Books bring benefits (P1)

I. Warming up  

Discussion

1. Do you like reading? What kind of books do you like to read?

2. How do you think books can benefit readers?

 

II. Pre-reading

Read the following from Francis Bacon's “Of Studies” 

Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man writes little, he had need have a great memory; if he confers little, he had need have a present wit; and if he reads little, he had need have much cunning (狡猾) to seem to know that he doth not.

    Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores (It means: Studies pass into and influence character and manners. 凡有所学，皆成性格).

Discussion: What is the benefit of reading, according to Francis Bacon? 

Reading makes a full man: reading different kinds of book can help shape a man's character.

 

III. While-Reading

1.Read the article, and answer:

1) What's the difference between the most read books among US and Chinese college students?

College students in the US like to read classic books, while Chinese students are more interested in popular novels.

2) What are the five stages of reading according to China Youth Daily?

 

 

3) What is “this practical view of literature” in Para.7 refer to?

Many regard reading as an investment in themselves, for they want to learn something useful in reward for their efforts on books.

2. Read the article again, and paraphrase the following sentences.

1) By reading texts in history, social studies, science and other disciplines, students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will give them the background to be better readers in all areas.

Books on history, social studies, science and other disciplines can help students accumulate a wide range of knowledge, making it easier for them to understand knowledge in all fields.

2) Fiction and poetry are medicines, what they heal is the rupture reality makes on the imagination. 

Fiction and poetry are a way to make ourselves feel better. When our day-to-day lives make us feel down, reading a book can open up our minds to another world again.

 

IV. Post-reading

Opinion-sharing

1. What's your view about the statement “history and philosophy books are superior to novels”? 

2. Do you agree with the opinion “you are what you read”? Why or why not? 

 

 

Phones cause crashes (P5)

I. Warming up  

Car accidents happen very often nowadays. 

What do you think are the common causes of them?

• Distracted driving, such as talking on a cell phone, sending a text message or eating food 

• Speeding

• Drunk driving

• Running red lights

• Night driving

• Equipment Failure such as loss of brakes, tire blowouts, and steering failure. 

• Bad weather conditions

• …

What are they doing ? 

In your opinion, which one is more dangerous?

Distracted driving

Driving drunk

 

II. Skimming

What is this text mainly about ?

•It’s about Strayer’s research findings that using a cell phone while driving is as risky as, or even more risky than, driving drunk.

•Read the text again and try to work out the outline of the text.

Match the paragraphs to the descriptions below.

 

 

III. Scanning

Answer these questions below.

•1. What did Strayer discover from his research?

•2. Why can’t drivers simply stop reaching for their phones?

•3. Which people are more likely to use a cellphone while driving according to the article?

•4. What are the TWO reasons why we should  stay focused while driving  according to the article ?

•1. What did Strayer discover from his research?

Strayer’s research found that talking on a cell phone quadruples the risk of an accident. It is as risky as driving drunk. When you’re text messaging, the crash risk goes up to eight times.

•2. Why can’t drivers simply stop reaching for their phones?

The answer lies in dopamine, a chemical that sends signals to the brain when a “reward” is received. The same chemical also works for addictions such as gambling and drug use. 

•3. Which people are more likely to use a cell phone while driving according to the article?

People with more addictive behavior patterns

•4. What are the TWO reasons why we should stay focused while driving according to the article ?

Firstly, distracted driving is very risky. Secondly, when drivers use phones or other electronics while driving, the front part of the brain responsible for multitasking, decision making and planning may find it hard to deal with dual tasks.

Decide if these statements are true or false.

•Sending a text message while driving is as risky as driving drunk at a 0.08 blood alcohol level.

•Our brain cannot multitask, because it just can’t keep up.

•Beginner drivers all over the US are prohibited from using cell phones.

•It is forbidden to text while driving in the majority of states in the US.

Key: F F F T

 

IV. Language points

Match the words with their definitions.

•back                               • unable to concentrate 

•go off                              •be in favor of

•currently                           •make a sudden loud noise

•Issue                              •load with too great a burden

•distracted                          •at the present time

•overload                           •an important subject or topic 

 

 

Use the correct form of the words below to complete the sentences.

back   go off     currently issue     distracted      overload

•A lot of my friends ____my plan.

•The alarm_____.

•The products are_____（当前）available.

•Stay focused and don’t be_____by the noise.

•Students were _____with facts.

•They have published a lot of new books on international _____.

Key: backed  went off  currently  distracted  overloaded  issues

Sentence pattern

•David Strayer, a psychologist (心理学家) at the University of Utah, claimed in a recent report that taking your eyes off the road for a few seconds is just as dangerous as driving drunk. 

•句中a psychologist at the University of Utah 作David Strayer的同位语。

•That 引导的是宾语从句。

 

V. Post-reading

Discussion: 

•Some think they are good at multitasking. Using a cell phone while driving is a piece of cake for them. Do you agree with them, and why?

 

Backyard battle zone (P6)

I. Pre-reading 

Discuss the following questions with your partner.

Have you ever done any gardening?

What do you think is the hardest part of gardening?

 

II. Reading 

Read the article and choose the best answer for each of the following questions.

1. What is the story mainly about?

A. The author’s fight with weeds.

B. How the author loved her yard.

C. The author’s gardening skills.

D. The author’s gardening friend. 

2. What is the meaning of the third paragraph?

A. Spring is the best time in which to kill weeds.

B. Spring makes it hard for the author to win her battle with weeds.

C. Spring’s heat helps weeds to win some of the battlefield.

D. In the spring, the author tries to help the plants not to suffer from too much rain. 

3. Why does the writer say her fingers were itching like crazy in Paragraph 8?

A. The writer was mad at her brother’s response. 

B. The writer longed to cut down the ivy.

C. The writer was bitten by some insects in the weeds.

D. The writer left something in her car and wanted to get it back.

4. What can we learn from the text?

A. The author has decided to battle with the weeds next year.

B. The author is exhausted by the battle and has finally given up.

C. The author enjoys the battle with the weeds and expects another fight.

D. The author does not want to kill all the weeds since they are also helpful.

 

Key: 

1. A。本文主要讲的是作者与院子里的藤蔓杂草的战争，故选A。

2. B。第三段主要谈到了春天的雨水使得作者对抗杂草藤蔓的战争更为艰难，所以答案为B。

3. B。这里作者用手痒得厉害来表述自己内心极其想把那些藤蔓砍掉的冲动，故选B。

4. A。由最后一段可以推知A为正确答案，作者决定今年暂时休战，明年继续这场战斗。

 

III. Language study

本文作者文笔非常细腻，运用拟人和比喻的修辞手法，讲述了自己与花园中的杂草藤蔓之间展开的持久战斗。在作者笔下，花园成了战场，杂草藤蔓成了顽强难以对付的敌人，虽然作者最终暂时休战了，但整个战斗过程生动有趣。例如： 

u I’m sure I can hear ... I swear they’re all snickering, too. They don’t even have the manners to wait until I leave there.

此处作者运用拟人手法，把静止的杂草藤蔓描述成一群无礼的侵犯者，它们悄然溜进花园，得意地偷笑，甚至连等到作者离开再偷笑的礼貌都没有。

v My old wheelbarrow seems to have the personality of a tank, and I’m pretty sure my trowel is second cousin to a dagger.

这句话作者运用了比喻和拟人的修辞手法，把自己和杂草之间的这场战争描绘得栩栩如生。在她笔下，她做园艺的工具都富有战斗力，独轮手推车具有坦克的个性，而小铲子则是匕首的堂兄。

wMy fingers were itching like crazy.

短语like crazy的意思是“发疯似地，非常”。为了形容自己极其想把那些藤蔓砍掉，作者将抽象的情感用一种具体的感受表达出来，用手痒得厉害来表述自己内心强烈的冲动。