Week 12b: Friday, 28 November 2014

Posted by Zakumi on November 21, 2014

Video lesson: Encounters in the UK

We'll watch a 17-minute video twice and answer questions about the studying of English by four foreigners in the UK. If you'd like to view the video, it can be found here: https://www.englishclub.com/esl-videos/index.htm . Click on "The Learning English Video Project". There are 7 videos in this series and the video on the UK is the first one on the new page. If you can't open the lesson worksheet here, you can click on "classroom material" at the bottom of the video page.

P.S. 1. Cai Huibin, if Long Yuan is not reading here before Monday afternoon, would you please ask him to bring us his computer again? Thank you. If I don't forget, I will remind him too.  :)

P.S. 2. You don't have to watch the video if you don't feel like it; we'll watch it twice in class anyway. As long as you comment on the worksheet (there are even questions that you can answer in your comment if you don't know what to write).

uk-class-worksheet.pdf

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Replies

  • Zhang Tianjiao November 28, 2014 2:40
    After watching this short film, I known that there are four girls who come from different places live in the same house in the story.GOing to Cambridge ,and staying with host families,for the four girls ,it is not only practice their English ,but also learn ahout local life and custom.It is a very significative experience,I hope that I can have a chance to go abroad to study in the future.I have a opinion that environment has a great influence to everyone.SO If you want to learn English ,Going to Britain is a good choice.
    • Zakumi > Zhang Tianjiao November 28, 2014 5:59

      I'm not sure that that is correct that the four girls lived together with the same family, Zhang Tianjiao. But I agree with you that Britain is a good choice for studying abroad. I would rather go to study in the UK that the US where there is so much crime and shootings. Britain is known as a very safe country. And I think the British culture is probably the most advanced culture in the world today. So, it must be nice to experience a little of British culture. If you'd like to study abroad ... start dreaming about it! If your dream is not big enough, it is not worth pursuing! ;-)

  • Zhu Qianfeng November 28, 2014 2:29

    Homestay is also my wish,which can be a good chioce  to study English.But for other part,as we all know,we have used different local habits.It will be a big challenge for you ,even which can be a very special experience.Studying overseas makes me so excited ,you are supposed to talk with each other in English.It must be nice communicate with English native speakers.

    • Zakumi > Zhu Qianfeng November 28, 2014 5:54

      I agree with you that it might not be easy for Chinese students to do homestays, Zhu Quanfeng, because the cultures have many differences. But I do believe that, "where there is a will, there is a way"! So, if a student is adamant that she/he wants to make a success of this, they may have success. It would however be a great effort and much sacrifice. And of course, much also depends on the homestay families; good families may make the homestay experience a memorable one, but bad families may make it unpleasant (though they have good selection methods to illuminate the undesirable families). But I think you are correct also that studying abroad must be an exciting experience.

  • Longyuan November 28, 2014 2:27
    I just know little about the UK.I remember once I‘ve read a passage on test paper that says London is a place where the weather is changing constantly and its air is really hard for breathe, but known London is a city with a splendid culture, so I hope one day I could go there see if it is true or not. By the way, I’ll remember to bring my computer.
    • Zakumi > Longyuan November 28, 2014 5:39

      Thanks for remembering to bring your computer, Long Yuan; but have you remembered to read through the worksheet?! And have you remembered to listen to Tara's News?! I read that London doesn't have much sunshine - only about four months in total every year. But you are right about the culture. My brother's one daughter lived there for a year or more, and I know other South Africans too who'd been in London. It sounds like it's a great place to visit, much to see and experience, good food, etc. It is my dream to see Europe (including the UK, of course) one day before I am too old!

  • wu ting November 28, 2014 2:02
    Students who study abrord are very uneasy.As the passage said,students should look after themselves oand practise English.certainly,this is good for them.But whe they entered the forign house, they must feel lonely.In a word,It will be a forgetful memory in the future.So if I have a chance to study ,I will be please with it.
    • Zakumi > wu ting November 28, 2014 5:34

      One may feel lonely, Wu Ting, but one of the advantages of such a homestay, is that the student become part of that family who'd taken her/him in. Yes, one would obviously still miss one's own family, but if the homestay family is committed to help the student they've taken in, they can make life very comfortable for the student. So, this has proven to be a very popular way of studying abroad.

  • Men Yaqiong November 28, 2014 1:31
    I find I only know all the answers of questions in the Preview Quiz after online enquiry.The best way to learn English is to get complete immersion because the language environment is so important for us to improve the level of english.without going to foreign country,I think we can use English in daily life often ,listen to English and see some foreigner film.Is there some better way to get the benefits of complete immsion staying China?
    • Zakumi > Men Yaqiong November 28, 2014 5:30

      Thank you for doing the Preview Quiz also, Men Yaqiong; it would surely give you a good overview of the lesson content. And I noticed that you have already learned a new term, "complete immersion"! I am sure not many students would know what that means! Of course, that wouldn't work in China if one wants to learn English as there are no English communities here where one has to speak only English! So, you have to go abroad to experience complete immersion! But, rest assured, it is not easy in the beginning. Some students don't make it and return, completely disillusioned. Studying a second language is never easy. I think by doing that through complete immersion, may have the best results, but in the beginning it may be the most difficult way.

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