New Horizon College English

Book IV

Unit 1 Section A:

The Bermuda Triangle Phenomenon

Contents

I. Background Information

II. Pre-reading Activities

III. Text Analysis– Structure

IV. Intensive reading

V. Writing skill

VI. Exercises

I. Background Information

1. The Bermuda Triangle should be pointed out that the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not recognize the Bermuda Triangle as an official name. The “Bermuda or Devil's Triangle” is an imaginary area located off the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States, which is noted for a high incidence of unexplained losses of ships, small boats, and aircraft. The apexes （顶点） of the triangle are generally accepted to be Bermuda, Miami, Fla., and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

2. Florida is Spanish for flower. It gained the Admission to Statehood on March 3, 1845 as the 27th state, now with an area of 65, 758 sq. mi. and a coastline of 1350 miles. Florida is not the southernmost state in the United States. Hawaii is farther south.

II. Pre-reading ActivitiesListen to the short passage twice and answer questionsQ1. Have you ever heard of the Bermuda Triangle?

What have you heard about it? Reference key: Some ships and plans disappear

without race. And no convincing explanation is available.

Q2. What are the possible explanations for the disappearances?

Reference key: the ocean water could look like glass and reflect the blue sky so the pilots started climbing to get altitude and flew directly into the ocean.

Q3. What is your theory of why things disappear? Where do you think they go and why do they go there?

Reference key: Open to free discussion.

Script Several theories are brought forth in this article to try

and explain the Bermuda Triangle Phenomenon. It is called a phenomenon because very strange occurrences have taken place at the almost identical point and they happened over several occasions in an extended period of history. How accurate are the reports?

Maybe there is a logical explanation for the disappearances. Were the airplane pilots confused because the ocean water could look like glass and reflect the blue sky so the pilots started climbing to get altitude and flew directly into the ocean? Did their compass get magnetically changed and they flew out to sea when they thought they were flying back to land? Or was it a giant being from outer space making them disappear?

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III. Text Analysis-- Structure

Part 1 (Paras. 1-2): What and where is the Bermuda Triangle, where ships and airplanes vanished mysteriously?

Part 2 ( Paras. 3-8): With more incidents of disappearance of ships and airplanes, people and government took great interests in searching for the causes of the mysterious vanishing. Many theories are presented, which are all examined by Charles Berlitz.

Part 3 ( Para. 9): An institute is calling for a further research.

IV. Intensive reading

Part 1 ( Paras. 1-2):

Q1: Why did the five Navy aircraft take off? And what was the weather like?

They took off on a routine training mission over the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was fine (perfect flying weather). (para 1)

Q2: What happened to the five aircraft and rescue plane? They all disappeared without trace. (para 1)

Q3: How do sailors describe the Bermuda Triangle? They describe it as “the Graveyard of the Atlantic”. (para 2)

Q4: What did Columbus note when he entered the Bermuda Triangle?

He noted curious glowing streaks of “white weather”. (para 2)

1 . At 2 PM on December 5, 1945, five Navy aircraft took off in perfect flying weather from a naval air installation in southeastern Florida, on a routine training mission over the Atlantic Ocean. (Line 1, para1)

routine: 1) In accord with established procedure. 例行公事的 e.g. a routine check of passports 检查护照的惯例 2) Habitual; regular. 习惯性的；常规的 e.g. made his routine trip to the store. 照常去商店 3) Having no special quality; ordinary 平凡的；没有特征

的；普通的； e.g. a routine day. 平淡的一天

2. A rescue plane was sent to search for the missing aircraft, and it, too, disappeared without trace.

trace: 1) 人或动物留下的痕迹，比如足迹 e.g. Age has left its traces on her face. 岁月在她脸上留下了痕迹。 2) To follow the course or trail of. 跟踪 , 跟随…的道路

或足迹 . e.g. trace a wounded deer; tracing missing persons. 跟踪一头受伤的鹿；追寻失踪者

3) To locate or discover by searching or researching evidence: 查出：通过寻找或研究证据确定或发现：

e.g. trace the cause of a disease. 查出一疾病的原因 4) To have origins; be traceable: 有起源；可以追溯的： e.g. The custom traces back to the time of the Warring

States. 这个风俗可上溯到战国时期。

3. During the past 30 years, the triangle has claimed the lives of some 1,000 sailors and pilots. (Line 4, para 2)

claim:1) demand or ask for as one's own or one's due; assert

one's right to 主张，要求：要求或寻求…归为己有；维护自己对…的权

利 e.g. claim a reward 索求回报 claim a large amount against him 要求他赔偿大量金额 2) take in a violent manner as if by right 索取，夺走：采用一种貌似合理的暴力手段取走 a hurricane that claimed two lives 飓风夺走了两个生

命

3) state to be true, especially when open to question; assert or maintain 声称，主张

e.g. He claimed that he had done the work without help.

他声称没有得到帮助而完成了这项工作。 4) deserve or call for; require 应该得到或要求；需要 e.g. There are several matters that claim my attention. 有好几件事值得我注意。

4. These mysterious patches of light are still visible today and so bright that they have been seen from U.S. spacecraft in orbit around the earth. (Line 7, para.3)

visible

Able to be seen. 看的见的，可见的 [ 扩展 ] vision n. 视力 , 视觉 , 先见之明 , 眼力 , 想象力 ,

幻想 , 幻影 , 景象 man of (without) vision 有（无）远见的人； visual 视觉的 audible 听得见的 , inaudible 听不见的 , audition 听觉， au

dio 听觉的

〔辨析〕 sight, view, vision

vision 指人的视力或视野，引申为“远见卓识，梦幻景象，美妙景色”等

sight 普通用语，指事物在人视线中的客观映现，引申为奇观，风景名胜等

view 可指视线，视野，强调运用视力直接观察事物

Part 2 ( Paras. 3-8):

Q1: Is there any reasonable explanation to date has been made for the vanishings?

No. None of those investigation has produced convincing answers to the mystery. (Para.3)

Q2: What did the captain of Ellen Austin do when he discovered a small sailing ship floating crewless?

He installed a new crew to sail it. (Para. 5)

Q3:What happened to the small sailing ship then? It vanished together with the new crew in the end.

(Para.5)

Q4:Why does the U.S. Navy not recognize the triangle as a danger zone?

Because it believes that “the majority of disappearances in the triangle can be attributed to the unique features of the area’s environment.” （ Para. 6)

Q5:What do Richard Winer and Charles Berlitz say about the mysterious disappearances of the planes and ships?

Richard believes that the disappearances are due to men’s mistakes, mechanical problems, strange weather, or unusual magnetic phenomenon, while Charles offers the theory that a giant solar crystal that lies on the ocean floor causes the disappearances. (para.6)

1. None of these investigations has produced convincing answers to the mystery of the triangle.

convince To bring by the use of argument or evidence to firm bel

ief or a course of action. 使相信［信服］， 说服 convince sb of sth = convince sb that 使某人认识，使人

信服 e.g. He convinced me that I should study English. We convinced Anne to go by train rather than plane. 我们说服了安妮放弃乘飞机而坐火车走。 He was convinced of his error. 他认识了错误

2.Some scientists and popular authors go as far as to suggest that the triangle is a place where beings from outer space hunt human specimens for their “zoos”.

go so far as to 说或者做到什么样的程度 e.g. He went so far as to say that he would give u

p his life for this girl. 他甚至说他愿意为这个姑娘献出生命。

3.On January 30, 1948, a British airliner vanished over the triangle with 31 passengers and crew aboard.

vanish

disappear completely and suddenly

e.g. With a wave of his hand, the magician made the rabbit vanish.

aboard adv. 在船 [ 飞机、车 ] 上 , 上船 [ 飞机、车 ] e.g. He has gone aboard. 他已上船 [ 飞机、车 ] 了。 Welcome aboard! 欢迎各位乘坐本飞机 [ 本轮船 ]

勿与形近单词混淆 abroad adv.往国外 , 到处 , 海外 , 广泛 e.g. go abroad 到国外去 live abroad住在国外 at home and abroad 在国内外 from abroad从国外 , 从海外

4.Seventy-two search planes, plus dozens of ships, failed to turn up any sign of the missing aircraft.

turn up arrive, make one’s appearance 到来，出现 e.g. He turned up at rehearsal the next day looking awfu

l. 第二天彩排时，他来了，脸色非常不好。

5．Whatever the truth may be, planes and ships regularly disappear in the triangle. (Para.4)

〔解析〕 whatever, whoever, whichever, wherever和 however 在句中往往引导让步状语。

Whoever cleans the window will get the teacher’s praise.

不论谁擦窗户都会得到老师的表扬。 Whichever side wins, I’ll be satisfied.

哪边赢了我都满意。 Arrange your hours however you like.

你随意安排自己的时间。

6. After a second crew was assigned, the ship was again lost in a fog bank.

assign The monitor was assigned to take notes for the meeting. 班长被分派作会议记录。 〔辨析〕 task, assignment, duty task 与 assignment 意义相近，但 task 强调某一特别的任务，

且受环境和某人迫使 He performed a variety of tasks for the company. 他为公司

完成了许多任务。 assignment 强调任务的限度和范围 One of his assignments was to interview the president. 他的

任务之一是采访总统。 duty 则强调义务或责任 The duties of a lifeguard 救生员的职责

7. On one weird occasion in 1881, the cargo steamer Ellen Austin discovered a small sailing ship, sails waving uselessly in the wind.

〔解析〕 该句中 sails waving uselessly in the wind是一个现在分词的独立主格结构，它是在分词的逻辑主语不同于主句的主语或所修饰的名词时使用的。

e.g. Christmas coming, people are busy cutting down pine trees and trimming them into proper shape for the decorations.圣诞节要来了，人们忙着砍伐松树，修建它们的形状以挂饰物。（主句主语是 people, 而分词 coming 的主语是 Christmas 。）

8. Then too, the triangle is one of only two places on earth where a compass needle points to true rather than magnetic north, causing problems in navigation. (para.6)

〔解析〕 rather than 有时当做介词引导名词词组，有时当做连词后

接非谓语动词或省略句。使用原则如下：1. rather than 引导的结构须与主句中的平行结构形式相同；2. 主句中如果有不定式， rather than 后可以接带 to 或不带 t

o 的不定式，有时也可以是动词 ING形式；3. 如果主句中的动词是过去时， rather than 接的动 词可以是

平行的过去时，也可以是暗示要发生事情的不定式

9.“the majority of disappearances can be attributed to the unique features of the area’s environment.”

attribute

把…归因于 We attributed Edison’s success to intelligence and hard

work.

10. On the contrary, officials of another government bureau report, “no reasonable explanation to date has been made for the vanishings.”

on the contrary 相反的 〔辨析〕 in contrast, in contrast with/to, on the contrary in contrast 用于两件对立的事实，但指出其中的差异 It was cold yesterday, but in contrast it’s very hot today. in contrast with/to 与…成反比 In contrast to our old house, the new one is a mansion.和我

们的老房子比起来新房子就是一座大厦一样。 on the contrary 用于否定某一个陈述 I’m not sick; on the contrary, I’m in the peak of health. 我没

有病；恰恰相反，我健康极了

Part 3 ( Para.9):

Q: The last paragraph tells us that an institute is calling for a further research. Do you think the 300 psychics and scientists will find the answers?

Answers: Open to discussion.

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V. Writing skill

-- how to write a topic sentence

Task: Get to know the characteristics of topic sentence

1. It is usually the first sentence of that paragraph.

2. It is usually a simple sentence.3. It is usually argumental.4. Simple but specific. e.g. Spring is my favorite season. topic controlling idea

Choose the best topic sentence

Topic: College Life

Topic sentence1: I can hardly forget my college life.

Topic sentence2: I came to college to make friends.

Topic sentence3: My college is much colorful than my high school life.

Key: 3

Write a appropriate topic sentence

_______________________________________. It is very convenient for people to drive to work, study and do many other things. By encouraging people to buy cars, the nation can stimulate consumption and the domestic demand, and enhance the national economy.

Key: Private cars benefit both individuals and nation.

Sample

Smoking in public places must be banned

It is astonishing reported that over 1,000 people die from tobacco-related illness everyday, and the cost of treating smoking-related diseases exceeds $22 billion every year in the united states alone. And the cost is climbing every year! Scientific research shows that smoking is not only harmful to smokers themselves, but also a threat to the non-smokers around them, especially women and children.

The number of passive smokers has been increasing and many are complaining that they have been deprived of their right of breathing fresh and healthy air because of the smoking in the public places.

It is also said that one quarter of the world population are smokers. And smoking has become one of the major causes of many deaths and diseases. It has already become a serious problem.

In conclusion, we have to pass laws to prohibit smokers from smoking in public places.

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VI. Exercises

1.Combine the sentences with the conjunction “rather than”

2.rewrite the sentences, using whatever, whoever, whichever, wherever or however.

3.Story summary.

1.Combine the sentences with the conjunction “rather than”

Model:

In school most children need help and encouragement.

They don’t need punishment. → In school most children need help and

encouragement rather than punishment.

More practice

(1) Having too many people on the team slows our work down.

It doesn’t speed it up. → Having too many people on the team slows our

work down rather than speeding it up. (2) Mrs. Kester made students think for themsel

ves. She didn’t tell them what to think. → Mrs. Kester made students think for themselve

s rather than told them what to think.

2.Rewrite the sentences, using whatever, whoever, whichever, wherever or however.Models: (1)It doesn’t matter where you go; I’ll go with

you. → wherever you go, I’ll go with you.

(2) It doesn't matter how much he eats; he never gets fat. →

However much he eats, he never gets fat.

More practice

(1)It doesn’t make any difference what you say to her; she still keeps smiling. →

Whatever you say to her, she still keeps smiling.

(2)No matter when you come, you’ll be welcome. →

Whenever you come, you’ll be welcome.

3.Story summary

cloze

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The End