2020-2021学年度第37期总第743期
Uniting nations：埃德加•斯诺：一位有中国心的美国记者。
吉林毓文中学 赵传彦
I. Lead in
 
China and the US high-level strategic dialogue 
Through this meeting, what kind of China have we shown the world?
confident, powerful, equal...

But nearly 100 years ago, our motherland did not have such a platform to have an equal dialogue with the world.
 
    In the 1930s the first book introducing the Chinese Communist revolution to the West was published.
    It describes China objectively and truthfully, which was very rare.

Do you know who the author of the book is?
 

Edgar Snow! 
An old friend of China's!

II. Read for general information
    Read the passage quickly to understand what kind of text it is.
A brief biography of Edgar Snow 
传记
    How are the events arranged?
In chronological order 时间顺序的
 
    Divide the passage into three parts.
Para 1-2 Brief Introduction
Para 3-8 Achievements and Influence
Para 9-10 Comments

III. Read for details
Read and answer the following questions. 

1. What does Red Star Over China introduce about China? What is the significance of it?
2. How did Snow influence others to come to China and understand China?
3. From Wang Yi and Chairman Mao's comments on Snow, what can we know about what kind of person he is?
4. Why did the passage include others' comments on Snow?
5. Why will Snow’s legacy be needed and treasured in the future? 

    1. What does Red Star Over China introduce about China? What is the significance of it?

       Snow's firsthand accounts on the Long March, as well as on the work and lifestyle of members of the Communist Party of China in Shaanxi province. 
       It is considered the first book to introduce China’s revolution to the West.

    2. How did Snow influence others to come to China and understand China?
 
3. From Wang Yi and Chairman Mao's comments on Snow, what can we know about what kind of person he is?
 

4. Why did the passage include others' comments on Snow?

“staying truthful and objective and standing by justice and conscience”

“No matter the era, people around the world always need some sort of a link ... Today, China still needs an outlet to win understanding, and the world needs China, the largest consumer market in the world, to prosper,” People’s Daily noted. “This is one more reason why China needs more people like Snow – international figures that address the common bonds between China and the West, and passionately build links to achieve that goal.” 

“When the whole world had forgotten us, Snow came to see us and told the world what had happened. We will remember Snow’s great help to China forever,” Chairman Mao said. 

It can increase the authenticity of the passage, better highlight the characteristics of the people, reveal the outlook of the characters, and help make an objective and fair evaluation of the characters.

5. Why will Snow’s legacy be needed and treasured in the future? 
   Because no matter the era, people around the world always need some sort of a link. Today, China still needs an outlet to win understanding, and the world needs China, the largest consumer market in the world, to prosper.
 
Culture
In 1936, it was through Song Qingling's recommendation that the Chinese Communist Party completely opened the door to Snow and allowed him to interview. Three months later, he published his book Red Star Over China.
 

    Snow said, “Lu Xun is a key to my understanding of China.”
    After Snow's death, his wife respected his wishes and sent half of his ashes（骨灰） to China for burial, leaving his spirit in China forever.
 
Language study
1. take credit for
2. fight against 
3. collect firsthand accounts
4. moral ethics
5. a rapidly developing country
6. address the common bonds
Key:
因......而获得荣誉
与......作斗争
收集第一手资料
道德操守
快速发展的国家
处理共同纽带
7. Sino-US relations
8. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister 
9. the fourth session 
10. National People’s Congress
11. the Long March
12. the Communist Party of China
Key:
中美关系
国务委员及外交部长
第四次会议
全国人民代表大会
长征
中国共产党

    在英文演讲或写作中有一种有张力、显气势的表达形式，就是用否定形式加比较级来表达最高级的概念。
    否定形式＋比较级=最高级

    原文：No writer can take more credit for forging Sino-US relations than Edgar Snow. 
    翻译：在塑造中美关系方面，埃德加•斯诺(Edgar Snow)是最值得称道的作家。

Exercise:
    1. There is nothing that I am prouder of than being part of this.
    翻译：最让我自豪的莫过于成为活动中的一员。
    2. The result can't be any better. 
    翻译：结果再好不过了；
    3. The result can't be any worse. 
    翻译：结果再糟糕不过了。
    其实是在说这是最好的或是最糟糕的结果。