21世纪大学英语读写教程第二册Unit6

Unit6ABriefHistoryofStephenHawking

I.TeachingObjectives

1.Understandtheaudiomaterialsofthisunit.

2.Graspthekeywords,phrasesandstructure.

3.Mastertheskillsofwritingandreadinginthisunit.

A)Comingupwithexamplestosupportthegeneralstatement.

B)Understandingfigurativelanguage

II.TeachingContent

1.Lead-inActivities

2.TextOrganization

3.SkillLearninginWritingandReading

4.LanguagePoints(keywords,phrasesanddifficultsentences)

5.GrammarFocus(Apposition)

6.GuidedPractice(exercises,oralpracticeandgroupwork)

III.TeachingProcess

1.Warm-upQuestions/Activity

1)GeneralIntroduction:StephenHawkingisthemostfamouslivingscientistthathaseverbeen.

Hawkinghasbeendubbed"Einstein'sheir,""thegreatestgeniusofthelatetwentiethcentury,”

"thefinestmindalive,"andonejournalistevenbestoweduponhimtheillustrioustitleof

"MasteroftheUniverse."Beforegettingdowntothetext,

2)AskSswhattheyknowaboutStephenHawking;

3)Writeontheblackboardwhatthey'vementioned;

4)Piecetogethertheinformationtheygive;

5)ReadthepassagebelowaboutStephenHawkingtotheSs,andaskthemtoanswerthe

questionsthatfollowtochecktheircomprehension;and

6)PresentthetextwhentheyhavegotageneralideaaboutStephenHawking

Overthepasttwenty-fiveyears,StephenHawkinghasgreatlyexpandedoverall

contemplationandunderstandingofourvastuniverse.Hisground-breakingtheoriesonblack

holesandtheoriginandworkingsoftheuniversehaveoftenproventhemselvestobe

revolutionaryintheircontent.ThroughouttheswiftadvancementofStephenHawking'scareerand

fame,hisprivatelifehasenduredgreattrouble.Attheageoftwenty-one.Hawkingwasinformed

thathehadthecripplingdiseaseALS(amyotrophiclateralsclerosis),oftenreferredtoasmotor

neurondisease.Thismeantthatfortheremainderofhislife,hewouldbeforcedtodependupona

wheelchairinordertoretainhismobility.Somehow,StephenHawkingmanagedtonotonly

endurethishardship,butalsoriseaboveitandcontinuetofollowhisscientificresearchwithzest.

SomepeoplespeculatethattheALSactuallyaidedtheyoungscientistinpursuinghiscareertothe

fullestbecauseitallowedhimtoreleasetheresponsibilitiesofeverydaylife,givinghimthe

freedomtofreedomtofocussolelyonhisresearch.

Questions:

WhathasStephenHawkingbeenworkingonforthepasttwenty-years?

(Hehasbeenworkingon'blackholes'andtheoriginandworkingsoftheuniverse.)

Whatkindoftroublehasheenduredinhisprivatelife?

(HehassufferedfromthecripplingdiseaseALS,ormotorneurondisease.)

HowhasheretainedhismobilitysincehegotALS?

(Hehasdependedonawheelchair.)

HowdoesStephenHawkingfacehishardship?

(Hemanagestoendureitandcontinueshisresearchwithzest.)

WhydosomepeoplesaythatALShasactuallyhelpedhiminpursuinghiscareer?

(Becauseithasallowedhimtobefreefromtheresponsibilitiesofeverydaylifeandgivenhim

morefreedomtofocusonhisresearch.)

2.TextOrganization

Thetextcanbedividedinto5parts:

PartI(para1)StephenHawkingisknowntomillions,farandwide,foroneofhissciencebook.

PartII.(para2)Aquestionisbroughtup—Howdidhegaingreatsuccessinspiteofhis

disability?

PartIII(para3-5)Hawkingwasborntointellectual,eccentricparents,andhewasalsogreatly

influencedbyfamousscientistGalileo.

PartIV.(para6-10)Hawkingshowedhisintelligenceandgiftatschool.

PartV.(para11-14)Hawkinggainedsuccessinscienceinspiteofhisdisability.

3.SkillLearninginWritingandReading

A)WritingSkill:Comingupwithexamplestosupportthegeneralstatement.

Whenwriting,weusuallyputforwardsomegeneralstatements,thenwelistseveral

examplestoillustratethegeneralstatements

Now,analyzethefollowingsampleparagraph:

Nooneissmartateverythingorsmartallthetime.Einstein,forinstance,failedmany

classesingrammarschoolbecauseofhisterriblespelling.Andhewaswellknownamonghis

colleaguesforbeingforgetful.Hewasalwayslosinghiskeys,andonefamousdayhecameto

workwithaclotheshangerstillinsidehisjacket.

Generalstatement:Nooneissmartateverythingorsmartallthetime.

Example1:Einstein,forinstance,failedmanyclassesingrammarschoolbecauseofhisterrible

spelling.

Example2:Andhewaswellknownamonghiscolleaguesforbeingforgetful.Hewasalways

losinghiskeys,andonefamousdayhecametoworkwithaclotheshangerstill

insidehisjacket.

B)ReadingSkill:Understandingfigurativelanguage

Authorsoftenusefiguresofspeech,orfigurativelanguage,tomaketheirwritinglively

andmemorable.Likeidiomaticexpressions,figuresofspeechcanbeconfusingifyoutryto

understandthemliterally—butforeffectivereaders,whoknowhowtorecognizeandinterpret

them,figuresofspeechcanhelpyouunderstandtheauthor’smeaningmoredeeplyandthink

aboutideasinnewways.

Comparisons,personificationandsymbolismetcareallfigurativelanguage.

4.LanguagePoints

1).Hehasbeenproclaimed"thefinestmindalive"...(para1)

Paraphrase---Hehasbeendeclaredthemostintelligentmanwhoislivingtoday...

alive:adj.(predicative)havinglife;living

Examples:

Thedoctorsaretryingeverypossiblemeanstokeephimalive.

Itisreportedthatmorethanfortypeoplewereburnedaliveinyesterday’sfire

Cf.living:adj.(attributive)

Examples:

Alivinglanguageisalanguagethatisalwayschanging.

Ihavenolivingrelativesinmyhometown.

2)Knowntomillions,farandwide,forhisbookABriefHistoryofTime,StephenHawkingisa

starscientistinmorewaysthanone.(para1)

farandwide:(alsofarandnear)everywhere;overagreatdistance)

Examples:

Thecouplelookedfarandwideforthemissingdiamondring.

Peoplecamefromfarandneartoseethecircus.

Sinceheretired,hehastraveledfarandwide.

3)Hisgiftforrevealingthemysteriesoftheuniverseinastylethatnon-scientistscanenjoymade

HawkinganinstantcelebrityandhisbookabestsellerinbothBritainandAmerica.(para1)

Paraphrase---Hisabilitytoexplainthecomplexitiesoftheuniverseinawaythattheaverage

non-professionalreaderscanunderstandandappreciatesoonmadehimwellknownandhis

bookbest-sellinginbothBritainandAmerica.

bestseller:n.anything,especiallyabook,thathasalargesale

4)earnaplaceintheGuinnessBookofRecord…(para1)

Paraphrase---becarriedintheGuinnessBookofRecords(foritssuccess)

earn:vt.get(somethingthatonedeserves)becauseofone'squalities;deserve

Examples:

Hehasearnedhisplaceinhistory.

Sheearnedthepromotionfromasalesgirltoasalesmanager.

Afterthat,Sharonearnedareputationforhonesty.

5)…spending184weeksinTheSundayTimes"top-ten"lists(para1)

Paraphrase---beingamongtheweeklytopbest-sellerslistedbyTheSundayTimesforaslong

as184weeks

6)…virtuallyunheard-ofsuccessforasciencebook(para1)

Paraphrase---successwhichisalmostneverheardofinthecaseofsciencebooks

virtually:ad.practically;nearly;almost

Examples:

Lastnight'sfrostwasunprecedented,virtuallyeveryflowerinthegardenwaskilled

Thesesmallerrorsarevirtuallyimpossibletodetectwithinsuchaperiodoftime

Manyspeciesofwildanimalshavevirtuallydisappearedfromtheearth

7)Howhasamanwhoisalmostcompletelyparalysedandunabletospeakexceptthrougha

computerovercometheseincredibleobstaclesandachievedfarmorethanmostpeopleever

dreamof?(para2)

paralyse/paralyze:vt.cause(someorallofthebodymuscles)tobecomeuncontrollableor

stiff;(fig.)makepowerlessormakeineffective;causetostopworking

Examples:

Afterastroke,hisleftarmandlegwereparalyzed.

Electricityfailureparalyzedthewholetown.

8)achievefarmorethanmostpeopleeverdreamof(para2)

Paraphrase---successfullydofarmorethanmostpeopleeverimaginetheycando

9)HisfatherFrank,adoctorspecialisingintropicaldiseases…(para3)

specialize/specialisein:pursuesomespecialbranchofstudy,research,orwork;beorbecome

aspecialist;concentratetimeandresourceson

Examples:

Prof.Whitespecializesinorientalhistory.

Hespecializedfirstinpaintingbirdsandlaterinwritingaboutthem.

WewenttoarestaurantthatspecializesinIndianfood.

10)Carpetsandfurniturestayedinuseuntiltheyfellapart;thewallpaperhungpeelingfromold

age.ThefamilycarwasaLondontaxi,boughtfor50dollars.(para3)

Paraphrase---Carpetsandfurniturewouldnotbereplacedbynewonesuntiltheybroke;the

wallpapercameoffandhungforoldage.Thefamilycarwasasecond-handcarboughtfor

￡50fromaLondontaxicompany.

ThedescriptionofHawking'sparents'housesuggeststheir"eccentric“behaviorsinother

people'seyesand,ontheotherhand,theirthriftinlife:theywouldratherbuythemselvesina

roomfulofbooksthanhaveanycomfortsintheirhouse.

peel:vi.A)comeoff

Examples:

Afterthesunburn,myhusband'sskinpeeled.

Thepaintontheshedispeeling.

B)stripskinorbarkfrom

Examples:

MotherwantedCharlietopeelsomepotatoesforsalad.

TheIndianspeeledthebarkfromtreestomakecanoes.

11)Hawkinghasalwaysbeenfascinatedbyhisbirthdate...(para4)

Paraphrase---Hawkinghasalwaysbeeninterestedinandcuriousabouthisbirthdate...

12)…maintainingthattheSunisthecenteroftheSolarSystem—nottheEarth…(para4)

Paraphrase---forcefullystatingthatitistheSuninsteadoftheEarththatisthecenterofthe

SolarSystem

13)…startusinghiseyes,bothfigurativelyandliterally(para5)

Paraphrase---begintoobserve(theuniverse)withbothhismindandhiseyes

"Figuratively"and"literally"areoftenusedtodescribethemeaningsofwords.Inthecaseof

"eye",literallyitmeansanorganofsight,asin"Heclosedhislefteyeandopenedhisrighteye",

whilefigurativelyitmeansthemind'seyeorobservation,asin"Toherexperteye,thepainting

wasterrible."

14)Inasense,hewasresponsiblefortheageofsciencewenowenjoy.(para5)

Paraphrase---Toacertainextent,weoweittoGalileothatwearenowinaworldwithrapid

developmentofscience.

ina/onesense:tosomedegree;partly

Examples:

Youarerightinasense,butyoudon'tknowallthefacts.

Weare,inasense,beingdeceitfulifwetellthemso.

15)Hewaspartofasmallelitegroup,thebrightestofthebrightstudents.(para6)

Paraphrase---Hewasoneofasmallgroupofintelligentstudents,thebrightestfewamong

thebrightstudents.

16)hangaroundtogether(para6)

Paraphrase---spendalotoftimetogether

17)…atonceanintellectualgiantandliberalactivist(para6)

Paraphrase---apersonwithbothunusualintellectualpowerandprogressiveviewsinpolitics,

morals,etc.

atonce:atthesametime

Examples:

Allthreeboysspokeatonce.

Thebookisatonceinstructiveandamusing.

Whenthere'smorethanoneconversationgoingonatonatonce,youcan’thearanything.

intellectual:adj.havingorshowingpowerofthemind;needingorusingpowerofthemind

Examples:

He'squitebrightbuthe'snotwhatyoushoulddescribeasintellectual.

Thinkingisanintellectualprocess.

Celligent:adj.havingorshowingunderstanding;abletolearnandknow

Examples:

Dolphinsareintelligentanimals.

Scientistsbelievethatthereareintelligentlifeexistingbeyondoursolarsystem.

Anintellectualpersonisonewhohasdevelopedhisbrainandishighlyeducated,andis

interestedinsubjectsthatexercisethemind,whileanintelligentpersonhasthepowerof

learningorunderstandingbutmaynotknowmuch.

18)WhileIwouldbestrugglingawaywithacomplicatedproblem,hejustknewtheanswer.

(para7)

Paraphrase---WhileIwouldbetryinghardallthetimetosolveadifficultproblem,hegave

theanswerimmediatelyasifitwasreadyinhismind.

away:ad.allthetime;continuously;

Examples:

Sheworkedawayatherjob.

Theyoungpeoplechattedawaylikeoldfriends.

19)…struggledoverhowtoevenbeginapproachingtheproblem...(para8)

Paraphrase---evenhaddifficultytryingtotakethefirststepinsolvingtheproblem

approach:vt.begintocopewith(aproblem,task,etc.)

20)Hawkingtheschoolboywas...(para9)

Paraphrase---AsaschoolboyHawkingwas...

"Hawkingtheschoolboy",thereverseofthemorecommonform,theschoolboyHawking,isa

caseofrestrictiveappositionofnounphrases.Theappositiveprecededby"the"isageneral

wordrestrictedinmeaningbythepropername.

Examples:

Robinsonthesinger(=thesingerRobinson)

PaulJonesthecritic(=thecriticPaulJones)

21)…havinginheritedaslightlipsfromhisfather.(para9)

inherit:vt.get(characteristics,qualitiesofmindorbody,money,property,etc.)fromone's

parentsorancestors

Examples:

Sheinheritsherblueeyesfromherfather.

Differencesinintelligencewerelargelyinherited.

Afterhisparents'death,heinheritedabigfortune.

22)Thishadnothingtodowithearlysighnsofillness…(para9)

havesomething/nothing/anything/alot/alittletodowith:havesome/no/any/alot/alittle

relationorconnectionwith

Examples:

Hisjobhasnothingtodowithtelephones.

Abstractarthaslittletodowitheverydayexperience.

Listen,whatIhavesaidhasalottodowithyou.

23)…afigureofclassroomfun…(para9)

Paraphrase----apersonwhomadehisclassmatesamused

24)He...averagedonlyonehour'sworkaday.(para10)

Paraphrase---He...hadonlytodoonehour’sworkadayontheaverage.

25)HismainenthusiasmwastheBoatClub.(para10)

Paraphrase---OnethingthathewasenthusiasticaboutwastheBoatClub.

enthusiasm:n.anactivityorsubjectthatinterestssomeoneagreatdealandtakesupalotof

histime

26)Manytimeshereturnedtoshorewithbitsoftheboatknockedoff…(para10)

knockoff:cause(sth.orsb.)tofallfromaplace

Examples:

JustwhenIhadputtheglasssafelydownonthetable,thecatjumpedupandknockeditoff.

Asnowballknockedhishatoff.

Theblowknockedhimoffhisfeet.

27)…withhisheadinthestars,workingoutmathematicalformulae(para10)

Paraphrase---withhisthoughtsfar,farawaythinkingaboutsolutionstomathematical

problems

workout:findtheanswerto(sth.);solve(sth.)

Examples:

Canyouworkoutthismathproblemforme?

Noonecanworkouthowthefirestarted.

Wearealwayshopingthatamorepeacefulsolutioncanbeworkedout

28)Oxfordhasalwayshaditsshareofeccentricstudents,soHawkingfitrightin.(para11)

Paraphrase---Justlikemanyotheruniversities,Oxfordalsohashadsomestudentswho

behaveinastrangeway,soHawkingfeltasifhebelongedexactlytothem

fitin:besuitable;behaveorfeelasifbelonging(toagroup)

Examples:

It'snosurprisesheisleavingthecourse---sheneverreallyfitin.

Theyarelookingforsomeoneyoungtojointheteam,someonewhofitsin.

29)…getthemostfromalifehehadpreviouslytakenforgranted(para12)

Paraphrase---takefulladvantageofalifewhosevaluehehadnotfullyappreciated

take(sth.)forgranted:besofamiliarwith(sth.)thatonenolongerappreciatesitsfullvalue;

treat(sth.)asunimportant

Examples:

Hejusttakesitforgrantedthatthehouseistidy.

Mostyoungpeopletakethewashingmachineforgrantedbecausethey'venever

livedwithoutit.

30)…demonstratethetheoryofmindovermatter(para13)

Paraphrase---provethetheorythatthespiritualforceoverpowersthematerialforce

31)Hawkinghimselfacknowledgeshisdiseaseasbeingacrucialfactorinfocusinghisattention

onwhatturnedouttobehisrealstrength:theoreticalresearch.(para13)

Paraphrase---EvenHawkinghimselfadmitsthathisdiseasehasbeenimportantinmakingit

possibleforhimtoconcentrateontheoreticalresearch,andthishasprovedtobesomething

thatheisreallystrongin.

turnout(tobe):befoundorknowntobeintheend;provetobe

Examples:

ThatguywemettheotherdayturnedouttobeLisa'ssecondcousin.

Asitturnedout,therewasnoneedtoworry.Everythingisgoingtobeallright.

Theabsent-mindedprofessorlookedeverywhereforhisglasses,butitturnedoutthattheywere

justontopofhishead.

32)Thesmartestmanintheworldisnotimmunetothedepressionthatcanaccompanysevere

disabilities.(para14)

Paraphrase---Thesmartestmanintheworldalsohasthefeeling

ofsadnessthatotherdisabledpeoplemayhave.

beimmuneto:notresponsivetooraffectedby(diseases,criticism,badtreatment,etc.)

Examples:

Myuncleseemstobeimmunetocolds—hejustnevergetsthem.

They'realwayssorudethatI'vealreadybecomeimmunetoit.

5.GrammarFocus

Apposition

1)ExplaintoSsthatanounphrasecanbeaddedtoanothernounorpronounasfurther

explanation,ormodifier,whichiscalledapposition,andthatanappositiveisusually

palcedaftertheprecedingnoun,butsometimesinfrontofanoun,orapronounfor

emphasis.

2)AskSstofindappositivesinthetext.

Examples:

-----HisfatherFrank,adoctorspecialzingintropicaldiseases,andhismotherIsobel,adoctor’s

daughter,livedinabigoldhousefullofbooks

-----HawkingattendedSt.AlbansSchool,aprivateschoolnotedforit’shighacademic

standards.

-----Hewaspartofasmallelitegroup,thebrightestofthebrightstudents.

-----Hawkingtheschoolboywasatypicalgrind,underweightandawkwardandpeeringthrough

eyeglasses.

6.GuidedPractice(exercises,oralpracticeandgroupwork)

1)Summary

A)Askseveralstudentstoretellthetextbyusingtheirownwords.

B)Talkaboutthemainideaorthemeofthetext.

2)Exercises

EX.II,p170(ComprehensionoftheText)

EX.III,IV,,V,p170-172(VocabularyRevision)

EX.VI,VII,p172-173(WordBuilding:prefixtele-)

EX.VIII,p173-174(PastParticipialPhrasesasAdverbial)

EX.IX,p174(Rewritethesentences,usingapposition)

7.After-classAssignments

1)EX.X,P174-175(Translation)

2)EX.XII,p175-176(Cloze)

3)Writing(Writeaparagraph,listingexamplestosupportthestatement.,makingareferenceto

theideasonp177)

TextBInventoroftheTuture

LanguagePoints

1)…perfectmanyofthetechnologies…(para1)

Paraphrase----makemanyofthetechnologiesperfect

perfect:vt.Improveorworkonsomethingsothatitbecomesperfect

2)…setthestandardforhowresearchanddevelopmentisdonetoday.(para1)

Paraphrase----…suppliedamodelwhichpeopletodayarefollowingintheirresearchand

development.

standard:n.somethingestablishedasamodelorexample

3)Thisbeliefwashisreligion.(para2)

Paraphrase----Thisbeliefwashisfaithandprinciple.

religion:n..aprinciple,cause,orsystemofbeliefsapersonholdstowithardorandfaith

4)…hehadpatentedover120inventions…(para4)

patentaninvention:obtainap