Asecondarystudent’spreparationforhisup-coming
studiesabroad
Preface
IamamiddleschoolstudentfromShanghai,China.Ihadanordinaryandjoyfulchildhood.AsanyChinesestudentIhadfollowedtheproperorderandadvancedstepbystepthroughstudyingfromaprimaryschooltoamiddleschooluntilourfamilywenttoCanadaforasummerholiday,otherwise,Iwouldprobablybecomeasenior3studentwhohastooftenstayuptodoendlesshomeworkassignedbytheschoolandvariouscramonesasmydomesticpeersaredoingforthepurposeofenteringauniversitywhichmyparentsexpected.Luckily,thesituationhaschangedsincewewenttoCanadathatsummer,whereevenunderthesameskyandthesamebrightmoonIobtainedadifferentfeeling,whichenabledmetowitnessadifferentworldandhelpmerealizewhatIreallywant.
MyparentsandIwenttoCanadaabouttwoyearsago,sincemyparentsdon’tunderstandEnglish，soitwasmewhotookthemanywhere.BeforethistriptoCanada,IwasashyboyandfeltnervousofcommunicatingwithpeoplefromothercountriesalthoughIhavestaredlearningEnglishsinceIwenttoschool.Becausewehadtogooutforamealorvisitsomeplacesthere,Isuddenlyfelttohavetheresponsibilityandobligationtoserveasanassistantlinkingmyparentstothenewworld.Ididn’thaveanychoicebuttriedtotalkwithlocalpeopleandtriedtomakenewfriendswithmyheart.Thistwo-monthpleasantandunforgettableholidaytriggeredmetomakeabolddecisionthatInowconsidertobemybestwealth-----------independentfrommyparentsandtoexplorethenewworld.AssoonaswereturnedhomeinChina,IstaredtopracticeEnglishextremelyhardforrealizingmydream.Asaresult,myparentsandfriendsnoticedachangehappenedtome----------fromastudentwhousedtoresistanttolearningfromthehearttoonewhoiswillingtotakeinitiativeinexposinghimselftocontemporaryknowledge.
Today,Iwouldliketotakethisopportunitytowritedownmyhalfayearofexperienceinpreparingandchoosinganoverseasschool,which,Ihope,canbehelpfultoyou.
——ChengDongYan
序
我是一名来自上海的中学生，普普通通的度过了快乐的童年，上了小学然后按部就班地就读于家附近的中学。如果没有那一次暑期家庭旅行，我现在应该高三了，和所有国内的孩子一样，刻苦读书，挑灯夜战，上各种补习班，做没完没了的练习题，为的是考进父母心意的大学。还好那一年的夏天，让我看到了不一样的世界，虽然有同样的天空，同样的明月，可却让我经历了不一样的时光，从那时起我知道自己要什么！
——严铖栋
Contents
Chapter1MyProfile...……………………………………1
1.1interests……….…...……………………………………1
1.2WhyStudyAbroad.........................................……….2
Chapter2WhyCanada……………………………………2
2.1NationalConditions…………………………………......3
2.2Climate…………………………………………………...5
2.3CustomsandFestivals…………………………………..5
2.4Education………………………………………………..5
2.5MyReflections…………………………………………..6
Chapter3Preparations……………………………………7
3.1QuestionsAskedFrequently……………………………7
3.2Preparations……………………………………………..12
Chapter4mycurrentsituation……………………………14
4.1MyImpressionofStudyingAbroad………….....…….14
Chapter1:MyProfile
MynameisChengDongYan（GeorgeYan）,male,fromShanghai,China.Iwasbornon17Nov.1995.IhavebeenstudyingatRockridgeSecondarySchoolinWestVancouverSchoolDistrict,Canadaforalmostayear.BeforeIwenttoCanada,IwasastudentatDaJingHighSchoolinShanghai,China.SinceIhavelearnedalothere,Iwouldliketosharewithyousomeofmyreflections,which,Ihope,mayhelpthosewhoareconsideringorplanningtocometoCanada.
1.1Iamastudentwhoischeerful,friendly,healthyandenergetic.
Ihavebeenstudyingveryhardandhaveachievedtheexcellenceinmyacademicstudies,somyparentshaveplacehigherexpectationonme.Myfavoritesubjectsincludemath,physics,sports,musicandfinearts.
Meanwhile,IhavebeenlearningdrawingsinceIwasaprimarystudent.IstarttopracticesketchinanartschoolofHuangPuDistrict,Shanghaiin2002.IwonthefirstprizeatShanghaiInternationalTeenagerDrawingCompetitionsin2003,2005,and2006respectively,andobtainedthesix-gradesketchpaintingcertification.Withauniqueappreciationforlinesandcolors,Ihavegainedthejoyotherhardlyimage.Moreover,IhadbeenresponsibleforwritingthewallboardsofschoolswhereIusedtostudybeforeIwenttoCanada,atthattimewhenwewroteawallboard,wedideverythingfrommaterialsselection,typesettingtothefinalarrangement.
Additionally,Iaminterestedinsports.IbeganjoggingwhenIwasayoungerboy,nomatterwhattheweatherwaslike;Iwouldrunaslongas3000metersontheplaygroundafterschool.IlikebasketballbestandIamveryskillfulatseriesofbasketballplayingtechniques.Mostofall,Ihaveahighcommandofshooting.Ibegantopracticeshootingin2007andbecameamemberoftheschoolshootingteamsince2008.IwonthefirstprizeatshanghaimiddleschoolshootingcompetitioninDecember,2008.Furthermore,IwasoneofkeymembersoftheschoolshootingteamthatwonthechampionshipatShanghaiYouthShootingCompetitioninMay,2012.IwasawardedthetitleofthenationalathletesofgradetwoinJune2009.
Theserichandcolorfulextracurricularactivitieshelpmedevelopanup-and-comingspiritofhardworks,cooperatewithotherpeople,facilitatemypersonalityinapositivedirection,promotemycommunicationskills,which,Ithink,isavaluablespiritualtreasureforme.Duringthisprocess,myparentshavesparedoneffortstoencourageandsupportme,whichIamverygratefulfor.
1.2studyingabroadmeanstomeetnewchallengesandacceptnewideas
Thankstotheadvancedanddiversifiedmedia,Ihadheardaboutthedifferentculturesandeducationsystems,particularlytherichandcolorfulcampuslifeinforeigncountiesbeforeIwenttoCanada,whichenablesmetoknowthemoreopenandcomprehensiveeducationalmodesthatareprettydifferentfromthatadoptedinChina.Goingabroadisacompletelynewjourneyinsteadofsight-seeingtour.Studyingabroadcannotonlyletmeexperiencethetotallydifferentculturesandscenes,exposemyselftothemoreadvancedacademictheoreticalknowledge,developindependencefrommyparents,butcanalsohelpmeidentifymystrengthsandweaknesssoastofullyexploitmypotentials.Myparentscompletelysupportmetostudyabroad.
Chapter2:WhyIwillstudyabroadWhyIchooseasecondaryschoolinCanada
TheprominentsevenaspectsthatimpressmemostinCanada:
lowincrimerateandwidelyrecognizedasoneofthesafestcountriesintheworld.
leadingtheworldinscience&technologyandeducation,oneofsevenstrongestindustrialcountries,mostschoolsinCanadaarepublicones,educationisnotconsideredtobeanindustry.
bordersontheAmerica,mutualrecognizedacademicdiplomasanddegreesbetweenCanadaandtheUnitedStates,graduatesenjoybrightprospectsofacademicstudiesorcareerdevelopmentintheUS.
lowertuitionandlivingcost,whichareonethirdasmuchasthatofUSandUK,graduatescanhave3-yearworkvisa,enjoymorealternativesinbothacademicstudiesandcareerdevelopment,andhigherstartedsalaries.
diversifiededucationandlivingenvironment,rapidandlower-risktobecomelocalcitizens,andsoundbilingualenvironmentofEnglishandFrench.
Perfecteducationalsystem,comfortablenaturalscenes,ratedforsevenconsecutivetimesasoneoftheworld’bestplacetolive.
oneoftherichestnationsintheworldandhasmostcomprehensivesocialsecuritysystem.
2.1NationalConditions
CanadaisacountryinNorthAmericawithapopulationofabout30million.Itsterritory,whichcovers9,98millionsquarekilometers,extendsfromtheAtlanticinitseasttothePacificOceaninitswest.Itistheworld’ssecondlargestcountybytotalarea.Sincetherearelessthanthreepeopleinpersquarekilometers,Canadaisthecountrywithlowestpopulationdensityintheworld.
Asoneofthesevenrichestwesterncountriesintheworldandakeymemberstateof“NorthAmericanFreeTradeArea”,Canadaisalsooneofthetop10China’stradingpartners.SinceCanadahasacomfortableandbeautifulnaturalenvironmentandrichnaturalresources,possessessoundsocialstabilityandcomprehensivesocialsecuritysystem,andadoptsthepolicyofdevelopingmulti-culture,itisratedincoupleofyeasinrowbytheUnitedNationsastheworld’sbestplacetolive.
Canadaisamulti-nationalcountry.Immigrantsandtheiroffspringaccountfor97%ofitspopulationwithEnglishCanadiansandFrenchCanadiansbeingthelargestethnicgroups,ofwhich,EnglishCanadiansamountto40%ofCanadianpopulation,followedbyCanadianFrench(27%).Becauseasmanyasover1millionoverseasChinese,ofwhom,90%inthreemajorcitiesofVancouver,MontrealandToronto,arelivinginCanada,theChinesehasbecomethethirdpopularlanguagesince1992.
Politicsystem:democraticandfederalpoliticalsystemwithsoundsocialstability.
Economy:Canadahasrichnaturalresourcesandimplementsmarket-orientedeconomicpoliciesandisoneofthesevenstrongestindustrialcountriesintheworld.ItisthelargesttradingpartneroftheUnitedStates.BothtariffsandvisasareescapablebetweenCanadaandtheUS.Itsmainindustrialsectorsincludeauto,electricpower,telecommunications,highscienceandtechnology,petroleum,paper-makingandetc.itleadsinagriculture,forestryandfisheryintheworld.
Racialequalities:Canadaisamulti-nationalcountry;thegovernmentsatalllevelsencouragethedevelopmentofdiversifiedculture.Theproblemofracialdiscriminationisnotasseriousasthatinotherwesterncountries
OverseasChinese:Canadahassomebig-sizedChinatownsinbothMontrealandToronto.SinceCanadaissaferandhasbetterlivingconditionscomparedwiththeUnitedStates,ithasbecometheprimarydestinationforimmigrantscomingfromthemainlandofChinaandHongKonginrecentyears.Canadaimplementsa12-yearcompulsoryeducationalpolicyinitsmostprovinces,thestudentscandirectlystudyinuniversitiesupongraduationfromsecondaryschools.
Atpresent,Canadahasmorethan70universitieswhosediplomasarewidelyacceptedbyothercountries.Eachuniversityhastwosemestersineveryacademicyear:autumnsemesterfromSeptembertoDecemberandspringsemesterfromJanuaryandApril.Somecoursesarealsoavailableforstudentsinsummer.
InCanada,studentsusuallyneedfouracademicyearstofinishundergraduatecourses,twoorthreeyearstofinishgraduatecoursesandovertwoyearstocompletedoctoralcourses.Students’academicperformancesareallevaluatedthroughthecreditsystem.Studentscangraduateaheadofthescheduleiftheyselectmorecourseseachtime.Inadditiontotheuniversities,Canadaalsohasmorethan250institutesandcollegesincommunitiesofallprovinces.Thesecommunityinstitutesorcollegesfocusonstudents’pre-jobtraining.After1-3yearstraining,studentscanhavecollegedegrees.
2.2Climate
TheweatherpatternacrossCanadavariesfromregiontoregion.Thetemperatureineasternpartisrelativelylowerbutmoderateinsouthernpart.Theclimateinthewestpartiswarmandhumid.Itsnorthernpartfeaturestundraweatherwithvastareaoffrigidzoneswherethelowesttemperatureisminus60.Thehighesttemperatureinmiddle-westernpartis40.
2.3CustomsandFestivals
ThestaplefoodofCanadianpeopleincludemeatsandvegetables,occasionally,theyalsotakericeandcookedwheatenfood.Besidesbeefsandchickens,Canadianslikesardinesandothervenisonbest.Canadianpeopleareunadorned,easy-goingandhospitable.
Canadahasmanyfestivals,includingtheNewYear’sDayonJanuaryfirst,onitsevemanycelebrationactivitiesareheld;Carnival,a10-day-longgrandfestivalwithFrenchcharacteristicsusuallyheldinQuebecProvinceinFebruary;MapleSugarFestival,aspecialfestivalinCanadaheldfromMarchtoApril,duringwhichpeoplesing,danceandenjoymaplecakesandtoffees.
2.4Education
Canadiangovernmentsattachgreatimportancetoeducation.EducationinCanadaisfundedbyfederalgovernmentatalllevelsandadministratedormanagedbyprovincialandlocalgovernments,sothereisnotsuchaninstitutionastheministryofeducationthatadministrateseducationalactivitiesacrossthecountryinthefederalgovernment.Canadahas10provincesand3provincialjurisdictions,eachofwhichhasitsowneducationalsystem.
Canadianchildrenaged4or5usuallyvoluntarilyattendclassesinkindergartensforoneortwoyears,andthenbegintostudyinprimaryschoolswhentheyreachsix.ThesemesterofaprimaryschoolbeginsinSeptemberandendsinJuneofnextyear.Studentscangotostudyinuniversitiesaftercompletingallcoursesofhighschoolsthatoftenhavethreeacademicyears-----grade11,grade12orgrade13.Curriculumsinprimaryschoolsacrossthecountriesaresamebutaredifferentineachsecondaryschoolanduniversity.Theadvisersineachschoolwouldhelpstudentsplantheirfuture,meanwhile,italsoorganizevarietyofsocialactivitiesforstudentssoastodeveloptheiroverallcapabilities.Canada’shighereducationiscomposedofcommunityinstitutes,universitiesandgraduateschools.Internationalstudentsandnewimmigrantshavetohavealanguagecoursefirst.Universitystudiesusuallylastfor3-5years.
2.5MyReflections
IwillprobablyhavemorealternativestoenterauniversityifIcangraduatefromaCanadiansecondaryschool.
Tobeginwith,Canada’seducationsystemintegratesitselfwiththatoftheAmericaandBritain,butismoreinclinedtoAmericanone.Givenitsexcellenteducationalquality,itsdiplomasarerecognizednotonlyinothercountriesofNorthAmerica,butalsointherestoftheworld.Unliketheexamination-orientededucationinChina,educationinCanadapaymoreattentiontocultivatingstudents’practical,cooperativeandcoordinativeabilitiesaswellasdevelopingtheircomprehensivecapabilities,whichishighlyconducivetotheircareerdevelopmentinfuture.
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Secondly,studyinginCanadaprovidesoverseasstudentslikemewiththepureEnglishenvironment,wherethestudentscanimprovetheirEnglishassoonaspossiblethroughbothin-classandoutside-classactivities.Moreover,varioussocialandteamactivitiesenablethestudentstoexperiencesociallifeearliersothattheycanenhanceotherindispensableabilities.
Lastly,Canadaisconsideredoneofthesafestcountriesintheworld.ThesafetyinCanadaislargelyduetoitsgenuinedemocracy,sophisticatedsocialsecurity,asaresult,humanrightsarefullyguaranteedandtheproblemofracialdiscriminationisminimized.
StudyinginaCanadiansecondaryschoolhelpmeadapttothetotallydifferenteducationalsystem,habitsandcustomsinaforeigncountryandovercomethelanguagebarrierinparticular.SinceIamstillyounger,studyingabroadcannotonlybreakthelanguagebarrierquickly,butalsoenablemetoacquireahighcommandofEnglishwithinashorttime.WhatismoreimportantisthatIcanfreelychooseanyCanadianuniversityjustlikethelocalstudentswithmyCanadiansecondaryschooltranscriptsuponthegraduationratherthanhavetostudyindualenrollmentuniversitiesassomeChinesehigh-schoolgraduateswithoutthelanguagetranscriptsdo.Furthermore,thenumberofdualenrollmentuniversitiesislessthanhalfofthenormalones.Chinesestudentswhoareinthethirdyearofmiddleschool,gradeoneorgradetwoofseniorhighschoolareidealcandidatestogotoCanadiansecondaryschools.Canadianhighschooldiplomaswouldserveasastepping-stoneforstudentstogotothemostprestigiousuniversitiesinbothAmericaandCanada.
Chapter3Preparations
3.1FrequentlyAskedQuestions
BeforeIwenttoCanada,myparentsandIconsideredsomepossibleproblemsaChinesestudentislikelytofacewhenstudyingthere,which,Ibelieve,arealsoconcernsofotherparentswhoplantosendtheirchildrentostudyinCanada.HereI’dliketosumthemupandsharewithyou.
1.HowdooverseasstudentsenrollinuniversitiesinCanada
Firstly,overseasstudentscangotoCanadiansecondaryschoolsandgetahighschooldiploma,whichenablethemtohavemorealternativestoapplytouniversities.
Secondly,ChinesehighschoolgraduatescangotoCanadianuniversitiesthroughdirectenrollmentordualenrollment,orattendthepreparatorycoursesforCanadianuniversities.
2.WhichcityshouldstudentschooseAbigcityorasmallcity
Atpresent,mostChinesestudentschoosetheirschoolsinCanada’sthreebigcities-----Toronto,VancouverandMontreal,becauseanumberofprestigiousuniversitiesincludingTorontoUniversity,McGillUniversity,theUniversityofBritishColumbiaandSimonFraserUniversityarelocatedthere.
3.ArehighschoolsinCanadaclassifiedintopublicandprivateschools
Yes.AsinChina,Canadahaspublicandprivateschools.
BothpublicandprivateschoolsaregovernedbytheMinistryofEducationinCanada.Sincethecompulsorycoursesdesignedandgraduationstandardsadoptedinbothpublicandprivateschoolsareentirelysame,thepublicandprivateschoolsarenotdifferentinessence.Buttheprivateschoolsusuallyhaveamorerestrictmanagement,providemoreassistantcoursesandextracurricularactivities,sotheirtuitionsarealittlebithigherthanthatofthepublicschools
Canadianpublicsecondaryschoolsarerunandadministratedbytheeducationdepartmentofeachprovince,andeachcityorregioninCanadahasaSchoolBoardorSchoolDistricttomanagepublicsecondaryschoolsinitsjurisdiction,thenumberofpublicsecondaryschoolsgovernedbyeachschoolboardorundereachjurisdictionisvariedfromseveraltoseveralhundreds
4.WhatarethestrengthsandweaknessesofpublicandprivatehighschoolsinCanada
Thestrengthsofthepublicsenior-schools:
1.Canadianstudentsstudyinginsecondaryschoolsdon’tneedtopaytuitionfees,soabout90%ofstudentsinthepublicsecondaryschoolsarenativespeakerofCanadianEnglish,wherewhatoverseasstudentsfromnoEnglish-speakingcountriesareimperceptiblyinfluencedbywhattheyseeandhearisEnglish,asaresult,thesestudentswouldfindouttheirEnglishimprovequickly.
2.Curriculumdesignedinthepublicsecondaryschoolsisrichandvariedwithmuchextracurricularactivities.
3.SincetheeducationalinfrastructuralfacilitiesinCanadaarefundedbythegovernments,facultyandstudentsthereenjoyeverythingneeded,suchaslibraries,lounges,laboratories,auditoriumandothers.
Theweaknessofthepublicsecondaryschools:
Someregulationsorrulesadoptedbythepublicsecondaryschoolsarenotsoflexible,forinstance,schoolsthatbegintheirclassesinSeptemberwouldstopenrollingnewstudentssixmonthsago.Sincethenumberofstudentsenrolledbythepublicschoolsislimited,sometimes,someChinesestudentscannotchoosetheiridealschools.Inaddition,thepublicsecondaryschoolsdon’tofferaccommodation;foreignstudentshavetofindhostfamiliesbythemselves.
Thestrengthsoftheprivatesecondaryschools:
1.Moststudentsintheprivatesecondaryschoolscomefromno-Englishspeakingcountries.SincetheirmainobjectivesaretogotoCanada’sprestigiousuniversitiesupontheirgraduationandtheseschoolsoftenhaveahigherproportionofstudentsenteringahighergrades.Furthermore,thelessonsarecarriedoutinrelativesmall-sizedclassrooms;sotheteachershavemoretimetoapproacheachstudent,thusensuringthequalityofeducation.
2.Theprivatesecondaryschoolshavearelativeflexibletimetabletobegintheirclasses.Ifstudentsmissonesemester,theycangotoclassesofnextsemesterthatbeginsseveralmonthslater.Theprivatehighschoolsusuallyhavefourtofivebatchesofrecruitseveryyear,whichprovidesmoreopportunitiesforstudentstoenrollin.
Theweaknessoftheprivatesecondaryschools:
Oneofthedisadvantagesoftheprivatesecondaryschoolsisundesirablelanguageenvironment.Sincemoststudentstherecomefromno-Englishspeakingcountries,theytendtogetcloserwiththeircompatriotsandcommunicateintheirfirstlanguage,thusprobablymakinglessprogressinEnglish.
5.HowtochooseasuitableCanadiansecondaryschool
Canadadoesnotrankitssecondaryschools,whatitmattersisiftheschoolyouchooseissuitabletoyou.ItwouldbebetterchoicetostudyintheprivatesecondaryschoolsifyouwanttohavemoreopportunitiestogotoCanada’skeyuniversitiesinfuture.
Ifyouwanttointegrateyourselfwithlocalpeople’sdailylifeinCanadaassoonaspossible,havearicherandmorecolorfulexperienceinbothacademicstudyandothersinaschool,you’dbetterchooseapubliconeinCanada.
Ifyouareconcernedoverthesecurityduringyourpursuingstudiesinschools,andhopesomeprofessionalstotakecareyourboardandlodgingsothatyoucanfocusonyouacademicstudies,youshouldtakeCanada’sprivateboardingschoolsforchoice.
Bycontrast,ifyouwanttoimproveyourabilitiestolivebyyourselfindependently,you’dbetterchoosethepublicsecondaryschoolsandliveinalocalhostfamilynotfaraway.
6.WhatcurriculumsareusuallysetinaCanadiansecondaryschoolHowmanyacademicyearsastudentwillstudyforhisgraduationHowcanastudentqualifyforhisend
Canada’seducationalsystemissimilartotheChineseone,Canadiansecondaryeducationusuallyhavethreeacademicyears-----grade10,grade11andgrade12.Butinsomeprovincestherearefouryears.Astudentcangraduateifhecansuccessfullyachieve30credits,ofwhich,18compulsorycoursesincludeEnglish,Frenchasthesecondlanguage,mathematics,science(physics,chemistry,biology,computertechnologyandothers),Canadianhistory,Canadiangeography,etc.
Twelveelectivecoursesaredesignedforstudentstocontinuestudyinginuniversitiesorinstitutesforthepurposeoftheircareerdevelopmentinfuture.Studentscanchoosesuchcoursesasdrama,music,visualartandetcbasedontheirowninterests.
7.DoesCanadahavenational-wideuniversityentranceexaminationorgraduationgeneralexamination
Canadadoesnothavenational–wideuniversityentranceexamination.Canadianstudentsdon’tneedtotakepartinspecialentranceexaminationiftheywanttogotouniversities,becauseeachuniversityhasitsownselectivesystem.TheChinesestudentsusuallyhaveabetterbasisthantheirCanadianpeersinscience,oncetheycanacquireagoodcommandofEnglish,theywillfindoutthatothercoursesarerelativelyeasier.
8.HowaChinesesenior-highstudentchoosehiscorrespondinggradeinaCanadiansecondaryschool
Generallyspeaking,ChinesestudentswhoisgoingtograduatefromjuniormiddleschoolscandirectlygotoclassesofGrade10inCanada,thosewhofinishthecoursesofthefirstacademicyearinaChinesesecondaryschoolcandirectlyattendtheclassesofGrade11inCanada,thosecompletingthecoursesofthesecondyearcanattendtheclassesofGrade12.ButtheChinesesecondarygraduatesstillhavetogototheclassesofGrade12inCanada.
9.DoesCanadarankitssecondaryschools
TheordinationofhighschoolsinCanadaisdeterminedbytheReportCardGradingSystemissuedbyFraserInstitute,thepracticeadoptedintheProvinceofBCandOntarioProvincesisanexample.EachschoolinCanadahasitsownuniquefeatures;thecriticalistohaveaonethatissuitabletoyou.
10.howforeignstudentsarrangetheirboardandlodgingswhenstudyinginCanadiansecondaryschools？
Inpublicsecondaryschools
MajorityofCanadianpublicsecondaryschoolsdon’tarrangelodgingsfortheirstudents,soallinternationalstudentshavetoliveinlocalhostfamilies.Inordertohaveabetterlanguageenvironment,internationalstudentsshouldchoosetoliveinahostfamilynearbywhosemembersaretypicalnatives.
Inprivatesecondaryschools
Mosthigh-qualityprivatesecondaryschoolsareboardingones,soallstudentshavetolivethereandfeelrelativelysafer.Inaddition,theboardandlodgingofthestudentsaremanagedinaunifiedwaybytheschools;theyneedn’tworryaboutinconveniencearisingfromtheirdailylife.
11.HostfamiliesinCanada
Mosthostfamiliesprovideaprivateroomwithnecessaryfurniture,threemealsadayandbasicnecessitiesoflifeforinternationalstudents,sotheycansavelotsoftimeandmoneyandjustfocusontheirstudies.Meanwhile,thefamiliesalwaysencouragethestudentstotakepartintheirfamilyactivities,throughwhichinternationalstudentscanimprovetheirEnglishorFrench,betterunderstandlocalpeoples’livinghabitsandcustomsandmakemorenewfriends.
12.DoforeignstudentsneedtosubmittheirschoolreportsaboutlanguageproficiencytestwhenapplyingforstudyinginCanadiansecondaryschools
ThescorereportshererefertothereportsoftheinternationalEnglishstandardtests,currently,theprevailingonesincludeIELTS,TOEFLandetc.beforegotoCanada,internationalstudents’dbetteracquireproficiencyinEnglishlanguage,whichwillhelpadaptthemselvestothecompletelynewlivingandstudyingenvironmentsoon.
3.2MyPreparationforStudyingAbroad
1.TakingpartinspokenEnglishtrainingschools.
Inadditiontoprovidingspecialprogramsforstudentswhoaregoingtoattendsometestsforstudyingabroad,somedomestictrainingschoolsalsohaveoral-Englishclasses.Ireceivedlanguagetraininginoneoftheseschoolsnearmyhomewhoseteachingprogramiscloselyassociatedwiththedailylife.WhenchooseanoralEnglishcourse,youmustn’tlimityourtrainingtothepracticejustfortheoralpartofIELTS,thetrainingshouldalsoincludessuchmaterialsastopicsandscenesthatpeopleoftenexperienceintheirdailylife.BypracticingtheeverydayexpressionsandvocabularyofEnglishanddialogueskills,Ihavebeengettingfamiliarwiththecommonsentencesusedindailylife.Furthermore,someteacherstherealsotrainedusbyintegratingwhatwelearninclasseswithactualsituationindailylife,enablingmetobenolongernervouswhenencounteringthesimilarsituationsindailylife.
MyEnglishteachercamefromtheUnitedStates;hisintroductionofoverseaspeople’slifehasarousedmystrongdesiretoliveabroad.He,accordingtoAmericanpeople’shabitsandcustoms,triedtosimulateascenewithdistinctivefeaturesofexoticlife,which,asaresult,enabledmetoimprovemylisteningandspokenabilitiesofEnglishsubstantially.
2.Talkingwithinternationalpeople
Itisriskyforastudentlikeme,whohasneverbeentoothercountriesbeforeanddidn’thaveanyexperienceofcomingintocontactwithoverseaspeopleinhismotherland,togoabroad.Inordertoeasethisconcern,ItriedtocapitalizeoneverypossibleopportunitytopracticeEnglishbeforeIwenttoCanada.TherearemanywaystopracticeEnglish.ItissaidthatthebestwaytopracticeEnglishisjoiningtheactivitiesheldinEnglishcorner(aplacewherepeoplewhoareinterestedinEnglishbutdon’thavechancestopracticegettogetherandtalkwitheachotherinEnglish).IvisitedtheEnglishcornerinPeople’sSquareofShanghaiatalmosteveryweekend.Insuchplacesasshoppingmalls,restaurantswhereforeignfriendsoftenvisitorevenintheundergroundsorpublicbuses,Ioftentookinitiativeingreetingorchattingwiththesefriends,which,Ithink,isalsoagoodwaytomakefriends.
3.Watchingmovies,TVseriesinEnglish.
WatchingEnglish-speakingmoviesorTVseries,Ithink,ismoreinterestingthansomeboringEnglish-teachingmethods.ThelanguageusedinthesemoviesorTVseriesismuchclosertothatofdailylifeandoriginal.Wecanfindoutthattheprotagonistsoftenspeakatwill,theirwordsareseldomcomplete,instead,theyoftensimplyuseseveralwords,evenawordsometimestoexpressthemselves.
4.Readingliteratureworks,especiallythenovelsinEnglishasmuchaspossible.
IhavechosenseveraladaptededitionsofliterarymasterpiecesinEnglishforreading.Thewordsofthesebooksarerelativelysimpleandareeasiertounderstandandthestoriesarevividandinteresting.itissaidthatreadingthiskindofmasterpiecescannotonlyimprovereaders’English,butcanalsodeepentheirunderstandingabouthumanlife.
5.Studyingconsistently
Successfulpeopleusuallyattributetheirgreatachievementstotheirassiduousandpersevering
studies,sodothosewhoacquirehighercommandofEnglish.InordertoimproveyourEnglishsubstantially,you‘dbettertrytothinkasthosefromEnglish-speakingcountriesdo,ifpossible,catcheveryopportunitytotalkwithyourfriendinEnglish.ItisworthmentioningthatpayingmoreattentiontothedialoguesorconversationsinEnglishprogramsoneitherradiosormoviesisalsoaneffectiveway.
Chapter4mypresentsituation
1.Theimpressionofstudyingabroad
Ifgotoyourschoolearlierinthemorning,youwouldseeagroupofgirlstudentsmakingupbeforethemirrorsinthebathrooms.Wedon’thaveschooluniforms,buthavespecialsportsuits.InsomeCanadianhighschools,studentscandressthemselvestheylike,forexample,girlstudentsareallowedtohavetastefulhairstylesandwearhigh-heeledshoes.ThemakeupontheeyesofIndiangirlstudentslookspretty.Theyusuallyspendlotsoftimemakinguptheireyes,iftheirskinslookwhiteanddelicate;theypreferlightortransparentmakeups.
Ourclassesusuallybeginat9:20inthemorningandareoverat3:35intheafternoon,wehaveonehourlunchbreak.Whenwehaveourlunch,wewouldoccupytherefectorytablebesideamicrowaveoveninthedeepestpartofthedining–room,studentssittinginarowareallmyfriends,itlooksverycool,isn’titWetakemealsforlunchfromhome.Themealforlunchisvariedandsumptuous,includingbread,eggfriedriceandvarietyoflunchboxes.Bytheway,Vietnamesebreadisincrediblydelicious,eventhecrustisfullofsweetsmell;theauntieofmyhostfamilyoftengetsupearliertopreparethemealformylunchasmyparentsdidbefore.Sincesheisagoodcook,Ialwaysenjoygourmet’sluck.
InCanada,studentschoosetheircoursesofnextacademicyearinthebeginningofeachsemester;theycanchoosefourcurriculumsineachsemester.Everyday’sclassscheduleissameandeachclasslastsfor75minutes.Studentscanchangetheircoursesatwillinthebeginningofeachsemester,buttheyshouldsubmittheirapplicationformsforthepopularcoursesasearlyaspossible,otherwise,theseatsintheclassroomforthesecourseswillnotbeavailable.Generallyspeaking,eachclasshas15-20students,andallteacherstherearekindandpatient,especiallywithinternationalstudents
Canadiansarrangetheirlifeandworksprettywell。Studentsareextremelybusywiththeiracademicstudyduringweekdays,butatweekendsorinholidays,theyhaven’torhavelittlehomework.ThepatternofhomeworkhereisdifferentfromthatinChina;itfeatures“assignmentandpresentation”.
Canadianschoolspaymoreattentiontocultivatingstudents’socialandpracticeabilities.Beforegradation,studentsareaskedtodoacertaintimeofvoluntaryworkaccordingtotheirgrades.Iworkedasavolunteerinapetshoptotakecarereallycutekitty.Someofmyclassmateseitherhelpedarrangechairsforanodeumandthenenjoyedaconcertfreeofcharge,ordidsomething
fortemplesorchurches,buttheplacetheywenttomostfrequentlywastheaterswheretheydidn’tknowwhattodo,butjustwatchamovie,whichcouldhelpthemgaintwohoursofvoluntaryworks.Sometimestheydidpart-timeworkinthePARTY.Inshort,thevoluntaryworkswedoarenotseriousones,butfromwhichwecannotonlypracticeourEnglish,butcanalsoimproveoursocialabilities.
Thebuseshererunbasedonthetimetable;thearrivaltimeofeachbusateachstationisregularandbasicallyaccurate,sopassengerscanavoidwaitingforbusesoutsideroomsinwinter.Thebusdriversareextremelyfriendlyandkind,whenpassengersgetoff,theywouldsay:“hasaniceday”;ifitisatweekend,theywouldsay:“enjoyyourweekend”.OnceIforgottobringmymonthlyticket,thedriverofthebusthatIwasgoingtotakestillallowedmetogetonandsaid:“itdoesn’tmatter.”Thisreflectstherealcareofcitizenslivinginaharmoniousandcivilizedcity.
ThereisatestofEnglishasSecondLanguageinCanadaforjustarrivedinternationalstudents;thistesthasfivegrades-----A,B,C,D,E.IpassedthelevelE,soIcanfinishallcoursesinasecondaryschoolwithin18monthsandgradateatsametimeasmydomesticpeersdo.
Girlstudentsandboystudentsareseparatedinourphysicaleducation.Inthephysicaleducation,wepracticethemusclesofallpartsofourbodieswithdifferentbody-buildingequipment.OnFriday,weusuallypracticeyoga.Ofcourse,wealsotakepartinothersportsactivitiesatordinarytime.Lastweek,ourteachergaveusticketstowatchanicehokeycompetitionbetweenthestudentsandteachers.Whenthephysicaleducationisover,mybodyoftenbecomehotterwithsweetandIfeelreleasedandhavebettermood,soIlikethephysicaleducationherebest.Moreover,theteachersherearehelpfulandconsideratetointernationalstudentsandtheamountofphysicalexercisesisplannedbystudentsthemselvesinourschool.
Wehaveaquizaweekandatesteverytwoweeks,theadvantagesofthispracticeisthatstudentscanavoidheavypressurecausedbyuniversityentranceexamination.Canadianstudentscanapplyforstudyinginseveraluniversitiesatsametimeandsubmittheirmaterialsassoonasthefirstsemesterofthegrade12isover.Theirscoresaredeterminedbybothaveragescoresoftop6UniversityTypeandtheperformanceofextracurricularactivities.
SinceIwentabroad,Ihavebecomemorematurethanbefore,andhaverealizedthetrueinternationalizedvisionandthemodeofthinkingoflocalpeople,whichisquitedifferentfromthatoftheChinesepeople.OnceItoldmyparentsinastedfastmannerthroughavideodisplaythatIwouldcertainlysendmychildrentothedevelopedcountriesinfuture.AfterhearingwhatIsaid,myparentsheavedasighasifrelievedofaheavyburdenandsaid:“wewerenotcertainifitisarightdecisiontosendyoutostudyabroad,butnowwecanrestassuredafterfindingoutthatyouhaveprogressedinallways,wefeelproudofyou.”
Ithinkonceyougetdownandthinkoftheencouragementandexpectationsofyourparentsandyourfriends,thinkofthewarmharborbuiltbythem,youwillbefullofvigorandvitalitytopushyouforward,nomatterwhatdifficultiesorsetbacksyouwillencounter.
目录
第一章快乐男孩的自我介绍1
1.1我的自述1
1.2向往新的生活2
第二章为何打算出国留学，并选择加拿大的学校2
2.1加拿大地理位置3
2.2加拿大气候4
2.3加拿大风土人情4
2.4加拿大教育制度4
2.5我的感想5
第三章如何准备赴加拿大留学6
3.1留学加拿大十二问6
3.2我的准备10
第四章现在的我11
4.1留学生活感想11
第一章：快乐男孩的自我介绍
1.1我是个活泼开朗，待人友善，健康向上的男孩
学习方面，我一直很刻苦，父母对我也寄予厚望。我成绩优秀，数学、物理、体育、音乐、美术都是我最喜欢的学科。
艺术方面，从小学开始，我就喜欢上了画画并努力练习。从2002年起我师从黄浦区艺术班学习素描绘画，在2003年、2005年、2006年上海市举办的“千禧龙杯”国际青少年书画作品联展（大赛）中荣获特金奖，并获得了素描绘画六级证书。在画画中我收获到了别人没有的快乐，对色彩和线条都有独特的审美观。学校的板报都出自我手，从选材到排版以及最后的操作都由我和我的同学们共同完成。
体育方面，我从小喜欢跑步，不管寒冬酷暑，每天放学后我在操场跑上3000米。篮球也是我的最爱，三步上篮、三分球、带球过人都是我的拿手好戏。此外，从2007年起，我开始练习男子十米气步枪射击。2008年起，我一直代表学校参加上海市黄浦区的中学生射击比赛，在2008年十二月参加的“格致杯”中小学生射击比赛中获个人第一名，在2012年5月举办的上海市青少年射击锦标赛中获得男子十米气步枪射击团体冠军。并于2009年6月荣获国家二级运动员称号。
丰富的业余生活不仅让我养成了积极向上和吃苦耐劳的精神，同时也让我学会了团队合作，完善了人格，学会了与人交流的初步技巧。对我来说这些是我人生中一笔巨大的精神财富，当然也必须感谢父母对我的培养与支持！
1.2出国读书意味着要接受新的挑战和新的理念
发达和多元化的媒体使我很早就了解到了一些国外的文化和教育，尤其是国外丰富多彩的校园生活，让我领略到了和中国完全不同的，更为开放、更加综合全面培养的教育模式。出国并不是意味着去游玩，而是面对一段新的旅程！出国留学能够经历的不仅是与自己祖国迥异的文化和风光，最重要的是接受更为先进的学术理论知识，并且离开父母的庇佑，让我可以更快地学习独立和成长，可以让我更多的认识自己的优势和弱势，发掘出自己更大的潜能。父母非常支持我要出国的想法！
第二章：为何打算出国留学，并选择加拿大的学校
加拿大最吸引我的七点：
2犯罪率很低，公认的世界上最安全的国家之一
2居于世界前列的科技水平和教育水准，是世界七大工业国之一，加拿大大多数是公立教育，不以教育为产业
2与美国接壤，学历互认，毕业生在美国就业学习发展前景广阔
2学费及生活费较美国、英国低三分之一，毕业生可获三年工作签证，选择多，起薪高
2多元化的教育和生活环境，本土化移民快速无风险，英、法双语环境
2完善的教育体制、惬意的自然风光，连续七年被联合国评为全球最理想的居住地
2全球最富有的国家之一，拥有世界上最完善的福利体制
2.1加拿大地理位置
联合国的评估报告连续多年把加拿大列为“世界上最适宜居住的国家”。加拿大位于北美洲北半部，它东濒大西洋，西濒太平洋，国土面积约1千万平方公里，名列世界第二。人口约3千万，平均每平方公里不到3人，是人口密度最低的国家之一。
加拿大是西方七大强国之一，“北美自由贸易区”的主要成员，也是与中国互为前10名之内的贸易伙伴。它的自然环境优美、资源丰富，社会安定，福利优厚。加拿大是个实行多元文化政策的国家，移民及其后裔占总人口的97%。民族构成以英裔和法裔为主，英裔占40%，法裔居民占27%。自1992年起，中文已成为加拿大第三大语言。加拿大全国共有100多万华人，其中的大约90％居住在多伦多、温哥华和蒙特利尔这三大城市。
政治：民主政体，联邦制度，政局稳定。
经济：自由经济，实力雄厚，资源丰富，是世界七大工业强国之一，美国是其最大的贸易伙伴，美加之间互免关税及签证。加拿大主要工业部门有汽车、电力、通讯、高科技、石油、造纸等。农业、林业、渔业也很发达。
种族：多民族移民国家。政府鼓励多元文化，在西方国家中种族歧视最轻。
华人：温哥华、多伦多的唐人街，规模巨大，名列世界前茅。由于加拿大治安比美国好，居住条件较优，因此近年来已成为大陆和港台移民的首选。加拿大绝大多数省份实行12年普及义务教育，高中毕业后可直接升入大学。
目前，加拿大有70余所大学，其学历被世界各国普遍承认。各大学的每个学年均分为两个学期：9－12月为秋季学期，1－4月为春季学期，夏季也有某些课程供学生选择。
2.2加拿大气候
东部气温稍低，南部气候适中，西部气候温和湿润。北部为寒带苔原气候。中西部最高气温达40℃以上，北部最低气温低至-60℃。
2.3加拿大风土人情
加拿大人的饮食以肉类、蔬菜为主，面食、米饭为辅。喜欢吃牛肉、鸡等肉食，特别喜欢吃沙丁鱼和野味。加拿大人朴实、随和、友善、热情好客。
加拿大的节日比较多。1月1日是元旦，除夕夜举行欢庆活动。2月上旬至中旬有狂欢节，庆祝活动持续10天，是魁北克省居民最盛大的节日，具有法兰西色彩。3至4月举行枫糖节，这是加拿大特有的节庆，人们欢歌曼舞，品尝枫糖糕和太妃糖。
2.4加拿大教育制度
教育事业在加拿大极受联邦政府和各省政府的重视。各级政府承担教育的费用支出，但具体的教育管理是省政府和地方政府的职责，所以联邦政府没有教育部这一类的管理全国性教育的机构。加拿大的10个省及3个领地都有其各自的教育制度。
通常加拿大儿童在四岁或五岁，以志愿方式就读幼儿园一或两年。年满六岁时开始就读一年级，学年通常由九月至次年六月。中学为第11、12或13级，依各省而定，进而学生可就读大学。低年级课程科目相同，高年级课程有较大弹性，所学科目会有所不同。学校有学生顾问协助学生规划未来，学校还组织各种社团活动，让学生在各方面综合发展。加拿大的高等教育可分为社区学院、大学及研究所。外籍学生及新移民通常要先修语言课，大学课程通常为3-5年。
2.5我的感想：
去加拿大读高中，拿到加拿大的高中毕业证，那我的择校范围会更广。
首先，加拿大教育体制是结合美国和英国而产生的，但是更偏向于美国，教学质量一流，所获学历在北美至世界均被承认。与中国的应试教育不同，加拿大高中更注重培养学生的实践和动手能力以及与他人合作协调能力，注重学生多方面的综合素质。综合能力的培养对我踏入社会之后就业是非常有利的。
其次，纯英语环境，可以让我练就一口流利的英语。还有很多的社区、团队活动，可以让我尽早体验社会，提高各方面的能力。
最后，安全也是我的父母考虑的重要问题，加拿大是举世闻名的最安全的国家，民主制度成熟、政治体系安定，人权有充分保障，没有种族歧视问题。
第三章：如何准备赴加拿大留学
3.1留学加拿大十二问
一、高中生留学加拿大，有几条路？
第一、去加拿大读高中，拿到加拿大的高中毕业证，择校范围会更广。
第二、高中毕业去读大学，可以选择直接录取，或有条件的话，通过双录取上大学“预科”。
二、选择大城市还是中小城市？
目前中国学生留学加拿大选择较多的往往是加拿大的三大都市——多伦多、温哥华和蒙特利尔，这三个城市有着非常优秀的综合性大学，如多伦多大学、麦吉尔大学、英属哥伦比亚大学、西门菲莎大学等。
三、加拿大高中和国内一样，也有公立、私立之分吗？
是的，和国内一样，加拿大高中也有公立、私立之分。
公立高中和私立高中都是加拿大教育部直接管辖的学校，其必修课程的规定，毕业标准等完全一样，所以本质上是没有区别。私立高中管理上更加严格，辅修课程设置广泛，课外活动更加丰富，但价格也相对公立高中要高一些。
加拿大的公立高中隶属于各个省的教育厅管理，每个城市或地区都会有一个教育局（SchoolBoard）或学区（SchoolDistrict）来管理其所在地区的公立高中，每个教育局或学区管辖的公立高中数量从几个到几百个不等。
四、公立高中和私立高中有什么优、劣势呢？
公立高中的优势：
第一，加拿大当地人上高中是不收费的，所以在公立高中里面90%的学生都是当地人、这样，国内的学生到那边耳濡目染的都是英语的环境，对他们英语能力的提高是非常快的。
第二，公立高中的课程设置非常丰富，课外活动较多。
第三，因为是政府出资，所以在教育投资的基础设施建设上，很多为师生准备的图书馆，休息室，实验室，讨论室等等一应俱全。
公立高中的劣势：
公立高中也有一些规定比较不灵活，比如每年9月份开学的学校有可能3月份就截止了，因为招收的学生过多，导致国内的学生选不到理想的学校。公立高中不提供在校住宿，学生只能找当地的寄宿家庭。
私立高中的优势：
第一，私立高中的学生主要来自非英语为母语的国家。因为主要的目的就是为了毕业后能读加拿大一流的大学，所以在私立学校的升学率是非常高的。采用小班教育，老师有精力照顾到每一个学生。
私立高中的劣势：
私立高中的弱势就是语言环境。因为大部分学生都不是说英语的，所以在课外沟通的时候，都会用本国家的语言来沟通。
五、怎样选择适合你的高中
加拿大高中的学校没有好坏之分，只有适合不适合个人之说。
如果考虑将来能有更多的机会进入到加拿大的顶尖大学，那么选择加拿大私立高中会比较合适。
如果考虑能尽快融入加拿大的生活，并且除了学习，能够在高中阶段有比较丰富的经历，那么选择加拿大公立高中会比较合适。
如果比较重视高中学习期间的安全问题，希望能有专人来负责孩子的食宿，让孩子可以把精力都集中到学习上，那么加拿大全寄宿的私立高中会更合适。
如果希望尽早的锻炼孩子独立生活及解决问题的能力，那么选择加拿大公立高中的寄宿家庭会更好。
六、加拿大高中有哪些课程？读几年？毕业有什么要求？
加拿大教育体制与中国接近，一般来说高中为三年，部分省份是四年。分别是十年级、十一年级、十二年级，修满30个学分即可毕业。
其中十八个必修学分的课程包括：英文、第二语文法语、数学、科学（物理、化学、生物、电脑技术等科）、加拿大历史、加拿大地理等。
十二个选修学分是为了学生上大学、学院选定今后的事业方向。学生可以从学校提供的一系列课程中，按照自己的个人兴趣进行选择。比如：戏剧、音乐、视觉艺术等。
七、加拿大有全国性的高考、毕业会考吗
加拿大没有全国性的高考。加拿大中学生想要上大学，不用参加专门的入学考试，各大学都有自己的学生选拔制度。中国学生的理工科基础普遍要比加拿大本国学生强，只要把英文学好，其他都不是难题。
八、中国高中怎么和加拿大的高中对接呢？
一般而言，国内初中毕业生去加拿大直接读的是十年级，国内高一读完去加拿大读十一年级，高二读完去加拿大读十二年级，高三毕业去加拿大继续读十二年级。
九、加拿大高中有排名吗？
加拿大的高中排名都是由FraserInstitute提供的ReportCard评分机制评测的，比如BC省、安大略省。每所学校都有各自的特色，找到“适合”自己的学校才是最重要的。
十、去加拿大读高中，食宿如何安排？
公立：
加拿大公立高中绝大部分不提供校内住宿，所有国际学生均需入住当地寄宿家庭。最好是当地出生，英语为母语离学校近的家庭，方便为学生创造良好的语言学习环境。
私立：
优秀的私立高中多是寄宿学校，学生都住在学校宿舍中，相对更加安全，并且由学校统一管理食宿，可以免除学生在生活上的担忧。
十一、寄宿家庭的情况怎么样？
十二、申请加拿大高中是否需要语言成绩？
这里所指的语言成绩是指国际英语标准考试成绩，比如常见的雅思（IELTS）、托福（TOEFL）等等。尽量在去加拿大前打好英语基础，能在出国后很快的适应全新的学习生活。
3.2我的准备：
一、参加口语培训班
我的老师是位美国人，通对海外生活的介绍，他激发了我对于国外生活的热情。他还会在全外教创造的全真语境中，通过演练一些海外生活习惯，模拟海外生活场景，帮助我迅速的提高听力和口语水平。
二、与外国人交流
对于从来没有迈出国门，在国内也从没有和外国人进行交流，却即将要和外国人打交道的我来是非常冒险的。因此，我会尽量找机会提前练习。练习和交流的方式有很多，最为有效的方法是去英语角。每周末你都会在人民广场的英语角看到我。另外，在一些外国朋友比较多的场合，如商场、饭店，甚至地铁、公交车上，我都会勇敢、主动地跟外国友人打招呼、聊天，这些都是结识朋友的好机会。
三、看英文电影、电视
与一些枯燥的教学方法相比，英文电影、电视往往更受欢迎。除了感觉轻松，影视作品中的语言更加生活化、口语化，更加原汁原味。我们会发现，很多外国人说话是比较随意的，一句话经常不会完整地说下来，而是仅仅用简单明了的几个词，甚至一个词来表达。
四、多欣赏文学作品，尤其是英文小说
我挑选了几本较为浅易的英文改写西方文学名著，它们文字清新简明、故事富于趣味。欣赏英文名著既能使英文进步，又能加深对人生的了解，真是一举数得。
五、必须持续地学习再学习
凡事皆须持之有恒始有所成，学习语言更是如此。多多尝试用英文来思考，最好平时常用英文来思考；常跟朋友练习英语会话，也常收听英语广播或电影对白。
第四章：现在的我
4.1留学生活感想
如果早晨早些到学校洗手间的话就可以看见镜子前一排美妞在化妆。我们没有校服，但有专门的体育课运动服。在这里，高中女生都可以踩高跟，她们的发型别致好看。印度女孩的眼熏妆太漂亮了，白皙肤色的女孩一般会选择淡妆或者透明妆，特别是眼睛部分她们会花很多心思，prettyawesome!!!
加拿大是个动静分明国家，一般工作日非常有事做，一到周末或者假期就基本没作业或者很少作业。作业类型也和中国不同，这里基本都做assignment和presentation。
刚来加拿大的有个英语ESL测试(EnglishasSecondLanguage)，共分ABCDE五个等级，我拿到了E,这样就可以在一年半内顺利毕业了，和国内的朋友们同步。
我们体育课有分男生班女生班。体育课就是玩各种健身器材来锻炼身体各个部位的肌肉，周五练习瑜伽，平时还有参加各种健身运动。上周老师发票给我们去看学生对阵老师的看冰球比赛。等四月份天气转暖，这样我就可以外出长跑啦。我超级喜欢这里的体育课，一节课下来全身发热出汗，各种运动量都是由学生自己定计划以便做到最好。老师对我们国际生很照顾。
在这儿基本是一周一小考，两周一大考，这样做的好处就是没有高考压力。学生在12年级上学期结束后就可以申请多所大学，投递资料。学生的成绩按照最高的6门UniversityType的平均分算，再评估课外活动之类。
很多人会觉得出国留学后就爽了，其实不是这样，关键还是看个人，要说累的话，只能说和国内累的不同地方吧。如果你真的想读出名堂，不想浪费青春，不想白白糟蹋昂贵的学费和辜负家人、朋友的期望，真有你忙的。我在这里学到的第一课就是独立。自己以前也蛮独立的，暑假在家会烹调午饭晚饭，自己衣服鞋子自己洗。在这里为准备考试或者报告都要自己去图书馆找资料。晚上做完作业常常就不知不觉到半夜了。总之一切要靠自己，能帮你的也只有自己。语言关和融入当地社会背景是最重要的吧，我正在努力。