全新版大学英语综合教程第二册教案Unit7

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

Unit 7 Learning about English

Ⅰ. Suggested Teaching Plan

Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. grasp the main idea (because of its tolerance for outside influences, English has become a great language) and structure of the text; 2. understand some idiomatic English usages mentioned in the unit; 3. master key language points and structures in the text; 4. conduct a series of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.

Time Allotment

1st period Pre-reading; While-reading (title) 2nd period While-reading (title, points) language 3rd period While-reading (language points); Post-reading (drawing a picture) 4th period Post-reading; Check students’ on home 5th period Theme-related Language Learning Tasks

reading (Text B)

Pre-reading Activities

1. T asks Ss the following questions on the recorded passage: (23 minutes) ― What is the passage about? (English is a great language, but it is also a crazy language ― Can you give one or two examples to illustrate the messiness of the English language? (see transcript of the recorded passage for the many examples it mentions) ― Are you sure of all the idiomatic usages mentioned in the recorded passage? [Some of the more confusing usages are explained here: 1) ship by truck / send cargo by ship: ship can be either a verb or a noun The first “ship” means “send”, the second one “a large boat”. 2) noses that run ! feet that smells: This refers to what people usually say “have a running nose”, “have smelly feet”. 3) a slim/fat chance: a remote possibility 4) a wise guy: a person who pretends to be much wiser than he/she really is; a derogatory term a 1

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

wise man: a really wise person; a commendatory term 5) overlook: fail to see or notice, pay no attention to oversee: control (work, workmen) 6) hot/cold as hell: extremely hot/cold 7) burn up: catch fire and flare up burn down: be destroyed by fire 8) fill in a form/fill out a form: synonymous 9) go off: start an action, usually accompanied by a great noise go on: continue doing something 10) race can be any of several divisions of mankind (种族，民族) or any of the main divisions of living creatures.（任何生物的种属, e.g. human race） 11) when stars are out: when stars appear in the sky when lights are out: when lights are turned off 12) wind up a watch: tighten the spring of a watch wind up a speech: end a speech ] 2. T may lead in to Text A by saying: As we discover from the previous exercise, an English word may have multiple meanings. Likewise, several different words may be pronounced in the same way. For example, I knew a student who, upon hearing the title of Helen Keller’s famous essay Three Days to See, translated it into《海边三日》. Considered in this perspective, English is really messy. However, according

to Text A, this is also a major merit of English. (2 minutes)

While-reading activities

1. Interpretation of the title (10 minutes) 1) Ss look at the title. T introduces the concept of an oxymoron (矛盾修饰法, see Text Analysis). 2) Ss scan the first three paragraphs to find out the definition for “glorious messiness” (in Para 3) 2. Text organization (15 minutes) 1) T draws Ss’ attention to Text Organization Exercise 1, leads them through the directions, then dictates to them the main ideas of each part. 2) Ss scan the first sentence of each paragraph in Text A to find out where the present tense is switched to the past tense (Para 4) and where the present tense is resumed (Para 17). 3) Ss compare their findings with Text Organization Exercise 1, and they will see the division of parts coincides with tense changes. 3. T explains language points and gives Ss practice (see Language Study). When going through the text, T may also point out the various rhetorical devices that appear in it (see Text Analysis). (60 minutes)

Post-reading Activities

1. Drawing a picture (35 minutes)

2

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

1) T draws Ss’ attention to a quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson in the Quotations section―“The English language is the sea which receives tributaries from every region under heaven.” 2) Ss try to draw a picture of the development of the English language. The body of English is the sea, while the major influences are the tributaries that flow into it. At each point where a river merges into the sea, note down the time. Along each river, note down the name of the language(s) from which English has borrowed. (refer to Text Organization Exercise 2) 3) Some Ss draw their pictures on the blackboard. Then T gives some comments. 4) Ss re-read Part II to find out how the author organizes the phases of English language development into a coherent piece. (By transitional devices at paragraph heads. Pay special attention to the underlined parts below: ― How did the language of a small island ... become the language of the planet? ― New words came with the Germanic tribes ... in the 5th century. ― The next big influence on English was... ― Then into this relatively peaceful land came the Vikings... ― Another flood of new vocabulary occurred in 1066... ― Around 1476 William Caxton set up a printing press in England... ― As settlers landed in North America...) 2. T guides Ss through some after-text exercises. (30 minutes) 3. T checks on Ss’ home reading (Text B). (3 minutes) 4. Ss do Part IV: Theme-Related Language Learning Tasks. (1 period) 5. T asks Ss to prepare the next unit: (2 minutes) 1) do the pre-reading tasks; 2) preview Text A.

Ⅱ.Text Analysis

An expert on English language is supposed to know well about rhetorical devices in English. Robert MacNeil, the author of Text A, does not disappoint us. The title, The Glorious Messiness of English, offers a good exampl

e of oxymoron. An oxymoron puts two contradictory terms together to puzzle the reader, luring him/her to pause and explore why. “Glorious” is a commendatory term, while “messiness” is derogatory. Why do they stand next to each other? Then, as the reader reads on, he/she will find out that the title is actually a thesis statement: Yes, English is messy, but the messiness reflects some commendable qualities of English, such as tolerance, the love of freedom, and the respect for others’ rights. At this point the reader cannot but admire the author’s ingenuity. Robert MacNeil employs many metaphors, such as core of English (Para 4), a common parent language (Para 8), another flood of new vocabulary (Para 14), the special preserve of grammarians (Para 19). In Para 18 there is an instance of sustained metaphor: the cultural soil, the first shoots sprang 3

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

up, ... grew stronger, build fences around their language. In this case the English language is compared to plants, and the various cultures influencing it are compared to the soil, while users of English are compared to gardeners. We can also find parallelism in the quote from Winston Churchill: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.” There is personification in the sentence “Translations of Greek and Roman classics were poured onto the printed page...” There is metonymy in the sentence “The country now had three languages: French for the nobles, Latin for the churches and English for the common people.” Here the word “churches” stands for religious institutions and those who are involved in religious practices.

Ⅲ. Cultural Notes

1. History of English: The roots of English: English began as a west Germanic language which was brought to England by the Saxons around 400 A.D. Old English was the spoken and written language of England between 400 and 1100 A.D. Many words used today come from Old English, including man, woman, king, mother, etc. But Old English was very different from modern English and only a few words can be easily recognized. In the 9~ and l0B centuries, when Vikings invaded England, Old Norse words, e.g. sky, take and get and many place names, entered the language. From the Norman Conquest (1066) until the late 12th century English was replaced as the official language by Norman French, though English was still used by the lower classes. English from about 1300 to 1500 is known as Middle English. It was influenced by French and also Latin in vocabulary and pronunciation. French brought many words connected with government, e.g. sovereign, royal, court, legal and government itself. Latin was the language of religion and learning and gave to English words such as minister, angel, master, school and grammar. Literature began again to be written i

n English during this period. One of the most famous Middle English works is Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The development of Modern English: Modern English developed from the Middle English dialect of the East Midlands and was influenced by the English used in London, where a printing press was set up by William Caxton in 1476. English changed a great deal from this time until the end of the 18th century. During the Renaissance, many words were introduced from Greek and Latin to express new ideas, especially in science, medicine and philosophy. They included physics, species, architecture, encyclopedia and hypothesis. In the 16th century several versions of the Bible helped bring written English to ordinary people. The Elizabethan period is also famous for its drama, and Shakespeare’s plays were seen by many people. 4

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

The development of printing helped establish standards of spelling and grammar, but there remained a lot of variation. Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755) was the first authoritative treatment of English. It defined about 40,000 words and gave examples of their use. By the 18th century American English was established and developing independently from British English. After colonists arrived in the US new words began to be added from Native American languages, and from French and Spanish. In 1783, soon after Johnson’s dictionary was published, Noah Webster’s The Elementary Spelling Book was published in the US. At first it used Johnson’s spellings, but later editions contained many of what have come to be known as American spellings, e.g. harbor and favorite. 20th Century English: During the 19th and early 20th centuries many dictionaries and books about language were published. New words are still being added to English from other languages, including Chinese (feng shui) and Japanese (karaoke). Existing words gain new senses, and new expressions spread quickly through television and the Internet. English is now an international language and is used as a means of communication between people from many countries. As a result the influences on the English language are wider than ever and it is possible that World English will move away from using a British or American standard and establish its own international identity. 2. Winston Churchill (1874-1965): a politician who is remembered as one of Britain’s greatest statesmen. He was the son of the Conservative politician Lord Randolph Churchill and his American wife Jennie. As a young man he served as a soldier in India and Egypt, and as a journalist in South Africa, before entering politics. Churchill became Prime Minister and Minister of Defence in 1940. His radio speeches during World War II gave the British people a strong determination to win the war, especially at times of great crisis. Examples of Churchill’s phrases still often quoted today are “I have no

thing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”, and “This was their finest hour”. The Conservative Party led by Churchill lost the election of 1945, but he became Prime Minister again from 1951 to1955 when he retired, aged 80. When he died in Jan 1965 he was given a state funeral.

Ⅳ. Language Study

1. massive: large in scale, amount, or degree Examples: The ancient temple’s massive stone pillars had begun to crumble. The scale of the problem is so massive that it will require all our resources to deal with it. 2. snack: a small meal Examples: I usually have a snack of a hamburger and a glass of coke at lunchtime. The children in the kindergarten have a midmorning snack of milk and biscuits. 3. corrupt: 1) cause errors to appear in Examples: The Academy ruled that such foreign expressions were not permitted, as they corrupted 5

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

the language. Has Japanese been corrupted by the introduction of foreign words? These jargons merely corrupt your good English. 2) cause to act dishonestly in return for personal gains Examples: We believe films of violence would corrupt young people. To our great surprise, the former mayor turned out to have been corrupted by the desire for money and power. To gain more profits, the businessman tried every means to corrupt the officials in the local government. 4. ban: forbid (sth.) officially (used in the pattern: ban sth.; ban sb. from sth./doing sth.) Examples: The local government will ban smoking in all offices later this year. Scientists from many countries called on the international community to create an international convention to ban human cloning as soon as possible. Tom was banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding again. Lady Chatterley ~ Lover was banned when it was first published. n. ban (followed by on) Examples: The government is considering a total ban on cigarette advertising. The ban on underground nuclear tests is a vital step toward disarmament. 5. invent: 1) make or design (sth. that has not existed before); create (sth.) Examples: James Watt invented the steam engine. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. 2) give (a name, reason, etc. that doesn’t exist or is not true) Examples: All the characters in the novel are invented. Standing still in the teacher’s office, the boy tried to invent a plausible excuse for his absence from class. Cf.: invent, discover If somebody invents something, they are the first person to think of it or make it. Example: Waiter Hunt and Elias Hone invented the sewing machine. If somebody discovers something, they find out about something which exists but which was not previously known. Example: The planet Pluto was discovered in 1930. 6. fascinating: of great interest or attraction Examples: The story of his adventures in the Arctic was fascinating to listen to. I found the discussion about cloning absolutely fascinating. It is fascinating to imagine

what might have happened if the US had not declared war against Japan in World War II. 7. strictly speaking: if one uses words, applies rules, etc. in their exact sense 6

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

Examples: He’s not strictly speaking an artist; he is more of a performer. Strictly speaking she was not qualified for the job. But we employed her because of her honesty. 8. tolerance: 1) the quality of allowing other people to say and do as they like, even if you don’t agree or approve of it (followed by of/for) Examples: School teachers have to have a great deal of tolerance in order to deal with difficult children. I think tolerance between students is extremely necessary since they live and study together. 2) the ability to bear sth. painful or unpleasant (followed by of/for) Examples: Human beings have limited tolerance of noise. The patient had no tolerance for pain. Whenever he was injected he would cry. 9. to a (very real, certain, etc.) extent: to the degree specified Examples: I agree with him to some extent but there are still some areas of sharp disagreement between us. To some extent the water pollution has affected local residents. To a certain extent the failure of the restaurant was due to bad management. 10. The history of English is present in the first words a child learns about identity...: The history of English is revealed in the first words a child learns about identity. 11. necessity: 1) sth. you must have in order to live properly or do sth. Examples: Water is a basic necessity of life. A lot of people would consider a TV as more of a necessity than a luxury item. The workers’ wages were so low that they hardly had enough money to buy the bare necessities of life. 2) circumstances that force one to do sth.; the state of being necessary; the need for sth. (followed by of/for) Examples: There is absolutely no necessity for you to be involved in the project. They reached an agreement on the necessity of educational reforms. 12. arouse: provoke (a particular feeling or attitude) Examples: These educational toys give children a feeling of self-worth by arousing their interest in challenging tasks. The man’s strange behavior aroused the policeman’s suspicions. 13. surrender: give in (followed by to) Examples: After several weeks of severe attacks, Afghanistan’s Taliban forces surrendered to the Northern Alliance. After the bombs fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese surrendered. We’ll never surrender to terrorism despite the terrorist attacks. 7

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

14. virtually: for the most part, almost Examples: It’s virtually impossible to tell the imitation from the real thing. It has been raining virtually non-stop for the past several days. 15. invade: enter with armed forces Examples: In July 1937 the Japanese army invaded China. The Germans invaded Poland in 1939, leading to the start of Wor

ld War II. 16. mystery: sth. that people can’t, or have not been able to understand or explain Examples: The politician’s sudden death remains a mystery to us all. How Egyptian pyramids were built still remains a mystery. No one has ever been able to explain the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. 17. resemble: be like or similar to Examples: I’d say he resembles his mother more than his father. In his childhood, Stevie Wonder loved music and would pound spoons or forks on any surface that resembled a drum. 18. systematic: done according to a system Examples: Our professor not only imparts knowledge to us, but also teaches us how to read books in a systematic way. The staff made a systematic check to make sure that no name had been omitted from the register. 19. descend: come down (from a source), go down (followed by from) Examples: These ideas descend from those of the ancient philosophers. The Japanese are thought to be descended from tribes from the north of China. 20. establish: 1) cause to be, set up Examples: The school was established in 1905 by an Italian professor. The bank helps people wanting to establish their business 2) place or settle sb./oneself in a position, an office, etc. (used in the pattern: establish sb./oneself as) Examples: They are rapidly establishing themselves as the market leaders. She established her fame as an actress. 21. drift: move or go somewhere in a slow casual way Examples: Jimmy spent the year drifting around Europe. As rural factories shed labor, people drift towards the cities. The football match was over, and the crowds drifted away from the stadium. 22. climate: (an area or a region with) a regular pattern of weather conditions Examples: Brought up in the south of China, she wouldn’t enjoy living in such a cold climate. Due to the greenhouse effect, changes in the earth’s climate have taken place. 23. pass (sth.) on to (sb.): hand or give (sth.) to (sb.) 8

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

Examples: When you have finished reading the novel, please pass it on to Laura. The King passed on much of his fortune to the princess. 24. addition: a person or thing added (followed by to) Examples: The baby is a welcome addition to the Smith family. The young professor will be a most valuable addition to our board. 25. conquer: take possession and control of (a country, city, etc.) by force; defeat Examples: Afghanistan’s Northern Alliance conquered Kabul a month ago. She has conquered the hearts of many men. The Spanish once conquered most of South America. 26. royal: of a king or queen, or other members of their family, and things relating to them Examples: The newborn baby was welcomed not only by the Japanese royal family but by the country at large. The royal wedding drew large crowds from across the country. 27. alternative: one of two or more possibilities (followed by to) Examples: Check out the alternatives before deciding whether to go to a nearby col

lege. What was the alternative to going home? 28. modify: change slightly Examples: The school authorities plan to modify the school regulations. The computer programmers tried to modify the design of the software to make it suitable for commercial production. 29. enrich: 1) make rich or richer Examples: That once poor coastal village has been enriched by the profits from tourism. The development of oil fields enriched many Arabian countries. 2) improve Examples: It is important to enrich the soil prior to planting. Travel enriches people’s lives. 30. classic: a work of art recognized as having lasting value Examples: Both Tom Jones and Wuthering Heights are classics. His manual on botany has become a classic among scientists. 31. source: a place from which sth. comes or is obtained Examples: Tourism, which is a major source of income for the city, has been seriously affected by the terrorist attacks. The source of the anthrax outbreak in the USA remained a mystery. 32. out of control: no longer able to be controlled Example: The fire was out of control by the time the second fire engine arrived. There was nothing they could do about it. The situation was out of control. 33. fortunately: by good luck 9

新疆医科大学外语教研室

全新版大学英语二册教案 Unit 7

Examples: Fortunately, my friend survived the car accident. Fortunately a life guard noticed that the woman was drowning and she was rescued. I had forgotten my key, but fortunately the door wasn’t locked. 34. put into practice: Examples: Having delayed several times, we must put this plan into practice now. They weren’t allowed to put into practice in their daily lives the teachings they received. 35. strike out: start being independent; start doing what one wants to do in life Example: After working for his father for about ten years, he decided to strike out on his own.

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