him to join a party。 He wanted to refuse at first； but once he saw a rabbit tattooed on a woman’s arm who revealed it on purpose； he changed his mind at once。 Afterwards； he met his girlfriend Trinity。 It was when the real exciting story started。
How e the story happened later related to “rabbit”？ What does “follow the rabbit” mean？ The questions kept obsessing me and drove me to consult all the dictionaries I could find。 I reckoned “rabbit” may have the meaning of “clue” at first； but I failed to prove my own guess。 The dictionaries simply provided one explanation saying that it means “a small longeared animal that lives in a hole in the ground”。 “Rabbit” here absolutely had its unique meaning； and its general meaning “rabbit” had nothing to do with the plot。 This made me much more puzzled。
Not giving up easily； I called Brenda who is my another foreign teacher and asked her about this detail。 She chuckled on the other side of the line； saying： “Clara； think of a famous fiction named ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’； how did Alice get to wonderland？” After a long pause of silence； I yelled in excitement： “That rabbit” “You got it” said Brenda。 “Now do you know the other meaning of ‘follow the rabbit’？” “Yeah” answered I hastily； “It hinted that Neo was going to be led to the true world and know his real identity and destiny。”
Besides this part of The Matrix； there are several parts using this fiction to pun on words。 For instance； when Neo was introduced to meet Morpheus； Morpheus showed him two pills； one red； and the other blue。 “Take the blue pill； and you wake up on your bed tomorrow and believe every thing you believe； take the red one； I’ll show you how deep the rabbit hole is。” The words above was quoted from the film； and the last sentence of Morpheus implied that he would tell Neo the truth about the world they lived which was a virtual wonderland created by puters； and the machines had taken control of the world for a long time。 Obviously； “rabbit hole” refers to truth here。
Further more； the names in this film are significant； too。 The one that named the characters apparently wanted to show us with some clues through these deliberately chosen names。 Take “Morpheus” for an example。 It is the name of god of the dream from classical legends。 The name “Trinity” also has its own religious meaning。
Unfortunately； Brenda left abruptly with the three DVDs I lent her； so I could not keep the film。 My only memory for The Matrix is my notebook that contains almost all the conversations of it。 I treat it as my priceless treasure。
The first TOEFL class
Saturday； July 28； 2007
The courses of TOEFL iBT finally began after I had expected it for such a long time。 The first thing I got to do is to get new books。 When Ellen and I went into a small room near our classroom and showed the woman in charge of our listening certificate； our hands were full of loads of books in an instant moment。 There were seven huge and thick books including a series of four books for the four sections in TOEFL iBT； an advanced skill practice for the iBT； an official guide and a preparation course for TOEFL iBT； plus more than 30 CDs； it would certainly make you in despair。 But the motto of the New Oriental is “Hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope and you can make your life a splendid one。” “OK； I will try；” I thought。 “But you have to tell me how； do you？”
The teacher who taught our spoken English is John； a talkative； humorous man with a look a little like foreigners。
In class； he taught us how to make through independent speaking task and also encouraged students to speak before the class on some chosen topics。 I don’t know what I was afraid of； for most of the class spoke much more poorly than I did。 But still； I didn’t dare to stand up and say： “John； can I have a try？” Now I am aware of my fault； ： wanting to be perfect is not wrong； but one should not let the thought block one’s way。 Stopping talking because of being afraid of making mistakes surely guarantees you a nonmistake performance； but fluency in English is bound to be a daydream for you。
The next day at the same time； again John asked us to answer the question： “Should film or television be censored or should we be free to choose what we like to see？ Express your opinion and include details in your explanation。” I stood up bravely and spoke aloud before the whole class。 I said that although censorship keeps vulgarity and violence away from children； it deprives children’s ability of judging for themselves。 Also in a country； abusive censorship may be used by some people to manipulate viewers’ values。 After my speech； there was an explosion of applause which instilled content and confidence into my body。
Now I know that you never lose by trying； you only lose by holding back。 From now on； I will wipe off my shyness and be a person full of selfconfidence。
Future warrior
Wednesday； August 01； 2007
These days I was extremely depressed because of two reasons： one is that I found my English level was way too far from TOEFL； the other is that time is not under my control。
The goal I set up for myself is to get at least 100 points in TOEFL iBT which is a great mark acknowledged by the public for the students who major in English。 Further more； the emphasis on munication in an academic setting makes it more difficult and challenging than the previous versions。 Therefore； my level seems too poor to achieve the goal。
Yesterday； our oral English teacher John asked us to try the first type of integrated speaking of which description on the OG （official guide） is like this： “You read an announcement or notice related to an aspect of university life and then hear two students discuss the written notice。 Then you report what the notice was and what one of the students thought about it。” The first exercise he asked us to do was about a curriculum change in core course requirement to plete a BFA （Bachelor of Fine Arts） in music at Midtown University。 Because I was not familiar with this topic； I couldn’t get the useful information immediately from the reading and listening passage。 Then the interesting oral English became an agony for me to suffer from。
Giving in to difficulty doesn’t agree with my personality； so I made a reading plan for myself。 The reading materials were chosen from a TOEFL reading book which is related to the topics I was not familiar with。
Today； Dennis； the man who teaches us reading； told us about his experience of preparing for GRE。 He said he rent a house near his university with his partner and began his life as an ascetic。 That was the way of life allowing no physical pleasures。 Every meal was done by instant noodles； which causes him to feel sick every time he smells instant noodles now。
He also told us about a story of his classmate。 That guy has such a passion for his major that he can devote himself to it。 At last he successfully got the application letter from his dreaming university MIT。 The guy was given a name “Future warrior” by his friends because all the things he did then was for his future and major。
Well； I think； maybe I should also adapt the name “Future warrior” as a motto to inspire me to carry on fighting for my future。
Find hope in despair
Monday； August 06； 2007Every teacher in the New Oriental is a good storyteller who always let us burst out laughing and get inspiration out of the stories。 Among those stories the events about how the New Oriental was founded gave me the deepest impact。
Before the history was mentioned； Daniel； the man who teaches us writing； talked about an excellent student enrolled by Harvard University with the full scholarship last year in Shanghai。 Not only did that guy get the golden medal for universal Math Olympic petition； but also hold several piano personal concert in his city。 Further more； he was the record holder for 200metre and 1000metre race among high school students in Shanghai。 Besides； he boasts handsome looking。
“Sounds like God gave everything that everyone will be dying for to him。” Murmured I to my roommate & deskmate Ellen among the astonished students。
“It is not fair； er？” Obviously Daniel heard my words since I sat in the first row of the class； “Boys should be grateful and delightful that such perfect guy went to America so that the number of your public enemy is reduced by one。”
“Well； just for kidding。” Realizing the whole class was astounded to dead still； he asked whether we know how the New Oriental was founded at the thought that it was necessary to inspire us instead of sending us to despair。
Yu Minhong； the initiator of the New Oriental was rugged and full of misfortune； traced back to the time when he took the university entrance exam。 Before he was finally enrolled by a University which is among the best universities in China； he took the exam for three times because of many plex reasons。 To his dismay； being enrolled by the university was the beginning of a worse misfortune in his life。 Because of his background of peasant born； no one even would like to talk with him including his teachers who thought he was totally hopeless。 After graduation； he remained in the university and became an English teacher。
Under tremendous pressure of lack of finance； Yu had to be a sneak teacher in a school called Oriental because doing a parttime job was banned according to the rules of the university。 Months later； his behavior was discovered and the university fired him instantly。 Out of his firing； he got thrown by the Oriental； too。 That must be the darkest time in his life while he was out of job and was disdained by everyone around him。
But who could predict that Yu then established his own school and it flourished during the past 15 years； having branches throughout the nation？
The story ended and Daniel added： “See？ Whose present is more miserable than Yu？ So what on earth give you the excuses that Nike will never wave to you in wele？ Go for it While there is life； there is hope。”
That accounts for why the school’s name is “New Oriental” because Yu wants it to remind him of his tough time before and worn him of luxury。 It also accounts for why the credo of the New Oriental is