电子游戏在青少年的圈子里可谓十分风靡，而12岁的托马斯却把他对于游戏的热情转化为了充满创意的手机应用，在苹果应用商店中备受欢迎。他不仅将自己的爱好付诸实践，还从中收获了自己的第一桶金。

Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old app developer
一个十二岁的程序员

难度级别：★★★

燕山大学 刘立军 宋葳 编写

◇INTRODUCTION

Most 12-year-olds love playing videogames - but Thomas Suarez taught himself how to create them. After developing iPhone apps like "Bustin Jeiber," a whack-a-mole game, he is now using his skills to help other kids become developers.

◇BEFORE VIEWING

TASK 1: VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. application n. (abbr. app) a program designed to do a particular job; a piece of software 应用程序；应用软件。例如：a database application数据库应用软件

2. whack-a-mole 打地鼠（一种游戏名称）

3. approach v. to start dealing with a problem, task, etc. in a particular way 着手处理；对付。例如：
○What's the best way of approaching this problem? 什么是处理这个问题的最佳方式？

4. kit n. a set of tools or equipment that you use for a particular purpose 成套工具；成套设备。例如：
○a first-aid kit 一套急救用品
○a drum kit 一套击鼓用具

5. a suite of 一系列，一套

6. feedback n. advice, criticism or information about how good or useful sth. or sb.'s work is 反馈的意见（或信息）。例如：
○I'd appreciate some feedback on my work. 如果有人对我的工作提出意见我将感激不尽。
○The teacher will give you feedback on the test. 老师会对你的测验提供反馈信息。
○We need both positive and negative feedback from our customers. 我们需要顾客正反两方面的反馈意见。

TASK 2: TOPIC PREVIEW
Work in pairs and discuss the following question.

What is APP and what are the disadvantages of apps?

◇VIEWING

TASK 3:
Read the table. Then watch the video and complete the table with the words you hear.

Topic		A 12-year-old app developer
Introduction	Statement	I’ve always had (1) _______________ for computers and technology, and I made a few apps for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.
	Supporting detail 1	My (2) _______________ was a unique fortune teller called “Earth Fortune” that would display different colors of Earth depending on what your fortune was.
	Supporting detail 2	My (3) ___________________________________ is “Bustin Jieber,” which is a Justin Bieber whack-a-mole.
	Reason	l I created it because a lot of people at school (4) _________ Justin Bieber a little bit, so I decided to make the app. l I went to work programming it, and I (5) ______________ it just before the holidays in 2010. l A lot of people ask me, how did I make these? A lot of times it’s because the person who asked the question wants to (6) ________________________ also. l A lot of kids these days like to play games, but now they want to make them, and it’s difficult, because not many kids know where to go to find out how to (7) ____________________. I mean, for soccer, you could go to (8) __________________. For violin, you could (9) __________________ for a violin. But what if you want to make an app? And the kid’s parents might have done some of these things when they were young, but not many parents (10) __________________________.
Body		How to make an app?
	Step 1	First of all, I’ve been programming in (11) _____________________ to get the basics down.
	Step 2	This opened up a whole (12) __________________________ for me, and after playing with the software development kit a little bit, I made a couple of apps, I made some (13) ______________________.
	Step 3	I was ready to put “Earth Fortune” on the App Store, and so I (14) __________________________________________ pay the 99 dollar fee to be able to put my apps on the App Store.
	Step 4	I’ve gotten a lot of (15) _____________________________ from my family, friends, teachers and even people at the Apple Store, and that’s been a huge help to me.
	Step 5	I’ve gotten a lot of (16) ______________________ from Steve Jobs, and I’ve started (17) ___________________ at school, and a teacher at my school is kindly (18) ____________________ my app club.
	Step 6	Any student at my school can come and learn how to design an app. This is so I can (19) _______________________________________.
	Step 7	We’re getting (20) ________________ from teachers at the school to see what kind of apps they’d like. When we design the app and we sell it, it will be (21) ______________ to local districts; and other districts that we sell to - all the money from that will go into the local Ed. foundations.
Conclusion		I’d like to (22) _______________ by saying what I’d like to do in the future. First of all, I’d like to (23) _______________________. I’d like to get into Android (24) ____________________________, and I’d like to (25) __________________________, and find other ways for students to share knowledge with others.

AFTER VIEWING

TASK 4: DISCUSSION
Work in group and discuss the following question.

Do you think Thomas is special? Why or why not?

SUGGESTED ANSWERS

◇BEFORE VIEWING

TASK 2:

"App" is short for Application, and it is something you can download to your mobile phones. Apps include games, books, movies, services, lots of things. Many are free to download as well. They take up tons of space on your electronic product, so if you're not going to use them much, I recommend not to download it, or if you downloaded an app that you don't really use anymore, just delete it. You can always re-download it later if needed.

◇VIEWING

TASK 3:
1. a fascination
2. first app
3. favorite and most successful app
4. disliked
5. released
6. make an app
7. make a program
8. a soccer team
9. get lessons
10. have written apps
11. multiple other programming languages
12. new world of possibilities
13. test apps
14. persuaded my parents to
15. interest and encouragement
16. inspiration
17. an app club
18. sponsoring
19. share my experiences with others
20. feedback
21. free
22. finish up
23. create more apps, more games
24. programming and development
25. continue my app club

◇AFTER VIEWING

TASK 4: DISCUSSION

I don't think Thomas is special. To be honest, I loved the talk, but I don't think Thomas is all that different from his peers in most areas. Why could he write apps and start an app club in his school while his peers were not? Two key things he brought up in the talk: Encouragement and access to resources. This is what can inspire, drive young people are supposed to look like this.

○Encourage and support the learning process of all children and young adults. Nurture curiosity, and not just in your kids, but in every young person you encounter.
○Help provide the resources needed to fully engage that curiosity in positive, productive, satisfying directions.

If we could do the above two things, we'll have schools full of kids like Thomas.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

附件：TRANSCRIPT

Thomas Suarez: A 12-year-old app developer

0:11
I've always had a fascination for computers and technology, and I made a few apps for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. I'd like to share a couple with you today. My first app was a unique fortune teller called "Earth Fortune" that would display different colors of Earth depending on what your fortune was. My favorite and most successful app is "Bustin Jieber," which is -
0:36
(Laughter)
0:38
which is a Justin Bieber whack-a-mole.
0:40
(Laughter)
0:42
I created it because a lot of people at school disliked Justin Bieber a little bit, so I decided to make the app. So I went to work programming it, and I released it just before the holidays in 2010. A lot of people ask me, how did I make these? A lot of times it's because the person who asked the question wants to make an app also. A lot of kids these days like to play games, but now they want to make them, and it's difficult, because not many kids know where to go to find out how to make a program. I mean, for soccer, you could go to a soccer team. For violin, you could get lessons for a violin. But what if you want to make an app? And the kid's parents might have done some of these things when they were young, but not many parents have written apps.
1:31
(Laughter)
1:33
Where do you go to find out how to make an app? Well, this is how I approached it, this is what I did. First of all, I've been programming in multiple other programming languages to get the basics down, such as Python, C, Java, etc. And then Apple released the iPhone, and with it, the iPhone software development kit, and the software development kit is a suite of tools for creating and programming an iPhone app. This opened up a whole new world of possibilities for me, and after playing with the software development kit a little bit, I made a couple of apps, I made some test apps. One of them happened to be "Earth Fortune," and I was ready to put "Earth Fortune" on the App Store, and so I persuaded my parents to pay the 99 dollar fee to be able to put my apps on the App Store. They agreed, and now I have apps on the App Store. I've gotten a lot of interest and encouragement from my family, friends, teachers and even people at the Apple Store, and that's been a huge help to me.
2:40
I've gotten a lot of inspiration from Steve Jobs, and I've started an app club at school, and a teacher at my school is kindly sponsoring my app club. Any student at my school can come and learn how to design an app. This is so I can share my experiences with others. There's these programs called the iPad Pilot Program, and some districts have them. I'm fortunate enough to be part of one. A big challenge is, how should the iPads be used, and what apps should we put on the iPads? So we're getting feedback from teachers at the school to see what kind of apps they'd like. When we design the app and we sell it, it will be free to local districts; and other districts that we sell to - all the money from that will go into the local Ed. foundations.
3:38
These days, students usually know a little bit more than teachers with the technology.
3:45
(Laughter)
3:49
So -
3:51
(Laughter)
3:54
Sorry.
3:55
(Laughter)
3:58
So this is a resource to teachers, and educators should recognize this resource and make good use of it.
4:04
(Laughter)
4:07
I'd like to finish up by saying what I'd like to do in the future. First of all, I'd like to create more apps, more games. I'm working with a third party company to make an app. I'd like to get into Android programming and development, and I'd like to continue my app club, and find other ways for students to share knowledge with others.
4:29
Thank you.
4:30
(Applause)