Unit1-Text-A--Writing-for-Myself.ppt

Unit OneUnit OneGrowing UpText A Writing For Myself Part I Background InformationPart II Warming up exercisesPart III Reading GuidancePart IV Detailed ReadingPart V Language PointsPart VI Post QuestionsPart VII Text Analysis Part One:Background Information 1.Grade schools in the U.S.:U.S.students generally go through elementary schools(kindergarten to 5th or 6th grade),middle schools(grades 6-8)or junior high schools(grades 7-9),and high schools(grades 9-12 or 10-12).So,the third year in high school(Para.1)equals the eleventh grade(Para.9).2.What American teachers wear in school:Nowadays,people in the U.S.love to dress casually.Even among those companies with a rigid dress code some now allow employees not to wear suits on Fridays.U.S.teachers wear fairly formal clothes to school,but not necessarily suits and ties.Bow ties are considered even more old-fashioned than ties.3.Spaghetti and the proper way of eating it:Spaghetti is the Italian-style thin noodle,cooked by boiling and served with sauce.Usually you would put a fork into a plate of spaghetti,turn the fork several times so that spaghetti will wind around the fork,then place the fork into your mouth.Its impolite to suck.Part Two:Warming up exercises Do you like English writing?Why or why not?What is the purpose of writing?Look at the title and find out in which paragraph a similar phrase appears,then explain in your own words what the author mean by“write for myself.”Part Three Reading GuidanceStep 1:Scan the text quickly and circle all the Time words,phrases and clauses in Text ATime words,phrases and clauses Since my childhood in BellevilleUntil my third year in high schoolUntil thenWhen our class was assigned to Mr.Fleagle for third-year English Late in the yearUntil the night before the essay was dueWhen I finishedNext morningTwo days passed,When I saw him lift my paper from his desk.When Mr.Fleagle finished Step 2.Refer to the time words/phrases/clauses you have just circled and answer questions:Q1:When did Baker start talking about his new experience?Q2:When did Baker stop writing about his new experience?By this way,please divide the text into three parts.Paras 1-21Paras 3-52Paras 6-93Part (Paras 1-2)An introduction:Main idea:Baker was bored by everything associated with English courses,including his new teacher.More in detail:Para 1 Bakers idea of _ took hold in his _ in high school.Until then,hed been bored by _,_,including _.In this way,Baker leaves us a suspense.On the one hand,he wanted to be a writer and the idea took hold.On the other hand he hated English course.Is it self-contradictory?Why?becoming a writerthird yeareverything associated withEnglish coursesessay writingPara 2.Bakers first impression of his third year English teacher.Therefore,he lost _in his English teacher and anticipated another _.Causes for that:1).Mr.Fleagle 2).He 3).To me,he 4).He 5).He 6).He Mr.Fleagle was terrible,not goodhis confidencecheerless yearPart (Paras.3-5)Describing a new experience Main idea:Baker found himself _by one particular topic and wrote about it for _ _.attractedhis ownjoyMore in detail:At the very beginning of Para 3,the first sentence is a transitional sentence.Then the writer starts talking about his new experience.“Late in the year we tackled the informal essay”And starting from Para 6.containing“When I finished”and“next morning”the writer stops writing about his new experience.Part (Paras 6-9)What the new experience meant to him Main idea:The experience of writing the essay helped him discover _ and realized _.his talent for writingwhat he wished to do in lifewriting for myselfTo sum up:1.Main idea of the text:This article is mainly about the very essence of the essay:writing not only for readers but also for oneself,to write what one enjoys writing about.2.Its structure:narration in chronological sequence3.Characteristic of the writing:1).From the analysis above we can know:This article is written on the basic of the process of the events development.2).Coherence in writing:The sentence“In the eleventh grade,at the eleventh hour as it were,I had discovered”in Para 9.coheres with the sentence in Para 1.“The idea of becoming a writer had come to me off and on since my childhood in Bellevile,but it wasnt until my third year in high school that the possibility took hold.”3).Narration in chronological sequence:This piece is a familiar essay,note time sequence.4).Grammatical structure:sb./sth.is said/believed/reported to do/be A model for you:-What kind of person is Mr.Fleagle?-He was said/reported/believed to be very formal,rigid and helplessly out-of-date.5).Selecting details:One characteristic of a familiar essay (小品文小品文,随笔随笔)is using details to prove the authors point.Now,answer some questions:-In Part 1,what details are selected to show“Id been bored with everything associated with English courses”?What details are given to show that Mr.Fleagle was dull and rigid?-In Part 2,which sentences show that at first Baker was unwilling to write the essay?-In Part 3,the author didnt tell us directly that his essay was very good.By which sentences did he manage to give us the impression that his essay was very good?Part Four Detailed reading Para.1 Comprehension Questions When did the authors dream of becoming a writer seem possible?What did Baker use to feel about English courses?What about you?What details are selected to show“Id been bored with everything associated with English courses?Difficult sentences The idea of becoming a writer had come to me off and on.Ever since I was a child in Belleville,I had thought of becoming a writer from time to time,but I did not make up my mind until I was in the eleventh grade.Until then,I was bored with everything associated with English courses:Up to then,I lost interest in things related to English I hated the assignments to turn out long,lifeless paragraphs that were agony for teachers to read and for me to write.I find it painful to writer long,boring essays as required by teacher,neither did teachers enjoy what I wrote.I hated the assignments to turn out long,lifeless paragraphs that were agony for teachers to read and for me to write.I find it painful to writer long,boring essays as required by teacher,neither did teachers enjoy what I wrote.Para.2Comprehension Questions What did the students think of Mr.Fleagle?According to Mr.Baker,which word could vividly describe Mr.Fleagle?How many primes and primly are used in this paragraph?What is the purpose of the writer?Thus readers will have in their mind a vivid picture of what Mr.Fleagle looked like.Difficult sentences When our class was assigned to Mr.Fleagle for third-year English I anticipated another cheerless year in that most tedious of subjects.When it was decided that Mr.Fleagle would teach us English during my third year in high school,I expected the English course to be as boring as before.Para.3Comprehension Questions Why did he put off the writing assignment till the last minute?Which sentence shows that at first Baker was unwilling to write the essay?Which topic attracted Mr.Bakers attention at last?Difficult sentences I prepared for an unfruitful year with Mr.Fleagle and for a long time was not disappointed.I expected that things wouldnt improve with Mr.Fleagle as our English teacher,and for a long time I was right in my expectation.(Note the touch of irony here.)Late in the year we tackled the informal essay.Late in the year we learned how to write informal essays and practiced writing them.Para.4Comprehension Question What did the topic remind the author of?Difficult sentences The title produce an extraordinary sequence of mental images.At the sight of the title I saw an unusual series of pictures in my minds eye.Vivid memories came flooding back of a night in Belleville when -and Aunt Pat served spaghetti for supper.Analyze the structure of the sentence.在这个长句中，在这个长句中，came flooding back是谓语，其余的都是主是谓语，其余的都是主语。为了语。为了 使句子结构平衡，避免头重脚轻，作者运用了割裂使句子结构平衡，避免头重脚轻，作者运用了割裂修饰法，把谓语前移，主语中心语的修饰成分后置，使谓语修饰法，把谓语前移，主语中心语的修饰成分后置，使谓语紧接主语。例如：紧接主语。例如：A list has been drawn up of words we have learned so far.All is not gold that glitters.Para.5Comprehension Questions What did Mr.Baker write for?How many wants did he use?Whats the purpose of using so many wants?What did he think Mr.Fleagle would do if he were to write the essay the way he wanted?Why?Para.6Comprehension Questions Did Mr.Baker prepared another essay to Mr.Fleagles requirements?Why?What was Baker prepared for when he found all the papers were given back but his?Para.8Comprehension Questions What was the students response to Mr.Bakers writing?Is the essay written very good?How do you know?Para.9Comprehension Questions In which way did this experience change Mr.Baker?Can you explain“the very essence of the essay”?Part Five Post QuestionsWhat was Mr.Bakers original attitudes towards English courses and essay writing?Which experience made Mr.Baker change his attitude?How did this experience change Mr.Bakers attitude?Part Six Text Analysis Russell Baker is very good at selecting details(see Part IV Writing Strategy)to prove his point.For example,in Para.2 he creates an unfavorable image of Mr.Fleagle by describing his“form,rigid and hopelessly out-of-date”eyeglasses,hairstyle,clothes,jaw,nose,and manner of speaking.Whats more,Russell Baker employs repetition not only to make it easy for readers to follow what he is saying,but also to impress them more deeply.For example,in Para.2,there are 9 prims or primlys in as few as 3 sentences!Thus readers will have in their mind a vivid picture of what Mr.Fleagle looked like.Another example of such repetition can be found in Para.5.Count how many I wanteds there are in this paragraph(there re 5!).They help to emphasize Russell Baker s strong desire to write for himself.On the other hand,where this stylistic device is not justified,Baker is also expert in avoiding repetition by employing synonymous words and phrases.Here are some example:a.dull,lifeless,cheerless,tediousb.turn out,write,compose,put down C.anticipate,prepare for d.formal,rigid,prim,correct,proper,respectablee.vivid memories of e flooding back to sb;sth.reawakes in ones mind;sb.recalls sth f.recapture,reliveg.pleasure,delight,happinessh.contempt,ridiculei.topic,titleSentence makingeg.The teacher assigned us to recall an experience that impressed us most and then compose an essay about it.I anticipated that the movie must be very boring,but it turned out to be inspiring.Cloze 1(1)hold back(2)tedious(3)scanned (4)recall (5)vivid(6)off and on(7)turn out/in(8)career1)As it was a formal dinner party,I wore formal dress,as Mother told me to.2)His girlfriend advised him to get out of/get rid of his bad habit of smoking before it took hold.Translation 13)Anticipating that the demand for electricity will be high/huge during the next few months,they have decided to increase its production.4)It is said that Bill has been fired for continually violating the companys safety rules.Bill is said to have been fired for continually violating the companys safety rules.5)It is reported that the government has taken proper measures to avoid the possibility of a severe water shortage.The local government is reported to have taken proper measures to avoid the possibility of a severe water shortage.Translation 2 Susan lost her legs because of/in a car accident.For a time,she didnt know how to face up to the fact that she would never(be able to)walk again.One day,while scanning through some magazines,a true story caught her eye.It gave a vivid description of how a disabled girl became a writer.Greatly inspired,Susan began to feel that she,too,would finally be able to lead a useful life.