2014b: Week 8b: 30 October 2014

Compelling conversations:

During this lesson, we are going to talk about books. As I regard reading as very important for one's intellectual development, we'll spend the complete lesson on this topic. Tell me about the book you are reading at the moment. Why is reading important to you: Or is it not important? Why, or why not? We'll work in pairs and there are two lists of questions we'll be asking and answering to each other.

Compelling Conversations x1.pdf

Compelling Conversations x2.pdf

Compelling Conversations x3.pdf

You need to be a member of MyEnglishClub to add comments!

Join MyEnglishClub

Email me when people reply –

Replies

    • Thank you, Hetty. I agree with you that reading books is important and that this was also the message from most of those quotes. But I can't agree with you that books are important to our university students ... your class has proven that to me today! Like all Chinese people (or most), they say one thing (that reading books is important), but they do another thing which does not correspond with what they say! However, I agree with you that with rapid modernization of electronics, books get out of fashion and outdated. I see more and more people reading eBooks on their iPhones and iPads. I still love and prefer the book format to read ... but I guess that's because I am of the older generations!

  • Hi,John,this is Ann.in the next class,our topic is reading and book.during my childhood,my mother read book for me,such as Grimm's Fairy Tales,Little Red Riding Hood , Seven Dwarfs and so on.my favorite chatacter is the knight in the story .Because they are always brave, intelligent and handsome that fit each of my images about my future husband.I often read Chinese books like books on economic,on travel,on how to preserve one's health.and I also exercise myself to read some English books to improve my English like One Hundred Years of Solitude, wealth of nations.

    • So, you are a reader too, Ann! Good to read that. Oh, and you think your future husband would be a knight ...maybe coming on a white horse to ask for your hand ..! But do you really read English books too ..?! One hundred years of solitude sound quite interesting. My guess is that it was a Chinese writer writing about life in China, but the book was translated into English, right? It sounds like a difficult book to read!

  • Good evening teacher.About books I have many thoughts.Firstly it's so important for us that Reading is the best way of science and technology, culture and rapidacquisition of human enrichment for thousands of years, reading can let you in a very short time, mastering a large number of scientific and cultural knowledge, from ignorance and superstition, you are no longer a blank, but through reading is endowed with rich knowledge of color.My favorate book is Sandalwood Punishment ,which is writen by Mo Yan who is the first to get Nobel prize Chinese writer.The book published in 2001, has caused a hot discussion in literary circles. Novel inGerman in 1900 in Shandong built Jiaoji railway, Yuan Shikai suppressed theShandong Boxer Movement, the Eight Power Allied forces capture Beijing, Ci Xirun away in panic as the historical background, tells the story happened in "aturmoil of the movement of Gaomi northeast township" a frightful to the ear, thetorture, a be struck with fright love.The writer is since the 1980's with a series of local works rise, complex emotions are full of "nostalgia" and "resentment township", is classified as "root searching literature writers.I admire him and respect him.His works give me too much touching and feeling,and I will insist on reading.

    • Glad to read you realize the importance of reading, Zhou Ying. Yes, I know about Mo Yan; he is the second Chinese man to receive a Nobel prize (but his was for literature). So, that book you are referring to ("Sandalwood Punishment"), was it only about that time in Shandong, or did he cover more of China in the book? I know about the Boxer rebellion of 1900 as many of my ancestors were murdered in China at that time just because they were foreigners (but many of them were also missionaries and did good to the Chinese people). They also killed many Chinese Christians (because they were Christian) and it is estimated that around thirty thousand people brutally lost their lives at that time in China. One big problem was that the dowager empress of the time supported the rebellion and held her troops back from protecting the innocent people. I wonder whether Mo Yan wrote about that or whether he'd just brushed over the facts? But I agree, from what I read about him, it sound like he is a good writer.

  • Good evening,teacher. I have known the content of the next class.In the next class,we will discuss a lot of problems about reading book.I enjoy reading novels very much.Reading books make us known the different culture in different countries and a variety of life experiences on the world. What is more,it can help us improve the ability of reading and the level of writing.What is the most important is ,we can have more knowledge by reading books ,it is good for us to find a better job. If we read more,we maybe make an invincible position in the competitive society.I am looking forward the next class.See you tomorrow.
    • Yes, I can see you know very well why reading is important, Cao Hualin. But did you know you have an advantage above other students who can't read and speak English?! They are limited to the boundaries of one country, but the whole wide world lies at your feet (so to speak) and you can read what you want if you are prepared to read in the global language of the world! English is the key that unlocks the world to you! ;-)

  • Hello John!I have known the content of the next class.My favourite book is Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Bronte. It is in-depth exploration of a strong female character's feelings. Jane is a young woman who is both individualistic, desiring for a full life, while also highly moral. Jane evolves from her beginnings as a poor and plain woman without captivating charm to her mature stage as a compassionate and confident whole woman. As she matures,she comments much on the complexities of the human condition. Jane also has a deeply pious personal trust in God, but is also highly self-reliant. Although Jane suffers much, she is never portrayed as a damsel in distress who needs rescuing.I think she is a successful woman in my heart.Looking forward to the next class.See you!

    • Wow Pauline, if those are all your own words, then your English is improving fast! Be it as it may, still a good contribution and I'm impressed that you liked Jane Eyre; she made Charlotte Bronte famous! I appreciate her solid and pure principles of life.

      2393178708?profile=originalDo you recognize this, Pauline?!

  • Hello,teacher.I am interested in the topic of book at the next class.When I was a child,my mother told me fairy tales before I went to bed every day .I always fell asleep with kinds of fancy and beautiful story.My favorite ending is that the princess and the prince live together happily at the end.Sometime, I often fantasied that I became a beautiful princess and married to a handsome prince.Now,when I think of it ,I can not help to smiling,because of my naive and childish thought.
    And with the passage of time,I went to the middle school.Then, I would not asked my mother to tell me the story.I start to read books independently.However,I like to read novels whose theme of love,not fairy tales.The emotional entanglements between the main characters touched my heart deeply.Novels let me have the yearning for love.But when I went to university,I like to read books about struggle.This kind of book encourage me to struggle for my family ,my career and my love.Because,if I have enough ability,I will have more brilliant life.From the above,I think our reading’s like is changing.Because of the growth of the age,our experiences are increasing,our thoughts are also different.Nevertheless,just one thing can not be changed is taht books are our partners and teachers throughout our lives.
This reply was deleted.