Unit One Hit the Nail on the Head 教案河南师范大学.doc

Unit One Hit the Nail on the H/gjyy2009-2-28 教学时数：4学时教学目的与要求：通过本单元的学习，要求学生熟悉课文内容，掌握新的英语词汇和理解课文基本大意，能够对课文的主旨进行简单总结和评论，并独立完成本单元练习题。教学重点：重点句子的理解。教学难点：creep, loiter, march, meander, pace, patrol, plod, prowl, ramble, roam, saunter, shuffle, stagger, stalk, step, tread, trudge, and walk 的词义辨析。About Style 语体（文体；风格）1. variation in a persons speech or writing. Style usually varies from casual to formal according to the type of situation, the person or persons addressed, the location, the topic discussed, etc. a particular style, e.g. a formal style or a colloquial style, is sometimes referred to as a stylistic variety (语体类型)。Some linguists use the term “register” for a stylistic variety whilst others differentiate between the two.2. Style can also refer to a particular persons use of speech or writing at all times or to a way of speaking or writing at a particular period of time, e.g. Dickenss style, the style of Shakespeare, an 18th century style of writing.About the author:Alan Warner(1912- ), English teacher at Makerere College, Kampala, Uganda. The selection is Chapter 7 of his book A Short Guide to English Style (1961), which consists of three parts: Part One, How to write clean English; Part Two, the development of English style; and Part Three, English styles today. In writing the book, the author has tried to keep in mind the special needs and difficulties of those students for whom English is not the mother tongue.IBackground Information1Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), French novelist, was associated with, thought not representative of, the movement of naturalism and known as one of the greatest realists of nineteenth-century France. He devoted his life to long hours spent in heavy toil over his work. His writing is marked by exactness and accuracy of observation, extreme impersonality and objectivity of treatment, and precision and expressiveness in style, or the principle of the mot juste.2. Mrs. Malaprop is a famous character in Sheridans comedy The Rivals (1775). She is noted for her blunders in the use of words. “As headstrong as an allegory (alligator) on the banks of the Nile” is one of her grotesque misapplications. She also requests that no delusions (allusions) to the past be made. She has given us the word malapropism as a name for such mistakes.(谢里丹Sheridan，Richard Brinsley, 英国剧作家，政治家。1751年10月30日生于爱尔兰，卒于1816年7月7日。谢里丹先入哈罗中学，后学法律。从1775年他的第一部剧作上演，到1779年共写了7部剧本。自1776年至1809年一直经营朱瑞巷剧院。1780年后主要从事政治活动，当过议员，并在外交部、财政部和海军内任过要职，拥护自由民主，反对不义战争和反对压迫平民。谢里丹最有名的剧作造谣学校是英国风俗喜剧最佳作品之一。他的全部作品几乎都是以明快的机智嘲弄当时那个感情脆弱的社会，并以卓越的性格描绘著称。其他作品有喜剧情敌、喜歌剧陪媪、据17世纪末英国剧作家范布勒失足改写的喜剧斯卡巴勒之行、滑稽剧批评家以及据同时代德国剧作家科采布秘鲁的西班牙人改编的悲剧皮扎罗等)3Hindi is a literary and official language of northern India. Swahili is a Bantu language that is a trade the governmental language over much of East Africa and in the Congo region. Bantus are people belonging to a group of tribes found in equatorial and southern Africa.4. Carpenter The chief work of the carpenter is to cut, shape, and fasten lumber, timbers, and other materials according to the intention of the designer. Building plans show dimensions and locations, but rarely give the carpenter all the necessary information. A carpenter must draw on experience and ingenuity of many part of the job. Most carpenters work in crews of general contractors or a re employed as maintenance workers in buildings, factories, or institutions.5. Christmas is the festival celebrating the birth of Christ. In most countries it is observed on December 25. Christian churches throughout the world hold special services on Christmas Day to give thinks for the birth of Christ. In addition to religious observances, Christmas is a time of merrymaking and feasting. Wherever Christmas is celebrated, there is a spirit of kindness and giving, in keeping with the Biblical message:Glory to God in the highest;and on earth peace, good will toward men.6. Dickens, Charles (1812-1870), an English novelist. He tried in his work not only to entertain but to bring about social reforms. In his novels Dickens attacked such evils as poorhouses, unjust courts, greedy employers, faulty schools, and imprisonment for debt. 7. Shakespeare, William (1564-1616), an English poet and playwright. He has long been recognized as the worlds finest dramatist and a poet of high rank, and most modern critics consider him the worlds greatest literary figure. His plays have been translated into all major languages and numerous minor ones; performed repeatedly in almost every country; and in Europe and America staged oftener than those of any other playwright. His plays have been made into motion picture, radio, and television productions and have formed the basis for operas and musicals.II. Teaching PointsPara 1:1. The sentence “So with language; . . . firmly and directly” establishes the link between the driving of a nail and the choice of a word. 2. Paraphrase: A word that is more or less right, a loose phrase, an ambiguous expression, a vague adjective, will not satisfy a writer who aims at clean English.A writer who is particular about the exactness of an expression in English will never feel happy with a word which fails to express an idea accurately.Para 2:1. Paraphrase: Choosing words is part of realization, of defining our thought and feelings for ourselves, as well as for those who hear or read our words.To a certain extent, the process of finding the right words to use is a process of perfection where you try to search for words that may most accurately make your thoughts and feelings, and words that may most effectively make your listeners and readers understand your thoughts and feelings.Para 3:1. Paraphrase: It is hard work choosing the right words, but we shall be rewarded by the satisfaction that finding them brings.Finding the most suitable word to use is no case easy. But there is nothing like the delight we shall experience when such a word is located.2. Paraphrase: The exact use of language gives us mastery over the material we are dealing with.Once we are able to use language accurately, we are in a position to fully understand our subject matter.3. How can I know what I think till I see what I say? This sounds stupid, but there is a great deal of truth in it.It sounds irrational that a person does not know what he himself thinks before he sees what he says. But as a matter of fact, it is quite true that unless we have found the exact words to verbalize our own thoughts we can never be very sure of what our thoughts are; without words, our thoughts cannot be defined or stated in a clear and precise manner.Para 4:1. human and humanehuman relating or characteristic of humankind or people; of, characterizing, or relating to manhumane having or showing compassion or benevolence; characterized by kindness, mercy, sympathy. Humane is an earlier form of human. The two words are of the same origin.Para 7:1. Malapropism: the unintentional misuse of a word by confusing it with one that resembles it, such as human for humane, singularity for singleness.（音近词的滑稽误用）Para 9:1. But the misuse of “imprison” is a different case. It is wrongly chosen because the user has failed to recognize its connotation.Para 10:1. March: walk with firm regular steps like a soldier 齐步前进，行军Pace: walk with slow, steady steps, especially backwards and forwards踱方步Patrol: go at regular times round an area, building, etc. 巡逻Stalk: walk stiffly, proudly, or with long steps高视阔步地走Stride: walk with long steps or cross with one long step大踏步地走Tread on: step on踩，践踏Tramp: walk with firm heavy steps用沉重的脚步走Step out: (U.S.) go outside or go somewhere暂时走开Prance: move quickly, happily, or proudly with a springing step欢跃的走Strut: walk proudly or stiffly, especially with the chest pushed forward and trying to look important 趾高气扬地走Prowl: move about an area quietly, trying not to be seen or heard 徘徊，潜行Plod: walk slowly along (trudge) 沉重缓慢的走Stroll: walk a short distance, slowly or lazily, especially for pleasure. 闲逛 散步Shuffle: walk by dragging ones feet slowly along 拖着脚走Stagger: walk or move unsteadily and with great difficulty, almost falling蹒跚Sidle: move uncertainly or secretively, as if really to turn and go the other way 侧身而行Trudge: walk with heavy steps, slowly and with effort (plod) 步履艰难的走Toddle: walk with short, unsteady steps, as a small child does 蹒跚行走Ramble: go on a walk for enjoyment 漫步Roam: wander with not very clear purpose漫步Saunter: walk with an unhurried way, and especially in a confident manner (lounge)闲逛Meander: wander in a slow easy way漫步 散步Lounge: move in a leisurely, indolent manner (saunter) 闲荡Loiter: move slowly or keep stopping when one should be going forward走走停停Creep: move slowly, quietly, and carefully so as not to attract attention蹑手蹑脚地走SEE: behold, look at, glimpse, glanced at, view, survey, perceive, notice, observe, discern, distinguish, remark, comprehend, understand, know死的表示法：亡，故，卒，毙，薨，陨，崩，故世，献身，长眠，逝世，寿终，没了，入土，断气，溘逝，驾崩，大行，回老家，玩儿完，填沟壑，翘辫子，见马克思，一命呜呼，三长两短，香消玉陨，呜呼哀哉，跨鹤西游，吹灯拔蜡，去极乐世界。III. Organization and Development1. Structure:Para. 1 Introduction it is an analogy between the hammering of nails and the use of language to express oneself. A man with a poor command of a language, not sure what words to use to express himself, is just like a man clumsy with a hammer, unsuccessful in his effort to strike a nail right into a box. / A man with a good command of a language, just like a skillful carpenter who easily drives home the nail with a few firm, deft blows, will drive home his point firmly and exactly with the right words and expressions.Language useClumsy carpenter(get half of the nail into a box)Skillful carpenter(hit the nail squarely on the head)CarpentryGood craftsman(choose words that will drive home his point firmly & exactly)Bad craftsman(more-or-less-right words, loose phrases, ambiguous expressions, vague adjectives)CC : SCGC : BCPara. 2-3 The significance of finding the right wordsParas. 4-7 Semantic difference between words sharing the same rootParas. 8 Wrong choice of words caused by failure to recognize their connotationsPara. 9 stylistic differences between synonymsPara. 10 The abundance of specific words in English for general notionsPars. 11 Conclusion English has a large vocabulary, however, only around 12,000 words are used today. Thus choose the words precisely and exactly.2. Analogy:An analogy is a special kind of comparison and a more concrete way to explain things. It can help to make some vast, remote, abstract, or specialized thing clear. Of the two things being compared, one is an unfamiliar subject, usually a difficult or abstract subject the writer makes a point of clarifying, and the other a familiar subject, an easy subject the writer utilizes to help explain his unfamiliar subject.IV. Interactive Activity1. Oral practice: Use the way of analogy to illustrate your ideas of dormitory life/ your love for your parents/ the friendship between you and one of your best friendsWritten work: write a short summary of Hit the nail on the head, making clear how the writer uses analogy to illustrate an abstract point.Add-on materialsV Proverbs and IdiomsEnglish proverbs and idioms: (very important because of their specific cultural connotations)1. Hit the nail on the head2. To play by ear 凭听觉记忆演奏Neil sat at the piano and began playing, by ear, the music hed heard his older sister practicing.In hot water 遇到麻烦；处于困境The company has already been in hot water over high prices this year.(like) Water off a ducks back 不起作用, 毫无影响Close to the vest 把.保守秘密; 避免不必要的危险 play (it) close to the vestA vest is a piece of underwear which you can wear on the top half of your body in order to keep warm. (BRIT; in AM use undershirt)The shoe is on the other foot情况完全不同了；责任在别人身上；情况相反；地位倒转；位置对调To keep an ear to the ground To be on the watch for new trends or information. 敏锐，精明：注意新动向或信息To bark up the wrong treeTo misdirect ones energies or attention. 找错目标：精力或注意力集中在错误地方To fly off handle 美口冒火, 激动；死, 翘辫子To twist someones arm To coerce by or as if by physical force:向某人施加压力，用或好象用施加压力的办法来强迫某人服从To charge someone an arm and a legan arm and a leg【俚语】: An excessively high price 非常高的价格：a cruise that cost an arm and a leg.Taking candy from a babyHed take a candy from a baby. 美口他是个贪得无厌的人Bottom lineThe line in a financial statement that shows net income or loss. 帐本底线，盈亏一览结算线：在财务报表中用此线标明净收益或净损失The final result or statement; upshot 结果，结局：最后结果或声明；结果：“The bottom line, however, is that he has escaped”(David Wise)“然而，最后的结局是他逃掉了”(戴维怀斯)The main or essential point 要点或关键之处：“A lot can happen between now and December, but the bottom linefor nowis that the city is still heading toward default”(New York)“从现在到十二月份会发生很多变化，但是现在的实质问题是，这个城市还是不准备参赛”(纽约)Just for laughs (laugh: amusing incident or person)If you do something for a laugh or for laughs, you do it as a joke or for fun.To laugh up ones sleeve: be secretly amused (at sb.) 暗笑；窃喜To rejoice or exult in secret, as at anothers error or defeat.幸灾乐祸：偷偷地欣喜或高兴，如对他人的错误或失败(have/get) The last laugh笑在最后; 取得最后胜利A BLACK SHEEP败家子, 败类, 害群之马If you describe someone as the black sheep of their family or of a group that they are a member of, you mean that they are considered bad or worthless by other people in that family or group.A dark horseIf you describe someone as a dark horse, you mean that people know very little about them, although they may have recently had success or may be about to have success. Until recently A. S. Byatt was a dark horse, known only by those steeped in literature.A white lieIf you refer to an untrue statement as a white lie, you mean that it is made to avoid hurting someones feelings or to avoid trouble, and not for an evil purpose.VI Dictation (write a synonym and an antonym):Dismay; toddle; imprison