Unit Unit OneOne

Passage IPassage IMy Father

Passage I

Practice

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Pre-reading Task Discuss

Pre-reading Task Discuss

1.Is there a generation gap between you and your parents?

2.List at least there things that show the differences between you and your parents.

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My FatherA story told by the daughter of a famous actor

By Amy Mitford

Para.1 I don’t really know my father. He isn’t easy to get on with. He’s quite self-centred, and a little bit vain, I think, and in some ways quite unapproachable. The public must think he’s very easy-going, but at home he keeps himself to himself.

Para.2 He can’t have been at home when I was a child, because I don’t remember much about him. He’s always been slightly out of touch with family life. His work always came first, and he was always off somewhere acting or rehearsing. He loves being asked for his autograph, he loves to be recognized. He has won several awards, and he’s very proud of that. He was made a Member of the British Empire, and we had to go to Buckingham Palace to get the medal. It was incredibly boring. There were hundreds of other people getting the same awards, and you had to sit there for hours. He shows off his awards to whoever comes to the house.

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Para.3 I went to public school, and because of my total lack of interest and non-attendance I was asked to leave. I didn’t want to go there in the first place. I was taken away from all my friends. He must have been very pleased to get me into the school, but in the end it was a complete waste of money. I let him down quite badly, I suppose. I tried several jobs but I couldn’t settle down in them. Then I realized that what I really wanted to do was live in the country and look after animals, so that’s what I now do.

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Para.4 As a family, we’re not that close, either emotionally or geographically. We don’t see much of each other these days. My father and I are totally different, like chalk and cheese. My interests have always been the country, but he’s into books, music and above all, opera, which I hate. If they do come to see us, they’re in completely the wrong clothes form the country----- mink coats, nice little leather shoes, not exactly ideal for long walks across the fields.

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Para.5 He was totally opposed to me getting married. He was hoping we would break up. Gerald’s too humble, I suppose. He must have wanted me to marry someone famous, but I didn’t, and that’s all there is to it. We don't’ want children, but my father keeps on and on talking about wanting grandchildren. You can’t make someone have children just because you want grandchildren.

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Para.6 I never watch him on television. I’m not that interested, and anyway he usually forgets to tell me when he’s on

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Summary

Practice

1 Comprehension work

A Summarise the story From what perspective does the narrator present her personal impression abut her father and their relationship? Write your answer below.

B Summarise the paragraphs The second paragraph: The third paragraph: The fourth paragraph:

C Study the story

Discuss the following questions.1.Does Amy feel close to her father? Why or why no

t?2.Why doesn’t she remember much about her fath

er in her childhood?3.What is her father’s job? Is she successful in his

career?4.Why does she say that her father is a little bit vain?5.Why was she asked to leave school?

Practice

6.Why did she give up her jobs?

7.Do the father and daughter have some common interests? What are their respective interests?

8.What did the father think of Amy’s marriage?

9.Is she going to have children?

10.How often do they see each other?

Practice

2 Language workA In other words

Put the following expressions from the text in the blanks

Humble ideal vain incredibly Challenging rehearsed autograph unapproachable1.He did not talk much and always stood aloof.

He was somewhat ______________eyes of his colleagues.

2.Clad in golden glory, the tree is _________beautiful in autumn.

3.Many famous people are of ________origin.

unapproachableincredibly

humble

Practice

Practice

4.Since the release of her debut single, the pop singer has become very_____.

5.Before going to the job interview, the applicant ________ his presentation in his room.

6.Many teenagers swarmed to the stage and asked for the ________ of the movie star.

7.Life and work in a new environment are usually very ___________ for new graduates.

8.For most Englishmen, a commodious house with many trees around it in the country is a/an _____ place to live in.

vainrehearsed

autograph

challenging

ideal

Practice

B Work with sentences

Rewrite the following sentences using the expressions in the box below.

Settle down in easy-going above all let down Out of touch with break up show off get on with

1.I chose the car for its speed, comfort and , most important, for its reliability

I chose the car for its speed, comfort and , above all, for its reliability.

Practice

2.A good teacher should help his/her students earnestly instead of pretentiously displaying how knowledgeable he /she is.

A good teacher should help his/her students earnestly instead of showing off how knowledgeable he /she is.

3.Examinations are a nightmare to some students, for they can not apply themselves seriously to revision. Examinations are a nightmare to some students, for they can not settle down in revision.

Practice

4.The boy quarreled bitterly with his girlfriend, and I am afraid they will end their relationship sooner and later. The boy quarreled bitterly with his girlfriend,

and I am afraid they will break up sooner and later.

5.Why won’t that telephone ring? He promised to call me and he would not disappoint me.

Why won’t that telephone ring? He promised to call me and he would not let me down .

Practice

6.She is a very sociable girl and is on good terms with her colleagues.

She is a very sociable girl and gets on well with her colleagues. 7.Soon after the satellite was launched into space, it was lost to the scientists on the earth. Soon after the satellite was launched into space, it was out of touch with the scientists on the earth. 8.Doctors tell us that a good-tempered person is

less likely to get ulcers.Doctors tell us that an easy-going person is less likely to get ulcers.

Dictation

Scrip: A generation ago, children in many Western countries moved out of home when they left school for work or college study. They would rent a room or share a flat with other teenagers. Today’s young adults are not in such a hurry to leave. It is often more comfortable to live at home than to rough it in cheap accommodation. There are two reasons for this change. The first reason is the depressed job market, which makes it more and more difficult for young school-leavers to get a good job. Besides, many governments have made severe cuts in educational funding. Students are required to pay fees or part of the fees for college education. The second reason is a change of attitude toward life. Today’s young people have more spending power than their parents and they are more prepared to use it. They tend to live for the present rather than prepare themselves for the future.

Practice

Grammar work

Read the following two sentences quoted from the texts and pay special attention to the differences between countable nouns and uncountable nouns: 1.I tried several jobs but I couldn’t settle down in them.2.Then she took up social work, and finally went to work for a designer3.Here are more examples:4.Advertising exerts a subtle influence on us.5.There are too many advertisements on TV.6.This interesting piece of information is not true.7.These facts are unquestionable.

Practice

Put appropriate nouns in the blanks

jewellry jewel

1.She lost a treasured at the party last night.

2.All of her was put in a safe.

machinery machine

3.Much agricultural has been introduced into that new farm.

4.Some of her on the farm need to be repaired.

jewel

jewellry

machinery

machine

Practice

clothing garment

5.The staff at the chemical plant wear protective________.

6.He always wears a strange shapeless ________ .

bread loaf

7.Half a ____ is better than none.

8.Orwell often had to live on _____ and butter during his down-and- out days in Paris and London.

clothing

garment

Practice

loaf

bread

luggage suitcase

9.Customs officers examined all our _______ at the airport.

10.How can you travel with so many_______?

laughter laugh

11.She gave a happy .

12. is the best medicine.

luggage

suitcase

Laughter

laugh

Practice

coin note money

13.Do you want the in or ?money coins notes

Practice

Vocabulary work

Choose the correct word from the choices given. 1. The computer can be paid in ten monthly of 100 dollars.A pay B pays C payment D payments

2. She has managed to obtain a temporary work in Britain.A permit B permission C permissiveness D permissible3. The football players need total concentration during .

A match B game C play D perform

4. He was fined $100 for illegal .A an/parking B ----/parking C ----/parking-lot D an/park

D

A

C

B

Practice

5. On Sundays she usually does some in . A shoppings/ big shop B shopping / big shioppings C shoppings/ big shops D shopping/big shops

6. He can’t drink alcohol since he’s in strict form the Olympic Games.A training B train C training course Dtrainingcentre

7. It is an important of the company to promote its new products.A toil B task C labour D work

D

Practice

A

B

TranslationPut the following sentences into English.

1. 她似乎与新同学相处不好。She doesn’t seem to get along with her new classmates.

2. 我与玛丽失去联系多年，但昨天我与她在电话里联系上了。

I’d been out of touch with Mary for years , but I managed to reach her by phone yesterday.

3. 那老兵喜欢对每一位来访者炫耀他的勋章。

The veteran enjoys showing off his medals to everyone who visits him.

Practice

4. 她丈夫似乎非常反对她出国。

Her husband seems very much opposed to her going abroad.

5. 因为托马斯不安心工作，他的父母非常担忧。

As Thomas couldn’t settle down in his job, his parents were very worried.

6. 我口袋里总装着各种各样的小东西。

I always have all kinds of bits and pieces in my pockets.

Practice

7. 她母亲通过一些私人关系使她进入商界。

Her mother pulled a few strings to get her into the business circle.

8. 我希望这些菜合你的胃口。

I hope the food is to your liking.

9. 那些男孩太吵闹，我把他们骂了一顿。

I told the boys off for making so much noise.

Practice

Thank you for your attention!

Keep oneself to oneself: to live a very quiet private life and don’t care about others affairs.e.g. She is quite introverted and always keep herself to herself.

Explanation

Come first /second: to be in a particular position.e.g. For most women their family always comes first. Many people think wrongly that money comes first in their lives.

Explanation

show off: (1) try to impress people and make show off: (1) try to impress people and make them admire your ability , achievement, etc.them admire your ability , achievement, etc.

e.g. Pay no attention to Susan , she is just shoe.g. Pay no attention to Susan , she is just showing off.wing off.

(2) To show sth to a lot of people because you (2) To show sth to a lot of people because you are very proud of it.are very proud of it.

e.g. Peter was keen to show off his new car.e.g. Peter was keen to show off his new car.(3) If one thing shows off sth. Else, it makes t(3) If one thing shows off sth. Else, it makes t

he other thing look very attractive.he other thing look very attractive.e.g. The white dress showed off her dark skin.e.g. The white dress showed off her dark skin.

Explanation

An English public school is actually a priAn English public school is actually a private fee-paying school where children vate fee-paying school where children usually live as well as study . Public scusually live as well as study . Public schools are known for their high academhools are known for their high academic standards , attended by people of hiic standards , attended by people of high social status or wealthy family . In tgh social status or wealthy family . In the US. Public school means a free schohe US. Public school means a free school ,controlled y and paid for by the locol ,controlled y and paid for by the local government form children who studal government form children who study there byt live at home.y there byt live at home.

Supplement

Be +(to) do : Be +(to) do : 充当表语的充当表语的 to do to do 省略省略 to to 的的条件是条件是 , , 在主语部分必须含有动词在主语部分必须含有动词 do.do.

e.g. The only thing you have to do is (to) e.g. The only thing you have to do is (to) press the button.press the button.

All I want to do was (to) help him.All I want to do was (to) help him.

Explanation

In the article, the narrator presents In the article, the narrator presents her personal impression about her father personal impression about her father from two aspects:first she descrobher from two aspects:first she descrobes her father’s character , which is coes her father’s character , which is completely different from her own; Secompletely different from her own; Second, she tells the reader that she and hend, she tells the reader that she and her father have different interests. We car father have different interests. We can cnclude that they are not very close.n cnclude that they are not very close.

SummarySummary