English Course for Science and Engineering Majors: Book 1

Author: Peng Yi
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: This textbook is designed to adhere to two principles:
1. Gradual Progression. The book is structured to align with the foundational stage of college English, facilitating a smooth transition from basic to professional English learning. Additionally, the length, difficulty, and post-lesson exercises are carefully curated to follow a progressive approach, moving from simple to complex and from shallow to deep.
2. Emphasis on Practical English Application. The textbook is not aimed at preparing students for any specific English proficiency exam but focuses on developing their ability to use acquired English knowledge for challenging spoken and written communication. Through practical use, students are encouraged to identify gaps in their language foundation and purposefully address these weaknesses, achieving the goal of learning by doing, using to learn, and learning while using.
The textbook consists of two main parts: the main text and appendices. The main text comprises ten units, each featuring one main reading passage and one to two supplementary readings, all centered around the same theme. This structure allows learners to explore more information on the same topic, fostering active thinking and critical reading.
After each main reading passage, comprehension exercises assess students' understanding of the text. Vocabulary exercises aim to enhance students' proficiency in using known words and expand their vocabulary through necessary word formation knowledge. Cloze passages provide a concise and comprehensive summary of the text, helping students deepen their understanding while grasping key information from technical literature, laying the foundation for oral or written communication. Translation exercises focus on developing students' ability to accurately convey given information and translate English-Chinese technical texts. Speaking exercises aim to cultivate students' ability to express their thoughts coherently on a specific technical topic. The writing component of this textbook emphasizes understanding the structure and characteristics of technical English, enabling students to organize complete articles logically and coherently.
The teaching activities in this textbook are designed to reflect the "student-centered" approach. In classroom instruction, teachers are encouraged to act as guides rather than instructors, maximizing students' opportunities to identify and grasp the content of the technical literature they read, particularly in developing their ability to present literature in English and express their own viewpoints.