1) Say the following useful expressions  out loud in class one by one.

— What do you mean by…?

— What do you mean?

— What’s the/your point?

— The point I’m trying to make is…

— I think what I mean is…

— What I mean is…

— What's the bottom line?

— What are you trying to get at？

— What I'm saying is...

— What I'm trying to say is...

— All I'm trying to say is...

— What do you mean when you say...?

2) Hold a dialogue drawing on both the diagram below and also the information you have learned from Text A.

● The world’s melting pot

● The importance of learning a second language is not merely limited to the ability to communicate with people who speak different languages.

● When people learn a second language, they become a valuable asset to the community in which they work and live.

● Language is one of the main components of the civilization and culture of the people who speak it.

● Learning a second language can not only challenge your mind but also enrich your soul.

3) Play the roles of Isabella and Ben in the following dialogue, paying attention to the underlined expressions.

Isabella: I didn’t know that learning a second language can not only challenge your mind but also enrich your soul.

Ben: What do you mean?

Isabella: What I’m saying is that apart from being able to converse with different people in their own language, knowing a second language can also teach you understanding, tolerance, and patience.

Ben: Huh? What do you mean by “understanding”? 

Isabella: I mean understanding of humans. What I’m trying to say is that you can better understand the characters of native speakers by conversing with them in their own language. Only in that way can you really understand their behavior and character.

Ben: Hmm. Makes me wonder. Do you think that to understand others is, in some way, to understand ourselves? Underneath, could that be what you are trying to get at?

Isabella: Absolutely. In the end, it all comes down to(归结为) human nature. Who people are. How they act. What they think and feel. The more insight we gain about others, the more we gain about ourselves.

Ben: And how about tolerance? Where does that fit in?

Isabella:I think what I mean about tolerance is that knowing a second language teaches me to be less judgmental and critical of others, because I understand them more. That kind of tolerance.

Ben: How virtuous! Obviously, though, the world can do with a lot more such virtues(美德). What was the third virtue you mentioned in terms of learning a second language? Was it patience?

Isabella: Yes indeed, it was. But I meant patience more in terms of persistence than kindness.

Ben:I don’t catch your meaning. What are you trying to get at?

Isabella: Well, it’s no easy feat learning a second language. You need to develop a huge amount of self-discipline and constancy. That’s the kind of patience I mean, rather than kindness to others.

Ben: Too bad you don’t mean both. The world sure could do with a larger dose of kindness to others! If anything, that’s my bottom line.

Isabella: Hmm… come to think of it, it does seem like the two go hand in hand: the more discipline you gain from learning others’ language, the more patience you have with those who speak it.

Ben: Now that’s a pretty persuasive argument for learning a second language. Very cultured, very civilized. You’ve sold me. I sign up tomorrow!

*Give a short oral presentation on the following title, using the adaption from Text A in the box below as an example.

The Advantages of Learning a Second Language

The advantages of learning a second language are not merely limited to the ability to communicate with people who speak different languages. Studies have shown that second language learners achieve greater divergent thinking, creativity, and cognitive development than monolingual children. And they have a tendency to outscore on tests of nonverbal and verbal intelligence those who are proficient in only a single language.

Other studies have shown that the academic skills and abilities of second language learners are enhanced in mathematics, writing and reading. Also, the capacity to communicate in another language can be a contributing factor in the overall achievement of professional and personal career goals.

Language is one of the main components of the civilization and culture of the people who speak it. So, learning a second language can be a comparatively easy and wonderful way of absorbing another culture.

Lastly, learning a second language can not only challenge our mind but also enrich our soul, for it teaches us understanding, tolerance, and patience. When we can understand each other better, we deal with each other with more empathy and consideration.