Contents1TextAIfIWereaBoyAgainLanguageinUseTextBBigCompanies“Friends”TheirCustomers

Warm-upQuestions:2Warm-upQuestions:1.Whatwouldyoudoifyouwereaboy/agirlagain?2.Whatdreamsdidyouhavewhenyouwereachild?

Pre-classTask13Pre-classTask1Readthetextonceforthemainidea(s).Donotrefertothenotes,theglossary,ordictionaries.

TextAIfIWereaBoyAgain4PassageIfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldpracticeperseverancemoreoften,andnevergiveupathingbecauseitwasinconvenient.Ifwewantlight,wemustconquerdarkness.Perseverancecansometimesequalgeniusinitsresults.“Thereareonlytwocreatures,”saysaproverb,“Whocansurmountthepyramids―theeagleandthesnail.”1

5PassageIfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldschoolmyselfintoahabitofattention;Iwouldletnothingcomebetweenmeandthesubjectinhand.Iwouldrememberthatagoodskaternevertriestoskateintwodirectionsatonce.Thehabitofattentionbecomespartofourlife,ifwebeginearlyenough.Ioftenheargrownuppeoplesay,“Icouldnotfixmyattentiononthesermonorbook,althoughIwishedtodoso”,andthereasonis,thehabitwasnotformedinyouth.23TextAIfIWereaBoyAgain

6PassageIfIweretolivemylifeoveragain,Iwouldpaymoreattentiontothecultivationofthememory.Iwouldstrengthenthatfacultybyeverypossiblemeans,andoneverypossibleoccasion.Ittakesalittlehardworkatfirsttorememberthingsaccurately;butmemorysoonhelpsitself,andgivesverylittletrouble.Itonlyneedsearlycultivationtobecomeapower.4TextAIfIWereaBoyAgain

7PassageIfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldcultivatecourage.“Nothingissomildandgentleascourage,nothingsocruelandpitilessascowardice,”saysawiseauthor.Wetoooftenborrowtrouble,andanticipatethatmayneverappear.”Thefearofillexceedstheillwefear.”Dangerswillariseinanycareer,butpresenceofmindwilloftenconquertheworstof