Unit 6 Nature and Thought讲课讲稿.ppt

1、Unit 6 Nature and Thought,Unit objectives,become familiar with some principles and methods of developing definition in paragraph writing. Know how to avoid some pitfalls(圈套)in constructing paragraphs of definition; and be able to write paragraphs of definition according to the instructions given.,Wh

2、at is definition?,Definition is a method we use to distinguish one thing from all other things,so that we are able to recognize it or in some way to understand it. Definition serves a number of purposes in our writing:to introduce a new term,to explain a jargon(术语)in some academic discipline, to mak

3、e clear some abstract, controversial or complicated point in an argument, to make ourselves better understood in everyday affairs,etc,needless disputes,disagreements and misunderstandings,Analytical/formal definition,Sample 1 1.A tornado may be identified as a strong dangerous wind which forms itsel

4、f into an Upside down spinning cone(圆锥形)and is able to destroy buildings as it moves across the ground. 2.A rainforest is a forest in a tropical area which receives a lot of rain.,Though the definitions in Sample 1 are quite brief , they contain three basic elements: the term to be defined, the gene

5、ral group or class the term belongs to and the distinguishing characteristics of the term. The way of defining by placing the term in a class and then identifying it with principal characteristics is called analytical or formal definition. It is a major technique for simple definition, A simple defi

6、nition is short, usually a synonymous word, a phrase, or a sentence. The alternatives employed in simple definition are: basic dictionary meaning, synonyms, direct explanation, and indirect explanation.,Extended definition,Sample 2 Paragraph A (The paragraph mainly offers information.) What exactly

7、is tornado? A tornado is usually brewed (when) on a hot, sticky day with south winds and an ominous sky. From the base of a thundercloud a funnel-shaped cloud extends a violently twisting spout toward the earth. As it sucks in matters in its path, the twister may turn (color) black, brown or occasio

8、nally even white (over snow). The moving cloud shows an almost continuous display of sheet lightning. The funnel is very slender: its wake of violence generally (shape) averages no more than 400 yards wide. As the tornado approaches, it is signaled by a roar of hundreds of jet planes or thousands of

9、 railroads cars. Its path is a path of total destruction. Buildings literally (result) explode as they are sucked in by the tornados powerful whirling winds. The amount of damage depends mainly on whether the storm happens to hit populated areas. The tornados lifetime is (duration) as brief as it is

10、 violent. Within a few tens of miles it spends its force and suddenly disappears. In short, it is a particular kind of whirling, highly destructive windstorm.,Extended definition,Paragraph B (1) a rain forest, as the term suggests, is a kind of wooded area, subject to usually heavy and frequent rain

11、s.(topic sentence) (2) found only in the tropical or subtropical regions of the Caribbean, Brazil, Africa, and Asia, rain forests contain a great variety of trees including bamboo, palm, cedar, ebony, calabash, and whitewood. (3) many of these trees grow to a height of more than a hundred feet, with

12、 dense canopies or crowns characteristically forming three distinguishable stories. (4) although ground flora is sparse, climbers of all kinds abound, and often exotic flowers appear inconspicuously in the dense forest. (5) this luxuriant growth results from an annual rainfall in excess of ninety in

13、ches, with no dry season. (6) a rain forest of spectacular beauty is E1 Yunque rain forest average rainfall 80 inches per year. (7) it is filled with lush, tropical greenery, millions of tiny wild orchids, thirty-foot ferns, and hundreds of varieties of trees and plants, all growing in native splend

14、or.,1.The term rain forest defined in this para. is a compound of two familiar words. How are the ideas represented by the term expanded in the second part of sentence 1? The ideas are expanded by introducing two terms:”wooded area” and “heavy and frequent rains.”,Extended definition,2. Which part o

15、f the compound term is developed in sentences 2, 3 and 4? How is the development accomplished? “Wooded area” The sentences discuss the places where these wooded areas exist , the kinds of trees in them, additional characteristics of the trees and other growths in the areas. 3. Does sentence 5 deal w

16、ith the same part of the compound term as sentences 2, 3 and 4? No, Sentence 5 is not just about “wooded area.” The sentence ties the two ideas of the compound term together. 4. The first five sentences of the paragraph describe some of the general characteristics of a rain forest. What do sentences

17、 6 and 7describs? Sentences 6 and 7 set out an example of a particular rainforest, namely, EI Yunque.,Extended definition,Summary Unlike sentence definition in Sample 1, the definition in Sample 2 is as long as one paragraph, and this kind of definition is known as extended definition. In Paragraph

18、A, in order to make clear what “tornado” is, the writer extends the definition by analyzing where, when and how it occurs and by giving a detailed description of its visual an audio effects, etc. Thus , the reader will have a clearer , fuller and more concrete understanding of the many facets of thi

19、s phenomenon. In Paragraph B, based on a brief explanation of the subject “rainforest” at the beginning, the writer tries to elaborate on the two words “rain” and “forest” through extensive description of their distinctive features, and winds up by citing a specific example of the concept.,Extended

20、definition,Sample 3 Paragraph A Luck refers to moments of good fortune that happen in everyday life.(topic sentence) (Example1)Luck is putting $0.75 into a vending machine and getting the money back with your snacks. (Example2)It is a teachers decision to give a retest on a test where you first scor

21、ed thirty. (Example3)It is not going to the dentist for two years and then going and finding out that you do not have any cavities. (Example4)It is calling up a plumber to fix a leak on a day when the plumber has no other work to do. (Example5)Luck is finding a used car for sale at a good price at e

22、xactly the time when your car rolls its last mile. (Example6)It is driving into a traffic bottleneck and choosing the lane that winds up moving most rapidly. (Example7)Luck is being late for work on a day when your boss arrives later than you do. (Example8)It is having a new checkout aisle at the su

23、permarket open up just as your cart arrives. (Example9)The best kind of luck is winning a new color TV set on a chance for which you paid only a quarter.,How does this paragraph develop its definition? The term luck is defined in the topic sentence. Then to make clear in a more complete and formal w

24、ay his personal understanding of the concept, the writer adds a series of short examples to substantiate its reference.,Extended definition,Paragraph B Some people believe that it is good to be an extremist in some areas, but those people are actually changing the meaning the word. According to the

25、Random House Dictionary of the English Language, the word extreme itself means excessively biased ideas, intemperate conduct. The extremist goes too far in whatever the person is doing (topic sentance). It is good to be enthusiastically and sincerely in love (Good), but extremists love excessively a

26、nd intemperately (Extreme). People who love well may be tender and sensitive and attentive (Good), but extremists are possessive or smothering (Extreme). The same can be said of patriotism. Good patriots love their country (Good), but extreme patriots love their country so much that they think citiz

27、ens that they lose their sense of balance(Extreme:citizens from other countries are inferior and suspect).They may begin with a good objective, but they focus on it so much that they can (results)become destructive, nasty, and often pitiful. The worst effect is that these extremists lose their compl

28、eteness as human beings.,Then discuss how the paragraph develop its definition. Can you classify them into major and minor methods? Major methods: exemplification and contrast. Minor methods: dictionary definition, etymology.,Pitfalls(陷阱)and Strategies (Page 61),A good definition. To define the term

29、, the writer relates it to something familiar or already known. Not a good definition. It tends to go in circles, i.e., it defines the term with the term itself as if it were listing its defining characteristics. Not a good definition. The term is not adequately differentiated from other similar fee

30、lings. A good definition. A synonym is used , which is more familiar. 5. A good definition. It defines by giving a brief explanation. 6. Not a good definition. It uses an example to serve as a definition , but it does not really do the job of defining by putting the term in a class or category and t

31、hen differentiating it from others in that category.,Conclusion:,2020/8/12,Definition 下定义,句型：.is a/the .of.which/that. .relate to/involve/refer to. 标志词 A is best characterized by( A 最明显的特征是),A constitutes(A 构成) A means, A consists of (A 由组成). e.g. A fine journalist is best characterized by disciplin

32、e, determination and keen observations. 一个好的记者最重要的特点是自律，毅力和敏锐的观察。 Animal experimentation, in some cases, constitutes callous abuse of test animals.,2020/8/12,2020/8/12,Good examples,Leadership is a kind of human ability to make people around and belong a person to work together peaceful and achieve for a common goal hardly without been force. Scientificresearch is an application of scientificmethodto the investigation of relationshipsamongnatural phenomenon, ortosolveamedicalortechnicalproblem. Glob