Unit 8 The kindness of Strangers.doc

精品文档Unit 8 The kindness of strangersMike MclntyreTeaching Objective1. Listening: news and dictation2. Speaking: being kind/warm-hearted3. Vocabulary: accelerator, addict, almighty, amaze, attentive, backpack, brochure, campground, cape, cashless, chamber, chilly, commerce, compassionate, conquer, contrary, cowboy, display, entertain, executive, folk, gamble, gang, goodwill, hitch, intrigue, involved, jerk, kin, knifepoint, lurk, magnificent, motto, murderer, patriotic, pitch, rarely, recall, readiness, renew, revelation, roadside, shabby, skid, solely, stranded, thumb, tone, trucker4. Grammar: -ing participle 5. Writing: Being kind can also bring troublesBackground Information1. Readers Digest This article appeared in the Readers Digest of May 1997. The Readers Digest is a 90-year-old popular American magazine, second only to TV Guide in circulation. It is published in 18 languages and more then 24 million copies are sold monthly worldwide. The large circulation indicates that it is designed to appeal to average people. Therefore, most articles in this magazine reflect traditional American values and tend to paint a generally positive picture of the land and the people of the United States.2. Theme of the story Americans are known as a generous people. In recent decades, however, things have changed. People seem to have become more and more indifferent to other peoples needs. The crime rate has increased in many places. More and more people are worried about the general moral decay. But the author of this article tries to tell people that based on his personal experience, things are not as bad as they believe. In fact, one can still depend on the kindness of strangers in this country. Warm-up activities1.1. Are you willing to help others? 2. When you see an old people lying on the ground, will you give him/her a hand?3. Have you ever been moved by what the other did to you? Detailed study of the textPara 11. come upon-meet, find, or discover by chance or by accident e.g. During the trip, they came upon an unknown animal.2. He had his thumb out and held a gas can in his other hand. cultural notes: usually, it is the usual gesture of hitchhikers when they ask for a free ride. The gas can obviously is meant to explain why he needed this favor. He had run out of gas.3. jerk- a stupid person who does not care about the effects of his actions4. gang-a group of criminals who work together5. lurk-wait silently and secretly, ready to do wrong6. get/be involved in e.g. This politician is involved in the scandal.Para 27. leave sb/sth done-make sb/sth stay in a certain state e.g. They left the food untouched.8. What bothered me was I dont believe what he has said. What he said is true.9. reach the decision-make the decision10. I never even lifted my food off the accelerator. Q: What does this sentence imply? The author was really shocked -how he could have been so indifferent, so unfeeling and so unsympathetic.Para 311. rely on-depend on12. fellow Americans-other Americans like oneself fellow students/classmates/teachers/workersPara 413. This idea intrigued me. intrigue-interest greatly; fascinate, attractPara 514. The week I turned 37-when is omitted the day I was born, the year he got married, the night the fire broke out15. take a gamble-take a rest, take a risk, etc.16. through the land of the almighty dollar. the country in which money has as much power as God. The dollar is the most powerful thing/motive17. rest my head-have a rest/sleep18. conquer-overcomePara 619. and head for the Golden Bridge with a 50-pound pack on my back and a sign displaying my destination to passing vehicles: “America.”Q: Why did the writer put a sign? show where he was going, catch the attention of the media, arouse peoples patriotic feelings. The fact that he put “America” as his destination may have been the reason why he was so well treated.Para 720. hitch-hitchhike21. watch out for-be careful about22. when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests. run contrary to-run against; run counter to when it seemed to be in a way that was opposite to their best interests/when it seemed to be exactly what they should not have done for their own safety.Para 823. shoulder-an area of ground at the side of the road where drivers can stop their cars if they have some trouble; roadside24. old ladies dressed in their Sunday finest. old ladies who were wearing their best clothes. Q: Where would these two ladies go? on their way to the church or back home from the church25. be supposed to do-should do26. I didnt know whether to kiss them or scold them for stopping. I didnt know whether I should thank them for their kindness or criticize them for running this risk. Q: Does the writer really want to scold/criticize them? No, he just wants to emphasize the kindness and courage of the two old ladies, not to suggest that it was wrong or stupid.27. shed rather risk her life than feel bad about she preferred to risk her life rather than feel guilty about being indifferent to the passersby.Para 928. locking his brakes-putting on suddenly his brakes29. skid-slid30. robbed at knifepoint-robbed while the robber pointed a knife at him gunpoint31. I hate to seeI dont want to see e.g. I hate to disturb you, but could you take a look at my computer? I really hate to ask my parents for money.Para 1032. compassionate-feeling sympathy for sb who is suffering; sympathetic33. happen to do-do sth by chance34. Those who had the least to give often gave the most. translate the sentence into Chinese35. invite sb to do sth invite sb to sth/somewhere36. determine to do be determined to do, be determinative, make determination to doPara 1137. be grateful to38. touching-moving39. as a matter of course-naturally, as the most natural way to actPara 1240. executive director CEO41. Now we are talking This is used when you think someones suggestion is a very good idea.42. tell you what-Ill tell you what It is used when you are suggesting or offering sth.Para 1343. mountain stay-at-home people-people who are happy to stay at home all the time and do not like to do exciting things a wait-and-see policy, the next-to-last step, a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, a get-rich-quick dream44. This revelation made my night there all the more special. revelation-sth surprising is suddenly made known to you. Reveal45. all the more special-used for emphasis, which means more special than usual all the more difficult, all the more interestingPara 1446. I had been scheduled to talk to every class be scheduled to-be pl