理工英语读写教程电子版Pre reading ActivitiesFirst ListeningPlease listen to a short passage carefully and prepare to answersome questions.Second ListeningListen to the tape again. Then answer the following questions withyour own experiences.1. What problems do you have in trying to learn English in yourmiddle school?2. Why do you think the computer can help you in learning English?3. What other things do you think we can gain through Englishlanguage learning?Learning a Foreign LanguageLearning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet mostrewarding experiences of my life. Although at times, learning a languagewas frustrating, it was well worth the effort.My experience with a foreign language began in junior middleschool, when I took my first English class. I had a kind and patient teacherwho often praised all of the students. Because of this positive method, Ieagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying much aboutmaking mistakes. I was at the top of my class for two years.When I went to senior middle school, I was eager to continuestudying English; however, my experience in senior school was verydifferent from before. While my former teacher had been patient with allthe students, my new teacher quickly punished those who gave incorrectanswers. Whenever we answered incorrectly, she pointed a long stick atus and, shaking it up and down, shouted, "No! No! No!" Itdidnt take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions. Not onlydid I lose my joy in answering questions, but also I totally lost my desireto say anything at all in English.However, that state didnt last long. When I went to college, I learnedthat all students were required to take an English course. Unlike mysenior middle school teacher, my college English teachers were patientand kind, and none of them carried long, pointed sticks! However, thesituation was far from perfect. As our classes were very large, I was onlyable to answer a couple of questions in each class period. Also, after afew weeks of classes, I noticed there were many students who spokemuch better than I did. I began to feel intimidated. So, once again,although for different reasons, I was afraid to speak. It seemed myEnglish was going to stay at the same level forever.That was the situation until a couple of years later, when I wasoffered an opportunity to study English through an online course. Thecommunication medium was a computer, phone line, and modem. I soongot access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from afriend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week.Online learning is not easier than regular classroom study; it requiresmuch time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of thecourse. I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the courseand to complete assignments on time.I practiced all the time. I carried a little dictionary with meeverywhere I went, as well as a notebook in which I listed any new wordsI heard. I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. Once in a whileI cried with frustration, and sometimes I felt like giving up. But I didntfeel intimidated by students who spoke faster than I did because I tookall the time I needed to think out my ideas and wrote a reply beforeposting it on the screen. Then, one day I realized I could understand justabouteverythingIcameacross,andmostimportantly,Icould"say" anything I wanted to in English. Although I still mademany mistakes and was continually learning, I had finally reaped thebenefits of all that hard work.Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience forme, but one that I wouldnt trade for anything. Not only did learninganother language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave meinsights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways ofseeing things. The most wonderful result of having learned a foreignlanguage was that I could communicate with many more people thanbefore. Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, so being ableto speak a new language lets me meet new people, participate inconversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. Now that Ispeak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English isbeing spoken, I can participate and make friends. I am able to reach outto others and bridge the gap between my language and culture andtheirs.