新编英语教程-3-Unit-15-A-Fable-for-Tomorrow.doc

Unit 15 A Fable for Tomorrow
I. Teaching Aims:
In this unit students are required to:
1. Practice reading strategies such as predicting, skimming, guessing, etc.
2. Grasp some new words and expressions to enrich student’s vocabulary;
3. Do some oral work such as pre-reading questions, role play and interaction activities to help to develop the students’ oral communicative abilities;
4. Appreciate the two texts in this unit and learn some writing skills and practice it along with letter writing;
5. Do some other after-class exercise including listening and translation to improve students’ comprehensive skills.

II. Teaching Emphasis:
1. The comprehension and appreciation of Text I;
2. New words and expressions:
fable in the heart of (center) harmony(harmonious, harmonize) in the midst of checkerboard prosperous/ prosper/ prosperity clouds of bloom drift/ float/ flow a blaze of color flame/ fire/flicker backdrop/ background delight/ delighted/ delightful feed /feed on an abundance of(in abundance/ abundant(supplies) blight evil spell malady a flock of chicken a shadow of death at play/ at work moribund throb brood/ hatch litter(v./n) come into bloom pollination angler/fishermen eave and shingle granular witchcraft silence(v./n) grim spectre stark reality migrate, immigrate, emigrate & migrant, immigrant, emigrant hatch

III. Teaching Procedures
1. lead-in:
When you see the title “A fable for Tomorrow”, what comes into your mind first? Why is this passage called a fable? What can this fable be about? What are some of the problems relating to the future most people are very concerned about?
A fable is an imaginary story told to teach a moral. “A Fable for Tomorrow” is a story invented by the writer which is meant to tell us a moral: if the sizable use of chemical insecticides can not be brought under control, the seemingly impossible tragedy will become a stark reality.
World economy has been striding forward in the past century. However, this has been achieved at the cost of contaminating the environment we are living in, and human beings are now paying high prices for what they have done to nature. Meanwhile, many environmentalists are devoted to making more people realize the ecological consequences incurred in the process of modernization. Now environmental protection and sustainable development have become the two greatest concerns for the whole world.
Types of Pollution
The chief types of environmental pollution include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, pollution caused by solid waste and hazardous waste, and noise pollution. Besides, pesticides have been regarded by many environmentalists as a type of pollution, too. It is believed that pesticides are poisons which should be used as a last resort and if used, then they should be used with extreme caution.
1) Make a short speech, telling a story or describing a scene about the future world in one of the aspects such as medicine, environment, food, energy, housing, population, transportation, etc.
Reference1: Back from the Dead
One morning in the year 2070, a man called Duane awakens. He looks up and sees a doctor in a white coat smiling at him. “Why am I in hospital?” he asks.
“You’ve been sick.” The doctor replies.
Then Duane notices a badge on the doctor’s coat. It reads “ Alcor Resuscitation.” Suddenly Duane remembers everything. He has come back to life, 70 years after he “died”.
The reason this was possible is because, instead of being buried or cremated when he died, Duane’s body was preserved in a “flask” of liquid nitrogen (at –196 degrees Celsius). And there it “ waited” until science had developed the technology to revive a frozen human being.
Suddenly, a woman appears beside the doctor. It is Duane’s wife Jeannie, looking more beautiful than ever. For the past 70 years, she has been taking drugs that prevent her body from aging. Duane looks lovingly at her, and then at his own body. That , too, is in perfect condition.
The couple look at each other apprehensively—after all, they haven’t seen each other for 70 years. “I guess we’ve got some stuff to talk about, huh?” Duane says to her.
Reference 2: The Magic of the Button
It is 7:30 in the morning, There goes the bell of the alarm clock. The curtain of the bedroom draw apart , and the shutter roll up automatically. In the kitchen, the coffeepot starts to grumble. The backdoor opens to let the dog out. On TV, emerge a series of flash , the presentation of news items today, including the latest developments in economy , politics, etc. After that there appears the morning mail. At this moment, the modern Alatin, lying comfortably in bed, presses a button on his bedside, and on the screen of the television appear the memos about business as well as private life. Then he gets up, and gets into the bathroom where the shower is on automatically. After that, he is reminded by a special sound and at the same time a blue flash on the screen that his boss is on the way to work. So he is dressed, and at leisure he walks towards his car, which is ready to go. After kissing good bye to her husband, Alice Alatin sits down in front of the screen, reading with concentration the price catalogs of department stores and markets in the locality. After face to face negotiation with the butcher, baker and grocery owner on the screen, she presses a button, ordering food items for the dinner. Then she presses a button on the terminal of the kitchen computer, retrieving her favorite recipe from the computer memory, and giving directions to the computer to calculate the different amounts of ingredients and the time to cook and the appropriate temperature. After that Alice takes part in a seminar on arts through the internet. Then she goes into the language lab, and picks up the earphone and learns that her son Alatin Junior gets an “A” in Latin.
2) Brainstorm the words or expressions describing natural environment, for example, flower, tree, water, soil, sky.
Reference:
Pleasant :
(1)flower: fragrant, sweet, blooming, colourful, clouds of bloom
(2)tree: green, evergreen, flourishing, thriving, a blaze of color
(3)water: crystal clear, sweet
(4)soil: fertile, rich, productive, land of milk and honey
(5) sky: fresh air, blue, clear,
(6) whole: beauty of nature, rich in natural resources, a variety of birds and animals, throbbing with chorus of birds, abundant, fairyland, harmonious, peaceful, idyllic and pastoral land, legendary land, spiritual purification
Unpleasant:
(1) flower: stains on the petals, only blossoms but no pollination
(2) tree: cut down, clearances in the forest, shrubs and bushes struggling to survive the dust and fumes
(3) water: dry up, brown and black, dirtied, fouled
(4) other plants: browned and withered vegetation, shrink, wither, shrivel up
(5) soil: barren, sterile, washed away by floods, land pollution, erosion, pesticides and fertilizers
(6) whole: a waste land, a prevailing silence and stillness, desert expansion, deforestation, the frequent occurrence of natural disaster, the epidemic of disease, the exhaustion of natural resources
2. the main idea (pair work)
This was a beautiful town in the heart of America, surrounded by prosperous farms and hillsides of orchards. Flowers bloomed everywhere and trees grew by the roadside. You could hear the singing of the birds and see the leisure walking of animals. Tourists were attracted to this place where everything lived in peace and harmony. However, one day all this changed: a blight had stricken this area. Animals and fowls got sickened and died. Mysterious illness spread in the village; there was no more chorus of the birds; no bees hovered among the trees … Silence was everywhere. The patches of white granular powder on the roof bespoke that mankind itself had caused this tragedy.
Even though it is just an imagined town, it might be what happens to human beings tomorrow. Similar disasters are happening unnoticed and will become even more serious if nothing is done.
It is urgent to preserve and protect the world. Otherwise the world would be ruined.
Part 1(lines1-14): All life in harmony with its surroundings
Part 2(lines15-34) The coming of a strange blight
Part 3(lines35-39) The stricken world silence by people themselves
Part 4(lines 40-44) Warning against a grim spectre/ stark reality
3. text analysis
Para. 1
1. harmony: agreement in feeling or opinion; accord
in harmony with:
由于国际社会和地区政府的共同努力，这一地区各族的人民和睦相处已达10年之久。
Thanks to the concerted efforts of the international community and regional governments, the peoples of this area have been living in harmony with each other for a decade.
keep … in harmony; out of harmony
The tune is out of harmony.
Humor keep us in harmony with others.
harmonize v.: to bring or come into agreement or harmony
你外套、帽子和围巾的色彩应该协调。
The colors of your coat, hat and muffler should harmonize.
harmonious adj.: exhibiting accord in feeling or action
The central government proposed making the country a harmonious society by 2020 - the aim is a society in which people can enjoy a high quality of life, a good society and a balance between man and the natural environment.
2. The town lay in the midst of a checkerboard of prosperous farms, with fields of grain and hillsides of orchards where in spring white clouds of bloom drifted above the green fields. In autumn, oak and maple and birch set up a blaze of color that flamed and flickered across a backdrop of pines.
The town was situated among prosperous farms that looked like the squares in a checkerboard. In the fields grain was growing and along the hillsides there were orchards. In spring countless white flowers were floating above the green fields. In autumn, oak, maple and birch trees produced a very bright color that glowed and flared against a background of pines.
in the mist of:1) in the middle position or part; the center;
在沙漠中间 in the midst of the desert
2) under the condition of being surrounded or beset by something;
我们被我们所遇到的问题所困扰
We are in the midst of all of our problems
3) in the middle of a period of time.
在战争进行之中 in the midst of the war
a poem: In The Midst Of All
In the midst of darkness, there is light.
In the midst of evil, there is virtue.
In the midst of war, there is peace.
In the midst of agony, there is ecstasy.
In the midst of night, there is day.
In the midst of illness, there is health.
In the midst of winter, there is summer.
In the midst of hate, there is love.
… …
3. prosperous: 1) flourishing繁荣的
一家成功的新公司 a prosperous new business
2) well-to-do
富裕的一家 a prosperous family
脱贫致富
 Cast off poverty and become prosperous
衷心祝愿新年快乐，诸事顺遂!
Best wishes for a happy and prosperous new year!
建设一个富强、民主、文明的国家
 "Build a prosperous, strong, democratic and culturally advanced country"
保持香港的繁荣稳定是符合中国的切身利益的。
 It is in China's vital interest to keep Hong Kong prosperous and stable.
prosper v.: to be fortunate or successful, especially in terms of one's finances; thrive繁盛
中国的发展蒸蒸日上。
China is prospering with each passing day.
prosperity n.
4. clouds of bloom: a great number of flowers
bloom: n. 1) the condition of being in flower开花期
玫瑰花盛开 a rose in full bloom
2) a condition or time of vigor, freshness, and beauty; prime最盛期
希腊文明光辉灿烂的全盛时期 the radiant bloom of Greek genius
3）a fresh, rosy complexion 红润，清新，红润的面色
她身材娇小、丰满，皮肤白皙，面颊红润。
She was short, plump, and fair, with a fine bloom. (Jane Austen)
v. 1) to bear a flower or flowers开花
这些花春天开放。
These flowers bloom in the spring.
2) to cause to flourish
他们的友谊大有进展。
Their friendship bloomed.
心花怒放
 One's heart bursts into bloom
5. drift/ float/ flow
drift: v. 1) to be carried along by currents of air or water流动
船骸漂向海岸。
The wreckage drifted toward shore.
2) to move leisurely or sporadically from place to place, especially without purpose or regular employment 漂泊
他是一个临时工，从一个城镇漂泊到另一个城镇
He is a day laborer, drifting from town to town.
n. 大陆漂移学说  continental drift theory
花钱凭冲动,等于无底洞  Drift is as Bad as unthrift.
flow: 1) to move or run smoothly with unbroken continuity, as in the manner characteristic of a fluid流，流动
江河流入海洋。
 Rivers flow into the sea.
汽车在干道上不停地驶过。
The cars flowed in a steady stream along the main road.
2) to stream copiously; flood泛滥；涨满了河水；淹没
Contributions flowed in from all parts of the country.
从全国各地纷涌而至的捐助。
3) a continuous output不断的产出或涌出
不断涌现的想法 a flow of thought
float: 1) to remain suspended within or on the surface of a fluid without sinking 浮，漂
木头漂浮在水上。
Wood floats on water.
为什么潜水艇既能浮在水面，又能潜入水底？
 Why can a submarine float and sink?
2) Economics to find a level in relationship to other currencies solely in response to the law of supply and demand【经济学】 （货币）浮动
汇率浮动的英镑 the floating pound
6. 美国新英格兰地区的秋天格外美丽，风叶使整个大地披上金黄、火红的盛装。
The fall of New England in the United States is exceptionally beautiful, with the maple tree leaves setting the land in a blaze of yellow and red.
7. flame/ fire/flicker
flame: 1) the zone of burning gases and fine suspended matter associated with rapid combustion; a hot, glowing mass of burning gas or vapor火焰
奥运圣火是什么？
What is the Olympic Flame?
星星之火，可以燎原。
 From little spark may burst a mighty flame.
2) to burn brightly; blaze燃烧：烧亮；发出火焰
3) to color or flash suddenly面红：突然脸红或闪光：
她因尴尬而变红的双颊。
Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment.
fire: 1) A rapid, persistent chemical change that releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance.火
2) to cause to burn; ignite使燃烧
3) to become angry or annoyed生气
4) to shoot a weapon开枪：
他向目标瞄准并射击。
He aimed and fired at the target.
flicker: to burn unsteadily or fitfully（火焰）忽明忽暗
烛火摇曳着，随即熄灭了。
The candle flame flickered and went out.
Para. 2
1. What made the first settlers raise their houses, sink their wells and build their barns in that locality?
The locality was a place of beauty and immense attraction to would-be dwellers where a large variety of plants and flowers were prosperous through much of the year. There were countless birds in the countryside. The streams flowed clear and cold and abounded in fish.
2. … delighted the traveler’s eye through much of the year.
… gave great pleasure to the travelers during the greater part of the year.
delight/ delighted/ delightful
delight: 1) great pleasure; joy高兴
take/ find delight in
2) to take great pleasure or joy感到高兴
我喜欢古典音乐。  
I delight in classical music.
我不喜欢大惊小怪。
 I didn't delight to make a fuss.
delighted: adj. filled with delight充满欢乐的
我的妻子高兴了，因为情况再一次恢复了正常。
My wife was delighted that things had returned to normal once more.
听到你成功了的消息时我非常高兴。
I was delighted to hear the news of your success.
delightful: adj. greatly pleasing 令人高兴的
这消息