Teaching Outline

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Unit 15
A Fable for Tomorrow
Liu Dan
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Background Information ? Know what
?
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Man and Environment

• Introduction
• Ecosystem
• Deforestation
• Pollution

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Introduction

• Although the world is large, man is
  able to live in only a small part of it. The
  atmosphere is only about eleven kilometers thick.
  The soil that supplies us with food is only about
  fifteen centimeters thick and man can live on
  only about one eighth of the worlds surface. In
  the past two hundred years man has greatly
  changed his environment. Water has been given to
  deserts. Roads have been built across deserts and
  through forests. Cities have grown to an
  astonishing size. Many scientists think that man
  may not find life pleasant in the world of the
  future.

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Ecosystemany closed world in which life exists

• Oxygen Cycle
• This is the cycle that keeps up our oxygen
  supply. When we breathe in we use up the oxygen
  in the air. Carbon dioxide is produced and is
  breathed out. Trees and plants breathe in the
  carbon dioxide we produce. They then give out
  oxygen. So the cycle repeats.

• Nitrogen Cycle
• A large part of the air consists of nitrogen
  gas, which joins with other substances to form
  nitrates. The nitrates are taken in by plants.
  Animals then eat these plants. Their wastes
  return some of the nitrogen compounds to the
  soil. Later bacteria break down these compounds.
  Simple nitrogen compounds are formed as well as
  free nitrogen gas. The simple compounds are used
  up by plants again. The gas returns to the
  atmosphere.

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Deforestation

• Deforestation is a global problem, but it is
  occurring most rapidly in tropical regions of the
  world. Most forests in other climatic areas have
  already been affected by human beings. They have
  been destroyed or preserved or systematically cut
  and replanted.
• Two reasons one is the mechanization of the
  logging industry. The second is the worlds
  hunger for forest products. These jungles are the
  worlds largest and last reserve of timber.
  Because the world needs the wood that these
  forests supply, they will probably be cut.

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Pollution

• Pollution is a dirty word. To pollute means to
  contaminateto spoil something by introducing
  impurities which make it unfit or unclean to use.
  We see it, smell it, taste it, drink it, and
  stumble through it. We literally live in and
  breathe pollution, and, not surprisingly, it is
  beginning to threaten our health, our happiness,
  and our very civilization.
• Types air water soil noise , etc.
• Present Situation Man are destroying the
  ecological balance by deforestation, uncontrolled
  use of insecticides and fertilizers, the dumping
  of sewage and chemicals into water. If no actions
  are taken, the future of the world is frightening.

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Teaching Outline

• Pre-reading Questions
• Passage Analysis
• ? Form
• ? Theme and Structure
• ? Language points Useful expressions
• Class Activities
• Weekly quiz

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Pre-reading Questions

1. What does fable mean?
2. What can this fable for tomorrow be about?
3. What are the problems relating to the future most
   people are concerned about?

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Passage Analysis

• Form fable (a brief tale, dealing with
  fundamental things in life, often told to teach
  a moral lesson.)
• Main Theme to convince the reader of the serious
  effects of pollution resulting from the massive
  and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and
  pesticides.
• Structure the Main Ideas
• Part I (L1-14) All life in harmony with its
  
• surroundings
• Part II (L15-34) The coming of a strange
• blight
• Part III (L35-39) The stricken world
  silenced
• by people
  themselves

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Language Points
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harmony

• n. (pl. nies)
• U agreement (of feeling, interests, opinions,
  etc)
• e.g. There was not much in international
  affairs during those years.
• There was perfect between the two brothers.
• His tastes (plans) are in with mine.
• They live together in perfect .
• C,U (instance or example of) pleasing
  combination of related things
• e.g. the beautiful picture of the of sea and
  sky
• of colour and a design in a picture

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adj. harmonious pleasingly or satisfactorily
arranged in agreement e.g. a group of
building families/neighboursv.t. v.i.
harmonize (with) be in harmony or agreement
e.g. nationalism with international amity
The facts stated by different witnesses .
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Cloud (of)

• n. mass of things in the air, esp. moving
  together
• e.g. a of arrows (insects, locusts,
  horsemen, smoke, dust or sand)
• Flies by the millions engulfed us in dense
  s.
• He made his way to the exit in a of
  security men.
• ltsimilargt a rain/shower of arrows (bullets,
  ashes congratulations or protests)
• ?(?)?????????? ????????????
• a sea of up-turned faces/flame
• ???????/????

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backdrop

•  
• n ( backcloth). painted cloth hung at the back
  of a stage in a theatre, as part of the scenery
  background ???,????
• e.g. Indochina is the of the story.
• Their wedding was held in a small village
  church which has a backdrop of snow-capped
  mountains.
• v.t. provide a backdrop for (backdropped or
  backdropt)

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abundance

• n. great plenty quantity that is more than
  enough
• ?in an of ??,??
• e.g. food an drink in live in
• ?????????
• an of grain Oil flows in .
• She had an of very dark hair.
• ?adj. abundant plentiful
• e.g. We have proof of his guilt.
• ? in rich in, well supplied with ??,??
• ?v. abound (in/with) exist, or have in great
  numbers or quantities
• e.g. The river s in fish./ Fish in the
  river.

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blight

• n. (sorts of) plant disease mildewevil
  influence of obscure origin ??,?????????
• e.g. a upon ones hopes ??????????
• a on ones life ?????????
• v.t. be a on ???,??,??
• e.g. Frost ed the crops.
• The serious illness ed the rest of his life.
• Distrustfulness ed his previous marriage.

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  creep

• v.i.
• move slowly, quietly and secretly
• ??????,?????
• e.g. The cat crept silently towards the
  bird.
• The thief crept along the corridor at
  midnight.
• (of time, age, etc ) come on gradually
• ????,??????
• e.g. Old age s on us all.
• The hours crept by.
• A note of irritation crept into her
  voice.

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spell

• n. a) words used as a charm, supposed to
  have magic power ??,??
• ? cast/put a on/over s.b.
  ??????
• Be under / lay s.b. under a
  ?????
• Speak/break the over s.b.
  ?????/???
• b) attraction, fascination, exercised by a
  person, occupation, etc
• e.g. under the of her beauty
  ????????
• use witchcraft to s.b.
  ???????
• This place has a and people
  feel it when they come here.
• The explorers story held the
  children under a .

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sweep

• v.t.
• a) clean or clear away as with a broom push away
• e.g. The wind swept the clouds away. ????
• Many bridges were swept away by the
  floods. ?????
• The current swept the logs along.
• ????????
• b) pass over or along move quickly over or with
  a rush ??,??,??
• e.g. A huge wave swept over the deck.
• A blizzard swept the country.
• Malaria swept the villages in the valley.

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strike

• v. (illness, trouble, etc) seriously affect
  or attack s.b.
• e.g. He was stricken by a heart disease.
• ?????
• Drought struck the village.
• ?????????
• The rise in living costs struck the
  poor people of the country. ????
• The enemy struck the town at dawn.
• ????

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desert

• v.t.
• a) to leave empty or leave completely ??,??
• e.g. We shouldnt a friend in trouble.
• The streets are ed at night.
• They ed their farm for the city.
• b) to leave (military service) without
  permission
• ??,???
• ? n. desertion deserter

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• ltdistinguishgt
• abandon to leave completely and for ever
  desert to give up, esp, without
  finishing stop
• e.g. ones wife and children
• the search for the lost child
• forsake (fml) to desert, leave for ever give up
  completely
• quit (infml) to stop (doing sth.) and leave
  e.g. ones job
• give up to stop having or doing
• e.g. smoking/ones ideas

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counterpart

•  n. person or thing exactly like or closely
  corresponding to another ???????? ?????????
• e.g. Sometimes people mistake a feverish
  flush as the of healthy colour.
• He is the of his twin brother.
• Canadas PM is the of the U.S.
  President.

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substantial

• adj. large, considerable ???????????
• e.g. a number of weapons ????
• profits (wages) ????(??)
• have a wait ????
• Our soccer team won the game by a
  margin.
  ?????
• Since he returned this term, he has made
  progress.
• Many people demanded that blacks be
  given a voice in the government.
• ????????????????
• ?n. substantiality

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Useful Expressions

• 1 in the heart of
• 2 in harmony with
• 3 clouds of
• 4 delight ones eye
• 5 raise ones house
• 6 sink ones well
• 7 come into bloom
• 8 be lined with
• 9 creep upon/over
• 10 a substantial number of

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Class Activity
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• Ask the students to draw the two contrasting
  pictures depicted by the author. Then, let them
  show their paintings to each other and invite a
  few students to illustrate their works.
• Organize the students to undertake a class-wide
  discussion about the present pollution situation
  at their hometown. At the same time, ask the
  students to propose the measures we can take to
  prevent further pollution and improve the
  polluted environment.
• Describe a picture of tomorrow you wish to live
  in.

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Text II

• The Year 2000

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Discuss the different ways of
stabilizing the world population suggested in
the text.
Discussion
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Useful Words and Expressions

• 1 cross the threshold or at the threshold of
• 2 use up
• 3 on a worldwide scale
• 4 a matter of life and death
• 5 at an incredible rate
• 6 make ones hair stand on end
• 7 increase by (percentage)
• 8 alternatively
• 9 bring birth under control
• 10 level off

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Weekly Quiz
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Thanks