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Unit 3
DIALOGUE I
A New Life on the University Campus
Lu Hua goes back to her secondary school to visit Wang Laoshi, her former English teacher. Wang Laoshi asks her about her life and study in the English Department at Pujiang University.
A: Hello, Lu Hua. Nice to have you back. How are things at the university?
B: Everything's fine, Wang Laoshi. Life at the university is so exciting and challenging.
A: Do you live on campus?
B: Not the whole time... I mean not on weekends. A university rule says that no freshmen should live off campus during the weekdays, unless the university authorities give permission.
A: It's a good rule for new students. But you don't have to eat in school cafeterias, do you?
B: No, we don't. But we prefer to eat there because there's a wide variety of foods on the menu, which changes every day. Besides, the food service is much better than that of most secondary schools. For one thing, our campus cafeterias are under the management of a professional food service company with an annually-renewable contract.
A: I suppose you buy meal plans, then.
B: Most of us do. We have IC cards for meals and pay on a monthly basis.
A: That's very convenient. Well, how do you like your campus environment in general?
B: The university has two campuses, one for freshmen and sophomores, and the other for juniors, seniors and graduate students. My campus is located on the outskirts of the city. It's a new campus, very peaceful, and free from the hustle and bustle of a metropolis.
A: And free from all sorts of distractions and diversions that most city dwellers find it hard to escape or ignore.
B: Yes, it's another plus when you live away from urban attractions.
A: Did you have any orientation programme about campus life for entering students?
B: Yes. It was a three-day orientation, including a campus tour. We tried to learn as much as possible about the university. We visited libraries, classroom buildings, language labs, the multimedia resource centre, computer support services, the student club, and the sports stadium.
A: Do you freshmen have access to all these resources and technical facilities on a regular basis?
B: Absolutely. They are open to all students. As a matter of fact, we're encouraged to make the most of the libraries and technical support services on the campus.
A: Being an English major, do you have to speak English with your fellow students and English teachers most of the time?
B: Yeah. We're expected to speak English with all our English teachers, whatever courses they teach. We're also encouraged to speak English in the dorm area as much as possible. We're not quite used to this "English only" environment, though. Anyway, we're all trying very hard.
A: Good for you. It always takes time to adjust to a new environment. I suppose there are English lectures and talks available to you.
B: Yes. They are given to us English majors periodically, and they cover a variety of topics. Not only that, we are encouraged to attend the free discussion session following each lecture or presentation. Most of the lectures are given by native-speakers, and unfortunately, I have a difficult time figuring out much of what they say.
A: It takes time to understand lectures by native speakers. But they are very good for students majoring in English.
B: Yes, indeed. There's no reason whatsoever for me to skip any of them.
A: Well, your life at the university sounds very good. It's such a delight to know that one of my students is doing fine at the university. Come and see me again when you have a chance.
B: I certainly will.
DIALOGUE II
Dialogue:
A: When did you last go to London?
B: Oh, I don't know really. I suppose it was about thirty, or, maybe even forty years ago.
A: As long as that? You wouldn't recognize it now.
B: Has it changed very much?
A: Oh, yes! It's changed beyond belief. It's a lot bigger of course and it's been cleaned up quite a lot.
B: What about the fog?
A: Oh, London doesn't have fog any more. That's all disappeared and the air has been cleaned considerably over the last thirty years or so.
B: Do you think I'd still recognize it?
A: Of course you would. Parts of London haven't changed very much at all, but in other areas the change is incredible.
B: Is that cinema still open, the one at the corner of the street where I used to live? You remember it, the "Rex", I think.
A: No, that was knocked down about ten years ago. It's been replaced by a large supermarket. The small park has been destroyed, too, and the road has been widened. I think a new block of flats will be built there in a few years' time.
B: What a pity! That park used to be very beautiful, and peaceful, too, in the summer.
A: Even the old grocery shop isn't there any more. It's been turned into a small restaurant.
B: Is the man still there who used to deliver coal?
A: No, unfortunately, he died five years ago, but his son still runs the business. He hasn't got a horse and carriage any more. The coal is delivered by lorry. He's doing very with the business, too; next year they'll have two lorries.
B: Well, that's progress! You know, I don't think I'd like to go back to London somehow.
A: I go to London more often now than I used to, so I don't notice the changes now.
B: I think it's been changed too much. I want to remember it as it was.
READING I
The Press
More newspapers per person are sold in Britain than in any other country. Some believe that this proves that the British are more civilised and more interested in current affairs than other people; cynics look for other explanations.
Certainly the geography of the country helps. Because Britain is such a relatively small country, it is possible to buy national newspapers published in London anywhere in the country on the same day. In most parts of the country, papers are actually delivered to houses by the local newsagent before breakfast.
Daily papers are printed every morning in London and important provincial centres. National papers, available everywhere in the country, cover a wide range of political views and journalistic styles. Quality papers include The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph and The Times, while more popular papers include The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, The Sun and The Daily Mail. On the whole, papers in Britain are perhaps less extreme than in some countries; they are less obviously committed politically and less dramatic and sensational in content.
As well as national daily papers, there are Sunday papers, again divided between the serious (e.g., The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph and The Observer) and the more popular (e.g., The Sunday Mirror, The Sunday People, News of the World).
Some large towns also evening papers containing local as well as national and international news, and nearly everywhere in the country is served by a local weekly paper. This is devoted exclusively to local news and events, and is a very good source of information about what is happening in a particular town or village.
Of course the press means more than newspapers. A vast range of magazines are published, aimed at readers interested in all sorts of subjects. If you go into a newsagent's shop in a large town you will find weekly and monthly magazines produced for people with interests from angling to zoos. However, if you judge from this evidence, most British women are interested mainly in knitting and cooking and most British men are interested mainly in cars and football. Can this be true?
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