大学英语(全新版)第二册电子教案
Unit 5 Overcoming Obstacles
Text A: True Height
I. Teaching objectives:
Students will be able to :
1. gasp the main idea (dreaming and hard work helped Michael Stone on his way to success) and the structure of the text (narration with a flashback);
2. appreciate the narrative skills (using details to bring out a character: a surprising ending: use of puns);
3. master the key language point and grammatical structures in the text;
4.conduct a series of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.
II. Text Analysis
Those who have read this story will probably agree that its most striking feature is the closing line. As we read on, our admiration for Michael is building up until we believing that, when Michael broke both national and international records, we have reached the climax. However, the real climax is in the last sentence. When we find that out ,What a great impact it has on us!
The text plays on words on more than one occasion, The text title, True Height, itself has more than one meaning. We may understand it as the new bar heights that Michael cleared one after another, or we may view it as the tremendous obstacles Michael had overcome in attaining his goal. As mentioned in the Suggested Teaching Plan, the word “hot” in the first paragraph also on two different meanings, one literal, the other figurative.
We will also notice how the author uses details skillfully. How do we know that Michael’s success at pole-vaulting is especially significant? We know it by inferring, because even “Bert’ If You Want It, Work For It’ Stone was crying like a baby in his wife’s arms. He was crying harder than Mildred had ever seen before”. How do we conclude that Michael is a highly motivated person with a passion for details? Because the author told us in detail how he had follows a rigid training program, as well as how he appeared unmoved by his own success and going on doggedly to scale a new height, not once forgetting “his routine of three-tipped push-ups”.
English proverbs
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
God helps those who help themselves.
You shall reap what you sow.
Constant dripping wears away the stone.
有志者事竟成。
伟业非一日之功/罗马非朝夕建成。
皇天不负有心人/自助者天助。
种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆/一分耕耘，一分收获。
锲而不舍，金石可镂/滴水穿石。
III. Culture notes:
1. Sports: Sports play as important part in American life. Professional baseball and (American) football games attract large crowds, and many people watch games on television. Although many parents complain about their children being couch potatoes (=people who spend a lot of time watching television), there are sports session at school for all ages. College students are usually also required to take physical education classes to complete their studies
2. Olympics: The Olympic Games are the most important international sports event in the world held every four years.
The ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia every four years from 7775 B.C. to 392 A.D. The modern Games were first held in 1896 in Greece and, with the exception of three games not held because of the two wars, have been held in various cities of the world at regular 4-year intervals. Since 1924, a separate program of winter sports has been added to the Games. In 2008 Beijing will host the 29th Olympic Games.
The Olympic symbol---five interlocking red, blue, yellow, black, and green circles on a white field---represents the continents of he world joined in friendship.
The Olympic motto is Citius-Altius-Fortius. These words mean “Swifter, Higher, Stronger”.
The Olympic Games are organized and governed by the International Olympic Committee(IOC). It had offices in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Committee has made many decisions that affect the modern Olympics. For example, in 1912, the Committee decided to allow women to compete in the Games.
IV. Language Study
1. bear out: prove that (ssth.)is true
e.g.: The evidence that the Us Central Intelligence Agency has obtained bears out their claims that Bin Laden is closely related to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the USA.
The witness will bear you out in court.
2. sweat: drops of ;liquid similar to water that come through the skin when one is hot, ill, afraid, etc.
e.g.: After the 1000-meter race sweat was running off the athletes.
Sweat was dripping from his forehead.
v. produce sweat
e.g.: The long climb made us sweat.
Already they were sweating as the sun beat down upon them.
He was sweating heavily when he returned from his run.
3. grace: quality of being smooth and elegant, esp. in movement or structure.
e.g.: Classically trained dancer have an extraordinary grace of movement.
The dancers moved with an elegance and grace on the stage that fascinated
all the audience.
4. mere: nothing more than
e.g.: It’s a mere 200 meters from my house to the college.
How can you expect her to work out such a complicated math problem? She is a mere child.
5 fantasy:. imagination, esp. when it has no connection at all with reality
e.g.: I still have the fantasy that one day I will win the National Lottery.
Having watched so many animated cartoons, some children can’t tell fantasy from reality.
6. numerous: very many
e.g.: During the Depression, numerous people wandered from town to town looking for work.
Numerous scholars before Copernicus had suggested that the earth went round the sun, but he was the first person to bear it out mathematically.
(antonym: few)
7. passion:strong feeling, esp. of love
e.g.: He loved her still, with the same passion as he always had.
She had never before loved anyone with such passion.
(phrase: have a passion for: have a strong interest in sth. and like it very much
e.g.: She had a passion for dancing which interfered with her schoolwork.)
8. detail: 1) small, particular fact or item
e.g.: No details of the negotiation between the two countries have been revealed.
I can still recall every detail of my Graduation Day.
2) sth. which is unimportant and doesn’t affect the main issue
The salary is a detail; the main thing is to find a job.
She does not enjoy the details of housekeeping
phrase: go into detail(s): explain sth. thoroughly
Can you give me a rough idea of what happened, without going into detail?
in detail: fully or thoroughly
e.g.: She told them in detail what they were going to say at the meeting.
As for the pay increase, we haven’t yet had a chance to discuss it in detail.)
9. recur: come or happen again
e.g.: The theme of love recurred in many of his books.
The school authorities warned the student that he will be expelled if this cheating recurs.
10. coincide; 1) happen at the same time (followed by ) with
e.g.: His arrival in Tokyo coincided with the beginning of the war.
The art exhibition coincides with the 50th anniversary of his death.
2) be in agreement (with)
e.g.: He gave great encouragement to his students, especially if their passion happened to coincide with his own.
100 degree centigrade coincides with 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our interests coincide
11. core: the most important part
e.g.: The core of the problem is their objection to educational reform.
The belief in free enterprise is at the core of their political thinking.
12. alternate:every other or second; happening by turns
e.g.: He experienced alternate bouts of depression and cheerfulness within one day.
We spend alternate Sundays with my husband’s parents.
13. relax:make or become less tense, worried or nervous
e.g.: The best strategy for avoiding stress is to learn how to relax.
Massage is used to relax muscles.
After a hard day’s work, he liked to relax by going for a swim.
14.on one/two/several occasion(s): once/twice/several times in the past
e.g.: On several occasions ,I attempted to talk with my parents about my taking a part-time job, but my mother instantly interrupted me by asking me questions about my studies.
He drinks far too much. On occasion I saw him drink a whole bottle of vodka.
15. vain: too pleased with one’s own abilities or looks
e.g.: Too much praise can make a person vain.
She was vain of/about her appearance.
16. emotion: a strong feeling of any kind
e.g.: Love, joy, hate, and jealousy are all emotions.
Jack is a man of great emotion, easily given to tears.
His voice was full of emotion as he told us story of his cherished mother.
17 preparation:the act or process of preparing
e.g.: Banks have made adequate preparations for the introduction of the euro, the new common currency in 12 European countries.
I am not worried about the exams—I’ve done lots of preparation.
18. be ashamed of:feeling foolish or uncomfortable because of (sth.)
e.g.: She was so ashamed of cheating in the test that she went and told the teacher.
You should be ashamed of yourself, telling lies at your age
19. startle:give a sudden shock or surprise to
e.g.: You startled me--- I didn’t hear you come in.
Goodness, how you startled me appearing out of nowhere like that!
20. intensity: the state of being intense
e.g.: In order to finish the job in time, we have to work with greater intensity.
Looking at her with intensity, the man said, “Would you please marry me?”
The mayor didn’t realize the intensity of people’s feelings on the housing issue.
21. anxiety: a feeling of worry or fear
e.g.: The increase in the tax on heating fuel is causing a lot of anxiety among elderly people.
Many people expressed their anxieties about the economic chaos in the country.
A good cry can be a healthy way to relieve your anxiety.
22. tension: worry or nervousness
e.g.: Tensions between India and Pakistan have risen since the December 13 attack on the Indian Parliament.
Smiling and laughing has been shown to relieve tension and . stress
23.tense: feeling worried or nervous; making people worried or nervous
e.g.: Facing so many teachers, John got very tense and made several mistakes in his recitation.
The flight had been postponed five hours and all of the passengers were getting tense.
24. along with: together with
e.g.: Along with hundreds of others he invested money in stocks and bonds.
I keep my checks in the top drawer, along with my other important documents.
25. stretch out: hold a part of your body straight out in front of you
e.g.: She stretched out a hand and lifted the glass to her lips.
There were beggars everywhere, pathetically stretching their hands out to passers-by.
26. bring (sb.) back to earth: cause (sb.) to stop day-dreaming; cause (sb.) to return to reality
e.g.: Emily’s voice brought him back to earth.
Jack had been spending all his time chatting on line with his key-pals until his parents had a word with him and brought him back to earth.
27. in one’s mind’s eye:in one’s imagination; in one’s memory
e.g.: In his mind’s eye, she is still a shy girl.
In my mind’s eye, I can still see the house where I was born.
28. congratulate: tell (sb.) that one is pleased about his good fortune or achievements (followed by on)
e.g.: My son has been promoted to CEO. We must write to congratulate him.
His teachers congratulated him on winning the first prize in the speech contest.
29. media: (collective noun) means of mass communication, e.g. TV, radio, newspapers
e.g.: They are wondering whether bias in the news media contributed to the candidate’s defeat.
Much of what children learn comes directly from the mass media.