EAST MEETS WEST: PRACTICAL ENGLISH 3
Unit 1: Basic Exercises

I. Comprehension Questions

  1. According to this article, what's the most difficult aspect of learning English for most Taiwanese?
  2. How productive is it to avoid topics you can't discuss well, according to this article?
  3. Which of the following statments are true, according to this article?
    4. (1) If you don't know an English word, it is usually best to say that word in Chinese.
    (2) Instead of giving up suddenly, it is usually better to ask for help.
    (3) Usually it is wise to not talk about difficult topics - just stay simple.
  4. Who are Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee?
  5. According to this article, what are the two most productive communication strategies?
  6. What's the difference between approximating and using round-about words?
  7. Summarize the main points of this article.
II. Questions for Further Exploration

  1. Do you think most Taiwanese are good language learners? Why?
  2. Do you have many opportunities to use English outside of class?
  3. What topics do you tend to avoid when speaking in a foreign language?
  4. Do you often switch between English and your native language? Why?
  5. Do you consider yourself much of a risk taker?
  6. What can you do to become a better language learner?
III. Common English Mistakes

Chinese, French, and Japanese speakers of English tend to make different mistakes. Japanese, for example, often confuse [L] and [R] sounds. Chinese and French speakers seldom have this problem. Which of the following English mistakes very probably made by native Chinese speakers? How would you correct the following sentences?
  1. Are you boring?
  2. Do you know what's your english name's meaning?
  3. I born in the mouth of June.
  4. I oversleep sometime, then late to school.
  5. I very like sushi.
  6. Italy was prominent in its clothes.
  7. My mother is very prize wild animal.
  8. Since men start their history, dogs also play an important role.
  9. The Chinese are almost modest.
  10. The person I love most are my parents.
IV. English - Chinese: A Short Comparison

To become better in a foreign language, in some ways it's good to know how the language you are studying differs from your native language. Answer the following questions about English and Chinese.
  1. Can you think of any English sounds which don't exist in Chinese?
  2. Can you think of any words in English which come from Chinese?
        (For example, "kung-fu" is now listed in most English dictionaries.)
  3. Can you think of any Chinese words which are hard to express in English?
        (For example, ‰À (character KEI) is hard to explain in English. It can refer to several different kinds of trees.)
  4. Can you think of any English words are difficult to say in Chinese?
        (For examples, the word "jive" is hard to express well in Chinese.)
  5. Agree or disagree with these statements -
    6. (a) The English language is better for business than Chinese.
    (b) Chinese is more romantic than English.
    (c) English pronunciation isn't so difficult for Chinese speakers.
    (d) Chinese grammar is simpler than English.

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Ver. 2.1 - Updated 1 Nov. 1999
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