Week 15b: Friday, 19 December 2014

Posted by Zakumi on December 12, 2014

(1) Tara's News

This is the last time we'll do the news. Students who haven't done the comments during the past week, will tell us the news first. So, if you are serious about improving your listening skills, please listen to the news; this is probably also the last time you would ever do it as students just don't visit this website any longer to practice their language skills by themselves.

(2) Class activity: Describing a car accident.

We'll divide into 7 or 8 small groups and follow the script in the attachment. At the end of the role plays, each group will report back to the class about the outcome of the accident report.

M - W15b - Role play - car accident.rtf

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  • Song Guang Xia December 19, 2014 2:50
    With the vehicle convinment,more and more family have own car,even some family have two or three cars.It causeed the traffict jam and polluted the environment ,what's worse ,there is more driving scilence but them didn't pass the test,So the roadkil toler rapid quickly in the recent years.When we go through the road ,we may afraid eveytimes.
    so if there have a accident, I want to play a policewoman ,according the bystanders described the accident that the old lady didn't stop the car when the traffic light is red,and he saw the old lady was calling the telephone.the old lady's granddoughter just said she didn't notice.then the old lady said the trffic is green when she pass the road,
    we shouldn't just judge these people to who's dupty ,while watch the monintor.
    • Zakumi > Song Guang Xia December 19, 2014 4:19

      Song Guangxia, if the people don't get their driving licenses, how do they get permission to drive cars on the roads then?! If one buys a car in the western countries, you have to produce a valid drivers license first before you can own the car. So, it looks like people are allowed to drive cars in China without valid drivers licenses, right?! I wonder if the biggest problem is not that the police are not doing their work to apply the traffic laws! Haha, you said the old lady was on the cell phone ...! Are you sure?! I think most young people do that and not the old people! I would not be surprised that the rich man was also on his phone!

  • yinghaiyang December 19, 2014 2:34
    The old lady's granddaughter wouldn't like to go to church,so she cried.The old lady tried to comfort her,so she didn't pay attention to road.Just then,a shortsighted bystander walked across the road.The old lady wanted to avoid to thrust into the bystander,she turned steering wheel.She was successful to avoid burst into the bystander.Unfortunately,she crashed into the owner of the Rolls Royce.That's what i can imagine.If it was really resulted from this,the old lady should be responsible for this accident,i think.
    • Zakumi > yinghaiyang December 19, 2014 4:44

      Haha, Ying Haiyang, you have quite a different scenario from all the others in your class as not one thought the bystander could also be the one causing the accident! So, I wonder what she/he would tell the police as she/he has to protect her/himself! Shame, now she/he would probably accuse the old lady for causing the accident! But on the other hand, I think the bystander would rather disappear before the police arrive at the scene!

  • Yaze Li December 18, 2014 22:15
    The story can be that:That day was the old lady's grandkid's birthday,the old lady drived her old car to buy the birthday cake with her grandkid,because the cake store would close later,she drived her car a little fast,when she turned to the conner,a Rolls Royce turned up suddenly which a drunk man drived,the man didn't see the old's lady clearly,and he can't be able to react to make brake,so they hited,the police came and asked bystander what happened right now,but she is short-sighted,At last,the police detect the man who drive Rolls Royce was drunk,the man fined and he must be respansible for the old lady and the grandkid.
    PS:I know it's the last several class when you say it's the last time we listen to the news,so I want to make use of this comment to thanks for you John,thanks for your teaching , your patience and your responsibility,we will experience many many teachers in university not like senior high school,but I will remember my forign language teacher John in my heart.
    • Zakumi > Yaze Li December 19, 2014 4:39

      Li Yaze, you have addressed the two major causes of road accidents in your scenario (speeding and drunken driving); so, both parties were to blame, not so?! But do you think it was fair that the rich man only received a fine? Would that stop him from this criminal offense next time? Or should the police only be strict when the girl (or any other person) was killed in the accident he caused through his intoxicated condition? Maybe that is exactly what the problem is: the police and the lawmakers don't act pre-emptively (implementing actions to avoid something from happening), but only punish according to the amount of damage by an unlawful act.

      Thank you, Li Yaze, for your comment. You personally also made an impression on me. And I could see that you were serious about improving your language skills (most teachers, I think, can see and feel when a student is committed to her/his task!). So, thank you for your good attitude in all our classes. Some students just make teaching a pleasure to teachers! But, I have to disagree somewhat with you ... about the patience (as I think I have often failed there)! However, I have a view that I am never too old to learn, and I am also of the opinion that I can improve myself to be a better person and teacher to benefit others' lives more. So, I will die one day still trying to be a better person! ;-)

  • Hou Jialei December 18, 2014 16:50
    The old woman had a little panic said to the policeman,she explained that her granddaughter let her see a picture wihch she finished just now when she hit the Rolls Royce .She was sorry for the owner of the car and she would like to make some compensation.The owner of the car is very angry with the old lady.He said he parked his car at the curb to buy a packet of cigarettes when his new car was hitted by someone.The shortsighted bystander said to the police officer he heared a loud noise then he saw that two cars crashed together.He didn't know who is to blame.
    • Zakumi > Hou Jialei December 19, 2014 3:59

      Haha, Hou Jialei, the old lady would most probably not have the money to pay for the damage to that expensive car! The damage to the rich man's car is probably more than what the old lady's car is worth! So, if a rich man - even if he was absolutely innocent - wants to be fair, he should accept an apology and even give the other party money to repair their car! But what rich man would be so full of humanity to do that in today's selfish society? Think about it!

  • jiang dan December 18, 2014 16:36
    Maybe i would choose to punish the rich man,if i were the policeman.I think it's most possible for the rich man to drive too fast and result in the accident.The old lady is so old and weak that she can't control the speed and get in the accident reluctantly.In our society,we all need to obey the traffic rules strictly and take the responsibilities of being a eligible citizen.Only in that way can we avoid such bad occurrance and found a harmonious family.
    • Zakumi > jiang dan December 19, 2014 3:55

      Jiang Dan, I can agree with you that it would be more probable that the rich man caused the accident, as I have witnessed here how those people (the rich and the powerful) drive (running red lights, stop streets, and being plainly rude on the roads). But I can't agree with you that the Chinese people obey traffic rules strictly! Maybe you mean that to be the ideal! Every day when walking to the campus I am witness of people applying their own traffic rules and drive as they feel like! And of course, there are never any police around to apply the laws (and when they are, they mostly turn a blind eye)! And I am not so sure that Chinese societies are so harmonious as they want others to believe either! Haha, those are some of my observations after living for nearly six years in China! ;-)

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