1、Unit 6 The TelephoneAnwar F. AccawiR einforcementT ext AnalysisThe TelephoneB ackgroundW arming upUnit 6Questions / ActivitiesCheck-on PreviewObjectivesWBTRWarming upThe TelephoneUnit 6Warming upQuestions / ActivitiesDid the title tell you much?What did you expect to read?WBTRPlease define the under
2、lined words in each context: (p.22) In the evening, the laughter and noise of the men trailed off and finally stopped (p.22)“Ill give him a trail to follow,” muttered Rainsford. (L. 8) (p.21)to bring news that would change their lives and deliver them from their aimless existence. (p.22)or to delive
3、r a message to his wife, such asn. The track of a person or animal by which it can be followedv. (voice off), it becomes gradually quieter and then stopsCheck-on PreviewWarming up free sb from a situationtake sth to a place 有时候，在这漫长的等待中，加上酷热，苍蝇以及羊粪的气味，人们的脾气变得暴躁起来。年轻一点的女人因为担心她们的婴儿，开始为该轮到谁接水争吵起来。有时，争吵
4、升级，女人们大打出手；她们扯着对方的头发、吐着口水、诅咒着、尖叫着、谩骂着，把我的耳朵刺得嗡嗡作响。我们这些和母亲一道去取水的被晒得黝黑的小男孩喜欢这样的打斗，因为女人们扭打着在沙地里打滚的时候，我们可以看到她们的大腿和花内裤。偶尔，我们幸运地可以看到更多，因为有些女人在长裙下面根本什么都没穿。上帝呀，我曾经多么盼望这样的打斗。我现在还记得那种冲动、那种兴奋，连阳光都在滚滚的尘土上跳舞，当一条裙子被扯破了，年轻女人的一只白皙的乳房漏了出来，旋即又被遮了起来。在我的日历上，大旱的那一年将永远是我孩提时代最美妙的年份之一。 Translate the following paragraph int
5、o English by yourself and then compare with the original. Check-on PreviewWarming up Understand the theme of the story (understand globalization from another perspective, cf. “Globalizations Dual Power”) Appreciate the style v perspectivev tone v strongly flavored expressionsv metaphor, simile, exag
6、gerationObjectivesWarming upBackgroundSocial BackgroundAuthorBWTRThe TelephoneUnit 6Anwar F. AccawiHis LifeuBorn in Lebanon in a family whose ancestors are believed to have gone to Jerusalem in the Crusades.uTaught English at the University of BeirutuLeft for the U.S. when the civil war brokeout in
7、LebanonuHas been teaching English at the English Language Institute of the Uni. of TennesseeBackgroundAuthor Non-Fiction The Boy from the Tower of the Moon (1999) Short fiction The Camera in Homeworks (1996) BackgroundHis WorksAuthorBackgroundSocial BackgroundA Short Story Plot: a little boys first
8、time to go to school on the way to school Setting: at school on the way home Protagonist/Narrator: “I” the boy in the story Theme of the story: what do you think?BWTRLocation: Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and Syria Ethnic divisions: Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1% Bac
9、kgroundSocial BackgroundLanguages: Arabic (official), French (official), Armenian, Englisho Religions: Islam 70% Christian 30% JudaismIndependence: 22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration)BackgroundSocial BackgroundThe Capital CityBeirut“Paris of the Middle East”
10、 BackgroundSocial BackgroundDetailedAnalysisStructureThemeText AnalysisTWBRThe TelephoneUnit 6 What would be the key words if you want to discuss its theme? - technology, progress, globalization? - a better life?Text AnalysisTheme The advent of the telephone and automobile (magic carpet of the twent
11、ieth century) link Magdaluna to the outside world and gradually destroy its centuries-old tradition of self-sufficiency; the Lebanese Civil War (1975-90) completes the villages slow and agonizing death. Yet Magdaluna remains alive in Accawis loving portrait, a gentle recollection of childhood that d
12、oubles as a poignant reminder of modernitys sometimes devastating impact. -Wendy SmithIs this all? Text AnalysisThemePart I (1-10)village life before the installation.P(1-8): what time meant to people in Magadaluna P(9-10): the authors memory of a draught in his childhood. Part II (11-25)changes bro
13、ught to the village by telephone.P11: TransitionP(12-18): InstallationP(19-25): Changes happening to the villageText AnalysisStructureText AnalysisDetailed AnalysisMain IdeaSentence ParaphraseWords & ExpressionsExercisePart I Part IITWBRPart I (1-10): main ideavillage life before the installationA.
14、What did time mean to the people?(paras.1-8) Questions for comprehension 1. What was the overall picture of Magdaluna? How did the narrator present the picture? 2. What did time mean to the villagers? How did they keep track of time? What did it suggest? 3. What was the general life pattern for the
15、villagers? And what were considered important events?Text AnalysisDetailed Analysis Para. 1: Topic sentence?Time didnt mean much to anybody in the secluded village. Any other noted feature(s)?the unchanging cycle of life?a traditional, agricultural society?Text AnalysisDetailed Analysis Paras. 2 - 8
16、: Main idea?The villagers used a divine calendar to keep track of time. Any other noted feature(s)?the natural disasters?The tone of the narrator “I” (as a boy)?Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisPart I: ExerciseComplete the following questions with keep track of/lose track of (p.1); crack(p.6); shortly
17、after (p.4.); incorporate (p.8).1.He felt sick he came back from tropical countries.2.She bought Vogue and Elle every month to keep track of fashion.3. He picked up a piece of rock and cracked it in half. 4.The government this principle into the 1997 law.shortly afterincorporatedText AnalysisDetaile
18、d AnalysisWrap-up of this part Find evidence in this part suggesting the villagers had a monotonous life. Find evidence in this part suggesting the villagers had a hard life. Find out the expressions bearing a strong local flavor. Find the figures of speech in this part.Text AnalysisDetailed Analysi
19、sB. The Year of the Drought (paras.9-10) Why did the narrator say that the year of drought was one of his best years?Do the boys memories of that year reveal anything important? Whats that? Could you figure out the one of the advantages of adopting a boys perspective? Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisW
20、rap-up of this part What was the image of the village women? Does it fit into the woman images of our society? What does this part tell us about the local life?Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisA. Transition (para. 11) Main idea? The year of drought also one of the worst yearsAny other noted feature(s)?
21、 the boys attitude towards the installation of the telephone? The division of ideas among the villagers? The general attitude towards the installation? Part II : main idea (Para. 11-25)changes brought by the telephoneText AnalysisDetailed AnalysisThe retired cook, Abu RajaThe retired Turkish-army dr
22、ill sergeant,The vineyard keeperThe village whoreWhy definite articles? Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisB. Installation (paras. 12-18) What was the villagers response to the installation of telephone? What did the villagers think of the telephone men? How did the villagers have such an impression? How
23、 different were their positions when they came to observe the process? What does this suggest? (para.13)Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisChanges in the village (Paras. 19-25)Before After Implicationvillage centerIm Kaleems houseAbu Rajas dikkanactivitiesArgue about politics, drink coffee, play cards or
24、 backgammonExchange rumor, glanceat the phone, drink Kacula, generalAtmosphereBustling at any time of day, island of comfort, an oasisLaughter, noise trailed off, stopped a skeletonfor meLucrative business,Run errands to make moneyFewer and fewer men came to Im kaleems?Mother- fatherHome- abroadLife
25、- deathText AnalysisDetailed Analysis Paras. 19 - 20:Main idea?Before the telephones arrival, the house of the village whore Im Kaleem was the villages center.Any other noted feature(s)?Im Kaleems features?Her place as one of comfort and entertainment? Any question(s) in mind?Why she was attractive
26、to those men?Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisThe village whore Im Kaleen Appearance: short, middle-aged, jet-blackhair Voice: raspy, loud (exaggeration) Identity: widow, devout Catholic, village whore (whats special about her being a whore?) Function: burden-reliever for women, confessor and troublesh
27、ooter for men Q: How do you understand this? Do you agree with the authors opinion in retrospect?Text AnalysisDetailed Analysis Para. 21:Main idea?Abu Rajas dikkan became the villages new center.Any other noted feature(s)?young villagers wish to leave?Foreign things, esp. American beverageText Analy
28、sisDetailed Analysis Para. 22:Main idea?The telephone was bad news for “me” personally, because “I” could no longer make money out of running errands.Any other noted feature(s)?the earlier closeness among villagers?Boys are boys (everywhere)?Text AnalysisDetailed Analysis Paras. 23 24:Main idea?The
29、telephone calls did come and villagers started to leave the village, leaving only the old, the sick and the maimed behind.Any other noted feature(s)?the exodus?Many of them were doing hard, often menial, work?There was no more life / vitality in the village? Text AnalysisDetailed Analysis Para. 25:M
30、ain idea?“My” family also moved away, and “I” am now in the U.S., stilling looking for “that better life.”Any other noted feature(s)?Has the author found the “better” life he wants? (endless search / pursuit)Text AnalysisDetailed AnalysisRWBTReinforcementThe TelephoneUnit 6 a strong local flavor fig
31、ures of speech: - metaphor, simile, exaggeration humor very descriptive: choice of sentence structures - eg. and and and choice of “the” before names - Everyone knew everyone else.polished simplicityReinforcementStylistic FeaturesReinforcementDiscussionWork in groups of four:Now its time to reflect
32、on what we discussed in the first class. Has your understanding of the text changed? Why or why not?There are several possible ways of reading the story. Which way do you like best? Give your reasons. RWBT Are the changes all negative? How do you understand these changes? Negative changes (in the ey
33、es of the boy): change of the villages center change of peoples relationships among each other (no longer so close) change of peoples life style (the death of a traditional society, influence of the outside world globalization: cf. Lesson 8) the authors nostalgic toneReinforcementDiscussionPositive
34、change (from whose perspective?): - having a new hope; no longer contented with their present way of life - breaking away from the stagnancy of the agricultural life (the dull, repetitive, monotonous life cycle, with no development, no progress, in a sleepy town) - getting connected to the outside w
35、orld ?ReinforcementDiscussion Is the telephone a blessing or a curse? A blessing in disguise? A necessary evil? Should we always embrace the new because what is new means progress? How do you understand “Progress”? How does the narrator feel about the old village life? Do you think it is good for people to look back on the past with fondness?ReinforcementDiscussion
