Unit 5 Teaching Plan

Time Allotment

Period 1

Period 2

Period 3

Period 4

Pre-reading

Global reading

Detailed reading

Detailed reading

Post-reading

Section B

Section A Graceful Hands

Objectives:
Students will be able to:
1. grasp the main idea and the structure of the text ;
2. understand the devices developing the paraphrases;
3. master the key words and phrases and sentence patterns in the text;
4. conduct a serious of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit.

Pre-reading Activities:
1. Watch the video and then discuss the topics as follows:
What is life usually compared to?
What is life usually understood to be?
2. Have you ever touched the problem of the relationship between life and death?
Summary: There are almost as many ways to view life as there are human lives. This statement may seem exaggerated, but life is at least invested with the meanings as follows:
1) Life is a becoming, a flowing on without pity. Our parents live on through us, and we will live on through our children.
2) Life is a long but enjoyable journey as long as you are ready to overcome obstacles in your way.
3) Life is an accumulation of treasures – a truth you find out, a skill you pride yourself on, an experience you get insight from, a friendship you make firm and long, …
By living, we do not mean merely enjoying the pleasures each day offers or laboring for wealth. Rather, we mean living each day as if it is the only one you have.

Global reading
1. Text structure analysis
This is a narration in time sequence. There are some obvious markers of time such as “When I am finished”, “Some ... time passes” and “two days later”. So we can divide it into 6 parts according to stages before the old lady’s death and what “I” did for her and learned about her.

Part 1 (Paras. 1-4): a narration about the patient and the wardroom to impress the readers that the patient was dying.
Part 2 (5): The patient is seriously ill, too weak for anything.
Part 3 (Paras. 6-7): Driven by my thoughts, I exchange with the patient, who is able to utter only broken sentences. Though, I begin to see what a kind and considerate grandmother she is.
Part 4 (Para. 8): The patient dies. And the author seems to have a better understanding of the patient. Mrs. Clark spares her family from seeing her die and the author feels it a privilege to be there with the patient.
Part 5 (Para. 9): It is only two days after Mrs. Clark’s death that the author comes to learn more about her from the newspaper.
Part 6 (Para. 10): Mrs. Clark is really graceful.

2. Devices for developing the text:
1) description:
Para. 2 the light (flashing its red light as if in warning), the smell (of decay)
Para. 3 the conditions of Mrs. Clark: the head, the skin, the right arm, the left arm, the sunken chest
Para. 4 the fingers, pulse, the words of patient
Para. 5 details to show the patient’s weakness
Paras. 6,7,8 & 10 the author’s inner world

2) Double Clues (双线索法)
There are two clues running through the whole passage, one being explicit and another implicit.
The explicit clue is the time sequence, along which the author organized her experience with the dying patient.
 The implicit clue is the author’s emotional experience, which unnoticeably leads the reader into her emotional world.
Implicit clue --- Emotional experience
Implicit clue — Following this clue unconsciously, the reader seems to experience the same shock and change in emotion as the author did. As a result, Mrs. Clark, a dying patient with terrible appearance, changes from someone we as well as the author understand first to someone we admire and praise in the end. In fact, the change in the author’s emotion undergoes three steps.

Step 1: Mrs. Clark is a total stranger.
•I’ve never seen Mrs. Clark before. (L. 1)
•I return to the bed to observe the patient with an unemotional, medical eye. (L. 7)
•Then, the objective narration and description in Paras. 3, 4 and 5.
•I reach for the long, thin fingers that are lying on the chest. (L. 14)
Step 2: I know something about her and begin to understand or admire her.
•I … again notice the long, thin fingers. Graceful. (L. 35)
•…but I have understood what she has done. (L. 40)
•…I feel my own pulse quicken and hear my breathing as it begins to match hers, … (L. 42)
•…we become aware that … (L. 44)
•… I nod my head slowly, smiling. (L. 45)
•… I receive my thank you … (L. 46)
Step 3: I am deeply touched by her.
•I begin to cry quietly. There is a swell of emotion within me for this stranger… (L. 50)
•… it was a privilege she has allowed me, and I would do it again, gladly. (L. 53)
•…and instead shared it with me. (L. 55)
•… and I am glad I was there for her. (L. 56)
•Yes, they were long and graceful fingers. (L. 60)

3. Present tense in the text
To bring the scene to the eyes of the reader, leaving deep impressions.


Detailed reading: Expressions & Patterns
Expressions:
1. to reach for the light (L. 6) 伸手去拉灯
2. to observe the patient with an unemotional, medical eye (L. 7)
3. to hang loosely around exaggerated bones (L. 10) 松松地裹在嶙峋的骨骼上
那些行贿、受贿的人实际上是在给自己的脖子缠上紧紧的绳索。
Those who offer and take bribes are actually hanging a tight rope around their necks.
4. to rise and fall with the uneven breaths (L. 12)随着不均匀的呼吸一起一伏
生活中的机遇并非随着命运出现而出现,而是随着一个人的自信心与适应能力一起起落。
Opportunity in life does not arise with fate, but rises and falls with one’s self-confidence and adaptability.
5. to feel for the faint pulse (L. 15) 感觉那微弱的脉搏
6. to bend close to her (L. 16)
7. to ease her thirst/ anxiety/ stress. (L. 20)
8. to make no attempt to swallow (L. 21) 没有用力去吞咽
不要一遇到挫折就打退堂鼓,至少你应该再试一次。
Don’t beat a retreat immediately after any setback, at least you should make another attempt to hit it.
9. to go about providing for her needs (L. 26) 开始做她所需要的
10. to run my hand up over her knees (L. 32) 把手移到膝盖以上的部位
11. to spend her last ounce of strength (L. 40) 耗尽了最后的那点力气
一分脑力胜似十分财力,而一分实践胜似十分理论。
An ounce of brain is worth a pound of wealth while an ounce of practice is worthy of a pound of theory.
12. to spare her family an episode (L. 54) 为她的家人省去了一幕人生插曲
在浪漫的恋爱关系中开诚布公将省去你很多麻烦。
Being open and honest in romantic relations will spare you a lot of troubles.
13. perhaps they were not equipped to handle (L. 47) 他们或许无力面对

Patterns:
1.Typical patterns for making a judgment of sb. or sth. (对······的判断)
1)Sb. has never done sth. before, but he / she knows / judges / infers / deduces from …that sth. or sb. … 某人从未做过某事,但他/她从······中得知/推断某事/某人……(L. 1~2)
a. 我从未处理过离婚的案件,但从双方的申诉中判断他们的夫妻缘分已尽。
I have never handled any case of divorce before, but I judge from the appeals made by both sides that their relationship has come to an end.

2)As though sb. senses / reads my mind, he / she answers my thoughts and tells (that) …(L. 38) 某人似乎读懂了我心思,他/她回答我, ·····
他似乎读懂了我对他的爱情的疑虑,坦率地回答我说,他已和很多女孩相处过但唯独和我的接触使他的生活变化最大。
As though he sensed my doubt about his love for me, he answered my thoughts and frankly told me that he had made contacts with many girls but none of them had brought greater changes to his life than the contact with me.

2. Typical patterns for coming to the realization of sth.
1) Their / Our eyes meet and somehow, ( together,) they / I become aware / conscious or realize that …相互的目光发生碰撞,不知怎么的,他们/我意识到······(L. 19)
他们的目光相遇了,不知怎么的, 他们都意识到这可能是他们的诀别。
Their eyes met and somehow, together, they came to realize that this might be the time for them to part with each other forever.
2) Slowly / Gradually, in the course of doing sth., sb. becomes aware / conscious or realizes that …, that in fact, … 某人在做某事的过程中渐渐地意识到······, 实际上, ······(L. 52)
在与人交往的过程中,渐渐地,我意识到宽宏大度可以为你营造一个愉快的生活氛围,意识到它事实上可以使你终生受益。
Slowly, in the course of associating with others, I have come to realize that large-mindedness can create you a pleasant climate of living, that in fact it can be of benefit to your whole life.

3.Typical patterns for revealing one’s feelings
1)In the face / case (In a state / a climate of …) of …, sb. feels …(从句) and …
在······情况下,某人 感觉······, ······(L. 42~43)
在等待那次重要的面试时,我感觉自己的脉搏加快,记忆一片空白。
In waiting for that important interview, I felt my own pulse quicken and my memory become a complete blank.
2)There is a swell / fit / an outburst / outbreak of … within sb. for sb. who … / sth. that ...
对这个……人 / 事,某人心中涌起了一种(股)······(L. 50~51)
对这位世上第一个横渡英吉利海峡的残疾中国人,我心中涌起一股敬佩之情。
There is a swell of esteem within me for this disabled Chinese who is the first in the world to swim across the English Channel.

Post-reading
1. Essay summary (P. 134)
2. Questions and answers:
1) Why was the word “graceful” used to describe the grandmother?
Reference words:
deserve, considerate, grief-stricken moment, beloved, part with sb., reveal, act, kindness, in place
Key: The grandmother well deserves the word “graceful”. What is graceful in her is not only her hands, but her fine and considerate character as well. At the time of her passing, she sent her families away in order that they would not suffer the grief-stricken moment by watching their beloved part with them forever. This act is enough to reveal the grandmother’s kindness and love for her family members in her life time. Therefore, the word “graceful” is in place to describe the grandmother’s heart and mind.
2) What does the physician find out and what does she learn?
Reference words: physician, spare, grief, pass away
Key: By staying with the patient in her last moment, the physician finds out that the patient’s heart and mind are as truly graceful as her hands. The patient has sent her family away to spare them the grief and pain of seeing her pass away. In these special last moments between these two human beings the doctor learns what being graceful really is.
3) If you were given this decision to assist in your family member’s death, what are the challenges you might face?
Reference Words: truly speaking, to be faced with, the law of nature, be put in the situation, psychological , suffer the most profound guilt of helplessness, physical, to make contacts with, conquer
Key: Truly speaking, nobody wants to be faced with this situation, even though we all know that death is the law of nature.
If I were put in the situation to assist in my family member’s death, the challenges I might face lie in two aspects. One is psychological. I can’t imagine how I can watch the person I love most leave me forever, while I can do nothing about it. I will suffer the most profound guilt of my helplessness. Another one is physical, for I might be afraid of making contacts with him/her.
This is just what occurs to my mind. Maybe, in reality, I’ll conquer these challenges.


3. Writing (理由陈述类)
My Way of Seeing Life
1. 人们从不同的角度看待人生
2. 我所推崇的看法是······(说明理由)
1) Life may be many things to many people. 2) Some may see it as building up as much material wealth as possible while others may view it as enjoying to the fullest the pleasures each day offers. (人们的看法举例)
3) As far as I am concerned, however, I would prefer to value it as my sole chance to enrich myself with knowledge first, then to serve the society with all my heart, and finally to leave the world without any regrets. (我的看法)

4) My outlook on life is bound up with three major factors. 5) Primarily, life is so wondrous that I am eager to explore it. (理由I) 6) Set your heart on a mystery and you can find something new; attach more of your mind to a challenge and you can get a sense of success, all of which, however, depends on how much knowledge you have equipped yourself with first. (进一步阐述) 7) Secondly, life is also short to any individual like me. (理由II) 8) The flower you have just kissed for the first time is now fading away while the love from others you have come to cherish more is already on the wane. (进一步阐述) 9) And most of all, both wondrousness and shortness of life push me to seize every golden minute and every golden chance. (理由III) 10) Once I idle away the time I am supposed to grasp to study or work for the people, there will be no more hope of making up for it.(进一步阐述)

11) I have much option in this matter, but I have never found any other way of seeing life more reasonable and acceptable than mine. 12) Thus, I will leave no stone unturned during the course of my college studies in order to pave the way for my meaningful and colorful life.

 

Unit 5 Section B
Decisions of the Heart

Objectives:
1. to learn how to understand idiomatic expressions;
2. to learn some words or phrases

Reading Skills: Understanding Idiomatic Expressions
To understand idiomatic expressions in a reading passage, one must be good at:

1) searching for context clues,
2) looking at examples if there are any,
3) finding explanations if there are any,
4) locating opposite or similar expressions.


Example 1
They are ice cold, and I quickly move to the wrist and feel for the faint pulse.
(Para. 4, Reading Passage A, Unit 5)

feel for: try to find sth. by touch
Example 2
She is too weak for conversation, so without asking, I go about providing for her needs.
(Para. 5, Reading Passage A, Unit 5)
go about (doing sth.): start to work at sth.
Example 3
When I am finished, I pull a chair up beside the bed to face her and, taking her free hand between mine, again notice the long, thin fingers. (Para. 6, Reading Passage A, Unit 5)
pull a chair up: move a chair forward

Do exercise XV to practice this reading skill.

Language Points:
1. come along: arrive; appear 到达,出现
归纳记忆: come构成的短语动词
come about 产生,发生 come across 偶然碰到 come along 进展,进步
come apart 分离,裂开 come at 攻击,冲向 come by 经过;获得
come down to 可归结为 come down with 染上病
come off 成功
come out 出现,显露;发表 come over 顺便来访 come around 苏醒
come through 安然度过 come to 苏醒;总数为 come up 发生,出现
come up to 比得上,等于 come up with 想出,提出
2. withdraw: vt. pull or take (sb./sth.) back or away 收回,撤消,撤退
withdraw one’s criticism 撤回批评
withdraw a curtain 拉开窗帘
withdraw the troops from the border area 从边境地区撤军
withdraw money from a bank account 从银行帐户中提款
3. chances are (that …): it is likely that … 可能
他可能已经听到了这个消息。
Chances are (that) he’s already heard the news.
4. confront sb. with sth.: face sb. with sth. 使面对(问题、 挑战等)
这位作家面对一大堆工作。
The writer was confronted with a pile of work.
5. come down to: be able to be concluded as(sth.); be a question of (sth.)
整个事情归结起来就是工会与管理层之间的权力之争。
The whole matter comes down to a power struggle between the trade union and the management.
6. bar: vt.
1) prevent from doing or using sth. 阻止,不许
2) obstruct so as to prevent progress 阻碍,阻塞
假如由我负责的话,我就不允许游客进入野生动物保护区。
If I were in charge, I would bar tourists from getting into the wildlife reserve.
前面的道路被一队警察严严实实地把守住。
The road ahead was barred by a solid line of policemen.

Test Yourself-----Dictation
1. Thousands of people traveled to America to escape hardship in the years that immediately preceded the First World War.
2. He secured two admission tickets, but when he arrived at the stadium, he found they were only for the basketball game two weeks later.
3. In the complete silence, I feel my own pulse beat faster and hear my breathing as it begins to correspond to her irregular breath.
4. Her response was to deny me everything and to tell my father to stop my allowance.
5. There might be some return of pain and numbness after 24 hours, but repeating the dose would relieve the problem.