College English 3

Unit 2

The woman who would not tell

Unit 8: Section B

The American Civil WarThe American Civil War

Language points Language points

Blank-filling with New Words

Guided writing

Blank-filling with New Words

Guided writing

Unit 2

Exercises

Word-building

Multiple Choice

Word-building

Multiple Choice

Test Yourself

Background Knowledge

Background KnowledgeBackground Knowledge

The American Civil War

The American Civil War was

a four-year armed conflict between

northern and southern sections of

the United States. The fighting

began on April 12,1861, and lasted

until May 1865.

Background Knowledge

For a long time before the Civil War, the Northand the south had dis-agreed with each other onmany issues. Most peopleIn the North wanted to Abolish slavery, or at leastto stop its spread to newstates, while the slave ownerof the South held that slavery should be allowed everywhere.

Background Knowledge

Another issue that divided the North and the South was a political one. The North believed in a strong central government, that is, the federal government should have more power than the state governments. Most southerners, however, regarded the nation as a union of separate and more or less independent states. They held that a state had the right to withdraw, or “seceded”, from the Union when it felt its interests to be threatened.

Background Knowledge

In November, 1860, Abraham Lincoln

was elected the 16th president of the

united States. Since Lincoln had become

well known throughout the country for his

anti-slavery views, his election caused a

panic among the slave owners in the South.

Background KnowledgeBackground Knowledge

Yankee:Yankee: This name was given to New Englanders anThis name was given to New Englanders and later extended to citizens of the United Std later extended to citizens of the United States in general. The word may be a corrupt ates in general. The word may be a corrupt pronunciation of the word “English” by thpronunciation of the word “English” by the North American Indians. A more probable e North American Indians. A more probable theory is that it came from Janke, a name atheory is that it came from Janke, a name applied by Dutch sailors to English colonists ipplied by Dutch sailors to English colonists in Connecticut.n Connecticut.

Word-building: suffix -eerWord-building: suffix -eer

Model: A person who does something of his Model: A person who does something of his

own free will is a own free will is a volunteer .volunteer .

1.1.A person who takes care of or runs an engine A person who takes care of or runs an engine

is an is an engineerengineer . .

2.2.A person skilled in mountain climbing is a A person skilled in mountain climbing is a

mountaineermountaineer..

3.3.A person who does something first and so A person who does something first and so

prepares the way for others is a prepares the way for others is a pioneerpioneer . .BackBack

Word-building: suffix -eerWord-building: suffix -eer

4.A person who develops or produces weapons is a weaponeer.

5. A person who acts by or adheres to a routine is a routineer.

6. A person who makes large profits, especially by taking advantages of times of difficulty or scarcity, is a profiteer.

Comprehension of the text

Read the following statements carefully, anddecide whether they are true (T) or false (F)

1.When Bettie saw Lt. Bedell lying in the attic, she thought this man was sufferingand she must try to help him.

(T)

2. Bettie helped Lt. Bedelll because she wasfor the Union cause.

(F)

Comprehension of the text3. Bettie did not take any medicine from the Confederate hospital probably because she felt it would be an act of cruelty.

(T)

4. Bettie finally got the medicine from the black market.

(F)5. Secretary of War Edwin rewarded Bettieby writing a letter of thanks to her. (T)

BackBack

Exercises

Fill in the blanks with the words given below. Change the form where necessary.

infection presence pray crack

disaster proof risk lower

fan flare up

1. “Your ____ at the meeting will 1. “Your ____ at the meeting will be a great support to our cause,” be a great support to our cause,” says the cable.says the cable.

presencepresence

Exercises

2. 2. It was so hot in the room that she had to ____ herself with a newspaper to keep from fainting.

fanfan

3. Last night’s fire was the worst ____ that has ever hit the frontier town.

disasterdisaster

Exercises

4. Mr. Price _____ defeat in running 4. Mr. Price _____ defeat in running against Mr. Johnson in the last election.against Mr. Johnson in the last election.

riskedrisked

5. Now all we can do is help 5. Now all we can do is help

ourselves and ____ to God.ourselves and ____ to God.

praypray

6. 6. To obtain the job, you must have ___ of residence in Michigan, such as a Michigan ID card.

proofproof BackBack

8.Many people there are infected, but the doctor 8.Many people there are infected, but the doctor says the ____ could be cleared up easily with says the ____ could be cleared up easily with antibiotics which have proved to be the best antibiotics which have proved to be the best remedy for it.remedy for it.

Exercises

infectiousinfectious

9. Every day, on the lawn in front of the county court, we hoisted the national flag at daybreak and ____ it at sunset.

loweredlowered

10. The nation watched in shock as the 1992 riots ______ in Los Angeles.

flared upflared up

Language points: 1. But I could picture her as she was in t

he story she told me.:But I could form a picture in my mind of w

hat she looked like in the story she told me.

Picture: imagine; form a picture of in the mind

e.g.: I couldn’t see his face in the dark, but I could somehow picture his expression.

Language points:2. capture: make a prisoner of; seize

E.g.: In the battle they captured 30 prisoners.

I can’t picture her as the world-record holder of the women’s high-jump. She doesn’t look like an athlete at all.

Language points:3. former: of an earlier time

E.g.: Former US president Nixon is well remembered in China for what he did to normalize the US-China relationship.

My uncle was proud that a former student of his had won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Language points:4.check: test or examine to see if sth. is correct

E.g.: Check your bicycle brakes before you ride.

Please check all the figures in your report before you hand it in.

There is something wrong with my tape-recorder. I need to have it checked.

Language points:5...in the stained blue uniform…

Blue was the color of the uniforms worn by the Union soldiers while the Confederate wore gray uniforms.

Language points:6. awful: terrible; very bad

E.g.: The medicine tastes awful. I feel like throwing up.

The war movie is full of awful scenes which I think are not suitable for children.

Language points:7 That’s what war is really like, child: no bugles and banners. Just pain and filth, futility and death.:

Here Aunt Bettie is saying that war is not so glorious or romantic as some people describe it. In reality it only brings about pain and filth, futility and death.

Language points:8. lean: support or rest oneself in a bent or sloping position

E.g.: Feeling a little dizzy, she leaned against the wall for support.

He used to lean back in his easy chair after supper and enjoy some light music before going on with his writing.

Language points:9. be sick: throw up what is in the stomach; vomit

E.g.: The patient has been sick several times today.

The cat’s been sick on the carpet.

Language points:10 The man’s papers Bettie found in the attic established his identity.:

The man’s documents… told her who he was.

Papers: documents telling who one is or giving one official permission to do sth. , for example a passport, visa, and identity card.

E.g.: You will have to show your papers at the gate.

Language points:11 11th Vermont Volunteers:

On April 15,1861, three days after the Confederates fired the first shots of the Civil War, President Lincoln issued his call for 75,000 volunteers. Answering his call, many young people joined the Northern army to “save the Union and free the slaves” and many regiments of volunteers were formed.

Language points:12… should report the presence of this Union officer to the Confederate army:

…should report to the Confederate army that there was a Union officer in her farmhouse.

Presence: the fact or state of being present

E.g.: Jane was so quiet that her presence was hardly noticed.

Language points:13… waiting, and hoping, and not knowing

…waiting for him to come back, and hoping he was all right, yet not knowing where he was or when he could come back.

Language points:14 matter: be important

E.g.: Since it is going to be an informal party, it doesn’t matter how you’re dressed.

Since you are back safe and sound, all other things do not matter much now.

Language points:15… James Van Metre’s wife fanned the spark of life that flickered in Henry Bedell:

She brought the dying man (Henry Bedell ) back to life in the way that she would fan a dying fire into flame again.

Language points:16 supplies: the food, equipment, etc. necessary for an army, expedition or the like

E.g.: A big country like ours cannot depend on other countries for our food supplies.

We have nearly finished our supplies. How can we continue our journey through the mountains?

Language points:17… with what she had:

With the few (kinds of )drugs and medicines she had

“Almost none” in the sentence above implies that she did have some (kinds of ) drugs and medicines.

Language points:18 flare up: suddenly become angry, fierce or violent, especially of a person, fire, battle,etc.

E.g.: I don’t like to see you flare up so easily

The forest fires, which were regarded yesterday as almost under control, flared up again during the night.

The fighting in the Middle East flared up again last Saturday with heavy losses on both sides.

Language points:19 or: otherwise; if not

E.g.: Hurry or you’ll miss the train. I must go now or I shall be late.

Language points:20 family doctor: the doctor

21 proof: evidence or a particular piece of evidence

e.g.: We have proof that this man committed the theft.

Can you give any proof that the gold watch is yours?

Language points:22 bear: have; show

e.g.: John is really very careless. The check he sent me yesterday bears no signature of his!

China’s 100 yuan note bears a protrait of the country’s four late leaders and a watermark of Mao Zedong’s head.

Language points:23 item: one of a number of things, esp. in a list or as a group

E.g.: The X-ray scanner examines every passenger’s luggage so that no prohibited items are carried aboard.

Coffee is a chief export item of Brazil.

Language points:24 risk: place in danger; take the chance of

E.g.: Jack risked his life in trying to save the drowning child.

You’re risking your health by smoking so many cigarettes a day.

If you wait any longer you will risk missing your train.

Language points:25 junior: younger; lower in rank or imiportance

e.g.: After graduation from college my brother became a junior clerk in a foreign bank at 3,000 yuan a month.

Judging from his manner of speaking, he must be a junior member of the committee.

Language points:26 see that/see to it that: make sure that; take care that

E.g.: I promise to see that the fee is paid without delay.

See that everything is properly arranged beforehand.

See to it that the lights are turned off before you leave the office.

Language points:27 brush aside: disregard, ignore

E.g.: He brushed aside all our objections/suggestions.

The doctor’s opinions cannot be brushed aside.

Language points:28 bring through: save…from…(an illness, etc.)

E.g.: The surgeon decided that only a successful operation could bring the patient through.

It was his firm belief in the final victory that brought him through the war.

Language points:29 disaster: a great or sudden misfortune; a terrible accident

E.g.: Every year throughout the world natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions cause heavy losses of life and property.

If pollution and the improper use of certain chemicals continue, environmental disasters will be inevitable.

Language points:30 Only an hour from the Union lines:

When they came to a place which was only an hour’s drive from the lines of defence of the Union Army,…

Here “an hour” means “the distance which can be traveled in an hour”.

Language points:31 lower: move or let down; drop

E.g.: when the teacher praised her, Janet lowered her head in shyness.

He leaned forward to me and lowered his voice, as if he were going to tell me something secret.

Guided Writing

In the story, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton wrote Mrs. Van Metre a letter to thank her for helping a wounded Union soldier out of danger. Suppose you were Stanton. Write a letter of thanks to Mrs. Van Metre. You are required to include the following expressions in your letter:

receive a report of the assistance

act of kindness

moved by the report

do the right thing

an expression of one’s gratitude

Guided Writing

repay one’s kindness

order the immediate release of

hope that the present slaughter will end soon

You may begin like this:

Dear Mrs. Van Metre, I have just received…