Section B

Rich Meeting His

Future

Mother-In-Law

Facts and Opinions

Reading Skill

The particular reading skill introduced for this unit

is recognizing differences between facts and opinions.

The ability to recognize differences between fact and opinion is important because it can help us to achieve a deeper level of understanding in our reading.

Facts are statements that tell what really happened or what really is the case. A fact can be proved or disproved with direct evidence. It is something known by actual experience or observing. Look at the following example taken from Reading Passage A:

Her mother, Deborah, all along had been

supportive of our relationship, and even joked about

when we were going to get married so she could have

grandchildren. (Para. 5, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)

    This sentence tells us about a past state of affairs:

certainly it is a fact. 

Opinions are statements of belief, judgment or

feeling. They show what someone thinks or feels about

a subject. Some words can serve as clues to statements

of some kinds of opinion. For example, probably,

perhaps, usually, often, sometimes, on occasion are used

to limit a statement of fact and to indicate the

possibility of other opinions. Other words, such as I

believe, I think, in my opinion, I feel, I suggest, say

clearly that an opinion will follow. Look at the

following examples:

1. Any mother would be proud to have him for a

son-in-law. (Para. 7, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)    2. When we met I saw him as my beloved, intelligent, charming, and caring. (Para. 7, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)    3. I’m sure that time will only confirm what we feel deeply about each other. (Para. 8, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)     4. Maybe our children will have some problems, but whose children don’t? (Para. 18, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)

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But it is not always easy to tell opinion from fact.

A writer often combines the two in such a way that we

do not always notice where fact ends and opinion

begins. When we have fact and opinion combined in a

single statement, we must decide whether the major

clause or main point of the sentence is essentially fact

or opinion. Sometimes an opinion is presented as if it

were a fact:

But one thing they’ll always have: our love and

devotion. (Para. 18, Reading Passage A, Unit 3)

    On the surface it is a statement of fact, but

actually it is only a promise, something yet to be

realized in the future.

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Find and look at the following statements from Reading Passage B. Which are facts? Which are opinions? Select O for opinion or F for fact.

1. _____ 1. _____ After much thought, I came up with a

brilliant plan for Rich to meet my mother

and win her over.

FF

2. _____ 2. _____ One day, my mother called me, to

invite me to a birthday dinner for my father.

FF

3. _____ 3. _____ I knew she would do this, because cooking was how my mother expressed her love, her pride, her power, her proof that she knew more than any one else.

OO

4. _____ 4. _____ Rich was not only not Chinese, he was

also my junior, a few years younger than I was.

FF

5. _____ 5. _____ And unfortunately, he looked much younger with his curly red hair, smooth pale skin, and the splash of orange freckles across his nose.

OO

6. _____ 6. _____ In his dark business suits, he looked nice

but easily forgettable, like somebody’s nephew

at a funeral.

OO

7. _____ 7. _____ I felt compelled to defend on his behalf, a

bit too heatedly as I raised my voice above the

noise of the kitchen.

OO

8. _____ 8. _____ He had brought a bottle of French wine,

something he did not know my parents could not

appreciate.

FF

9. _____ 9. _____ But the worst happened when Rich

criticized my mother’s cooking, and he didn’t

even have a clue about what he had done.

OO

10. _____ 10. _____ As is the Chinese cook’s custom, my

mother always made negative remarks about

her own cooking.

FF

Text Learning

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她只会看着烹饪指南烧菜，而我对烹饪操作了如指掌。

他稍微矮了一点，但长得很结实。

1. She can only cook looking at directions. My instructions are in my fingers. (L11)

Auntie Suyuan can only cook while looking at directions. I am so skilled that I can cook without much thinking as if my fingers did it by themselves.

2.He was a bit on the short side, compactly built.(L22)

He was a little too short and had a small, butwell-shaped body.

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3. I could feel the goose bumps rise on my back. (L29)

我听后感到背上起了鸡皮疙瘩。I was so disappointed that I could feel the tiny lumps or thick or hard raise areas on my back.

Before we could say something skillfully to please my mother, …

4. But before we could be so diplomatic, … (L50)

但是我们还没能来得及说一些圆滑得体的话，……

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My mother always said something negative about her own cooking skills to show modesty as most of the Chinese cooks do.

我妈妈总是要对她自己的烹饪发表一些评论，说一些自己的菜烧得不好之类的话，这是中国厨师的习惯。

5. As is the Chinese cook’s custom, my mother always made negative remarks about her own cooking. (L43)

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1. come up with (L1)

think of or suggest

TranslationTranslation他总能想出一个理由来让他们再耽搁上一个月。

KeyKeyHe could always come up with a reason He could always come up with a reason for them to linger another month.for them to linger another month.

Word Using

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2.concerning prep. (L16)

about (sb./sth.)

TranslationTranslation针对他的行为我和他谈了话。

KeyKey I spoke to him concerning his I spoke to him concerning his behavior.behavior.

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3. compel (L30)

v. force

TranslationTranslation雨迫使我们停止了比赛。

KeyKey

The rain compelled us to stop our The rain compelled us to stop our game.game.

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4. criticize (L42)

v. point out the mistake of sb. or sth.

TranslationTranslation报道对警方未能解决这个问题提出了强烈批评。

KeyKey

The report strongly criticizes the police The report strongly criticizes the police for failing to deal with this problem.for failing to deal with this problem.

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5. clue (L43)

n. a fact or idea as a guide or aid in a problem

TranslationTranslation警方仍在寻找线索以便找到失踪的女孩。

KeyKeyPolice are still looking for clues in their Police are still looking for clues in their search for the missing girl.search for the missing girl.

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6. proclaim (L49)

v. make sth. known publicly

TranslationTranslation他声称自己是班上最好的学生。

KeyKey

He proclaims himself the best student He proclaims himself the best student in the class.in the class.

2. 不可能预料这事何时发生。2. 不可能预料这事何时发生。2. It is impossible to anticipate when it will

happen.

2. It is impossible to anticipate when it will

happen.

1. 你预料到会遇到什么困难吗？ 1. 你预料到会遇到什么困难吗？ 1. Do you anticipate meeting any trouble? 1. Do you anticipate meeting any trouble?

anticipate: v. v. 2. expect (sth.) 2. expect (sth.) 预料，预预料，预期，期待期，期待

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Word Experiencing

1. criticize: to talk about one’s fault

When does your father or mother criticize you?

2. arrange: to organize or make plan for sth.

What do you arrange for the coming National

Day/winter holidays …?

I was criticized when …

We are arranging (a party, a tour) for …

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3.concerning: about

What is your mother’s letter or phone normally concerning?

4. miserable: very unhappy or uncomfortable In what situation do you feel miserable?

My mother’s phone is mainly concerning …( my life at the college).

It is miserable for me to …

I felt miserable when …

Movie Watching

Rich Meeting His Future Mother-in-law

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Assignment

Do post-reading exercise Read section C by yourself and finish th

e exercises.