diamondcutter
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2014
- Member Type
- English Teacher
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- China
- Current Location
- China
The following article is a text from an English textbook for senior high school students in China, published by Beijing Normal University Press. It’s not a passage for students to find and correct mistakes in it but a model passage for students to study and imitate. I think the tenses of the verbs in red aren’t used correctly and I’ll correct them in brackets behind them. Besides, I think there are some other mistakes and I’ll also mark them in red and correct them in brackets behind them.
After a long day, Zhang Tian finally got back to his small room, feeling tired. He had started (started) working at seven in the morning and it was (is) eight in the evening now. He had (has) to prepare his lessons for the following day. This is a typical day for Zhang Tian. Coming to Guizhou Province (province) to teach has been quite an experience for him.
Zhang Tian graduated from university and got a teacher's certificate last year. His parents, like most (most other ones), hoped he would go to a big city to find a teaching job. Likewise (In fact), his friends all left his (their) hometown for (to) work in (big cities like) Shanghai or Beijing. Zhang Tian felt (thought) differently, however. He wanted to start (have) a new lifestyle. He had met (had) wonderful teachers from small villages during his early school years and he was inspired by them to go and teach where he was needed the most. For that reason he applied for and became a volunteer teacher in a village school. Bringing with him lots of books, clothes and two pairs of trainers, Zhang Tian travelled to the village with an eager heart (an anxious mood). He imagined all sorts of exciting things about living independently and teaching in a village.
However, not everything lived up to Zhang Tian's hopes. The school was much smaller than he had expected , with only three classrooms. In front of the classrooms, there was a playground which got dusty on windy days and muddy on rainy days. Living in the village was also more challenging than he had thought. The power and water supplies (supply) were unstable, so he could only shower every three or four days, and he had to learn how to cook. The thought of leaving once flashed through his mind, but he quickly gave up on the idea and found ways to deal with the challenges.
The school had (has) just three teachers and Zhang Tian was (is) the only English teacher. The other two local teachers were (are) responsible for maths (Maths) and Chinese. To make school life healthier and livelier for his students, Zhang Tian introduced (or has introduced) more subjects to the school -- music, art and PE. It is not surprising that PE is the kids’ favorite subject! Their school lives are now more attractive and interesting, and they enjoy playing football in the playground, as well as singing songs they've learned. The school is now full of laughter and music. Zhang Tian is planning to organise the first-ever school concert! Everyone is very excited.
Zhang Tian's first year is almost over. It has been a tough year, but he has enjoyed working with the children. What made (has made) him feel satisfied was (is) that his students were (are) able to read, speak and write in English, and they became (have become) more confident in learning. Besides teaching, Zhang Tian also brought changes to the village. He contacted charity organizations about rebuilding the playground and setting up a library, and helped the villagers sell local products online. The contribution he made (has made) to the village was (is) great so he became (has become) very popular among the villagers and they treated (treat) him as one of them. The village is like his second home now. Although he had only intended to stay for one year, he now feels ready to stay for another year. He feels so happy that he followed his heart when choosing what to do with (or in) his life, even though it may not be what others expected of him.
Dear teachers , do you agree with my corrections or alternatives (the words in brackets are my corrections and alternatives)? I’d like to read your comments.
After a long day, Zhang Tian finally got back to his small room, feeling tired. He had started (started) working at seven in the morning and it was (is) eight in the evening now. He had (has) to prepare his lessons for the following day. This is a typical day for Zhang Tian. Coming to Guizhou Province (province) to teach has been quite an experience for him.
Zhang Tian graduated from university and got a teacher's certificate last year. His parents, like most (most other ones), hoped he would go to a big city to find a teaching job. Likewise (In fact), his friends all left his (their) hometown for (to) work in (big cities like) Shanghai or Beijing. Zhang Tian felt (thought) differently, however. He wanted to start (have) a new lifestyle. He had met (had) wonderful teachers from small villages during his early school years and he was inspired by them to go and teach where he was needed the most. For that reason he applied for and became a volunteer teacher in a village school. Bringing with him lots of books, clothes and two pairs of trainers, Zhang Tian travelled to the village with an eager heart (an anxious mood). He imagined all sorts of exciting things about living independently and teaching in a village.
However, not everything lived up to Zhang Tian's hopes. The school was much smaller than he had expected , with only three classrooms. In front of the classrooms, there was a playground which got dusty on windy days and muddy on rainy days. Living in the village was also more challenging than he had thought. The power and water supplies (supply) were unstable, so he could only shower every three or four days, and he had to learn how to cook. The thought of leaving once flashed through his mind, but he quickly gave up on the idea and found ways to deal with the challenges.
The school had (has) just three teachers and Zhang Tian was (is) the only English teacher. The other two local teachers were (are) responsible for maths (Maths) and Chinese. To make school life healthier and livelier for his students, Zhang Tian introduced (or has introduced) more subjects to the school -- music, art and PE. It is not surprising that PE is the kids’ favorite subject! Their school lives are now more attractive and interesting, and they enjoy playing football in the playground, as well as singing songs they've learned. The school is now full of laughter and music. Zhang Tian is planning to organise the first-ever school concert! Everyone is very excited.
Zhang Tian's first year is almost over. It has been a tough year, but he has enjoyed working with the children. What made (has made) him feel satisfied was (is) that his students were (are) able to read, speak and write in English, and they became (have become) more confident in learning. Besides teaching, Zhang Tian also brought changes to the village. He contacted charity organizations about rebuilding the playground and setting up a library, and helped the villagers sell local products online. The contribution he made (has made) to the village was (is) great so he became (has become) very popular among the villagers and they treated (treat) him as one of them. The village is like his second home now. Although he had only intended to stay for one year, he now feels ready to stay for another year. He feels so happy that he followed his heart when choosing what to do with (or in) his life, even though it may not be what others expected of him.
Dear teachers , do you agree with my corrections or alternatives (the words in brackets are my corrections and alternatives)? I’d like to read your comments.