Unit
2 The
power of words
Teaching Aims
l Learn the power of words
l Improve the students’ abilities of communication and making comments
l Learn some benefit of note
l Learn to employ the following key words and phrases into practice.
acquaintance affected anniversary boost characterize intrigue investment spontaneous virtually attach importance to album junior saint if only make…of move on achievement shrink vivid visual yell go into humanity care about drift along tear up put away get over make for start over |
I. Preparation
Useful
Information
At any level of society, people who are good with words often have power or influence. The capacity to communicate is a valuable asset in any situation, whether you want to convince, console or encourage others. To be able to use the right words at the right time is both a skill and a gift.
In our personal lives, other people's words can change our mood or even our attitudes. Words are an essential link between friends, relatives, colleagues and acquaintances. Using kind and thoughtful words to maintain and to improve our relationships is one way to contribute to the well-being of others. In today's fast-paced world, it is often easy to become so involved with one's daily existence that one forgets to keep in touch with friends, to give words of encouragement to the people around us and to show that we care about them.
The written word is even more powerful than the spoken word because it can be kept and treasured as a permanent reminder of a positive gesture on the part of someone we knew or still know. With the advent of email, letter-writing has perhaps made a comeback. Providing one has access to a computer and a modem, keeping in touch with distant friends and colleagues has been made much easier.
II. Pre-Reading Activities
1. The Sentences that
Affected You
Directions: A sentence can change a day or
even your attitude toward life. Work in groups to tell each other:
l the sentence that moved you the most;
l
the sentence that hurt you the
most;
l the sentence that encouraged you the most.
Sample Answers
the sentence that moved you the most
When I left home for college, my mother
said to me with tears in her eyes:
Take good care of yourself.
I love you.
You are so beautiful.
the sentence that hurt you the most
You are stupid.
I don’t love you any more.
You disappointed me
the sentence that encouraged you the most
Go on.
I’m sure you’ll succeed.
Wherever you go, I’ll be right there supporting you.
2. Proverbs on Encouragement
l
Better to light one candle than
to curse the darkness.
l
The secret of life is not to do
what one likes, but to try to like what one has to do.
l
Learn even from an enemy.
l
From small beginnings comes great things.
l
An optimist sees the rose; a
pessimist the thorn.
l Even a small star shines in the darkness.
III. Passage-Reading Activities
1 Finishing reading the passage
within 16 minutes, and point out the main idea of the passage.
2 Filling the blanks in the reading
comprehension exercises.
3. Language Points
1. acquaintance n. 1) 熟人,相识的人
l He is no more than an acquaintance of me.
l We are only on nodding acquaintance. 我们不过是点头之交。
2) 认识,了解
l He has some acquaintance with French.
l I have only a limited acquaintance with the matter.
acquaint v.
1) be acquainted with sb./sth.: to know sb./sth. slightly
She is acquainted with me.
He is but slightly acquainted with classical music.
2) acquaint sb. With (formal): tell, inform
I’ll acquaint you with the fact.
2. affect v. 1) (广义)影响
The area is severely affected by the flood.
The climate affected his health.
2) (狭义)(在感情方面)感动
Sad movies can so affect us that we can cry.
I was deeply affected by his words.
affected adj. 做作的
a. No one likes effected persons.
Difference: affect (v.), effect (n.)
Remember: affect= have an effect on
Compare: a. Smoking affects your health.
b. Smoking has an effect on your health.
c. The effect will affect the performance of the device.
这一结果将影响该装置的性能。
3. characterize/ise v. 1) 以…为特征
l
Inner emptiness is
characterizes some of the
l
Inner emptiness is characteristic
of some of the
Remember: characterize = be characteristic of 是…的特点
character n. 性格,人物
l He has a good character.
l Her character is good. I have known her for years.
characteristic n. 特色
a.
青岛是一座具有典型海滨特色的城市。
IV. Further
Development
Writing
Directions: Write a composition on either of the following topics. Use at least 6 of the words and phrases from the box.
1) Is Writing Better than Calling?
2) Words I Will Never Forget
Is Writing Better than
Calling?
Sample
1
The conventional way of sending messages is
writing a letter. Though it takes a lot of time, it is one of the most commonly
used ways of communication. With the development of science and technology, the
telephone emerged and it becomes so popular that it is indispensable in our
daily life. It is difficult to say which is better. Every means of
communication has its advantages and disadvantages. Writing a letter is not only
a means of communication, but also a kind of pleasure. What is more, the
letters can be kept and read again and again. Sometimes they are inspiring, and
sometimes they are encouraging. You can write a lot of things in a letter and
it does not cost you much to mail it. But it is slow, and you have to wait a
long time to get a response from your friends. On the other hand, making
telephone calls is much faster, so they are more appropriate when you need a
quick reply. They also enable you to hear your friends' voice, which gives you
a wonderful feeling. It is so easy just to pick up the phone and call whereas
writing takes more energy. But telephoning is expensive, and sometimes you
cannot remember all the comments that are made because calls are transient, and
cannot be kept for reading later like treasured letters. So it is very
hard to say which is better. The only thing we can do is to make a wise choice
between writing and calling according to the situation.