1、Unit 1Period 4Reading新 课 导 入1.Do you think humour is important in our life?Why?2.How many forms of humour or comedy do you know?3.Do you know any famous humorist?Yes,because humour can make a person more creative,healthier,and have better relationship.clowns,crosstalk,stand-up(单口相声),sitcom(情景喜剧)and
2、comedy film.课 堂 学 习1Read the short introductions to Mark Twain and Lin Yutang and share what else you know about them with the class.Mark Twain(1835-1910)was an American writer,humorist,lecturer and adventurer,who acquired international fame for his travel narratives,in particular The Innocents Abro
3、ad and for his adventure stories of boyhood,such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.He is regarded as one of North Americas best and most beloved writers due to his wit and satire.Birthplace:Florida,MississippiNationality:AmericanEducation:not too much education,a
4、 lot experiences of different kinds of jobs Other famous masterpieces:Running for Governor 竞选州长The Gilded Age镀金时代The Prince and the Pauper王子与乞丐The Million Pound Note 百万英镑The Autobiography of Mark Twain 马克吐温自传Lin Yutang(1895-1976)was a Chinese writer,translator,linguist,philosopher and inventor.His i
5、nformal but sophisticated style of writing,in both Chinese and English,made him one of the most influential writers of his generation.His most famous works include My Country and My People and The Importance of Living.Hes also known as a wise and witty populariser of Chinese philosophy and the Chine
6、se way of life.Birthplace:Longxi,Fujian Nationality:ChineseEducation:Master of Arts in Harvard University,Doctor of linguistics in University Leipzig(德国莱比锡大学)Other famous masterpieces:Moment in Peking京华烟云(adapted as TV series twice)Between Tears and Laughter啼笑皆非Both originally written in EnglishThe
7、Importance of Humour1 Humour has been an essential part of human behaviour for thousands of years.There is comedy in the texts of Ancient Greece,and medieval writings are filled with jokes.While these same jokes might not be as funny to us now as they were then,their authors understood that humour c
8、ould not only entertain but also throw new light on sensitive or emotive issues.2 Closer to modern times,someone who is remembered for his ability to combine humour with more serious messages is American writer,Mark Twain.Twains particular style of writing is funny and often mischievous.For example,
9、in his classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,he famously says,“Writing is easy.All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.”But he is equally well known for his witty remarks in his everyday interactions with people.For instance,while on a lecturing tour of the United States,Twain went into
10、 a barbers shop to get a haircut and a shave.The barber,not recognising 2Read the passage and find out Mark Twain and Lins attitude towards humour.him,asked if he had a ticket to the lecture.When Twain replied that he didnt,the barber told him that if he wanted to go to the event he would have to st
11、and,as there were no seats left in the theatre.Twains response was,“Thats just my luck.I always have to stand when that fellow lectures!”3 Like Twain,but on the other side of the world,Lin Yutang was soon to become famous for his unique brand of humour.A well-known bilingual writer,Lin brought the c
12、oncept of humour to modern Chinese literature.In 1924,he creatively borrowed“youmo”from Ancient Chinese as the translation for the English word“humour”.“Youmo”is still being used in this way today.4 Lins quick wit helped make him famous as a master of humour.Once,having been invited to dinner at a u
13、niversity,he was put on the spot when the president suddenly asked him to give a speech.Thinking on his feet,Lin started to tell a story about a cruel Roman emperor who tried to feed a man to wild animals.First came a lion.The man whispered something in the lions ear,after which the lion shook its h
14、ead and walked away unhappily.Then along came a tiger.Again,the man whispered in the tigers ear.The tiger looked shocked and hurried away.“What did you say to my animals?”said the emperor,astonished.“I told them they had to make a speech after eating me for dinner.”Lins audience roared with laughter
15、.With this little joke,Lin was able to make people laugh,while gently telling off the president.5 Both Twain and Lin understood that humour isnt just about laughter,but is a way of life and a tool that can be used to illuminate the world.Lin even created an equation to explain this concept:Reality+D
16、reams+Humour=Wisdom.Living and working with others can sometimes be complicated,and humour makes this easier.Sharing jokes and laughing together can bring individuals and even communities together.Indeed,some may argue that our need for humour is almost as great as our need for water and air.In the
17、words of Mark Twain,“Humor is mankinds greatest blessing”.Mark Twain and Lins attitude towards humour is positive/favourable.And they practised what they preached.3Read the passage again,decide the genre,analyse the structure of it.This text is an essay.The title of the text is The Importance of Hum
18、our.First,the author introduces the topicHumor is an important part of human behaviour.Then,he expounds the importance of humor through the humorous stories of Mark Twain and Lin Yutang.At last,he gives the conclusion:humour isnt just about laughter,but is a way of life and a tool that can be used t
19、o illuminate the world.PartsPara.(s)Introduction1Body2、3、4Conclusion51.Why is Mark Twain so special?A.Because his style of writing is funny.B.Because his writings are mischievous.C.Because he is able to mix humour with more serious messages.D.Because he cant be recognized in public.2.Which of the fo
20、llowing can be true of Lin Yutang?A.He is creative and quick-witted.B.He was able to talk with animals.C.He borrowed many words from Ancient Chinese literature.D.He was respected by Mark Twain.4Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer.3.Whats the aim of telling the story of a cruel Roma
21、n emperor?A.To show off his talent of telling jokes.B.To make others embarrassed.C.To tell others the fact that animals are wise.D.To teach the president a lesson.4.Whats the function of humour?A.It can make us younger.B.It can make us full of wisdom.C.It is as important as water and air.D.It helps
22、us understand the way of life.5Organise information from the passage and complete the diagram.IntroductionHumour is an essential part of1_.Authors haveused it to 2_,and throw light on 3_.Paragraph 1human behaviourentertainsensitive or emotive issuesMark TwainRemembered for:ability to 4_ with more 5_
23、Writing style:6_Example:7_Also well known for his witty remarksExample:8_combine humourserious messagesfunny and often mischievousThe adventures of Tom Sawyer“Thats just my luck.I always have to stand when that fellow lectures!”Paragraph 2Lin YutangFamous for his unique brand of humourEvidence:9_Qui
24、ck wit helped make him famous as 10_Example:11_a master of humourParagraphs 3&4He borrowed“youmo”from Ancient Chinese as the translation for the English word“humour”.He told a story about a cruel Roman emperor who tried to feed a man to wild animals during the dinner at a university.ConclusionHumour
25、 is a 12_and a tool that can be used to 13_.Paragraph 5way of lifeilluminate the worldLearning to learnA punch line concludes a joke and is intended to make people laugh.In a broader sense,a punch line can also refer to the unexpected and funny conclusion of any performance,situation or story.Punch
26、line:故事或笑话的最后部分点题或抛出笑料等的）妙语，画龙点睛的结尾句Think Share:1.Why is Lin Yutangs joke about the man and wild animals funny?2.Do you agree with Mark Twains remark on humour at the end of the passage?Give your reasons.Because with the little joke,Lin was able to make people laugh,while gently telling off the pres
27、ident.I agree with his remark for the following reasons.Firstly,humour can entertain and throw new light on sensitive or emotive issues.Secondly,humour isnt about laughter,but is a way of life and a tool that can be used to illuminate the world.Thirdly,living and working with others can sometimes be
28、 complicated,and humour makes this easier.Fourthly,sharing jokes and laughing together can bring individuals and even communities together.3.How can a sense of humour help you in your daily life?Give an example.4.In what ways do the two reading passages in this unit help you to better understand the
29、 meaning of having a light-hearted attitude towards life?When I failed in my exam I can say to myself that there is more progress for me to make to avoid being discouraged.The two reading passages are based on different peoples experiences.They tell us that laughter is the best medicine and when we
30、are faced with an awkward situation,if we face it with a light-hearted attitude we will have a much easier time.6Work in groups.Discuss and present your opinion of the equation from the passage.Reality+Dreams+Humour=Wisdom1.Work out the meaning of this equation.Consider the following:What is your un
31、derstanding of“reality”and“dreams”?What is the function of“humour”in this equation?What is your understanding of“wisdom”?Reality is something that exists objectively.Dream is a kind of expectation for the future.It makes people laugh and gives people pleasure.Wisdom is a kind of advanced comprehensi
32、ve ability that human beings have.It refers to the ability of people to understand and deal with things quickly,flexibly and correctly.2.Decide whether you agree with Lins definition of wisdom.Think of examples to support your opinion and make notes.3.Share your opinion with the class.Sample:Everyon
33、e lives in reality.In reality,one must pursue dreams if he wants to live a meaningful life.A persons life would be boring if there is no way to let him relax on his way to pursue his dream.If we use humour to enrich our life,our life will be more colorful.That is the wisdom of life.Now think about y
34、our performance in this activity.What contribution did you make to your group?How could you improve your performance?Language points 1.While these same jokes might not be as funny to us now as they were then,their authors understood that humour could not only entertain but could also throw new light
35、 on sensitive or emotive issues.虽然对现在的我们来说，那些笑话可能没有它们在中世纪的时候那么有趣，但它们的作者明白，幽默不只是一种娱乐的方式，它还可以使人们对敏感问题或有争议的问题产生新的认识。throw light on:to provide new information that helps you understand sth 使显得清楚；阐明；照亮【词汇拓展】【词汇拓展】cast/shed light on 阐明，曝光 come to light 曝光，被理解2.Thinking on his feet,Lin started to tell a st
36、ory about a cruel Roman emperor who tried to feed a man to wild animals.林语堂急中生智,开始讲述一个残忍的罗马皇帝要把一个人喂给野兽的故事。think on ones feet:to have a good ideas and make decisions quickly in a difficult situation 随机应变，当机立断【词汇拓展】【词汇拓展】on foot步行foot by foot(=step by step)一步一步地;逐渐on ones feet站起;恢复健康;经济独立bring/raise s
37、b.to sb.s feet扶起某人struggle to ones feet 挣扎着站起来rise to ones feet站起身来stand on ones own feet独立,自立3.Again,the man whispered something in the tigers ear.然后来了一只老虎，那人又对老虎耳语了几句。whisper v.悄声说，低语 n.低语，耳语【词汇拓展】【词汇拓展】whisper(sth)in ones ear在某人耳旁小声说某事whisper to sb对某人耳语Its whispered that.私下说in a whisper/whispers低
38、声说;小声地说即学即练 单句语法填空(1)Mum whispered _ us,“Be quiet!Your little sister is sleeping.”(2)They talked with each other _ a whisper in the corner.toin4.With this little joke,Lin was able to make people laugh,while gently telling off the president.通过这个小笑话，林语堂既能让大家哈哈大笑，同时也委婉地表达了对校长的不满。tell off:to criticize s
39、b angrily for doing sth wrong 斥责，责骂【词汇拓展】【词汇拓展】tell sb/sth apart区分开tell sb/sth from sb/sth把与区分开tell the difference between.and.区分和的不同to tell(you)the truth 坦白说;说实话tell a lie(=tell lies)撒谎tell jokes(=tell a joke)讲笑话1.While these same jokes might not be as funny to us now as they were then,their author
40、s understood that humour could not only entertain but could also throw new light on sensitive or emotive issues.虽然对现在的我们来说，那些笑话可能没有它们在中世纪的时候那么有趣，但它们的作者明白，幽默不只是一种娱乐的方式，它还可以使人们对敏感问题或有争议的问题产生新的认识。【句子分析】【句子分析】这是一个由while引导的让步状语从句，while引导让步状语从句时通常用于句首，意为in spite of the fact that。例如：While I am willing to h
41、elp,I do not have much time available.（虽然我愿意帮忙，但是我没有多少时间。）本句中的主句和从句中又分别含有一个从句：在While引导的从句中，as引导一个比较状语从句，表示现在和过去进行比较；主句中understood后面跟了一个that引导的宾语从句。【长难句分析】【长难句分析】2.All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.Paraphrase:All you have to do is delete the wrong words.cross out意为to draw a line or line
42、s through something you have written or drawn,usually because it is wrong。例如：You had better cross out all the needless words in your composition.你最好把作文中一切不必要的词都划掉。3.When Twain replied that he didnt,the barber told him that if he wanted to go to the event he would have to stand,as there were no seats
43、 left in the theatre.【句子分析】【句子分析】本句的句式结构较为复杂，主句的主语是the barber，句首的When 引导时间状语从句；主句谓语动词told后面是一个that引导的宾语从句，宾语从句中含有as引导的原因状语从句和if引导的条件状语从句。Paraphrase:When Twain replied that he didnt have a ticket,the barber told him that he would have to stand if he wanted to go to the lecture,for there were no seats
44、 left in the theatre.4.Once,having been invited to dinner at a university,he was put on the spot when the president suddenly asked him to give a speech.【句子分析】【句子分析】本句中having been invited.是现在分词的完成被动形式，它的逻辑主语是he，表示的动作和主句的主语为被动关系，且发生在主句谓语动词was put on the spot 之前，在句子中作时间状语。现在分词的完成形式除可以作时间状语外，还可以作原因状语。例如
45、：Having been ill for two weeks,she felt rather weak.（由于病了两周，她感到身体很虚弱。）Paraphrase:When he was once invited to dinner at a university,he felt embarrassed when the president suddenly asked him to give a speech.put sb on the spot:cause sb embarrassment or difficulty （故意提出难以回答或尴尬的问题）使某人难堪5.Then along cam
46、e a tiger.Paraphrase:Then a tiger came along.本句是一个完全倒装句。一般情况下，有以下两种情况之一的句子需要用完全倒装：1）当here,there,now,then,thus等副词置于句首，谓语动词用be,come,go,lie,run等表示状态或移动的动词时，句子需要用完全倒装语序。例如：Then came the bus.（那时公交车来了。）2）当out,in,down,away,along,ahead 等副词置于句首，谓语是表示运动的动词时，句子需要用完全倒装语序。例如：Out rushed the children.（孩子们冲了出来。）需要注意的是，当主语是代词时，句子不能用完全倒装。例如：Here I am.（我来了。）Away they went.（他们走了。）课堂总结课堂总结Retell humorous stories about Mark Twain and Lin Yutang.
