The goal I set up for myself is to get at least 100 points in TOEFL iBT which is a great mark acknowledged by the public for the students who major in English。 Further more； the emphasis on munication in an academic setting makes it more difficult and challenging than the previous versions。 Therefore； my level seems too poor to achieve the goal。
Yesterday； our oral English teacher John asked us to try the first type of integrated speaking of which description on the OG （official guide） is like this： “You read an announcement or notice related to an aspect of university life and then hear two students discuss the written notice。 Then you report what the notice was and what one of the students thought about it。” The first exercise he asked us to do was about a curriculum change in core course requirement to plete a BFA （Bachelor of Fine Arts） in music at Midtown University。 Because I was not familiar with this topic； I couldn’t get the useful information immediately from the reading and listening passage。 Then the interesting oral English became an agony for me to suffer from。
Giving in to difficulty doesn’t agree with my personality； so I made a reading plan for myself。 The reading materials were chosen from a TOEFL reading book which is related to the topics I was not familiar with。
Today； Dennis； the man who teaches us reading； told us about his experience of preparing for GRE。 He said he rent a house near his university with his partner and began his life as an ascetic。 That was the way of life allowing no physical pleasures。 Every meal was done by instant noodles； which causes him to feel sick every time he smells instant noodles now。
He also told us about a story of his classmate。 That guy has such a passion for his major that he can devote himself to it。 At last he successfully got the application letter from his dreaming university MIT。 The guy was given a name “Future warrior” by his friends because all the things he did then was for his future and major。
Well； I think； maybe I should also adapt the name “Future warrior” as a motto to inspire me to carry on fighting for my future。
Find hope in despair
Monday； August 06； 2007Every teacher in the New Oriental is a good storyteller who always let us burst out laughing and get inspiration out of the stories。 Among those stories the events about how the New Oriental was founded gave me the deepest impact。
Before the history was mentioned； Daniel； the man who teaches us writing； talked about an excellent student enrolled by Harvard University with the full scholarship last year in Shanghai。 Not only did that guy get the golden medal for universal Math Olympic petition； but also hold several piano personal concert in his city。 Further more； he was the record holder for 200…metre and 1000…metre race among high school students in Shanghai。 Besides； he boasts handsome looking。
“Sounds like God gave everything that everyone will be dying for to him。” Murmured I to my roommate & deskmate Ellen among the astonished students。
“It is not fair； er？” Obviously Daniel heard my words since I sat in the first row of the class； “Boys should be grateful and delightful that such perfect guy went to America so that the number of your public enemy is reduced by one。”
“Well； just for kidding。” Realizing the whole class was astounded to dead still； he asked whether we know how the New Oriental was founded at the thought that it was necessary to inspire us instead of sending us to despair。
Yu Minhong； the initiator of the New Oriental was rugged and full of misfortune； traced back to the time when he took the university entrance exam。 Before he was finally enrolled by a University which is among the best universities in China； he took the exam for three times because of many plex reasons。 To his dismay； being enrolled by the university was the beginning of a worse misfortune in his life。 Because of his background of peasant born； no one even would like to talk with him including his teachers who thought he was totally hopeless。 After graduation； he remained in the university and became an English teacher。
Under tremendous pressure of lack of finance； Yu had to be a sneak teacher in a school called Oriental because doing a part…time job was banned according to the rules of the university。 Months later； his behavior was discovered and the university fired him instantly。 Out of his firing； he got thrown by the Oriental； too。 That must be the darkest time in his life while he was out of job and was disdained by everyone around him。
But who could predict that Yu then established his own school and it flourished during the past 15 years； having branches throughout the nation？
The story ended and Daniel added： “See？ Whose present is more miserable than Yu？ So what on earth give you the excuses that Nike will never wave to you in wele？ Go for it！ While there is life； there is hope。”
That accounts for why the school’s name is “New Oriental” because Yu wants it to remind him of his tough time before and worn him of luxury。 It also accounts for why the credo of the New Oriental is “To excel； to challenge your limits； hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope and you can make your life a splendid one。”
Super volcano
Friday； August 10； 2007
Friends around me at times plain about how tough and miserable it is to be tortured by those academic articles which concerns Geology； anthropology； biology； astronomy； and medicine and so on。 To be honest； that those TOEFL articles are extremely difficult to understand results from the various topics which cover such as Nihilism； a concept which derives from a Latin word “nihil” meaning nothing and can also be seen in the word “annihilate” meaning to destroy or bring to nothing； diabetes； a disease with which the pancreas doesn’t make sufficient insulin； or the articles may discuss about Karl Marx with his masterpiece or major contribution as well as the renowned psychologist Freud with his theory。 Then all you can see is piles of humanly inprehensible words dance on the paper which send you to despair。 Reading this kind of essays in Chinese is even a huge challenge； so you can imagine that how tough it is to read them or even hear such a lecture for 5…6 minutes。
Well； I； however； find it quite delighted to spare no efforts to read or listen to them。 I consider it a good way to learn exotic and various things around the world。 It agrees with my nature to explore despite the fact that they are hard for me to prehend with poor English。 As I said before； I always exert tremendous efforts to absorb knowledge from them since I am so deeply fascinated by the topics they are about； and as a result； I have fun while others take preparing for TOEFL as an agony。
Let me share my little fruits of my exploration with you。
In Freda’s listening class； a lecture regarding super volcano in Geological area was offered。 From the passage I learnt that volcanoes are divided into ordinary volcano and super volcano which would bring about deadly catastrophe to the world if it erupted。 Inside this lecture the professor interprets the word “crater” like this “A crater is a steep…sized； usuall