下了决心，去学校评估了英文水平，接着要注册。老公看我这回真是要动真格儿的了，表示支持。可一看，我要Part time 读书，晚上要占用family time, 他就不干了：我看你还是读day time的课程吧。啥？那我还上班不？别上了。又工作，又读书，太辛苦了。可、可我不上班，那、那家里的经济状况能行吗？我结结巴巴地问我家的财政部长（老公管帐）。没问题。没问题？我没收入还要缴学费，这也没问题？你放心，没问题。那要是我毕业了，找不到工作怎么办？你养不养我？养！老公没犹豫，回答还挺肯定。我心里有点窃喜：没想到我也有“师奶”命。接着征求女儿意见：妈妈不上班去读书，好不好？好啊！你早该读书了。她一点也没迟疑。可是，那你毕业了，谁帮你还贷款啊？我指望过你吗？一句话噎得我半天没回过味来。原来人家根本没指望我，敢情一直是我自作多情来着。再接着问弟弟。这么多年来没去读书，就是因为一直抱着这块鸡肋——丢了可惜，食之无味…… 什么鸡肋？弟弟回答更让我气结。根本就是块鸡骨头！你早该去读书了，经济要是有问题我帮忙。原来我这么多年来，津津有味啃的是一块鸡骨头？既然这样，丢了就没什么可惜的了。
maybe when im done with Law School, we can get together and celebrate :P
learning english is a huge step, be patient, but be brave, step out of your comfort zone, and speak to as many native english speaker as possible, and dont be afraid to be corrected.
if you want to change your baby sentence style, i have a good idea, i would recommend you to read as many books as possible, especially Jane Austins' works.
Connie, I also suggest you always ask questions. By asking questions, you will learn lot more and faster. Here the benefits of previewing what will be discussed/taught in a class really kick in: you are prepared and go to a class with your specific question and get them answered - the way of learning effectively/efficiently.
When in old Chinese classes (our time!), professors did not like students ask questions by interrupting them, some simply do not like student to ask question, period, which I think was rather unwise.
Here may be different: most professors would be more than happy to let you ask questions and explain anything before moving on (of course at an appropriate time) - the more effective way for students to learn. Think about it, if a student cannot follow at any moment and that would prevent him/her from following the later part as well, therefore the sooner the student gets a clear idea, the better for both student and professor.
Do not simply reply on listening the answers of questions asked by others, the answers do benefit you, but the most benefial are the ones YOU asked - only you know where specifically YOU need to know/learn.
One quicker way to improve spoken English is to practice all the time, especially at home (many Chinese families overlook this and as a consequence, their English has hardly improved after many years of living here).
Your Chinese is superb, you will never forget how to use them, so start from today, tell everyone (including your hubby, children, friends, anyone) that you are trying hard to improve your spoken English, let them help you by speaking only English to you. Further, if you and/or they do not mind, let them correct your English whenever is possible. Watch TV NEWS (listen to radio NEWS), from NEWS, you would learn decent English, not just slangs from soap opera etc. Copy every sentence they say to get the sense of the language, 语感. Read and speak LOUDLY. Being shy of opening one's mouth is the biggest obstacle of learning any spoken language.
After all, be realistic, be very proud of any improvement you make daily, you will be surprised/amazed how much you, Connie, can achieve after a semester! :)
Since you are trying to improve English, I am going to write in English (NOT saying mine is good though).
I believe it is always nice to ask the professor if it is fine with him/her that you record his/her lectures. Ask him/her in private prior to the class, and state the necessity for doing so: 1) your current English is not good enough for taking all the notes; and 2) you can listen repeatedly after class - both for the purpose of learning more effectively. They would understand it and would allow you to do so.
Do NOT just do it with a recorder hidden as someone above suggested: you are an honest pereson, you have honest reasons to do honest things, why do something sneaky? From your writing, you are a very thoughtful person and always respect others. Therefore, as a student, it is always nice for you to ask the professor with respect up front with your good reasons. Once a professor told me 'Let me know how much you sold it later (the recording I make out of his lecture!' Of course he was joking.
Not sure about Canada, many USA professors nowadays have notes posted on intranet that student can print/study prior to the lecture (昭君 probably can tell you more). It will save you lot of time and also make yourself well prepared for each lecture, i.e., you will just record and pay full attention to listening and comprehending instead of worrying about taking notes etc. The better you prepared, the better you get out of each lectures (same as in Peking U - the only thing difference is the language used).
If you prefer, get a digital recorder, which nowadays very cheap.
Best wishes! I enjoy all your writing, always, thanks for the pleasure.
