Photos getting creative (P3)

山东烟台二中   柏钦琳

I. Warming up

Do you like taking pictures of yourself?

Do you prefer to take pictures in a traditional way or in a creative way? Why?

II. Reading

Read the article quickly and answer the following questions:

1. Why does Anderson take pictures of himself as the Amazing Spider-Man?

Because he loves superheroes and wants to be everyone’s hero. And he thinks it will make him stand out and help him be himself. 

2. What factors have contributed to the popularity of extreme senior portraits?

High school seniors no longer want to graduate with a regular yearbook picture. They want their photos to reflect their true personalities. And they want the photo shoot experience to make them feel like a famous person – or a superhero – for a day. 

In addition, the goal for many seniors – especially the girls – is to end up with an impressive set of pictures to be shared and liked on social media. 

3. What are photographers doing in order to satisfy the needs of students?

Photographers are taking note of these new expectations and are trying hard to create unforgettable moments for students. 

III. Language study

1. Bemidji high school senior Jaxon Anderson is an awkward teenager who wants to be everyone’s hero. 

重点词：awkward 意为“ 害羞的，局促不安的 ”（Someone who feels awkward behaves in a shy or embarrassed way.）。例如：

He feels awkward with/around strangers. 

语法：句中who引导的定语从句修饰先行词teenager。

2. I was struggling with what to do for senior photos and knew this would make me stand out and help me be myself. 

struggle with：try very hard to do, achieve, or deal with sth that is difficult 努力做某事

stand out：be easily seen or noticed; be much better than other similar things or people 显眼，突出

3. While most still take a traditional headshot (头像) for Mom and Dad, they want the rest of their photos to reflect their true personalities. 

语法：句中while 引导让步状语从句，while意为“虽然，尽管”。

reflect their true personalities：反映出他们真正的性格

4. The goal for many seniors – especially the girls – is to end up with an impressive set of pictures to be shared and liked on social media. 

重点词: end up with 以……结束，a set of 一组。

分析：本句的主干是The goal for many seniors is to end up with an impressive set of pictures。不定式短语to be shared and liked …用作后置定语，修饰pictures 。

Useful words and phrases 

Fill in the blanks by using the words or phrases in the text.

1. He didn’t put his heart into studying English so he _________(吃力地进行) his English homework. 

2. The letters _________ (显眼) well against the dark background.

We all want to hear about the _____(最新的) events and happenings at our school.

3. The way John showed me around made my experience in England ________ (难以忘怀的).

Key: struggled with   stood out    latest   unforgettable

IV. After reading 

Discussion: 

* As a high school senior, what would you like your senior photos to be like? 

* Do you have any good ideas for taking creative pictures?

Work in groups to discuss possible answers, then share them with your partner. 

Celebrating black America (P4-5)

浙江省金华市外国语学校   翁冰玫

I. Warming up   

Listen to the song and fill in the missing words.

There’s a place in your heart

And I know that it is love

And this place could be

Much _______ than tomorrow 

And if you really try

You’ll find there’s no need to cry

In this place you’ll feel

There’s no ___________

There are _____ to get there

If you care enough for the living

Make a little space

Make a better place... 

_______ the world ， 

Make it a better place

…and the entire ________

There are people _________

If you care enough for the living

Make a better place for …

If you want to know why

There’s a love that cannot _____

Love is strong

It only cares of joyful giving

If we try   We shall see

In this bliss

We cannot feel _________

We stop existing

And start living

Then it feels that always

Love’s enough for us growing 

Key: Brighter   hurt or sorrow   ways   Heal

human race   dying   lie     fear or dread  

Who is the singer of “Heal the World”?

Michael Jackson 1958.8.29.-2009.6.25

What does the song try to convey?

The song calls on people to protect the environment and keep away from wars to make the world a peaceful and better place for human race. 

II. Pre-reading

1. Guess: Who are they?

Martin Luther King               Barack Obama      

Rosa Parks                      Muhammad Ali

2. What do they have in common?

They are all black Americans, like Michael Jackson.

They have all had a great influence on American history in a certain field.

III. Reading 

1. Read through the article and finish the TRUE or FALSE exercise.

1) The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture was opened mainly to remember famous black Americans in history.

2) The museum was financially supported by US President Barack Obama.

3) All the exhibits in the museum are about black Americans’ fight against segregation.

4) The problem of racial discrimination has disappeared in the US.

Key: FFFF

2. Explain the following words in English according to the context.

   burden sth difficult or unpleasant that you have to deal with                                        

   era  a period of time that is associated with a particular event, person, etc. 

   iconic  symbolic or representative                                           

   protest  show or express strong disapproval of sth at a public event

3. Read the article carefully and answer the following questions.

1) What did Barack Obama mean by saying that he hoped the stories inside would help everyone “walk away that much more in love” with their country?

He meant he hoped that after visiting the museum and learning about the suffering and the achievements of African Americans, people could have a better understanding of the country’s history and like it even more as a result. 

2) What do the “highs and lows” in Obama’s speech refer to?

Most probably, “highs” refers to “successes of black Americans; “lows” refers to “unfair or even ill treatment of black Americans”. 

3) What does “slavery and freedom are at the center of the museum” mean?

The stories and exhibits in the museum are mainly about black people’s history as slaves and their fight for freedom. 

4) What does the title of the article mean?

It means “celebrating the opening of the museum”, and more importantly, the fact that the history of African Americans has been put in the position it deserves.

IV. Post-reading 

 The Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968)

The Civil Rights Movement or 1960s Civil Rights Movement includes social movements in the United States whose goals were to end racial segregation and discrimination (种族隔离和歧视) against African Americans and to secure (保证) legal recognition and federal protection of the citizenship rights listed in the Constitution (宪法) and federal law.

Black American athletes protested during a 1968 Mexico Olympics medal ceremony. 

At the Summer Olympic Games in 1968 two black athletes made a silent protest for equality. These two men were Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gold and bronze medallists in the 200 meter run. They planned a silent protest on the medal stand. Smith wore a black glove on his right hand and Carlos wore a black glove on his left hand. At the time the national anthem was sung they bowed their heads and raised their gloved hands in the air. Smith represented black power and Carlos represented black unity. Reaction to their protest was quick; they were suspended from the team and banned from the Olympic village.  

The Emancipation Proclamation（解放黑人奴隶宣言）

Issued by Abraham Lincoln on Jan 1, 1863, it proposed that all slaves should be forever free. Although it did not end slavery, it changed the basic character of the Civil War. The North was now fighting to create a new Union without slavery. It also authorized the recruitment (征兵) of African Americans as Union soldiers. By the end of the Civil War, about 180,000 African Americans had served in the Union army and 18,000 in the navy. 

V. 参考网站 

1.http://www.answers.com/Q/At_the_Summer_Olympic_Games_in_1968_two_black_athletes_made_a_silent_protest_for_equality._Who_were_these_men 

2.http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/EmanProc.html

3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AfricanAmerican_Civil_Rights_ Movement 

Feeding those in need (P6)

天津市第三中学  朱煜

I. Warming up   

Do you have any ideas about how to help unsheltered homeless people?

II. Fast reading

Read the text and answer the questions below.

1.Who are those in need, according to the article?

The unsheltered homeless people in a 54-block area in downtown Los Angeles.

2.How does Delilah Cannon fulfill her mission?

She directs and oversees the preparation of meals for homeless people. She expects to get them to forget their miserable lives and think they’re at a five-star restaurant.

III. Careful reading 

Read the article again and find out the following information from the article.

1.At URM, Cannon’s job _________ _____________________.

is to direct and 

oversee the preparation of mass meals

2. Before joining, Cannon worked as a ____________________ _________.

caterer for the Grammy Awards and Universal Studios

3. Cannon got kind of bored working at Universal Catering and she thought her life_________________.

needed a deeper meaning

4. _____________________ raise her spirits.

The people she gets to serve every day

IV. Vocabulary

Match the words with the definitions

V. Discussion

1.What other help do you think can be offered to homeless people?

Shelters, clothes, opportunities to get a job …

2. Is there anything that you can do to help poor people around you?

Give them gifts during festivals, teach them different ways of doing things, show respect to them, care about their feelings …

VI. Quotes

  "An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves."

                              ~ Lydia M. Child

  "Let me do all the good I can, to all the people I can, as often as I can, for I shall not pass this way again."

                              ~ John Wesley