Unit 6 Is an Only a Lonely Child综合教程一

Unit 6 Is an Only a Lonely Child?

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Reading aloud Read the following sentences aloud, paying special attention to strong and weak forms. Strong forms are boldfaced and in red, while weak forms are italicized and underlined. 1. That is what so many couples are very much concerned about and eager to understand. 2. Some think this may leave the child less capable of interacting well with people his or her own age than one who has been raised with siblings.

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

3. For some single-child parents, particularly those with busy careers, the pressures of devoting time and energy to a second child can seem too overwhelming, resulting in them electing to have no more children. 4. This often leads to increased self-esteem which, combined with increased independence, can lead to the child being more confident. 5. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child.

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Cultural information 1. Quote Socrates: Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parent, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers.

Reading aloud

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2. Children from One-Child Families Some people think that children from only-child families have more merits than shortcomings. Firstly, they value free will and will not accept orders blindly. Secondly, they love trying out new methods and are full of creative ideas.

Thirdly, they expect others to treat them as indispensable partners of the team.

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

However, some people believe that the only children have more shortcomings than merits.Many are heavily dependent on parents. And some never learn to do household chores. It is even worse that some tend to be spoiled and selfcentered. They are ―the little emperors‖ in families and schools. What do you think?

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Audiovisual supplement Watch a video clip and answer the following questions. 1. What is the children‘s relationship in the video? And what‘s the relationship between the women and the children? They are brothers and sisters in one big family. And the woman is their new governess. This video is from a famous movie The Sound of Music.

Reading aloud

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2. Are you from a one-child family? Can you imagine living with so many brothers and sisters? Open.

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Maria: Gretl? Are you scared? … You‘re not frightened of a thunderstorm, are you? You just stay right here with me. Where are the others? Gretl: They are asleep. They are not scared. Maria: Oh, no? Look. Alright, everybody. Up here on the bed. Marta: Really? Maria: Well,

just this once. Come on. Now, all we have to do is to wait for the boys. Louisa: You won‘t see them. Boys are brave. Maria: You boys weren‘t scared, too, were you?

Reading aloud

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Friedrich: Oh, no. We just wanted to be sure that you weren‘t. Maria: That‘s very thoughtful of you, Friedrich. Friedrich: It wasn‘t my idea. It was Kurt‘s. Maria: Kurt! That‘s the one I left out. God bless Kurt. Maria: Why does it do that? Maria: Well, the lightning says something to the thunder, and the thunder answers back. Marta: The lightning must be nasty. Maria: Not really. Marta: Then why does the thunder get so angry? It makes me want to cry.

Reading aloud

Cultural information

Audiovisual supplement

Maria:

When anything bothers me and I‘m feeling unhappy, I just try to think of nice things.

Children: What kind of things? Maria: Oh, well, let me see. Nice things … Daffodils! Green meadows. Skies full of stars … Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens … Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings … These are a few of my favorite things.

Text analysis

Structural analysis

Text analysis 1. What is this expositive text concerned with? This text is concerned with the pros and cons of having only one child . In other words, the text deals _______________________ with the typical advantages and disadvantages of not _________________________________ having a second child. The text discusses them in an ___________ objective tone.

Text analysis

Structural analysis

2. What is the writer‘s answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child? It goes as follows: ―… there is no simple answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child. The circumstances affecting each set of parents are unique, and what is appropriate for one family may not be for another. The important thing, in the end, is to make a decision that both you and your spouse feel confident about.‖

Text analysis

Structural analysis

Structural analysis 1. Divide the text into parts by completing the table. Paragraph(s) Main idea It puts forward the issue of whether or not to have a second child, and mentions parents‘ concern whether an only child necessarily means a lonely child. Two common arguments against having only one child in the family are presented.

1

2-3

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Structural analysis

Paragraph(s) 4-5

Main ideaThe author cites specific figures and facts to show that despite the disadvantages many parents still choose to have only one child, and he also points out some causes of their decision. The author briefly states the advantages of having a single child.

6

Text analysis

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Paragraph(s) 7

Main ideaIt concludes that there is no simple answer to the question of whether or not to have a second child, and that the important thing, in the end, is to make the decision that a couple both feel confident

about.

Text analysis

Structural analysis

2. Some words used at the beginning of a paragraph make it easier for the reader to understand the coherence of the whole text, such as Another at the beginning of Paragraph 3, Despite of Paragraph 4, and Unfortunately of Paragraph 7. Can you explain how they function?

Text analysis

Structural analysis

The word ―Another‖ used at the beginning of Paragraph 3 implies that at least one argument has been presented earlier.

―Despite these arguments …‖ prepares readers for something against their expectations, i.e. many parents still choose to have one child although the disadvantages of doing so have just been clearly presented.

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