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Unit 2 Lectures and Reports

Thinking Ahead

Students are asked to discuss the following questions in groups. The reference answers for the questions are offered below:

1. Do you like studying English by yourself or follow some lectures? Why or why not? (omitted)

2. Have you ever made public speech or give a report to others? If yes, please describe your feelings at that time.

No, I have never made public speech or give a report to others. I am a shy person, so I am sure I will be very nervous when I do it.

Yes, I often speak in front of others because I?ve been a monitor since I was a primary school student. At first, I was a little nervous, but now I am accustomed of it.

Yes, I once made a public speech when I was a freshman in the university. I will never forget that experience because I was trembling all the time.

When I am to make a public speech I feel too nervous and as a result can not carry on.

Public speaking is easy. It s just plain talking, and you talk all the time. Although I m basically shy (honest!), I?ve been making speeches and talking for many times.

Part I Video Time

In this part, students will have 2 tasks to accomplish.

Task 1

In task 1, students will watch a video about horse idioms and then do the exercises as required. Before watching, students are supposed to read the words, expressions and cultural note related to the video.

Transcript

Horse Idioms

Hello, I?m a very interesting and intelligent man. And this is Fred, who, as you may have noticed, is a horse. Today Fred and I are going to be helping you to improve your English. I bet you?ve never been taught by a horse before. Hungry, isn?t he? In fact, he eats all the time. He eats like a horse – of course he does – he is a horse. In English, if someone eats a lot we can say ?he eats like a horse?. To eat like a horse. To eat a lot.

(neighing and other horsy noises.)

What?s that you say Fred? Ah, just that silly noise horses make. Anyway, I heard it straight from the horse?s mouth. We use this idiom when we?ve got some information directly from the person responsible for it. For example: my boss is going to fire me. Yes, it?s true. I heard it straight from the horse?s mouth. It means my boss told me directly. I didn?t hear it from anyone else.

Sad news, I?m afraid… Fred?s died. Which means there?s no point in trying to get him work any more. How do we make a horse work? Yes, that?s right, by hitting it, or as we say, “flogging it”. Our next horse idiom: ?to flog a dead horse?. Which as you can see is completely pointless. “To flog a dead horse”. This means to waste effort on something that we have no chance of succeeding at. I sometimes feel like I?m flogging a dead horse when I?m teaching. My students, they never seem to learn…. I don?t quite understand what the problem is…, very frustrating…. (horse noises)

(From http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/)

Key to Exercises

Exercise 1 Watching for Specific Information

Explain the following idioms in English according to the video.

1) to eat like a horse to eat a lot

2) straight from the horse?s mouth

get some information directly from the person responsible for it. 3) to flog a dead horse

to waste effort on something that we have no chance of succeeding at.

Exercise 2 Making Sentences

Make one sentence with each idiom. 1) to eat like a horse He eats like a horse.

2) straight from the horse?s mouth

My boss is going to fire me. I heard it straight from the horse?s mouth. 3) to flog a dead horse

I sometimes feel like I?m flogging a dead horse when I?m teaching.

Task 2

In task 2, students will watch a video about a speech by William Ehrman, a British Ambassador and then do the exercises as required. Before watching, students are supposed to read the words, expressions and cultural notes related to the video.

Transcript

A Speech by British Ambassador

I am just going to make four, as it?s English language speaking competition, I am just going to make four points, because if I make any more, Michael will ring the bell to send me off the stage. The first point I would like to make, like professor Li, is to express admiration for the team which have participated in this competition from Sichuan province. We, the British people, and the British government are full of admiration for the way in which the Chinese government, Chinese armed forces and the Chinese people, have come together in the face of this terrible tragedy to bring relief to the people of Sichuan. Today, I think I can say that all British people feel as if they were Chinese people.

Next, I would like to say what a huge pleasure it is being to be here this afternoon, and what an immensely high standard of debating there has been. I think we should do something in Britain; we should start a Chinese language debating competition. And indeed, there should be an international Chinese debating competition. I was here two years ago, and the runner-up then Qinghua University went on to win the English as a Foreign Language, a section of the world debating championships. I am not surprised; the standard was immensely high then, and it is being immensely high this afternoon. And I am quite confident that the winner, the runner-up, the semi-finalist, all of whom will go on to other international competitions, from this competition, are likely to do very well indeed.

My third point is to do something which is a little bit unusual. We have had an excellent debate, and I would like to congratulate whoever chose the subject, because it was obviously, a very topical

subject, and everybody has a lot of views on the subject. But in the parliament of course, after the debate, something else happens, which has not happened today. There is a vote, so could I, in fact, since we have many eminent policy makers here with us this afternoon, maybe for a point of reference, could I invite everybody please in this hall, first of all, if you support the proposition to raise your hands and vote. And then please those who support the opposition. There we are. This of course, does not influence the competition in any way, because the judges have already made their decision. So it would have been unfair to call for a vote before they made their decision. But after their decision, I can say that those supporting the proposition have won the day, and I will pass that as a point of reference to many of the policy makers among us.

And my last point is to say what an excellent discipline and skill learning to debate is. All great leaders in the world have to be able to communicate. You can have good policies, but if you cannot communicate them, you will probably never become a great leader. When I think of some of the leaders in my own country, Britain, or in the United States, they have all been great communicators and great debaters. If you think of Churchill, or Mrs. Thatcher, or if you think of President Lincoln or President Kennedy, they have all been people who spoke wonderfully well, and I think in learning this skill and learning developing critical thinking, they also learned how to put things concisely and simply. Two of the greatest speeches that ever made were those by President Lincoln at Gettysburg which I think was three hundred words long. And by President Kennedy at the time of his inauguration, so I think learning to debate is a great thing, and I am absolutely confident that all of you who have taken part in this competition, and those who reached the final, and those who reached the semi-final will go on to be leaders in whatever field you choose for yourselves in life. So once again, thank you very much for inviting me. Thank you!

Key to Exercises

Exercise 1 Watching for Details

Students are asked to watch the video and answer the following questions.

1) At the beginning of his speech, whom does William Ehrman show his admiration to and why?

He shows his admiration to the team which have participated in the debating competition from Sichuan province because at that time they are in the face of the terrible tragedy, earthquake. 2) What kind of competition did William Ehrman suggest to hold in Britain? He suggests holding a Chinese language debating competition in Britain. 3) In the speaker?s opinion, what kind of ability should a great leader possess? In his opinion, a great leader should have the ability to communicate and debate.

4) The speaker mentioned some great leaders in Britain and the United States. Please name some of them.

He mentioned two famous leaders in Britain, Churchill and Thatcher; and another two in the United States, President Lincoln and President Kennedy.

Exercise 2 Watching for Specific Information

Students are asked to watch the video again and fill in the blanks with the missing information.

I?m just going to make four, as it?s an English language speaking competition, I am just going to make four 1) points, because if I make any more, Michael will 2) ring the bell to send me off the stage. The first point I would like to make, like professor Li, is to express 3) admiration for the team which have 4) participated in this competition from Sichuan 5) province. We, the British people and the British government are full of admiration for the way in which the Chinese government, Chinese 6) armed forces and the Chinese people, have come together in the face of this terrible 7) tragedy to bring 8) relief to the people of Sichuan. Today I think I can say that all British people feel as if they were