Students will have opportunities to improve their English proficiency through reading, speaking, and writing. Technical reading skills will be instructed and more active participation in speaking activities is expected on various topics. Beginning from paragraph-level writing, students will eventually compose a five-paragraph essay. After completing this course, students will be able to express their opinions and ideas in verbal and written forms with greater competence.

Participation 10%
Quizzes 10%
Eight writing assignments (WA) 40%
Two oral presentations 15%
Exams 25%

1 2.19-2.23 Introduction to the course and Ice-breaking activities
2 2.25-3.2 i) ‘My Journey in Photographs’
ii)‘Living Light’
3 3.4-3.10 i) ‘Design by Nature’
ii) ‘Fantastic Voyage’
4 3.11-3.17 i) Grammar and Vocabulary I
ii) Grammar and Vocabulary I
5 3.18-3.24 i) ‘The Rise of Virtual Money’
ii) ‘A Crowd in Harmony’
6 3.25-3.31 i) Presentation I (common novel)
ii) Presentation I (common novel)
7 4.1-4.7 i) Feedback
ii) Review
8 4.8-4.14 Midterm Examination

9 4.15-4.21 i) ‘Who Killed the Emperor?’
ii) ‘In the Crime Lab’
10 4.22-4.28 i) ‘Virtually Immortal’
ii) ‘The Threat from Space’
11 4.29-5.5 i) Grammar and Vocabulary II
ii) Grammar and Vocabulary II
12 5.6-5.12 i) ‘Water Worries’
ii) ‘Technology as Trash’
13 5.13-5.19 i) ‘Genes, Health and Lifespan’
ii) ‘In Search of Longevity’
14 5.20-5.26 i) Presentation II (explorer)
ii) Presentation II (explorer)
15 5.27-6.2 i) Feedback
ii) Review
16 6.3-6.9 Final Examination

I would like to wish you a very warm welcome to this class. I hope that we can learn and grow together, as well as gather some happy memories along the way. To make the most of our class, I think that it is important for us to work together as a team. In order create the best possible classroom environment, I would ask you to pay attention to the following classroom rules:
i) If you have a question, please ask. You can ask a question by simply raising your hand during class time, or you can ask at the end of the class. Your questions are important.
ii) If you have an emergency, please call. You can call me personally, or you can get in touch with a member of staff in the departmental office. Communication is crucial.
iii) Manage your time. Arrive in your classroom a few minutes before class begins, and locate the materials that you need to study. This will help you to have a more relaxed learning experience.
iv) Manage your participation. During class, restrict phone-calls and toilet breaks to ‘emergency only’. This will help you to have a more productive learning experience.
v) Believe in yourself, and the others around you. You are part of a very special and talented team. You can make a positive difference.