Page 3 - BOOK V Unit 2

Reading and Thinking

Read about Xie Lei’s experience on an exchange programme

1 Before you read, look at the title and picture below. Where do you think this
article is from? What do you think the article is about?

2 Read the article and work Understand long sentences
with a partner to analyse English structures are different from those in Chinese, but you
the structures in the can figure out what a long sentence means by following a few
underlined sentences. simple steps.
Use the tip for help. 1 Decide if the sentence is compound (look for and, but, or,
etc.) or complex (look for who, when, where, etc.).
2 Find the main clause if it is a complex sentence.
3 Look for modifiers.

“WELCOME, life,” she said. “I had to learn how to use public

XIE LEI!” transport and how to ask for things I didn’t know

the English names for. When I got lost, I had to ask
BUSINESS passers-by for help, but people here speak fast
and use words I’m not familiar with. I ask them to
STUDENT repeat themselves a lot!”

BUILDING Although some foreign students live in campus
BRIDGES accommodation, Xie Lei chose to live with a host

family, who can help with her adaptation to the
new culture. “When I miss home, I feel comforted
to have a second family,” Xie Lei said. “When
there’s something I don’t know or understand, I
can ask them. They are also keen to learn about
China. Laura, the daughter of my host family, wants
Six months ago, 19-year-old Xie Lei said goodbye
to study in China in the future. We take turns to
to her family and friends and boarded a plane for
cook each evening. They really love my stir-fried
London. It was the first time that she had left China.
tomatoes and eggs! Laura says she always feels
“I was very excited but also quite nervous. I didn’t
hungry when she smells it, so I taught her how to
know what to expect,” Xie Lei recalled.
cook it, too.”
Xie Lei is studying for a business qualification at a
Another challenge for Xie Lei is the academic
university in China and has come to our university
requirements. The first time that she had to write
on a year-long exchange programme. “I chose the
an essay, her tutor explained that she must
exchange programme because I wanted to learn
acknowledge what other people had said if she
about global business and improve my English.
cited their ideas, but that he mainly wanted to know
My ambition is to set up a business in China after
what she thought! Xie Lei was confused because
graduation,” she explained.
she thought she knew less than other people. Her
At first, Xie Lei had to adapt to life in a different tutor advised her to read lots of information in order
country. “You have to get used to a whole new to form a wise opinion of her own.

14 UNIT 2 BRIDGING CULTURES