(1) Tara's News here: https://edition.englishclub.com/category/listening-news/
(2) Famous personalities: Select 3 names from the attached list of 30 names of famous personalities that you would like to give a talk to your class. Not more than one Chinese person from the list! Motivate the reasons for your choice. Discussion in small groups or pairs. Comments: you can write about your choices (one, or two, or all three) and give shortly at least one reason why you admire them.
(3) Role plays: You are a famous personality and your partner will interview you on various aspects of life.
"I am famous!"
Famous people list.rtf
Replies
Yes, I agree he became an inspiration to many, in particular the African-Americans. That quotation of him that you quoted became world-famous. Eventually it happened like that; just a pity he could never witness it as he was tragically killed. But much of the heart of the white American people hasn't changed as today there are still racism in the US. And as the whites are by far in the majority, it is still difficult to be black in America (despite Obama being president). Oh,and btw, never call an African-American a Negro in America ... they'll kill you for that!
This was the last comment (by Long Yuan) and Xu Yang's comment isn't here as he told us in class today. Where is it then?
Good choices, Men Yaqiong. Of all those I think Mother Teresa inspired me most! Her selfless service to the poor and the destitute would forever remain engraved on my mind. Has this world ever seen a greater woman than that, I wonder? Did you know that her feet were deformed (disfigured) because she was often wearing smaller shoes as some of her patients needed the bigger ones? Yes, other's lives were more important than her own. Our world today need such people again ... And yes, that is a world-famous quote from the first man on the moon: "That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"!
Wu Ting, I am happy to see that you have chosen Li Na as your Chinese personality, but did you do sufficient research on her achievements?! Her second Grand Slam trophy wasn't in Austria (they don't have a Grand Slam tournament there); it was in Australia and it was in January 2014! And you didn't mention that she's retired with the highest ranking of an Asian woman of all times, i.e. no 2 in the world! Okay, maybe you missed some detail. I also love Li Na and I have enjoyed her victories with her and Jiang Shan! ;-)
Quite a number of your classmates chose Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin as their personalities, and they were good choices too, but only two other have chosen Nick Vujicic. Glad to read that you know about him, Zhao Ziwei, as he is such an incredible inspiration to any person. But do you know why he is the way he is and why he has such joy in life without even having limbs? Maybe you should do some more research, as I think that is what is sadly lacking from the Chinese nation. ;-)
Thank you for your contribution, Liu Weifang. I think you put some good thought in it. I can tell you that "I (also) had a dream" like Martin Luther King Jnr ... but for my Chinese students - to break the shackles of habit imprisoning them in believing that the current way of obtaining knowledge is the only way (studying, studying, studying to pass these endless and aimless exams) to a better life ... I'm always trying to offer them conditions which are designed to open their minds to the realities of real life (which, amongst others, include different topics on world affairs or real-life issues; this website with its vast opportunities for change, etc), but I discovered it is mostly in vain as very, very few students use those opportunities. So, my dream for them would just remain what it is ... a dream. I guess the system has blinded the students so much, that even when they get the opportunity to learn more than just Chinese studies, most of them don't realize it. And my aim was only to enrich their lives, as my experience is that most Chinese lives are so dull and even meaningless.
You were one of the exceptions to use this opportunity I gave the class to learn from other lives they have never been told about. So, thank you for reading about Florence Nightingale. You have enriched your own life. And you end off with a valid question. There are not many (if any) Florence Nightingales (and others similar to her) left in our world today to make a difference. Maybe we should each strive to be the next Florence Nightingale, Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Erin Gruwell, Malala Yousafzai, etc. :)
I end off with a quote from Albert Einstein (hope you can view it - ask me if it doesn't show up here):
Well Huo Meng, I noticed that you have chosen three women as your favourite personalities! Haha, no problem with that; I also think they are great names! About Li Na, you may be right that Chinese people are proud of her, but what I guess you don't know, is that not all Chinese politicians are impressed with her as she had her own views on certain situations in China! But of course, her fame has probably been her protection as she'd brought much glory to China for her achievements! Yes, Celine Dion has a good name in the music world and I appreciate her music too. I am glad you chose Anne Frank too (the only one who chose her, btw!). Just a small correction, she wasn't directly killed by the Nazi's, but she'd tragically died of typhoid fever in the Nazi concentration camp. But I guess, you are partly correct as that wouldn't have happened had she not been imprisoned by the Nazi's. Her father was the only one of her family to survive the Nazi concentration camps and it was him that discovered her diary and published it. Yes, how tragic war is. I hate war myself and I abhor the watching of war movies (and there are so many on Chinese TV ...). But sadly, today's world is full of wars, and where there is no war, people even talk about making war against countries they hate. How does one understand that?! I am glad you too don't like war; then there must be other Chinese people too who feel like that! :)
Lily, I just want to comment on what you said about Helen Keller. I agree she was (and still is) a great inspiration to us all as she didn't have eye sight and hearing, but she remained positive about life. How many of us can say that today?! But about her book ... I am sure you were not sure about that title! What was the title of her book you referred to? Her most prominent works were, "The Story of my Life", "The World I live in", "Optimism", "Out of the Dark", "The Song of the stone wall" and "Miracle worker". Can it be, "Three days to see" which Fang Lijuan has translated into Chinese? I guess that's what you mean; but where did you get that title from (oh, a direct translation from Chinese ...)?!
I like your choice of princess Diana, Hou Jialei. She really was one special woman. How sad that her life ended prematurely and so tragically. The world became poorer after losing that life. Yes, Li Na was such an inspiration (not only for China, but also the world) when she was still playing. But I think her legacy will continue to have an influence on China, in particular. About Martin Luther King Jnr, I agree with your statement; but the world has this sickening habit of sacrificing the lives of many of those who stand for people's freedom (many of those aren't even known, but when they disappear or their lives are 'stopped', the effect is the same).
Thank you for a good comment, Kay. Sorry that I only respond now, but for some reason I couldn't get to all the comments before class. No, you didn't talk too much about Nick! I am glad he made such an impression on you that you could write such a nice passage about him. I agree with what you say about him. He is such an unbelievable inspiration to all people in the world today (though many wouldn't admit that as they are opposed to origin of his spiritual strength, I believe). To still have a smile and be so positive towards life without limbs, is proof that he must be some kind of special person. He has visited my home country and even China, but I have never seen him live. I also watched some of his videos online. When I see him, I immediately feel that my soul is lifted up! Have you seen the beautiful wife he got (her name is Kanae)?! And they now have a handsome little boy too as their first child! So, he may not have limbs, but he's living a 'normal' life! Lastly Kay, I believe that one thing many people, who are inspired by him, are missing, is to look at the 'source' or the origin of Nick's joy. That is what makes him so different. Many people don't want to admit it, but that is what has made Nick so special. :)
I like the sentence you have concluded your comment! It is important that we can be inspired by the lives of our role models so as to live up to our own full potential, and not by their good deeds. Here's a Nick quote for you (hope you can see it):
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