Unit 现代大学英语第二册 Quick Fix Society.docx

Unit 现代大学英语第二册 Quick Fix SocietyUnit 5 Quick Fix society I. Teaching Objectives Through learning this passage can students： Know something about the author Learn some background information about Pennsylvania Dutch Town Learn some useful words, phrases and expressions Learn the writing devices in exposition Learn the pros and cons of the rapid paced society through text appreciation and debate II. Teaching Contents Pennsylvania Dutch town Text appreciation and analysis Writing techniques of exposition Debate in class III. Teaching Focus Background information Writing device of exposition Debate in class IV Teaching Techniques Lecturing, group discussion, debate StepBackground information(10minutes) I Background Information 1. Fast Roads in the U.S. Highways: connect cities Superhighways: a road with six or more lanes Interstate highways: connect cities in different states Freeways: roads within a city Expressways: fast roads in or near cities Turnpike: pay money before you use it 2. Pennsylvania Dutch Town Location The heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country is Lancaster County. It is located in south central Pennsylvania, one and half hours west of Philadelphia. Most of the Amish Country attractions are in Lancaster County, and almost all of the local Amish people live here as well. People: Amish The Amish are a religious group who live in settlements in 22 states of the U.S. and Ontario, Canada. The oldest group of Old Order Amish, about 16,00018,000 people live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The Amish stress humility, family and community, and separation from the world. Amishs beliefs The Amish was part of the early Anabaptist movement in Europe, which took place at the time of the Reformation. The Anabaptists believed that only adults who had confessed their 1 faith should be baptized, and that they should remain separate from the larger society. They also believe in non-resistance and basic Bible doctrines. Amishs lifestyle These people as a whole are not as materialistic as modern society today. They do not use electricity or modern conveniences. Amish men have beards, but not mustaches. Most Amish are trilingual: dialect of German, High German and English. Old Order children attend one-room schools through the eighth grade. They are a private people who believe God has kept them together. They are a strong example of a community that supports and cares for its members. They are a people apart; they are also a people together. Antique shopping (Para. 2) Pennsylvania Dutch town is called “Sunday Antiques Capital of the United States”. Over 3,000 antique dealers gather here to display and sell their merchandise. Antique shopping (Para. 2) Pennsylvania Dutch town is called “Sunday Antiques Capital of the United States”. Over 3,000 antique dealers gather here to display and sell their merchandise. Outlet shopping (Para. 2)Here, youll find over 240 factory outlet stores featuring name brands and quality merchandise prices at reduced prices. 3. Cliffs Notes Cliffs notes are a series of reference books written to help undergraduate students to understand and appreciate important literary works. With such notes, students dont have to read the work itself and be able to write papers and take exams. 4. Civil War Civil War was the war from 1861 to 1865 fought between the northern and southern states. The Civil War battlefield mentioned in paragraph 2 is the battlefield of famous Gettysburg battle in July, 1863. At Gettysburg, Union army defeated Confederate army. This victory is the turning point of the Civil War. After the campaign, on November 19, President Lincoln delivered the well-known Gettysburg Address. 5. Beethoven Lugwig Van Beethoven is one of the greatest composers in the world. His famous symphonies include: No. 5 (Fate); No. 6 (Pastoral); No. 9 (Choral) 6. USA Today USA Today is one of the most popular daily national newspapers serving the interest of a general public in the United States. 2 II Text Appreciation Discuss the following questions or topics. 1) If you agree that people are getting too impatient and too obsessed with the quick fix for everything, what examples would you give to illustrate your point? (Base your observations on your experience in China. ) How is it reflected in our transportation and communication? How is it shown in our eating habits? Does it affect our consumption habits as well as our production? How about entertainment or amusement? Are our reading, writing, learning habits also changed? What has this "fast-fix" attitude done to our human relationships? Has it caused health problems? Has it reduced our capacity for enjoying life? 2) If you disagree with the author and think that the desire for speed is basically good, how would you defend your position? Text Analysis 1. Theme: Lets slow down and enjoy what nature offers us and what mankind has left us and rediscover life. 2.Structure: Part 1 (Paras. 13 ): Her ride on fast roads and her return trip of a country road Part 2 (Paras. 4-6 ): Now instead of later Faster instead of slower Superficially instead of thoroughly Part 3 (Paras. 7-8 ): Slow down and rediscover life 3. Further Discussion Why did the writer take the turnpikes and interstates? Did they have any fun on the way? Why did the writer take another way back? How did she feel this time? What is the attitude of modern people to do everything? How does it affect our life? Why did the author write this article? Was she suggesting we stop using all time-saving techniques and products? 4 Sentence Paraphrase 1. For four hours, our only real amusement consisted of counting exit signs and wondering what it would feel like to hold still again. (Para. 1) -The 4-hour drive on fast roads was tedious; the only fun we had was to count the exit signs we were passing and to figure out how wed feel if we stopped again. 2. Getting there certainly didnt seem like half the fun; in fact, getting there wasnt any fun at all. (Para. 1) -We had expected that our ride to West Virginia would be fun, and that half of the fun wed get from the trip would come from it. But we were wrong. It wasnt fun at all. 3. We toured a Civil War battlefield and stood on the little hill that fifteen thousand Confederate soldiers had tried to take on another hot July afternoon, one hundred and twenty-five years ago, not knowing that half of them would get killed in the vain attempt. (Para. 2) -We visited a Civil War battlefield and stood on the little hill. One hundred and twenty-five years ago, on a hot July afternoon, 15,000 soldiers fighting for slavery, while trying to occupy the hill, had no idea that they would fail and that half of them would be 3 killed in the battle. 4. We stuffed ourselves with spicy salads and homemade bread in an “all-you-can-eat” farmhouse restaurant, then wandered outside to enjoy the sunshine and the herds of cowsno little dots this timelying in it. (Para. 2) -We had a meal in a farmhouse restaurant where for a certain amount of money you could eat as much as you wanted, and we fed ourselves with lots of spicy salads and homemade bread. After the meal, we walked leisurely outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and watch the herds of cowsthis time they did not seem like little dotslying in the sunshine. 5. And we returned home refreshed, revitalized, and reeducated. (Para. 2) -When we got home, we not only felt fresh and energetic, but also felt that we had experienced a new way of life. 6. In fact, most Americans are constantly in a hurryand not just to get from Point A to Point B. Our country has become a nation in search of the quick fixin more ways than one. (Para. 3) -In fact, most Americans are always in a rush. People are not only trying to find the fast way to get around from place to place, but also looking for ways of getting things done quickly in various aspects of life. 7. Once upon a time, Americans understood the principle of deferred gratification. We put a little of each paycheck away “for a rainy day”. (Para. 4) -In the past, Americans were patient to have their desires satisfied. We saved a little money each time we got paid in case we might need it in the future. 8. If we wanted a new sofa or a week at a lakeside cabin, we saved up for it, and the banks helped us out by providing special Christmas Club and Vacation Club accounts. (Para. 4) -If we wanted to buy some new furniture or spend a week at a lakeside, we could open special accounts at the banks to save money for it. 9. and if we are in a hurry to lose weight, we try the latest miracle diet, guaranteed to take away ten pounds in ten days unless were rich enough to afford liposuction. (Para. 4) -If we want to lose weight quickly, we try the most recent miracle diet which is said to be effective and is sure to make us lose a pound per day. If we are rich enough to pay for the operation, we can have our unneeded fat removed from our bodies. 10. We like our information fast, too: messages flashed on a computer screen, documents faxed from your telephone to mine, current events in 90-second bursts on Eyewitness News, history reduced to “Bicentennial Minutes”. (Para. 5) -For information, we also want to get it fast by skimming through what is offered on the web. Documents are faxed to one person from another. We are informed of what is happening at home and abroad through TV programs through which we get very brief accounts of current events. We learn the history of the past 200 years quickly from “Bicentennial Minutes”. 11. Even our personal relationships have become compressed. Instead of devoting large parts of our days to our loved ones, we replace them with something called “quality time”, which, more often than not, is no time at all. (Para. 6) -Even our personal relationships are affected. Instead of spending much of our time with our loved ones, we now talk about giving them full attention in the limited time after work. But usually we have no time to do that at all. 4 12. As we rush from book to music to news item to relationship, we do not realize that we are living our lives by the iceberg principlepaying attention only to the top and ignoring the 8/9 that lies just below the surface. (Para. 6) -When we rush through books, music, news and relationship, we are paying attention to the surface and will never get into the heart of anything. 13. When did it all begin, this urge to do it now, to get it over with, to skim the surface of life? (Para. 7) -When did this quick-fix lifestyle/attitude toward life begin? 14. But I am saying that all of us need to think more seriously about putting the brakes on our “we-want-it-all-and-we-want-it-nor” lifestyle before we speed completely out of control. (Para. 8) -But what I do want to say is this: before we go too far, all of us need to think seriously about changing our lifestyle of seeking a quick fix in our lives. III Language Study Words: 1. advocate v. to publicly support an idea or a plan n. someone who strongly and publicly supports someone or something Examples: He advocates building more schools. There is no point advocating high salaries for teachers unless we can do it. He is a tireless advocate of political reform. 2. antique adj. being old and therefore valuable n. an old object such as a piece of furniture or jewellery that is valuable because it is rare, beautiful, or well made Examples: It is an antique rosewood desk. The palace is full of priceless antiques. 3. compress v. a. to press or squeeze something so that it fits into a smaller space b. to write something in fewer words c. to make a process last for a shorter time than usual Examples: The machine compresses old cars into blocks of scrap metal. Try to compress your notes so that they are easier to learn. Youd better compress two months work into one. 4. condense v. a. to cause (a gas or vapor) to change to a liquid b. to remove water from (milk, for example) c. to make a piece of writing shorter by removing some parts Examples: Steam condensed on the bathroom mirror. 5 condensed milk (炼乳) condensed story (缩写本) 5. defer v. to delay something until a later date defer to sb./sth (formal) to agree to accept someones opinion or decision because you have respect for that person. Examples: Lets defer the decision for a few weeks. I will defer to Mr. Walter on this point. defer, postpone, delay Defer implies an intentional delaying. Postpone implies an intentional deferring, commonly until a definite time. Delay causes to be behind schedule I _defrred_ paying the bills. The bus was _delayed_ by a cloudburst. We would like to _postphne_ your appointment until Saturday. 6. deposit n. a. a first payment that you make when you agree to buy something expensive such as a car or house. b. an amount of money you pay when you rent something that is returned to you when you stop renting it c. an amount of money that you pay into a bank account d. a layer of metal that has formed in soil or rock Examples: We put down a deposit on a house last week. You will have to pay one months rent in advance, plus a deposit of $500. Id like to make a deposit, please. Rich mineral deposits have been discovered in the area. 7. guarantee v. a. to promise sth. will happen b. to make sth. certain n. a. an agreement that if sth. you buy does not work, it will be repaired or replaced b. a formal and firm promise that sth. will be done or will happen. Examples: The government guaranteed to free the captives. The rain guarantees a good crop this year. The new television had a guarantee with it. Is there a guarantee of work after training? 8. outlet n. a. a shop or a place where a particular product is sold b. a way of expressing strong feelings that you would normally not express Examples: Most of their sales are through traditional retail outlets. 6 He plays basketball as an outlet for stress. 9. refresh v. to make someone feel less tired or less hot refresh ones memory to make someone remember something refresh someones drink to add more of an alcoholic drink to someones glass. Examples: A shower will refresh you. I looked at the map to refresh my memory of the route. Can I refresh your drink? 10. revitalize v. to put new strength or power into sth. Example: They hope to revitalize the neighborhood by providing better housing. 11. scale large scale大规模 evolutionary scale进化等级 the bathroom scales浴室磅秤 the scale on a thermometer温度计上的刻度 Richter scale里氏震级 a scale of 1250 1250的比例尺 scales of fish鱼鳞 12. skim v. a. to remove floating fat or solids from the surface of a liquid