我的手语学习

主题语境：人与社会 篇幅：396词 关键词：learn,sign language

1I have always loved learning languages.In sixth grade,I was excited the day the junior high school language teachers visited my class.I knew immediately that I wanted to learn French,even though everyone said it was much harder than Spanish.Later in high school,I was flipping through television channels one lazy Saturday when I realized I could follow an Italian opera without subtitles because of the similarities between Italian and French.

2Over the years,I have traveled around the world on business and before each trip I have learned a bit of the local language.Besides being useful,I enjoy studying new languages and seeing the look of appreciation on people's faces when I try,no matter how awkwardly,to communicate in their native tongue.

3I have wanted to learn American Sign Language(ASL)for a long time and last year,Microsoft offered me an opportunity to take a 12-session class,Signing for the Workplace.As we started,some students were nervous about having a teacher who was deaf and her novoices policy.But since I learned French in a total immersion environment,I was up for the challenge.My main concern was being left-handed.All my life,I've had to adapt to a righthanded world and I was pleasantly surprised to learn it was OK to sign with my left hand.

4Being a visual thinker,I find that the conceptual nature of ASL speaks to me.One of the things I like about learning languages is discovering patterns and relationships among words and expressions.For example,I find it fascinating yet intuitive(直觉的)that signs for class,team,family and organization are similar because the underlying concept is the same—a group of people.

5Since that class,I have tried out my new ASL skills and once again I have received encouraging feedback.The first question always was:“Who do you practice with?”In addition to an employee group that gets together once a month over lunch,I'm lucky to have a daughter who is studying ASL in college.Even though she is far from home,we are often on Skype and practice ASL together.She recently completed her second year of college ASL,so I have a thing or two to learn from her.I am looking forward to our future Skype sessions so I can keep improving.

Reading Check

1.Why did the author decide to learn French?

A.It is similar to Italian.

B.He loves languages.

C.It is harder than Spanish.

D.The language teachers visited his class.

2.What language does the author use when he travels on business?

A.Sign language.

B.His native tongue.

C.The local language.

D.A common language.

3.What is special about the author according to the text?

A.He has a special love for sign language.

B.He is used to doing things with his left hand.

C.He was nervous about having a deaf teacher.

D.He learned French in a total immersion environment.

4.Where does the author practise ASL with his daughter?

A.At a college.

B.At the lunch table.

C.On the Internet.

D.At his workplace.

语篇解码

本文为一篇记叙文，其主题语境为“人与社会”，主要讲述了作者喜欢学习语言的原因及学习手语的经历。

语言学习

Ⅰ.语料荟萃

语篇单词重要短语immediately adv.立刻channel n.频道similarity n.相似点appreciation n.欣赏；感谢communicate v.交流opportunity n.机会nervous adj.紧张的environment n.环境challenge n.挑战visual adj.视力的；视觉的relationship n.关系fascinating adj.令人着迷的encouraging adj.鼓舞人心的complete v.完成improve v.提高because of因为travel around the world环游世界on business出差offer sb an opportunity给某人一个机会be nervous about对……感到焦虑adapt to适应for example例如try out测试；试验once again再一次in addition to除……以外learn from从……中学习look forward to期盼

Ⅱ.语句分析

1.I knew immediately that I wanted to learn French,even though everyone said it was much harder than Spanish.我立刻明白我想学法语，尽管每个人都说法语比西班牙语难得多。

【点石成金】本句是一个主从复合句。I knew...French是主句，that引导的是宾语从句，even though引导的是让步状语从句，it was much...Spanish是宾语从句。

2.Later in high school,I was flipping through television channels one lazy Saturday when I realized I could follow an Italian opera without subtitles because of the similarities between Italian and French.高中后期，在一个懒洋洋的周六，我正在快速浏览电视频道时，突然意识到由于意大利语和法语的相似性，我可以脱离字幕看一部意大利歌剧。

【点石成金】主句是was doing...when...句式，意为“正在做……，突然……”。I could follow...without subtitles是宾语从句，because of...是介词短语作原因状语。

3.Besides being useful,I enjoy studying new languages and seeing the look of appreciation on people's faces when I try,no matter how awkwardly,to communicate in their native tongue.除了有用之外，我还喜欢学习新的语言，喜欢看到当我尝试用他们的母语交流时，无论多么笨拙，人们脸上赞赏的表情。

【点石成金】I enjoy studying...faces是主句，when引导的是时间状语从句，no matter how...是省略了主谓的让步状语从句。

语言运用

Ⅰ.例句仿写

1.尽管我们在性格上完全不同，但我们仍然是很好的朋友。

_______________________________,we are still great friends.

2.她正在看电影，突然停电了。

She was watching a movie _______________________________.

3.无论他们面对多大的困难，他们总是尽一切努力克服它。

_______________________________,they always make every effort to overcome it.

Ⅱ.写作实践

假定你是光明中学学生会主席李华，上周你校邀请Smith教授来校做了一场有关各国肢体语言的专题讲座。请你代表学校全体师生，用英语给他写一封感谢信。内容包括：

1.表达感谢；

2.了解了不同国家肢体语言的差异性。注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。