Your College Years

Dr. Bob Hartman

Discussion:

Do you agree with the author that young adults like college students are bound to go through an identity crisis? Have you had any identity crisis yourself or do you know anybody who has?How in Ericksos’s opinion is our identity determined? Is it genes-determined? Is it determined by the circumstances? Or is it basically in our own hands to define our role in life?Do you developmental changes and identity crisis only occur to adolescents? How about younger children and elderly people? Can you elaborate?

Warming-up Questions

1. As a sophomore, what is your general impression of college?

2. Have you experienced anything different from your middle school life?

3. What’s your purpose of receiving a college education?

4. Have you had any psychological problems ever since you entered college?

About the author:

Dr. Bob Hartman is a children’s story-teller and part-time pastor. He was born in Pittsburgh, the United States, and moved to England in the summer of 2000.

Erik H. EricksonErik H. Erickson

Erik H. Erikson (1902—1994), was a German-born American psychoanalyst whose writings on social psychology, individual identity, and the interactions of psychology with history, politics, and culture influenced professional approaches to psychosocial problems and attracted much popular interest. He was most famous for his work on refining and expanding Freud’s theory of developmental stages.

Background Information

Identity Crisis ( 认同危机 ) A) A psychosocial state or condition of

disorientation and role confusion occurring especially in adolescents as a result of conflicting internal and external experiences ,pressures, and expectations and often producing acute anxiety .

B) An analogous state of confusion occurring in a social structure , such as an institution or a corporation.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary （西南浸礼教会神学院）

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ， located in Fort Worth , Texas ,is a private ,non-profit institution of higher learning associated with Southern Baptist convention whose stated mission is “to provide theological education for individuals engaging in Christian ministry .” It is one of the largest seminaries in the world and is a redited by the Associations of Theological schools and also by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools toward diploma ,masters and doctoral degrees. The school uses the Baptist and Message as its confession of faith .

An analysis of the text structure

Part 1 (para.1) Introduction: College students will go through key changes in their college years.Part 2 (para. 2-6) Establishment of college students’ personal ’sexual and social identity in the college.Part 3 (para.7) Affirmation f personal values such as religious faith, their values, and their morals.Part 4 (para.8 ) Development of new ways to organize and use knowledge.Part 5(para.9) Expansion of their world knowledge.Part 6 (para.10) Summary: College students are growing in their understanding of themselves, others and the world in which they live.

Language points

to handle 1. to touh lift or turn with the hands

eg: This box contains delicate chain .Please handle with care .2. to operate with hands

eg: This computer is easy to handle .3 to manage control or cope with

eg: Thank you . But I can handle it myself .handle n. 把， 柄

eg:This knife has a carved handle.

to apply 1. to make a formal and usually written

request for a job , position , permission etc eg: She is applying for a scholarship.2. to use a method , law ,principle etc in a

particular situation

applicant (n.) the one who applies you should apply this theory to practice.1. to affect or concern somebody or

something eg: Not all natural laws can apply to human

society .2. to bring something into nearness or

contact with something eg: Apply some of this ointment to the

swollen part ,and the pain will soon be gone .

capability (n.) the natural ability, skill, or power that makes you able to do sth.

He has the capabilities of solving/to solve practical problems.

It’s quite above his capabilities.

cf. ability ---the power to do sth. well acquired naturally or by learning

 capacity ---ability to hold, contain, or learn

faculty ---a special ability

He has the ability to do the work, but he’s too lazy and won’t do it.

The book is within the reading capacity of young readers.

distribute (v.) to give things to a large number of people; spread sth. over an area

distribute pictures among children

distribute magazines to subscribers

distribute manure over a field

attribute (n.) a quality or feature of sb./sth. (v.) to say or believe that sth. is the result of a particular thing

Politeness is an attribute of a gentleman.

He attributes his success to hard work. 

counsel (v.) (fml.) to advise

(n.) advice; opinion; suggestioncounsel care in the forthcoming negotiation

He counseled their giving up/to give up the plan.

counselor n. adviser; lawyer 

distinct (a.) a. clearly different or belonging to a different type b. easily seen, understood; plain

Silk is distinct from rayon.

They are similar in form but distinct in kind.

There is a distinct improvement in his pronunciation.

He is at a distinct advantage in the competition.

 distinctive (a.) serving to mark a difference or make distinct

Soldiers wear a distinctive uniform.  

endeavor (v.) to try very hard (n.) effort; attempt

He endeavored to calm himself down but in vain.

His endeavors to persuade her to go with him failed.

endowment (n.) a. a quality or ability that someone has naturally

b. money, property, etc. given to provide an income They are men of great endowments.

The Oxford and Cambridge colleges have numerous endowments.

ethical (a.) connected with principles of what is right and what is wrong

an ethical principle

an ethical basis for education ethnic

(a.) a. of race or the races of mankind

b. (colloq.) of a particular cultural group

ethnic clothes/food/music/restaurants

excessive (a.) much more than is reasonable or necessary

excessive rainfall / excessive charges

 excess (n.)

an excess of enthusiasm

That is a city with a population in excess of two million.

handle (v.) a. to touch, lift or turn with the hands b. to operate with the hands

c. to manage, control or cope with

d. to buy and sell

This box contains delicate china. Please handle with care.

This computer is easy to handle..

We have to handle the relationship between our two countries carefully.

This shop does not handle imported goods.

inherit (v.) to receive (genetic characters) from one’s parents

inherit money/estate/title

She inherited her mother’s good looks and her father’s bad temper.

inheritance (n.) the money, property, etc. that you receive from sb. when they die; the fact of receiving sth. when sb. diesShe spent all her inheritance in a year.

(n.) sth. from the past or from your family that affects the way you behave, look, etc.our artistic/cultural inheritance

heritage (n.) the history, traditions and qualities that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered an important part of its characternational/cultural heritage

our artistic/cultural inheritance

heritage (n.) the history, traditions and qualities that a country or society has had for many years and that are considered an important part of its characternational/cultural heritage

interpret (v.) a. to make clear the meaning of (either in words or by artistic performance)

b. to consider to be the meaning of

c. to give an immediate oral translation of

interpret a difficult passage in a book

We interpreted his silence as a refusal.

Will you interpret for the foreign visitors?

inhibition (n.) (psych.) a feeling of worry or embarrassment that stops you doing or saying what you really want to

Wine weakens a person’s inhibitions.

inhibit (v.) to hinder; to restrain

inhibit sb. from doing sth. 

involve (v.) a. to include as a necessary part or result b. to affect

All reforms involve certain tasks.

observe (v.) a. to see or notice; watch carefully b. to say by way of comment

The accused was observed trying to force the lock of the door.

Some scientists observed that global warming is not necessarily related to human activities.

occur (v.) a. to happenb. to come into one’s mind suddenly

Over the years many floods have occurred in that area.

It occurred to him that there was a better way to do it.

perceive (v.) to become aware of, esp. through the eyes or the mind

Musicians can perceive small differences in sounds.

He gradually perceived that language and culture can’t be separated. 

project (v.) a. to plan

b. to cause a shadow, an outline, etc. on surface

c. to present sb./sth./yourself to other people in a particular way, esp. one that gives a good impression

shrink (v.) a. to make or become smaller, esp. through wetting b. to move back; show unwillingness to do sth.

Will this shirt shrink in the wash?

Car sales have been shrinking recently.

A shy man shrinks from meeting strangers.

contract (v.) to make or become smaller or shorter; make or become tighter or narrower

Metals contract as they become cool.

contract one’s muscles/the brows/forehead

Theme of the text

College is designed to be a time of changes for students. Threatening the changes may be, they contribute to young adults’ growth and maturity. College students are experiencing a lot. Not only are they being introduced to new people and new knowledge, but they are also acquiring new ways of assembling and processing information. They are also proudly growing in their understanding of themselves, others and the world.

Notes to the text:Adolescent : this is a formal word to refer to a person aged 13 to 19.The informal word is teenager. For people considered fully grown and therefore legally responsible, the world adults and the grown-ups are used.

Reading Comprehension

Do you find it easy to relate to the opposite sex ? do you agree with the author that stressful as it is , it is nevertheless one of the most important goals we must achieve during school years ?

What does the author mean when he talks about “gathering, processing, assembling, applying, and evaluating” information ?Why is this point so important? Can you elaborate?

What other things should students do at university? What does the author mean by “internalizing” religious faith, values, and morals?

Grammar exercises

1.Though college students seldom think about them, key changes will probably happen to them during their years.2. Immediately after graduating from high school, some graduates choose to enter the work world.3. At the same time, these young adults are learning how to give and receive affection in the adult world.

Assignment

Answer the question in about 150 words

In what ways, according to the writer of the article, is college a time of growth and expansion ?

For your reference The Way of Growth and Expansion in College college Is a period of growth and expansion, which means

that students will go through key changes during their campus life.

Most students will experience the identity crises, which includes the dependence struggle, psychological separation from their parents, the confusion in their sexual identity, and perplexes on hoe to relate with the society. As a result, the establishment of college students’ personal, sexual and social identity in the college is essential for them.

College is also a period of affirming their personal values such as religious faith, moral and ethical values. What’s more, they develop new ways to organize and use the academic knowledge as well as their world knowledge.

By doing so, college students can be growing in their understanding of themselves, others and the world in which they live .