我的手語學習

主題語境：人與社會 篇幅：396詞 關鍵詞：learn,sign language

1I have always loved learning languages.In sixth grade,I was excited the day the junior high school language teachers visited my class.I knew immediately that I wanted to learn French,even though everyone said it was much harder than Spanish.Later in high school,I was flipping through television channels one lazy Saturday when I realized I could follow an Italian opera without subtitles because of the similarities between Italian and French.

2Over the years,I have traveled around the world on business and before each trip I have learned a bit of the local language.Besides being useful,I enjoy studying new languages and seeing the look of appreciation on people's faces when I try,no matter how awkwardly,to communicate in their native tongue.

3I have wanted to learn American Sign Language(ASL)for a long time and last year,Microsoft offered me an opportunity to take a 12-session class,Signing for the Workplace.As we started,some students were nervous about having a teacher who was deaf and her novoices policy.But since I learned French in a total immersion environment,I was up for the challenge.My main concern was being left-handed.All my life,I've had to adapt to a righthanded world and I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was OK to sign with my left hand.

4Being a visual thinker,I find that the conceptual nature of ASL speaks to me.One of the things I like about learning languages is discovering patterns and relationships among words and expressions.For example,I find it fascinating yet intuitive(直覺的)that signs for class,team,family and organization are similar because the underlying concept is the same—a group of people.

5Since that class,I have tried out my new ASL skills and once again I have received encouraging feedback.The first question always was:“Who do you practice with?”In addition to an employee group that gets together once a month over lunch,I'm lucky to have a daughter who is studying ASL in college.Even though she is far from home,we are often on Skype and practice ASL together.She recently completed her second year of college ASL,so I have a thing or two to learn from her.I am looking forward to our future Skype sessions so I can keep improving.

Reading Check

1.Why did the author decide to learn French?

A.It is similar to Italian.

B.He loves languages.

C.It is harder than Spanish.

D.The language teachers visited his class.

2.What language does the author use when he travels on business?

A.Sign language.

B.His native tongue.

C.The local language.

D.A common language.

3.What is special about the author according to the text?

A.He has a special love for sign language.

B.He is used to doing things with his left hand.

C.He was nervous about having a deaf teacher.

D.He learned French in a total immersion environment.

4.Where does the author practise ASL with his daughter?

A.At a college.

B.At the lunch table.

C.On the Internet.

D.At his workplace.

語篇解碼

本文為一篇記敘文，其主題語境為“人與社會”，主要講述了作者喜歡學習語言的原因及學習手語的經歷。

語言學習

Ⅰ.語料薈萃

語篇單詞重要短語immediately adv.立刻channel n.頻道similarity n.相似點appreciation n.欣賞；感謝communicate v.交流opportunity n.機會nervous adj.緊張的environment n.環境challenge n.挑戰visual adj.視力的；視覺的relationship n.關系fascinating adj.令人著迷的encouraging adj.鼓舞人心的complete v.完成improve v.提高because of因為travel around the world環游世界on business出差offer sb an opportunity給某人一個機會be nervous about對……感到焦慮adapt to適應for example例如try out測試；試驗once again再一次in addition to除……以外learn from從……中學習look forward to期盼

Ⅱ.語句分析

1.I knew immediately that I wanted to learn French,even though everyone said it was much harder than Spanish.我立刻明白我想學法語，盡管每個人都說法語比西班牙語難得多。

【點石成金】本句是一個主從復合句。I knew...French是主句，that引導的是賓語從句，even though引導的是讓步狀語從句，it was much...Spanish是賓語從句。

2.Later in high school,I was flipping through television channels one lazy Saturday when I realized I could follow an Italian opera without subtitles because of the similarities between Italian and French.高中后期，在一個懶洋洋的周六，我正在快速瀏覽電視頻道時，突然意識到由于意大利語和法語的相似性，我可以脫離字幕看一部意大利歌劇。

【點石成金】主句是was doing...when...句式，意為“正在做……，突然……”。I could follow...without subtitles是賓語從句，because of...是介詞短語作原因狀語。

3.Besides being useful,I enjoy studying new languages and seeing the look of appreciation on people's faces when I try,no matter how awkwardly,to communicate in their native tongue.除了有用之外，我還喜歡學習新的語言，喜歡看到當我嘗試用他們的母語交流時，無論多么笨拙，人們臉上贊賞的表情。

【點石成金】I enjoy studying...faces是主句，when引導的是時間狀語從句，no matter how...是省略了主謂的讓步狀語從句。

語言運用

Ⅰ.例句仿寫

1.盡管我們在性格上完全不同，但我們仍然是很好的朋友。

_______________________________,we are still great friends.

2.她正在看電影，突然停電了。

She was watching a movie _______________________________.

3.無論他們面對多大的困難，他們總是盡一切努力克服它。

_______________________________,they always make every effort to overcome it.

Ⅱ.寫作實踐

假定你是光明中學學生會主席李華，上周你校邀請Smith教授來校做了一場有關各國肢體語言的專題講座。請你代表學校全體師生，用英語給他寫一封感謝信。內容包括：

1.表達感謝；

2.了解了不同國家肢體語言的差異性。注意：

1.詞數80左右；

2.可以適當增加細節，以使行文連貫。