Unit 1Unit 1Unit 1Unit 1

Learning a languageLearning a language

Teaching Aims• Listening and speaking: • 1. Train the students’ ability to underst

and the main idea and grasp important details of the listening texts.

• 2. Give the students a chance to exchange views on the texts they have heard to enable them to have a deeper understanding of the texts.

Teaching Aims• Text A : A Language Teacher’s Personal

Opinion• 1. Let the students acquainted with som

e new words and expressions:• 2. Grammar Review: the usage of model

verbs: would, must, might, can’t, should

• 3. Writing Skills: Theme-related writing

Teaching Aims• Text B: Learning to Read• 1. Grasp the key words and phrases a

nd complete Word Detective• 2. Grasp the main idea of the text and

do the comprehension exercises

Teaching Contents• Text A: A Language Teacher’s Pers

onal Opinion • Lead-in • Pre-reading Activities• Background Information• Structure of the Text• Language Points

Teaching Contents• Text B: Learning to Read• Reading skills• Reading comprehension• Language points

Teaching Time• Eight class hours

Teaching Focal Points• Text A : A Language Teacher’s Pers

onal Opinion• 1. Analyze the structure of the passag

e• 2. Analyze the structure of several sen

tences• 3. Grasp several key words

Teaching Focal Points• Text B: Learning to Read • 1. Reading skills: Word Detective• 2. Grasp the main idea of the text

Focal Points and Difficult Points

• Text A : Grasp several key words• Text B: Reading skills: Word Detectiv

e

Teaching Methods• Interactive approach• Situational teaching approach• Teamwork method• Task-based teaching method

Teaching Aids• PPT• Blackboard

Teaching Procedure• 1. The first one-class-hour session for list

ening and speaking.• 2. The next three-class-hour session for S

ection A• 3. The fifth and sixth one-class-hour sess

ion for Section B • 4. The last two-class-hour session for exe

rcises of Section A and Section B

Text A: A Language Teacher’s Personal Opinion

• Lead-in • Background Information • Work on Text A • Language Points • Assignments for Text A

Lead-in• 1. Do you think it is necessary to learn another l

anguage besides your mother tongue?• 2. How long have you been learning English? Do

you think English is very difficult to learn? • 3. If possible, what other foreign languages do y

ou want to learn? Why?• 4. Speaking from your own experience, what eff

ective ways would you like to suggest helping others learn English?

Background Information

• William Shakespeare (1564–1616) is considered the greatest playwright who ever lived. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon. While the actual date of his birth is not known, it is traditionally celebrated on April 23rd. Shakespeare left Stratford sometime between 1585 and 1592, and joined a company of actors as a performer and playwright.

Background Information

• In 1594Shakespeare became an actor and playwright for a theater troupe ( 剧团 ). Until the end of his London career Shakespeare remained with the company; as an actor he played old men’s roles, such as the ghost in Hamlet and Old Adam in As You Like It.

Background Information

• In 1599 he became a partner in the ownership of the Globe Theatre, and in 1608 he was part owner of the Blackfriars Theatre. Shakespeare retired and returned to Stratford. He undoubtedly enjoyed a comfortable living throughout his career and in retirement, although he was never a wealthy man.

Background Information

All’s Well That Ends Well 《终成眷属》As You Like It 《皆大欢喜》The Comedy of Errors 《错误的喜剧》Measure for Measure 《一报还一报》The Merchant of Venice 《威尼斯商人》A Midsummer Night’s Dream

《仲夏夜之梦》

Much Ado About Nothing 《无事生非》Taming of the Shrew 《驯悍记》

Background Information

The Tempest 《暴风雨》Twelfth Night 《第十二夜》Winter’s Tale 《冬天的故事》Hamlet 《哈姆雷特》King Lear 《李尔王》Macbeth 《麦克白》Othello 《奥瑟罗》Romeo and Juliet 《罗密欧与朱丽叶》

Work on Text A • A) Structure of the Text ( a method of analyzin

g the text structure is employed)• Part Ⅰ(para.1-2 )-----Discussion on the false i

mpression that learning English is easy and does not need much effort.

• Part Ⅱ (para.3)-----The two extremes concerning the belief of language learning.

• Part Ⅲ (para.4) -----The uselessness of teaching method based on the behaviorist theory.

• Part Ⅳ (para.5-6)-----The useful way of learning a language.

Work on Text A • B) Raise some questions to make st

udents grasp some detailed information in the text

• (question and answer method is used)

PartⅠ(para.1-2)• Questions: • --What do advertisements for English learning alway

s claim?• --Is there a perfect way of teaching English in every p

ossible situation?• Answers: • --It is easy to learn English; it doesn’t take much ti

me; it doesn’t take much effort.• --No. There are as many good methods of teaching a

language as there are good teachers. Each teacher has his or her own way of teaching.

PartⅡ (para.3) • Questions:• -- What are the two extremes concerning the be

liefs of language learning?• Answers: • --On the one hand, some believe that the only w

ay to learn a foreign language is to spend a great deal of time in the target country; on the other hand, some learners claim that they can master a foreign language just by self-study with only the help of dictionaries

Part Ⅲ (para.4) • Questions: • --What would teachers who believe in behaviorists p

sychology encourage students to do in the language learning context?

• Answers: • --Behaviorists believe that language learning is a kin

d of habit formation and they assume that people learn things very much like parrots and chimpanzees. So teachers who believe in behaviorist psychology would ask students to repeat phrases and do mechanical exercises by imitation.

Part Ⅳ (para.5-6)• Questions: • --What is the author’s opinion about learning a new

language?• --What does the writer emphasize towards the end o

f this essay?• Answers: • --The author believes that no one can learn a new la

nguage well enough unless he or she is interested in it. He also thinks that the way of learning to speak and write in another language is probably similar to the way of learning one’s mother tongue.

• -- He emphasizes the importance of group work in learning a new language.

Language Points • A) Words and Expressions • B) Useful Expressions

A) Words and Expressions

• 1. PartⅠ(1-2) • 2. PartⅡ (para.3) • 3. Part Ⅲ (para.4) • 4. Part Ⅳ (para.5-6)

PartⅠ(1-2)• ① (Para 1) Every day I see advertisements in the new

spapers and on the buses claiming that it is easy to learn English.

• claim:• 1) vt. state that sth. is true, even though it has not be

en proved• * All parties have claimed success in yesterday’s ele

ctions.• * The company claims that their product “makes yo

u thin without dieting”.• 战斗结束后 , 双方均宣称获胜。 (= After the battle both

sides claimed victory.)

• 2) n. a statement that sth. is true, even though it has not been proved

• * They made claims they couldn’t live up to.

• 她对这块土地产权提出的要求最终得到法庭的认可。

• (= Her claim to the ownership of the land was finally recognized by the court.)

• ②(Para 1) There is often a reference to William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens to encourage him even more.

• --Who are “William Shakespeare” and “Charles Dickens”?

• (= Shakespeare is the world’s most popular playwright while Dickens is the greatest English novelist of the 19th century.)

• --Why are they mentioned in the advertisements?

• (= The people who run the advertisements just want to use quotations to support their points.)

• reference: n.• 1) a mention of sth.• * Knowing what had happened, I avoide

d making any reference to weddings.• 他最近出的书中提到了中东问题。• (= His recent book makes references to t

he issue of the Mideast.)• 2) sth. that shows you where else to look

for information, for example the page number of another place in a book

• * Make a note of the reference number shown on the form.

• 3) the act of looking at sth. for information

• * Use the dictionary for easy reference. • * Keep their price list for further referenc

e.• Collocation:• a reference book 参考书，工具书 • a reference library （不外借书的）参考书

阅览室• for reference 作参考 • in/with reference to 关于

• ③(Para 2)It is natural for students…… them as quickly and efficiently and cheaply as possible.

• efficiently: adv. • efficient: adj. working well, quickly, and without

waste• * an efficient secretary (= 能干的秘书 )• * an efficient heating system (= 高效能的供暖系

统 )• CF: efficient & effective • 这两个形容词均有“有效的”之意。• efficient 指积极有效，效率高，效果好，节省精力。指

人时，强调其能干、熟练的技巧。• effective 强调产生实际的效果、效力或具有取得预期

效果的能力，指人指物都适用。

• Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.

• 1) The local government has taken some _____ measures to reduce unemployment. (=effective)

• 2) We need someone really ______ who can organize the office and make it run smoothly. (=efficient)

• 3) The city’s transport system is one of the most ____ in Europe. (= efficient)

• 4) An ____ teacher will always produce better exam results. (=effective)

• ④ (Para 2) Some experts even argue that there are as many good methods of teaching a language as there are good teachers, because every teacher is an individual with his own personality.

• argue:• 1) vi. disagree with someone in words, often

in an angry way• 我们听到邻居正在争吵。• (= We could hear the neighbors arguing.)• * They’re always arguing about/over mone

y.

• 2) v. give the reasons for one’s opinion, idea, belief, etc.

• * The lawyers argued the case for hours.• * Baker argued against cutting the military bud

get.• Collocation:• argue down 驳倒• * They argued him down fiercely. 他们狠狠地驳

得他哑口无言。• argue out 辩论清楚• * The teacher and his class argued the whole m

atter out. 老师和学生透彻地论证了这个问题。• argue the toss 反对某项已成定局的决定• * Let’s not argue the toss — we have to accept

his choice. 我们不必争论已经决定的事——只好听他的。

• personality: n.• 1) the whole nature or character of a particular

person• * Everyone loves her for her cheerful personalit

y.• 他是个个性很强的有抱负的人。• (= He was an ambitious man with a strong perso

nality.)• 2) a famous person• * personalities from the film world (= 影界名流 )• 费德勒是网球界最著名的人物之一。• (= Roger Federer is one of the best-known perso

nalities in the world of tennis.)

• CF: personality, character, nature & temper• 这些名词均有“性格、气质、性情、习性”之意。• personality 主要指一个人稳定的心理特征。例如：• * Though their personalities differed, they got along as

friends.• 虽然他们性格迥异，但却相处友好。• character 指对个性或人格所作出的客观评价，常常与道

德有关。例如：• * What does her handwriting tell you about her charact

er? 你从她的书法中看出她有什么样的个性？• nature 指天生的、不可改变的性格。例如：• * It’s his nature to be kind to people. 他天生为人厚道。• temper 指从感情方面体现出来、决定处理问题的方式的

性格或性情，这种性情可以是暂时的也可以是长久的。例如：

• The girl has a sweet temper. 那女孩性情温婉。

PartⅡ (para.3) • ① (Para 3)Some students go to the opposite extrem

e and think they can teach themselves at home with dictionaries.

• What can we infer from the phrase “go to the opposite extreme”?

• (= From this phrase, we can see that the author doesn’t think learning English by using dictionaries only is a good method, either.)

• go to extremes: act too violently or behave in an extreme way

• 他们往往持极端观点。• (= They often go to extremes in their views.)

• Collocation:• go from one extreme to the other 从一个

极端走向另一个极端• be driven/forced to extremes 被迫走极端• * In the jungle, they were driven to extre

mes in order to survive. 在丛林中 , 他们为了生存被迫采取极端行动。

• in the extreme 极端，极度，非常• Her manner was friendly and welcoming

in the extreme. 她的态度极其友好热情。

• ② (Para 3) But it is wrong to assume that each word in English has a precise equivalent in another language and vice versa.

• Translate the sentence into Chinese.• (= 如果你认为英语中的每一个词在另一语言中都有完全对等的词（或反之亦然），那就错了。 )

• assume: vt. accept (sth.) as true before there is proof

• * 我假定他说的是真的。• (= I assumed his story to be true.)• * The report was assumed to be valid.• * I assumed that you knew each other because yo

u went to the same school.

• CF: assume, presume & suppose• 这些动词均含有“假设，猜想，推测”之意。• assume 指无根据地武断推测或不合逻辑地推理。• presume 强调以过去经验或根据现实的某些感觉把某事认定为是事实。

• suppose常用词，意义较广泛，指缺乏确切事实、根据一些现象进行推测，也可指为论证而提出合乎逻辑推理的某种假定，有时仅表示个人意见。

• Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.

• 1) Many scientists ___ the new damage to the forests to be the result of higher levels of pollution. (= presumed)

• 2) I didn’t see your car, so I ____ you’d gone out. (= assumed)

• 3) We have no reason to _____ that the girl is dead. (= suppose)

• equivalent:• 1) n. sth. that has the same value, purpose,

function, etc. as sth. else• * There is no English equivalent for “bon

appétit” so we have adopted the French expression.

• 2) adj. having the same amount, value, purpose, qualities, etc.

• * I had no dollars, but offered him an equivalent amount of sterling.

• 美国的国会大致相当于英国的议会。• (= The US Congress is roughly equivalent t

o the British Parliament.)

• vice versa: used to state that it is also true with the main items in the preceding statement the other way round

• * He doesn’t trust her, and vice versa.• 男孩也许会拒绝与女孩一起玩，女孩也一样。• (= The boys may refuse to play with the g

irls, and vice versa.)

• ③ (Para 3) and it is impossible for any translation method to provide students with the natural forms of a language in speech, let alone produce good pronunciation and intonation

• provide: provide sb. with sth.• provide sth. for sb.• * The project is designed to provide young people wi

th work.• 旅馆为客人们提供擦鞋服务。• (= The hotel provides a shoe-cleaning service for gue

sts.)• let alone: not to mention; much less• * We have no hospital, let alone an isolation ward.• * He hasn’t enough money for food, let alone amus

ements.

Part Ⅲ (para.4)• ① (Para 4) A great deal of teaching is still based on beh

aviorist psychology. • Base: • 1) vt. * Their relationship was based on/upon mutual r

espect.• 这个电影是以马克•吐温的小说为题材的。 (= The film is b

ased on a novel by Mark Twain.)• 2) n. • * There is a hole in the base of the tree.• * There is a door at the base of the tower.• * a military base(= 军事基地 ) * a naval base(= 海军基

地 ) * an air base(= 空军基地 )

• CF: base, basis & foundation • 这几个名词都有“基础，根基”的意思。• base 指构成或支撑某一具体物体的基础，也可指军事基地或

用作比喻意义。例如：• * The lamp stands on a circular base. • (= 落地灯由圆形底座支撑。 )• * Some of the military bases on this island were built in

the 19th century.• (= 这个岛上的一些军事基地建于 19世纪。 )• basis主要用作抽象或引申意义。例如：• * Charity toward others is the basis of her philosophy. • (= 慈善待人是她人生观的基点。 )• foundation 用于具体意义时，指坚固结实的建筑物的基础或

地基；用作比喻意义时，与 basis基本相同。例如：• * The earthquake shook the foundations of the house. • (= 地震连屋基都震动了。 )• * Those thoughts rocked her belief to its foundations. • (= 那些想法从根本上动摇了她的信念。 )

• ② (Para 4)……where they continually have to change one word in a sentence.

• continually: adv. without stopping; repeatedly

• * We are continually reassessing the situation.• NB: 注意该词的词性变化，它的形容词形式与名词

形式分别为： continual 和 continuation 。• CF: continual, continuous, successive & const

ant • 这些形容词均有“连续的”、“不断的”之意。• continual 强调重复或持续发生，但连续之间允许

有间断。• continuous语意最强，强调在时间和空间上没有间断。

• successive 强调事物一个接一个地发生，无间断。• constant多指习惯性的重复和不变的持续。

• Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.

• 1) The refrigerator keeps food at a _________ temperature. (= constant)

• 2) The people in the city suffered a lot from the two weeks of ____ rain. (= continual)

• 3) Is this a _____ flight, or do we stop off anywhere? (= continuous)

• 4) My computer makes a _______ low buzzing noise. (= continuous)

• 5) The school has won five ______ games. (= successive)

Part Ⅳ (para.5-6)• ① (Para 5-6) It is worth remembering that language i

s a means of communication• Pay attention to the usage of the word “worth”.• (= When we use this expression we should always use

the V-ing form after the word “worth”, never an infinitive.

• More examples:• The book is worth reading/It’s worth reading the bo

ok. )• Paraphrase the sentence.• (= It is likely to give a satisfactory or rewarding retur

n for us to keep in mind that language is a way to communicate.)

• means: n. a method or way (of doing)• * We need to find some other means of transportation.• 没有办法查明发生了什么。• (= There is no means of finding out what happened.)• Collocation:• a means to an end 达到目的的方法• * For Tom, the job was simply a means to an end. • (= 对汤姆来说，这个工作仅仅是他达到目的的方法。 )• by all means 尽一切办法；一定• * By all means try the medicine if you think it will do y

ou any good. • (= 如果你认为这药对你的病有效，那务必要试试。 )• by no means决不• * She is by no means stupid. (= 她一点也不笨。 )

B) Useful Expressions• 1. 个人看法 personal opinion• 2. 不费什么力气 with very little effort• 3. 提到 a reference to• 4. 哭笑不得 don’t know whether to laugh or cr

y• 5. 另谋出路 look for another job• 6. 合格的教师 a qualified teacher• 7. 可笑的噱头 a ridiculous claim• 8. 在情理之中 It is natural …

B) Useful Expressions• 9. 做……没用 It is no use doing …• 10. 这有几分道理 This is true to a certain extent

…• 11. 比……具有很大优势 have a great advantage

over others• 12. 走向另一极端 go to the opposite extreme • 13. 完全对等的东西 a precise equivalent • 14. 反之亦然 and vice versa• 15. 建立在……基础上 be based on• 16. 行为主义心理学 behaviorist psychology

B) Useful Expressions• 17. 热衷于 be fond of• 18. 我个人认为 in my personal opinion • 19. 将……与……联系起来 relate … to …• 20. 值得牢记的是 It is worth remembering that

…• 21. 交际手段 a means of communication• 22. 与……大同小异 be probably very similar to

…• 23. 值得一提的相关问题 a relevant point worth

mentioning• 24. 做……将可受益 It will be helpful to …

Assignments for Text A • Ask students to review the text and d

o the exercises in the textbook

Text B Learning to Read • 1. Reading skill — Word Detectiv

e• 2. Comprehension of the text• 3. Language points

Reading skill — Word Detective• Play detective and find the required word in

Text B according to the clues given. Then, make at least two sentences with each of the words you have found. The number of the paragraph in which the target word appears is given in brackets.

• Example: A noun meaning “either of the two periods into which a year at universities is divided”: (Para. 6)

• Write down the target word here: semester • Ask students to finish the exercises on the Pa

ge 16

Comprehension of the text

• Para 2-3 What might the teachers before John Holt have said and done about reading and what did John Holt actually say and do about reading in his class?

• Para 4 How did children feel when they heard what John Holt said about reading? Can you give some adjectives to describe their feelings at that moment?

• Para 5-6 What level of books did the girl start to read?

• Para 7 Accoring to John Holt, what should reading be like?

Language points• (Para 1). I decided to try at all costs to rid them of t

heir fear and dislike of books,……• at all cost: at any cost, at any expense• eg: The bridge must be repaired within three days a

t all costs. • 要不惜一切代价在三天内把桥修好。• eg: He is the man who implements his promise at al

l cost. • 他是一个无论如何都会实现诺言的人。• eg. The stamp collector decided to get that rare sta

mp at all costs. • 这个集邮迷决心无论代价如何都要搞到那枚稀有的邮票。

• rid: • eg. To rid of vermin.

驱除害虫，消灭害虫 • eg. Get rid of gas.

去除多余气体。 • eg. 130000 adults rid themselves of illiteracy.

13 万成年人摘掉了文盲帽子。 • eg. He is rid of fever.

他已退烧了。 • eg. To rid of impurities; cleanse.

使纯净，净化除去玷污物；清洗

• dislike: an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group

• a feeling of aversion or antipathy• VS like dislikeful, dislikeable, 同： di

spproval, disfavor, dislike eg. I dislike having to get up early. 我不喜欢早起。

• eg. The boy has a dislike for vegetables. 那男孩不喜欢吃蔬菜。

• ② （ Para 2-3 ） Then if you don’t like the characters and don’t care what happens to them,…… character: an actor's portrayal of someone in a play; good repute; a written symbol that is used to represent speech;

• character actor n. 性格演员• character assassination n. 人格损毁• backspace character 退格字符• character printer 字符打印机，字符印刷机• character witness n. 在法庭中对涉讼之一方人格

名誉作证的见证人 , 品德信誉见证

• eg. There is a smack of recklessness in his character.

• 他的个性有些鲁。• eg. The characters in this book are carefully reali

zed.• 书中人物用细腻手法写得十分真实。• eg. Chinese characters must be given for all Chin

ese names.• 表中所有中国人的姓名都须填写中文• eg. Two suspicious characters were brought in.• 逮捕了两名嫌疑犯 .• eg. The author's character delineation is forceful.• 作者对人物的描写强而有力。

• ③ (Para 5-6) During the spring semester, she really astonished me, however.

• astonish: affect with wonder 同： amaze, astound

• eg. She astonished me with her beautiful handwriting.

• 她以其秀丽的书法而使我惊异。• eg. I was astonished at the news of his esca

pe. • 听到他逃之夭夭的消息 , 我感到惊讶。