Unit One A Kind of Sermon

nullUnit One Unit One A Kind of SermonA Kind of SermonW. S. FowlerWarm-up activities Warm-up activities In-class survey: Now you come to the advanced stage of English learning. Do you feel improving your English is becoming more and more difficult now? What are the main difficulties you have encountered in learning English at this stage? Ask at least ten students to see whether they find it difficult to improve their English now and what their specific difficulties are. You may use the following table to in your survey. Report in class your survey results. Warm-up activities Warm-up activities Survey:Warm-up activities Warm-up activities Discussion: Many advanced learners of English feel that improving English is becoming more and more difficult at this stage. They are not making obvious progress as the beginners and feel discouraged. Probably you feel the same. Discuss with your classmates the reasons why learners at the advanced stage feel more difficult to make obvious progress than the beginners. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ …Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Read the text and answer the following questions. What is a “sermon”? What kind of sermon is this one? What is this “sermon” mainly about? What problems do learners of advanced English and their teachers have? What advice does the author offer to the students and teachers? Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What is a “sermon”? What kind of sermon is this one? What is this “sermon” mainly about? sermon: a talk on a moral or religious subject, given by a priest or religious leader as a part of a Christian church service, usually based on something written in the Bible. 布道、讲道 (informal, usually disapproving) a long talk in which someone advises you how to behave in a morally correct way, although you do not want to hear it. 冗长的说教Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What is a “sermon”? What kind of sermon is this one? What is this “sermon” mainly about? By “a kind of sermon,” the author intends to tell us that the passage is an unusual kind of long talk giving you advice. This “sermon” is about the difficulties encountered by advanced learners of English and their teachers, as well as suggestions for these students and teachers.Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What problems do learners of advanced English and their teachers have? What advice does the author offer to the students and teachers? Write your findings in the following graph.What’s the trouble with many advanced learners of English? ______________________________________________________________________________What’s the author’s advice to teachers of English? _________________________________________________________________________________What’s the author’s advice to advanced learners of English? _________________________________________________________________________________What’s the trouble with their teachers? _________________________________________________________________________________Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What’s the trouble with many advanced learners of English? The trouble is that they don’t quite understand why learning English seems increasingly difficult. Learning English seems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the language have been understood. The students hesitate when confronted with the vast untouched area of English vocabulary and usage outside the scope of basic textbooks. They are struggling with the bewildering variety of idioms, clichés, and accepted phrases with different meanings in different contexts. They feel, “the more I learn, the less I know.” Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What’s the trouble with their teachers? The teacher finds that the students seem to make less obvious progress. It’s hard to convince the students that they are still making progress toward fluency and their English is certain to improve, given time and dedication.Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Q & A What’s the author’s advice to advanced learners of English? He thinks that wide reading is useful, but it’s necessary to make some kind of selection. They should read what they can understand without having to look up words in a dictionary, read what interests them and have time for, read the English written today, read as much as they can and try to remember the way it was written rather than individual words that puzzle them. What’s the author’s advice to teachers of English? Teachers should choose proper materials and methods. It is the teacher’s “duty to choose the best path to follow near the top of the mountain.”Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Local understanding: Sentence study: Read the following sentences carefully and tell how you understand them. “It may not seem much consolation to point out that the teacher, too, becomes frustrated when his efforts appear to produce less obvious results.” (Paragraph 2) What results does the teacher expect? The teacher expects his students to make obvious progress in English. However, when students come to the advanced stage of English learning, they don’t make very obvious progress. Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Local understanding: Sentence study “He sees them struggling because the language they thought they knew now appears to consist of a bewildering variety of idioms, clichés and accepted phrases with different meanings in different contexts.” (Paragraph 2) What does “bewildering ” indicate? By using the adjective “bewildering,” the author indicates that advanced learners come across a large number of idioms, clichés and accepted phrases with different meanings in different contexts, which make them feel confused. This adds to their difficulty of making progress toward proficiency in English. Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Local understanding: Sentence study “What both students and teachers are experiencing is the recognition that the more complex structures one encounters in a language are not as vital to making oneself understood and so have a less immediate field of application.” (Paragraph 4) What does the author mean by claiming that the more complex structures “have a less immediate field of application”? Why does he say so? The author means it is not that urgent to use complex structures in a second language we’ve just learnt in our communication, because it’s more important to make others understand us. Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Local understanding: Sentence study “It is much easier to get food of any kind than to choose the dish you would most like to eat on a given day from a vast menu.” (Paragraph 4) What’s the metaphorical meaning of this sentence? In this sentence the author metaphorically talks about the issue of selecting materials for English learning. It’s more difficult for teachers to choose appropriate materials for his/her students than to let the students read whatever materials they come across. Reading comprehension Reading comprehension Local understanding: Sentence study “It's still your duty to choose the best path to follow near the top of the mountain just as it was to propose a practicable short-cut away from the beaten track in the foothills.” (Paragraph 6) What metaphors are used in this sentence? Learning English is compared to climbing a mountain. People “near the top of the mountain” refer to the advanced learners of English; while those on “the beaten track in the foothills” are beginners of English. Both “the best path to follow” and “practicable short-cut” indicate good materials for English learning. The whole sentence indicates that teachers should select good materials for their students both at the beginning and advanced stages of their English learning. Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Synonyms: Find synonyms for the italicized words in the following sentences. It is probably easier for teachers than for students to appreciate the reasons why learning English seems to become increasingly difficult once the basic structures and patterns of the language have been understood. (Paragraph 1) appreciate: realize, understand eg. I don’t think you fully appreciate how expensive it will be. Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Synonyms It may not seem much consolation to point out that the teacher, too, becomes frustrated when his efforts appear to produce less obvious results. (Paragraph 2) consolation: comfort frustrated: discouraged, disappointed It is hard to convince them that they are still making progress towards fluency and that their English is certain to improve, given time and dedication. (Paragraph 2) dedication: devotion Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Synonyms In such circumstances it is hardly surprising that some give up in disgust, while others still wait hopefully for the teacher to give them the same confident guidance he was able to offer them at first. (Paragraph 3) circumstance: situation, condition disgust: dislike His students might feel inclined to counter these with: "The more I learn, the less I know." (Paragraph 3) counter: opposeReading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Synonyms What both students and teachers are experiencing is the recognition that the more complex structures one encounters in a language are not as vital to making oneself understood and so have a less immediate field of application. (Paragraph 4) encounter: meet, come across vital: important, essential It is much easier to get food of any kind than to choose the dish you would most like to eat on a given day from a vast menu. (Paragraph 4) given: fixed, specifiedReading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Synonyms Defining the problem is easier than providing the solution. (Paragraph 5) define: explain One can suggest that students should spend two or three years in an English-speaking country, which amounts to washing one's hands of them. (Paragraph 5) amount to: be equal to … read as much as you can and try to remember the way it was written rather than individual words that puzzled you. (Paragraph 5) puzzle: confuseReading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Words & phrases that may confuse you: Complete the following sentences with the proper ones. for one’s part / on one’s part , I do not see that the difference is important. I should say it was an error . confront / encounter The obstacles that us aren’t easy to overcome. The rebels no opposition on their march into the city. When with the evidence of her guilt, she confessed. For my parton my partconfrontedencounteredconfrontedReading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Words & phrases that may confuse you refuge / shelter No sooner had he left the than the storm broke. When he is sad, she takes in remembering the old days. To avoid an argument, he sought in silence. We built a temporary out of branches. alternative / choice The treatment is offered as a(n) to surgery. Freedom of is very important to many people. Electricity companies were criticized for failing to develop energy sources. shelterrefugerefugeshelteralternativechoicealternativeReading comprehensionReading comprehensionLocal understanding: Words & phrases that may confuse you practicable / practical Applicants for the job must have at least three years of experience. Any incident must be reported as soon as is . （行的通的，只要条件许可） Despite their wealth, they were always about money. practicalpracticablepracticalThe plan is practicable, but not practical for it’s too costly.Follow-up activitiesFollow-up activitiesIn-class discussion: Do you share the feeling in your learning of English that the more you learn, the less you know? What’s your advice for your classmates as to the learning of English? Now you come to the advanced stage in learning English, what do you and your classmates expect from your teachers of English? What do you think your teachers can do to help you in your difficult task of learning advanced English?Follow-up activitiesFollow-up activitiesOut-of-class survey: Work in pairs and focus on one of the specific difficulties you summarized in the warm-up activity. Ask as many classmates as you can after class how they cope with it. Are these strategies effective? Report your findings the next time you come to class.First Day: Give Us 15 Minutes a Day First Day: Give Us 15 Minutes a Day Wilfred Funk & Norman Lewis Warm-up activities Warm-up activities Vocabulary amount estimation Go to http://www.newwisdom.net/english/english.jsp before class and see how much your amount of English vocabulary is. Report in class your estimated amount of English vocabulary. Warm-up activities Warm-up activities Thirty Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary The text is the first chapter of Thirty Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary. You might be curious about the book, the cover and contents of which are shown below. Work in pairs and discuss what may be written in the book; find which chapter(s) you are interested in. Warm-up activities Warm-up activities Thirty Days to a More Powerful VocabularyReading comprehension Reading comprehension Global understanding: Read the text & complete the following chart: Experiment findings (Paragraph 1-15) Vocabulary & success? Vocabulary & intelligence? The power of vocabulary (Paragraph 16-23) Actions for vocabulary Features of the book (Para 24-28) Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionGlobal understanding Vocabulary & success? If one’s vocabulary is limited, his chances of success are limited. (Para 5) An extensive knowledge of vocabulary is the most common characteristic of outstanding success. (Para 12) Vocabulary & intelligence? The extent of one’s vocabulary indicates one’s degree of intelligence. (Para 13) One’s brain power will increase when he learns more words. (Para 13) A vocabulary test is an accurate measure of one’s intelligence. (Para 15)Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionGlobal understanding The power of vocabulary: Words are one’s tools of thoughts. (Para 16) Words give one assurance, self-confidence, personality and popularity. (Para 19) Words are explosive. (Para 21) Words have changed the direction of history and one’s life. (Para 22)Reading comprehensionReading comprehensionGlobal understanding Actions for vocabulary: Consciously build up one’s knowledge of vocabulary / increase one’s vocabulary. (Para 6, 23) Features of the book: Words are grouped around various departments of one’s life. (Para 24) The book is planned to enlist one’s active cooperation. (Para 25) The book is stimulating and full of fun. (Para 26) The book requires a short time everyday. (Para 27)Local understanding Local understanding Translate the following sentences into Chinese. After a host of experiments and years of testing they have found out … that from then on it is necessary to have an intelligent plan if progress is to be made. No haphazard hit-or-miss methods will do. (Paragraph 4 & 8) 经过大量实验和多年检测，他们发现……从那以后，如果需要取得进步就必须有一个明智的计划。漫无目的，随随便便的是不行的。 It has long since been satisfactorily established that a high executive does not have a large vocabulary merely because of the opportunities of his position. That would be putting the cart before the horse. (Paragraph 9) 早就有人令人满意地证实，高级主管人员之所以词汇量大，并非仅仅因为其所处的地位给了他许多机会，那样看就本末倒置了。Local understandingLocal understandingTranslation: Five years later those who had passed in the upper ten percent all, without exception, had executive positions, while not a single young man of the lower twenty-five per cent had become an executive. (Paragraph 11) 五年之后，那些名列前10%内的人无一例外全都有了行政主管职位，而名列最后25%内的没有一个人成为行政主管。 Similarly it has been found by Professor Lewis M. Terman, of Stanford University, that a vocabulary test is as accurate a measure of intelligence as any three units of the standard and accepted Stanford-Binet I. Q. tests. (Paragraph 15) 同样，斯坦福大学的刘易斯·M·科曼教授发现，用词汇测试来衡量智力与用标准的、公认的斯坦福—比奈智商测试的任何三种计量单位来衡量同样准确。Local understandingLocal understandingTranslation: A command of English will not only improve the processes of your mind. It will give you assurance; build your self-confidence; lend color to your personality; increase your popularity. (Paragraph 19) 掌握英语不仅会改变你的思维进程。它会给你信心，树立你的自信，使你的个性更加诚实可信，使你更受欢迎。 Words are explosive. Phrases are packed with TNT. A simple word can destroy a friendship, land a large order. (Paragraph 21) 言词具有爆炸性。短语里装满了梯恩梯烈性炸药。一句简单的话可以摧毁友谊，也可以获得一大笔订单。 There are entertaining verbal calisthenics here, colorful facts about language, and many excursions among the words that keep our speech the rich, flexible, lively means of communication that it is. 书中有引人入胜的词语操练，有丰富多彩的语言知识，有词语间的探索，正是这些词语使得我们的语言一直像现在这样成为丰富、灵活、生动的交际手段。Follow-up activitiesFollow-up activitiesIn-class discussion Do you agree with the author that if one’s vocabulary is limited, his / her chances of success are limited? Why or why not? What strategies have you used to increase your vocabulary in English? Which of them do you find effective? ListeningListeningCompound dictationCompound dictationEnglish is the leading international language. In different countries around the globe English is acquired as the mother (1) ; in others it is used as a second language. Some nations use English as their (2) language, performing the function of (3) ; in others it is used as an international language for business, (4) and industry. What factors and forces have led to the (5) of English? Why is English now considered to be so prestigious that, across the globe, individuals and societies feel (6) if they do not have (7) in this language? How has English changed through 1,500 years? These are some of the questions that you (8) when you study English. You also examine the immense variability of English and (9) . You develop in-depth knowledge of the intricate structure of the language. Why do some non-native speakers of English claim that it is a difficult language to learn, while (10) ? At the university of Sussex, you are introduced to the nature and grammar of English in all its aspects. This involves the study of sound structures, the formation of words, the sequencing of words and the construction of meaning, as well as examination of the theories explaining these aspects of English usage. (11) , which are raised by studying how speakers and writers employ English for a wide variety of purposes.Compound dictationCompound dictationEnglish is the leading international language. In different countries around the globe English is acquired as the mother (1) ; in others it is used as a second