New College English (Integrated Course 1: Unit 8)
Teaching Member: The students of 2006. School of Physics and Electronic
Information Engineering(class 4 , 5, 6 and 7).
stTeaching date: Dec.21
Teaching time: 8:10-9:45(class4 and class5)
10:15-11:50(class6 and class7) (多媒体教室)
Teaching topic: Integrated Course 1. Unit 8 Coping with an Educational
Problem(Text A)
Teaching means: Talk and Explain and answer questions.
Teaching objectives: Students will be able to:
1. Understand the main idea (teenagers' idleness and ignorance will seriously affect themselves and society in general) and structure of the text (two parts--the author's concern and his proposed remedy);
2. learn the way to write a cause-and-effect analysis;
3. grasp the key language points and grammatical structures in the text; 4. conduct a series of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities centered on the theme of the unit.
Teaching content: 1. pre-reading tasks
2. Text A Fable of the lazy Teenager(The explanation of the text, the language study, the language feature of the text)
Teaching focus: Ss can grasp cataphoric referents
Teaching difficulties: Ss can learn to use cause and effect in essay writing. Teaching duration: 90 minutes (for one class)
Teaching procedure:
Step 1. Have a dictation of the new words of Unit7. (5 minutes). Step 2. Pre-reading tasks: (1). T asks Ss the following question: What was the riddle? (hint: Who is the person who has the same parents as I have
but is neither my brother nor my sister?)
Why did the teacher ask his class this riddle? (hint: to make his class think and see
how clearly they think) (5 minutes)
2. Group discussion
l) Ss are divided into three large groups. Each is assigned one of the following
topics for discussion:
How has the United States developed into the sole superpower in the world?
How did Japan manage to rebuild itself after the devastation of WWII?
How will China grow into a prosperous and well-respected country? 2) Speakers for each group report their answers to the class.
3) T sums up by stressing that almost all groups mentioned the importance of education, which is closely related to the theme of this Unit. (25 minutes)
Step 3. Cultural Notes:
1. (consumption) tax: Consumption tax is levied all over the world. However, it
varies from country to country according to national conditions, such as economy,
natural resources, habits and customs.
2. U.C.L.A.: (University of California at Los Angeles) the largest of the eight
branches of the University of California. It was established in 1919 and now has
about 35,000 students. UCLA is known especially for its film studies. 3. The Wealth of Nations: an important work of economic and social theory by
Adam Smith (a Scottish philosopher and economist), published in 1776. Its full
title was An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. In it he
analyzed the relationship between work and the production of a nation's wealth.
His conclusion was that the best economic situation results from encouraging free
enterprise (an economic system in which there is open competition in business and
trade, and no government control). This idea has had a great influence on
economic theories since and it formed the basis of the economic policies of the
Conservative government in Britain in the 1980s.
4. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The mission of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is to provide the
vision and leadership necessary to ensure a mathematics education of the highest
quality for all students. Founded in 1920, NCTM is the world’s largest
mathematics education organization, with more than 100,000 members and 250
affiliates throughout the United States and Canada. NCTM’s Principles and
Standards for School Mathematics, published in 2000, provides guidelines for
excellence in mathematics education and issue a call for all students to engage in
more challenging mathematics. NCTM’s Navigations books assist teachers in
bringing the message of the Standards to the classroom. NCTM publishes four
professional journals and more than 200 educational books, videos, and other
materials.
5. SAT exams
SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is unlike the traditional tests that exam – smart
students are so used to. It is a test which measures the verbal and mathematical
reasoning abilities of a student. Most colleges demand SAT scores. Some allow
for substitution of ACT (America College Test) for it. The performance of a
student in SAT test is a standard by which he is chosen by a particular school. Step 4. The explanation of the Text A: (language study) (about 50 minutes)
1. run out of : use up or finish a supply of (sth.)
Examples: To our disappointment, our car ran out of gas halfway home.
I am afraid we’ve run out of petrol.
2. handful: a small number (used as singular noun, followed by of)
handful ---- mouthful
Examples: You'd better hurry up. A handful of people are already waiting in the hall.
A handful of money is not enough for the trip.
3. in amazement: with a feeling of great surprise or disbelief
Examples: He looked at me in amazement.
All the people in the lecture hall stared at him in amazement when he talked loudly with his friend.
Be filled with amazement To one’s amazement In wonder/in surprise
4. upset: make (sb.) worry or feel unhappy (usu. used in the pattern: be upset
by/about) Upset --- upsetting
Examples: It upset me to learn of the news.
He was upset about the argument he had with his wife. 5. ignorant: knowing little or nothing (often used in the phrase: be ignorant of/about)
i (not) +gnor (to know) + ant
Examples: I am quite ignorant of their plans.
I’m afraid I’m rather ignorant about computers.
Ignorant of /about Keep sb. in ignorance of sth. 6. slice: l) a part of sth. (followed by of)
Examples: Fiction takes up a large slice of the publishing market.
The boss promised that everyone would get a slice of the profits.
2) a thin flat piece cut from sth. (often used with of)
Examples: Try to eat at least four slices of bread a day.
Cut the pork into thin slices.
7. The ability to perform even the simplest calculations is only a memory among many students I see.: Many students whom I see don't have the ability to perform even the simplest calculations any longer.
ability: power or skill to do, make, or think; talent (followed by infinitive to) ability
--- capability --- capacity
Examples: He is a man of many abilities.
I do not doubt your ability to do the job.
8. sum up: give a brief summary (of sth.) In sum Sum to/into Sum up Examples: The sum of 3 and 4 is 7.
My teacher would sum up the main points of the lesson before he ended the class.
9. compete with/against: try to be better than (sb. else) (used in the pattern: compete with/against sb. for sth.)
com(together)+pete(tofly, to seek) compete -competition competitive
Examples: She and her sister are always competing for attention.
They found themselves competing with foreign countries for a share of the market
； Compete with/against sb. for sth.
10. human capital: Here human capital refers to people's knowledge and skills. 11. accumulate: collect, or gather together, esp. over a period of time ac(to)+cumulate(to heap up) accumulate--- accumulation --- accumulative Examples: I have accumulated many books over the last few years.
The snow soon accumulated.
12. affect: have an influence on
af (to) + fect (to make, to do) affect --- affecting Examples: The Asian financial crisis didn't affect our national economy.
Will the strike affect the price of coal?
13. function: operate; act function --- functional
Examples: The function of language is to communicate.
Our air-conditioner doesn’t function well.
14. idle: lazy; not doing anything
idle --- idler --- idleness --- idly
Examples: Don’t idle away your youth.
It would be idle to talk to him.
Idle away Idle about Live in idleness
15. jam: get stuck
Examples: The lock jammed and I couldn't open it.
People jammed into the hall.
Traffic-jams in big cities are a serious problem.
Be in/get into a jam Jam in/under/between
16. break down: stop working; fall, collapse
Examples: The elevators in this building are always breaking down.
Negotiations between the two countries have broken down.
The car suddenly broke down.
17. drive home: make (sth.) clear so that people understand it (used in the pattern; drive sth. home(to sb.))
Examples: We must drive home to them where the difficulties lie.
To drive home his point, he explained it again.
18. humble: 1) not proud; modest
humble --- humbly --- humility --- humiliate
Examples: He thanked us again with a humble smile.
Frank strikes me as a very humble person.
2) low in importance, status, or condition
Examples: Michael started his career as a humble fisherman. Lacocca rose from humble beginnings to become boss of Ford. 19. suggestion: sth. suggested (often followed by of/for/that-clause)
sug (under) + gest (to carry) + ion
suggestion --- suggestive --- proposal --- proposition Examples: He jumped at my suggestion.
I have lots of suggestions for the park's future.
Your suggestion is unworkable.
20. portable: light and small enough to be easily carried or moved Examples: Professor Smith always carries a portable computer with him..
I still remember that my parents bought me a portable radio at my 20th birthday.
21. search for: look for
Examples: Many planes and ships were sent to search the South Sea for the
missing Chinese pilot.
The police were searching the yard for clues.
22. luxury: 1) sth. expensive which is not necessary but which gives you pleasure
(used as a countable noun)
Examples: A week by the sea is a luxury they can no longer afford.
Cream cakes are a luxury in our house.
2) very great comfort, esp. among beautiful and expensive surrounding
(used as an uncountable noun)
Examples: She was brought up in an atmosphere of luxury and wealth. 23. better off: richer than you were before; more comfortable
Examples: Today's farmers are better off than they used to be.
I’m better off than before thanks to the new job.
24. scared: frightened (often followed by of/to/that-(clause)
Examples: When she saw a snake oil the floor, tile lady was too scared to move.
I have always been scared of dogs.
Don’t let the noise scare you; it’s only the wind.
Alex was scared that his classmates might tell the teacher he broke the window.
25. wake up: stop sleeping
Examples: This morning I woke up with a terrible headache.
Stewart woke me up with his coughing.
26. ... and government offers no services to the working class.: Here "services"
refers to the systems of social security such as health care and provision for the unemployed maintained by the government.
27. complex: not simple
Examples: The problem was so complex that there would be no easy solution.
When I visited Shanghai for the thirst time I got lost in the rather complex network of roads.
28. adequate: enough (often followed by infinitive to or for)
ad (to) + equ (equal) + ate adequate --- enough --- sufficient Examples: Such a wage is not adequate to support a family.
Her knowledge of English was adequate for the job.
He is adequate to be a husband and father.
29. decline: a gradual decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of sth. (followed by in) de (down) + cline ( to lean, to bend)
Examples: The first signs of economic decline became visible in that region. (Phrases: in decline, on the decline: gradually decreasing in importance, quality, or
power
Examples: The birthrate in China is on the decline.
He is still one of the world's most popular soccer players, but his fame is in decline.
On the decline Fall into a decline
30. acquire: get
ac (to) + quire (to seek)
acquire --- acquirement --- acquisition --- acquisitive Examples: It’s important to acquire a foreign language in modern world.
I managed to acquire two tickets for the concert.
To acquire a degree, he studied full-time.
31. astonish: surprise very much; amaze
astonish --- astonishment --- astonishing
Examples: Diana astonished her family by winning three competitions in a row.
The news astonished everybody present.
32. swear: make a serious promise about (often followed by infinitive to or
that-clause)
Examples: He swore loudly to release his anger.
He swore she had never seen the man before.
Swear sb. In Sworn enemies Sworn brothers/friends
Swear by sth. Swear off sth. Swear at sb.
33. make a-living by: earn money by (doing sth.)
Examples: Many farmers in this area make a good living by growing flowers.
He makes a living by writing.
34. miracle: an amazing or wonderful event, esp. sth. that happens unexpectedly Examples: It is a miracle that no one was killed in the earthquake.
It was a miracle that the pilot landed the plane in that snowstorm. 35. faculty: mental and physical abilities
Examples: He has a great faculty of speech.
Have a faculty of The faculty of Law
Step 5. Text Analysis
; Abstract
The idleness and ignorance among American youth and their attitudes towards
education will tremendously affect their way of life. American society as a whole
is also a suffer, to be reshaped by this generation, not for better. The author, by
telling a fable (a depiction of several generations of American’s life), makes it
clear that education is the most valuable human capital and the greatest motive
force for social prosperity.
; Analysis
There are three expository essays in this textbook Units 3, 6 and 8. By now students should be able to tell the different techniques used in expository writing.
Unit 3 does not reveal the main topic until the third paragraph. In the first two paragraphs the author tries to guide readers through reasoning by which he arrives at his main argument. Until starts by posing a question — Do animals have intelligence,
to which the author then gives a positive answer. Unit 8 begins with an anecdote.
The main part of Unit 3 provides three solutions to the question of how to educate the public so as to form in them a positive attitude towards science. The main part of Unit 6 provides three examples to prove that some animals are intelligent. The main part of Unit & is a fable, which functions to convey the message that education is vital to both the individual and society.
The last paragraph of both Unit 3 and Unit 6 presents a conclusion. The final part of Unit 8 does not.
Step 6. Assignment (3 minutes) 1. To prepare the exercises of unit8
2. Text B (for home reading ): Ditch the Calculator
thTeaching date: Dec.25 and 26th
Teaching time: 8:10-9:45(class4); 10:15-11:50(class5)
8:10-9:45(class6); 10:15-11:50(class7)
Teaching topic: Integrated Course 1. Unit 8 Coping With an Educational Problem(Text A) Exercises
Teaching means: Talk and explain and answer questions.
Teaching objectives: 1. To examine what the students master to the text. 2. To solve the problems that the students don’t understand.
Teaching content: 1. post-reading tasks: 2. Exercises of Unit8.
Teaching focus: Discuss, ask and solve questions.
Teaching difficulties: 1. Language Focus 2. Structure
3. How to use cause and effect in essay writing
Teaching duration: 90 minutes (for one class)
Teaching procedure: Step 1. Post-reading tasks: (25 minutes)
1. T guides Ss through some after-text exercises. (30 minutes)
2. After reading Writing Strategy in Theme-related Language Learning Tasks, Ss work in pairs to finish Text Organization Exercise 2. (15 minutes)
3. T checks on Ss' home reading (Text B). (3 minutes)
4. Ss do Part IV: Theme-related Language Learning Tasks. (1 period)
Step 2. Exercises of text A. (45 minutes). Students give the answers and understandings, then T asks questions and gives the explanations. It mainly includes: (1) Comprehension (2) Language Sense Enhancement (3) Language Focus (4) Structure (5) Comprehensive Exercises
Step 3. Assignment (5 minutes) T asks Ss to
l) do the pre-reading task; (2) Recite Para.7；9 of Unit8.
(3) Prepare to have a dictation of the new words and expressions of Unit8. (4) write a short essay entitled The Use of Computers in schools(The students should write about 100 words, write clearly and try to express the true feeling.) (5) go over all the units and prepare for the final examination.