上外全新版大学英语综合教程讲义-book4-unit8_Travel

College English (New edition) Unit 8

Unit 8 Travel

Text A In the Jungle

Learning Objectives:

1.understand the main idea and the structure of the text

2.appreciate the fluid and sensual writing style

3.grasp the key language points and grammatical structure of the text

4.conduct a series of reading listening and writing activities related to the theme of this unit

First period

I. Discussion(15mins):

1.Do you like traveling? Tell me one of the most impressive places you have visited.

2.If you have enough time and money, where is your favorite place to visit? Why?

3.What are some distinctive features of an out -of -the –way, inaccessible place such as jungle,

desert, or remote mountainous areas? ( unspoiled, unpolluted, primitive)

4.Why would such a place appeal to many people today?

The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.

_________ Samuel Johnson

(enlarge the knowledge, enjoy the grand sceneries, landscape, landmark, travel around the world, historical interest, pasture, garden architecture, beautiful mountains and clear rivers, inviting views, relaxed, artifact, handicraft, fresh air)

In my opinion, one of the pleasant things in the world is going a journey. The soul of journey is liberty, perfectly liberty to think, feel, just as one please. We go a journey chiefly to be free from obstacles, inconvenience, stress, to leave ourselves behind. With the development of the society, more and more people live in urban area. While they are enjoying the convenience of the modern technology and the economy, they are also suffering from all kinds of disadvantages of the city, such as pollutions, traffic jam and the information explosion. Besides, they have to be faced with some pressures from study, work, family ect. So people sometimes really want to find a way to be away from the bustling city, and be back of the nature. In this way, they can appreciate the beauty of the nature; understand the true meaning of the spiritual world. And they can fully relax; their soul can be purified. So more and more people choose travel during the holidays. Some people choose to go to the tranquil, beautiful and mysterious places, such as the old forest, the isolated islands and the jungle. In this text we will appreciate the beautiful sceneries of the Napo River the author showed to us.

II Background information(15mins)

1.Amazon is a world of trees and water in the middle of South America. It’s the world’s mightiest river, running through the world’s largest tropical rainforest.

Most trips to the Amazon are based on either a boat or a lodge. If you fancy traveling by boat, many organized trips incorporate traveling on the main river with side trips on smaller tributaries, either in motorboat or in canoes. If you prefer exploring the rainforest on foot, you can usually find some local people who are ready to guide you through certain parts of it despite all kinds of difficulties. If you want a little more adventure, the upper Amazon flows off the Andes, creating ideal opportunities for rafting through rarely visited area.

While the overwhelming beauty of the Amazon lies in its diverse and complex nature, it is also a place where plants are king, inserts come a close second, and animals hide to survive. With a