Experiencing English Viewing Listening Speaking Level 1 UNIT

Experiencing English Viewing Listening Speaking Level 1

UNIT 1 Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Agenda Unit Overview Background Information Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Home Listening Supplementary Reading

Unit Overview The first part of this unit presents the commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs on 12 June 2005. Students will get the gist of his speech and learn from it through listening, viewing and reading. The second part of the unit mainly focuses on helping students adjust to college life and on providing them with suggestions of how to plan their four years at college. A variety of activities will inspire them to discuss their feelings about college life and help them reflect on their choices and interests, using the words and expressions in this unit. Finally, they will conduct a real life project with their peers on how they chose their majors before they were enrolled by universities and on their four year college plans.

Background Information Steve Jobs: In the late 1970 s, Jobs, with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Mike Markkula and others, designed, developed and marketed some of the first commercially successful lines of personal computers, the Apple II series, and later the Macintosh. In the early 1980 s, Jobs was among the first to see the commercial potential of the mouse-driven graphical user interface. After losing a power struggle with the board of directors in 1985, Jobs resigned from Apple and founded Ne. XT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher education and business markets. Ne. XT’s subsequent 1997 buyout by Apple Computer Inc. brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded, and he has served as its CEO ever since.

Background Information In 1986, he acquired the computer graphics division of Lucasfilm Ltd, which was spun off as Pixar Animation Studios. He remained CEO and majority shareholder until its acquisition by the Walt Disney Company in 2006. Jobs is currently a member of Walt Disney Company’s Board of Directors. Jobs’ history in business has contributed much to the symbolic image of the idiosyncratic, individualistic Silicon Valley entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of design and understanding the crucial role aesthetics play in public appeal. His work driving forward the development of products that are both functional and elegant has earned him a devoted following. Beginning in mid-January 2009, Jobs took a five-month leave of absence from Apple to undergo a liver transplant. Jobs officially resumed his role as CEO of Apple on 29 June 2009.

Lesson One Lead-in Audio Studio Video Studio Speaking Workshop Project Bulletin

Lead-in Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Task 1 Describing the Picture Describe the pictures first and then discuss extracurricular activities that you enjoy. What kind of extracurricular activities are the people/students engaged in the following pictures? What are your favorite extracurricular activities?

Task 2 Reflecting on the Reading Read through the Supplementary Reading passage on page 123, and answer the following questions. 1. What impressed the author when he was 17? Answer: A quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right. ” 2. What happened to the author about a year before he wrote this passage? Answer: He was diagnosed with an incurable cancer and told that he should expect to live no longer than three to six months.

3. What did the doctors find when they performed a biopsy on the author? Answer: They found that he had a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that was curable with surgery. 4. According to the author, what is the most important thing in one’s life? Answer: Having the courage to follow your instincts. 5. What advice does the author give young graduates? Answer: Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Task 3 Expanding Your Vocabulary Read through the words in the left-hand column, and match each of them with the appropriate meaning in the right-hand column. 1. associate 2. release 3. replace 4. vision 5. convince 6. considerable A. to remove sb/sth and put another person or thing in their place B. an idea or a picture in your imagination C. to make a connection between people or things in your mind D. to make sth available to the public E. great in amount, size, importance, etc. F. to make sb/yourself believe that sth is true

Audio Studio Word Bank 1. shareholder 2. innovative 3. corporate 4. technician 5. backpack ★ digital 6. cutting-edge ★ diagnose ★ Walt Disney 7. transplant 8. prognosis 9. entrepreneur 10. Pixar Animation Studios Task 1 Task 2

Audio Task 1 Identifying the Gist Listen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What is the passage mainly about? A) Jobs’ computing talents B) Jobs’ advice for the young. C) A brief introduction of Jobs. 2. What can you infer from the passage? A) Steve Jobs is a great computer and movie expert. B) Steve Jobs is a successful and respected businessman. C) Steve Jobs is a crazy movie lover.

Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts Listen to the audio clip again and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F). 1. Steve Jobs is the largest individual shareholder in Pixar. F 2. Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple in 1974. F T 3. Jobs had a successful liver transplant in 2009. Script

Script Steve Jobs is the co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. and former CEO of Pixar Animation Studios. He is the largest individual shareholder in Walt Disney. His name is associated with innovative products like the i. Pod, i. Phone and i. Tunes. He is a much respected corporate leader whose management style is studied worldwide. His attention to design, function and style has won him millions of fans. Jobs was born in San Francisco in 1955. He became interested in computers when he was a teenager. In 1974, he got a job as a technician at the video game maker Atari. He saved enough money to backpack around India and then returned to Atari. Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple in 1976. Jobs guided Apple to become a major player in the digital revolution. The introduction of the i. Mac and other cutting-edge products made it a powerful brand with a loyal following. Jobs also enjoyed considerable success at Pixar. He created Oscar-winning movies such as Toy Story and Finding Nemo. In 2004, Jobs was diagnosed with a cancer. In April 2009, he underwent a liver transplant and his prognosis was “excellent. ” His advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs is: “You’ve got to find what you love. ”

Video Studio Word Bank 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. diverge devastating baton dawn animation renaissance Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Video Task 1 Matching &Predicting Complete the following statements with the phrases given below. Predict what will be talked about in the video. Then check your answers after watching the video clip. lose faith turned out turn of events screwing up falling out falling 1. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we out screwing had a ______ up 2. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for _____ so badly. turn of events turned 3. The ______ at Apple had not changed that one bit. out it _______ that getting fired from Apple was the 4. I didn’t see it then, but faith bestlose thing that could have ever happened to me. 5. Don’t _______ I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did.

Video Task 2 Bridging the Gap Watch this part of the video clip and fill in the blanks.

1. We worked hard, and in 10 years Applegrown had from ______ just the two of us in a garage into a two billion dollar company with just overreleased 4000 employees. We’d _____ our finest creation– the Macintosh – a year earlier, and I’d just turned 30. 2. Well, as Apple grew, we hired someone who I thoughttalented was very _______ to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. 3. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. And very publicly so at 30, I was out, and out ______. 4. I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of being passed to entrepreneurs down, that I had dropped the

Video Task 3 Checking Your Comprehension Watch this part of the video clip and answer the following questions. What 5. What were analogy Jobs’ does feelings when use when he was discussing fired from how Apple? 4. 1. What 2. 3. When is does Jobs the Jobs started world’s believe Ne. XT first. Jobs would computer-animated and Pixar, have happened what happened feature if he had to film his not Answer: Initially a sense of shame at having failed and let down students should find the right job? personal created been fired by life? from Pixar? Apple? a generation of entrepreneurs; but soon, also, a sense of release Answer: He suggests that finding the right job is like Answer: Toywould He fell Story. inatlove not have with an founded amazing Ne. XT woman ordetermined Pixar whoorlater met became anddiscovering excitement new opportunities as he to start one’s future spouse. It’s a matter of following his Laurene, wife. his future wife. over again. one’s heart. Script

Video Task 2 Checking Your Comprehension Script I was lucky. I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents’ garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a two billion dollar company with over 4, 000 employees. We’d just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I’d just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew, we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. And so at 30, I was out, and very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating. I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down, that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me: I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

……. During the next five years, I started a company named Ne. XT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the world’s first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought Ne. XT, and I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at Ne. XT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together. I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometime life … sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when

Speaking Workshop Task 1 Task 2 Expressions & Structures to Use 1 make an impression on 2 in a row 3 follow one’s heart 4 get … in order 5 live with 6 live through 7 clear out the old and make way for the new 8 have the courage to 9 begin anew 10 become interested in 11 get a job as 12 save enough money to 13 work hard 14 get fired 15 have a falling-out 16 let … down 17 screw up 18 start over 19 It turns out that 20 I’m pretty sure 21 I guess 22 don’t lose faith 23 I’m convinced that 24 the only thing that keeps me going is … 25 the only way to

Speaking Task 1 Summarizing Discuss with your peers and complete the following tips with the information you have learned in the video clip. Then prepare an oral presentation with the help of the tips. Tips ✐ Steve Jobs, who is …, started Apple in … However, he was … at 30. He thought that he was … ✐ But the turn of events at Apple … So he decided to … ✐ It turned out that getting fired from Apple … ✐ During the next five years, … ✐ When Apple bought Ne. XT, … ✐ He believes/is convinced that … ✐ He suggests that university students …

Speaking Task 1 Summarizing summary Steve Jobs, the co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. , started Apple in his parent’s garage at the age of 20. However, he was fired from the company when he was 30, which was devastating for him. He considered himself a public failure. But the turn of events at Apple did not change the fact that he still loved what he did. So he decided to start over. It turned out that getting fired from Apple freed him to enter one of the most creative periods of his life. During the next five years, he started two companies, Ne. XT and Pixar, and was fortunate enough to meet his future wife. When Apple bought Ne. XT, he returned to Apple and achieved great success there. He believes that, if you want to achieve great things, you need to love what you do. So he suggests that, if university students haven’t yet discovered what they want to do, they should keep looking and not give up.

Speaking Task 2 Solving the Problem Work with your peers on the situation below and try to come up with a solution to the problem described. You are expected to share your ideas and justify yourself in this process. Use as many phrases from the “Expressions & Structures to Use” box as possible. 1 Work in groups of four. One person should play the role of a counselor; the others are students from different grades who want to do parttime jobs while at college. Each student should tell their counselor about their plans and concerns. The counselor should offer appropriate advice. 2 You have 15 minutes to discuss within your own group. 3 Several groups will be selected to present their role plays. The rest of the class will vote for the best group performance.

Alternative Situation Work in groups. Suppose you are one of the top personnel managers in Apple Inc. and are job-hunting the élite (the best) graduates in your university. Design a questionnaire to identify what college students believe to be the qualities of an élite graduate. Ask students to fill in the questionnaires. Summarize and analyze the answers. Finally, present a report on the poll.

Project Bulletin Work on the following real-life project with your group members and present your report in the next class. Real-Life Project Work in a group of six to eight. Design a questionnaire to collect information from freshmen on how they chose their majors before they were enrolled by universities and on their four-year college plans. The following questions may be included in the questionnaire: — Who chose the major for you: your parents, your teacher, your relatives or yourself? — Is your major what you love most? — What suggestions would you give to those about to graduate from high school regarding choosing their university majors? — Do you have a plan for your four years at college? — What do you love best about college life?

Project Bulletin Alternative Project Suppose you are taking part in an activity called “Sharing and Telling”, aimed at helping freshmen adjust to their new life on campus. Each group member should act as counselor to the one sitting beside him/ her and give two specific suggestions to his/her neighbor. The group should then pool all these suggestions under the heading “Guiding Rules in College”. Finally, together you should design a website homepage with the same title, aimed at solving real life problems or alleviating troubles such as feeling homesick, confused or depressed, and sharing useful information with other students in college. Write a report on the whole process and present the “Top Five Guiding Rules in College” to the class next time.

Lesson Two Lead-in Audio Studio Video Studio Speaking Workshop Teamwork Show

Lead-in Task 1 Task 2

Task 1 Brainstorming Work in pairs and compare your life in high school and at college. Share your opinions with your peers. High School College

Task 2 Expanding Your Vocabulary Read through the words in the left-hand column, and match each of them with the appropriate meaning in the right-hand column. 1. involve A. 2. pessimistic B. 3. academic C. 4. essential D. 5. focus E. 6. apply F. to give attention, effort, etc. to one particular subject, situation or person rather than another to make a formal request, usually in writing, for sth such as a job, a place at college, university, etc. to take part in concerned with studying from books, as opposed to practical work expecting bad things to happen or sth not to be successful extremely important in a particular situation or for a

Audio Studio Word Bank 1. transition 2. discouraged 3. overwhelm 4. planner 5. recommend 6. coursework 7. extracurricular 8. instant Task 1 Task 2

Audio Task 1 Identifying the Gist Listen to the audio clip, and choose the right answers to the questions. 1. What is the passage mainly about? A) Comparing high school and college life. B) Introducing life in college. C) Tips for adjusting to life in college. 2. Which of the following is NOT a piece of advice to college students given in the clip? A) It’s important to keep an open mind. B) It will be impossible for you to manage your own time. C) You should call your parents if you are homesick.

Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts Listen to the audio clip again, and answer the following questions by completing the sentences. 1. Here a few _____ tips that will make the transition to college life a little easier. recommended 2. Using a planner to help you stay organized is highly ______. 3. When you first move to college, you’re going to be in a new place, new situations handling ______. 4. College isn’t just about learning facts and theories from textbooks. A an adult ____. pessimistic 5. Don’t be_____. And if things get too bad, home is only a phone large part of college involves learning how to be call or instant message away. Script

Audio Task 2 Checking the Facts Script Making the transition from high school to college life can be difficult. It is easy to become discouraged, overwhelmed and homesick. Here a few tips that will make the transition to college life a little easier. You Are in Charge of Your Time Along with your newfound freedom at college comes responsibility. Being responsible involves being able to manage your time. Using a planner to help you stay organized is highly recommended. You should also try to plan your coursework in advance, so you can determine what extracurricular activities you will have time for. It’s Important to Keep an Open Mind When you first move to college, you’re going to be in a new place, handling new situations. So you need to keep an open mind. College isn’t just about learning facts and theories from textbooks. A large part of college involves learning how to be an adult. Home Is Only a Phone Call or Instant Message Away If going away to college is the first time you’ve been away from home for a

Video Studio Word Bank 1. priority 2. guideline 3. sophomore 4. commitment 5. internship 6. cut-off 7. underway 8. click ★ generation Y Y 9. GPA grade point average Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Video Task 1 Matching & Predicting Complete the following statements with the phrases given below. Predict what will be talked about in the video. Then check your answers after watching the video clip. done an internship in terms of take on become involved in the start of the freshman year, finding a job 1. At ________ at the start of is probably the last thing after graduation on your mind. in terms 2. You also want to narrow your options _______ your extracurricular activities to of take on focus on your biggest commitments. 3. Junior year is a time to _____ leadership positions in the extracurricular activities done an internship that you’ve chosen. become involved in already, it’s essential to 4. And finally if you haven’t ____________ have at

Video Task 2 Checking Your Comprehension Watch this part of the video clip and decide whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F). 1. Lindsey is the author of a book called Getting from College. Tto Career. 2. Lindsey Pollak is standing on the campus of California University F and talking F about a four-year plan. F 3. Freshman year is the time for students to make their career plans. 4. Students F should try a lot of activities in their sophomore year. 5. Lindsey recommends students get a professional internship during their senior year.

Task 3 Bridging the Gap above 1. It’s also really important to get your GPA ______ a 3. 0 because that’s the cut-off for many employers to give you a job. 2. It’s also really important to get your GPA above a 3. 0 because that’s the cutoff for many employers to give you a job. During your findgoal a balance senior year, your should be to ______ among the leadership positions you’ve taken on in your extracurricular activities, keeping up your grade after point average in your college major and focusing graduation on the job search for a 3. Now that you’ve got your four-y plan underway, collegecareer ______ let’s talk about that dorm room situation. For tips on decorating in small spaces, check out the Back to School series on fncimag. com I’m Lindsey Pollak. Thanks for clicking on. _____

Video Task 3 Bridging the Gap Script At the start of freshman year, finding a job after graduation is probably the last thing on your mind, but before you know it, it’ll be senior year and finding that job will be your top priority. Hi, I’m Lindsey Pollak, generation Y career expert and author of Getting from College to Career. I’m standing here on the campus of Columbia University to talk about a four year plan to land the job of your dreams after you graduate. Well, everybody’s experience is very different. There a few guidelines you can follow for each of your four years. Freshman year, don’t worry too much about your career plans. Try lots of activities, get your feet wet on campus and take several different classes to see what it is you most enjoy. Sophomore year is the time to narrow down your academic focus and decide on a college major. You also want to narrow your options in terms of your extracurricular activities to focus on your biggest commitments. And finally I recommend getting a professional internship the summer between your sophomore and junior years to start having professional experience you’ll be able to list on a résumé. Junior year is a time to take on leadership positions in the extracurricular activities that you’ve chosen.

Video Task 3 Bridging the Gap During your senior year, your goal should be to find a balance among the leadership positions you’ve taken on in your extracurricular activities, keeping up your grade point average in your college major and focusing on the job search for a position after graduation. I strongly encourage you to become involved in your career services centre to make sure you’re clear on the deadlines and requirements for any jobs you will be applying to. And finally it’s your senior year of college. Enjoy, have some fun. Take some time to really enjoy college before you’re off into the real world. Now that you’ve got your four-year college career plan underway, let’s talk about that dorm room situation. For tips on decorating in small spaces, check out the Back to School series on fncimag. com. I’m Lindsey Pollak. Thanks for clicking on.

Speaking Workshop Task 1 Expressions & Structures to Use 1 make … easier 2 be in charge of 3 be highly recommended 4 in advance 5 keep an open mind 6 be the last thing on one’s mind 7 be top priority 8 worry about 9 narrow down 10 focus on 11 I recommend 12 take on 13 It’s important to 14 It’s essential to 15 at least 16 find a balance 17 I strongly encourage 18 become involved Task 2

Speaking Task 1 Summarizing Discuss with your peers and complete the following tips with the information you have learned in the video clip. Then prepare an oral presentation with the help of the tips. Tips ✐ Lindsey Pollak, who is a …, advises students how to … ✐ She suggests that students should … ✐ In their freshman year, students should try … ✐ The sophomore year is the time to … ✐ … is highly recommended prior to the junior year. ✐ During the junior year, it is important to … ✐ The senior year is the time to …, keeping up …, and searching for … ✐ They should also enjoy …

Speaking Task 1 Summarizing Tips ✐ Lindsey Pollak, who is a …, advises students how to ✐ She suggests that students should … ✐ In their freshman year, students should try … ✐ The sophomore year is the time to … ✐ … is highly recommended prior to the junior year. ✐ During the junior year, it is important to … ✐ The senior year is the time to …, keeping up …, and searching for … ✐ They should also enjoy …

Speaking Task 1 Summarizing Lindsey Pollak, who is a careers expert and author of Getting from College to Career, advises students how to devise a four year plan for their time at college. She suggests guidelines for them to follow for each of their four-years. In their freshman year, students should try different activities and classes in order to discover what they most enjoy. The sophomore year is when students should narrow down both their academic focus and extracurricular activities in order to concentrate on their most important commitments. Getting a professional internship is highly recommended in the summer vacation of the sophomore year. During the junior year, it is important to take on leadership positions in extracurricular activities and ensure that one’s GPA is above 3. 0. The senior year is the time to find the right balance between leadership positions in extracurricular activities, keeping up one’s GPA in one’s major, and searching for a job after graduation. Students should also enjoy their last year at college before they enter the real world.

Speaking Task 2 Debating Debate on the motion China should reduce the number of students at university. Ready？ Go！

Useful Arguments Pros Cons

✓ This proposal is realistic, practical and intelligent. We need to stop and think about what we are doing every now and again rather than mindlessly pursue the same policy (of university expansion). Pros ✓ Due to the impact of the financial crisis, graduate unemployment is on the rise. ✓…

Cons ✓ This proposal is defeatist, damaging and backwardlooking. If implemented, it will destroy the dreams of thousands of patriotic Chinese students and their families. ✓ It is an over-hasty and unreasoned reaction to the financial crisis. Education counts. It is the engine of economic growth. ✓…

Teamwork Show

Home Listening Listen to the audio clip and fill in the blanks with the exact words or sentences. You are expected to do it after class and check the answers on your own.

Home Listening Those of us who are college veterans will never forget our freshman anxiety year. It is a time filled with anticipation, 1_____ and wonderful discoveries. definitely College is far different from high school. Your freshman experience will 2) _____ make an impression on you. So what can you expect as you head off into experienced the wonderful world ofvolume higher education? The first thing you’ll notice is thepossibly workload. It will be heavier and more intense than you have ever 3) _______. The major challenges of college work are the large 4) _____ of reading, the short deadlines, decisions and the writing, writing. All this can cause doubt, frustration and 5) _____ loneliness. You’ll be away from the comforts and friendships your home has provided for you hitherto. On some of those long, seemingly endless nights of studying and writing, it

Home Listening You’ll be making a lot of new friends. Continue to be yourself. Select your friends with the same care and 7)_____ you always have. Believe it or not, your patience satisfying college friendships will be among the most 8) _____ and long-term relationships you ever have. And it’s always exciting to discover how wonderfully Explore the local town or suburbs with one or two of your n diverse they can be. You’ll also be on your own. friends 9)____________________________. Remember, though, with freedom comes responsibility though your parents begettin Going tothat college is as much about finding out. Even who you really are as it iswon’t about around to check up on you, you shouldn’t let yourself go completely. Just find your own style. 10) __________________________________.

Supplementary Reading Useful Expressions 1. make an impression on sb 2. in a row 3. in the face of 4. live with 5. turn out 6. clear out 7. clear away 8. sign off

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right. ” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I’ve looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? ” Whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment 1 or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. 1. embarrassment n. About a year ago I was diagnosed 2 with cancer. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable 3, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for “prepare to die. ” 2. diagnose v. 3. incurable adj.

I lived with that diagnosis 4 all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy 5. I was sedated 6, but my wife told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic 7 cancer that is curable 8 with surgery. I had the surgery and, thankfully, I’m fine now. This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope it’s the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept: No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It’s Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old diagnosis 5. to biopsy n. 6. sedate 7. pancreatic adj. and be 4. cleared away. n. Sorry be so dramatic, but it’sv. quite true. 8. curable adj. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma 9 — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition 10. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. 9. dogma n. 10. intuition n.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the “bibles” of my generation. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. ” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay hungry. Stay foolish. I’ve always wished that for myself. Now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.