The model status of Zhang Haidi (Shandong Province, 1955), widely publicized in print and in propaganda posters from 1983 on, is an interesting one. Zhang Haidi, also known as Ling Ling, became a paraplegic at the age of five following four operations for the removal of tumors in her spine. When she received news that her illness was incurable, she was reported to have attempted to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills, an action usually considered as a betrayal of the revolution and as evidence of discontent with socialism, and therefore as the act of a coward. She never went to school, but through diligent self-study, she learned to read books on politics, literature and medical science. She also learned foreign languages, including English, Japanese and German. She did not only function as a model because of her intellectual accomplishments or her devotion to serving others, but also because "... In Lei Feng, Chinese youths had to reach for communism. In Zhang Haidi, communism reaches for Chinese youths." Now you are to complete the two paragraphs on page 4 choosing the right words from the list.

4. Learning and finding

What is an Infinitive?

The infinitive usually occurs with 'To' (for example To go, To come, To wear etc.), except after an auxiliary or modal verb.

It is a verb form that shows no person, tense or aspect.

EXAMPLES OF THE INFINITIVE:

I had to go

I must go

I want to sing

To err is human

You don't know her

You may come

The following verb forms are derived from the Infinitive:

i/ Imperative (same as Infinitive but without 'To')

ii/ Present Simple (same as Infinitive without 'To' but the third person singular takes 's')

iii/ Present Participle or Gerund (add 'ing')

Now read the text once again to find and copy on page 5 all sentences which contain examples of the Infinitive.

5. Making sentences with the Infinitive

1. To have a muscle disease is very boring for any people.

2. I do not want to make my body very weak.

3. To climb stairs, you need some tips.

4. I don't want you to drop things while going along the street.

5. To bump into a car is dangerous.

6. To make life well worth living you have to learn to live with what you have.

7. He is looking for ways not to get worse or get older.

8. He stayed on to adapt to the life there.

9. My motto is to live one day at a time.

10. He likes to climb tree, play football and dream about becoming rich overnight.

11. I hope to represent my country in the World Cup.

12. Getting weaker and weaker, I have no strength even to get out of bed.

13. To go into hospital for tests, I have to miss a lot of school.

14. He learns to look at small things under a microscope.

15. To get out of breath, you just have to run a short way.