1、Unit 5 Text 1Straight-A IlliteracyStraight-A IlliteracyJames P.DegnanJames P.DegnanPlain EnglishA game:running dictationA game:running dictationteam workRules:Rules:1.one student at a time memorize one sentence(no paper or pen)2.tell other students the sentence and another student write it down3.try
2、 to get it as accurate as possible Plain EnglishPlain English is a term for communication in English that emphasizes clarity,brevity,and the avoidance of technical language.The goal is to write in a way that is easily understood by the readers:clear and straightforward,appropriate to their reading s
3、kills and knowledge.In the UK,Plain English Campaign has been campaigning since 1979,against jargon and misleading public information.They have helped many government departments and other official organizations with their documents,reports and publications.They believe that everyone should have acc
4、ess to clear and concise information.Plain EnglishHere are 5 rules set out by George Orwell for writing English.1.Never use a metaphor,simile,or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.2.Never use a long word where a short one will do.3.If it is possible to cut a word out,always
5、 cut it out.4.Never use the passive where you can use the active.5.Never use a foreign phrase,a scientific word,or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English word.Plain English If you cant explain it simply,you dont understand it well enough.-Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein The ability to
6、simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.-Hans Hofmann -Hans Hofmann The titlestraight-A illiteracystraight-A illiteracyoxymoron 矛盾修饰法causal analysisEffectEffect:the phenomenon of straight-A illiteracy(P1,2,3)Cause:Cause:the text-books and professional journals tha
7、t the straight-A illiterates are forced to read during his years of education(P4)StructureP1 definition of straight-A illiterate (general)P1 definition of straight-A illiterate (general)deductiveP2,3 personal experience and observation(specific)P2,3 personal experience and observation(specific)a stu
8、dent(P2),many students(P3)inductive P4 the cause(general)P4 the cause(general)evidence:evidence:example,quotations P1Questions:Questions:1.What is an ordinary illiterate?And who are straight-A illiterates?2.Why is a straight-A illiterate more influential?3.What is the purpose of the writers writing?
9、4.What do they mean?fuss and bother plight as often as not give equal time with publicized counterpart worry and anxiety,great attentiondifficult and distressing situationoftengive equal attention to the ordinary illiterate who are widely known to the publicP2QuestionsQuestions:1.Is it appropriate t
10、o compare straight-A illiteracy to a disease?2.Can you find any special sentence structures in P2?Why does the writer use them?3.What do they mean?interrogate cross-examine pry and probe articulate covet be at this try mightilyask questions and try to find out sth.expressing oneself very clearlyenvy
11、work on thistry very hard P2repetition 重复I am I am I amperiodical sentence 圆周句Finally,with both of us combining our linguistic and imaginative resources,finally,after what seems another hour,we decode it.cleft sentence 强调句We decide exactly what it is that Mr.Bright is trying to say,what he really wa
12、nts to say,which is:“Supply determines demand.”to emphasize how difficult the task is and how long it takesto emphasize how difficult the task is and how long it takesP3Questions:Questions:1.Can you give a definition to“Straight-A illiterate”now?2.Make complete the elliptical sentence“Not our man.”i
13、n line32.This is not what our man would say.3.What do they mean?critical faculties gibberish providentially be protected from affliction inexorablythe ability of critical thinkingmeaningless nonsenseluckilybe saved from,be free fromsufferingheartlessly,pitilesslyP41.What does writers choice of the w
14、ord“stuff”(l.40)reveal?2.What do they mean?profundity grapple with be bulging with barbarous monstrous homologous isomorphic allotropic dichotomize bifurcate depth,deepnesstry hard to deal with,be forced to readbe full ofmeaninglesshorrible,long and difficult alikedifferent divide di-,bi-:two这些这些“神句
15、神句”，你懂吗？，你懂吗？“神句神句”理解理解Explain why the following sentences are same in meaning.Explain why the following sentences are same in meaning.1.The choice of exogenous variables in relation to multi-colinearity is contingent upon the derivations of certain multiple correlation coefficients.(l.14)2.Supply d
16、etermines demand.(l.21)lis contingent upon-is determined by,depends on lthe choice of exogenous variables in relation to multi-colinearity -demandlthe derivations of certain multiple correlation coefficients -supply“神句神句”理解理解Reword the following sentences and make them easier to Reword the following
17、 sentences and make them easier to understand.understand.1.Them people down at the shop better stock up on what our customers need,or we aint gonna be in business long.(l.31)The shop assistants had better have in stock what our customers need,or we wont be in business long.2.The focus of concentrati
18、on must rest upon objectives centered around the knowledge of customer areas so that a sophisticated awareness of those areas can serve as an entrepreneurial filter to screen what is irrelevant to future commitments.(l.34)We must focus your attention on what your customers need so that we are able t
19、o tell what is necessary from what is unnecessary when we replenish your stock.Exercises III.Translation 1.2.在过去的几十年，我遇到许多像他这样患有“全优文盲症”的大四学生。这种疾病以最优秀的头脑为攻击目标，渐渐破坏他们的思辨能力，是的患者无法觉察自己或他人的写作中那些莫名难解的胡话。这种疾病在高等教育的几年里愈来愈严重，一般在患者得到博士学位时达到晚期。很明显，“全优文盲症”的患者并不是一般的文盲，他绝不会交出一篇满是拼写错误或者标点符号错误的论文，绝不会使用双重否定或irregard
20、less这个词。尽管如此，他依然是个文盲，而且是最差的一种文盲，因为他不会简单、明了地把自己的意思通过写作表达出来。I.Grammar 1.2.Vocabulary(B)1.easy-going2.extraordinary3.unimportant4.atypical/unrepresentative5.shut/closed6.hinder7.harm8.reject/renounce 9.self-denying/unselfish10.ordinary11.feebleness/weakness12.small/weak13.assail/assault/attack14.save15.relieved/consoled16.hollow17.unite18.decent/fine19.provide with20.reckless/heedless放映放映结束！结束！无悔无愧于昨天，丰硕殷实无悔无愧于昨天，丰硕殷实的今天，充满希望的明天。的今天，充满希望的明天。
