Unit 2 The Power of Language

What can words change or make?

Part I Preparation

1. Chatting: The words / sentences that affected you.

2. Make up a story

3. Debate: A. Do you agree that Mandarin should be popularized

all over the country with great effort and gradually replace dialects in education and public spheresin education and public spheres?

B. Do you support that the use of Mandarin Chinese should be enforced in media and educationmedia and education?

Language—culture--cognitive activity--social evolution

Diversity in “social ecosystem” & prosperity in community life, economics, …

Extinct dialects took away ____

Promoting mandarin & reserve / respect dialects Promoting a language vs. enforcing a language

Media vs. school Communication vs. performances vs.

entertainment

Part II Reading-Centered Activities

In-Class Reading

The Power of Notes

I Pre-reading question

Do you think people need encouragement and praise? Why or why not? (You may use your own examples or stories of people you know to support your argument.)

II Q&A: text study (1)

Para 1—4 Who’s Don Wolfe? Describe him based on

the information you find in the text. What is Don’s note to me? And why does

it mean so much to me? Now summarize the 4 paragraphs with one

sentences.

II text study (2)

Para 5--7 Why did the author value note writing more th

an phone calls? With its value all revealed to people, why do m

ost people hesitate in writing notes to others and usually make phone calls instead?

What is the author’s choice between writing notes and making phone calls and why.

II Q&A text study (3)

Para 8—10 Why do you think the author cite the example

of George Bush in para 8? And which point of his life is highlighted in the text?

Do you personally think Bush and Peterson wrote notes to people of all walks of life because they think their recipients would be boosted to help their business or career?

II Q&A text study (4)

Para 11—16 What is the sole thing that make

your note spirit-lifting and warm? What are the 4 S words? How to keep your notes

spontaneous?

II Q&A text study (5)

Para 17—19What is the least uplifting component for a

note?A. Poetic words?B. Superlatives?C. Compliments? D. Lateness?

III Post-reading

E2 P57

After-class work:

Who are in your recipients list of note writing and what would you write to them? Use the tips and common senses about note writing from the passage.

language

Sentences: for grammar & creative writing

New words Expressions P54-55 Exercise: Vocab 1--6

Learn words in groups 1

Lift (people) up l35 Uplifting l17 l77

Lift spirit l52 Spirit-lifting l15

Inspiring l7

Boost: noun l19 verb l43

Positive reinforcement l50

2 antonyms

Sincere l55 Responsive

Insincere l23 Unresponsive l18

3 Old words—new words

Nearby l 13 Upbeat l21 Overdue l78

Rag-eared l7

Characterize l36 Recipient l 15 Practitioner l 51

E.g. a nearby school Adj. not a verb Due: the book is due to

morrow; due to

=dog-eared

Be –d as… receptionist vs. recipient Not “praticer”

4 Easy words---difficult words

Enterprise l1 Intrigue l2 Drawback l25 Savor l27 Cordial l31 Aloof l 36 Scribble l 41 Thrive l 51 Vague l59 Precise l 60 Spontaneous l 61 Mentor l 76 overdue

company / business attract / amazed disadvantage / shortcoming Taste Sincere Unfriendly / indifferent Write prosper / develop unclear exact natural tutor / teacher delayed

After-Class Reading After-Class Reading After-Class Reading After-Class Reading

1.1. All the Good ThingsAll the Good Things

2.2. Mother TongueMother Tongue

Students’ presentations

Further explorations

Passage I All the good things

(1) to learn and interpret the story:

To understand “all the good things”

Summarize the two stories in school involving Mark and his classmates Para 1—6 Para 7-11

What is the connection of this story with the one in “The power of Notes”?

Passage I All the good things

(2) Background information 1: Elementary and secondary Education in U.S

public school (tuition free / stated funding): ① elementary school (Kindergarten—8th grade) exceptions : +middle school / junior high school (7th grade – 9th grade)② secondary school / high school (9th grade –12th grade)Private school (family pay the tuition) 4/5 run by religious groups, with religious instruction as part of the curriculum

(e,g. The Blind Side)

Home Schooling ----College

(2) Background information 1:

the Vietnam War: ---1 Nov, 1955~~30 April 1975 ---a Cold War military conflict

---in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia

• North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies

• the government of South Vietnam, supported by the U.S. and other anti-communist nations

Movie: Across the World

Passage I All the good things (3) Focus on language:

Difficult sentences…For translation practice: L3-4; L17-19; L21-22For grammatical understanding: para 7

New words Incessantly: 只要你给他机会他就会说个不停。 incessantly; novice; state; wink : synonym? state: v/n scene vs. scenery impress sb vs. impress on sb sth shrug, edgy, lull, ragged, to this day…

Exercises 1,2 -after class work

Passage 2 Mother Tongue

(1) Amy Tan: Chinese American & American Writer The Joy Luck Cluban “untypical” case of language

learning

Passage 2 Mother Tongue

(2) Focus on the text

Task: find out all the examples of Amy’s mother’s “broken” English and analyze them. (para 8-10)

Amy’s perception of her mother’s broken English (para 4--6)

Amy’s understanding of the use of their “family talk” English (para 3)

Amy’s switch in using the two Englishes and when she couldn’t switch (para 2)

Passage 2 Mother Tongue

(3) Focus on language• Long sentences

• New Words Evoke (~ emotions / feelings / memories) lengthy (a ~ what?) shrink (~ shrink) rebellious (noun? verb?) yell (sb ~; ~ at sb)

• Exercises 1, 2 –after class work

The Joy Luck Club

an “untypical” case of language learning

Mother Tongue: “broken” English --para 6 English major student, using “standard” English -- para 11

English writer (whose works concerns a lot about her mother tongue—broken English and question the “standard” English being orthodox ) –para 1

Part III Further Development

Part III Further Development

1. Enriching Your Word Power

2. debate: Texting vs. Calling (optional; for writing)

3. How powerful are your words: make your “drama conversation” (after-class work)

4. A picture’s Worth a Thousand Words (after-class

work)

debate: Text message versus CallingStep 1: divide the class into two groupsGroup 1 lists all the advantages of text messageGroup 2 lists all the disadvantages of calling

Step 2: develop and further your arguments by taking notes when listening

Step 3: get a conclusion according to your notes and outline for your group

Suggestion: write an article on this topic based on the debate or your own research / ideas.

Part IV Translation

回忆：翻译的步骤？ 翻译作业情况

英译汉长句翻译——翻译方法之：原序和换序译法。（ 1 ）复习 unit 1: P42 ： 默读 & 了解（ 2 ）学习 unit 2:P86--90

正确的翻译步骤 +对两种语言（源语和目标语）的熟练理解和书写能力 =方法

翻译练习：英语时事新闻

Q&A 翻译的价值：你能用它来干嘛？ 证书&就业；技术&生存；特长&竞争

英译汉翻译的前提？ 英语语法、英语词汇 汉语语感、汉语书面/口头表达能力 常识（各个学科的基本知识、具体的生活体验）

翻译软件能代替人脑来翻译吗？ 没有软件能够代替人脑做翻译工作。 单词和短语的翻译可以做到。 有帮助排序和分析句子的软件：作为翻译的一个步骤，在人脑的监控下，可以帮你节省时间。 有词典：帮你翻译单词，但要用人脑去选择词典里的某个词义，并把词典里的汉语表达变成符合

上下文的表达方式。

Tips for quiz preparation

1. dictation: new words from 3 passages 2. parts of speech & transformation of words 3. Synonyms 4. translation E—C: from ICR+ACR1(1) 5. Writing & thematic debate: strengths of

dialects over Mandarin Chinese