NC BOOK 4 UNIT 3

Decide which school the following students would most likely want to attend.. GETTING READY Brandi Alexander I’ve been having trouble in school for a while.. Brightworks School Pinghe

New Connection—Book 4

an important test But what about one’s overall feeling about the education he or she received? How would you describe your experience receiving an education

in your country? What do you think should have been done differently? What aspects of your country’s education

system should be utilized in other places? Why?

worthwhile

scenic

specialists academic freedom

GETTING READY

rote test-oriented

independent thinkers

cultivation academic achievement

applications

Task II

Listen to the audio again Decide which school the following students

would most likely want to attend.

GETTING READY

Brandi

Alexander I’ve been having trouble in school for a while I just have a hard time sitting at my desk all day I

prefer working with my hands and trying things out on my own

Bean Whenever there’s a competition in school, I get very disappointed when I don’t win I’m also

sick of focusing on beating others when I should be concentrating on improving myself

Brightworks School

Pinghe Bilingual School

JFK International School

Audio Transcripts:

GETTING READY

No.1 - JFK International School, Switzerland

It’s undeniable1 that traveling abroad is worthwhile for almost everyone,

so why not give your child the chance to live in a foreign country? JFK

International School is located in scenic2 Saanen, Switzerland, and

hosts around 25 boarding3 students each year At JFK, there are

numerous specialist4 teachers on staff; this gives students more

academic freedom when it comes to what they want to learn

Additionally, JFK believes the stresses of competition can be

detrimental5 to the learning environment, so instead students undertake individual challenges against themselves

Audio Transcripts:

GETTING READY

No.2 - Shanghai Pinghe Bilingual School, China

Although Pinghe is a newer school, the academic achievements of its students

prove that it is a top-notch 6 learning institution The school aims to merge 7 the

best aspects of Eastern and Western education styles, so there is an emphasis

on both rote 8 learning and ingenuity 9 Pinghe employs teachers with diverse

educational backgrounds as the school’s philosophy centers on training students

to become high caliber 10 world citizens As with most schools in Asia, Pinghe

uses many test-oriented 11 teaching methods in the classrooms This approach

has aided the school’s students in entering many elite 12 colleges around the

globe

No.3 - Brightworks School, United States

At Brightworks the cultivation 13 of creativity 14 is of the utmost 15 importance, so there aren’t traditional classes During the school year, students are introduced to several different themes, and then they work individually and in groups to explore and experiment with each topic Unlike at other schools, at Brightworks the

students are encouraged to question everything This trains them to become

independent thinkers, which will be valuable for them later in life Applications to

the school can be turned in online, but spots in the program fill up fast Don’t wait

WORD POWER

A Listen Up

Take the quiz Then use the chart on the right to determine what kind

of learner you are.

1 Your teacher tells you information

about an upcoming 1 test You:

A Remember exactly what she says

without needing to write it down

B Ask her to write everything on the

blackboard so you can copy it in your

notes

C Soon forget what was said and have

to be reminded by classmates

2 Which type of tests do you prefer?

A Written tests that require one to

compose essays

B Oral exams, such as giving a speech

C Online quizzes where you can click

B Always sit in the front row

C Spend most of your time

fiddling 2 with things

4 How do you usually study?

A By using flashcards 3

B Alone with your textbook

C In short intervals 4 with many breaks

WORD POWER

If you answered mostly A, you are an auditory 5 learner You learn best in

lectures and when others explain things You have strong language skills,

which helps you communicate well with others If you’re having trouble

remembering information from a textbook, try reading it out loud

If you answered mostly B, you are a visual learner Pictures and

diagrams 6 are your best tools for remembering information Notes that you

take in class are very organized, and you love using a highlighter 7 to make things stand out When learning something new, connect what you hear with images

If you answered mostly C, you are a tactile 8 learner You would rather do

things than talk about them You are great at physical activities, and you

enjoy working with others To optimize 9 your learning, try moving around

while studying and take breaks often

Listen to the audio and decide what kind of learner Henry is

Henry is a tactile learner.

WORD POWER

Audio Transcripts:

Henry: I’ve been having some trouble in my Spanish class, so I’ve

decided to hire a tutor to help me Remembering all the

information I’m told in class is very difficult for me I hope that my new tutor will be able to explain things to me in a way I’ll

understand We’ll meet for thirty-minute sessions at first

because I think studying for more than that is agony.14 I wish

Spanish was as easy for me as chemistry I love that class

because I get to do experiments with a lab partner almost every day I find it really helpful when my chemistry teacher

demonstrates15 how to do things, too

WORD POWER

B Word Focus: Academic Subjects

Complete the chart with information about the following academic

WORD POWER

C Speak Out Loud

Rank the qualities below from 1-5 (most important to least important)

in terms of what you look for in a good teacher Discuss the reasoning behind your rankings

1 _ prestigious10 educational background

2 _ creative teaching methods

3 _ well-organized and sticks to a schedule

4 _ appreciative11 of students’ insights12

5 _ focuses on methods for acing13 important exams

CONVERSATION ZONE

（對話影片檔）

Daniel: Hey, Carol You look lost in thought

Carol: I am I ① _ 1 applications for some study abroad opportunities, and there are two that I could go to One is in Shanghai, and the other is in England I don’t know which one to choose

Daniel: How are you going to make up your mind?

Carol: I’m not sure On the one hand, the education system in England is

② 2 to the one here, so it’d be easy for me to adjust On the other hand, it ought to be worthwhile trying something new and

challenging 3

Daniel: I’m capable of shedding some light on what to expect in China I

received my primary schooling there

Carol: Great! I’m all ears!

Comparing Educational Styles

Daniel: First, education in China is very teacher-centered 4, meaning the teacher

will spend more time lecturing, and students are prohibited 5 from

③ _ 6 discussions

Carol: That’s definitely 7 a ④ _ 8 I enjoy getting my

classmates involved in debates How else do they vary 9?

Daniel: Eastern education also focuses on memorization 10 and testing You’ll do

a great deal of exam ⑤ , and you’ll be tested frequently.

Carol: You must be relieved to not have to take so many tests now! Maybe I’ll just choose the program in England

Daniel: I know it seems intimidating 11, but you could enjoy being exposed to

new methods of learning ⑥ 12 your educational

background has a lot of advantages

Carol: Thanks for the advice Now I’m not so mixed up about what to

⑦ _ 13 I’ll contemplate 14 this some more before I settle on a

CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW

B Understand from the Context

Match the sentences.

_ 1 The community I live in is

_ 4 I’m happy the remake of

that movie didn’t vary

much from the original

_ 5 Neil was unable to submit

his homework by the deadline.

a Committing lengthy dialogues

to memory is tough.

b His professor failed him

because she didn’t receive it.

c There are many facilities suitable for people of all ages

CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW

C Multiple Choice

Choose the answers.

1 What is Carol’s problem?

a She must decide what school to send an application to.

b She needs advice on which offer she should accept.

c She has been told to settle on a major right away.

d She is unable to memorize information without help.

2 Why is Daniel able to offer useful information to Carol?

a He has worked as an educator in different regions.

b He went to school in England before moving to Shanghai.

c He has received an education in both the East and West.

d He recently completed a semester abroad program.

(b)

(c)

CONVERSATION ZONE—REVIEW

3 What does Carol dislike about education in China?

a Students are discouraged from speaking in class.

b The teaching style is comparable to that in England.

c There are few test preparation classes available.

d She is already used to that type of teaching.

4 Why does Carol think Daniel must be happier about school

1 Ever since I was informed that I wouldn’t be graduating on time, I’ve been _

2 I was so thrilled to be starting my job at the company that

whenever my coworkers spoke to me I _

• give (one’s) full attention

• hang on (someone’s) every word

lost in thought / in a haze/fog

hung on their every word

was all ears /

gave our full attention

• throw (someone) off

• muddy the waters

1 I visited my college advisor because I needed her to answer some

questions about the mistakes in my thesis.

→

2 I attended the extra study session because I didn’t really understand

the material, but the things my classmates said just confused me

more

→

I visited my college advisor because I needed her to shed some

light on the mistakes in my thesis.

I attended the extra study session because I didn’t really understand

the material, but the things my classmates said just mixed me up /

threw me off / muddied the waters more.

• to make up (one’s) mind • to settle on (something)

• to take the plunge • to reach a decision

• to take it into (one’s) head (to do something)

1 If you had to choose between attending a university near your home and one across the country, how would you reach a decision?

→

2 Have you ever had a hard time making up your mind about

something? What happened?

→

First, I would talk to my parents and consider their opinions before I settled

on one university over the other.

Once, I was invited to go on a camping trip with my friends I was unsure

whether I would like it or not, so I didn’t give my friends an answer right away

In the end, I took the plunge and went with them because I figured it would be

a good experience

Alan

Audio Transcripts:

EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Jessica: Wow, Kyle! I’m shocked by your math score

Kyle: I’m not I’m usually lost in thought following lunch, and since

that class is at one o’clock, I pretty much expected this to happen

Jessica: What about you, Alan?

Alan: I always give our math teacher my full attention, and I think

my score shows that How did you do in biology, Jessica?

Jessica: What do you think? It’s my favorite class!

Kyle: I wish I could hang on our biology teacher’s every word like

you do Maybe my score would have been the same as yours

Alan: Don’t worry, Kyle You definitely didn’t have other things on

your mind in English

Kyle: True That’s the one class where I’m always all ears.

Jessica: And it shows! By looking at the scores Alan and I received, it seems like

we were in a haze the whole time

EXPRESSION PRACTICE

B Make Inferences

Listen to the audio Check the appropriate inferences and include your

reasons Use the expressions you’ve learned if possible

■ 1 Ben has recently begun

working at his job

■ 2 Ryan gave Ben information

that was similar to what their

boss said

■ 3 Linda wasn’t involved in

Ben’s training

■ 4 Ben doesn’t want to admit to

his manager that he doesn’t

understand some things

■ 5 Linda is very patient with

those who need assistance

Ben is easily mixed up by basic information

related to his work’s procedures

Ben was thrown off by the new information,

which wouldn’t happen if it had been the same

She didn’t want to shed light on filling out

the leave request papers, which was taught

on Ben’s first day

Ben has asked two different coworkers to

break things down for him instead of just

asking his boss

Linda thinks it’s too hard to clear things up

for Ben after he asks her to clarify what she said







EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Audio Transcripts:

Ben: Linda, I’m having some trouble

Linda: How can I help?

Ben: Could you clear up how I’m supposed to fill out this leave

request form?

Linda: I thought you were taught that at orientation

Ben: I was Our manager explained it, but I forgot some steps

Then, I talked to Ryan, and he really mixed me up.

Linda: Well, I don’t want to muddy the waters more, so I think you should talk

to our manager

Ben: All right Could you at least break down the reimbursement

procedure for me? That wasn’t covered on my first day

Linda: Sure First, you need to wait and collect all of the receipts for the month

Once you put in the application, you can’t adjust it Then you need to add

a 3% bonus to any amount that was charged outside of the immediate area

Ben: Wait, wait, wait! You threw me off with that last part

Linda: Honestly, Ben I think you should just redo your orientation!

EXPRESSION PRACTICE

C True or False

Select if the statements are true (T) or false (F)

1 T ■ F ■ When the woman enters the store, she is sure

about what she wants to buy.

2 T ■ F ■ The clerk admits that he sometimes has difficulty

5 T ■ F ■ The woman leaves the clerk’s store after making

up her mind about the present.

EXPRESSION PRACTICE

Audio Transcripts:

Clerk: Ma’am, can I help you with something?

Customer: Maybe I’m trying to settle on what to get my boyfriend for his

birthday

Clerk: When I have a hard time making up my mind on a gift, I try to

think about something the person really needs

Customer: That’s a good idea I know he needs some gloves for the winter

Clerk: Perfect We have a large selection of those over here

Customer: They do look nice, but I’m not sure if I should take the plunge

Clerk: What other ideas did you have?

Customer: Originally, I was going to get him either a video game or a new

badminton racket In fact, I’ve reached my decision and know what I

will get him now Sorry for wasting your time, but I need to visit a different store

Clerk: I understand Once I take it into my head to buy

something, that’s exactly what I’ll get, too

GRAMMAR ESSENTIALS

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs always work in conjunction with other verbs, and they

are used for concepts such as ability, permission, and certainty

A Usage

In some cases, the use of a modal verb is similar to another verb tense or phrase

Modal Usage Example Sentences Verb Form / Phrase

Replacement

can

could

to talk about an ability

• I received my primary schooling in China, so

I can shed some light

on what to expect there

• I couldn’t play rugby until I attended the sports camp

• I received my primary schooling in China, so

I am capable of

shedding some light

on what to expect there

• I was unable to play rugby until I attended the sports camp