新世纪大学英语综合教程n2-unit8

New Century College English (Book II)

Unit 8: Adversity

Text A: Did You Have a Tough Childhood?

I. Teaching Objectives:

1. To make clear the writer’s purpose to write the text and the ideas about how adversity might contribute to achievement and success.

2. To grasp the key words and phrases.

3. To master the skills of writing and reading in this unit.

1)To read between the lines.

2)To understand idiomatic expressions.

II. Teaching Content

1. Lead-in Activities

2. Text Organization

3. Skill Learning in Writing and Reading

4. Language Points( key words, phrases and difficult sentences)

5. Grammar Focus (the agreement of the subject and the verb)

6. Guided Practice (exercises, oral practice and group work)

III. Teaching Process

1. Warm-up Questions

1)Have you ever experienced any intense difficulties, hardships or major obstacles in your life?

2)How do you usually deal with adversity?

3)Do you think adversity can make you grow better and stronger?

2. A brief appreciation of the following quotes about adversity

1) Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors

--- African proverb

2) When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

3) Adversity is the first path to truth.

--- Lord Byron

4) If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

--- Anne Bradstreet

3. Text Organization

Part I (Paras.1) Difficulties and obstacles in one’s childhood may not necessarily mean problems or failures over one’s entire lifetime.

Part II (Paras.2-11) The author cites some examples of successful people who overcame various difficulties and obstacles and fully developed their potential.

.Part III (Para.12) The author calls on readers to adopt a positive attitude toward hardship and take action to develop their true potential.

4. Language Points

1. (Para. 1) claim: v. state that sth. is true, even though it has not been proved

The company claims that their product “makes you thin without dieting”.

(=After the battle both sides claimed victory.)

2. (序言) hardship: n.sth. that makes your life difficult or unpleasant, especially a lack of money, or the condition of having a difficult life

Many students are suffering severe financial hardship.

磨难接踵而来。

(= Hardships came one after another.)

CF: hardship & difficulty

这两个名词都表示“困难”之意。

hardship强调指生活上令人难以承受的艰难困苦，如疾病、贫穷等。例如:

difficulty指需大量思考和技巧或努力才能克服的任何困难。例如:

Collocations:

bear hardships

endure hardships

experience / go through hardships

fear hardships

suffer hardships

3. (Para. 1) disadvantage:

1. v. make sb. less likely to be successful or to put them in a worse

situation than others

The selective system does not seem to disadvantage those at the bottom of the class.

2. n.sth. that causes problems, or that makes someone or sth. less likely to be successful or

effective

The main disadvantage of the material is that it fades in strong sunlight.

Collocations:

at a disadvantage

put … at a disadvantage

4. (Para. 1) drives sb. to sth. : strongly influence sb. to do sth.

The noises in my head have nearly driven me to suicide.

5. (Para.1) achievement: n. sth. important that you succeed in doing by your own efforts

The test measures the children’s achievements in reading, spelling and maths.

Collocations:

belittle sb’s achievement 贬低某人的成绩

academic achievement 学术成就

6. (Para. 2) identify: v. 1) recognize and correctly name sb. or sth.

She identified the man as her attacker.

(= Even the smallest baby can identify its mother by her voice.)

2) recognize sth. or discover exactly what it is, what its nature or origin is, etc.

They identified a number of problem areas.

7. (Para. 3 ) abuse: 1. n. cruel or violent treatment of sb.