Unit 1 Half a Day

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Unit 1 Half a Day

• NaguibMahfouz

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Half a Day

• Warm-up
• About the author
• education and background
• important works
• how he pictures the world
• Text appreciation
• Group discussion
• Detailed analysis
• Language understanding
• sentence paraphrase
• word study phrases
• Assignment

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Warm up

• First day of school

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Warm up

• First day of school

In 1957, fifteen-year-old Dorothy Geraldine
Counts and three other students became the first
African American students to attend the
previously all white Harding High School in
Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Warm up

• Do you still remember your first day at school?
  Try to recollect it and share it with your
  partner.
• How did you feel the first day your arrived at
  university? Did you feel like a stranger? Did you
  find the university just as you had imagined? In
  what way was it different?
• What are your expectations of university? What
  kind of changes do you think it will bring upon
  your life?

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Naguib Mahfouz??????
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Naguib MahfouzEducation Background

• Born in 1911, educated at Cairo University
• Wrote short stories and historical novels before
  WWII
• Turned to write novels of social realism after
  WWII
• Later works combined realism symbolism
• A prolific writer no fewer than 30 novels, more
  than 100 short stories, and more than 200
  articles.

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Naguib Mahfouz important works

• Naguib Mahfouz was the first Arab to win the
  Nobel prize for literature, in 1988. He has been
  described as a Dickens(???1812-1870,
  ???????????)of the Cairo cafés and the
  Balzac(????1799-1850, ?????) of Egypt".
• He is now the author of no fewer than 30 novels,
  more than 100 short stories, and more than 200
  articles. Half of his novels have been made into
  films which have circulated (????)throughout the
  Arabic-speaking world.

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Naguib Mahfouz important works

• Mahfouz began writing when he was 17. His first
  novel was published in 1939 and ten more were
  written before the Egyptian Revolution of July
  1952, when he stopped writing for several years.
  One novel was republished in 1953, however, and
  the appearance of The Cairo Trilogy(???) in 1957
  made him famous throughout the Arab world as a
  depictor(???) of traditional urban(???) life.

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Naguib Mahfouz important works

• The Cairo Trilogy (published 1955-1957) is a
  tale of the lives of a Muslim family and
  spans(??) the first half of the 20th century.
  Each book in the trilogy was named after a suburb
  of Cairo. The first, Palace Walk was set during
  the British occupation of Egypt early in the
  century. The second, Palace of Desire covered the
  changing times of the 1920s. The third book,
  Sugar Street brings the family into the mid 20th
  century. In this final part the head of the
  family is now old and frail(weak). He surveys the
  world while the main story centers on the
  grandsons.

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Naguib Mahfouz important works
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Naguib Mahfouz important works
Cairo
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Naguib Mahfouz important works

• Works of his second writing period
• The Children of Gebelawi (1959)
• The Thief and the Dogs (1961)
• Autumn Quail (1962)
• Small Talk on the Nile (1966)
• Miramar (1967)
• several collections of short stories.

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Naguib Mahfouz how he pictures the world

• The picture of the world as it emerges(??) from
  the bulk (??) of Mahfouzs work is very
  gloomy(???????????) indeed, though not
  completely disappointing. It shows that the
  authors social utopia (??????)is far from being
  realized.
• Mahfouz seems to conceive o f(????) time as a
  force of oppression. His novels have consistently
  shown time as the carrier of change, and change
  as a very painful process, and very often time is
  not content until it has dealt his heroes the
  final blow of death.

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Naguib Mahfouz how he pictures the world

• To sum up, in Mahfouzs dark description of
  the world there are only two bright spots(?).
  These consist of man's continuing struggle for
  equality on the one hand and the promise of
  scientific progress on the other meanwhile, life
  is a tragedy.

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Text Appreciation

• Structure of the text
• Part 1 (para. 1- ) about
• Part 2 (para. ) about
• Part 3 (para. ) about

The boys misgivings about school
7
How the boy felt about school.
8-16
Walking out of the school, he found time had
changed everything.
17-20
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Text Appreciation for group discussion in class

• Plot of the story
• a little boys first time to go to school
• Setting of the story on the way to school
• at school
• on the way home
• Protagonist v.s. Antagonists I- the boy
• Writing technique (Have you ever read a story
  using the similar technique?)
• Theme of the story What do you think?

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Text Appreciation for group discussion in class

• The following are a few possible understandings
  of the message the story conveys. Which one do
  you agree with? Argue with your group partners.

• Time and tide wait for no man.
• Life is a tragedy. There is nothing permanent
• in life but change.
• Education can never keep up with changes in
  society.
• Life is short and time is precious.
• Life is a dream. Do not take anything seriously.

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Text Appreciation Detailed Analysis Part 1

• How did the boy feel about going to school? Find
  textual evidence.
• Why was he feeling so?
• List the fathers comments about school. What do
  you think of them? Have you ever been given some
  suggestions by your parents when entering the
  university? List them out.

• School is a place that makes useful men out of
  boys.
• Dont you want to be useful like your brothers?
• Put a smile on your face and be a good example to
  others.
• Be a man.
• Today you truly begin life.
• _________________________________________

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his
  right hand.
• alongside side by side, next to
• clutching his right hand present participle as
  adverbial modifier
• list other examples from the text
• My mother stood at the window watching our
  progress
• ...

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 2. They did not make me happy, however, as this
  was the day I was to be thrown into school for
  the first time.
• What does they refer to?
• What does the narrator imply by using to be
  thrown into school?

But I wasnt happy as I usually was when I had
new clothes to wear because it was the day I
started school.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 3. My mother stood at the window watching our
  progress, and I turned towards her from time to
  time, hoping she would help.
• What does progress mean here?
• What kind of help could his mother offer?
• What does the sentence tell us about the boys
  relationships with his parents?

Slow and difficult movement towards the school.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 4. We walked along a street lined with gardens
• a street where there are gardens along both
  sides
• lined with past participle phrase used here
  to modify a street. It can be regarded as a
  relative clause cut short, eg.
• a novel (that was) written by Charles Dickens
• personal computers (that are) made in China

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 5. Why school? I asked my father. What have I
  done?
• elliptical question rhetorical question
• Please give more examples.

Why do I have to go to school? I dont think
Ive done anything wrong to be punished like
this.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• elliptical question rhetorical question
• A Headmaster We want you to go and tell the
  boys parents the news.
• B Teacher Why me?
• Father Well go to Tianjin this weekend.
• Daughter What for?/ Why this weekend?/Why
  Tianjin?
• Dont you want to be useful like your brothers?
• Cant you see Im busy? (Dont disturb me!)
• What good is a promise for an unemployed worker?
• Does nothing ever worry you?

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 6. I did not believe there was really any good to
  be had in tearing me away from my home and
  throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.
• There is no good to be had in doing sth.
• It is no good/use doing sth.

I didnt think it was useful to take me away from
home and put me into that building with high
walls.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 7. we could see the courtyard, vast and full of
  boys and girls.
• vast and full of boys and girls adjective
  phrase as an attributive modifier
• More examples
• Theres nothing wrong with the computer.
• Can you recommend some books easy for freshmen
  to read?

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 8. You will find me waiting for you when its
  time to leave.
• Ill come to fetch you when school is over. Ill
  be waiting for you here at the gate.
• waiting for you as object complement
• find obj v-ing
• eg.
• They found the lost child ______ in the cave.
• As I walk down the familiar routes on campus, I
  find myself _____ a lot of soul-searching and
  reminiscing.

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Word Study

• clutch
• hold tightly, usu. in fear, anxiety, or pain
• Silent and pale, the girl clutched (to/onto) her
  mothers chest.
• ???????????????????
• A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
• ???????,??????
• Clutching the money in his hand, he hurried to
  the bank.

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Word Study

• convince
• convince sb of sth/that make sb feel certain

I couldnt him of his mistake.
I am convinced of his honesty.
a convincing argument
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Language Understanding phrases

• to make sb./sth. (out) of sb./sth.
• Its a place that makes useful men out of boys.
• (make boys become useful men)
• eg.
• ???????????
• Experience has made him a man.
• The army made a man of him.

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Language Understanding phrases

• There is no good to be had in doing sth.
• It is no good/use doing sth.
• There is no good to be had in buying a boat when
  you dont have enough spare time to use it.
• Its no good crying over spilt milk.
• It is worth doing well what is worth doing.

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Language Understanding phrases

• it is no (not much) good
• it is no (not any, hardly any, little) use
• it is useless
• it is not the slightest use
• it is worth(worthwhile)
• there is no (no good, no use)
• There is no denying that women are playing an
  important role in the world today.

doing
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Language Understanding phrases

• to tear sb. away from a place
• to (make sb.) leave a place or a person
  unwillingly because one has to
• eg.
• Cant you tear yourself away from the TV for
  dinner?
• I found the program absolutely fascinating. I
  couldnt tear myself awayeven to finish an
  urgent e-mail.

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Language Understanding phrases

• to cling to sth.
• to hold tightly not release ones grip on
• eg.
• The little child clung to his mother for
  comfort.
• She still clings to the belief that her son is
  alive.
• ???????????
• The baby monkey clung to its mother.

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Text Appreciation Detailed Analysis Part 2

• What happened the first day at school?
• How did the boy like school life?
• Can you describe the different stages of his day
  at school? Do these changes carry any symbolic
  meaning to you?
• How do you understand there are fathers and
  mothers here (para. 12) and I made many friends
  and fell in love with many girls (para. 13)?

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 1. A lady came along, followed by a group of men.
• followed by a group of men an adverbial
  modifier of manner
• eg. ( combine, give, guide)
• ____ by the teachers, all the students are
  studying very hard.
• ____ enough time, Ill complete the job in time.
• ____ with practice, theory may be learned easily.

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 2. The men began sorting us into ranks.
• The men began arranging us into lines/ rows.

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 3. We were formed into an intricate pattern in
  the great courtyard.

We were made to stand in different places to form
regular lines or shapes in the big courtyard.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 4. from each floor we were overlooked by a long
  balcony roofed in wood.

on one side of the courtyard was a building
with a long wood-roofed balcony on each floor
where we could be seen. Or from the balcony on
each floor of the building people could see the
pattern into which we formed.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 5. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no
  basis.

Well, perhaps my doubt, worry and fear about what
school would be like were all groundless. Or Well,
it seemed that I was wrong to think that school
was a dreadful place.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 6. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling
  around.
• What we did at school wasnt just playing and
  wasting time doing nothing useful.
• all completely
• a matter of sth. a situation that involves sth.
• to fool around to waste time instead of doing
  sth. that you should be doing
• Learning is a matter of seeing much, suffering
  much and studying much.

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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 7. In addition, the time for changing ones mind
  was over and gone and there was no question of
  ever returning to the paradise of home.
• There is no question (of doing) there is no
  possibility

Besides, it was impossible for us to quit school
and return to the good old days when we stayed
home playing and fooling around all day. Our
childhood was gone, never to come back.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 8. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion,
  struggle, and perseverance.
• nothing but only

We would have to do our best and keep working
very hard until we finished school. This is what
I imagined our school days would be like. Or The
kind of life that was waiting for us at school
would be full of exertion, struggle and
perseverance.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 9. Those who were able took advantage of the
  opportunities for success and happiness that
  presented themselves.
• to present itself/ themselves (formal) to
  appear, happen

If there came opportunities, capable students
would seize them to achieve success and happiness.
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Language Understanding sentence paraphrase

• 12. Then there was a band ..., with clowns and
  weight lifters walking in front.
• More examples
• He stood there with a stick in his hand.
• (with n. prep.)
• Paul soon fell asleep with the light still
  burning. (with n. participle)
• She cant go out with all these dishes to wash.
  (with n. to do.)
• He was lying on the bed with all his clothes on.
  (with n. adv. )

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Word Study

• daze V. make sb feel stupid or unable
• to think clearly ???
• If someone gave you a heavy blow on the head, you
  would probably feel d.

dazzle ??????
dazzling
dazzling sunshine
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Word Study

• exert
• exert on/upon ????
• exert pressure on sb
• exert all ones strength/influence
  
• to do sth
• ????????????????????????? For college students to
  do a part-time job will exert a profound
  influence on their personality and life.
• exert oneself make an effort
• exert oneself to arrive early

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Word Study

• intricate
• an intricate plot
• ????, ???????

complex
complicated
sophisticated
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Word Study

• lift

raise sth to a higher level or position
lift articles in a shop
shoplift
elevator(America)
box-like apparatus in a building for taking
people up or down to another floor
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Word Study

• observe
• observe traffic rules ????
• observe a person's birthday
• ???????

observant an observant boy
observant of the rules
observatory ???
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Word Study

• overlook
• 1. have a view of sth from above
• ??????????????
• The house on the hill overlooks the village.

2.fail to see or notice pay no attention to
??????????????? You have overlooked several of
the mistakes in this work.
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Word Study

• rank n. 1.line of people or things
• a taxi rank ?????
• 2.position or class
• people of all ranks?????
• a man of rank ?????
• v. This town ranks high among
  beauty spots.
• ?????????????
• cups ranked neatly on the shelf
• ???????????

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Word Study

• -volv-, -volut- (??)
• revolve revolv ?????
• The wheel is revolving about its axis.
• ????????
• evolve e(??)volv ????
• The British political system has evolved over
  several centuries.
• ???????????????????

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Word Study

• uniform adj. the same not varying in form,
• quality,etc.
• things of uniform weight
• ???????
• n. dress worn by all members
  of an
• organization
• He looks handsome in uniform.

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Word Study

• vary be different
• They vary in price from ten to fifty
  yuan.

vary various varied variety variation invarious i
nvariously
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Language Understanding phrases

• burst into (tears, sobs laughter, a guffaw,
  song)
• begin, suddenly and/or violently, to cry, laugh,
  sing etc.
• eg.
• burst into tears
• ????
• burst into the room
• ????

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Language Understanding phrases

• cf.
• The aircraft turned on its back and burst into
  flames.
• The orchards seemed to have burst into blossom
  overnight.
• I mentioned the incident later to a friend and
  he burst out laughing/crying.

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Language Understanding phrases

• sort people into ranks
• put ... in order arrange
• cf.
• ????????????????
• I sorted the books into big ones and small
  ones.
• "??????????,????????"
• "Sort out these papers and fasten them together
  with a clip, please."

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Language Understanding phrases

• to resort to
• to make use of to turn to sth. (esp. sth. bad)
  as a solution
• eg.
• ????????????
• I'm sorry you have resorted to deception.
• ????
• to resort to force

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Language Understanding phrases

• to present oneself
• to appear, happen
• eg.
• When the chance to study at Harvard presented
  itself, I jumped at it.
• He was ordered to present himself at the
  chairmans office at nine oclock next morning.

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Language Understanding phrases

• Guess the word meaning
• They unwrapped their Christmas presents.
• His wife presented him with a brand-new baby
  girl.
• His sudden resignation presents us with a tricky
  situation.
• The National Theatre is presenting King Lear
  next month.
• It was unfair to discuss his case if he wasnt
  present.

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Text Appreciation Detailed Analysis Part 3

• What did I see when he stepped out of school?
  Summarize the changes.
• How did he feel?
• Why did he stand still?
• How do you understand the unexpectedness of the
  changes?
• Why do you think the boy was suddenly a
  grandpa?

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Text Appreciation for group discussion in class

• In the last part of the text, the boy walked out
  of the school to find that the outside world had
  changed beyond measure. How might he feel about
  the changes? List exact words that support your
  choice.

He was _____