Using language Reading, listening, speaking and writing

Standard English and Dialects Reading

English dialects in different countries Britain The US Australia India Canada New Zealand

Scanning 1. Do you know what standard English is from the text? 2. What is a dialect? 3. Why does American English have so many dialects?

1. Do you know what standard English is from the text? Many people believe the English spoken on TV and the radio is standard English.

2. What is a dialect? When people use words and expressions different from “standard language”, it is called a dialect.

3. Why does American English have so many dialects? (1). People have come from all over the world. (2). Geography also plays a part in making dialects.

Believe it or not, there is no standard English. 信不信由你，（世界上）没有什么标准 英语 Believe it or not, John cheated in the exams. 难句理解

This is because in the early days of radio, those who reported the news were expected to speak excellent English. 早期的电台里，人们都希望新闻报道的主持 人讲优美的英语。

However, even on TV and the radio you will hear differences in the way people speak. 然而, 甚至在电视上或收音机里都会听到人们在说 话时的差异。 the way 后面接定语从句时, 关系代词用 that/in which 或不用关系代词 。 I did it in the way that/in which you taught me.

Expression: 1. n 表达，表示； 词组 2. 表情，脸色 He looked at me with a very strange expression. 他以一种很古怪的神情注视 着我。

especially 尤其, 表达事物不寻常或特别重要 specially 专门 ( 指专为某一目的 ) Our garden is beautiful, especially in autumn. I came here specially to see you.

play a part / a role (in) 在 …… 中担任角色；在 …… 中起作用 eg. He will play the part of the doctor in my latest film. The UN plays an important part in international relations.

Although many Americans move a lot, they still recognize and understand each other’s dialects. 尽管很多美国人频繁搬迁，他们还是能 够识别彼此的方言。

T e x a s

Now just imagine that you are in Texas and happened hearing an interesting story told in local dialect.Listen carefully and see how much you can understand that.

Lester climbed a tree. Buford, Billy Bob and Lester went swimming. Lester thought the catfish would eat him. Buford and Billy Bob laughed. Lester saw a catfish. Now Lester is too afraid to visit the place. Put the sentences in the right sequence

1.What does Buford think of Texas? How do you know? 2. How large was the catfish? He believes it’s quite a different country from the US. The listening text tells it is so. The boys thought that the catfish was almost the size of a house.

3. Why did Lester get out of the water very quickly? 4.Why did Buford and Big Bob laugh? He though the catfish would eat him. They laughed because Lester believed the catfish would hurt him.

Part 1 Hey, y’all, this here is Buford. I come from a big oil town in Texas. Now, y’all need to understand that we ain’t really a state, but a whole’s nother country.Now let me tell ya a story about when I was just a pup. One hot summer’s day I was swimmin with my cousins Little Lester and Big Billy Bob. Listening text

We was jumpin’in the water and feelin’ good. Then along comes this catfish’bout the size of a house. Well, alright, maybe a little smaller than that. Little Lester starts to thinkin’ it’s goin’ to eat him sure ’nough. Man, you shoulda seen him! He got outta the water fast as lightning and climbed up a tree.

Big Billy Bob and I just laughed and laughed. To this day, Lester won’t go near that place. Part 2 Hello, everyone, I am Buford’s teacher, Jane, from British. Perhaps you didn’t quite understand everything Buford said. He said that he lived in Houston, a city in Texas.

He wants everyone to know that he doesn’t believe Texas is a state in USA but a different country. Buford says that he would like to tell you a story about him when he was a small child. One hot summer’s day he was swimmin with Big Billy Bob and Lester.

They were jumping into the water, which felt good. Then he says that they saw a catfish almost the size of a house but, he adds, that the catfish was really smaller. Buford says that Lester thought he was going to be eaten by the catfish.

He says, goodness, you should have seen Lester! He says that Lester got out of the water faster than lightning and climbed up a tree. Buford and Big Billy Bob just laughed a lot. To this day, he says, Lester won’t visit that place.

Speaking 1. Read the dialogue and circle the words that mean the same.

Work in pairs Choose one of the situations and make a dialogue.

1.You and your friend are American. You have arrived in a strange city in England to watch a football match. You need to find a cab/taxi to take you to the football ground. 2.You and your friend are British. You are visiting America. Your car needs some more petrol but you cannot find a petrol station. Ask directions to the nearest one.

Pardon? I beg your pardon? I don’t understand. How do you spell that? Could you say that again please? Could you speak more slowly please? Sorry, I can’t follow you! Could you repeat that please? Use the following expressions to help you!

share ideas with others; decide which are the best ideas; make a list of those ideas; put those ideas into a map so that you can easily see them; use the map to help you as you write. Brainstorm Why should we learn English?

Why should I learn English? to use for business. to use in school. to write to pen friends. to talk to native speakers. to read English books. to listen to English music and movies.

How to make a poster? Title: Why should we do exercises? Reasons… Conclusion…

to keep fit to make us strong to fight illness and disease to enjoy ourselves to build up our skills Some exercise a day keeps the doctor away! Why should we do exercise? A sample of the poster title reasons conclusion

Do your own poster! Title: why should we learn English? Give your reasons and conclusion. Then work in groups on your poster.

to use for business to use in school to read English books to listen to English music and movies to write to pen friends to talk to native speakers English is everywhere! Why should we learn English?

Homework :Writing My Experience of Learning English Para 1. My problems in learning English. Para 2. How I can improve my English. Para 3. What I like about learning English. Para 4. How I hope to make use of my English. (Guidance for reference)