On Becoming a Better Student

Unit9OnBecomingaBetterStudentPre-readingquestion••Areyouagoodstudent?whatdoyouthinkarethepersonalitytraitsofafinestudent?StructureAnalysisIntroductorypart:whatthewriterexpectsfromherstudents—learnhowtolearnbythemselvesMainbody:thequalitiesgoodstudentshaveLastpart:moretipsfortheaspiringstudentTextComprehensivequestions•1.Whatdostudentsexpectfromtheirteachers?•Enthusiastic,reliable,andknowledgeable•2.Whydoesthewritermentionthestudents’expectationsfortheirteacherfirst?•(1).Learningisnotagive-and-takeprocess.•(2).Schooleducationisthecultivationoftheabilitytolearnthroughtheirownobservationandinvestigation.•(3).Thisleadstothefollowingdiscussion.3.Whatdoestheauthormeanbysaying“itisreallynotpossibletoteach”(paragraph2)?anindicationofashiftofherattentionfromteachingtolearning.A.students:playamoreactiveroleinthelearningprocess,gettingfullyinvolvedinconstructingknowledgemeaningfultothemselvesandpracticingtheirskills.B.Teachers:playasupportiverolehelpingstudentsarriveattheirownconclusionsinsteadofimposingtheirownviewsuponstudentsorinstillingtheso-calledknowledgeinstudents’smind.Languagepoints•1．Partake(oftenhumorous)toeatordrink，especiallysomethingoffered•E.g.•Wouldyoupartakeofaglassofsherry?•Theyinvitedustopartakeoftheirsimplemeal.•Inthepassage．“partake”isfigurativelyusedtomean“todrawonorriseasonewishes(theteachers’repositoriesofskillandknowledge)．”•2．Atwill(formal)asonewishes•Youcanusemycaratwill(=anytimeyouwantto)．•Theanimalsareallowedtowanderatwillinthepark.•Cf．withawill:energetically；witheagerinterest•E.g.Theyworkedwithawillandhadclearedapathby9:00a.m.．•Shestarteddiggingthegardenwithawill.•3.tofeelweighted:tofeeldepressedandanxious4.“Allthewordsandtheories…topractice.”•“all…not”structureisofpartialnegation.•Notallthewords,theories,andtechniquesareusefulforstudentswhoarenotreadytoacceptwhatistaughtbytheteacherandpracticeitwillingly.•Whatisan”investigativespirit”?•ASpiritthatspursstudentstoinvestigatetheknownandexploretheunknown.•Thestudentsshouldmakeobservationsandthinkfromdifferentperspectivesandreachtheirownconclusions.Comprehensivequestions•NobelPrize—winningphysicianAlbertSzent—Gyorgyiputitwellwhenhesaid．．．•Put:tosay；toexpressinwords•E.g.Shewantedtotellherparentsthatshewasplanningtoliveonherown，butshedidn'tknowhowtoputit.•Sheis—howshallIputit/--notexactlyfat,butratherwell-built.Languagepoints•1.Howimportantisdisciplineforstudies?•Itisdisciplinethatgivessubstancetolearning.Thereisnoshortcutinlearning;itisonlywithpersistenceanddisciplinethatonecanreachtheveryendandsavorthefullflavorofhard-wonsuccess.•2.Accordingtothewriter,whatshouldstudymean?•Notaimatachievements.•Aninfiniteprocessthatgoesonthroughoutone’slife.Comprehensivequestions•Whatisyoga?•Yoga,AHindudisciplineaimedattrainingtheconsciousnessforastateofperfectspiritualinsightandtranquility.Ingeneral,itisaspiritualpracticeordisciplinethathelpstheindividualunifyhis/herbody,mind,andheart.•Asystemofexercisespracticedaspartofthisdisciplinetopromotecontrolofthebodyandmind.T’aiChiTai(太)means“grand”andChi（极）means“ultimate”inChinese.AccordingtoancientChinesephilosophers,thewordtaichidescribedthegrandandultimatestatethatexistedbeforethecreationofheavenandearth.Theybelievedthatthisenergywascomposedoftwooppositeparts.Thepositiveoryang(阳）form,andnegativeortheyin（阴）form.Itwasthisenergythatcreatedandgovernedtheuniverse.Itwasthisenergythat’sinalllivingbeings.TheessenceofthepracticeofTaiChiistocultivateone’slifeenergyorchi(气)sothatthepractitionercanbecomeabetterandstrongerlivingbeing.Onewhoisatpeacewithhimselfandliveinharmonywithotherandnature.Thewayordao(道)ofTaiChiispeace.•discipline•(1)training,especiallyofthemindandcharacter,aimedatproducingself-control,obedience,etc．•E.g.Anydiscipline—butespeciallythosewithgreatsubtletyandcomplexity,likeyogaorT’aichi—canbealifelongpursuit．•(2)thequalityofbeingabletobehaveinastrictlycontrolledwaywhichinvolvesobeyingparticularrulesorstandards•E.g.•Thetest—takersshowedperfectdisciplineduringtheexamination.Languagepoints•(3)abranchofknowledge,asubjectofstudy•E.g.•Ifwecanlookatourchosendisciplineorcraftasanongoingprocessratherthanasadiscreteaccomplishment，thepotentialforlearningcanbeinfinite．•Iamworkingforpeoplefromawiderangeofscientificdisciplines.•Withoutthese,ourlearningisbutfrothwithoutsubstance.•But(informal)only•E.g.•Sheisbutabeginner.•Onecannotbutdosomething.=onecanonlydosomething.•IcouldnotbutadmitthatyouwererightandIwaswrong.•Comparediscretewithdiscreet.•Thetwowordsarefrequentlyconfusedduetotheirsimilarityinpronunciationandspelling.•Thesesmallcompaniesnowhavetheirowndiscrete(=independent,separate)identity.•Wemustbeextremelydiscreet(=carefulinwhatwedoandsay);thepolicesuspectsomething.Comprehensivequestions•Whydoesthewritersaythatacreativepersonusesthe“failure”asasteppingstone?•Exploringspiritshouldbeencouraged.•Failurewillteachustheunknownandleadtotheotherpossiblesolutions.•Failureisthemotherofsuccess.•Liveupto:tobehaveinaccordancewith(whatisexpected);toachieveorkeep(highstandards)•Didtheconcertliveuptoyourexpectations?(wasitasgood