2021-22学年度第4期总第754期(6版)

Breaking barriers (P6)

北京中学  李萍

 

I. Lead-in

What are people in the pictures doing?

Where are they?

 

What made it possible for them to be able to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games?

Their athletic talent & High-tech prosthetics and wheelchairs

 

II. Pre-reading

Breaking barriers

What does the title mean to you?

What do you think the text will mainly talk about?

 

III. Read for gist

Read the text and summarize the main idea of each part.

Para 1:

Para 2:

Para 3:

Para 4:

Para 5:

Para 6:

Para 7:

Para 8:

 

Key:

 

IV. Read for detailed information

Read the passage again and then finish the table according to the main idea of each part.

 

Key:

 

V. Think and share

1. What does the writer mean by saying “allowing those with limited mobility to break down that barrier one step at a time”?

The writer simply means that the application of the technology helps those talented athletes achieve their dream.

 

2. What do you think of the design and application of the high-tech devices used in the Paralympic Games?

 

 

VI. Creative writing

Suppose you are a reporter for your school's website. You are asked to write a report on how technology was used at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Please complete the report based on the following questions:

 

 Why and how was the technology used at the Tokyo Paralympic Games?

 What benefits did it bring to athletes?

 What’s your hope?

 

VII. Language study

Audiences around the world tuned in to see world-class athletes during the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

tune in sth: watch or listen to a particular television or radio program or station 收看；收听 

e.g. Be sure to tune in to next week's show. 一定要收看下周的节目。     

    

tune: v. prepare or adjust sth so that it is suitable for a particular situation 调整；使协调；使适合

e.g. His speech was tuned to what the audience wanted to hear. 他在演讲中专讲听众爱听的话。

tune: n. a series of musical notes that are sung or played in a particular order to form a piece of music 曲调；曲子

   e.g. I don't know the title but I recognize the tune.

 

2. “We design sporting equipment to get the best possible performance based upon the constraints (约束条件) and needs of that sport,” said Bryce Dyer, a sports technologist at Bournemouth University in England, who develops prostheses for athletes with disabilities.

disability: a physical or mental condition that means you cannot use a part of your body completely or easily, or that you cannot learn easily （某种）缺陷，障碍

e.g. Facilities for people with disabilities are still insufficient. 

      供伤残人士使用的设施仍然匮乏。

拓展词汇：disabled adj. 残疾的，有缺陷的

                    able adj. 能够的

                    ability n. 能力

 

3. For the engineers and designers that work with Paralympic athletes, the experience offers more insight into their trade.

insight: 1) the ability to see and understand the truth about people or situations 洞察力；领悟

e.g. I hope that this talk has given you some insight into the kind of work that we've been doing. 希望这次谈话能使你对我们正在开展的工作有一些较深入的了解。

 

2) an understanding of what sth is like 洞悉；了解

The book gives us fascinating insight into life in Mexico. 这本书生动地表现了墨西哥的生活。

 

4. These experts are able to apply their ingenuity and talent to everyone in need, allowing those with limited mobility to break down that barrier one step at a time.

barrier:

1) an object like a fence that prevents people from moving forward from one place to another 屏障；障碍物

e.g. The crowd had to stand behind barriers. 人群只好站在障碍物后面。

2) a problem, rule or situation that prevents sb from doing sth 障碍；阻力；关卡

e.g. Lack of confidence is a psychological barrier to success.

      缺乏信心是阻碍成功的心理因素。

3) sth that exists between one thing or person and another and keeps them separate

分界线；屏障

e.g. The Yangtze river is a natural barrier to the northeast.