20091024 -- Wearing My White T-Shirt, Khaki Shorts and Flip-Flops (1)

Wearing My White T-Shirt, Khaki Shorts and Flip-Flops

Starting my first semester

I was frightened on my first day of school. Like a kid going to school for the first time, I felt my heart beating fast as I walked to my first class. American universities do things quite differently from most Asian universities. Here in America, we choose every class ourselves. In order to complete a major, students are required to take certain classes. Even with the requirements, students have the freedom to choose which classes to take, the class times and even the professors they want.

This was my first time sitting with so many Americans in a classroom. Unlike many other classmates, I sat quietly by myself. My teacher spoke fast- definitely faster than my English teacher in Taipei. I had a hard time understanding him.

English, without a doubt, is the hardest thing I have experienced so far. Because I'm an international student, communicating fluently with Americans can be really difficult. Most American college students speak quickly while using lots of slang and idioms. I, therefore, struggle with understanding in class and communicating with other students.

Also, reading and writing are equally as important as listening and speaking. When my classes started to get busier, the reading got longer, the papers got harder, and that's when real disaster struck.



professor n. 教授
=> teacher in the college/university
eg: Our history professor is very popular because he makes the subject so interesting.


fluently adv. 流利地
=> smoothly
eg: When you first start to learn a language, it is difficult to speak it fluently.
eg: She can speak three languages fluently.
eg: All students need to learn how to type fluently in their freshman year.

fluent adj. 流利的
fluent in 語言
eg: Nathan is fluent in Spanish.

idiom n. 慣用語/成語
eg: Sean uses a lot of idioms, so it is hard for my European roommate to understand him.

disaster n. 災難
=> very terrilbe event
disaster strike something
eg: An environmental disaster occurred along Alaska's coast when oil from a ship leaked into the ocean.
eg: The disaster happened in the coal mine(煤礦) took many people's lives.
eg: Losing his job was a disaster for Victor.
eg: Everything went smoothly on our way home till disaster struck - we run out of gas.

slang Un. 俚語/行話
eg: The essay he wrote is full of slang.
eg: She was taught not to use slang in her language.
eg: "Buck" is a slang expression for money.

khaki adj. 土黃色的/卡其色的
=> h不發音

//== Chat room ==//

class/course

class n. 課程(更廣義的講法，一堂課)
=> go to class
eg: This class will be over in an hour.

class n. 上課的學生
eg: OK, class. It's time for a test.

course n. 課程
=> take a course/class 選修一門課程
eg: I take five courses/classes in this semester.


required courses 必修課(入門課程)
=> lower level introductive courses
=> often called "surveys" => 導論

electives 選修課(中高級課程)
= elective courses
=> tend to be more specialized
=> usually have fewer students

course catalog 課程目錄





//== Grammer on the go ==//

English, without a doubt, is the hardest thing I have experienced so far.
=> English is definitely the hardest thing I have experienced so far.

without a doubt
=> definitely

without doubt
= without question

eg: Stuart, without doubt, the fastest runner on the team.
eg: This year's party is, without question, the most-creative one I have ever attended.