英语趣味课堂：中学-Middle School

Dai: So Miss Naomi from...where is it you are from?

Naomi: Wales.

Dai: Wales, OK, and how old are you now?

Naomi: I’m eleven.

Dai: Eleven. OK, so that means you are in...what would that be, junior school? secondary school?

Naomi: Junior school.

Dai: Junior school. OK. And so what grade is that in junior school.

Naomi: Six.

Dai: Oh, grade six, OK. So tell me about your school. What kind of subjects do you study in junior school.

Naomi: We study Art and Maths and Science and English and Geography and History and RE.

Dai: RE? What’s RE?

Naomi: Religious education.

Dai: Oh, OK. And you go to school from what time in the morning?

Naomi: About quarter to nine and it starts at five past.

Dai: The first class is at five past.

Naomi: Yeah.

Dai: And then do you get a break?

Naomi: We get a break at half past ten and then lunch at twelve o’clock.

Dai: Oh twelve o’clock, for how long?

Naomi: For an hour.

Dai: Oh an hour? Oh nice! And then what do you do for lunch in Wales? Do they have like a cafeteria where they cook for you?

Naomi: Yeah, they have that and you can bring sandwiches.

Dai: You can bring your own sandwiches instead?

Naomi: Yeah.

Dai: OK. What do you do?

Naomi: I normally bring sandwiches.

Dai: OK. Is that because the dinner’s are no good, or...?

Naomi: They’re OK but I don’t really like them as much as sandwiches.

Dai: And what kind of food do they serve up in the canteen?

Naomi: They serve roast dinners and...

Dai: Roast dinners? What’s a roast dinner?

Naomi: It’s like a meat and vegetables.

Dai: OK. It sounds very simple.

Naomi: Yeah, and pizza and chips and ham and all sorts of stuff.

Dai: Oh OK, it sounds good. And do they give you lots of homework?

Naomi: No.

Dai: Oh really?

Naomi: No.

Dai: Oh that’s good to hear. So what’s your favorite subject then in junior school?

Naomi: Art.

Dai: OK, why is that?

Naomi: I don’t know, I just like painting and drawing.

Dai: And then, what’s the subject that you find most boring?

Naomi: Maths.

Dai: Maths? Oh really? Yeah, I’m not a big fan of Maths. So I guess if you’re in grade six you’ll be going on to your next school soon?

Naomi: Yeah, secondary school.

Dai: OK, and are you looking forward to that.

Naomi: Yeah.

Dai: OK, it was very nice talking to you and good luck in your next school.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

normally

I normally bring sandwiches.

The word 'normally' is similar in meaning to 'usually'. Notice the following:

I normally go to bed before midnight.

He normally drives to work.

canteen

What kind of food do they serve up in the canteen?

We sometimes call the restaurant at school or work the canteen. Notice the following:

The canteen serves mainly fried food.

The soldiers can only eat in the canteen.

find boring

What subjects do you find boring?

The phrase 'I find' is similar in meaning to 'I think'. Notice the following:

I find legal dramas too difficult to follow.

I find Chinese action films really exciting.

Are you looking forward to that?

We look forward to something positive that will happen in the future. Notice the following:

I look forward to our next meeting.

We are all looking forward to the holiday break.

nice talking to you

It was very nice talking to you and good luck in your next school.

'Nice talking to you' is a polite way to end a conversation with people we don't know well. Notice the following:

It was nice talking to you. We'll be in touch.

Nice talking to you Joe. I hope to see you around.