新人教版七年级英语上册Unit 2Background.doc

Part Two: Teaching Resources
I. Fun materials
■Riddles
1. What has a tongue but cannot talk? （A shoe）
2. What has arms, but can’t hug? (A chair）
3. What has a head and a foot but no body? (A bed）
4. What has a face but no head?（A clock）
5. What has leaves but isn’t a tree? （A book）
6. What has legs but can’t walk? （A table）
■Why pencils are yellow?
Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the 1890s.
And that bright color isn't just so you can find them on your desk more easily!
During the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China. American pencil makers wanted a special way to tell people that their pencils contained Chinese graphite.
In China, the color yellow is associated with royalty and respect. American pencil manufacturers began painting their pencils bright yellow to communicate this "regal" feeling and association with China.
The rest, as they say, is history. Today, 75%of the pencils sold in the United States are painted yellow!
■One of my first inventions!
I invented this in 7th grade. It is not a pencil, but a "minimalist" pen. It consists simply of a pen refill with a paper clip stuck in one end, which serves as the pen clip. Unfortunately my English teacher saw me fooling around with it too much, laughed at it and then took it away. I tell my students this discouraging story, how I felt, and that I would never laugh at their inventions like this teacher did.

I then ask "Could you have invented these? What ideas do you have for a new pencil. , the younger the student, the more creative they are, because the lack of the ability to judge, is the basis of creativity!
■A song in English — What’s this?
1= F 4/4
1.What’s this? It’s a horse. What’s this? It’s a house. A horse isn’t a house.
2.What’s this? It’s a bike. What’s this? It’s a bag. A bag isn’t a bike.
3.What’s this? It’s a sheep. What’s this? It’s a ship. A ship isn’t a sheep.