【英语趣味课堂】分数-Grades

 Todd: What about the idea that some people think that maybe there should be no grades? That there is just maybe you achieve or don't achieve. It's more binary¹. Either yes or no.

Nydja: I don't really know how I feel about that. I went to a school when I was younger that actually didn't have ... everybody was just put together in a large room and different teachers worked with different students according to their abilities and there were no grades. As an adult now, I'm not really sure how I feel about that system. I wasn't there long enough to see what I could do with that environment. If it benefited me, or if it was to my detriment², so I really don't have an opinion on that.

 

Todd: How about when you were younger, were you often stressed about your grades?

 

Nydja: Yes. Yes, I was. I was very stressed. I used to stay up until three or four o'clock in the morning trying to complete projects. Studying all the time. I also did track, so I was very worried. You're in competition with your classmates because later on you have to go and get into college and then you have to get a job and it all starts in primary and secondary³ school, so it's important to do well there.

 

Todd: So, you're very young but later in life with children, would you want your children to worry about grades, or would you want to be a parent that tell them "huh, not so much!"

 

Nydja: No, they will definitely⁴ be ... if I have children, they will definitely be concerned about the grades that they're earning, and I will not be easy on them in that regard at all. So, they have a lot coming to them.

 

重点词汇：

 

Learn Vocabulary from the Lesson

binary

 

 

It's more binary.

 

Binary refers to a system of only two. For example, yes and no make a binary system. On and off make a binary system. There is only one choice between two things. Notice the following:

 

Most computers are made of binary code⁵ using either one or zero.

Baseball is very binary. You are either safe or out. 

benefit

 

 

It benefitted me.

 

If something benefits someone or something, then they gain something because of it. Notice the following:

 

The trees benefitted from the rain.

I benefitted from the long holiday.

detriment

 

 

It was to my detriment.

 

Detriment refers to something or some action that causes damage. Detriment is the opposite of benefit. Here are a few examples:

 

He continues to smoke to the detriment of his health.

Some people feel the process of learning⁶ suffers to the detriment of testing.

be easy on

 

 

I will not be easy on them.

 

When someone is easy on another person, that means they are very kind and nice and careful not to be strict or hurt their feelings. The opposite of being easy on someone is being hard on them, or tough with them or strict with them. Study the examples below:

 

Please be easy on Bob today. He is feeling very sad.

My coach was always easy with us after a loss, but tough with us after a win.

have a lot coming to them

 

 

They have a lot coming to them.

 

Here the phrase, 'have a lot coming to them' means that the recipient⁷, or person being talked about will have a lot of accountability or judgement later on. They will be held to higher standards or judgement even though maybe they don't expect it. The phrase 'another thing coming to them' means the same thing. Notice the following:

 

If my students think I am a kind teacher, well, they have a lot coming to them.

You have a lot coming to you if you think I can forgive you for your actions.

1 binary   

adj.二，双；二进制的；n.双(体)；联星

参考例句：

• Computers operate using binary numbers.计算机运行运用二进位制。
• Let us try converting the number itself to binary.我们试一试，把这个数本身变成二进制数。

2 detriment   

n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源

参考例句：

• Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。
• His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

3 secondary   

adj.中级的，中等的，次要的；n.次要位置，副手

参考例句：

• It's a question of secondary importance.这是个次要的问题。
• Secondary school means junior school and high school.中学是指初中和高中。

4 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

5 code   

n.代码，代号，密码；法典，法规，规划

参考例句：

• What's the code for Tianjin?天津的代号是多少？
• Remember to use postal code.勿忘使用邮政编码。

6 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

7 recipient   

a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器

参考例句：

• Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
• Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。