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Egypt: Bridging the Gap between School English and Real English

Teaching English in Egypt in general and in my town Damietta in particular, is mainly directed towards helping students to pass their final exams. Unfortunately, most teachers do not adopt a long -term approach that guarantees that their students will be able to use English outside the classroom. So students only concentrate on one skill which is writing. Thus their listening and speaking skills are disabled. What is important to them is to pass the exam which is primarily based on writing .Teachers are not only concentrated with providing their students with questions that are similar to those of the final exam, particularly General Secondary Education Certificate (GSEC) Examination, so students spend most of their time answering typical exam questions.

Most students' scores are high; a lot of students get full marks. However, few students are able to communicate in English because their role plays. As a result, a lot of students complain that they are unable to understand and talk fluently with native speakers of English.

To enable students to communicate freely and spontaneously(自然地) in English, I bring features of real communication into language practice, I always ask students about their own experiences, and suggest groups of students practice what they have learned outside the classroom. This helps lower-achieving students absorb language. Furthermore, role play is a very effective way to improve speaking skills particularly if it is connected to the experience of the students.

【小题1】           Who probably write this passage?

A. a teacher    B. a governor    C. a student    D. a reporter

【小题2】           In Egypt, the students only concentrate on ------

A. listening skill        B. speaking skill    C. reading skill         D. writing skill

【小题3】           The teachers question their students based on -------

A. what they learn in the class

B. What their parents expect

C. The questions that  are similar to those of GSEC

D. The ability that will be used outside the classroom

【小题4】           Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

A. Most of the students can't get high marks but can communicate with the native speakers of English.

B.  Communicating skill is more important than writing skill.

C. Role play connected to the speaker's experience is more effective

in improving his skill.

D. The lower--achieving students can do better in speaking skill than the upper achieving students.

【小题5】           Who will responsible for the gap between school English and real English?

A. Their parents      B. The students    C. The school    D. The education sys tem

 

   Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China’s higher education reform? It’s too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll 50 students, so-called child prodigies(奇才), to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education-unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.

The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.

The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.

Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.

The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence the school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.

Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.

1.Over 1,000 students and parents visited the school because         .

   A．they believe that the school will have a bright future

   B．they believe the government is sure to approve the school

   C．the school models itself on Hong Kong University successfully

   D．they will never do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions

2.The trouble the students in the school may have is that          .

   A．the government will have no voice in the school

   B．they won’t receive any diploma when graduating from the school

   C．other schools are unlikely to accept their diploma from the school

   D．they will not learn how to be competitive

3.What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology?

   A．It is another kind of diploma mill.

   B．It’s impossible for the school to be competitive.

   C．It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education.

   D．Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform.

4.What is the best title of the passage?

   A．University of New Style.         B．China’s Education Reform.

    C．Modeling Hong Kong University.       D．Authorized or Not?

 

Will Nanfang University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen announce a new beginning for China’s higher education reform? It’s too early to answer. But its presence is challenging the Ministry of Education. Even without the approval of the ministry it seems that the school is determined to move forward and enroll(招收)50 students, so-called child prodigies(奇才), to begin classes on March l, 2011.On graduating in 2015, these students will receive a diploma unauthorized by the Ministry of Education-unlike the students of their age from the state-run universities.

The school is committed to modeling itself on Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, but if the government will not approve the school, the situation could cause a lot of trouble for those 50 students if they want to do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions. Other schools could turn their applications down for their unauthorized diplomas.

The difficulties, however, have not frightened students and their parents away. On Dec.18, 2010 more than 1,000 students and their parents visited Nanfang University of Science and Technology for interviews.

Private investment marks the school out from other higher learning institutions in the nation. Not a penny comes from the government. So the government will have no voice in how the school will be run.

The Ministry of Education has published a comprehensive plan for education reform and development between 2011 and 2020.The goal is to make China’s higher education internationally competitive. To accomplish this goal, the government should have the courage to let the educators who have big ideas try them out. The ministry should have applauded the independence the school in Shenzhen has shown and encouraged more to do likewise.

Education reform in China has reached a new and crucial stage. Nanfang University of Science and Technology has a long way to go to prove itself competitive rather than a diploma mill.

1. What will makes those 50 students different from others?

A. They are all child prodigies.

B. They will study much longer time.

C. They are willing to challenge the Ministry of Education.

D. They will receive an unauthorized diploma.

2. Over 1,000 students and parents visited the school because             .

A. they believe that the school will have a bright future

B. they believe the government is sure to approve the school

C. the school models itself on Hong Kong University successfully

D. they will never do graduate studies at other higher learning institutions

3.The trouble the students in the school may have is that             .

A. the government will have no voice in the school

B. they won’t receive any diploma when graduating from the school

C. other schools are unlikely to accept their diploma from the school

D. they will not learn how to be competitive

4. What does the author think of Nanfang University of Science and Technology?

A. It is another kind of diploma mill.

B. It’s impossible for the school to be competitive.

C. It will never get the approval from the Ministry of Education.

D. Its independence from the government may benefit the education reform.

5.What is the best title of the passage?

A. University of New Style.               B. China’s Education Reform.

C. Modeling Hong Kong University.        D. Authorized or Not?

 

 

More teachers are starting off the school year with letters to parents and students to introduce themselves and set a tone (基调) for the year．The letters are a good way to start positive communication with parents, several teachers told Education World．

“I think it’s professional (专业的)，”said Dorothy Peselli, an English teacher at Sparta High School in Sparta, New Jersay, Peselli, who gives out the letters the first day of school, told Education World．“It gives parents an image of you as a professional．If you start communication off in a positive manner, you will have the parents on your side when you need them．”

In her letter to parents, Peselli encourages them to call or e-mail her with specific concerns about their children．“I want to work as a team to make sure that your child becomes an independent lifelong learner,” Peselli wrote to parents last September．She also telephones the parents of all her students at the beginning of the year．

Peselli includes with the letter a classroom handbook (手册)listing plans and rules ．And she requires that both parents and students read and sign statements (included in the letter!) that they read the handbook．The student letter also lists needed supplies and gives encouragement．“Please come to class ready to work and learn．This will be an exciting year for all of us,” it says

Last year, Peselli taught at a different high school and parents there were “shocked”, but appreciative, that she had so much contact with them,“I received roses and a thank-you note from one boy and his mother”．Peselli said．She wished her own children’s teachers would take the time to write notes as well．“I never got a letter home from any of my daughter’s high school teachers．” she said, “It would be nice to know the background of some of the people who are teaching my daughter．”

We may learn from the text that            

A．most teachers are writing letters to parents and students

B．the handbook is used to list supplies and give encouragement

C．Peselli believe it important for teachers to exchange information with parents

D．Peselli mainly introduces her background and teaching experiences in the letters

The underlined word “it” in the fourth paragraph refers to         

A．the handbook               B．the requirement  

C．the school             D．the letter

We can infer from the last paragraph that          

A．parents were satisfied with Peselli’s way of working

B．Peselli means to surprise parents by writing students

C．Peselli seemed to be popular among boy students

D．all Peselli’s children are studying in high schools

The purpose of the text is to           ．

A．introduce an English teaching method

B．give advice on how to teach students

C．encourage teachers to keep in touch with parents

D．show us how Dorothy Peselli makes teaching plans

He is a real turtle（海龟）.

         Someone who always moves very slowly.

         She is such a sheep.

         A follower; someone who can’t think for him or herself.

         He’s being an ostrich（鸵鸟）.

         Someone who hides his/her head in the sand and refuses to face problems or reality.

         He’s a lamb.

         A gentle, patient, understanding person. Nice and considerate.

         What a crab（蟹） he is!

         A grouchy（发牢骚的） person; someone who is often angry and in a bad mood.

1.In which of the following situations are the people acting like sheep?

A. A teenager tells a small child to stop bothering an animal.

B. A young man is driving fast because all his friends do.

C. Someone runs for monitor of the senior class in the school.

D. People are walking and singing together along the road.

2.If a person is like a turtle, which of these is most likely to be a problem to him or her?

A. Keeping the house clean.               B. Learning a new language.

C. Getting to school on time.               D. Saving money for future use.

3.Buddy hates to wake up on Monday morning. He doesn’t speak to his wife or children, and he often shouts at the other drivers on his way to work. Everybody stays out of his way at least until noon time. After that he’s all right. Buddy’s boss says, “ Buddy is a good guy, but on Monday morning, he’s an absolute _________.”

A. crab                         B. lamb                        C. turtle                                D. ostrich

4.Jerry has not been well for weeks. He knows he has a problem but he is afraid to see a doctor .If he is sick, he doesn’t want to know about it. His wife says, “ Jerry, don’t be a(n) __________. Go to the doctor. She can help you get of your illness.

A. crab                         B. lamb                        C. sheep                               D. ostrich