Teaching English Abroad

[garbon]

Those videos were totally incompatible with the rest of the curriculum.  Starting from grade 1, we learned to listen to English by doing weekly listening tests.  We put on our headphones and listened to a tape.  The tape was a woman with an announcer type perfect English accent.  She would speak a sentence or a paragraph then pause.  We must write down the sentence/paragraph on a piece of paper.  Marks were deducted if our answers differed in any way from what the announcer spoke.  It was not enough to get the meaning right.  It must be a word-for-word exact match.  We did the same sort of test for 11 years straight, every week.  We were trained to get every word down.  Every time I watched the Simpsons I was horrified - if I needed to put every word of the dialogue down, I would fail the test. 

Because that sounds useful. Writing down word for word someone speaking in a manner that isn't typically observed.

[garbon]

Well, I just tend to think that drinking, socially or otherwise, is done too easily, too often, resulting in one of the larger addictions and problems; in the US anyway.

It is true. You just have to open your mouth and pour it in.

[Josquius]

Because that sounds useful. Writing down word for word someone speaking in a manner that isn't typically observed.

They do that in Swedish for immigrants classes too. And I remember it from Japanese. It seems pretty normal in language learning. As annoying as it is

[Admiral Yi]

If everybody knows this, then doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of both parties being "polite"?

I don't follow.

[DGuller]

If everybody knows this, then doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of both parties being "polite"?

I don't follow.

The point of being polite seems to be to not hurt someone's feelings.  If you offer something to someone just to be polite, you hope that he'll refuse, AND that he wouldn't realize that you wanted him to refuse.  With the 2/3 rule, he'll know how you want him to answer just by counting how many times you ask.

[garbon]

I don't think that is the point of being polite. Like when a store clerk and I ask how one another is doing. We both know that we don't really care and yet we do it.

[Admiral Yi]

I don't think that is the point of being polite. Like when a store clerk and I ask how one another is doing. We both know that we don't really care and yet we do it.

Exactly.  It's about gestures.

[Monoriu]

Well, I just tend to think that drinking, socially or otherwise, is done too easily, too often, resulting in one of the larger addictions and problems; in the US anyway.

China is pretty odd in this.  The general population don't drink much compared with western countries.  But the political and business elite are ultra heavy drinkers.  It is almost as if they drink just to show off. 

[MadImmortalMan]

Well, I just tend to think that drinking, socially or otherwise, is done too easily, too often, resulting in one of the larger addictions and problems; in the US anyway.

China is pretty odd in this.  The general population don't drink much compared with western countries.  But the political and business elite are ultra heavy drinkers.  It is almost as if they drink just to show off.

It's good for the career.

[Camerus]

I wonder if it is also a northern Chinese vs. southern Chinese difference.  When I go up north, I notice more common people drinking. Could just be my impression.

Incidentally, northern Chinese girls have told me a couple times that southern Chinese men are unmanly.   

[Josquius]

I wonder if it is also a northern Chinese vs. southern Chinese difference.  When I go up north, I notice more common people drinking. Could just be my impression.

Incidentally, northern Chinese girls have told me a couple times that southern Chinese men are unmanly.  

This is just in the major cities or out elsewhere too?
As drinking I could well see as an attempt to be modern. In Hong kong they know they're modern, they've nothing to prove, drinking is bad. In Beijing and Shanghai though they're still in the 'Ohh! look at us world! look how cool and modern we are!' stage.

[jimmy olsen]

And I'm off to orientation for the next 3 days. What a waste of my time.

[Admiral Yi]

And I'm off to orientation for the next 3 days. What a waste of my time.

raciss

[Ed Anger]

Hopefully he'll insult them, and beat him savagely.

[HisMajestyBOB]

And I'm off to orientation for the next 3 days. What a waste of my time.