节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-01-13
难易度:Low
关键字:exchange, obtain, broaden, procedure, eventually, competence, Secondary
Level English Proficiency Te
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Studio Classroom.
My name is Gabe.
And my name is Carolyn.
And we have a great article today about a difficult decision that led to a very
special experience.
That's right.
And the article today comes from Alex Hu.
And we could see at the very beginning what decision he made.
And what experience it would lead to:
I'm going to America!
And wow, that is a really big decision to make!
It sure is.
It's not easy to decide to live in a foreign country.
Gabe, have you ever lived in a foreign country?
Hmm, you know I have, but it didn't seem very foreign.
I grew up in Taiwan but attended college in the United States.
Ah, yes, that's right.
Well, I'm eager to learn about Alex's decision, so let's get started with the
first reading for today.
Then we'll join Michelle in the Language Lab.
So open up your magazine to today's article, The Decision, and let's begin.
(Music).
The Decision.
I'm going to America!
In ninth grade I was preparing for the Basic Competence Test for Junior High
School Students.
Life was busy but not interesting.
Then one day, my parents asked if I would be interested in attending an exchange
program sponsored by Ayusa.
This organization offers high-school students the opportunity to study abroad
for one year.
The students stay with host families.
So I obtained some information and decided this would be a great chance to
improve my English.
I could also experience different cultures and broaden my vision.
(Chinese).
Wow! That is one brave student.
That's right, with very brave parents.
You're right.
Deciding to allow your teenage son to study abroad for a year is no easy choice.
No, it's not.
But here we see that actually it was the writer's parents who suggested studying
abroad.
Amazing.
Now our author writes about preparing for the Basic Competence Test.
He was a junior high school student and needed to study for a major exam to get
into a good high school.
That's right.
Exams are very important for students as they go from one level of education to
another, especially junior high to high school and high school to college.
Did you ever have to take an entrance exam in the United States?
I didn't need to take one for high school, but I did take a nationwide test for
college.
Well, did you spend a lot of time studying?
No! I didn't even know you could study until after I took the test.
What?! Well, I think those tests don't require as much studying as the tests in
Taiwan.
You are probably right about that.
Now our author chose a very fun way to study.
He enrolled in an exchange program.
Now what exactly is an exchange program?
An exchange program allows someone, usually a student, from one country to
experience what their life would be like in a different place.
And because it is an exchange, if one person is going to a certain place, then
another person is leaving; they change places.
So you mean that if someone from Taiwan goes to the U.S., then someone from the
U.S. also comes to Taiwan?
Exactly, although it doesn't work that way with all exchange programs.
Some are very specific and allow people from many different countries to enter
but only allow people from its home country to go to a few places.
Hmm, like the organization in the article - Ayusa.
Students from all... from over 60 countries can come to the U.S. to study
abroad, but American students can only apply to study in two countries.
Right. And you used a really great phrase when talking about exchange programs:
study abroad.
These terms are often used together.
That's right.
Study abroad means to travel to a different country for, well, studying.
So you go to a different school in a different country.
Gabe, have you ever studied abroad?
Ah, well, I don't know if studying in the U.S. for college counts or not, but I
know you've studied abroad.
I have. I actually enrolled in a very similar exchange program and studied at a
Japanese high school for a summer term.
That sounds really interesting.
Now what made you decide to go? I mean, did your parents suggest it?
Actually, one of my dad's friends made the suggestion.
Cool! Did he give you lots of information about different programs?
No. Actually, he wasn't very familiar with current programs, so I did all of the
research myself.
I actually thought that applying for college was easier than applying for the
program.
Interesting. Wow!
Well, tell me more about this program.
What was it all about?
Well, it had a very long application that was 16 pages.
Wow! That is a long application.
Yes, but I was really glad that I finished it and got to live with my host
family.
Well, that sounds really cool, and that's a great phrase: host family.
This is the family that you live with while studying abroad.
They host you, which means they let you stay at their house.
My host family was wonderful.
Only my host father and one of my host sisters spoke English.
The rest of the family, like in this picture, they only spoke Japanese.
But they were so wonderful, and we were able to get along and have a wonderful
summer together.
And you know, with that in mind, I think Steve and Ken have something they'd
like to share with us in the Information Cloud about reaping what you sow.
You reap what you sow.
It's one of life's principles that holds true for just about everything we do,
including learning a language.
If you're a student and you have the opportunity to study English in an
English-speaking country, go for it.
But remember, you only get out of it what you put into it.
Right.
If your goal is fluent English, then living with other foreign students in an
international dorm might not be the best idea.
In that environment you'll be less likely to sow time and effort into speaking
English.
Maybe you know someone who studied English abroad only to return with about the
same English ability as when they left.
There wasn't a lot of reaping.
Because they spent their free time hanging out with their foreign classmates not
speaking English, right?
That's right, Ken.
So if you have a choice, we recommend staying with a host family.
It will force you to sow more into your English, meaning you'll reap a bigger
harvest, mainly better English.
For learning a foreign language, it's hard to beat living with a host family.
You'll sow more...
And so, you'll reap more.
(Chinese).
Thanks, guys.
I know I certainly reaped a lot of wonderful experiences by living with my host
family.
And I think studying abroad is also great for broadening your horizons, which is
another great phrase.
It is. And this simply means that you learn about or experience more things.
That way, you know and understand more about something.
And traveling, especially studying abroad, is a great way to broaden your
horizons.
We'll continue learning more from our lesson, The Decision, after this.