Self-assessment.docx

Episode teaching materials No. 1 Xie Xiqun from Zhuzhou No.1 High School
Eternal Love 永恒的爱
A Practice of Jigsaw Reading
Composed by Xie Xiqun from Zhuzhou No. 1 High School
Teaching objectives,
By the end of the teaching period, students would have been able to,
1. know at least one story offered and the themes of the two,
2. communicate among one and another for information of the other passage,
3. enjoy the process and communication to some degree.
Teaching methods The communicative way & jigsaw reading
Teaching procedure
Step 1 Preparation & Lead-in
Divide the whole class into two groups, naming A and B.
Hand out the two passages selected especially for the certain group, passage A for group A and B for B.
What is the most common theme of writing? What is the best way to solve problems between different human races, species and generations?

Step 2 Reading
Ask Ss to do the reading as fast as possible to get a general idea about the certain passage, such as the themes, the structures, the characters etc.
The division should be kept strictly to avoid the leak of the two passages.

Step 3 Communication
Any single student from group B raises one question about passage A and appoints anyone from group A to give the answer, then take the turn for about 6 turns. Anyone who can answer the certain question could help the one who can’t.
Sample questions
1. What is the main character（主角）of the passage? / What is the passage about?

2. Do you like the story? Why or why not?

3. Where does the story happen? And when?

4. What changes does it cause? Good or bad?

5. Which occasion(场合）impresses you most deeply?

6. What is the ending of the story?

7. Do you have anything more to say to help me understand your passage?
Etc.
Step 4 Retelling
Retell the story from the other group, using the information and answers you got.

Passage A
Last week, the picture of the mysterious unnamed Vietnamese（越南的）girl seen sobbing and tearful next to the body of a dead dog, cooked, and prepared for sale at one Vietnam’s open air dog meat markets broke the collective heart of the internet.

Now, more details have appeared and the story has somehow become even more heart wrenching and further illustrates the agony(极度痛苦）of this vile trade.

According to the People’s Daily Online, the dog pictured was a family companion whom the unidentified little girl had named Flower. After the beloved dog had been missing for several days, family members began searching for Flower and it was when they wandered past a local dog meat stall that the little girl recognized the remains of who had once been her cherished companion.

Demand for dog meat continues constantly in many Asian countries like Vietnam, China, and Korea. As was the case with Flower, countless dogs are stolen at night from the porches and gardens that are their homes and they wind up on the butchers block still wearing the collars that were around their necks when they were taken.

The story of Flower and the little girl that cared for her so much is sorrowful, regrettable, and tragic. But it also represents a tipping point, that moment in time when the world takes notice and decides to stand for what is right. The picture of Flower and the weeping young girl has caused many Vietnamese citizens to call for a ban on the consumption of dog meat, recent polls show that nearly two million Chinese citizens are in favor of legislation（立法） banning the sale and consumption of dog meat, and in the last month Korea’s largest dog meat restaurant shuttered its doors for good under mounting pressure from activists across the globe.

Cultural change is coming, change made manifest by one small sad little girl’s weeping, mournful face. 338

Passage B
When I was a little girl, I remember that when my dad was repairing something, every time he asked me to hold the hammer, just so we would have a time for a conversation with each other. I never saw my dad drinking or taking a night out with the boys, all he did after work was taking care of his family.
I grew up and left home for college and since then, my dad had been calling me every Sunday morning, no matter what. And when several years later I bought a house, my dad was painting it by himself for three days in the 80-degree summer heat. All he asked was to hold his paint brush and talk to him. But I was too busy in those days, I did not find any time for a conversation with my dad.
Four years ago, my dad was visiting me. He spent many hours putting together a swing set for my daughter. He asked to bring him a cup of tea and have a talk with him, but I had to prepare for a trip that weekend, so I did not have time for any long conversations that day.
One Sunday morning we had a telephone talk as usual, I noticed that my dad had forgotten some things that we discussed lately. I was in a hurry, so our conversation was short. Few hours later that day came a call. My father was in a hospital with an aneurysm（动脉瘤）. Immediately I bought ticket for a flight and on my way I was thinking about all missed occasions to have a talk with my dad.

By the time I have arrived to hospital, my father had passed away. Now it was he who did not have time for a conversation with me. I realized how little I knew about my dad, his deepest thoughts and dreams.
After his death I learned much more about him, and even more about myself. All he ever asked me was my time. And now he has all my attention every single day.

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