【英语趣味课堂】美国生活-American Life

 Todd: OK, Yoko!

Yoko: Hi!

 

Todd: We're going to talk about your trip to America.

 

Yoko: Trip to America. OK.

 

Todd: OK. When did you go to the U.S.?

 

Yoko: It's about 4 years ago.

 

Todd: And what did you do?

 

Yoko: Actually, I went to Michigan and I worked as a volunteer teacher in public school.

 

Todd: OK. What was the public school like?

 

Yoko: It was not big, and so it was not big. I don't know how to say that, so what should I say....

 

Todd: It was just a small school?

 

Yoko: Yeah. Small school. So only maybe 200 students I think.

 

Todd: Oh, really!

 

Yoko: Yeah, it was really small.

 

Todd: Wow, that is small.

 

Yoko: Yeah, yeah.

 

Todd: Did you know all the students?

 

Yoko: I don't think so. I just visited some classes. Yes.

 

Todd: So what did you think of America?

 

Yoko: I think it is a great country for many people who wants to try new things.

 

Todd: OK

 

Yoko: You know, so for example I did not have any special skills to teach, but they let me to work there as a volunteer, and they gave me a great oppurtunity to meet a lot of students, who are really nice I think.

 

Todd: Ah, OK. I agree. What were your students like?

 

Yoko: They were really motivated¹ to learn Japanese, but they didn't learn a lot. They just, they just wanted to play with me, from other countries. Who is from, sorry!

 

Todd: OK. Do you have any special memories from your trip?

 

Yoko: Yes, I visited lots of places by myself and I was really afraid of speaking English to people there but they tried to understand me, and they helped me a lot and I really think OK, they are lots of people who are nice all over the world.

 

学习内容：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

volunteer teacher

 

I went to Michigan and worked as a volunteer teacher.

 

A 'volunteer teacher' teaches lessons, but does not get paid to teach.  People volunteer to do many things to help people and to gain experience.  Notice the following:

 

She worked as a volunteer teacher in the Peace Corps² for two years.

The clinic is looking for volunteer nurses.

public school

 

I worked in a public school.

 

A 'public school' gets money from the government for teachers and supplies. Notice the following:

 

The public school system in this area is really good.

You get paid more if you teach in a public school.

great country

 

I think America is a great country.

 

A 'great country' is a country that is very good in at least one area.  We can put 'great' in front of any noun³ to show that it is good or remarkable⁴. Notice the following:

 

They make great pizza here.

The Beatles made a lot of great songs.

special skills

 

I did not have special skills to teach, but they let me work as a volunteer.

 

'Special skills' are unique abilities that you need to perform a task.  Anything that you know how to do that is not something everyone knows is a special skill.  Notice the following:

 

What kind of special skills do you have?

He learned⁵ a lot of special skills while he was a volunteer.

by myself

 

I visited lots of places by myself.

 

When you do something 'by yourself' it means⁶ that you do it alone or without someone that you know.  Notice the following:

 

I would never go to a party by myself.

I prefer to go for walks by myself or with my dog.

 

1 motivated   

adj.有积极性的

参考例句：

• His actions were motivated by greed. 他的作为是贪婪之心所驱使的。
• He is motivated entirely by self-interest. 他做事完全出于私利。

2 corps   

n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组

参考例句：

• The medical corps were cited for bravery in combat.医疗队由于在战场上的英勇表现而受嘉奖。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

3 noun   

n.名词

参考例句：

• What kind of noun is this?这是哪类名词？
• This word is a collective noun.这个词是个集体名词。

4 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

5 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

6 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。