从支教中获益良多

支教是一项支援落后地区乡镇中小学校的教育和教学管理工作。支教是一个提升自己、沉淀自己的过程，不仅帮助了别人，也锻炼了自己，是一种难得的经历。我们来看看Connie参加完支教后，对她的工作以及其他方面的影响。

Tanner： Hey， Connie！ Good to see you back in the office.

Connie： Its good to be back！ Im glad to see everythings still 1）status quo around here.

Tanner： Well， you were only gone for one week. 2）Say， Im still not clear on why you were gone.

Connie： Oh， I went to do some volunteer teaching.

Tanner： So thats what you were up to！ ①I didnt know you had a heart of gold.

Connie： Oh， stop it！ Actually， it was a lot of fun.

Tanner： ②So how did you even get into volunteer teaching？

Connie： Well， ③a connection from my college days hooked me up with a charity organization that puts these kind of trips together every month or so.

Tanner： Every month？ I had no idea these events were going on all the time.

Connie： Sure. ④These days， a lot of people are looking for ways to give back.

Tanner： Well， I applaud your 3）civic-mindedness.

Connie： ⑤There you go again！

Tanner： But how did you get Anderson to approve the leave of absence？ Shes pretty 4）tightfisted about time off.

Connie： ⑥Even hard nuts like Anderson can have their soft spots. In Andersons case， she grew up in a poor area as well and she really sees value in this kind of project.

Tanner： Education is the road to a better life， they say.

Connie： Exactly. And anyway， teaching has benefits for my current work as well.

Tanner： Like what？

Connie： Well， presentation and communication skills， for one. ⑦When you work with kids whose background is different from yours， you can run into a lot of communication issues. You really have to think about the 5）optimal way of presenting information. Thats good experience for people in our line of work.

Tanner： I can see that.

Connie： Oh， and patience. You have to have a lot of patience to work with kids. ⑧After a week surrounded by elementary school students， putting up with co-workers is a piece of cake！

Tanner： Hey！ Should I take that personally？

Connie： Of course not， Tanner. And I guess the last benefit would have to be 6）perspective. After seeing the living conditions of some of those families， Im much more grateful for what I have！

Tanner： Well， thats something. Actually， it sounds like the trip was a great experience for you.

Connie： Sure was. Wanna come along next time？

Tanner： ⑨You bet！ Where do I sign up？

坦纳：嘿，康妮！很高兴看到你回办公室。

康妮：回来的感觉真好！我很高兴看到这里一切如旧。

坦纳：好吧，你才离开一周而已。这不，我还不知道你为什么离开。

康妮：哦，我去了做支教。

坦纳：那就是你去忙的事情！我以前不知道你有颗金子般的心。

康妮：哦，别说了！事实上，那是很有趣的事。

坦纳：那么你是怎样参与支教活动的？

康妮：嗯，我大学时认识的一个朋友帮我联系了一家慈善机构，该机构大约每个月都组织这些类似的行程。

坦纳：每个月？我都不知道这些事情一直在进行中。

康妮：当然。近来，很多人在寻找各种方式来回报社会。

坦纳：嗯，我要为你的公民责任感鼓掌。

康妮：你又来了！

坦纳：但是你怎样让安德森同意你请假的？她对请假很严格的。

康妮：严厉如安德森的人也有他们的软肋。安德森的情况是：她也是在一个贫穷的地区长大，能真正看到这种项目的价值。

坦纳：俗话说：教育是通向美好生活的道路。

康妮：完全正确，然而，支教对我现在的工作也大有裨益。

坦纳：比如说呢？

康妮：嗯，表达和沟通的技巧就是其中一点。当你和一群生活背景跟自己完全不同的孩子一起互动，你会遇到很多沟通上的问题。你真的必须考虑用最合适的方式去传达信息。那对于我们干这行工作的人是极好的经历。

坦纳：我能体会得到。

康妮：哦，还有耐心。跟孩子们打交道你必须要很有耐心。跟小学生在一起一周后，再难忍受的同事也是小菜一碟！

坦纳：嘿，我能不能以个人形式去参加？

康妮：当然不能，坦纳。我想最后一个好处就是对事物的看法。看到那里有些家庭的生活状况后，我更加珍惜自己现在拥有的！

坦纳：太好了。事实上，听起来那趟出行对你来说是很棒的经历。

康妮：没错。下次要一起来吗？

坦纳：当然！我要在哪里登记？

Smart Sentences

① I didnt know you had a heart of gold. 我以前不知道你有颗金子般的心。

a heart of gold： a genuinely kind and caring person（金子般的心）。例如：

He plays the part of a tough cop， but he has a heart of gold.

他虽说是一个强悍警察，但却有着金子般的心。

② So how did you even get into volunteer teaching？ 那么你是怎样参与支教活动的？

get into sth.： become involved in sth.（参与其中）。例如：

He cant wait to get into advertising.

他迫不及待地想进入广告界。

③ A connection from my college days hooked me up with a charity organization that puts these kind of trips together every month or so.我大学时认识的一个朋友帮我联系了一家慈善机构，该机构大约每个月都组织这类行程。

hook up with sb.： form a connection with sb.（与某人挂钩，与某人建立联系）。例如：

Our paper hooked up with CCTV last year and we can probably work with them to help students in rural areas.

我们报纸去年与央视建立了联系，可以跟他们联手帮助农村的学生。

④ These days， a lot of people are looking for ways to give back. 近来，很多人在寻找各种方式来回报社会。

give back： repay（回报社会）。例如：

Setting up a charity foundation is one of Bill Gates ways of giving back.

创立慈善基金会是比尔·盖茨回报社会的一种方式。

⑤ There you go again！ 你又来了！

There you go again： used to express exasperation or dissatisfaction， same as “you did that again”（用以表示恼怒或不满，等同于“you did that again”）。例如：

——Sis， you failed the driving test？ Ive already said you would.

姐，你没有通过驾考？我早就说过你过不了。

——There you go again！ Shut up！

你还说！闭嘴！

⑥ Even hard nuts like Anderson can have their soft spots. 严厉如安德森的人也有他们的软肋。

a hard nut： sb. who is tough and not easily hurt（坚强的人，严厉的人）。例如：

Outsiders may view Mrs. Susie Stone as a hard nut， but she is a loving boss to us.

外人可能觉得苏茜·斯通夫人很严厉，但对我们来说，她是一个很友善的上司。

have a soft spot： have a tender or sentimental feeling for sth./sb.（性格中易受打动之处）。例如：

Terry had a soft spot for Jenny， her youngest daughter.

泰莉的感情弱点是她最小的女儿简妮。

⑦ When you work with kids whose background is different from yours， you can run into a lot of communication issues. 当你和一群生活背景跟自己完全不同的孩子一起互动，你会遇到很多沟通上的问题。

run into： unexpectedly begin to experience problems or difficulties（碰上难题）。例如：

The project has run into money problems.

项目遇上了资金问题。

⑧ After a week surrounded by elementary school students， putting up with co-workers is a piece of cake！ 跟小学生在一起一周后，再难忍受的同事也是小菜一碟！

put up with： tolerate or accept sth.， even though it is unpleasant or unsatisfactory（容忍，忍受）。例如：

Its amazing that my mother has put up with my fathers snoring for three decades.

我妈已经忍了我爸的鼾声三十年，太神奇了。

⑨ You bet！ 当然！

You bet： used to emphasize a positive or affirmative reply（用以强调肯定的答复）。例如：

——You sure the party is on Sunday night？

你肯定派对是在星期天晚上吗？

——You bet.

当然。