第一课
Joe had dodged the police many times, but never like this. He was afraid. He was sprawled on the rooflistening for sounds. Somewhere below people were yelling and shrieking, but he was not concerned about the commotion. He looked round, searching for any sign of a policeman. When he heard some footsteps on the corrugated iron roof, he was seized with fear. What made them chase after me, he thought. I haven't done anything. You shouldn't have sneaked up here, he said to himself.
Then he saw the shape of a policeman approaching. He did not want to give up. He still wanted to make an effort to escape. He rose to his feet quietly and tiptoed over to the far end of the roof, thinking that he could perhaps slide down the drainpipe. Just at that moment, the policeman strode forward and was about to grab the boy by the collar when, unaware of a clothesline in his way which caught his cap, he almost stumbled. Joe was startled, but he could go back no further. The policeman steadied himself and reached out for the boy. 第二课
We should always bear in mind that in different
circumstances we use the English language in different ways. This fact, however, is often forgotten. When we think about language, we too often think only of the more formal forms, especially the written forms. But we are not always reading and writing. We use slang, or at least colloquial forms, with friends and acquaintances. In certain social situations, we use clichés that we would probably blush to write down. We use polite speech when we speak to our elders or our superiors. We use high
sounding language on important
occasions. We tell jokes and make comments about things or people near or far. We talk about ordinary things or of the secrets of the universe. We express feelings to one person or to a group. We choose slightly different forms of language for each of these purposes. For a native speaker of English, his choice is partly instinctive and partly based on an awareness of the kind of language that is expected of him. A good command of English must include an acquaintance with all these “registers”. 第三课
Sally Smith, an astronaut, was back at last after her seventyday voyage through outerher husband into their living
space. As she was escorted by room, the whole room rocked
with cheers and clapping. Waves of joy swept through the place. Her pupils, who were all there, leaped in the air; her father jumped from his chair; and her mother threw her arms around her. When she knelt at her grandmother's knees and took her by the hand, her grandmother broke down and burst into tears. “Oh, you've really come back, Sally,” she sobbed. “How I missed you!” “I missed you,too,” Sally said. While Sally wiped the tears from her grandmother's cheeks, music and songs swirled all around them. 第四课
The triumph of science in England can be traced back to the seventeenth century and, under the influence of science, the English language and the way it has been used has undergone many changes. Much earlier English had replaced Latin as the language of science and scholarship. The rise of scientific writing in English helped to establish a simple, plain kind of prose as dominant in modern written English. Other kinds of prose continued to exist, but a rhetorical style ceased to be the norm. The plain style is not, of course, confined to science; it is found in all kinds of expository writing. Nor, unfortunately, do all scientists write in a plain style. But scientific writing, and scientific attitudes in general,
have undoubtedly played a part in the establishment of this style. 第十课
To be a good teacher, you must realize that some of the qualities of the good actor are of importance. It is insufficient to possess only the knowledge of the field you are teaching. You must be able to make your “audience” really involve themselves. You must speak clearly, in a good, strong, pleasing voice which is fully under your control. And you must be able to act out what you are teaching in order to make your meaning clear.
Watch a good teacher and you will see that he or she does not sit motionless in front of the class, but rather stands the whole time, often walking about, using his or her arms, hands and fingers to help explain, and facial expressions to show feelings.
