Part I (Para. 1) Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life.
Part II (Para.2-4) My different experiences with the regular course in junior and senior
middle schools and at college.
Part III (Para.5-7) My experiences with the online course helped me reap the benefits
of hard work..
Part IV (Para.8) Learning English brings me benefits: the value of hard work,
insights into other cultures, new ways of seeing things, ability to bridge the gap between different cultures.
c) Background Information:
1. Online learning
Online learning, a form of distance education, refers to learning and other supportive resources that are available through a networked computer. With the development of the Internet, online learning often takes place on the Internet. In an online lesson, the computer displays material (often in web browsers) in response to a learner's request. The computer asks the learner for more information and presents appropriate material based on the learner's input. The material can be as simple as traditional lessons and their tests that are transcribed into a computer program. The material can also be a complex system that tracks users' input and suggests learning material as a result. Or the material can be a work session that occurs through a real time chat; learning occurs through the interaction. The material can be presented as text, graphics, animated graphics, audio, video, or a combination of these that are displayed in web browsers or other multimedia players such as Windows Media Player.
2. Junior middle school
Junior middle school refers to the stage in the Chinese education system which follows primary school and includes years six through nine in the school time sequence. Normally, students are 12 or 13 years of age when they begin the sixth or transition year of junior middle school. In the American system, junior middle school most closely approximates middle school or junior high school in which the beginning or ending years of this period may vary slightly from region to region. The beginning age is about the same as that of junior middle school students in China.
3. Senior middle school
Senior middle school, the stage in the Chinese education system which follows junior middle school, includes years ten through twelve in the school sequence. Normally, students are 16 or 17 years of age when they begin senior middle school.
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Senior middle school most closely parallels high school in the American system which may sometimes include year nine as a transition year. Students who graduate at this level in both systems may choose to write a university entrance examination: The National University Entrance Exam in China and the SAT or Scholastic Aptitude Test in America.
4. A collection of Internet & computer words 网上冲浪net-surfing 下载downloading 电子邮件E-mail 电子商务E-business
信息时代information age 网站website
信息高速路information expressway
网络network
d) Language Points & Difficult Sentences Step 3 Language Points
1) Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult yet most rewarding experiences of my life. (Para.1)
Meaning: Learning a foreign language was one of the most difficult things to do but it was most worth doing in my life.
2)Although at times, learning a language was frustrating, it was well worth the effort. (Para.1)
Meaning: Although sometimes learning a language is disappointing, it was rewarding enough to spend the time and effort on it.
3)Because of this positive method, I eagerly answered all the questions I could, never worrying much about making mistakes. (Para. 2)
Paraphrase: Because of the effective and helpful method, I was very willing to answer all the questions I could, and I never worried about making mistakes.
译文：由于这种积极的教学方法，我踊跃回答各种问题，从不怕答错。 Note: (1) Difference between “because of” and “because” because of + sth./doing sth.
because + a sentence e.g.
She had to quit school because of ill health.
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He can not remember the new words because he never uses them.
(2)“worrying about making mistakes” 是现在分词短语作状语 Climbing to the top of the tower, we saw a beautiful sight.
（=When we climbed to the top of the tower, we saw a beautiful sight.） Not wanting to meet John there, he refused to attend the party.
(=Because he didn’t want to meet John there, he refused to attend the party.)
4) I was at the top of my class for two years. (Para.2)
Meaning: I was one of the excellent students in my class for two years.
5) It didn't take me long to lose my eagerness to answer questions. (Para3) Meaning: Before long I was no longer eager to answer questions.
6) Not only did I lose my joy in answering questions but also I totally lost my desire to say anything at all in English. (Para. 3)
Paraphrase: I not only didn’t feel happy answering questions, but also didn’t want to say anything in English.
译文：我不仅失去了回答问题的乐趣，而且根本就不想再用英语说半个字。 Note: When you use “not only… but also…” to introduce two clauses, you can put “not only” at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis and the sentence order should be inverted（倒装）as you find in the text. More examples:
Not only did he finish his homework, but he also cleaned the room. 他不仅做了作业，而且还打扫了房间。
Not only are housewives not paid, but also most of their boring work is unnoticed. 家庭主妇不仅得不到报酬，而且她们单调的工作大多数不会被人注意。
Other expressions like “not only… but also…”: 表示否定意义的副词或短语放在句首作状语时,句子用部分倒装。never/little/few/hardly; seldom; nowhere; in no way; under no circumstances; no sooner... than...; scarcely (hardly)... when...
7) Unlike my senior middle school teacher, ... (Para.4) Meaning: Different from my senior middle school teacher, ... unlike: prep. different; not like, not the same
Her recent report is quite unlike her earlier work. Unlike me, my son likes to get up early.。
8) The situation was far from perfect. (Para.4) Meaning: But the situation was not faultless at all.
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9) As our classes were very large, I was only able to answer a couple of questions in each class period. (Para.4)
Meaning: Because there were many students in our classes, I could only answer two or three questions in each class period.
10) I began to feel intimidated. (Para.4)
Meaning: I began to feel frightened and lack confidence.
11) ... when I was offered an opportunity to study English through an online course. (Para.5)
Meaning: ... when I was given a chance to learn English by taking a computer course.
12) I soon got access to the necessary equipment, learned the technology from a friend and participated in the virtual classroom 5 to 7 days a week. (Para.5) Meaning: I soon got the necessary equipment and learned how to use the equipment from a friend. Then I could take online courses 5 to 7 days a week.
13) ... it requires much time, commitment and discipline to keep up with the flow of the course. (Para. 6)
Meaning: ... and online learning requires that we give much time and attention to it and learn or work in a controlled way, so that we can keep up with the progress of the course.
14) I worked hard to meet the minimum standards set by the course and to complete assignments on time. (Para. 6)
Meaning: I worked hard to reach the least standards allowed by the course and to finish the homework on time.
Please note: “set by the course” in this sentence is a past participle phrase used as an attribute.
15) I made many, sometimes embarrassing, mistakes. (Para. 7)
Meaning: I made many mistakes which sometimes made me feel ashamed.
16) ... I felt like giving up. (Para.7)
Meaning: I wanted to stop doing online learning.
17) ... I realized I could understand just about everything I came across, (para.7) Meaning: ... I realized I could understand just about everything I saw or heard ...
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18) ... I had finally reaped the benefits of all that hard work. (Para.7)
Meaning: ... I gained the good things that happened as a result of all that hard work at last.
19) Learning a foreign language has been a most trying experience for me, but one that I wouldn't trade for anything. (Para. 8)
Meaning: Learning a foreign language has been an experience full of difficulties, but I wouldn't exchange it for anything else.
20) Not only did learning another language teach me the value of hard work, but it also gave me insights into another culture, and my mind was opened to new ways of seeing things. (Para. 8)
Meaning: Learning another language not only made me understand the benefit of hard work, but it also made me understand another culture, and I was willing to accept new ways of seeing things.
21) Talking with people is one of my favorite activities, ... (Para. 8) Meaning: Talking with people is one of the activities I like best, ...
22) ... participate in conversations, and form new, unforgettable friendships. (Para. 8)
Meaning: ... take part in conversations, and form new friendships, which are difficult to forget.
participate in: take part in
I want to have the opportunity to participate in the party. 我希望有机会参加这个晚会。
Over half of the population in the country participates in the sport. 这个国家有一半以上的人口参加这项体育活动。
23) Now that I speak a foreign language, instead of staring into space when English is being spoken, I can participate and make friends. (Para. 8)
Meaning: As I can speak a foreign language, I can take part in the conversation and make friends, and I no longer look into the distance when someone is speaking English.
now that conj. because (something has happened) ...
Now that John has arrived, we can begin our English class.
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