没来美国之前,我总是感觉词汇量不够丰富,担心和美国当地人沟通有麻烦。所以在出国前狠狠地背单词,掌握了两万多的英语单词。
坐在飞往美国的飞机上,心里还是有点忐忑不安,许多忧虑在心中徘徊。下了飞机,发现自己的词汇量还是可以的,口语能力也不错,没有被纯正的“美语”吓得晕头转向,虽然偶尔有一两句没有充分理解。还好,海关职员的态度比较好,出租车司机的脾气比较温和……总算可以称得上一路顺风地来到大学报到。
开学第一天,I pick out my classes and register for this semester. At registration, I got my new student ID card and see all of my classmates. The following day, 我就跟着Mike来到学生中心的课本书店买教材。他问我:“Did you get the classes you wanted?”“Yep. Logic.”我答道。真是凑巧了啊。He is taking the same courses as I. Mike还热心的对我说,所有的书籍都是按照课程代号首字母的顺序摆放的。我于是按照Index找到了我所选的逻辑课需要的那本书。当我看到厚厚的课本上那些“天书”似的文字、公式时,便推测这不是一个愉快的选择。
我毫不犹豫的退掉了那门逻辑课,抱着课程目录思量了半天,终于在Keyboard上敲下了“哲学与文学”课的代号。我喜欢文学,以前也学过一门哲学基础课。想到可以与柏拉图、笛卡尔一起在浩瀚的哲学海洋中畅游,我也不管三七二十一,满怀希望的走进了哲学与文学课的教室。
可是很快我就知道我错了,美丽的女老师在讲台上滔滔不绝。我托着下巴,终于知道什么叫“天书”了——老师讲的我完全听不明白。
退掉了哲学与文学课后,我又选了一门“媒体与政治”。课堂上,我是唯一的foreigner from China。 连着好几节课,我都想插嘴说点儿什么。可就是张不开嘴。我心急如焚。不会有人知道我这个黄皮肤黑眼睛的初来乍到的陌生人,其实很孤独、很需要帮助。忽然,我想起鲁迅先生的一句话,“Outbreak in the silence or death in the silence.”我知道,现在只有靠自己来打开局面,我该自信、勇敢一些。一次老师让我们自我介绍。我觉得这是一个张口说话,让大家认识我的好机会,于是就在心里默默措辞。轮到我了,I always raise my hand before speaking.我站起来大声说:“My English name is John. Is it difficult to understand my voice?”所有人都把目光投向我,很专注的听着。“I have just arrived in the United States for half a month and I am a new student of the department of Computer Science. I would like to be a journalist in the future.”说到这,我看到老师的眼睛亮了一下。后来我才知道,她也一直希望从事资讯工作。
接着,我转向同学们,说:“I want to say that we have completely different cultural backgrounds. For me, everything is unfamiliar and fresh. I have noticed everyone of you is so smart and so active in class, while I am very frustrated. However, I believe I can overcome the difficulties and catch up with you.”老师微笑着冲我点点头。我继续说,“I want to understand you and make friends with you, thank you.”
我说完了,老师激动的说“Very nice.”还有几个同学带头给我鼓掌,我终于能在课堂上开口说话了!我很感谢老师给我这个机会,还有这么多同学认真的听。 我相信在这个班上我一定会结识新朋友的。
说话时间
I pick out my classes and register for this semester.
我为本学期选课并注册。
“pick out”意为“挑选,剔去”。在美国习语中很常见。
例如:Pick out the one you want. 挑一件你想要的。
Did you get the classes you wanted?
你有没有选到你想上的课?
例如:Select the food you want.
He is taking the same courses as I.
他跟我选的是同样的课。
例如:You are the same as over.你和从前一样。
本文节选自《1000单词,我搞定了地道美国人》,该书使用“游学式”英语学习概念,带领我们跟随作者John感受地道美国生活,感受地道美国文化。帮助你激活词汇量。点击查看书籍详情>> 立即购买>>
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