Lesson 85    Never too old to learn

How long has Mr. Page been teaching?

I have just received a letter from my old school, informing me that my former headmaster, Mr. Stuart Page, will be retiring next week. Pupils of the school, old and new, will be sending him a present to mark the occasion. All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster’s home. We shall all remember Mr. Page for his patience and understanding and for the kindly encouragement he gave us when we went so unwillingly to school. A great many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in his honour next Thursday. It is a curious coincidence that the day before his retirement, Mr. Page will have been teaching for a total of forty years. After he has retired, he will devote himself to gardening. For him, this will been an entirely new hobby. But this does not matter, for, as he has often remarked, one is never too old to learn.

Summary writing

Make a summary of the passage in not more than 80 words. Write two different paragraphs using the points and connections given below.

Now that my former headmaster, Mr. Page, is retiring, pupils of the school will be sending him a gift and an album with the signatures of all those who have contributed. Many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in him honour. After having completed forty years as a teacher, Mr. Page will devote himself to gardening, which will be a new hobby for him, but one is never too old to learn.        74 words

After twenty-eight years as headmaster, Mr. Page is retiring. Pupils of the school will not only be sending him a gift, but also an album with their signatures. Many former pupils will be attending a farewell dinner in honour of a man who has completed forty years as a teacher. Now he will devote himself to gardening. Though it will be a new hobby for him, this does not matter because one is never too old to learn.                 

                                       78 words

Composition

Write two paragraph’s speech---he thanked the pupils---he remembered pupils past and present---many successful careers职业---humorous incidents事件插曲.

2 His own future---memories---old pupils welcome to come and visit him---how he would spend his time---it would take him forty years to put his garden in order.

     My former headmaster was retired last month. Pupils of the school, old and new, all attended the farewell party in his honour. At the party, he gave a speech in which he thanked all the pupils. He remembered his pupils’past and talked about their careers. He especially特别的 enjoyed recalling召回回想 some humorous incidents he had experienced经历 with his pupils.

     He also thought of his own future. He would always cherish珍爱the memories of his good old days 美好的往日with his pupils. He said old pupils were welcome to come and visit him. After he retired, he would devote himself to gardening. For him, this would be an entirely new hobby. Perhaps it would take him forty years to put his garden in order整齐, but it would not matter, as he had often said; ‘One is never too old to learn.’   149 words

Letter writing

How to end a letter. Study this example;

I am looking forward to seeing you soon.

        Best regards,

            Tom

This is how we usually end letters so friends.  We may end  ‘Best wishes祝福,’‘Yours, ’or ‘Love,’

How would you end letters to each of the following?

Your mother: your best friend: an acquaintance熟人

         Love

         Yours

         Yours sincerely

Key structures

What will happen? What will be happening? What have been happening?

Special difficulties

Words often confused

Too and Enough

Study the following sentences;

One is never too old to learn.

It is too difficult for me to understand.

It is easy enough for me to understand.

Exercise

Join the sentences below in the way shown in these examples;

A  The wall is high. I cannot climb it. (too)

   The wall is too high to climb.

   The wall is too high for me to climb.

B  The wall is low. I can climb it. (enough)

   The wall is low enough to climb.

   The wall is low enough for me to climb.

1 This car is expensive. I cannot buy it. (too)

This car is too expensive to buy.

This car is too expensive for me to buy .

2 This car is cheap. I can buy it. (enough)

This car is cheap enough to buy.

This car is cheap enough for me to buy .

3 The tea is hot. I cannot drink it. (too)

The tea is too hot to drink.

The tea is too hot for me to drink.

4 This piece of music is difficult. I cannot play it. (too)

This piece of music is too difficult to play.

This piece of music is too difficult for me to play.

5 This piece is easy. I can play it. (enough)

This piece is easy enough to play.

This piece is easy enough for me to play.

Multiple choice questions

Comprehension

1 The pupils who will be signing their names in the album are those who___.

A are at the school now

B used to go to the school

C will attend the farewell dinner

D have given money to buy the headmaster a present

D

2 The headmaster_____.

A believes it’s too late to take up从事 gardening

B thinks that only young people should take up gardening

C has no intention目的意图 of taking up gardening

D doesn’t believe it’s too late to take up gardening

D

Structure

3 He will be retiring next week. He ___be retiring next year.

A willn’t

B won’t

C shall not

D shan’t

B

4 We went so unwillingly to school. We were ____unwilling pupils.

A such

B so

C so much

D such an

5 The farewell dinner will be ___Thursday.

A in

B on

C the

D at

B

6 How long ___teaching? Forty years.

A will he have been

B he will have been

C will have he been

D will have been he

A

7 One is never too old to learn. ____are never too old to learn.

A We

B You

C They

D Everyone

B  note; you有任何人的意思。

Vocabulary                      

8 They informed me about it. That’s the ___I received.

A inform

B informs

C informations

D information

D

9 They will put their____in an album.

A signs

B signatures

C signals

D marks

B

10 He gave us encouragement. He was always ____.

A courageous有胆量的

B helpful

C helpless

D thankful

11 We shall attend a farewell dinner to say ___ to him.

A hullo=hello

B something

C our good wishes

D goodbye

D

12 It’s entirely new to him. It’s ___new to him.

A eventually最终

B finally

C completely完全地

D fully充分的

C

Sentence structure

Join these sentences, then check your answer against the text.

They have contributed towards the gift. They will sign their names in a large album. It will be sent to the headmaster’s home.

All those who have contributed towards the gift will sign their names in a large album which will be sent to the headmaster’s home.