Lifeinthefuture.doc

Life in the future
Reading comprehension
Goals:
1. Make the students get more information about the change of life in the future.
2. Improve the student’s ability of getting the main idea of each reading subject.
3. Help the students to grasp some useful words and expressions by using them.
Procedures:
Step 1 Leading in
We all know that many things are affecting the quality of our life. What are they? Would like to list them? The following things are suggested for considerations: clothes, food, house, transportation, health, education, cultures, arts, sports, amusement, etc.
Step 2 Pre-reading
Scan the text to find out in which paragraph you can find the answers to the pre-reading questions.
1. How will people shop in the future?
2. How will people travel in the future?
3. What will schools be like in the future?
4. What will the future be like in general?
Step 3 Reading
1. Skimming
Ask the students to read the whole text quickly and try to grasp the general idea. Do the following multiple-choice questions.
(1) What can we infer from the first paragraph?
A. It is impossible for people to predict the future life.
B. It is quite easy to know what life will be like in the future.
C. People can know exactly what future life will be like through examining the contemporary society.
D. It is possible to forecast about future life by examining some of the major trends of the contemporary society.
(2) Which statement about the current life is true according to the text?
A. People pay much attention to a healthy diet instead of regular exercise.
B. Public transportation is well developed in all areas of China.
C. E-business is so popular that people are doing more and more online shopping.
D. E- schools have taken the place of common classrooms.
(3) What can we learn from the text?
A. Scientists are trying to protect what life will be like in the future.
B. We had better keep on studying all life to keep up with the changeable world.
C. Life in the future won’t change too much.
D. Life in the future will be completely different from what it is today.
Suggested answers:
(1) D (2) C (3) B
2. Scanning
After getting the general idea of the text, students will be encouraged to get more information from the text by doing the following multiple choices.
(1) For what purpose is the example of “the new maglev train” introduced?
A. To show the great achievement in science.
B. To tell new technology is used to reduce the pollution of transportation.
C. To show the modern transportation is much faster.
D. Both B and C.
(2) In the future people will shop ________.
A. not for basic goods.
B. Only for entertainment.
C. Using special small cards instead of cash.
D. In less crowded malls.
(3) What is the main advantage of e-schools?
A. Students can save time on the way by attending e-schools.
B. They will help people study whenever and wherever they like.
C. They supply more knowledge than common classrooms do.
D. Attending e-schools is fashionable.
(4) The word “predict” in the first paragraph is close to ______ in meaning.
A. learn B. guess C. forecast D. describe
(5) To live a longer and healthier life, people believe in _______.
A. eating healthy food and taking regular exercise.
B. Eating more.
C. Doing much exercise every day.
D. Having physical examinations often.
(6) People can deal with new diseases like SARS mainly through __________.
A. advances in medical science.
B. Regular exercise
C. A healthy diet.
D. Good treatment of doctors and nurses.
(7) It is better to be lifelong learners because ______.
A. learning is pleasant.
B. Things are changing all the time.
C. We’d better prepare ourselves well for the coming changes in our life.
D. We can’t forecast what will happen in the future.
Suggested answers:
(1) D (2) C (3) B (4) C (5) A (6) A (7) C
Step 4 Post-reading
1. Ask the students to discuss the post-reading questions (2---5).
2. What should we do to make sure we can have a bright future? Please write a short passage according to the text and your imagination.
Step 5 Language points
1. catch/get/have a glimpse of 瞥见，望见一眼
eg. I caught a glimpse of the thief when he ran past, so I can’t describe him.
We caught only a glimpse of the rabbit before it ran into the grass.
2. ensure v. 担保， 确保
(1) ensure that------
If you want to ensure that you won’t be late for the meeting, take a taxi.
(2) ensure sb sth
This cup of coffee will ensure you a clear mind.
This pill will ensure the old man a good night’s sleep.
3. without doing----
They went back to the classroom without saying anything.
He lay still in bed overnight without moving, without even thinking.
He stole into the building without being noticed.
4. make it easier for sb to do sth
make it +adj +(for sb) +to do
make it +n +(for sb) +to do
eg. The Internet makes it quite easy for us to look for information.
We make it a rule for students to take part in school activities as well as study.
试比较：find it +adj +(for sb) +to do
find it +n +(for sb) +to do
eg. I find it difficult to understand what he said.
I find it a pleasant job to teach these lovely children.
5. keep in touch with 与------保持联系
be in touch with 与------保持联系（状态）
get in touch with 与------取得联系
lose touch with 与------失去联系
be out of touch with 与------没有联系（状态）
eg. I lost touch with Mary, my old classmate, two years ago. I’m trying to get in touch with her.
He has got tired of doing business. He’d like to go back to teaching, but he is out of touch with his subject now.
6. search ---- for----寻找------
eg. The police were searching the woods for the lost child.
= The police were searching for the lost child in the woods.
= The police were looking for the lost child in the woods.
= The police were in search of the lost child in the wood.
= The police were in their search for the lost child in the woods.
7. deal with 对付，处理；涉及，讨论；与-----做生意
eg. Our manager will deal with everything.
How did they deal with the old newspapers?
= What did they do with the old newspapers?
This book deals with the European music in the 19th century.
We ‘ve dealt with Mr Wang for about 5 years.
8. lead to 引起，造成，导致
eg. His hard work finally led to his great success.
= His hard work finally resulted in his great success.
= His great success lay in his hard work.
= His great success resulted from his hard work.
Lead to a place 通往某地
Eg. The road leads to the village.
Lead sb to do 使得，导致（某人做谋事）
Eg. People’s mispronunciation led him to change his name.
The news led him to run away from the village.
9. appreciate vt 欣赏，感激
eg. She doesn’t appreciate modern art.
His abilities were not appreciated by his boss.
I really appreciate your help.
I would appreciate your calling back.
10. in store 储备着，贮藏着
eg. Keep your energy in store for the coming examination.
Squirrels have much food in store for the cold winter.
In store for 等待着（某人）
Eg. There is a bright future in store for you.
Who knows what the future has in store for us?