基于《大学英语》读写教程第一册第一课的一项小研究

（没找到相应的封面图，权且拿这个自学辅导的来凑数）

缘起
说到底还是对我们的大学英语的教学的“不省心”，加上自我疗伤以及促进我自己的教学反思之用做的这个。原文及词汇表直接复制粘自旺旺英语教学网（略有编辑）http://www.wwenglish.com/t/d/daxue/jingdu1/1253.htm。亮点在最后，我假设有一个同学坐在我面前问我该怎么学习这篇课文，于是给出了一套学习思路。这里面也是我对《现代大学英语》（杨立民主编）、《新视野大学英语》（郑树棠主编）、《新思路大学英语》（蔡昌卓主编）、《新思维大学英语》（文旭主编）的编写套路的一次反思和模仿。在这里没有教辅书那样的大讲语法，而是一种该怎么去学习的学法指导。这也综合反映了我现在对英语学习的看法。简单地说，拿到一篇语料我们该怎么办，怎样去建构有意义的学习，希望能起到点抛砖引玉的作用。

Unit 1

TEXT

Want to know how to improve your grades without having to spend more time studying? Sounds too good to be true? Well, read on...

How to Improve Your Study Habits

Perhaps you are an average student with average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessarily the case, however. You can receive better grades if you want to. Yes, even students of average intelligence can be top students without additional work. Here's how:
1. Plan your time carefully. Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time. Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meetings, classes, etc. Then decide on good, regular times for studying. Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments. Of course, studying shouldn't occupy all of the free time on the schedule. It's important to set aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and entertainment as well. This weekly schedule may not solve all of your problems, but it will make you more aware of how you spend your time. Furthermore, it will enable you to plan your activities so that you have adequate time for both work and play.
2. Find a good place to study. Choose one place for your study area. It may be a desk or a chair at home or in the school library, but it should be comfortable, and it should not have distractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on the subject.
3. Skim before you read. This means looking over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully. As you preview the material, you get some idea of the content and how it is organized. Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions. Skimming helps double your reading speed and improves your comprehension as well.
4. Make good use of your time in class. Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later. Sit where you can see and hear well. Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says.
5. Study regularly. Go over your notes as soon as you can after class. Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused about. Read about these points in your textbook. If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day, skim and read that material too. This will help you understand the next class. If you review your notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer. Regular review leads to improved performance on test.
6. Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. The world won't end if you don't pass a test, so don't worry excessively about a single test. Tests provide grades, but they also let you know what you need to spend more time studying, and they help make your knowledge permanent.
There are other techniques that might help you with your studying. Only a few have been mentioned here. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these. Talk with your classmates about their study techniques. Share with them some of the techniques you have found to be helpful. Improving your study habits will improve your grades.
(583 words)

NEW WORDS
average a. ordinary 普通的；中等的
intelligence n. ability to learn and understand 智力
necessarily ad. inevitably 必定
case n. what has really happened; actual condition 实情
additional a. added 附加的，额外的n. addition
weekly a. done or happening every week 每周的；一周一次的
schedule n. timetable 时间表
chart n. (sheet of paper with) information written or drawn in the form of a picture 图（表）
commit vt. 指定...用于
aside ad. to the side　在旁边；到（向）一边
etc (Latin, shortened form for et cetera) and other things　等等
normal a. usual　正常的
reading n. the act or practice of reading　阅读
assignment n. sth. given out as a task　(布置的)作业
occupy n. take up　占用
relaxation n. (sth. done for) rest and amusement　休息，娱乐 relax v.
hobby n. what one likes to do in one's free time　业余爱好　
entertainment n. show, party, etc. that people enjoy　娱乐
entertain vt. solve vt. find an answer to (a problem)　解决（问题）
aware a. having knowledge or understanding　知道的；意识到的
furthermore ad. moreover; in addition　而且；此外
enable vt. make (sb.) able (to do sth.)　使（某人）能（做某事）
activity n. sth. (to be) done 　活动
adequate a. as much as one needs; enough　充分的；足够的
distraction n. sth. that draws away the mind or attention　分心（或分散注意力）的事物
concentrate (on or upon) vi. pay close attention (to)　全神贯注（于）
skim vt. read quickly to get the main ideas (of)　略读
preview vt. have a general view of (sth.) beforehand　预习
content n. what is written in a book, etc.　内容
organize vt. form into a whole　组织
later ad. 后来；以后
skip vt. pass over　略过
portion n. part; share　一部分；一份
double v. make or become twice as great or as many　（使）增加一倍
comprehension n. the act of understanding or ability to understand　理解（力）
mention vt. speak or write about (sth.) in a few words　提及
confused a. mixed up in one's mind　迷惑的，混淆的confuse vt.
textbook n. a standard book for the study of a subject　教科书；课本
performance n. achievement　成绩
meaningful a. having important meaning or value　富有意义的
attitude n. what one thinks about sth.　态度，看法
purpose n. aim　目的，意图
excessively ad. too much　过多地，过分地
excessive a. permanent a. lasting for a long time; never changing　持久的；永久的
technique n. way of doing sth.　技巧，方法
helpful a. useful; providing help or wiling to help　有益的；给予帮助的，肯帮忙的

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS
fill in write in　填写，填充
decide on make a choice or decision about　选定，决定
set aside save for a special purpose　留出
as well also; too; in addition　也，还；同样
be aware (of) know (sth.); know (what is happening)　知道，意识到
concentrate on direct one's attention, efforts, etc. to　全神贯注于
look over examine (quickly)　把...看一遍，过目
go over review 复习
lead to result in 导致

Follow the following steps to learn the text.

Read and Comprehend
1. Skim the text and find out the topic it talks about and its general structure.
The topic of the text is ______
Divide the text into several parts and talk about the general idea of each part.
2. Read the text for the first time without referring to the vocabulary and grab the main points of the text:
1) For whom the text is written?
2) How many tips does the author mention in the text? Underline them.
3. Get more familiar with the text.
Find the answers of the following questions:
1) According to the text, can students of average intelligence be top students?
2) According to Tip 1# what activities can you fill in in free time?
3) Alice finds it's difficult to concentrate on her study in her dorm because her roommate is a fan of rock music. What can you suggest? Which tip should she follow?
4) According to the text, what can you get from skimming the text?
5) Is going to the class important? Why?
6) If you want to understand better the next class, what can you do?
7) What is the purpose of a test?
Now you have been familiar to the content of the text, then we zoom in to study it intensively including language phenomena. Pay attention to teacher's elaboration.

Read and Learn Intensively
[
Read Paragraph 1, underline parts you don't understand. Decide whether teacher's elaboration make any sense to you. If not, raise your hand to ask.
Take some notes quickly. Notes should be concise. Don't put too much effort to make nice notes in class. You may rearrange your notes after class to make it nicer. But it's not necessarily to do so.
]
Apply the above [] to all the other paragraphs. And the text should look different after this whole procedure. It should have notes here and there. And you should be able to say something about this intensive study.
Now express some of your feelings or what you have got to your classmates.

Drilling
Finish the exercises in your textbook. Be active-minded when you are doing the drillings, i.e. actively connect what you have just learned to the questions. You should be quite aware of what you're doing instead of being a fill-in machine.
Now let's going back to the content of the text and do some further work.

Further Development
1. Do you have any other tip about learning? Share with your classmates.
2. Do you have anything to say about the tips mentioned in the text, like you have some different ideas about some tips?

Writing Task
1. Structure
The structure of the text is very typical in How-to writings. The first paragragh is a general statement of the topic it will cover. And the bulk of the text is organized perfectly in numbers of tips. In each tip it starts with a brief statement and follows by some further explanations.
For example:
1. Plan your time carefully. Make a list of your weekly tasks...
The first sentence (underlined) is a general statement and the following is some further explanations.
The last paragraph is the ending graph. It summarizes the whole text and provide some further questions.
You should learn these writing pattern and apply it to your writings.
2. Language
Imperative sentence祈使句 is frequently used in these How-to writings.
For example:
5. Study regularly. Go over your notes as soon as you can after class. Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused about. Read about these points in your textbook.
All the 3 sentences are imperative sentences.
Now write a letter of suggestions to your friend Freddy who is a new exchange student交换生 in your college from America. He finds it difficult to catch up with the lessons.
1. Try to use some tips other than what we have learned here.
2. Try to follow the structure and language pattern of the text.
3. You should write no less than 300 words.