unit1myfather综合英语教程

Unit1 My father
Objective
A topics and functions
1 describing a person,managing relationship
2 mutual understanding in personal life
3 analyzing human relationships
B language knowledge
Physical features for personal description
Positive negative neutral description
Part 1 communicative activities
Work with your group to think of as many words/phrases/expressions as possible regarding the following topics.
Personality/character
Positive adjectives:
easy-going honest open-minded humorous interesting pleasant pleasurable frank sympathetic helpful loyal polite reliable selfless considerate faithful trusty versatile tasteful warm-hearted modest enthusiastic zealous generous
Negative adjectives
Arrogant dishonest difficult narrow-minded boring loathsome unpleasant selfish rude cowardly self-loving cocky boastful vain greedy prejudiced
Cruel patronizing mean pretentious jealous hostile self-admiring
Neutral adjectives:
Complicated reserved silent quiet talkative sophisticated ambitious aggressive timid impulsive sociable/unsociable curious quick-witted slow-mindedout-going(eager to mix socially with others) shy unapproachable aloof
Introvert extrovert communicative uncommunicative
Personal appearance/one’s looks
Size thin slim slender big large small little stout plump fat fattish robust athletic muscular skinny chubby tubby strong weak slightwell-rounded roly-poly heavy overweight
age old young look young/old don’t/doesn’t look one’s age look old/young elderly
middle-aged in one’s thirties/ forties/fifties…,Teenage/teenaged adolescent youthful
juvenile junior in the springtime of life in the prime of one’s life in one’s salad days
aged grey-haired senior senile
Resemblance look like somebody resemble take after somebody have someone’s eyes/nose/hair…remind someone of someone else be similar to bear a resemblance to
be like mirror echo
Likes and Dislikes
Likes love like enjoy be crazy/mad/nuts about something be keen on be interested in
long for be longing to be eager to be hungry for be fond of be devoted to be thirsty for care for have a great/strong/ huge crush on someonea young girl’s crush on someone feel/be sick about something
dislike hate be indifferent to don’t care for be disgusted with be uninterested in
sicken loathe feel hostile towards be unable to stand/ bear be tired of be unwilling to
be fed up with
Managing relationships
Improving relations get along with have a good or friendly relationship with be on good terms with live happily with be kind/nice/ agreeable to compliment praise appreciate one’s help/advice encourage be tolerant to approachable Hurting relations laugh at mock at criticize ridicule quarrel with split with
look down upon interfere with one’s affairs break up with have a bad relationship with
there is bad blood between…and… be difficult/hard on somebody
Neutral cope with keep in touch with be in/out of contact with communicate with
Approach write to call ring up get hold of speak to phone visitcall on somebody call at some place
People we know or meet
Friends strangers acquaintances colleagues classmates schoolmates roommates playmates fellow students/ workers neighbors alumnus (pl. alumni) alumna (pl. alumnae) relatives comrade
employer—employee superior—inferior/subordinate teacher—student doctor—patient salesman—customer host—guest master—slave
part 2 reading and language activities
Task 1
Ask your partner about his/her friends based on the following questions:
-- Have you any friends?
-- How does he/she look like?
-- What kind of person do you think he/she is?
-- When did you get to know each other?
-- How did you become good friends?
-- How are you getting on with each other?
-- What do you like to do when
you are with him/her?
Task 2
In small groups, discuss the following questions:
Is friendship important in your life? Why?
Would you like to make friends with a nice person?
How to be a nice person (a good listener or a good door opener)?
Present the result of your discussion to the class.
Suggested Points
As we all know, friendship is very important in our life, and being a nice person (a good listener or a door opener) is a key factor to build close relationship with others. Therefore, many people wonder how to be a nice person (a good listener). Good listeners or door openers typically have the following elements:
1Showing that you are worried about him and you want to comfort him or her with goodwill;
2. An invitation to talk or to continue talking;
3. Giving the speaker time to decide whether to talk and/or what he wants to say;
4. Using eye contact to demonstrate your interest in and concern for the speaker;
5. Being trustworthy ;
6. Being understanding and tolerant to the speakers;
7. Don’t laugh at or mock at the speakers when they make mistakes;
8. No argument .
Task 3
Picture Description
Look at the picture in section 3C, in small groups discuss the questions on page 3, then tell your stories to the class.
Discover the generation gap between you and your parents by completing the following table. If there is a big gap between you and your parents, discuss what contributes to the gap.
Attitudes to and preference of: My Parents Myself
Money and material wealth
Work
Friendship
Leisure activities
Personal relationships
Reputation
Appearance
Modern technologies
Pop music
TV program
text
1get on with: to have a harmonious relationship with sb.
Eg I am now slowly getting on better with my schoolmates.
[synonym] get along with easy-going: easy to get along with
2 self-centred: doing everything for the sake of oneself
3 vain: having too high an opinion of one‘s looks, abilities, etc.
conceited 自负 without use
Eg He‘s as vain as a peacock.孔雀般高傲
I don't like vain women.
What they have done are vain attempts.
[idioms] in vain All our wok was in vain. 白费的徒劳无功的
4 keep oneself to oneself: to never get in touch with sb.
1st Paragraph The narrator describes her father in her eyes.
我并不真正了解父亲，他不是个很容易相处的人。

我觉得他比较以自我为中心, 还有一点虚荣, 有时候还会让人觉得有距离感。

公众们肯定都认为他很随和,其实在家的时候他基本上都是独处,不怎么跟我们交流的。

5 out of touch: not having information
Eg I would like to go back to teaching but I'm out of touch with my subject now.
out of:
1) from, not in
eg Mr. Green is out of town this week.
2) moving from
eg He jumped out of bed.
It‘s hard to get a word out of him.
3) doing sth. out of
eg They helped us out of kindness.
4) without, lacking
eg I'm beginning to feel out of patience.
He has been out of work for six months.
6rehearse:
v. to practice ( a play, music, etc.) for public performance
rehearsal: n. trial performance of a play or other entertainment
eg The play is in rehearsal now. We'll meet after rehearsal.
The actors were rehearsing in the tent.
Some words about playing and rehearsing:
1)play 2)act 3)star 4)produce 5)direct 6)stage 7)audition
8)perform
7autograph: n. 亲笔，手稿；亲笔签名vt. 亲笔签名于…；亲笔书写
n. person's own hand-writing, esp. his signature
v. to write one's name on or in
eg I have a book autographed by the author.
I've got lots of famous footballers' autograph.
8award reward
award: n.sth. given as the result of such a decision, esp. a prize in a competition
A reward is usually something valuable, such as money, while an award is something
such as a prize, certificate, or medal.
Eg The shop-keeper offered a reward of $50 for information about a stolen necklace.
The only award he had ever won was the Academy Award.
9 Member of the British Empire: or MBE, an honorable title awarded to
accomplished British artists, writers or scientists
10 show off: to make a display of one's wealth, learning, abilities, etc., in
order to impress people
2nd Paragraph The narrator cites a number of examples to support her statement that her father is quite self-centered and a little bit vain.
我小的时候父亲很少在家的，因为那时几乎没有什么关于他的记忆。

他对家庭生活一直是有一些生疏。

对他来说，工作总是放在第一位，而且记忆中他总是在外地演戏或是排练。

他喜欢别人找他签名，也喜欢被别人认出的感觉。

他获得过几个奖项，并为此感到骄傲。

记得在他获得大不列颠影帝奖时，我们必须到白金汉宫去领取奖牌。

那真是令人难以置信的无趣。

还有其他数以百计的人拿同样的奖项，所以你得一直坐在那等好几个小时。

每当有人来拜访我们家时，父亲总爱把他的奖项拿出来炫耀。

11on-attendance: n. not taking part in sth. (esp. a class)
[word formation] non-: prefix, who(which) is not, does not, etc.
non-compliance: n. refusal to comply
non-stop: a. & ad. without a stop
12 settle down:
a. (cause to) become calm, untroubled
eg Settled down, children!
She settled the baby down at last.
I can't settle down to anything. I am restless.
b. to become established in a new way of life
c. to be accustomed to
eg I am sure that the child will soon settle down in his new school.
3rd Paragraph The narrator tells of her school experience to show that her father is not aware of what she really needs and how she really feels.
我上过公立学校，但是因为缺乏学习兴趣并且总是缺课，被勒令退学了。

最主要的是我一点也不想去那上学，因为这样我就和我的朋友们分开了。

把我送到那个学校读书他一定很高兴，但事实上到最后这一切只是浪费钱而已。

我想我一定让他感到非常失望。

后来我也试着做过几份工作但是都不能安心长久地做下去，然后我意识到我真正想做的是生活在乡村，并且，这也是我现在做的事情。

130pera: n. dramatic composition with music, in which the words are sung light opera: opera with a humorous subject
grand opera: opera with no spoken dialogue
4th Paragraph The narrator examines the different interests she and her father have and tells of the gap between them.
作为一家人，无论是情感上还是空间上我们都有距离。

这些日子我们很少见到彼此。

我和父亲的性格大相径庭。

我的兴趣一直都在乡村，而他则喜欢书和音乐，尤其是歌剧，这恰恰是我所讨厌的。

如果他们来看我,他们的衣着也完全不适合在乡村穿—貂皮大衣和漂亮的但不适合在田间走长路的小皮鞋。

14humble: a. low in rank or position, obscure, modest
eg They are men of humble birth.
He is very humble towards his superiors.
5th Paragraph The narrator tells the different attitudes she and her father have towards her marriage and having grandchildren.
父亲对我的婚姻更是完全反对。

他一直希望我和我的丈夫分开。

我想我丈夫出身太卑微了。

而父亲一定是想让我嫁给一个有名望的人，但结果并不能使他如愿。

而且事情往往就是这样。

我们夫妇俩并不打算要孩子，但是我的父亲总是不停地谈论着他想抱孙子。

人总不能仅仅因为自己迫切地想抱孙子就逼着别人要孩子吧。

6th Paragraph The narrator tells that she is not that interested in what herfather is doing. 我看电视时从来不看他。

我对那些没什么兴趣，更何况他通常都不记得告诉我们他什么时候会出现在电视上。

Text summary In the article, the narrator presents her personal impression about her father from two perspectives: first, she describes her father’s character which is completelydifferent from her own; secondly, she tells the reader that she and her father have different interests. We can conclude that they are not very close. Questions
1. Does Amy feel close to her father? Why or why not?
The narrator does not feel close to her father. In her opinion, her father is not easy to get on with. He is quite self-centered and unapproachable in some ways. Besides, her father is not aware of how she really feels.
2. Why doesn’t she remember much about her father in her childhood?
She doesn’t remember much about her father because he wasn’t at home much when she was a child. Her father has always been slightly out of touch with family life.
3. What is her father’s job? Is he successful in his career?
Her father is an actor. He is quite devoted to his work and successful in his career for he has won several awards and made an MBE (Member of the British Empire).
4. Why does she say that her father is a little bit vain?
She thinks her father is a little bit vain because he loves being asked for his autograph, loves to be recognized, and shows off his awards whoever comes to the house.
. Why was she asked to leave school?
She was asked to leave school because of her total lack of interest and non-attendance. It was her father who got her into the school in the first place. She herself didn’t want to go there.
6. Why did she give up her job?
She tried several jobs but she couldn’t settle down in them because they were not challenging enough.
7. Do the father and daughter have some common interests? What are their respective interests?
No, they have little in common in their personal interests. While she is interested in quiet country life, her father is into books, music and, above all, opera.
8. What did the father think of Amy’s marriage?
Her father was totally opposed to her marriage. He thought that her husband was too humble and she should have married someone famous. She thinks that her father wishes that they would break up.
9. Is she going to have children?
She is not going to have children even though her father keeps talking about wanting grandchildren.
10. How often do they see each other?
They don’t see much of each other because they are not that close, either emotionally or geographically.
Writing
In the text, when the narrator talks about her father, she gives her opinion first M y father isn’t easy to get along with. He’s quite unapproachable and a little bit vain. Then, she recalls some important details from memory about her life with her father to support the statements. The narrator repeatedly draws on her innermost feelings in her description of her father, thus giving a very personal touch to the narrative.
Study the text carefully and find out other examples of such writing. Then, write a descriptive paragraph about your father or mother by giving your subjective judgment first to be followed by fragmented memories. You can use the chart on Page 12 to help you organize your writing.。