L13paraphrase

Lesson Thirteen: Who Shall Dwell?
Discuss or speak on the following topics.
1)Do you also agree that man should prepare to rise above the “mine” thinking? Do you think the two principles
conflict with each other?
I agree a man’s primary duty is to provide for and protect his family. If everybody takes good care of their families,
they are doing their duty to society. When people desert their old parents, when parents leave their crippled babies in hospitals, they actually shift their burden onto society.
Of course, a man also should contribute to the society he lives in because the welfare of an individual and his family is closely related to the prosperity of society. The stronger and more prosperous a society is, the more it can provide for its people. So I think a man sometimes should think more of others, of his community.
I think the two don’t conflict with each other in the long-term interest of individuals. But the two may conflict with
each other in their immediate benefits. Therefore, we have to sacrifice our short- term interest for the long-term happiness of the whole nation including our own families.
2)What would you do in similar circumstances?
I’m not sure what I would do. But one thing is certain: I would do all I could to protect my parents.
Written Work:
The man and his wife were both loving parents. When the bomb alert reached them, they
both first thought of their children, and rushed them to their shelter.
However, they could not see eye to eye on whether they should share the shelter with their
neighbors. The man thought that a man’s primary duty was to protect his own family. But the
wife thought that in times of crisis, they should rise above the “mine” thinking and that they had
no reason not to share their refuge with others. When the man refused a neighbor, the wife felt
sorry.
Then, when a woman pleaded with them to let her little girl in, the man felt bad, but he didn’t move. The wife then opened the door, dashed out and pushed the girl in. The man hated the girl, but he knew he could not turn her out. In another minute, he made a big decision, which he now thought he should have done earlier. After telling his elder son what he should do, he went out of the shelter and pushed two children in. The wife watched this with tears in her eyes.
Their actions expressed their devotion to each other.
Introduction:
The types of literature(体裁): social science fiction.
(fiction: 虚构的文学作品；小说eg. science fiction 科学幻想小说)
The questions dealt with in the fiction call for deep thought. =
The questions dealt with in the fiction are worth pondering.=
The questions dealt with in the fiction give us much food for thought.
本故事涉及的问题引人深思。

In crisis, who should be given the chance to live?
How to coordinate(协调) the responsibilities between your family and the society?
How could the family members be united in their efforts to overcome difficulties in the crisis?
Clue:
The father’s behavior--- mental struggle--- change--- ideological(意识形态的) level[思想境界]
Main Characteristics:
1.1) Lots of dialogues show the couple’s attitude;
2) Narration set off the tense background by contrast;
Details show the perfect mutual understanding between the couple, the mother’s action and the father’s mental conflict.
2. The description of the father’s change is convincing.
First, he is a responsible father and husband--- for the safety of his family, he is well prepared for the present crisis.
Meanwhile, just because he loves his own children, he is shaken by a mothe r’s plea. And just because he deeply loves his wife, he is moved and inspired by his wife, and gives the chance of survival to two irrelative children.
3. Short sentences & lively dialogue
Part I. (Paras.1-16) When the bomb alert came, the family got into their shelter in 4 minutes.
1)It came on a Sunday afternoon when every member of the family was at home.
2)Though the man and his wife couldn’t believe it, they soon got into their shelter.
Paraphrase (Paras.1-4)
1. The nuclear attack occurred on a Sunday afternoon. They had prayed to God to prevent it, but it
came anyhow.
2. The father was lying on a sofa relaxing and listening, not very attentively, to the music on the radio.
older boy was working in the shed, which was outside at the back of their house.
3. Suddenly, the music on the radio stopped. What followed on the radio was the announcer’s voice. He almost shouted:
4.“This is the warning of bombs! Listen to what is being announced! A number of missiles carrying nuclear bombs have
been launched in a country across the sea and are flying towards us; they are going to explode in sixteen minutes. We have been officially checked and instructed to announce this warning. Move to a place of safety and keep your radios on so that you can hear further news and instructions.”
Questions:
1. What were the family doing one Sunday afternoon?
The family were doing what they usually did in Sundays. The father was resting and half-listening to the radio; the mother was preparing dinner; the two younger children were drawing pictures, and the older boy was working in the shed.
2. What announcement did the father hear over the radio? He heard a bomb alert over the radio: a number of missiles had been launched and were heading towards where they lived and would strike within sixteen minutes.
Paraphrase (Paras.5-16)
5. The father was so surprised and said “My God!” Y ou know the family are faithful Christians. His face was very pale, without color, because of fear. The next instant, he was at a loss. Y es, he knew it was real, but he was unable and unwilling to accept the coming and frightening fact.
6.The first instinct of his wife was to ask him to get the children who were drawing in the bedroom. Then she rushed to the shed to call the older boy. The boy looked at his mother in surprise for a brief moment. In her face he saw not only the fear for what was going to happen but also hatred for those who were responsible for the coming disaster (those who had helped to produce and launch the missiles carrying nuclear bombs).
7.With that, he jumped to his feet and dashed to the bedroom. He ordered his two children to go to the shelter at once. {[His voice and manner made his young children believe that it was not a rehearsal but a real one and dash for the door without a word. = The way he spoke and ordered the children to go to the shelter showed that it was urgent, so they obeyed an dashed away immediately without asking any questions.]= “Let’s go to our shelter,”he said immediately, “Let’s have another rehearsal!” Although the family had had many shelter drills, the father’s stern voice and the way he gave the orders showed it was no ordinary rehearsal. So his children moved to the door quickly without asking any questions.}
8.He pushed them through the kitchen to the back door and asked them to go to the shelter by themselves. He himself returned to the bedroom when the elder son came running in. From the picture, we can know the householder and the eldest son of the family showed us the traditional responsibility in a family.
9.“This is a real nuclear attack, not a drill, son,” the father said briefly and abruptly. [Then father and son stared at each other for a long moment; their eye contact convinced both that each knew exactly what he should do in the circumstances. Each was also sure that the other would do more than he was expected to do. Y et even at this moment they were not completely sure that they would have to do all that. (They hoped that such a thing would never happen. They couldn’t believe that a nuclear attack was about to occur though they had done what they possibly could to protect themselves against it.)] = Both father and son were fully prepared for this to happen and knew what they each should do when the moment came. However, even so they were still shocked to realize that the worst had come and they each had to carry out their duty under the circumstances.
10.“How time left, Dad?”
11.“Not long,” the father replied, glancing at his watch, “twelve, maybe fourteen minutes.” It took
the family only two minutes to get everything ready.
12.The boy left. The father stepped to the cupboard in the bedroom, opened the door, and picked up
the metal box containing their important papers. Then he picked up the big family Bible from the headboard on the bed. It showed that every evening he and his family would read Bible until falling asleep. That’s why he put the Bible on the headboard on the bed. He returned to the bedroom just to fetch only two things--- the box and the Bible. Everything else they would probably need had been stored in the shelter the past several months, which showed they had been well prepared for the real nuclear attack. He heard his wife approaching/running toward him and turned as she entered the room,
13.“Ready, dear?” she asked. She returned to the place where her husband was. It showed she loved
him deeply and worried about him.
14.“Y es,” he replied and asked her whether the kids all went into the shelter. This showed he was a
loving father.
15.“Y es,” she answered and told her husband that she still couldn’t believe it was real.
16.“We’ve got to believe the missiles are heading for us. We cannot take the risk of not believing
it.” he said, looking straight at her fixedly. = “If we don’t believe that nuclear bombs are heading for us and get into our refuge, we will pay a heavy price if it is true (we would be killed or at least get the radiation).” = “The consequence s of not believing it is true (that nuclear bombs are heading for us and get into our refuge) would be too severe”Questions:
3. How did the couple react to the news? They were puzzled, frightened, and simply couldn’t believe it.
What did the father do immediately? But the father had the presence of mind to get the children to their shelter immediately.
4. Do you think the family was prepared for a nuclear attack? Give examples.
The family must have prepared for a nuclear attack. They had built a shelter where they had stored everything needed. Also they had had many rehearsals
5. How much time did they have before the first bomb struck? Fourteen minutes.
How long did it take the family to get everything ready? It took the family only two minutes to get everything ready.
Part II. (Paras.17-23) The couple had discussed what they should do if their neighbors wanted to share
their shelter.
a)The wife thought that as Christians they shouldn’t refuse to let them in.
b)The husband disagreed with her, insisting that a man’s primary Christian duty was to
protect his own family.
Paraphrase (Paras.17-23)
17. Outside, it was a cool, dry and sunny day, just as most days were in early autumn. He looked at his watch again. Four minutes had passed since the first alarm. There were only about twelve minutes left.
18. Inside the shelter, he fastened the door, and looked around to make sure that his family was ready, as they had planned. Then what they could only do was waiting.
19. The man and his wife knew that others would come soon, begging and crying to be allowed to get into their shelter in times of danger and crisis.
20. They had argued about this when the shelter was being built. The wife’s opinion was to build it larger enough to let more neighbors to stay in, but the husband’s was on the opposition. In her opinion, they should share their shelter with their neighbors. She claimed/contended/protested: “Christians shouldn’t refuse to lend a helping hand to others in times of danger and crisis. This is what God teaches us.”
21. “That’s just what is preached in sermons and books (and no one really intends to put it into practic e).” he replied angrily. Then he explained that God had created the family as the basic unit of society just in order to make it clear to us that a man’s main duty as a Christian was to protect his own family.
22. She disapproved of his opinion and said: “[As Christians, we must fight our selfishness and rise above our usual self. = In order to reach the state of selflessness we should shake off all our selfish thoughts.] God taught us to love our neighbors. We must learn from God’s son, Jesus Christ, and love our neighbors.”
23. “No,” he replied and said that he couldn’t accept that. Then after a moment’s thought, he said, “Y ou, and my kids are the only who I must save. I wouldn’t save any other else including my neighbors or friends. They haven’t prepared for a nuclear attack, just as people in Noah’s day didn’t get prepared for the flood although they had been warned of its coming. I won’t forget that we have been ridiculed by them just as Noah was laughed at by his.” He added, “now that they didn’t do what they should, they have to suffer and face death. There is no need to argue about it again.” When he said these words, his voice showed he was determined not to give in, but at the same time he was sad.
Questions:
6. What problem did the couple know they would soon have to face?
They knew their neighbors would soon come, asking to be taken in.
They were prepared for this, weren’t they? They were prepared for this when the shelter was being built.
What was the mother’s opinion? The mother thought that they should share their shelter.
What was her argument? In her mind, refusing them would be against the teachings of God.
The father didn’t agree with the mother, did he? The father disagreed with her.
What was his argument? He believed that a man’s primary Christian duty was to protect his own family.
Who do you go along with? I got along with the father. I think a responsible man should first take care of his own family and protect others if he can.
Part III. (Paras.24-30) The first neighbor came to ask for his family to be let in.
1)The man flatly refused.
2)The neighbor threatened to break the door down.
Paraphrase (Paras.24-30)
24.There were seven minutes left when the door was knocked. A voice came, “Let us in! For God’s sake
= We Christians are all the God’s sons after all.”
25. He recognized the voice. It was his first neighbor toward town.
26. “No!” shouted the father, “There is only room for us. Go!”
27. Again came the striking, which was louder and more urgent.
28.“If you don’t let us in, we will break down this door.” Hearing this, the father wondered whether
they were looking for a bar and tended to break down the door. But on the second thought, he believed that the door coul d hold.
29.The clock was restlessly ticking in their inner ears. Four minutes left.
30.His wife stared at the door and sighed slightly. He himself was calm and comforted his children. The
children looked at him, frightened, puzzled. He looked at his watched again, and ran his fingers through his hair, w ithout a word.
Questions:
7. When did the first neighbor come and ask to share the shelter?
He came after the family when they were in the shelter and there were only seven minutes left.
How did the father reply? The father said there was only room for his family, and no more for others.
8. What did the neighbor threaten to do? They threatened to break down the shelter door.
Part IV. (Paras.31-41) Finally the man and his wife gave up their chance of survival.
1) In the last three minutes, the man felt bad when a woman begged for her
daughter to be taken in.
2) The wife walked out and pushed the little girl in.
3) When there were two minutes left the man made a big decision.
(1)He gave his eldest son instructions and told him to take charge.
(2)He stepped out and thrust two children in.
4) The man joined his wife, ready to stay with her to the last.
Paraphrase (Paras.31-41)
31. Three minutes left.
32. At that moment, a woman cried from the outside, “If you won’t let me in, please take my baby in.”
33. The woman’s urgent request shocked him. He asked himself what he must do. He was extreme
mental pain. No human being could ever refuse to give a child the chance to survive.
34.At this moment, his wife rose to her feet, and moved to the door. Before he could move to stop her from going outside, she had lifted the latch, opened the door, and rushed outside. The next moment a three-year-old girl was suddenly pushed into the shelter. He hurriedly latched the door again, then angrily stared at the frighten little girl. He hated her as it was her who took up his wife’s place for survival, but he knew [he couldn’t force and push her to get out of the shelter/ he couldn’t deprive a child of the chance to live].
35. He sat down heavily. He was at a loss, and terribly upset/utterly confused(心乱如麻)/ stunned and felt great agony. He tried desperately/hard to think how he could do. How could he stay in the safe place, leaving his wife behind? The cries outside became louder. =People outside became more and more angry and frightening. He had a glimpse of his watch, looked at the faces of his own children a long moment, then seemed as if determined and rose to his feet. Everything was clear to him by the last two minutes. He decided to follow his wife’s example and give the chance of survival to more children. He even wondered why he had ever thought he could refuse help to his neighbors.
36. He told his eldest son to take care of the younger children before he stepped out. His mind changed as noble as his wife, rising above this mine thinking.
37. Lifting the latch/ Unlatching the door/Opening the door, he pushed the door/it open and stepped out. The crowd moved toward him together, very quickly and forcefully. Y es, every of them wanted to get into the shelter. To stop them from getting inside, he stood in front of them and closely to the crack between the door. The next instant he snatched up two children nearest him, and pushed them into the shelter, and told his elder son to keep the door shut for at least a week.
38. Knowing that his son had latched the door, he turned and glanced around at the faces in the crowd. Some of them were still noisy and so badly frightened that they couldn’t even speak clearly. Others were quiet now---his courage perhaps calmed them, and they were no longer afraid.
39. Stepping to his wife’s side, he took her hand, comforted her in a warm, low tone/voice. He told her not to worry about the children for the elder son would take care of them and they would be all right. He added that they two should be together with a reassuring smile on his face.
40. She was overjoyed and touched by what he had done. She smiled without saying anything, her face covered with tears. She squeezed his hands and in this gesture the couple expressed to each other the devotion of more than a lifetime. (“a lifetime”was insufficient to describe this devotion.)
41. Then the first nuclear bomb landed and exploded. In the brilliant white light they could no longer see anything. The heat burnt them into ashes. After they were killed, their souls rose to heaven.
Questions:
9. When a woman begged the father to let her little daughter in, how did the father feel?
He was stunned and felt great agony. He knew that he couldn’t deprive a child of the chance to live.
What did his wife do?
At that moment his wife opened the door, dashed outside and pushed a three-year-old girl into the shelter.
10.What decision did the father make when there were only two minutes left?
He decided to follow his wife’s example and give the chance of survival to more children.
What did he say to his elder son before he stepped out?
Before he stepped out, he told his elder son to take care of the younger children.
What did he do outside of the shelter?
The instant he was out he shoved two children into the refuge and told his elder son to keep the door shut for at least a week.
11. What effect did his act produce at the shelter door?
His courage perhaps calmed some of the people at the door, and they were no longer afraid.
How did his wife feel? I think his wife felt proud and happy that he had joined her, and they became closer and more devoted to each other than ever before.
12. Do you think the father’s change believable? Why/ why not?I think the father’s change believable.
He was a responsible as well as loving father and husband. For the safety of his family her had made very thorough preparations against a nuclear attack. As he loved his children, so he was greatly affected by the mother’s plea and gave the chance of survival to two children. Also his love for his wife led him to follow her example.。