1、1. In what way do you usually learn English words? Do you often ask the native speakers to explain English words for you?Open.Reference:2. How do you understand the German proverb “Whoever cares to learn will always find a teacher”?Anyone who is willing to learn will make use of every chance to lear

2、n something from others.Reference:3. Do you think teaching is also learning? Why?Yes, because when we are asked to teach what we are supposed to know, things often turn out not as obvious as we thought it to be.Reference:Tongue-tiedSeveral weeks ago I was riding in a cab when the drivers eyes caught

3、 mine in the rear view mirror and he said, “Excuse me, Miss? Can you help me?”As any hard-bitten city dweller knows, the correct answer to a question like “Can you help me?” should always be some version of “It depends.” I chirped, “Sure.”“Thank you,” he said. He passed a slip of yellow paper into t

4、he back seat.I stared at the paper, wondering. Was this a joke? A threat? Hand-printed on the paper in tiny block letters was this:proverbpeculiaridiomatic“Please,” he said. “What is the meaning of these words?”I stared at the words in the distressed way you might stare at party guests whose faces y

5、ouve seen somewhere before but whose names have escaped your mind. Proverb? Peculiar? Idiomatic? How on earth should I know? Its one thing to use a word, its another to explain it. I resorted to shifting the topic.“Where did you get these words?”The driver explained that he was Pakistani. He listene

6、d to the radio as he drove and often jotted down unfamiliar, fascinating words whose meanings and spellings he then sought from his passengers.“Peculiar,” he said. “What does this mean?”I could manage that one. “Strange,” I said. “Odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.”“Thank you, Miss. And

7、 idiomatic?”I cleared my throat. “Um, its a, well, um. It involves a peculiar use of the language.”I thought my use of peculiar was kind of clever. He looked confused, a reminder that clevers not clever if it doesnt communicate.“Uh, lets see. Idiomatic is related to the word idiom. An idioms somethi

8、ng thats used in, say, a particular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who arent part of that group arent likely to use it and might not understand it.”Watching his puzzled look, I did what a person often does when at a loss for the right words: I went on talking, as if a

9、 thousand vague words would add up to one accurate definition.“Can you give me an example?”I racked my brains. “Gapers block,” I said. A peculiar Chicago phrase.But did it really qualify as idiomatic? I had no idea because the longer I thought about idioms the less sure I was what they were.“And pro

10、verb?”I should have told the poor man right then that I might be misleading him down the proverbial path, whatever that really means, but instead I said, “I think a proverb is kind of like an aphorism. But not quite.”“A what?”“Never mind. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.”“A

11、n example?”The meter clicked off a full 20 cents while I searched madly through my mind. “Haste makes waste?” I finally whimpered.But was that a proverb? Wait. Werent proverbs actually stories, not just phrases? While I was convincing myself they were, he said, “Can an idiom be a proverb?”I could an

12、swer that. Just not right now, now when it mattered, now when the fate of a curious, intelligent immigrant hung on the answers he assumed would fall from a native speakers tongue as naturally as leaves from an October tree. So I retreated.“Do most of your passengers give you answers when you ask for

13、 definitions?”“Oh, yes, Miss. Very interesting definitions.”Until that moment, Id been so inspired by the drivers determination to learn English, so enthralled by the chance to indulge my curiosity about words with another curious soul, that I didnt fully grasp the potential for linguistic fraud com

14、mitted in this mans cab. Now I could barely allow myself to imagine what kind of deformed English he was being fed by cowards like me who couldnt simply say, “I dont really know my own language.”I can only trust that someone as curious as he is also owns a dictionary, and that he figures out that, n

15、o matter what his passengers may say, haste doesnt always make waste at the gapers block. He looked confused, and his puzzled look reminded me that my answer was not clever at all because it couldnt be understood. . (Id been) so absorbed in the chance to satisfy the mans curiosity with my (poor) kno

16、wledge of English that I didnt fully realize how misleading and confusing my and other native speakers interpretations might be. And that he finds out that, no matter what his passengers may say, things may not mean as they say. (Surface meaning: When other people gather to watch whats happened, you

17、 should waste no time and leave in a hurry. In other words, haste doesnt lead to waste of time in this case.)Ex. 2Work in pairs to make a conversation to understand the different meanings of the words in each group. Student A plays the role of a taxi driver, and Student B plays the role of a native

18、English speaker.Group 1:confused puzzled lostGroup 2:enthralling interesting fascinatingGroup 3:strange odd weirdNative English speakerTaxi driverEx. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictiona

19、ry. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors definition:Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author

20、, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors definition:Strange, odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys

21、example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors d

22、efinition:Strange, odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.Authors example:It (idiomatic) involves a peculiar use of the language.Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look

23、up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors definition:Strange, odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.Authors example:It (idiomatic) involves a peculiar use of the

24、language.Dictionarys definition:strange or unusual, sometimes in an unpleasant wayDictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to rea

25、ch a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors definition:Strange, odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.Authors example:It (idiomatic) involves a peculiar use of the language.Dictionarys definition:strange or unusual, sometimes in an unpleasant

26、 wayDictionarys example:His accent was a peculiar mixture of Scottish and Irish.Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “wh

27、ether the author really knows her own language or not.”peculiarAuthors definition:Strange, odd. Often with a hint of something suspicious.Authors example:It (idiomatic) involves a peculiar use of the language.Dictionarys definition:strange or unusual, sometimes in an unpleasant wayDictionarys exampl

28、e:His accent was a peculiar mixture of Scottish and Irish.Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author reall

29、y knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then c

30、ompare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:“Idiomatic” is related to the word “idiom”. An idiom is something that is used in a particular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who arent part of t

31、hat group arent likely to use it and might not understand it.Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then c

32、ompare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:“Idiomatic” is related to the word “idiom”. An idiom is something that is used in a particular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who arent part of t

33、hat group arent likely to use it and might not understand it.Authors example:gapers blockDictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictio

34、nary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:“Idiomatic” is related to the word “idiom”. An idiom is something that is used in a particular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who are

35、nt part of that group arent likely to use it and might not understand it.Authors example:gapers blockDictionarys definition:using or containing expressions that are natural to a native speakerDictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three word

36、s given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:“Idiomatic” is related to the word “idiom”. An idiom is something that is used in a p

37、articular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who arent part of that group arent likely to use it and might not understand it.Authors example:gapers blockDictionarys definition:using or containing expressions that are natural to a native speakerDictionarys example:Philippa

38、 was soon to acquire a remarkable command of idiomatic English.Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author

39、really knows her own language or not.”idiomaticAuthors definition:“Idiomatic” is related to the word “idiom”. An idiom is something that is used in a particular part of the country or by a particular group of people. People who arent part of that group arent likely to use it and might not understand

40、 it.Authors example:gapers blockDictionarys definition:using or containing expressions that are natural to a native speakerDictionarys example:Philippa was soon to acquire a remarkable command of idiomatic English.Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three wo

41、rds given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”proverbAuthors definition:Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find

42、 in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”proverbAuthors definition:I think a proverb is kind

43、 of like an aphorism. But not quite. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.Authors example:Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and e

44、xamples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”proverbAuthors definition:I think a proverb is kind of like an aphorism. But not quite. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.Authors example:Haste mak

45、es waste.Dictionarys definition:Dictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really know

46、s her own language or not.”proverbAuthors definition:I think a proverb is kind of like an aphorism. But not quite. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.Authors example:Haste makes waste.Dictionarys definition:a short well-known saying that states a general truth or gives adviceD

47、ictionarys example:Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”prover

48、bAuthors definition:I think a proverb is kind of like an aphorism. But not quite. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.Authors example:Haste makes waste.Dictionarys definition:a short well-known saying that states a general truth or gives adviceDictionarys example:Dont put all y

49、our eggs in one basket.Your conclusion:Ex. 3 Find in the passage the definitions and examples of the three words given by the author, and look up their definitions and examples in your dictionary. Then compare them to reach a conclusion on “whether the author really knows her own language or not.”pr

50、overbAuthors definition:I think a proverb is kind of like an aphorism. But not quite. A proverb is a condensed saying that teaches you a lesson.Authors example:Haste makes waste.Dictionarys definition:a short well-known saying that states a general truth or gives adviceDictionarys example:Dont put a

51、ll your eggs in one basket.Your conclusion:Ex. 4 Fill in each of the blanks with an appropriate word.This is an amusing short story which illustrates how little people know about their mother tongue sometimes. The narrator is a woman, a p_ in a taxi whose driver is a Pakistani man e_ to learn Englis

52、h by asking his passengers about new words. Struggling to e_ the meanings of a proverb and an idiom, she realizes how little she really knows about the v_ of her native language and also w_ what kind of answers other, probably equally i_, native passengers might give. In the end she is left hoping t

53、hat the driver has a d_ and that he will use it to teach himself rather than depend on the native speakers for e_. Ex. 4 Fill each of the blanks with an appropriate word.This is an amusing short story which illustrates how little people know about their mother tongue sometimes. The narrator is a wom

54、an, a p_ in a taxi whose driver is a Pakistani man e_ to learn English by asking his passengers about new words. Struggling to e_ the meanings of a proverb and an idiom, she realizes how little she really knows about the v_ of her native language and also w_ what kind of answers other, probably equa

55、lly i_, native passengers might give. In the end she is left hoping that the driver has a d_ and that he will use it to teach himself rather than depend on the native speakers for e_. passengerEx. 4 Fill each of the blanks with an appropriate word.This is an amusing short story which illustrates how

56、 little people know about their mother tongue sometimes. The narrator is a woman, a p_ in a taxi whose driver is a Pakistani man e_ to learn English by asking his passengers about new words. Struggling to e_ the meanings of a proverb and an idiom, she realizes how little she really knows about the v

57、_ of her native language and also w_ what kind of answers other, probably equally i_, native passengers might give. In the end she is left hoping that the driver has a d_ and that he will use it to teach himself rather than depend on the native speakers for e_. passengereagerEx. 4 Fill each of the b

58、lanks with an appropriate word.This is an amusing short story which illustrates how little people know about their mother tongue sometimes. The narrator is a woman, a p_ in a taxi whose driver is a Pakistani man e_ to learn English by asking his passengers about new words. Struggling to e_ the meani

59、ngs of a proverb and an idiom, she realizes how little she really knows about the v_ of her native language and also w_ what kind of answers other, probably equally i_, native passengers might give. In the end she is left hoping that the driver has a d_ and that he will use it to teach himself rathe

60、r than depend on the native speakers for e_. passengereagerexplainEx. 4 Fill each of the blanks with an appropriate word.This is an amusing short story which illustrates how little people know about their mother tongue sometimes. The narrator is a woman, a p_ in a taxi whose driver is a Pakistani ma