New step for movies (P1) 

山东省烟台第二中学 赵娟

Lead-in

Have you seen these movies? Who directed them?

Brokeback Mountain《断臂山》

Life of Pi《少年派的奇幻漂流》

Crouching Tiger, Hidden 

Dragon  《卧虎藏龙》

Sense and Sensibility 《理智与情感》

The Wedding Banquet 《喜宴》

 

How much do you know about him?

•Chinese Name: 李安

•English Name: Ang Lee

•Birthday: October 23, 1954

•Birthplace: Taiwan

•Occupation:  film director, screenwriter and producer

•Achievements: 2 Oscar Academy Awards for Best Director; 2 Golden Bear; 2 Golden Lion; Golden Globe

 

Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

比利·林恩的中场战事

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While reading 

1. What drove people to wait overnight to watch Ang Lee’s new movie?

It was the fact that he is a game changer. He always brings people something new.

 

2. What’s special about this movie?

It is the way the film was shot and how it is presented – at 120 frames (帧) per second.

 

3. Is this the first time that Lee has challenged himself while making a movie?

No, this is not the first time that Lee has pushed cinematic boundaries (边界). For example, his Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain (2005) was one of the first gay (同性恋的) films to be a mainstream (主流的) success. And in Life of Pi (2012), Lee used computer-generated (电脑合成的) imagery and 3-D technology together, which won him another Oscar. 

 

4. Does everyone appreciate Lee’s efforts?

No. Only five movie theaters around the world have updated their equipment to screen Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk in the way in which Lee wants it to be seen. Audiences also have doubted whether it was necessary to shoot a film in such a fancy way when they are just fine watching films made at the traditional 24 frames per second. 

 

5. What is Lee’s own belief about making movies?

He wants to be the “guinea pig (小白鼠)” who tests the possibilities of films, even if it sometimes means “challenging’ audiences’ old habits.

 

TRUE or FALSE?

1. The last time people had shown this much interest in a film was when Lee released Avatar in 2010 .

2. According to the author, the film’s story is special.

3. More details can be shown in the film than can be seen in still pictures, which are shown at 24 frames per second. 

Key: FFT

 

Avatar 《阿凡达》

导演：詹姆斯卡梅隆

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language study

Fill in the blanks.

1. At 1 am on Nov 6, people in Shanghai started _______ in front of the Shanghai Film Art Center.

2. Ang Lee’s new film Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk was _______ to be shown on Nov 11.

3. A 19-year-old US soldier named Billy Lynn returns home from Iraq, __________ a mental (心理的) disorder. 

4. Films are made up of _____ pictures that are shown at 24 frames per second. But our brains are able to see these pictures as one _______ image. 

5. “When I left this _______ experience, I was ____ and ______ , as though I had actually had that experience,” US film director Doug Trumbull said.

6. This is not the first time that Lee has _____ cinematic boundaries (边界). 

7. His Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain was one of the first gay films to be ________________.

8. Audiences have also ______ whether it was necessary to shoot a film in such a _____________ way when they are just fine _______ films made at the traditional 24 frames per second. 

Key: lining up; scheduled; struggling with; still; continuous; incredible, shaking, terrified; pushed; a mainstream success; doubted, fancy/different/new, watching

 

After-reading activity

Make a dialogue using the language learned in the article.

A: Have you heard of the new movie by… ?

•….scheduled to ….

• special way to present….

•Speed up, more details

•Incredible, shaking, terrified

• push cinematic boundaries

• test the possibilities of films

•challenge audiences’ old habits

•…….

 

B: I have heard that … lining up to buy the ticket.

•not everyone appreciates his efforts.

• update their equipment to screen

•necessary to shoot a film in such a fancy way 

•are just fine watching films made…..

•……….

 

 

Emoji getting popular (P4-5)

沈阳市第二中学 常虹

Lead-in

Draw a picture according to these instructions:

It has a slightly open mouth

Its eyebrows and eyes look sideways 

It has red blushes on both cheeks.

Show us your picture!

 

“Funny” emoji

The hottest Chinese emoji on Baidu Tieba.

 

Original emojis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“the fifth innovation in China”

 

While reading 

Scanning: 

Read the article and answer the following questions. 

 

•What has attracted the attention of Japanese customers?

A series of “funny” emoji-based pillows have attracted the attention of many customers through online shopping center Amazon Japan.

 

•Why did they buy it?

Japanese customer’ moods brighten every time they see it.

 

•What is the difference between Chinese and Japanese internet users when it comes to understanding the “funny” emoji?

In Japan, people send it on occasions when they don’t agree with someone but have to say something and behave politely. They think it is nothing but an expression of fun.

    On the other hand, Chinese internet users often prefer to use it to tease one another on social media.

 

Read in depth. Think further and answer the question. (open)

1.Why do some users on Zhihu believe that the emoji is not a friendly sign?

2. Why can some emojis help foreigners learn about Chinese culture and learn the language? Can you think of any examples?

 

Language focus

•Sentence corrections

1.It has a slight open mouth and red blushes on both cheeks. ________

2.My dad sends it on occasions which he doesn’t agree with someone._________

3.I feel uncomfortable and think myself as a fool.________

4.But like it and not, the emoji can already be found all over the internet. _________

Key: 1. slight-slightly  2. which-on which/when  3. think-think of  4. and-or

 

Observing sentences

1.“Funny”, a Chinese emoji, is frequently used on Tieba, search engine Baidu’s communication platform.

2.We need to find out how to properly use “the fifth innovation in China”, a humorous name for emojis, without hurting others…

What are the underlined parts called?

Appositives 

同位语：一个名词或形容词或从句对另一个名词或代词进行修饰,限定或说明,这个名词(或其它形式)就是同位语.同位语与被它限定的词的格要一致,并常常紧挨在一起.

 

Fill in the blanks.

1.Mr. Smith, our new teacher, ____ very kind to us. (be)

2.They each ______a book .Each of the books _____ a hard cover. (have)

3.The general gave the order that the soldiers ________the river at once. (cross)

4.I have no idea ______ he got home. Perhaps he cycled back.

5.The thought came to him _______ maybe his enemy had fled the city. 

Key: is; have, has;(should) cross; how; that

 

Post-reading 

Discussion:

Do you think it is necessary to stop the usage of emojis? Have you ever been teased by them? 

Give your argument and your reasons for it.

 

Homework

Writing  

Why do people use emojis? Think of some reasons and write them down.

 

 

Read mother’s letter (P6)

浙江省金华市外国语学校   翁冰玫

 

I. Warming up   

Free talk: Share your opinions with your classmates. 

vWho do you like to share your happiness with?

vAnd who would you ask for help first if you were in trouble? 

vWho, in your life, has (have) given you valuable life lessons? 

vWhat have been the life lessons? 

Answers vary. 

 

II. Pre-reading

Read the following advice from President Obama to his daughters. Which one is the most impressive to you? 

1.Stop Doubting Yourself

2.Stop Being Negative

3.Stop Procrastinating（拖延）

4.Stop Being Mean （刻薄）

5.Stop Eating Out

6.Stop Being Lazy

7.Stop Complaining

8.Stop Being Selfish

9.Stop Wasting Time

10.Stop Making Promises

Information source:

http://edu.qq.com/a/20150327/033701.htm 

 

III. Reading  

1.Read through the article quickly and answer: 

1)What is the article mainly about?

Written in the form of a letter, the article is about a mom’s wisdom words, or rather, her advice about life to her daughters.

2)In what way does the mom state and support her points?

By giving her own examples

2.Read the article again and explain the meanings of the following words and phrases as they are used in the article. 

timing      choosing the right moment

path        the route to an ideal career

critical      of great importance

figure out    find out

pass over    neglect

more than    extremely

3.Paraphrase the following sentences:

1) Be open-minded to changing your path (even several times) along the way.

It’s not necessary to stick to one path all one’s life. Don’t hesitate to change when necessary.

2) Being passed over for a significant job opportunity that I was more than qualified for because of unfair assumptions (being too young for the role) hurt me. I had a three-month pity party.

I was denied a very important job opportunity just because I was too young, which hurt me a lot and left me feeling self-pity for three months.

4.  Find out the girls’ mom’s opinions and comment on them.

1) What is the girls’ mom’s opinion about changing a life path when a child grows up?

Changing an initial path is necessary when a person knows for sure what he or she is good at and passionate about as well.

2) What is the girls’ mom’s opinion of failure?

Failure is discouraging, but it can make you a better person if you learn from it. 

3) What is the girls’ mom’s opinion about unfair treatment?

Take it and try to turn a negative feeling into positive action.

Students’ comments vary. 

 

IV. Post reading 

1. Discussion: 

What do you think of the saying, “You can be anything you want when you grow up”?

2. Writing task: 

If you were one of this mom’s daughters, what would you say if you wrote back to her?