Unit Seven What Makes Olympics Champions?

What Makes Olympics Champions?

Text A

Unit One Text A:

1. Teaching Aims and Requirements

2. Teaching Focus

5. Text A study

4. Text organization

6. Summary of Text A

7. Homework

3.Cultual Background

1. Teaching Aims and Requirements

1. Teaching Aims and Requirements

A.Grasp the main idea and structure of the text.B. Master the key language points and grammatical structure in the text.C. Conduct a series of reading, listening, speaking and writing activities related to the theme if the unit.

3. Cultural Background

1996 Olympics Song —“The Power of the Dream”

A Brief Introduction to the Singer

Hailing from the small town of Charlemagne, Québec, Celine Dion has become one of the all-time greatest singers. Celine was born in 1968, the youngest of fourteen children. Early in childhood, she sang with her brothers and sisters in a small club owned by her parents.

At the age of twelve, Dion composed a song in her native French and sent it to a record company, where it garnered the attention of a respected manager. Her talent was discovered and her career started.In 1991, Celine burst onto the US stage when she recorded the theme song to Disney’s hit “Beauty and the Beast.” In 1996 she was so well-known internationally that she came to Atlantic Olympics to present the song “The Power of the Dream.” Her powerful voice and the wonderful melody rocked everyone there.

3. Cultural Background

The songDeep within each heart ，There lies a magic spark

And since the dawn of manThe strength of just “I can”Has brought together people of all nations

There’s nothing ordinaryIn the living of each day

Everyone of us will playFeel the flame forever burnTeaching lessons we must learn

To bring us closer to the power of the dreamAs the world gives us its best

It is the power of the dream that brings us hereYour mind will take you farThe rest is just pure heart

And every boy and girlAs they come into this world

Feel the flame forever burnTeaching lessons we must learnTo bring us closer to the power of the dream

We pray that it will always be

It is the power of the dream that brings us here

Every woman, child and manIt’s the moment that you think you can’tYou’ll discover that you can

Teaching lessons we must learnTo bring us closer to the power of the dream

The world unites in hope and peaceWe pray that it will always beIt is the power of the dream that brings us hereFeel the flame forever burn

Teaching lessons we must learnTo bring us closer to the power of the dreamThe world unites in hope and peaceWe pray that it will always be

It is the power of the dream that brings us hereThe power of the dream

The courage to embrace your fearNo matter where you are

To realize the power of the dreamTo realize the power of the dream

Questions and Answers

1. What kind of Olympic spirit is expressed in the song?Believing in the power of dreams and always having faith in yourself.

2.How would you understand this line “You’ll find your fate is all your own creation”?

All the Olympic champions actually create their own glory through their own efforts.

4. Text Organization: P. 9

Part One Paras 1-2

Part Two Paras 3-15

After reading each part, we’ll sum up the main idea.

Part One: Main Idea

Many athletes mount the winners’ stand not simply because of their athletic talent, but because of their firm inner fibre.

Part Two: Main Idea

The qualities that help make Olympic champions involve having a dream, being fired up, aiming high, not quitting, and making one’s own luck.

5. True or False

1. After Kristi Yamaguchi fell to the ground she had to do the program all over again in order to win the gold medal ( F )

• She received near-perfect marks despite the fall.2.Sportsmen win not simply because of their athletic

talent but because of their strong willpower. (T)

3.Every child who dreams of Olympic fame will one day climb onto the winners’ stand. ( F )

• Not every child who dreams of Olympic fame will one day climb onto the winners’ stand.

4.Most athletes are able to foretell the outcome of their competition. ( F )

• Some athletes are able to do that because of their high expectation.

Unit Seven What Makes Olympics Champions?

Unit Seven Book Three

Text A

Paragraph 1:

When Kristi Yamaguchi fell to the ice in the 1992 Winter Olympics at Albertville, France, spectators groaned. Surely the 20-year-old’s chances for a gold medal in figure skating had evaporated with that tumble. But Kristi rose to her feet, flashed a dazzling smile and spun back into her program. When the judges’ scores were announced, she had received near-perfect marks despite the fall. Her spirited recovery gave her the gold medal — a tribute to her determination and courage.

But Kristi rose to her feet, flashed a dazzling smile and spun back into her program.

1. What does “dazzling” mean here? What does the word imply?

Paragraph 1-1:

1. Dazzling” means very impressive and attractive. The word “dazzling” implies that Kristi was very courageous in the face of adversity.

2. Translate the sentence into Chinese.但是克里斯蒂站了起来，她灿然一笑，旋转身体，继续表演。

Words and Expressions:evaporate: 1.vt. to (cause to) change into steam and disapp

ear• 太阳把树叶上的湿气蒸发掉。 The sun evaporates moisture on the leaves.2. vi. to change into vapor; to disappear or vanis

h• 煮饭时，要把米煮熟继续煮直至大多数水蒸发掉。 When you cook rice, bring the rice to the boil

and continue to cook until most of the water has evaporated.

Words and Expressions:spin: 1.vt. to cause to rotate swiftly; to twirl• The village has a reputation for spinning fine

wool yarn.2. vi. to turn round and round fast; to ro

tate rapidly• 猛烈的一击打得敌人昏头转向 , 倒在地上。 The heavy blow sent the enemy

spinning to the ground.

Paragraph 2: As a consultant to US Olympic teams and many individual athlet

es, I’ve seen dozens of young men and women like Kristi who reached deep into themselves at a critical moment and found something that brought out their best. They mounted the winners’ stand not simply because of athletic talent but because of firm inner fiber.

They had a dream. Kristi Yamaguchi visualized herself as an Olympic champion the first time she put on skates, at age six. Bonny Warner, who represented the United States in three Olympic luge competitions, didn’t have her dream until she was a college student. Before that, she had never heard of the racing sled called a luge. But once the dream took shape, both young women clung to it courageously and worked to make it come true.

I’ve seen dozens of young men and women like Kristi who reached deep into themselves at a critical moment and found something that brought out their best.1. What does “reached deep into themselves”

mean? The phrase means “exerted themselves to th

e utmost.”2. Translate the sentence into Chinese. 我目睹了许多像克里斯蒂这样年轻的男女运动

员：他们在关键时刻能够尽自己最大的努力，找到发挥潜能的一种力量。

represent: vt. to stand for or symbolize ； to officially speak or take action for another person or group of people

1.Her greatest ambition was to represent her country at the Olympics.2. 秃鹰象征美国。 The bald eagle represents the United States.

Paragraph 3-4:

Most important, their parents and those around them supported the dream. Loretta Dawes, whose 16-year-old daughter, Dominique, was one of the first female black gymnasts to represent the United States in the Olympics, recently told the press that bringing up a world-class athlete isn’t easy. For an entire year before the 1992 Olympics, she rarely saw her daughter, who lived with her coach to be closer to the gym, a 45-minute drive from home. Dawes was askedwhat advice she would give other parents of athletes. She answered simply and eloquently. “Believe in your child,” she said.

Words and Expressions:eloquent: adj. 1.able to express ideas and opinions

readily and well, so that • Martin Luther King was an eloquent

speaker, famous for his speech “I Have a Dream.”

2. showing a feeling or meaning without using words

• The healthy appearance of the children is eloquent of the wealth of the nation.

• The photographs are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.

Paragraph 5-6:

That doesn’t mean every child who dreams of Olympic fame will one day climb onto the winners’ stand. But being able to dream is the first step on every road to success — even if the initial dream eventually leads to a different road. They’re fired up. The Olympic Flame that top performers pursue burns inside them. They’re driven not only to be the best but to do their best — always.That’s why Carl Lewis, who already holds eight Olympic gold medals, plans to compete again at 36 in the 1996 Games, against youngsters half his age; and why discus thrower Al Oerter, after winning gold medals in four consecutive Olympics, tried again for the Olympic team at age 47.

They’re fired up.

1. What does “fire sb. up” mean? “Fire sb. up” means “to make sb. become very excit

ed, interested, etc.”

Another example:

We’ve got to get fired up for this game or we have no hope of winning.

我们得鼓起劲来，不然就没有获胜的希望。 2. Paraphrase the sentence.They are enthusiastic about what they are doing.

Words and Expressions:initial: 1.adj. happening at the beginning• In the initial stages, the researcher needs to understand

the market and the client’s position and objectives.2. n. the first letter of a proper name• What are the names of the rivers marked by initials on t

he map?3. vt. to write one’s initials on a document to ma

ke it official or to show that one agrees with sth.• The two countries have initialed a new defense coopera

tion agreement.

Paragraph 7-8:

Swimmer Janet Evans, who won three gold medals in Seoul in 1988, embodied that same desire to win four years later. After she narrowly missed a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle, she swam one of the most psychologically challenging races of her life in the 800-meter freestyle to win the gold. “I just wanted to be up there on that winners’ stand one more time,” she confessed. They aim high. I once asked a world-class athlete to guess at the outcome of a major competition. “I’ll come in fifth,” he said. And that’s exactly where he finished, even though he could easily have placed third, or even second, since two other major contenders performed poorly.

This book embodies the works of many young writers.

that’s exactly where he finished

1. Paraphrase the sentence.that’s exactly what he did: he came in fifth

Words and Expressions:embody: vt. 1. to represent in bodily or material form; to be a

very good example of an idea or quality• 言语能够具体表现各种思想和感情。• Language can embody various thoughts and feelings.2. to include something; to make part of a system

or whole; to incorporate• 此书收录了许多年轻作家的作品。• This book embodies the works of many young writers.

Paragraph 9-10:

Contrast him with “Flo Jo” — Florence Griffith Joyner. Training a w

eek before the 1988 Games, she wrote in her diary the time she exp

ected to run and win the 100-meter dash: 10.54 seconds. When Flo

Jo crossed the finish line, the clock showed 10.54. She had not o

nly seen herself winning, but called her winning time to the split se

cond.

They never quit. The 1992 Summer Olympics featured two tremend

ously poignant moments. American sprinter Gail Devers, the clea

r leader in the 100-meter hurdles, tripped over the last barrier. She

agonizingly pulled herself to her knees and crawled the last five me

ters, finishing the fifth — but finishing.

She had not only seen herself winning, but called her winning time to the split second. 1. Paraphrase the sentence. She had not only predicted that she would

win, but had also predicted the exact time of winning the race.

2. Translate the sentence 她不仅能够在赛前看到自己夺冠，而且对夺冠

的成绩也能做出毫秒不差的预测。

Words and Expressions:

poignant: adj. 1.producing a sharp feeling of pity or sadness• The differences between rich and poor are perhaps mos

t significant, most visible, and most poignant in the lives of children.

2. Collocations:a poignant question 苛刻的质问poignant anxiety 深深的焦虑poignant regret 深沉的懊悔poignant remarks 尖锐的批评poignant sarcasm 辛辣的讽刺poignant suggestions 中肯的建议

Paragraph 11-12:

Even more heart-breaking was the 400-meter semifinal in which British runner Derek Redmond had one leg injured and fell to the track. He struggled to his feet and began to hobble, determined to complete the race. His father ran from the stands to help him off the track, but the athlete refused to quit.

He leaned on his father, and the two limped to the finish line together, to deafening applause. They make their own luck. When Paul Wylie won a silver medal in men’s figure skating at Albertville, he surprised everyone but himself. Several skaters who had been expected to win medals had been injured or had performed poorly. “I was the last person expected to make the winners’ podium,” Wylie said. “But I had trained like crazy, and when the favorites faltered, I was ready.”

I was the last person expected to make the winners’ podium.

1. Paraphrase the sentence. I was not at all expected to be the winner.

2. Translate the sentence 没有人会想到我能登上领奖台。

Words and Expressions:limp: 1. vi. to walk with an uneven step, one foot

or leg moving less well than the other• I noticed that one of the horses was limping,

and called for the vet.2. adj. not firm or strong; lacking strength

or stiffness• The heat was too much for her, and she went

limp and fell to the ground.• The green beans were limp from overcooking

Paragraph 13-15:

Month after month, year after year, Olympians I know go through a grind of pointing toward their big moment. Skaters arise at 4 a.m. to squeeze in a few hours of practice before a rink is open to the public. Cyclists put in hours of running exercises before reporting to their daily jobs. Boxers head for the gym and work out relentlessly every day. In the Olympics, as in other aspects of life, luck certainly counts. The second clarinetist who has practiced diligently is lucky to get a chance to solo when the first clarinetist becomes ill. So is the assistant sales manager who fills in for the boss in an emergency. But both must be well prepared for their big break. In the Olympics — in everything — luck strikes those prepared to capitalize on it.

Olympians I know go through a grind of pointing toward their big moment.1. Paraphrase the sentence. The athletes I know who have participated in

the Olympic Games experience lots of hardships on their way to success.

2. Translate the sentence 我所了解的这些奥运选手，为了那个辉煌的时

刻，日复一日、年复一年地埋头苦干。

Words and Expressions:count:1. vi. to be important or valuable• Every penny counts in the battle to save the rainforests.2. vt. to calculate the total number of things or pe

ople in a group• I was amazed at the number of plants — I counted 147.• I sat down with the Financial Times and tried to count h

ow many people were actually smoking underneath no-smoking signs.

Summary of Text A

In the text, the author discussed the topic what makes world champions, using the techniques of listing and exemplification. You are required to write on the topic “What Makes Good Teachers,” with an attempt to imitate the two writing techniques.

HOMEWORKDirections: In the map below, you are shown the host cities of

the Olympics from 1896 to 2008. Study the map carefully and complete the following questions with the

information it provides. In each column, write down the names of the Olympic host cities and countries

in that region. Place them in sequence together with their dates. The first one has been done for you.

How are the host cities distributed in these five continents? Out of the total 26 host cities, 15 are in Europe, 6 in America, or mo

re exactly, in North America, 3 in Asia, and the last 2 in Oceania, or rather Australia.

What factor(s) may have caused such distribution? Many factors might have caused this distribution, but the major fac

tor should be a nation’s economic power as well as its political influence. All the host cities are located in better developed countries. That is why no country in Africa and South America has ever hosted the Olympic Games, while 60% of the host cities are distributed in Europe. Apart from economic power and political influence, there might be other factors such as climate, social environment, and transportation.

Which Olympic years are missing in your table? Why were there no Olympic Games in those years?

Three Olympic years are missing: 1916, 1940 and 1944, because in 1916 the First World War was going on, and the years from 1939-1945 (including 1940 and 1944) witnessed the Second World War.