Unit 1 Your College Years

Unit 1 Your College Years Contemporary College English Book III

Contents Warm-up 1 Background Information 2 Text Appreciation 3 Language Study 4 Extension 5

Warm-up 1 I.Warm-up Questions  II.On Seasons in College

1.As a sophomore, what is your general impression of college? many opportunities for one to explore the unknown experiencing a lot making lifelong friends enjoying various kinds of activities developing one’s personal interests meeting outstanding scholars keeping a good balance and laying a solid foundation … the golden time in one’s life I.Warm-up Questions

2. Have you experienced anything different from your middle school life? being far away from home living with others becoming independent taking care of oneself handling one’s own finance making one’s own decisions … changes are occurring I.Warm-up Questions

3. What’s your purpose of receiving a college education? to get and keep a good job to earn more money to get a good start in life to fully develop oneself to contribute more to the society … a sound investment that is worth every penny I.Warm-up Questions

4. Have you had any psychological problems ever since you entered college? I.Warm-up Questions loneliness confusion frustration jealousy a sense of inferiority feeling pressure … psychological problems abound on campus

There are four seasons in a year, which make the days distinctive and exiting. Metaphorically, there are four seasons in one’s college years representing different aspects of college life, which make the days rewarding and unforgettable. Do you agree? If so, what do you think the four seasons represent ? Share your opinions, please. II.On Seasons in College

II.On Seasons in College spring Spring is the season for nature to revive, to grow and to get ready to boom. Similarly, in college, spring is the season for you to acquire knowledge, to develop yourself and to lay a solid foundation for the future. It’s the season of growth.

II.On Seasons in College summer Summer is the season for flowers to bloom, and it’s the season for you to enjoy the greatest passion in nature — love, love from your classmates, from your teachers and from your romance. It is the season of affection.

Autumn is a season of harvest in college. It’s the season for you to enjoy what you have achieved. II.On Seasons in College Autumn

Winter is the harshest season of the four, which presents so many difficulties and hardships. Likewise, not every day in college is full of joy. You have to meet new faces, get adjusted, make decisions for yourself, be financially and psychologically dependent, etc. So winter is the season of change. Unpleasant as it may seem to some students, it is simply inescapable and beneficial to one’s growth and maturity. II.On Seasons in College winter

I.Author II.Erik H. Erickson Background Information 2

Bob Hartman was born in Pittsburgh, the United States, and moved to England in the summer of 2000. He has been working as a storyteller for children for more than a decade and is a part-time pastor. I.Author

A selection of books by Bob Hartman I.Author

Erik H. Erikson (1902—1994), was a German-born American psychoanalyst whose writings on social psychology, individual identity, and the interactions of psychology with history, politics, and culture influenced professional approaches to psychosocial problems and attracted much popular interest. He was most famous for his work on refining and expanding Freud’s theory of developmental stages. II.Erik H. Erickson

Main books by Erik H. Erickson

I.Theme of the text II.Structure of the text Text Appreciation 3

College is designed to be a time of changes for students. Threatening the changes may be, they contribute to young adults’ growth and maturity. College students are experiencing a lot. Not only are they being introduced to new people and new knowledge, but they are also acquiring new ways of assembling and processing information. They are also proudly growing in their understanding of themselves, others and the world. I.Theme of the text

Part 1 (para. 1):Many key changes happen to college students during their college years. Part 2 (paras.2-9 ):The key changes involve the following: identity crisis, the independence/dependence struggle, establishment of sexual identity, affection giving and receiving, internalization of religious faith, values and morals, development of new ways to organize and use knowledge, a new understanding of the world and himself/herself. Part 3 (para. 10 ):Conclusion. II.Structure of the text

be equal to v. to be just as good as; have strength, courage, ability etc. for sth. Examples: Many of our products are equal to the best in the world. It is ridiculous to think one race is not equal to another because it has a different skin color. He is equal to doing this task. Language Study 4

2. dawn on/upon Language Study v. to begin to appear; grow clear to the mind Examples: The truth began to dawn on him. It suddenly dawned on me that there was another thing that contributed to their economic success. Cf: It occurs to sb. that…

3. drag one’s feet Language Study v. (figurative usage) to delay deliberately Examples: The local authorities are dragging their feet closing these coal mines. I can understand why they are dragging their feet over this reform. The reason is that it will affect their personal interests.

4. for certain Language Study ad. certainly; definitely; no doubt Examples: He is probably an accountant. I don’t know for certain. I can’t say for certain how much this car will cost. It must be in the neighborhood of two hundred thousand yuan.

5. freedom/free from Language Study no longer having sth. you do not want Examples: The most important freedom our people should have is the freedom from hunger. An ideal society is one free from exploitation and oppression.

I. Oral work  II.Writing Extension 5

1.Group discussion 2.Debating I. Oral work

1.Group discussion • Have you ever experienced any important • changes since you entered our university? • Have they been positive or negative? • Do you have a better idea about your • strengths and weaknesses now? What are • they? • Do you consider yourself reasonably • independent? Why is it so important to gain • this independence?

Do you find it easy to relate to the opposite sex? Do you think to learn to love is important in college? Why? What other things should students do at university? What does the author mean by “internalizing” religious faith, values, and morals? Have you in some way internalized values and beliefs? 1.Group discussion

Topics for debating: College students are bound to experience an identity crisis. Parents are out-of-date and their influence is counterproductive. Falling in love in college is a negative factor to one’s academic development 2.Debating

Write a composition on the following topic: II.Writing College Education Counts 1.In the first paragraph, state your view. 2.In the second paragraph, support your view with details. 3.In the third paragraph, bring what you have written to a natural conclusion with a summary or suggestion.

Thank You!

Unit 1 Your College Years