大学英语第二册Unit1.doc

Unit 1
Part A Integrated Course
Text A Learning, Chinese-Style

ⅠTeaching Objectives
Students will be able to:
1． Grasp the main idea ( that it would be ideal if we can strike a balance between the Chinese and the Western learning styles) and structure of the text ( introduction of the topic by an anecdote--- elaboration by comparison and contrast--- conclusion by a suggestion);
2. have a good command of the commonly-used structures
3. know how to use the key words and phrases;
4. appreciate the difference between comparison and contrast, as well as different ways to compare and contrast ( point-by point method or one-side-at-a-time method).
5. conduct a series of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.

ⅡTime Allotment
4 periods

Ⅲ Difficult Points and Focus
1. Key words and phrases
attach，initial，insert，neglect，investigate，accomplish, principal, extreme, apply, evolve, promote, superior

2. Difficult Sentences
1) Because of his tender age and incomplete understanding of the need to position the key just so, he would usually fail.
2) … and to throw light on Chinese attitudes toward creativity.
3) He may well get frustrated and angry……
4) “teaching by holding his hand”—so much so that he would happily come back for more.
5) young Westerners making their boldest departures first and then gradually mastering the tradition;

Ⅳ Teaching Approaches
lecture, questions and answers, discussion, etc

Ⅴ Teaching Contents
1. Before Reading: ( T can have anyone of the alternatives )
★ alternative one: Discussion
a. Read the following materials:
1) Nan Nan is a student at the Beijing No.4 Middle School. He is a good student, of good character and fine scholarship. At primary school he was voted the “three-goods” student ( morally, intellectually and physically) for six consecutive years. Nan Nan told the reporter, “Since early childhood, my mother’s most frequent exhortation has been to ‘seize every minute to study.’ She would repeat it several times a day.”
2) All Chinese senior middle school students, no matter how gifted, endure intense pressure to gain the highest possible academic scores.
3) Well-off families often send their children to study abroad to avoid the pressure of the college entrance exam.
b. Based on the above materials, students then discuss with each other.
c. Teacher invites some students to summarize in English about the present education system in China from their own perspective. Also they can talk about their own learning experience, their own feeling or attitude towards that. Or they can share their hope or wish for the education system in China.

★ alternative two: Warm-up Questions
1) If you find a two-year-old boy is trying to put a key into a box, will you help him immediately?
2) Can you recall how your parents taught you in your childhood? Did they like to teach you by holding your hand?
3) Which way did you prefer when you were in trouble with one of your toys in your childhood, turning to your parents for help, or exploring by yourselves?

2. Background Information
1) Education in the West: There is no common agreement in the West concerning the best method of education. A variety of views can be found among parents, teachers and students. Indeed, it might be argued that it is this very existence of contending points of view that is characteristic of Western education. This can be seen as far back as in the work of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who encouraged his students to question everything, even their most fundamental beliefs. Yet even then there was no general agreement that this was the best way to teach. Socrates, after all, was condemned to death by his fellow citizens for corrupting the morals of the young by his way of teaching. Many later periods of Western history were no more tolerant of encouraging students to challenge traditional beliefs: Darwin’s theory of evolution, for example, was for a time banned from schools in some American states on the grounds of religious belief.
Much of the current debate over education surrounds the extent to which learning should be teacher-based or student based. Which of the two should decide what should be learned, how it should be learned, and when it should be learned? Comparing Western and Asian methods of learning it is generally true that Western methods are more student-centred, expecting students to discover things for themselves rather than relying on their teachers to tell them. An extreme version of the student-centred approach can be seen at Summerhill, a school in England established by the educationalist A. S. Neill. There children have complete freedom to decide what they are going to learn and which lessons they will attend. If they wish they need not attend any at all. Mainstream education in England is far more strict, demanding that children attend lessons and follow a national curriculum. This curriculum and the importance of achieving good exam results tend to reinforce a more teacher-centred approach, as both teachers and students find the pressure of time leaves less opportunity for an exploratory approach to learning.
The extent to which learning is teacher-centred or student-centred also depends on differences between subjects. In recent years, for example, there has been a trend in the teaching of mathematics in school classrooms in England away from having pupils work on their own or in small groups back towards a more traditional approach, with the teacher guiding the entire class step-by step through a lesson. This followed research that suggested that, as far as math was concerned, a more teacher-centred method was more effective.
2) Standing on the shoulders of giants: a well-known phrase, frequently employed by inventors to express modesty about their achievements. The suggestion is that while they have been able to see further than those who came before them, it is not because they themselves are intellectual giants. Rather it is because they have been able to build upon the accumulated discoveries of their great predecessors.

3. The Main Idea of the Text
The passage tells us the professor’s thoughts on different approaches to learning in China and the West. First, he found Chinese attitudes toward creativity from his 18-month-old son’s behavior about how to deal with the key-slot anecdote. However, the West is not just so. Then the author analyses and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the two learning styles.

4. Learning Points

Paras. 1-5 The author got to know the difference between Chinese and American ideas of education by his experience in the Jinling Hotel.

Active: characterized by involvement, energy, or action (showing involvement or energy)
Energetic: displaying great vigor or force (forceful)
Vigorous: extremely strong and active, physically or mentally (very healthy)
e.g. He is active in politics.
Jagging is a very energetic form of exercise.
He is a vigorous young dancer.

Not in the least: not at all
(much more formal than “not at all”)
I’m not in the least touched by the Mona Lisa kind of beauty.
我一点没被蒙娜丽莎之类的美貌感动。
约翰似乎对学习毫不担心。
John didn’t seem in the least worried about his stud.

Find one’s way: reach a destination naturally; arrive at
find one’s way: After being held up by traffic jam for 3 hours, we finally found our way to the airport.
find one’s way out: Since we are involved into troubles, we must find our way out as soon as possible.
Lose one’s way: The travelers lost their way in the woods.

phenomenon
o something notable: something that is out of the ordinary and excites people's interest and curiosity
o a strange phenomenon: extraordinary person or thing: somebody or something that is, or is considered to be, truly extraordinary and marvelous
e.g. A child who can play the piano at the age of two is a phenomenon.

Paras. 6-7 The author discussed in detail the two different learning styles in China and West.
He may well get frustrated and angry……
Paraphrase:
He is likely to get frustrated and angry.
may well do sth.: You say “may well” when you are thinking something is likely to happen.
e.g. It may well rain tonight.
She may well marry a man who is 30 years older than her.

In due course: at the proper time; eventually
e.g Your novel will be published in due course.
Be patient. The boss will promote you in due course.
If you study hard, you will pass the final exam in due course.

whether it be placing a key in a key slot, drawing a hen or making up for a misdeed.
Paraphrase:
No matter whether it is placing a key in a key slot, drawing a hen or making up for some mistakes.
● The subjunctive mood is used here.
e.g. Whether he be present or absent, we shall have to do our part.

Paras. 8-10 It analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of teaching by “holding his hand” in China.
Come to one’s rescue (go to one’s rescue)
e.g. We came to his rescue and pulled him out of the river.
我们来救他，把他从河里拉了出来。
每当我陷入困境，她总是前来帮忙。
Whenever I was in trouble, she always came to my rescue.

“teaching by holding his hand”—so much so that he would happily come back for more.
Translate:
“把着手教”，教得本杰明自己会愉快地要求再来一次。
so much so that = to such an extent that
e.g. He longed to visit Paris, so much so that he often dreamed about it.
He is rich, so much so that he does not know what he is worth.
译：他很富有，富有到不知道自己究竟有多少钱。
(see page 18, structure 1)

Paras. 11-14 It described Creativity First, a way that American cultivated children. Then it further analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of this teaching.
…young Westerners making their boldest departures first and then gradually mastering the tradition;
What does making their boldest departures mean?
Doing sth. different from an established rule or tradition.
Translate:
西方的年轻人先是大胆创新，然后逐渐深谙传统。

Harbor (transitive verb )
keep something in mind: to privately have and continue to keep in mind an emotion or thought
e.g.
1.She began to harbor doubts about the decision.
2.It is an offence to harbor escaped prisoners.
3.All the ships stayed in the harbor during the storm.

Pick up
She picked up quite a lot of English during her stay in Britain.
Pick up a purse
Pick her husband up in railway station
Pick out
Pick out the best piece of silk
Pick out our cousins from the crowd

But assuming that the contrast I have developed is valid, and that the fostering of skills and creativity are both worthwhile goals……
assuming that…= if, provided (that) = on condition (that) 假若，徜使
You use assuming that when you are considering a possible situation or event, so that you can think about the consequences.
e.g.
Assuming that we all work at the same rate, we should be finished by January.
Assuming that this painting is a Van Gogh, how much do you think it’s worth? (see page 18, structure 2)
Translate:
然而，假定我这里所说的反差是成立的，而培养技艺与创造力两者都是值得追求的目标…

be superior to
这种酒比那种酒好
误：The wine is more superior than that.
正：The wine is superior to that.
e.g.
1. The superior man knows what is righteous, but the inferior man knows only what is profitable.
2. Their relationship is only the one between the superior and the inferior, and nothing else special.

6