Module 1 Unit 2

Task

Writing a letter of advice

Who do you ask for advice or help when you need to?

How to ask for advice or help?

How to give advice?

Skills building 1: asking for and giving advice

Could you give me / he / … some advice

about / on …?

How can I …?

Should I …?

I want to ask your advice about …

Can you advise me on …?

Useful Expressions

I think you should …

You’d better / should / …

I’ll give you some advice about …

If I were you, I would …

Why don’t you …?

Listen to five people asking for advice.

What problems are they asking advice

for?

Complete the sentences below with

words from the recording.

1. His best friend has just started

playing on the school _______

team and seldom has time to see

him. He feels quite _______.

2. Her father wants her to study math

and ________ and work in a big

company when she grows up. But

she wants to be an _______.

football

lonely

science

actress

3. His daughter just _______ to do

anything he tells her any more

4. His father never _______ to

anything he says. Then his

father _______ at him when he

doesn’t listen to him.

refuses

listens

shouts

5. She has an ______ tomorrow.

She’s feeling _______ and can’t

go to sleep. It makes her very upset.

exam

worried

Listen to a radio talk show and write the

names of the callers in blanks below.

Step 1: listening to a radio program

Jane William

Richard Christina

Here is the advice that the radio talk show host gave to his callers, but some words are missing. Listen to the radio talk show again, and complete the notes below.

NOTES1. Invite your mum to ______ you

doing the things you like.

2. Be _________. However, let her

know you are glad that she

_________ of you.

join

honest

thought

3. Tell your grandma how you

______.

4. Join a ______ team. You’ll feel

better and your father will stop

___________ you.

feel

sports

shouting at

The most important part of reading is to be

able to understand the main point. Often

only a few words are used to make the

main point, and the rest of the writing is

supporting information.

Skills building 2: reading for the main point

Read the four diary entries in the

textbook and pick out the main point

of each one.

Diary entry Main point

The first one

The second one

The third one

The fourth one

I’m so excited! Mum and Dad bought me a bicycle.

I’m very tired today. We had a Math test and I’m nervous about my results.

I failed the Math test! I’m so upset.All that worrying was for nothing. I’m very happy today!

There is an advice column in the

textbook. Read the letter, and then

answer the questions below.

Step 2:Reading a letter asking for advice

1.What is Liu Zhen’s main point in Para. 1?

2.How do the boy’s parents and grandparents treat him?

His 15-year-old son refuses to do what he and his wife ask him to do.

His parents treat him very well, and his grandparents buy him many things.

3. What is Liu Zhen’s main point in Para.2?

4. Why does Liu Zhen tolerate his son so far?

His son is wasting valuable time during this important period in his life.

He wants to prevent upsetting the boy’s mother with an argument.

5. What is Liu Zhen afraid that his

son will do?

6. What is the main piece of advice

that Liu Zhen is looking for?

He is afraid that his son will fail at school, or worse.

He wants to know how he can help his son without harming their relationship.

Read the two letters and decide which one

is a better reply giving proper advice. Talk

about the reasons why you made such a

choice.

Skills building 3:planning a letter of reply

Step 3: writing a letter of advice

● A letter giving advice should contain

suggestions introduced with appropriate

language.

● Letters of advice are usually written in

response to a request or an enquiry.

Introduction: Appropriate opening remarks. State reasons for writing expressing understanding of the problem.Main Body:Offer advice and suggestions / measures to be taken.Express your belief that your advice has been helpful leaving space for further help if required.Conclusion: Appropriate closing remarks.

Jack 想征询关于在大学里应该学历史 (histor

y) 还是电脑科学 (computer science) 的意见，请你给他一些有用的建议。

Practice

Dear Jack,Of course, you don’t have to devote all your time at university to studying computers and nothing else. On the contrary, I would recommend that you keep up your reading of history in your spare time. In that way, you will find that your leisure hours are enriched while you prepare yourself for a worthwhile career in computers.Hope you find these suggestions useful in helping you make your decision.Yours sincerely,Kenny Gao

Dear Jack,

You have asked me for my advice concerning whether you should study history or computer science at university, and I will try to make some useful recommendations.

You must keep in mind that, above all, your university training is a preparation for your future career. There is no doubt that the field of computer science offers far wider job opportunities than history.

Besides, for the foreseeable future, not only will it be necessary for everyone to be computer-literate, it will also be necessary to be equipped with computer skills merely to earn a living.

Of course, I would recommend that you keep up your reading of history in your spare time.

Yours sincerely,

Kenny Gao

Language points

1. I know it was a little bit expensive,

but … (P 34)

With a little bit of patience and

communication, many of these

problems can be solved. (P 36)

a little bit 相当于 a bit

a little bit of 相当于 a bit of

I think he was certainly a little bit mad.

Even a little bit of information can be valu

able.

a bit & a little

1) a bit 和 a little 在肯定句中修饰动词、形容词、

副词和比较级时可以互换 , 表示“一点儿”的意思 。

I am a bit / a little hungry.

He walked a bit / a little slowly.

2) a little 可以直接作定语修饰名词 , 而 a bit则

要在后面加 of 构成短语才能作定语 , 两者都只

能修饰不可数名词。

There is a little water in the bottle.

= There is a bit of water in the bottle.

瓶子里有一点点水。

3) 二者都可以作名词词组，充当主语或宾语。

A little / bit is enough for me.

我有一点儿就够了。

I know only a little / a bit about her.

我对她的情况只了解一点。

4) a bit 和 a little 在否定句中的意思恰恰相反， not a bit 相当于 not at all ( 一点儿都不 )；not a little 相当于 very (much) 或 extremely ( 很、非常 )。I am not a bit tired. 我一点也不累

He is not a little (=very) hungry.

他饿极了。

Fill in the blanks with a bit or a little. 1. There is _________ time left. 2. I would like you to stay for _________ if you have time. 3. This will give us a _________ of time. 4. He went to sleep soon, for he was not _________ tired. 5. I don’t want to stop to have a rest, because I am not _________ tired.

a littlea bit / a little

a bit

a little

a bit

2. I studied a lot yesterday and stayed up very late.

stay up 不睡觉，熬夜

She stayed up reading until midnight.

Did you stay up late last night?

I am going to stay up late to finish my paper.

3. I don’t know how to handle this …handle v. 处理；应付；操作；管理

I didn't know how to handle these people.

He knows how to handle the machine.

handle n. 把手 , 柄

I turned the handle and opened the door.

4. Miss Xu made an error and mixed up my

results with someone else’s!

mix up 混淆；弄乱；搅匀；拌合

She mixed up flour and water.

Please don’t mix up my papers.

Never mix up these two words.

5. …and instead insists on wasting

his time watching DVDs and

listening to … (P 35)

You should insist that he do his

homework. (P 36)

insist 坚持；坚持认为；坚决要求

He insisted on/upon my going with him.

She insisted that he was wrong.

He insisted that we (should) accept these gifts.

Homework for today

1. Read the text on page 2 carefully;

2. Learn the new words by heart.