新世纪2大学英语教案

新世纪大学英语读写教程

（第二册）

New Century College English

（Book）

教 案

Teaching Plan

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Ｃontent

Unit One-- Text A: The Kindness of Strangers ....................................................................3

Unit Two-- Text A: Choose Optimism .................................................................................... 17

Unit Three -- The Road to Success ........................................................................................ 31

Unit Four -- Being Creative ..................................................................................................... 47

Unit Five-- Text A: Three Days to See ................................................................................ 60

Unit Six-- Text A: What Does Teamwork Really Mean? .................................................. 76

Unit Seven-- Text A: Did You Have a Tough Childhood? ................................................. 90

Unit Eight-- Text A: Uncommon Decency .......................................................................... 103

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Unit One-- Text A: The Kindness of Strangers

I.Teaching Objectives

1. To make clear the writer?s purpose to write the text and the ideas that the writer desire to convey in the text.

2. To grasp the key words, phrases and structure.

3. To master the skills of writing and reading in this unit.

II. Teaching Content

1. Get Started

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A 4.Voicing Your Views

5. Guided Practice (exercises, oral practice and group work) 6. Summary

7.After-Class Assignments

III. Teaching Process 1. Get Started

Discussion

▇Sit in groups of threes or fours and discuss the following questions.

1) You are now living on campus. How do you get along with your classmates? 2) Are you willing to help out a stranger? Why or why not?

3) Do you think it possible to be a true friend to someone whose name you don?t know?

▇ Answers for reference: 1) A possible answer:

I get along with my classmates pretty well. We help each other and take good care of each other. When anyone is in trouble or difficulty, we do all we can to lend a helping hand. I love campus life. I believe that the time spent in this university will be an unforgettable experience in my life.

2) Possible answers:

a. To be honest, with all the stories about how certain individuals take advantage of people?s kindness and how people set out to help out a stranger but end up getting into big trouble, I would think twice before helping out a stranger.

b. I am willing to help out a stranger, even if it means I would get myself into trouble, because I would feel bad if I passed by someone in need. After all, we?re not living on a one-man island. We need to rely on each other?s kindness. What?s more, I believe most

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people on earth are good and they do not take advantage of others? kindness. 3) A possible answer:

Yes, I think so. True friendship lies in the communication between souls, and you don?t have to know the person?s name in order to know the soul.

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

Exercise 1:Answer the following questions with the information contained in Text A.

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) Why didn?t the author stop for the hitchhiker? Did he feel guilty for not helping the young man?

Why did the author decide to start his journey across America pennilessly? What did he discover as he travelled?

What had happened to the trucker the author met on a rainy day?

What conclusion did the author draw from his experiences mentioned in Paragraphs 15-18? Why did Carol invite the author to talk to her class about his trip?

What conclusion did the author make about his trip when he talked to the students?

▇ Answers for reference:

1) He thought that someone else would stop for him. And he was afraid of a possible robbery. 2) No. He didn?t. But he was bothered by his easy and quick decision of leaving the young

man stranded in the desert.

3) He wanted to test if a person could still rely solely on the kindness of strangers or the good

will of his fellow Americans these days.

4) He found out that others shared his fear. Yet they still stubbornly helped strangers like him. 5) He was once robbed at knife-point by a hitchhiker.

6) He found that people were generally compassionate. And those who had the least to give

often gave the most.

7) She thought the children should be exposed to what else was out there — the good and the

bad.

8) He concluded that his faith in America had been renewed and that people could still depend

on the kindness of strangers.

Exercise 2:Text A can be divided into three parts. Now write down the paragraph number(s) of each part and then give the main idea of each in one or two sentences.

Part Paragraph(s) Main Idea

One

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Because of a past experience of neglecting a hitchhiker in

need of help, the author decided to travel across America without any money to find out if one could still rely on the kindness of strangers these days.

During his trip, he found out that people were generally compassionate and willing to help although they might have fears.

He talked to school children and concluded in a patriotic manner that in America people could still depend on the kindness of strangers.

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Two Three

8-28 29-31

3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A

flag down

cause (a vehicle or its driver) to stop by waving at the driver 挥手[打信号]使（车辆或驾驶者） 停下

e.g. 1. A policeman flagged down the car when he saw it speeding. 2. We have to flag down a passing car in order to ask for help.

为了求援我们不得不挥手让一辆过路车停下来。

risk vt.

put in danger; take the chance of losing; take the chance of (a possible unpleasant result) 使遭受危险；冒失去……之险；担……风险，冒……的危险

e.g. 1. When young students start smoking for fun, they don?t realize that they?re risking their health.

2. The captain was not willing to risk taking his ship through the straits in such bad weather.船长不愿意在这样恶劣的天气里冒险将船驶过海峡。 CF: venture, chance, risk

这些动词均含有“敢于冒险”之意。

venture指冒风险试一试，或指有礼貌的反抗或反对。例如： He enjoyed little success when he ventured into business. chance指碰运气、冒风险试试。例如：

Andy knew the risks. I cannot believe he would have chanced it. risk指不顾个人安危去干某事，侧重主动承担风险。例如：

Why should he have risked all that to become an agent of a foreign power? as much

the same 同样地

e.g. 1. He was greatly respected, and his brother as much despised.

2. A comparable house in the south of the city would cost twice as much. 一栋类似的房子位于城南部就要贵一倍的价钱。

rely on / upon sb. / sth. (for)

need or depend on sb. or sth.; trust or have faith in sb. or sth. 依靠，依赖；信任，信赖 e.g. 1. During the voyage we relied on the radio for news of the outside world.

2. It would be better to rely on ourselves than on others. 求人不如求己。

figure vt.

esp AmE consider; believe 〖尤美〗认为，以为 e.g. 1. I figured (that) you wouldn?t come.

2. She figured that both she and Ned had learned a lot from the experience. 她觉得自己和内德都从这一经历中学到了很多东西。

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now that the baby was born, they all feel happy for the young Mexican couple. Q:Why does the author say that they hate to leave the meeting point without the Haitians?

A: Because the Haitian friends have such a sense of fun that the passengers feel happy when they are aboard. So, although they are always late because of their tricky bus route, the passengers are willing to wait for them.

▇ Comprehension questions （Paras. 10-11）

Q:What is the only thing that the author and his wife feel sad about during their Sunday-morning bus trip for many months?

A: They can?t develop a friendly relationship with the silent woman at the front of the bus. She never responds to their cheerygreetings. They feel sad about it.

Q:What was the response of the silent woman when they greeted her in the fish restaurant?

A: When the couple greeted her with the friendly familiarity they had shown all year, she showed her happy recognition this time and responded with a shy smile. Q:Why was the woman silent on the bus?

A: As the author and his wife later found out, the woman had a speech impediment. She was silent because talking was hard for her.

▇ Comprehension questions （Paras. 12-16）

Q: What do you know about the family life of the silent woman?

A: She was a single mother with a disabled son who was receiving special care away from home. She lived alone and felt lonely. The bus ride was the best thing she did all week, and an occasional visit to the fish restaurant was almost as good as the second best thing. She missed her son very much.

Q:Why did she ride the bus on Sunday mornings?

A: She rode the bus on Sunday mornings simply for the companionship of the driver whose name she didn?t know, but who appreciated the hot coffee she brought.

Q:How did the author and his wife feel about the dinner with the silent woman?

A: They all had a wonderful time. For the silent woman, an occasional visit to the fish restaurant was a pleasant experience and this time, it was even better with the companionship of her friends—the author and his wife. The author and his wife also enjoyed the dinner and they felt that the fish had never tasted better.

Q:What happened when they left the restaurant?

A: When they left the restaurant, they were already friends with each other. And they shared their names.

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Unit Two-- Text A: Choose Optimism

I.Teaching Objectives

1. To make clear the writer?s purpose to write the text and the ideas that the writer desire to convey in the text.

2. To grasp the key words, phrases and structure.

3. To master the skills of writing and reading in this unit.

II. Teaching Content

1. Get Started

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A 4.Voicing Your Views

5. Guided Practice (exercises, oral practice and group work) 6. Summary

7.After-Class Assignments

III. Teaching Process 1. Get Started

Discussion

▇Sit in groups of threes or fours and discuss the following questions. 1) How do you feel about your present life? 2) Are you in a bad mood sometimes? If so, why?

3) Do you know how to keep yourself in a good mood?

4) How do youreact to difficulties in life? Can you give an example? 5) Do you think optimism is the key to a happy and better life?

▇ Answers for reference: 1) Possible Answers:

a. I feel happy about my present life.

? My parents love me much and my classmates are friendly and caring. ? I am making progress in my studies every day. ? I am becoming a more independent person. b. I am not happy about my life now.

? It seems that I still cannot adapt to college life very well.

? I find it hard to balance between social activities and studies. ? I have difficulty getting along with my classmates. ? I feel lonely at times. 2) Possible Answers:

a. Yes, I am in a bad mood sometimes.

? whenI have a quarrel with one of my classmates;

? whenI fail to get the desired results in my examinations; ? whenI feel bored and can find nothing interesting to do; ? whenI have a money problem. b. No, I am never in a bad mood.

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3) Possible Answers:

Yes, I know a few ways to keep myself in a good mood.

? Tell myself to be in a good mood every morning when I get up; ? Choose to look at the bright side of things;

? Focus on the things I have rather than things I do not have or cannot get;

? Do some sports or play some computer games to distract myself when in a bad mood; ? Take a walk on campus. 4) Possible Answers:

a. If I meet some problems or difficulties in life, I will face them positively and try my best to solve them by myself.

? My parents hardly have enough money to pay for my education. I did not complain or

feel disadvantaged. Instead, Iset my mindon solving the problem by myself. After I got into college I found a part-time job on campus and managed to earn some money to support myself.

b. I would turn to my parents for help, because they are more experienced in life. And they are always willing to help.

c. I would just ignore them and let them be. There?ll be some kind of solution somehow. Why bother?

5) Possible Answers:

a. Yes, I think so because happiness is a feeling of self-contentment. If I choose to be an optimist and to be always in a good mood, I may feel happier and laugh more, and in this way I can enjoy life more, have more chances of success, and most probably I will live longer.

b. No, I don?t think so. Optimism alone is not enough for a happy and better life. Things may not get better just because of one?s will power or one?s optimistic attitude towards them.

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

1. Answer the following questions with the information contained in Text A.

1) 2)

3) 4) 5)

▆Answers for Reference:

1) According to Rich DeVos, there seems to be a natural cause-and-effect relationship between

optimism and success.

2) Because there is enough good and bad in everyone?s life and this serves as a rational basis

for us to choose either optimism or pessimism.

3) Rich DeVos chooses to highlight the positive and slip right over the negative, because he is

an optimist by choice as much as by nature. And he found that the good in life is far greater and more important than the bad.

4) It tells us that a negative attitude may have a profound effect on the way we feel and act. 5) We can be optimists and still recognize that problems exist and that some of them are not

dealt with easily.

2.Text A can be divided into three parts. Now write down the paragraph numbers of each part and then give the main idea of each in one or two sentences. Part Paragraph(s) Main Idea

1-3 It is necessary to choose optimism to shape our outlook and One

expectations. Two

4-7 The author illustrates the effect ofnegativism through his own experience.

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According to Rich DeVos, what is the relationship between optimism and success?

Why should each of us choose between optimism and pessimism to shape our outlook and our expectations?

What is the author?s choice? Why does he make such a choice? What does the author?s experience in the service station tell us?

What?s the meaning of the sentence “Optimism doesn?t need to be naive”(Para. 9)?

Three

8-10

The author suggests that we direct our attention to positive and constructive thinking rather than to negativism. 3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A

reverse n.

[(of)] the opposite; the other way round [常与of连用]相反

e. g.If you tell these naughty children to do something, they will often just do the exact reverse.

He did the reverse of what we expected: instead of being angry, he bought us a drink. 他所做的和我们的预料正相反——他非但没有生气，反而请我们喝酒。

in reverse

in the opposite way to normal or to the previous situation; vice versa 反过来；反之亦然 e. g.The secret number is my phone number in reverse.

To stop the engine you repeat the same procedures, but in reverse. 若想停下引擎，则重复相同的步骤，但要以相反的顺序。

shape vt.

influence and fix the course or form of 影响（??的形态等）；决定（进程等） e. g. She had a leading role in shaping the party?s policy.

It is said that childhood experiences can shape a person?s character. 据说童年经历能影响一个人的性格。

curse vi. & vt.

express a wish that great misfortune will happen to (sb.), esp. by calling on magical powers 诅咒

e. g.People in many cultures believe witch doctorshave the power to bless or curse their lives.

She cursed him for ruining her life. 她诅咒他，说他毁了她一生。

perspective n.

[(on)]the way in which a situation or problem is judged, so that (proper) consideration and importance is given to each part [常与on连用]（观察问题的）视角 e. g.The novel is written from a child?s perspective.

The new evidence put an entirely different perspective on the case. 新的证据使我们要从完全不同的视角来看待这个案子。

view vt.

[esp. (as, with)]consider; regard; think about [尤与as或with连用]考虑，看，认为 e. g.They try to view the situation objectively.

They viewed the future with some expectation. 他们怀着某种期待看未来。 Collocations:

view sth. as sth. 把??看作??

view sth. from sth. 从??角度来看待??

view sth. / sb. from a … perspective

think about sth. or sb. in a particular way 从??视角来看待某事或某人

e. g. Your point can be viewed from both the woman?s perspective and the man?s.

If we view the problem from a different perspective, a solution may become more obvious. 假如我们从另一个视角考虑这个问题，或许会更容易找到解决办法。

highlight vt.

pick out (sth.) as an important part; throw attention onto 使??显著[突出]，使注意力集中于

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e. g.These figures clearly hightlight the differences in living standards between the two areas.

The report on the accident highlights the need for considerable improvements in safety. 事故报告强调了提高安全的重要性。

slip over

neglect; omit 忽视，忽略；遗漏

e. g.Don?t slip over the important issue.

I?m sorry I completely slipped over his birthday. 很抱歉，我完全忽略了他的生日。

by choice

because one has chosen; as a result of choosing; because of wanting to 出于自己选择地，凭爱好

e. g. Everything we do, we do by choice; and every choice we make, we make for a reason.

I didn?t have to work all weekend — I did it by choice.

我并不是非得整个周末都工作，我是自己选择这样做的。

by nature

as a result of inherent qualities; innately 出于本性地，天生地

e. g. He is by nature a very happy individual; he seems to have been born with a smile on his lips.

It?s not in her nature to be rude; she?s polite by nature. 她生性并不粗野，倒是很有礼貌。

live through

remain alive during and in spite of (a difficult or dangerous period) 活过；经过（困难、危险）之后仍活着

e. g. We were all sad to learn that the old man is in a critical condition and may not live through the winter.

He lived through two world wars. 他经历了两次世界大战。

crisis n.

a point or moment of great danger, difficulty, or uncertainty 危机；紧要关头 e. g.We need someone who can stay calm in a crisis.

Relations between the two countries have reached crisis point. 两国关系已经达到出现危机的地步。 Collocations:

cause/stir up a crisis 引起危机 lead to a crisis 导致危机

overcome/settle a crisis 解决危机 in a crisis 处于危机当中

when all is said and done

when everything is considered or explained; after all 结果，说到底，归根结底；毕竟，终究 e. g.When all?s said and done, he?s only a kid and should be excused for his wrongdoing.

When all is said and done, she was a most remarkable woman with a strongcharacter. 归根结底，她是个非常出色的女士，性格坚强。

feed on / upon

(of a feeling, etc.) become stronger because of; (esp. of an animal or baby) eat（感情等）因??变得更强烈；（尤指动物或婴孩）吃，以??为食

e. g. Our memory is limited, but our imaginationis unlimited, and it feeds on optimism and hope.

His self-confidence fed on encouragement from his father.

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由于有了父亲的鼓励，他的自信心更强了。 CF: feed, nourish, nurture & supply

这些动词均含有“供养、提供、抚养”之意。

feed普通用词，含义广泛。既可指给人或动物提供食物，又可指给植物以养料或为机器等加燃料等。例如：

* The farmer?s wife feeds cattle and sheep every morning.

nourish指提供生长、健康或维持生存所必需的食物或养料，尤指用促进生长的营养品。句中事物名称往往做该动词的主语。例如：

* Milk, eggs, and meat nourish the bodies of growing boys and girls.

nurture表示在幼儿、幼苗的成长过程中予以细心的照料、保护或者可以指帮助计划、想法、感情等发展。例如：

*We want to nurture the new project, not destroy it. supply表示提供所需物品。例如：

*Most large towns are supplied with electricity.

odd a.

different from what is ordinary or expected; unusual 奇特的，古怪的，异常的 e. g. It?s odd of her to dash away without so much as saying goodbye.

It?s very odd that she didn?t reply to our letter. 很奇怪，她没有回我们的信。 CF: strange, odd, peculiar & curious

这些形容词均含有“奇怪的，奇异的，新奇的、好奇的”之意。

strange是普通常用词，含义广泛，指陌生新奇的、奇怪的人或物。例如： *The doctor thought her strange behavior was caused by stress.

odd通常指不同寻常或者出乎意料之外的人或事物，往往令人困惑或感到奇怪。例如： *He is rather an odd man.

peculiar常指因为觉得陌生或者不熟悉而感到有点奇怪。例如： *This food has got a peculiar taste.

curious通常指非常奇特从而能引起人们的好奇心。例如： *It is a curious fact that he never works but has plenty of money.

figure out

come to understand or discover by thinking 理解，想出

e. g.It took Wyler a couple of days to figure out what had happened.

We still haven?t figured out how to do it. 我们仍想不出怎么去做这件事。

disgusting a.

extremely unpleasant and making one feel sick 令人作呕的；令人厌恶的，讨厌的 e. g.Smoking is really a disgusting habit.

I can?t bear the disgusting food in that restaurant. 我受不了那家餐馆那令人作呕的食物。

observation n.

[C; U] an action of noticing or watching 观察，注意，监视

e.g. Most information was collected by direct observation of the animals?behaviour.

He left by the back door to escape observation. 他从后门溜走了，以免被人注意到。 Collocations:

keep/place sb. under observation 监视某人；观察某人 be under observation 受到监视；被观察

accomplish vt.

succeed in doing; finish successfully 完成（任务等）；做成功

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e. g.What exactly do you hope to accomplish this year?

She?s accomplished a great deal in the last few weeks. 在过去几周里，她完成了相当多的工作。 CF: accomplish, achieve, fulfill & complete 这些动词均含有“完成”之意。

accomplish指经过艰苦的努力之后成功地完成了规定的工作、计划、任务等，侧重达到预期目的的整个过程。例如：

*They accomplished the difficult task assigned to them.

achieve指通过持续的努力而完成或实现某事，特别强调由于非常努力以及克服困难后达到目的。例如：

*It is more difficult for a woman to achieve success in modern society.

fulfill指达到预定的目标，如计划的完成、职责的履行、诺言的实现、任务的完成等，侧重于完成心愿或者尽义务的意思。例如：

*Brown was a brilliant musician but he had never fulfilled his early promise.

complete指完成一件指派或预定的任务，或完善、完整未完成的部分，一般指经过比较长的时间以后完成了任务。例如：

*The construction work of the new steel plant has already been completed.

make a difference

have an important effect or influence 有很大影响或关系，很重要 e. g. The rain did make a difference to the game.

When you?re learning to drive, having a good teacher makes a difference. 学习驾驶时，如有一位好教员指导，效果大不相同。

raise vt.

collect together 筹集；召集

e. g.They hope to raise $1 million to buy land.

We made an appeal to raise money for victims of the disaster. 我们呼吁为灾民筹款。

in terms of …; in … terms

from the point of view of 从??观点来看，从??角度来讲 e. g.The job is great in terms of salary, but it has its disadvantages.

The book has been well reviewed, but in terms of actual sales it hasn?t been very successful.

这本书获得了好评，但是从实际销售情况来看，它并不太成功。

address vt.

try to solve 着手解决

e. g.We did not expect that the project should fully address issues of this kind.

He ignored the side issues and addressed himself to the main problem. 他抛开枝节问题，着手解决主要问题。

criticize vt.

[(for)] judge with disapproval; point out the faults of [常与for连用]批评；指责 e. g.Ron does nothing but criticize and complain all the time.

The report strongly criticizes the police for failing to deal with this problem. 报告强烈批评警方没有处理好这一问题。

result in

have as a result; cause 导致，造成

e. g. This move will eventually result in the loss of a lot of jobs.

The accident resulted in the death of two passengers. 这起事故导致两名乘客丧生。

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benefit vt.

(esp. of an action or event) be useful, profitable, or helpful to （尤指一行动或事件）有益于，有利于，有助于

e. g.Exercise benefits our health.

It?s an expensive investment but it will benefit the company in the long run. 这是一项花费很大的投资，但从长远看来，它对公司有好处。

channel vt.

[(into)] direct towards a particular purpose [常与into连用]把??导向（某一特定目的）；引导；集中；朝向

e. g. We should channel our energy into useful activities.

The famine relief money was channelled through volunteer groups. 饥荒救济金是通过志愿者团体的渠道收集来的。

channel sth. into sth.

direct money, feelings, ideas, etc. towards a particular thing or purpose 把??导向（某一特定目的）

e. g.Women were more likely to be channeled into the lower-paying jobs.

I decided to channel my energy into something useful. 我决定把自己的精力用到有益的事上。

concerned with

having an active personal interest; about 关心的，感兴趣的；与??有关系 e. g.Her job is mainly concerned with sales.

This story is concerned with a Russian family in the 19th century. 这个故事讲的是一个十九世纪俄国家庭的事情。

Difficult Sentences for Text A

1. But when all is said and done, I findthat the good in life is far greater and more important than the bad. (Para. 3)

Q: What is the implied meaning of this sentence?

A: Having experienced so many difficulties and crises, the author believes that the good in life is far greater and more important than the bad.

2. Conversely, negative thoughts, attitudes, and expectations feed on themselves; they become a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Para. 4)

Q: Why does the author say negative thoughts, attitudes, and expectations become a self-fulfilling

prophecy?

A: There seems to be a natural cause-and-effect relationship between pessimism and failure. If you expect something to turn out bad, it probably will.

3. That seemed like an odd question, but I felt fine and told him so. (Para. 5) Q: What is the implied meaning of this sentence?

A: The author was feeling great on that beautiful day. Although he was a bit surprised to hear the attendant?s question, he still tells him the fact.

4. Optimism draws our attention away from negativism andchannels it into positive, constructive thinking. (Para. 10)

Q: Paraphrase this sentence.

A: If we take an optimistic attitude towards life, we will look on the positive side of the situation and gradually cultivate a positive and constructive way of thinking.

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4. Voicing Your Views

▆If you were in the following situation, how would you look on the positiveside of the situation? Discuss the topic in groups and share your views with the whole class.The tips in the box may be of some help.

Situation: I had been dreaming of becoming a student at a famous university such as Peking

University or Tsinghua University, but my dream was never realized because of my poor performance at the entrance examination, so I have had to go to a university that does not come up to my earlier expectations.

already do my best look into the future the outstanding people from my university a comparison of my competition situation in my university and Peking University / Tsinghua University the good teaching staff and teaching facilities in my university my strong desire to succeed …

5. Guided Practice

1) Do task one (p. 42) 2) Group discussion

Work in groups of threes or fours to discuss the issues listed on page 15. Ask several students to present their opinions in class.

6. Summary

Ask Ss to retell the text in their own words.

7.After-Class Assignments

1) Review Text A 2) Do exercises: Cloze (p. 60) Translation (p. 61)

3) Theme-related writing (p.62)

Text B

Section A KEY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS Key Words: ritualn. conservativea. estimaten. entertainmentn. reputationn. hardenvt. priora.

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responsen. startlevt. awarenessn. feedbackn. routinen. historicala. cynicala. commentn. innocenta. significancen. managementn. enormousa.

ritual n. [C; U] one or more ceremonies or customary acts which are often repeated in the same form 仪式（程序）；例行习惯

e.g. My father is in the kitchen conducting his morning ritual — reading the newspaper and

sipping his coffee.

She went through her usual ritual of making sure all the doors were locked before

she went to bed.

conservativea. liking old and established ways; not liking change, esp. sudden change 保守的，守旧的

e.g. It was an extremely conservative society — they were very easily shocked by anything

different or daring.

Some people hold a very conservative attitude toward education.

estimaten. [(of)] a calculation or judgment of the nature, value, size, amount, etc., of sth. [常与

of连用] 估计

e.g. I can give you a rough estimate of the amount of wood youwill need for building a house like this.

The number of people who applied for the course was 120 compared with an initial conservative estimate of 50.

responsen. [C (to)] a reply [常与to连用]回答

e.g. The news provoked an angry response from the public.

I looked in her face for some response, but she just stared at me blankly.

entertainmentn. [C; U] sth., esp. a public performance, that amuses 供消遣的事物（尤指公众娱乐活动）

e.g. The weekend entertainment at school was provided by a folk band.

This season?s entertainments include five new plays and several concerts of Chinese and Indian music.

routine n. [C; U] (a) regular and habitual way of working or doing things 惯例，常规；例行公事

e.g. There?s no set routine at work — every day is different.

She longed to escape from the same old familiar routine.

innocenta.[(of)] (of a thing) harmless in effect or intention [常与of连用] （事物）无害的；没有恶意的

e.g. She was startled by their angry reaction to her innocent remark.

It was an innocent remark and I didn?t mean to hurt his feelings.

startle vt. esp AmE infml[C (of)] cause (sb.) to be suddenly surprised, sometimes making them jump; give an unexpected slight shock〖尤美，非正式〗[常与of连用]使（某人）惊跳，使大吃一惊，吓（某人）一跳

e.g. They were startled to hear they were getting divorced.

You startled me! I didn?t hear you come in!

reputationn. [C; U (for)] (an) opinion held about sb. or sth., esp. by people in general; the degree to which one is trusted or admired [常与for连用]名誉；名声 e.g. She soon acquired a reputation as a first-class cook.

The company has a worldwide reputation for quality.

historicala. connected with history as a study; based on or representing events in the past 历史的，历史学的；基于史实的，反映历史事件的 e.g. The building is of historical importance.

Many important historical documents were destroyed when the library was bombed.

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significancen. [U] rather fml the quality of being significant; importance, meaning, or value 〖较正式〗重要性，意义；含意；价值

e.g. We should be fully aware of the significance of television in shaping our ideas.

The discovery of the new drug is of great significance to people suffering from heart problems.

awarenessn. knowledge or understanding of a particular subject or situation意识，认识 e.g. People?s environmental awareness has increased dramatically over the past decade.

Lack of awareness of this fact has caused many problems in the past.

hardenvt. make or become severe, unkind, or lacking in human feelings （使）变得冷酷无情，（使）变得硬心肠

e.g. As the game progressed, both parties hardened their heart to win.

Police described him the man as a hardened criminal.

cynicala. sometimes deroglike or typical of a person who thinks that people tend to act only in their own interests, and who always has a low opinion (sometimes unfairly) of people's reasons for doing things〖有时贬〗愤世嫉俗的；冷嘲热讽的

e.g. He grew a cynical attitude toward society, well grounded on numerous failing experiences.

She was very cynical about the peace conference and said the president was only there to boost his popularity.

managementn. [U] the art or practice of managing, esp. of managing a business or money 管理；处理；经营

e.g. The company has suffered from several years of bad management.

They need to learn modern management techniques.

feedbackn. advice, criticism or information about how good or useful sth. or sb.?s work is 反馈的意见[信息]

e.g. There?s been a lot of positive feedback on the new proposals.

The company welcomes feedback from people who use its goods.

priora. coming or planned before在前的，在先的，居先的

e.g. They had to refuse the dinner invitation because of a prior engagement.

I was unable to attend the meeting because of a prior engagement.

comment n.[(about, on)] (a) written or spoken opinion, explanation, or judgment made about an event, person, situation, etc. [常与about或on连用] 评论；评语；评注

e.g. He was asked about a pay increase for the factory workers but made no comment. He made several unfavourable comments about their candidate.

enormousa.extremely large; huge 巨大的，极大的，庞大的

e.g. The team has made an enormous effort to strengthen discipline.

He earns an enormous salary, so he can afford to live in an enormous house and drive an enormous car.

Expressions:

have no idea run into mull over

have no ideainfml not know〖非正式〗不清楚

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get/have the hang of sth.

e.g. I fell asleep halfway through the film and now I absolutely have no idea howit ended.

We have no idea how to persuade him to give up the idea.

run intoinfmlmeet (sb.) by chance〖非正式〗偶然遇见

e.g. Sally ran into one of her business colleagues at the beach yesterday.

He was delighted beyond measure to run into an old friend.

mull overthink over;consider for a time; ponder仔细考虑；沉思

e.g. He had been mulling over his father?s suggestion and finally decided that it made sense.

Before you respond, you?d better first mull over what you have heard or experienced.

get/have the hang of sth.infmllearn how to do sth. or use sth., esp. when this needs skill〖非正式〗熟悉某物的用法

e.g. Skiing is not very tiring, once you get the hang of it.

Like anything else, if you do enough of it, you?ll eventually get the hang of what you?re doing.

Section B Difficult Sentences

1. I was now more determined than ever to prove to my students that there was something to celebrate every day and to work a daily dose of good news into our learning environment. ( Para.6)

1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

于是我比以往更加坚定地要向学生证明：每天都有值得赞美庆祝的事，我还要往我们的学习氛围里每天都注入一些好的消息。 2) Paraphrase the sentence. Key:

Now I was much sure that I should show to my students that every day we always had something good to celebrate and we could always add or include some good news to the classroom every day.

2. My fears that they might be too hardened by life and cynical were quickly allayed. ( Para.9) 1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

我原本担心他们可能会因为生活而变得太过冷酷无情、愤世嫉俗，但我的担心很快消除了。

2) Paraphrase the sentence. Key:

My worries were soon eased when I found that my adult students had not been left cold and unfeeling by their experience of the world but were as willing as my high school students to share good news with one another.

3. …they said they liked the idea so much that they?d started opening their regular meetings in much the same way. (Para. 9)

1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

?他们说太喜欢这个主意了，他们用几乎相同的方式来做例会的开场白。 2) Make a sentence with the italicized structure. Key:

My hometown had changed so much that I could hardly recognize it.

4. …I originally had no idea that it would have such a lasting impact on all of us. ( Para. 10) 1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

?我一开始根本没想到这会给我们所有人产生如此长远的影响。

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2) Make a sentence with the italicized structure. Key:

I originally had no idea that studying a foreign language would have so many benefits.

Section C COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

▇Comprehension questions (Paras. 1-2) Q1: How did the author start his class? Why?

A1: He started every one of his classes by asking the question “What are we celebrating today”

though sometimes the question was asked in different forms. The author meant to use it as a call for celebrating life and for focusing on the right and the good. He regarded it as a life-affirming ritual.

Q2: Whom was the author teaching?

A2: He taught both schoolchildren and adults.

Q3: For how many years did the author start his class in this way?

A3: It started in the 1970-71 school year and continued until he stopped classroom teaching in

2001. This life-affirming ritual lasted for 30 years.

Q4: Did the author often get positive responses from his students?

A4: Yes. Every time he asked one of the questions, he got five or more positive responses.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 3)

Q1: What courses did the author often teach at the high school level?

A1: At the high school level he often taught courses in United States history and in American government.

Q2: What homework assignment did he usually ask his students to do when he taught either of

these two subjects?

A2: When he taught either of these two subjects he would assign a nightly homework in current events.

Q3: Did his students like the homework?

A3: No. They didn?t seem to like it. Current events and homework already had a negative connotation for them. The average high school student doesn?t know anything unrelated to music, sports, and other forms of entertainment. Reading the actual news section of a newspaper was a completely new experience for most of them.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 4-5)

Q1: Were the students happy with their progress in current news?

A1: Yes. They learned how to read current news within a few weeks and were actually surprised at their

newly developed ability to carry on an intelligent conversation about what was going on in the world.

Q2: How was it that the author got startled by one student?s comment on theassignment?

A2: The author had a good reputation among many of his students as “Mr. Positive”. However,

according to one student, his current news assignment was negative, because the news they read in the newspaper was usually bad news, which depressed the students. The author had not thought about that before, and thatwas why he was startled by the student?s comment.

Q3: What agreement was reached after a long class discussion about the student?s comment on the assignment?

A3: After a long class discussion, in which his students were greatly involved, they reached an

agreement that they needed to receive more good news.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 6)

Q1: What was the author determined to do in his class?

A1: He was determined to prove to his students that there was something to celebrate every day

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and to add some good news to the classroom every day.

Q2: Did the students understand the author immediately when he asked them to celebrate the day? A2: No, they were confused at first. They thought that the author meant to celebrate the day for its

historical significance.

Q3: Why did the author ask his students to share good news in their own lives?

A3: Because it was hard to find good news in the newspaper. He meant to boost the students?

spirits by sharing good news in their own lives.

Q4: Did the students like the new way to start class?

A4: Yes. They thought it was a great way to start class. And it had a profound and lasting impact

on both the students and the author.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 7-8)

Q1: What did the students learn from sharing bits of good news with each other?

A1: They increased their awareness of all the good news, both small things and huge things, going on

around them in their everyday life all the time. And they learned to look for what was good in everyday life and share it with others.

Q2: What were the three more choices added as ways to celebrate the day?

A2: The first choice was to look for what was called “perpetual good news”, i.e. something or someone

the students were thankful for. The second was to say something complimentary about a classmate. The third one was to share something funny — as long as it was not offensive or considered immoral.

Q3: Why did the author add the three more choices?

A3: Because these choices have implications that cover all aspects of people?s lives — at school, within

their families, in the workplace, among friends, everywhere.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 9-11)

Q1: Did the author?s ritual of celebration prove successful with his adult students?

A1: Yes, it was a great success, too.His adult students absolutely loved it and they had even more good

news than the kids did.Some of his adult students even adopted it in their business management.

Q2: Did the author expect the lasting impact of celebrating the day originally?

A2: No, he didn?t. While enjoying sharing and listening to good news every day, the author didn?t have

any idea of its lasting impact.

Q3: What did his final exam consist of?

A3: His final exam consisted of two parts. Part One was a comprehensive review on all the subject

matter covered during the semester and was done in class. Part Two was a take-home exam and allowed the students to express themselves more fully about their learning experiences.

Q4: When did the author realize the impact of celebrating the day?

A4: He realized the impact of the practice when he read the students answers for Part Two of his final

exam. Almost every student wrote something about the way they started class each day. They all confirmed the positive impact of the practice.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 12-13)

Q1: What was one of the first concerns of the author?s former student of more than twenty years ago? A1: One of her first concerns was whether the author still started class by sharing good news.

Q2: What was her comment on the author?s way of starting a class?

A2: She said that was a great way to start learning because she was put in a good mood for the rest of

the day. She got the habit of focusing on the positive in life instead of the negative. And now she always had something good to talk about.

Q3: Why does the author say that his little ritual of celebration at the beginning of each class had had

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an enormous and everlasting influence on many lives, including his own? A3: Because it had taught them how to look for the good and celebrate it with others. As one of his

former students said, this little ritual had taught everybody to focus on the positive in life instead of the negative. Hence, every day is a celebration.

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resolvevt.

1. make a determined decision; decide firmly 下决心 e. g. 1. He resolved not to tell her the truth. 2. She resolved against an early start. Usage:

resolve on / upon / against sth. / doing sth. 决定 / 反对做?? resolve that… / resolve to do… 决定??

2. solve or settle (problems, doubts, etc.) 解决（问题、疑问等） e. g. The crisis was resolved by negotiations.

3. separate (sth.) into it?s different parts 分解或解析（某物） e. g. DNA samples were extracted and resolved. 提取了DNA样本并进行分析。

evident a.[(to)] easy to see, notice, or understand[常与to连用]明白的，明显的 e. g. 1. It soon became evident that she was seriously ill. 2. It was evident to me that he was not telling the truth. Synonym: obvious, apparent

exhausteda. extremely tired 筋疲力尽的

e. g.1. I was exhausted every day when I first started teaching, but I?m used to it now. 2. The exhausted troops surrendered.

discourageda. no longer having the confidence one needs to continue doing sth. 灰心丧气的 e. g.1. Hartman was so discouraged about the way his performing career was going, that he

gave up acting for writing.

2. A lot of players get discouraged and quit. Verb: discourage

Noun: discouragement

somewhatad. by some degree or amount; a little; rather 有几分，稍微，有点 e. g.1. This year?s celebrations should be somewhat larger than last year?s. 2. The situation has changed somewhat since we last met.

refresh vt.

1.make less hot or tired; bring back strength and freshness to 使感到清凉；消除…?的疲劳；使恢复精神

e. g.1. Karl awoke feeling calm and refreshed. 2. He refreshed himself with a cool shower.

2. remind oneself/sb. of facts by referring to notes, etc.（藉助笔记等）使自己或某人想起 e.g. Just refresh my memory: were you born in York? 请再告诉我一次: 你是在约克郡出生的吧?

sufficienta. [(for)] rather fml enough; as much as is needed for a purpose[常与for连用]〖较正式〗足够的，充足的

e. g.1. Sales were not sufficient to make a profit. 2. Is ￡100 sufficient for your expenses? Synonym: enough, adequate Antonym: insufficient

consent

vi.[(to)] rather fml give one?s permission or agreement (to a course of action) [常与to连用]〖较正式〗准许；同意，赞成

e. g.1. He consented to give us a talk on the current international situation. 2. Her father reluctantly consented to the marriage. n. permission to do sth. 允许，同意

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e. g. She was chosen as leader by common consent. Collocations:

with/without sb?s consent 取得某人同意 give/grant (your) consent 给予批准 refuse/withhold (your) consent 不批准 obtain (sb?s) consent 获得允许 prior consent 事先同意 written consent 书面许可 verbal consent 口头许可 parental consent 父母同意

informed consent 获知所有情况后给予的同意 tacit consent 默许

surplusn.& a.(an amount) additional to what is needed or used 过剩的（量），剩余的（量），多余的（量）

e. g. 1. We have a trade surplus of 400 million pounds. 我们有4亿英镑的贸易顺差。

2. Surplus grain is being sold for export.

undergovt.(underwent, undergone) experience (esp. sth. unpleasant, unwelcome, or difficult) 经历，经受；遭受（尤指不好的事）

e. g.1. Teachers are supposed to undergo mid-career training and development. 2.Some children undergo a complete transformation when they become teenagers. Synonyms: experience, go through Collocations:

undergo training接受培训

undergo a change/transformation 发生变化 / 蜕变

undergo treatment/surgery/an operation接受治疗 / 手术 undergo tests/trials经历各项检测 / 磨难等

favourablea.winning favour and approval 博得好感的；赢得赞许的

e. g. 1. She has formed a favourable impression of him, as an intelligent and sincere man. 2. It?s encouraging to receive a favourable report on one?s work.

remark

vt.say esp. sth. that one has just noticed; give as an opinion 谈到，说起 e. g.1. She remarked to us that she found our story very strange.

2. The similarities between the two have often been remarked on. Usage:

remark on / upon sth. / sb. 谈论 / 评论某事 / 某人 remark that…说起??

n. [C] thing said or written as a comment; observation 评论；察觉

e. g. Her remarks on the employment question led to a heated discussion. Synonym: comment Collocations:

make the remark 评论说

a critical/personal etc. remark批评性的 / 个人的等言说

introductory/opening/concluding remarks介绍性 / 开场 / 总结性言论 in sb?s remarks据某人所说

Expressions:

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work out out of in sb’s/sth’s favour in (a) large/great measure add to come on/upon in the meantime

work out (sth.)

1. AmE pay (a debt) with work instead of money〖美〗（以工作）抵偿（债务） e. g.Johnhas offered to work out the debt, but I want the money back immediately. 2. calculate sth. 计算，算出

e.g. I?ve worked out your share of the expenses at 10. 我已经计算出你应分摊的费用是10英镑。 3.find the answer to sth.; solve sth. 找出处理某事物的方法; 解决某事物 e.g. Can you work out what these numbers mean? 你能理解这些数字是什么意思吗?

4. devise sth.; plan sth. 设计某事物; 计划某事物 e.g.The general worked out a new plan of attack.

5. (usu. passive) exhaust (a mine, etc) （通常用于被动语态）挖尽（矿产等） e. g. The silver mine has been worked out. work out

1. develop in a specified way; turn out 按某种方式发展，结果 e.g. Things worked out quite well. 事情的结果很不错。 2. train the body by heavy physical exercise 做大运动量的锻炼 e.g. I work out regularly to keep fit.

add to increase 增加

e. g. 1. The boss complained that pollution added to risks and costs. 2. The bad weather only added to our difficulties.

out of not having; without 缺乏，没有

e. g. 1. What happens if the bank runs out of money? 2. I?m beginning to feel out of patience. 我觉得有些不耐烦了。

come on / upon [no pass.] come across[无被动语态]（偶然）遇见；碰上；发现 e. g. 1. I came upon this website as I was looking for a solution to my problem. 2. We came on a group of students having a picnic at the edge of the forest.

in sb’s / sth’s favour to sb.?s/sth.?s advantage 对??有利

e. g.1.It was wrong of her to have bent the rules in Mary?s favour. 2. The new rules should actually work in your favor.

in the meantime meanwhile（与此）同时；在间隔时间里

e. g. 1. I didn?t see her for another five years, and in the meantime she had got married and had

a couple of kids.

2. Marks are important for entering university, so keep studying, and work hard. In the

meantime, keep thinking about what you are learning.

in (a) large / great measure to a large extent or degree 在很大程度上，多半

e. g. 1. Their success is due in (a) large measure to their determination and courage.

2. His failure is in great measure due to lack of confidence.

Section B Difficult Sentences

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1. I heard one tell the other that not only was the school established for the members of my race, but that opportunities were provided by which poor but worthy students could work out all or a part of the cost of board, and at the same time be taught some trade or industry. (Para. 1) 1) Translate the sentence into Chinese.

Answers for reference:

我听到一个人对另一个说，学校不仅是为了我的种族成员而专门建立的，而且也会提供机会，使穷苦但上进的学生得以支付全部或部分食宿费用，同时也能学会一门手艺或技术。

2) Translate the Chinese sentence into English, copying the above italicized patterns.

山姆告诉我们那次他们不但把钱全丢了，还几乎丢了性命。 Answers for reference:

Sam told us that not only did they lose all their money, but that they came close to losing their lives.

2. I had not been away from home many hours before it began to grow painfullyevident that I

did not have enough money to pay my fare to Hampton. (Para. 3)

1) Please translate the sentence into Chinese, paying special attention to the italicized parts.

Answers for reference:

我离开家，走了还没几个小时，我就清楚而痛苦地意识到，靠我身上这点钱是到不了汉普顿的。

2) Translate the following sentence into English, using “not…before” pattern.

大家和平日子没过两年，国家又陷入了内战。 Answers for reference:

They had not lived in peace for a couple of years before the country was plunged into the civil war again.

3. At last I became so exhausted that I could walk no longer. I was tired; I was hungry; I was

everything but discouraged. (Para. 5)

Translate the following sentence into English by imitating the above sentence from the text. Make sure you use the italicized patterns.

最终我变得非常富有，我可以买得起自己想要的一切东西。然而，我却一点都不快乐：没有人爱我，我也不爱任何人。 Answers for reference:

At last I became so rich that I could afford anything I desired. Yet, I was everything but happy for no one loved me and I loved no one.

4. For some time she did not refuse to admit me, neither did she decide in my favour… (Para.

7)

…and never did any youth pass an examination for entrance into Harvard or Yale that gave him more genuine satisfaction. (Para. 10)

1) What special sentence pattern is used in these two sentences? Answers:

Inversion (倒装).

2) Make two sentences with inversion, using “neither” and “never”. Answers for reference:

For a long time Jane didn?t say no and neither did she agree to go with us. Never have I seen anything so spectacular like this.

Section C COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS ▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 1)

Q: What did the author hear about when working in the coal-mine one day?

A: He heard two miners talking about a school for coloured people somewhere in Virginia. Q: Why did the school appeal to the author?

A: Because the school was set up for black people like himself, and it provided poor but

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worthy students with the chance to work to pay for all or a part of the cost of board, at the same time as teachingthem some trade or industry.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 2)

Q: What decision did the author make after hearing about the school? A: He at once made up his mind to attend the school.

Q: Why did the author make a quick decision to go to that school? A: He must have been hoping for such an opportunity for a long time.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 3)

Q: What did the author take with him on the way? A: Only a small, cheap bag with some clothes.

Q: How far is the distance from his hometown to the school? A: About five hundred miles.

Q: What trouble did the author run into when he was half way on the road? A: He realized he did not have enough money to pay the fare to his destination.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 4)

Q: What kind of situation was the author in when he reached the city of Richmond late one

night?

A: He was tired, hungry and dirty. He was completely out of money. He had not a single

acquaintance in the city,and, being unused to city ways, he didn?t know where to go.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 5)

Q: How did the author spend his first night in Richmond?

A: He walked the streets till he became too exhausted to walk any longer. Then he found an

elevated sidewalk and lay under it for the night on the ground.

Q: How did the author earn some money for his breakfast the next morning?

A: He earned some money for his breakfast by helping unloading a cargo of pig iron from a

large ship.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 6)

Q: How much money was left when the author finally reached his destination? A: Only fifty cents.

Q: What came to the author?s mind when he first saw the large, three-story, brick school

building?

A: Immediately he felt rewarded for all that he had undergone. He felt his life began to have

a new meaning.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 7)

Q: Why was the head teacher hesitant about admitting him as a student at first?

A: Because having been so long without proper food, a bath, and change of clothing, he

looked worn-out and shabby and did not make a favourable impression upon her. She might think he was a worthless loafer or tramp.

Q: Why did the author feel uncomfortable when he saw the head teacher admitting other

students?

A: Because he felt that once given the chance to prove himself, he could do just as well as

they.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 8-9)

Q: Why did the author work so hard to clean the room?

A: Because he realized his future depended upon the impression he made on the head

teacher.

Q: Why did the head teacher finally agree to admit him as a student?

A: Because he had done an excellent job in cleaning the room, which convinced the head

teacher that he had the qualities needed to study at the school.

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▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 10)

Q: How did the author see the sweeping of the room? A: He saw it as his college entrance examination.

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Unit Four -- Being Creative

I.Teaching Objectives

1. To make clear the writer?s purpose to write the text and the ideas that the writer desire to convey in the text.

2. To grasp the key words, phrases and structure.

3. To master the skills of writing and reading in this unit.

II. Teaching Content

1. Get Started

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A 4.Voicing Your Views

5. Guided Practice (exercises, oral practice and group work) 6. Summary

7. After-Class Assignments

III. Teaching Process 1. Get Started

Discussion

▇Sit in groups of threes or fours and discuss the following questions. 4) Do you see yourself as a creative person? Please illustrate your point.

5) Who do you think is the most creative person the world has ever seen? What do you know

about him or her?

6) Why do you think being creative is important for a person or a nation?

7) Are there any creative activities in your college or university? Give some examples.

▇ Answers for reference: 9) A possible answer:

a. Yes, I think I am a creative person. To begin with, I can very often come up with unusual solutions to problems that may baffle most of my classmates. I think I am blessed with the ability to see connections between two seemingly very different things. Besides, I?m never satisfied with just following the well-trodden paths. I?m always eager to try new things and have new experiences.

b. I wish I could say yes, but I?m afraid I?m not very creative. I like to “follow the herd” and it seldom occurs to me to challenge available answers or explanations. In fact, I feel very comfortable when there are clear instructions for me to follow when doing things. And if I am asked to do anything creative such as composing a poem or doing a painting, I truly have no idea where to start. I?m not satisfied with my “follow the herd” mentality, but I don?t know how to get rid of it.

10) Possible answers:

In my opinion, Thomas Edison is the most creative person the world has ever seen and one of

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the greatest inventors of all time. He obtained 1093 patents in the United States alone and laid the groundwork for many technological innovations of the 20th century. His major inventions include the phonograph, an early movie camera and the first practical long-lasting light bulb.

11) A possible answer:

I think being creative is important for a person or a nation because creativity is the essence of life and nature and the whole world is in the process of creation. If a person is not creative enough, he or she cannot solve problems or make any progress, and consequently he or she can hardly survive in this competitive world of ours. The same is true of a nation. If a nation is not creative, it cannot develop and may soon weaken. 12) A possible answer is as follows:

Yes, there are many creative activities in our university. For example, we have initiated a project on campus, called the Innovation Project, which aims to encourage students to be creative in the course of their learning and research. I?m involved in a mini-project on energy saving. We group members meet regularly to exchange information and ideas. It is required that each of us should come up with some inventive ideas about energy saving. We pool our ideas and will present our energy-saving plans to the departments concerned. The Innovation Project in our university has been going on smoothly and some of the resulting inventions have won national awards.

2. Discovering the Main Ideas

Exercise 1:Answer the following questions with the information contained in Text A.

18) 19) 20) 21) 22) 23) 24) 25) 26) Did Steve Jobs ever go to college? Did he graduate?

What did Steve Jobs mean by talking about connecting the dots?

Why was Steve Jobs fired from Apple, a company he started with Woz?

Why did he say that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to him?

Why did the doctors start crying when they saw the tumor cells of Steve Jobs under a microscope?

Why did Steve Jobs talk about his cancer? What was Steve Jobs? wish for the graduates?

What is meant by the phrase “stay hungry, stay foolish” according to your interpretation?

▇ Answers for reference:

18) Yes, he did. But he dropped out of college after the first six months and then stayed around

for another 18 months going to the classes he was interested in. 19) No, he didn?t.

20) He meant that one should follow his curiosity and intuition. The seemingly “meaningless”

unconnected experiences might contribute to one?s later success.

21) The man hired to run Apple and Steve Jobs had different opinions about the future of the

company. The Board of Directors didn?t side with Steve. So, he was fired.

22) He found that he still loved what he did and decided to start over. He was freed from the

heaviness of being successful to enter one of the most creative periods of his life.

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23) Originally, the doctors believed that his cancer was incurable. After viewing the tumor cells

under a microscope, they found that this form of cancer was curable with surgery. They cried because they were happy for Steve Jobs.

24) He wanted to say that one?s time was limited. So, don?t waste time. Don?t be trapped by

dogma. One should have the courage to follow heart and intuition.

25) He quoted a sentence from The Whole Earth Catalogue and wished them “Stay hungry, stay

foolish”.

26) Most students would most probably accept the following points:

i. Be eager to learn and remain intellectually curious all your life. ii. Be open to new ideas and thoughts and never be trapped by dogma or

conventions.

iii. Never feel satisfied with what you have learned or achieved. iv. Always feel hungry for knowledge and success and never rest on your laurels. v. Remain humble and modest no matter how successful you may be. vi. Always be wise enough to know what you really are and have the courage to

follow your curiosity and intuition.

vii. Never assume that you?re the smartest guy in the world and be always ready to

learn from others.

Exercise 2:Text A can be divided into three parts. Now write down the paragraph number(s) of each part and then give the main idea of each in one or two sentences.

Part Paragraph(s) Main Idea

One Two

1 2-18

Steve Jobs starts the commencement address by talking about

his educational background.

He tells three stories from his life. The first story, which is about connecting the dots, tells the graduates to follow their curiosity and intuition. The second story, which is about love and loss, encourages the graduates to find out what they love and keeploving what they do. The third story, which is about death, tells the graduates not to waste their time but to have the courage to follow heart and intuition instead of worrying about others? opinion.

Steve Jobs ends his speech by quoting the sentence “Stay hungry, stay foolish” from TheWhole Earth Catalogue.

Three

19-20

3. Key Words and Expressions for Text A

truth be told （用于表明后面说出的是真相或真诚的话）说实话； 说真的； 老实说； 说句真心话

e.g.1. Look, truth be told, I don?t want to move and live in the country.

2. Truth be told, lions are only on their paws for about 4-5 hours a day. 事实上，狮子每天用爪子站立的时间只有4-5个小时。

3. Truth be told, I can?t really remember what I did do in those six months. 说实话，我真的不记得那六个月里我做过什么。 drop out

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1. [(of)] stop attending or taking part [常与of连用]不参加，退出；退学 e.g. 1) My mother dropped out of school when she was only 10.

2) She dropped out after 20 kilometers with stomach trouble. 20 公里后她因胃痛而退出了比赛。

2. To withdraw from established society, especially because of disillusion with conventional values拒绝接受传统规范;摈弃社会习俗

e.g. 1) She encourages people to keep their jobs rather than dropping out to live in a commune.

她鼓励人们坚持工作而不是离经叛道地去过公社生活。

2) She longed to drop out of the race and make an independent life for herself. 她真想脱离这个圈子去过自由的生活。

adopt vt.

1. take (sb. else?s child) into one?s family for ever and take on the full responsibilities in law of a parent 承继，收养

e.g.1) Because she was not economically independent, she was forced to have her baby adopted.

2) Many childless couples adopt children. 许多无子女的夫妇收养孩子。

2. to start to deal with or think about something in a particular way 采取，采纳，采用 e.g.1) Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the complete withdrawal of troops.

议会采纳了要求全部撤军的决议。

2) Pupils should be helped to adopt a positive approach to the environment. 应帮助学生对环境采取积极的态度。

figure out come to understand or discover by thinking 理解，想出

e.g. 1. I cannot figure out why the teacher always asks me to answer his questions in class.

2. I can?t figure out what he was hinting at. 我想不出他在暗示什么。

drop in visit unexpectedly or informally 顺道拜访，（未事先通知而）造访 e.g. 1. Why don?t you drop in for a drink one evening?

2. She spent most of the day dropping in on friends in Edinburgh. 她一天的大部分时间都用来拜访在爱丁堡的朋友了。 3. It?s improper to drop in on him so casually. 这样冒冒失失去找他可不好。

call on, see, visit, drop in

这些动词或词组均含有“拜访，访问”之意。

call on: 社交上的正式用语，指无目的、礼节性的短暂拜访，访问者与被访问者之间一

般只有社交或公务关系。

see: 常用词，含义广泛，既可指接受他人来访，又可指去访问他人。 visit: 正式用词，强调出于工作需要的访问，也指亲戚朋友间的看望。

drop in: 多指在计划之外或事先未打招呼的偶然、顺便访问。也可指参观。

stumble into sth. become involved in sth. by chance偶然卷入，无意中卷入 e.g.1. Jane stumbled into acting after she graduated from a medical college.

2. In a moment he stumbled into a trap, set by bear-catcher. 不一会儿他绊跌到捕熊人设的陷阱里。

3. Not seeing the brick in the path, Carl tripped and stumbled into the wall.

space vt. [usu. pass.] place apart; arrange with spaces between [一般用被动语态]（用间隔）分隔开

e.g. 1. You must space out the posts three meters apart according to the requirement.

2. Women once again are having fewer children and spacing them further apart. 女人再次减少了生孩子的数量，而且生育之间相隔的时间也更长了。

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