As is known to all, nowadays many students are interested in studying abroad.

Attending schools abroad has many advantages. First, by looking at our own country from outside, we can best see the strong points and weak points of our nation and therefore broaden our minds. Second, while studying in a foreign country, we can travel widely, visiting famous scenic spots and making friends with the local people. Third, we can use the foreign language in our daily life so that our ability in that language may be improved quickly. But the most important is to learn advanced(先进的) science and technology. For all these advantages, it is really worthwhile to go abroad for education.

However, as everything has two sides, there are also some disadvantages in attending a foreign university. The most serious problem is the language barrier(障碍). Most of the students who are ready to go abroad do not prepare themselves well for the new language environment. As a result, on arriving there, they will find it difficult to understand what the instructors are saying in class. Besides, for not knowing about the customs and way of life of the local people, they may run into trouble in dealing with various situations. Therefore, misunderstandings foten arise. Furthermore, the cost of living is much higher than that in our country, so most students have to find part-time jobs in order to help support themselves. Faced with these difficulties, many students find themselves unable to pay full attention to their studies and some students may even fail in their courses and learn little.

Therefore, given an opportunity to attend a school abroad, one must consider the factors carefully before making up his mind. On the one hand, it is a good thing to go and study abroad. But on the other hand, one must not neglect(忽视) the disadvantages.

   Wouldn't it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the headache of communicating in a different language？

In a recent Wall Street Journal article，technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that，within a decade or so，we would be able to communicate with one another via small earpieces with built-in microphones. That's because technological progress is extremely rapid. It's only a matter of time. Indeed，some parents are so convinced that this technology is imminent that they're wondering if their kids should learn a second language.

It's true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers will make them cleverer at translating“Noes Bueno dormer mucho” into“It's not good to sleep too much”. Replacing a word with its equivalent（对等词）in the target language is actually the easy part of a translator's job. But even this seems to be a discouraging task for computers.

It's so difficult for computers because translation doesn't — or shouldn't — involve simply translating words，sentences or paragraphs. Rather，it's about translating meaning. And in order to infer meaning from a specific expression, humans have to interpret a mass of information at the same time. Think about all the related clues that go into understanding an expression: volume, gesture, situations, and even your culture. All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use.

Therefore, we should be very skeptical of a machine that is unable to interpret the world around us. If people from different cultures can offend each other without realizing it, how can we expect a machine to do better? Unless engineers actually find a way to breathe a soul into a computer, undoubtedly when it comes to conveying and interpreting meaning using a natural language, a machine will never fully take our place.

Learning a second language

This report is about how to be polite. It tells about how we can make 【小题1】（we）language more polite and how we can make sure we do not upset someone from another culture.

It has been found that words such as "would" and "could" can be used 【小题2】（help）us to be polite. For example，it is much 【小题3】（good）to say "Would you do this？" rather than "Do this！" It is also suggested 【小题4】 it should be useful to say "Please" and "Thank you". People from the West like to use these words in 【小题5】（situation）where some people in Asia may not think it necessary. 【小题6】（say）"Sorry" if we interrupt or disagree 【小题7】 someone also helps us to be polite. For example，when we disagree，we should say "I'm sorry，but I think you are mistaken（弄错的）." rather than "You're wrong！"

In 【小题8】（conclude）, we need to know 【小题9】 custom of a country so that we do not make others embarrassed（尴尬的）. It seems that if people learn something about other 【小题10】（culture）backgrounds before they visit new countries，they will be less likely to upset others.

   The world is a rich landscape of different languages，skin colors，and different cultures. 【小题1】 One way to develop this appreciation is to try to learn about other cultures around the world.

There are several ways to become knowledgeable about different cultures. One way is to read books written by authors from a particular culture. Reading works by authors from a particular culture allows people to gain an authentic（真实的）look at the food，music，language，religion，and way of life of a particular group of people.【小题2】

【小题3】 A person can choose a language he has always wanted to learn. He can attend a foreign language class in order to learn in a more formal setting. Making contact with people who are native speakers of the language allows him to gain first-hand knowledge of a particular culture as she struggles to learn the language.

Seeking out restaurants that feature authentic food from a variety of countries is also a good way. 【小题4】 And it allows people to gain insight into a particular cultural group's way of life.

People who love to meet people in faraway areas of the world may not be able to travel in person, but they can always look for a pen pal. 【小题5】 Various websites offer pen pal services, offering to connect individuals with pen friends located around the world. Communicating with people from other countries through email or mail is another useful way to become familiar with different cultures.