My Father’s Shadow

Unit 1Text 1

Teaching Objectives Practice reading and talking about clashes

and the emotional bond between parents and child;

Discuss the generation gap and how one can bridge it;

Learn to use the following structures: Sentences of inverted order (So pleased …

that…) Emphatic sentences with “it” (It is …that)

Before Reading Global Reading Detailed Reading After Reading

Before Reading Background Information

The first Chinese immigrants arrived in 1820 according to U.S. government records. Fewer than 1,000 are known to have arrived before the 1848 California Gold Rush which drew the first significant number of laborers from China who performed menial work for the gold prospectors.

There were 25,000 immigrants by 1852, and 105,465 by 1880, most of whom lived on the West Coast. Most of the early immigrants were young males with low educational levels from Guangdong province.

Chinese immigration to Hawaii

The Chinese in Hawaii constitute about 4.7% of the state's population, most of whom (75%) have ancestors from Zhongshan in Guangdong. This number does not include people of mixed Chinese and Hawaiian descent. If all people with Chinese ancestry in Hawaii (including the Chinese-Hawaiians) are included, they form about 1/3 of Hawaii's entire population.

Most of the Chinese immigrants to Hawaii arrived in the mid-to-late 19th century, when 46,000 people immigrated to the islands. Although many came as laborers, they concentrated on getting education for their children. By 1950 most Chinese American men in Hawaii were educated and held good jobs. Today 95% of Chinese Americans in Hawaii live in Honolulu and work at professional jobs.

Before Reading

Warm-up Questions:

Have you ever had any conflict with your parents? Do you mind sharing it with your classmates? What did you feel then?

Do you think it possible to avoid the generation gap? If not, what can you do to bridge it as a son or a daughter?

Global Reading

How do you interpret the title “My Father’s Shadow”?

As a reminiscent writing, what is the sequence of arrangement of the text? Is it in a straightforward chronological order or in an interruptive order?

How many parts can this passage be divided into?

Structural Analysis

Detailed Reading

Paragraph 1 Paragraphs 2-4 Paragraphs 5-6 Paragraphs 7-9 Paragraphs 10-11 Paragraphs 12-13 Paragraphs 14-15

Paragraph 1

Questions: How did the author feel about her trip to

Hawaii? How would you describe the relationship

between the author and her father?

Language work But what should have been a mission of joy

filled me with apprehension. Loving but stern in the manner typical of

Chinese fathers, he had made particular demands on me, and though we were very much alike, we’d grown very far apart.

Paragraphs 2-4

Questions: What particular demands did the father put

on the author? What was the father’s attitude towards the

author’s marriage? And why? How did the father express his disapproval?

Language work

When I became a teenager, my father held up my mother as a model of feminine behavior.

He pressed me to mingle with his friends’ children.

He assured I’d follow in my mother’s footsteps and enroll in local university to study teaching, and that I’d marry into one of the other long-established Chinese clans on the islands and settle down, as he and my mother had.

I announced that we were getting married----in Berkely, not Hawaii.

My father’s subsequent silence resonated

with disapproval.

We might have gone on like that, the habit of separation hardening into a permanent estrangement.

Paragraphs 5-6

Question: Is the author prepared for the worst?

Language work

On the long flight to Hawaii, memories of my childhood, when I was my father’s small daughter, came flooding back.

If he disapproved of Timmy, as he had of me, the breach between us would be complete.

Paragraphs 7-9

Question: What is the father’s initial reaction to the

arrival of the author’s family? Try to pick out some phrases that indicate his reaction.

Language work

Then he peered cautiously at Timmy, who promptly began to shriek.

My mother tucked Timmy into a borrowed crib in a room down the hall.

Paragraphs 10-11

Question: What did the father’s reactions to the

author’s baby show?

Language work:

This was the time Timmy usually woke for a bottle, but there were no cries of hunger, no fretful wails.

Instead, I heard only the sweet, soft gurgle of baby laughter. I tiptoed down the hall.

In the living room, Timmy lay on a pillow on the floor in a circle of light, his plump, tiny fists and feet churning gleefully.

My father was giving Timmy a bottle, tickling his tummy and crooning softly, “You are my sunshine …”

Paragraphs 12-13

Question: What does the author mean when she says

“… my father no longer defined our family by a uniform set of features” (paragraph 13) ?

It was then that I began to suspect that my father had wanted to mend the breach as much as I had.

For the rest of our stay, the tension slowly melted.

Having claimed his hapa haole grandson, my father no longer defined our family by a uniform set of features.

Paragraphs 14-15

What does it mean by “… trailed by a different, bouncing shadow”?

So pleased was my father with his new grandfather status that he took early retirement when Timmy was four, to spend more time visiting his “New York family”.

To After Reading

apprehension [uncountable and countable] anxiety about the

future, especially about dealing with something unpleasant or difficult [= anxiety]: I woke before the alarm, filled with apprehension. Dad has some apprehensions about having surgery.

apprehensive adj. I must admit that before my baby was born I was

apprehensive about motherhood

stern Hard, strict, or severe in manner or

character，严肃的 : The college principal was a stern old Scotsman

called Mr. Fraser.

sternly adv

When she did not answer he said sternly and coldly, “do you understand me?”

.

typical Exhibiting the distinctive qualities, traits, or

characteristics that identify a particular kind, class, group, or category Song Jiang is a typical suburban community. Everyone admired his typical Greek

fearlessness when dealing with any official.

Held up to show as an example:

John was held up before the whole school as an example to follow. 

Mary was always holding up her children as paragons of good behavior. 

feminine typical of a woman, especially in a way that is

graceful or attractive; feminine beauty女性美

Nowadays many women rejected the old feminine roles of wife and mother. 

“How did you know I was lying?” ”call it feminine intuition ” (女性的直觉 ).

mingle with

To mix or bring together in combination, usually without loss of individual characteristics. She mingles tradition and originality in her

design. As I spoke his expression was one of

amazement mingled with fury.

Follow in one’s footsteps To follow an example set by someone in

the past: Charles’ children will follow in his steps and

go to the same school.

enroll To make officially a member of a group,

school or course: Little Tom got enrolled in the best kindergarten. She decided to enroll in at the history course at

the local evening school. to enroll in a business school/ the army.

Marry into (a family or social class)

To become a member of a certain family or social class by marriage: The only reason Camilla has so much money is

that she married into the aristocracy(贵族 ).

announce To tell the public a decision that has been made

The princess announced her engagement to that business. The princess announced her engagement to that

business. The princess announced that she was going to marry

that businessman.

announcement n.

Two days after Hirohito’s death, the announcement was made that the Duke would represent royal family

at his funeral.

subsequent

Following or happening after; succeeding: In subsequent lessons the teacher made clear

what she had said at the beginning.

subsequently The started their research using a method

which was subsequently proved to be unsatisfactory.

disapproval (often used with of) having or expressing an

unfavorable opinion My father could easily have opposed our marriage or at

least expressed his disapproval. Football managers voiced their disapproval of people

who sell tickets unofficially.

disapprove I am sorry I must disapprove your action. The workers strongly disapprove of the firm’s new

methods on the assembly line.

estrangement

Causing (esp. people in a family) to become unfriendly towards each other: Tom’s estrangement from his brothers and

sisters made his parents quite worried.

estrange v Steve became increasingly estranged from his

wife and children. His behavior estranged himself from his friends.

flood

To arrive at (in) large numbers Requests for information flooded in after the

advisement. Tourists flooded into the city.

breach

An opening or hole made in a wall; a breaking up or disruption of friendly relations. A trivial misunderstanding caused a breach

between them. She wanted to help heal the breach between

the two.

shriek

To scream The class was beginning to get out of control,

and the teacher had to shriek at them to be quiet.

tuck

To put in a secure place Tuck that money into the top of your sock for

safekeeping. The post office is tucked behind the grocery

store.

tiptoe

To walk or move quietly on one's tiptoe to avoid any noise. They tiptoed from room to room, afraid to speak

above a whisper.

wail

(often derog.) a long, loud, high-pitched cry, (as if) in grief or pain. The wind wailed through the trees. Stop weeping and wailing and do something

about it!

gleefully

In such a way as showing great joy and satisfaction The children are playing gleefully in the garden.

gleeful a.

He takes gleeful pleasure in watching politicians making fool of themselves

tickle

To touch slightly with the fingers in order to make someone laugh Most people hate having their feet tickled.

tickle n.

I’ve got a slight tickle in my throat and it’s making me cough.

suspect To think that someone is probably guilty of

something illegal or dishonest. The police suspected the boys of being involved

in a robbery.

suspicion n.

Crates of whisky have been disappearing from the warehouse and a number of staff is under suspicion.

tension

A strained relationship between individuals, countries, etc. The signing of this agreement will help to

reduce international tension.

uniform

the same, or consistent , as from example to example or from place to place; constant. The air-conditioning system maintains a uniform

temperature throughout the building.

uniformity n.

Most modern housing developments show a tedious uniformity of design.

status

Someone’s position in an organization or in society Now that he is a bank manager, he wants a car

to reflect his status. Mary’s very aware of her status within the

company, and is always trying to improve it.

After Reading

Structural Analysis Summary Sentence of Reverted Order Phrasal Verbs Oral Work Writing

Summary

A. The text could be divided into five parts, some of which are descriptions, some flashbacks, and some the author’s comments. Please write a summary for each part.

Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2-4 Paragraph 5-6 Paragraph 7-13 Paragraph 14-15

Structural AnalysisParts Paragraphs Main ideas

1 1 Part I gives the background information of the story --- the author’s relationship with her father and her feeling about her return to Hawaii.

2 2-4 Part II is a flashback about the clashes between the author and her father.

3 5-6 Part III is a transition. The author recalls her father’s affection for her in her childhood and shows her uncertainty about the forthcoming reunion.

4 7-13 Part IV describes the reunion --- the initial uncertain moment, the father’s affection for his grandchild, and ease of the tension between the father and the daughter.

5 14-15 Part V is the conclusion, the ending of the story about how family ties work in removal of disagreement between family members.

B. Please use one sentence to summarize the main idea of the text.

The text tells of how the author’s newborn baby bridges the gap and mend the breach between her father and herself.

Check the grammar exercises in the student book

Additional Exercises

You may find in many cases sentences of reverted order in English writing, as in this text, “So pleased was my father … that he took early retirement …”

Some more sentences that might be changed in reverted order are provided here. Now rewrite the following sentences.

A. 某些由 if引导的条件状语从句（主要是包含有were, had, should的从句），可以省略 if，把上述动词放到主语前面。（状语从句倒装）

If it weren’t for their assistance, we wouldn’t b able to do so well.

If we had got there earlier, we would have caught the train.

If you should require anything, just give me a call.

B. 有些让步状语从句有时也用倒装。（状语从句倒装）

Though he is talented, he is not ready to turn professional.

Though I would like to try, I couldn’t make her change her mind.

C. 某些有否定意思的副词，若放在句首，则使用倒装。（副词或状语倒装）

He cares little whether we live or die. Such a high standard has never been

achieved before. The work could only be seriously begun

then.

D. 有些短语，特别是介词短语，移到句首时也可能引导倒装语序。（副词或状语倒装）

He tried to open the locked door in vain. I did not learn anything about it until

yesterday.

E. 有些句子无宾语而主语较长，有时可把状语提前，把主语放到谓语后面。（谓语前移）

Two glasses and an empty brandy bottle stood on the table.

A firework display in the garden came after the banquet.

F. 为了使描绘更生动，有些与介词同形的副词可以移到句首，把主语放到谓语之后。（谓语前移）

The cuckoo sprang out. The eagle flew down to seize the chicken.

G. 现在分词，过去分词和作表语的介词短语有时也可提前。

A boy aged seventeen was lying on the floor. A wealth of gold, silver, lead and zinc is hidden

underground. Another restaurant where we can have Chinese

food is next to it.

H. 有时为了修辞的考虑，表语也可提前。（类似课文末段首句）

The attack was so sudden (that) we had no time to escape.

We are very grateful for your help.

Check the vocabulary exercises in the student book

Additional exercise:

Phrasal verbs 1. Sorry I’m late --- I was ______________ at

work. (hold) 2. She couldn’t find any cola so had to

______________ orange juice. (settle) 3. I _________________ to overtake a bus. (pull) 4. His business ________________ financial

difficulties almost immediately. (run)

5. A lot of the gold was __________________ and used for making jewelry. (melt)

6. Stand up straight and _______________ your tummy. (tuck)

7. Don’t be ______________ by products claiming to help you lose weight in a week. (take)

8. Millions of people have been ______________ in the steel industry. (lay)

Oral Work

A. You enjoy playing basketball very much and used to practice with your friends every day, but at the present your mother only allows you to do so once a month. Now complain to your friends and discuss what to do.

B. Interview your classmates and friends to get their opinions on the parent-child relationship, e.g. the clashes, the discipline, parents’ over-concern, misunderstanding etc..

Writing Write a report based on the previous

interview presenting your findings and providing your points on how to bridge the gap.