(1) http://edition.englishclub.com/category/listening-news/
A student from each class will tell us about the latest EC news by Tara. There is a written script of the news too, but I suggest students listen to the news first (and maybe even a few times till you understand it) as that is actually the purpose of this exercise (to practice your listening skills).
(2)
Movie: We will watch "The Freedom Writers" and at the next class in Week 6 we will discuss the content. As you don't have something to discuss before the movie, I suggest the comments should concentrate on the EC news item for this and/or next week (the latest item gets posted Monday evening). Please don't copy the written script (that is plagiarism); use your own words to describe. It doesn't have to be long comments. And those comments that are copied, would be ignored.
The comments for Week 6a would be about the movie as I would then give you a few questions to discuss.
P.S. Class 1 and 2 will watch the movie together at 201 Yunhui at 1.30pm (3rd class).
Replies
Li Zhiping, where did you listen to news about a boat crash ...? Are you sure it was a boat?! I hope you enjoyed the movie; and I hope that you learn some good lessons from it (like your classmates too, I hope).
Huang Guodong, it is now clear to me that you and your roommates (and probably some other too) didn't even read ONE sentence or listen to one sentence about what you have commented about here. I think you have all just looked what others have written and have copied some of the sentences, or have just written similar comments. So, all of you tried to give me the impression that you really know what the lesson content was about, while it was not true. So, you all lied to me by implication. I am disappointed with the four of you. Thank you for smashing my trust like that.
Xie Zhengfeng, last week you impressed me when I discovered that you were ready to tell the classd about Tara's news item (the missing plane). But what I do not understand, is that yesterday you didn't tell us about the closing of the baby hatch (the latest news), but here you are commenting on that. Can you explain that?
Li Mengdi, there is a law in China making it illegal to abandon babies/children. That is why 'parents' (can one really call them parents, or mothers or fathers?) abandon their unwanted children on the streets and in the gutters at night and run away. So, to counteract this heartless phenomenon, some organizations have started with this baby hatch project all over China (it doesn't only happen in Guangzhou) so that they can save the babies as many babies have died when getting left on the streets.
But now it gets too expensive as many of those babies are sick and some have deformities and they need medical treatment. And of course, the existence of such facilities make it also easier for parents to abandon their babies as they know somebody would look after them. So, they had to close the baby hatch as their were just too many babies being left there. This phenomenon will never stop, I believe. It wouldn't help to treat just the symptoms, it is the root of the problem that needs to be treated. People need a change of heart.
Yes, Rock, I agree that one of the major reasons for the abandoning of babies is because of poverty, but that's no excuse of dumping your child somewhere either to die, or for others to bring up. Surely, that can't be love? Parents who have just a little love in their hearts would NEVER abandon their child. Those parents must be loveless people in general if you ask me. That's why society is so sick, because there are people like that walking around. It's a tragedy. But it is also a national shame for China. The authorities should do something about it and not leave it for the people to solve. Maybe that is where the change of heart should start ...
Oh, you know about the Bermuda Triangle, Zhang Qian?! Well, I think it is cursed and there are real demons living in those parts of the sea (they had been cast into the sea some millennia ago). But about the missing plane ... after 11 days there is only one outcome - the plane has crashed. That is the reality and we should accept that. We can now only hope that they would find the wreckage so that the book can be closed on those lost lives. The Air France plane that had also crashed into the ocean in 2009 was only found 2 years later as the sea was so deep. Let's hope this would not be an identical story.
Sorry Wang Lei, I think you must start believing that the passengers of that missing plane are not going to be found alive ... After 12 days, that is quite an impossibility. We have to face the reality (and especially China that will lose 154 of its citizens). Sad, but I think it's true. Btw, thanks for the nice walk after the movie to my home! I hope you found your way back to the campus before dark?! You got a lot of language practice that day ..! ;-)
Li Xiupeng, I am glad to read your comment. You are right, the book "The Freedom Writers diary" was written by Miss G herself (the real one - she lives in the US and have a big organization called, The Freedom Writers Foundation, and they help many under-privileged students to complete their studies). I have already made a note to buy that book when I get to South Africa for the summer holiday! I think it would have much more than the movie as she is telling the story herself.
But, there is something I don't understand! You wrote here that you like movie lessons and that you were excited about the movie class ... but you haven't even watched half of the movie as you left just after the break between the 3rd and 4th classes. I know, it was not class time anymore, but most of your classmates (even your gf!) faithfully remained behind to finish watching (which I admire them for, and appreciate that). I don't understand!
Finally, I am also watching the developments about the missing plane closely. But again you said something that baffles (puzzles) me! How can the Chinese people say they pray for the passengers on that plane if it is general knowledge that most Chinese people are not even religious (they are atheist)?! To who do they pray then? I have learned that if one prays, one has to pray to a deity bigger than oneself and holier than any people, otherwise prayer is useless (and then that deity must also be the one and true God for the prayers to be answered). And you said, "praying for them all the time" ... Do you want me to believe you?! :)
Sorry that the movie class didn't start so well, Yang Yujia ... Hope the students still found it worth their while to watch to the end.
Well, if the closure of the baby hatch in Guangzhou would motivate the people to think deeper about this inhumane phenomenon, then maybe it was a good thing. But the government of the city, province and on national level cannot ignore the problem because, as you mentioned, the babies would then end up on the streets (or in the gutters). And as you rightly also mentioned, this is a common phenomenon in China. But it is heartless, loveless and morally wrong (you said it is sorrowful). The world reads about this, and it's just further confirmation to them that the Chinese people are heartless ... Really. It may sound very harsh, but this just helps the world to think more negative about Chinese people. And then the Chinese blame the world for being negative about them ... Who is really to blame? I hope you are right that this issue would let the Chinese people think deeper.
Thanks for your comment, YYJ; I can see lately you think about your comments before you write and you don't just write to fulfill the teacher's requirements. Thank you.
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