Lang learns to slow down (P4-5)

山东省烟台第二中学 赵霞

Lead in 

Do you know who the man is?

Lang Lang - one of the most prestigious pianists in the world 

 

Listen and enjoy.

What do you think of Lang Lang and his performance?

Let’s read more about him.

 

Read for main idea

What is the passage mainly about?

Lang will return to performing this fall. He slows down and goes back to basics, showing the maturity he has developed. 

Lang has always wanted to break stereotypes about Asian musicians by focusing more on  emotion and feeling.

 

Read for details

Read again and answer questions. 

What does Lang plan to do this fall?

Lang plans to appear with the world’s leading orchestras and promote his latest album, Piano Book. 

the world’s leading orchestras:

世界领先的管弦乐团

promote：vt.宣传；推广

 

What is the New York Time’s comment on Lang’s return?

The New York Times said Lang is “not the same man or musician” – he has matured with time

 

What is the stereotype about Asian musicians?

Asian musicians are hard-working and good at classical music because they focus on technical skills instead of emotion and feeling. 

stereotype: a belief or idea of what a particular

type of person or thing is like. 

模式化的思想；老一套；旧框框

classical music:古典音乐

亚洲音乐家勤勉并擅长古典音乐，因为他们

注重技术技巧而非情感和感觉。

 

What does Lang do to break the stereotype?

 From the very beginning, he always tries to do more to break this stereotype. Onstage, he tries to convey his feelings to audience. 

convey his feelings to audience:

向听众传递情感

 

How do people describe Lang’s performances?

The Los Angeles Times described a recent performance as “delicate”.

US jazz legend Herbie Hancock described Lang’s playing as “sensitive and so deeply human”. 

Speaking to Time Magazine, Hancock said, “Lang changes our impression on Asian pianists.” 

 

Read for language

Useful words and expressions

As the first Chinese pianist to engage (与......建立联系) top orchestras around the world, the Chicago Tribune called Lang Lang “one of the biggest, most exciting keyboard talents”. 

engage:

参加;参与~ sb. in conversation 使某人参与对话

吸引~ sb’s interest/attention吸引某人的兴趣/注意力

建立密切联系 ~ with

 

2.According to the Guardian, Lang plans to appear with the world’s leading orchestras and promote his latest album, Piano Book. 

promote: 促销；推广

促进；推动 ~ international cooperation

晋升(被动) He has been ~d to general manager.

promotion [U]

 

Useful grammar

1.Commenting on his return, The New York Times said the 37-year-old is “not the same man or musician” – he has matured with time.

2.Rather than choosing pieces to prove his talent, the Times said he now studies musical pieces very carefully, going over them “note by note”.

3. Speaking to Time Magazine, Hancock said, “Lang changes our impression on Asian pianists.” 

现在分词作状语

★ 句子的主语就是分词的逻辑主语

1. 现在分词可做几下几种状语：

1. 时间状语

*  Seeing Tom, I can’t help thinking of his brother.

=When I see Tom, I can’t help thinking of his brother.

2. 原因状语：

*  Not knowing his address, I can’t send this book to him.  

3. 条件状语：

* Working hard (如果努力工作), you will make progress.

4. 方式 伴随状语：

 They all went to the playground, talking and laughing.

（边说边笑）

5. 让步状语：

* Working hard（虽然努力学习, he couldn’t pass the exam.

6. 结果状语

* He turned off the light, seeing nothing(什么也看不见).

 

 

The myth of 10,000 hours (P6)

山东省烟台第二中学  李欣桐

 

I. Lead-in

What is your understanding of the saying “Practice makes perfect”?

As long as we spare no effort to practice doing something, the outcome would be perfect. 

What do you think of the explanation? 

Do you share the same view?

 

II. Skimming-be a fast reader

Divide the passage into parts and give your reason.

 

 

III. Scanning-be a careful reader

(Para.2-3)  What is the outcome of the research back in 1993?

On average, the earlier study found that top-ranked musicians had ＿＿＿＿(达到) over 10,000 hours of practice by the age of 20. It ＿＿ their success ＿＿＿＿ (把..归因于) the hours spent practicing, ＿＿＿＿＿＿(downplay) the importance of natural talent, learning skills and other factors.

clocked, put … down to, downplaying 

 

(Para.4-9)  How did Brooke Macnamara and Megha Maitra carry out the research?

They ＿＿＿＿ (寻找) volunteers to put the 10,000-hour rule to the test.

The pair organized violinists into three groups, ＿＿＿ on whether their tutors rated them as the best players, good players, or average players. They were then told to ＿＿ (记录) how long they practiced every week.

sought, based, record 

 

What kind of new conclusion did they come to? Why? 

•“Once you get to the highly skilled groups, practice stops ＿＿＿＿＿ ＿ (引发)the difference.” 

•“Smaller factors then ＿＿＿＿ (决定) who goes on to that super-elite level.”

•The “average” players had around 6,000 hours of practice time. However, there was little ＿＿＿＿＿ the good from the best musicians. 

accounting for, determine, separating 

 

Both groups had approximately (=about) 11,000 hours of practice by the age of 20. In all, the number of hours spent practicing accounted for about a quarter of the skill difference across the three groups.

“The factors depend on the skill being learned: in chess it could be intelligence or working memory, in sport it may be how ＿＿＿＿＿ (有效率地) a person uses oxygen.” The factor of  ＿＿＿＿＿ (动机) and the ＿＿＿＿＿(相互影响) of different factors. 

efficiently, motivation, interaction 

 

(Para. 10)     Judge whether the statements are T or F. (Give your evidence)

•Even if you aren’t destined to be the world’s greatest violinist, practice will make you one.   F

Practice will make you a little bit better than you were yesterday.

 

IV. Language focus

Pay attention to the word in bold and analyze the sentences.

•It put their success down to the hours spent practicing, downplaying the importance of natural talent, learning skills and other factors.

（现在分词作伴随状语）轻视 (overlook)

•Questioning this conclusion, Brooke Macnamara and Megha Maitra, from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, US, sought volunteers to put the 10,000-hour rule to the test. 

（现在分词作伴随状语）对…有疑问

 

Link to College Entrance Examination. 

•Nervously ＿＿＿ (face) challenges, I know I will whisper to myself the two simple words “Be yourself”. (2019.北京)  facing 

•Ordinary soap, ＿＿(use) correctly, can deal with bacteria effectively. (2019.北京)   used 

•Around 135,000 new jobs were created during the period, ＿＿＿＿＿ (exceed) the expected number of 12,000 held by market analysts. (2018.江苏)  exceeding 

主动- ing；被动-ed；  to do 表目的，将来 

 

Translate into Chinese:

 

 

 

V. Deep thinking  

What factors may make a person successful?

Stick to it, and you’ll succeed.

The early bird catches the worm.

Diligence is the mother of success.

Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

Live and learn.

Reading makes a full man.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Nothing is difficult to a willing heart.

No pain, no gain.

Action speaks louder than words.

It is never too late to learn.

 

VI. Homework

•Write a summary, giving the key points of the article. (no more than 80 words)

•Compare your work with your peers, and find the common points you included. 

•Rewrite your summary with the shared points.

•Present it to the class.