace experience here? Yes. experience = doing

16. Rewrite the following sentence, using experience. I once lived together with the farmers in the countryside, and I learned a lot about their life. My experience in the countryside helped me understand farmers' life better.

17. Rewrite the following sentence, using experience. I had a good English teacher. She taught me for three years. I learned quite a lot when she taught me. My experience with this good teacher was very rewarding.

18. Rewrite the following sentence, using experience. I went to Tibet last year. I saw a different life, and it made me think again of the meaning of my present life. My experience of a different life in Tibet last year raised a question in my mind: what is the meaning of my life?

19. Rewrite the following sentence, using experience. I cheated in the exam and the teacher found it. He did not punished me, but made me understand why cheating was wrong. This thing made me understand that we must have principles in our life. The cheating experience in the exam made me aware of the importance of a principled life, of course with the patient advice by the teacher who found my wrong behavior.

20. Because of this positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could good positive = What is the sign of positive? + What is this sign “-“? negative

21. Rewrite the following sentence, using positive. The visitors spoke highly of the investment environment of the city. The mayor was more sure that the project would be a successful one. The positive impression of the visitors about the investment environment of the city made the mayor more confident of the success of the project.

22. Rewrite the following sentence, using positive. The teacher often praised me. I felt I was able to do the assignments by my own. The teacher's positive methods led to my belief in my own ability to do the assignments.

23. Rewrite the following sentence, using positive. Mothers know that if they often encourage their baby, the baby will learn more quickly how to walk and how to speak. Mothers know that their positive attitude toward their baby will help it learn walking and speaking more quickly.

24. Rewrite the following sentence, using positive. Do you agree with this plan? Are you positive of this plan?

25. Rewrite the following sentence, using access. We cannot borrow those rare books if we don’t have the permission from the professors. We don’t have access to those rare books without the permission from the professors.

26. Rewrite the following sentence, using access. The school allows us to use the Internet for 30 hours per semester and we don't have to pay money. The school gives us 30 hour free access to the Internet per semester

27. Rewrite the following sentence, using access. If you have a QQ account, you can find your friend on the Internet. A QQ account can give you access to your friend on the Internet.

28. Rewrite the following sentence, using access. If you are not a member of the company, you have no way to get that information. You have not access to that information unless you are a member of the company.

29. Word Formation access: ac- (a variant [变异]of ad-, meaning “to”, “toward”) + -cess (go) = go to: way to (see the previous example) access is a noun. Its most frequently used patterns include: access to sth. give sb. have get What verb can we use here?

30. it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course • A Chinese saying about learning says: If you work hard, you can grind an iron bar into a needle. • Does this saying include commitment? commitment = effort

31. Of the following careers, which needs the least commitment? sportsman statesman researcher pop singer businessman worker farmer student

32. Rewrite the following sentence, using commitment. The scientists of the 50’s and 60’s worked very hard and they made our own nuclear weapons that greatly strengthened our country. The making of our own nuclear weapons, which greatly strengthened our country, was the result of the commitment of the scientists of the 50’s and 60’s.

33. Rewrite the following sentence, using commitment. He does not want to marry because he doesn't like to earn money to support a family, take care of children and pay for their education. He doesn't want to marry because he doesn't want to make commitment to a family.

34. Rewrite the following sentence, using commitment. These people are very kind and they believe it is their duty to do something to improve the life in the community. These kind people believe they have commitment to improve the life quality of the community.

35. it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course Who is a typical example of having discipline? Solders Read the definition in your book (p.4) and mention key concepts the word discipline includes. order, control

36. Tell the class what a disciplined student would do in school? Get up at 7, attend every class, do all assignments on time, go to bed before midnight.

37. Translate the following into English 公司需要责任心强（responsibility）和严以律己的员工（employee）。 The company needs employees with strong responsibility and high discipline.

38. Translate the following into English 课堂上闹哄哄的。 The teacher can’t keep discipline in her classroom.

39. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes.Which of the following does not make sense? an embarrassing question an embarrassed question an embarrassing look an embarrassed look an embarrassing student an embarrassed student an embarrassing mistake an embarrassed mistake 令人尴尬的问题 X 令人尴尬的样子 尴尬的样子 令人尴尬的学生 尴尬的学生 令人尴尬的错误 X

40. Once in a while I cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. Can you use other words or phrases to replace once in a while in the sentence? sometimes from time to time now and then at times occasionally on occasion every so often

41. Once in a while I cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. Study the following sentences with feel like: I feel like going to bed. I’m tired. Do you feel like a game of tennis? Maybe Tom feel like helping out. I feel like a cup of tea. feel like = want Pattern: feel like sth. /doing sth. Note: feel like is an informal expression.

42. one day I realized I could understand just about everything I cameacross come across = meet with, meet by chance Rewrite the following sentences, avoiding the phrasecome across: You are the most diligent student I’ve ever come across. You are the most diligent student I’ve ever known. I’ve just come across a method of curing cold with hot chicken soup in this book. I’ve just read a method of curing cold with hot chicken soup in this book. He came suddenly across an idea. He suddenly had an idea.

43. Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me Use your own words to replace trying in the sentence difficult hard frustrating demanding

44. Put the following sentence into English, using trying. 我觉得这热天气令人难受。 I find this hot weather very trying.

45. Put the following sentence into English, using trying. 在电脑上工作很伤眼睛。 Working on the computer is trying to our eyes.

46. Put the following sentence into English, using trying. 她丈夫死后要抚养三个孩子，真是很困难。 She had a trying time raising three children after the death of her husband.

47. it also gave me insights into another culture Use your own words to rewrite the sentence. It also made me understand another culture better. Rewrite the following sentences using insight: We listened to his lecture and understood the problems of education very well. His lecture gave us an insight into the problems of education. I worked on a farm for a long time and I knew well the life of a farmer. I worked on a farm for a long time and so got an insight into the life of a farmer.

48. NowthatI speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken,I can participate and make friends. Read the following sentences with now or now that and determine whether now or now that in each sentence has a similar meaning with now that in the original sentence. (1) Now that is what he actually thought of. Do you still want him? (2) Now you’re here, you may as well make yourself useful. (3) Now listen to me—we should not do that again. (4) Now that we are alone, we can speak freely. Similar meaning: (2), (4)

49. now (that) is used as a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause (like when, where, because, etc.). In other words, the clause it introduces can not stand alone. Do you know synonyms of now that? because since as

50. Writing Exercises • Detail Development • Useful Sentence Patterns