Text Understanding

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Unit Three Foreign Language Learning
Text Understanding
Task1
Judge if the following sentences are used properly and if not, try to improve them.
1. His father kicked the bucket last year.
2. The Negroes form a quarter of the population in the city.
3. He laughs best who laughs last.

Task 2
Picture Talk
Look at the following pictures and pay attention to what each speaker says in that particular
situation. What can we learn from the pictures?

Task Three
Go on to the text
Scan the text and judge whether the following statements are true or false (T/F) according to the
text.
F 1. You won’t be served when calling out “Waitress” in a restaurant.
T 2. Language changes with the development of society.
T 3. A well-chosen word makes others feel that they are respected.
F 4. Flight attendant is a term to describe the passengers traveling by air.
F 5. There is no way to solve the problems caused by “he” or “she”.
F 6. The term “handicapped” is better than “people with a disability”.
F 7. Most people wouldn't like to change their way of talking.
T 8. It’s fair to make language respectful to all.

Task Four
Fill out the table according to the text.

Traditional Terms Preferred Terms Reasons for the
changes

Terms relating to gender stewardess waitress policeman chairman flight attendant server police officer chairperson To make language
more respectful to
people of both
genders

Term(s) relating to issues other than gender the handicapped People with a disability To make language
more respectful to all
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Task Five
Read the text again and try to answer the following questions.
1. How can we avoid offending others when talking with them?
You'd better know which English words to use -- and which to avoid.
2. What is a better word than “waitress” when you want to call for some water in the restaurant?
Server
3. Why is “server” preferred?
Because it gives the person a sense of being respected .
4. What is the word used today to describe the one who serves passengers on airlines?
Flight attendant.
5. Why are words like “police officer” “chairperson” created?
Because many women are entering jobs that were once only occupied by men.
6. Is it proper to use “handicapped” to describe people with a disability? Why?
No. Because the word "handicapped" can be considered disrespectful because it implies that
a person is helpless.
7. What kind of words, as is mentioned in the text, may cause the problem of improper use of
language?
Waitress, stewardess, policeman, chairman, and handicapped.

Task Six
A summary of the text
Fill in each blank with no more than three words taken out of the text.
When learning English, people today are beginning to pay attention not only to using it
correctly but also properly. Using English properly involves a number of _issues 1) A very
important one is concerned with(和„„有关)__gender__ 2) To avoid gender discrimination,
people try to avoid using _terms__ 3) that tend to offend people of either sex, particularly females,
who have traditionally been considered the weaker group. As a result, words that put _too much
emphasis__ 4) on the differences between the sexes are _replaced_ 5) by more neutral(中性)ones
such as "flight attendant," "server," and "police officer." Other areas that also reflect the trend of
using English properly include those of _race_ 6) and _disabilities_ 7). The purpose of doing so is
to make language _respectful__ 8) to all people.

Task seven
Group Discussion
How has the Internet influenced the usage of English? Can you give some examples?