Unit 2  What is happiness to you?

a: i do think so. but i also think that even though we can not be the top athletes in the world, training hard at a sport can make us more hard-working in other areas of our life.
b: i can’t agree more. training hard at a sport not only helps us build up our determination, challenge various difficulties bravely, and also helps us learn to collaborate with other team members.
a: yes. from the story of sang lan, we can find that the sport spirit can help her hold a positive attitude towards her life and the world.
b: so, she keeps busy and thinks about positive things to enrich her life.
a: by doing so, she will think little about herself and more about others. when she recalls all these meaningful things she has done, she’ll be very happy.
b: quite right!

step v discussion
enable the students to talk about their experiences to overcome the difficulties and become happy.
t: up to now, we have learned the story about sang lan and her struggle for happiness. and what can we learn from her? next, combine your own experience and discuss the questions with your partners. i will give you some minutes to finish the task.
show the students the following questions.
1. have you ever had some painful experiences?
2. if you have, how did you search for your happiness?
give the students some time to discuss the questions in groups of four.
during this period, the teacher may go into the students to give them help if necessary. after several minutes, check the answers.
t: well, time is up. have you finished the discussion?
ss: yes.
t: ok. i’ll ask some of you to tell your stories.
s: when i was twelve years old, i had a bad accident. i was knocked over by a car. after two months of treatment, i was nearly recovered. but i couldn’t stand up easily. so i had to sit in the wheelchair. it was a shock to me. i was so afraid to become disabled. during that period of time, i felt very frustrated. fortunately, my parents and my friends gave me much encouragement. they spared every free minute to stay with me and help me do exercise. because of their encouragement and help, i cheered up again. i was determined to stand up again. now i am as healthy as the others. after that experience, i realised that be optimistic, and everything will become better.
t: very good. you are brave. i believe in the future nothing will stop you. you will have a bright future.
s2: to me, the most painful experience was the first month in the school. my home is far from here, so i had to be in residence(住校). i could meet my parents once a week. i felt so lonely. everything was new to me. in that month, my study fell behind sharply. however, i thought, i couldn’t be like that any more. my aim was to get further education, not to miss my parents. so i concentrated on study. in my spare time, i tried to talk with my classmates and made friends with them. everything became better and better afterwards.