【外语课件】Unit 10 The Wonderful Lousy Poems

【外语课件】Unit 10 The Wonderful Lousy Poems Unit 10 The Wonderful Lousy Poems Course: Integrated English Instructor: Chen Chen Objectives 1. revision 2. grasp the author’s purpose of writing and make clear the structure of the whole passage 3. learn the writing way and master the key language points and grammatical structures 4. appreciate the rhetorical feature of the text key points and difficult points difficult phrases and sentences grammar structural analysis rhetorical feature teaching periods: 8 periods teaching procedure Step I Lead-in i. Greeting and Revision ii. Warm-up questions: Have you ever tried to write a poem? How different is your father from your mother in their methods when they try to give you proper education? Reference: iii. Background information 1 (i) Who is Budd Schulberg Budd Schulberg, the son of the Hollywood movie producer, Benjamin Schulberg, was born in New York on 27th March, 1914. Novelist and screenwriter, whose works are deeply rooted in the great humanistic and social tradition of American literature. Budd Schulberg won an Oscar for his screenplay of On the Waterfront (1954), directed by Elia Kazan. (ii) Selected works and film adaptations WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN, ON THE WATERFRONT, PERFECT IN THEIR ART, THE HARDER THEY FALL Step II Text i. Words and Expressions Ask the students to read the words and expressions, give some explanation. ii. An Integrated Analysis of Text (i) Ask the students to read the text quickly to choose the best meaning of the title “The Wonderful Lousy Poems.” C(His mother spoke highly of Budd’s poem because she knew how to encourage the son to establish his confidence in an inspiring way. Budd believe that his father would better be able to appreciate his first poem because his father began his career as a writer and now was a Hollywood tycoon. But unexpectedly, his father criticized the poem severely and reprimanded it as “lousy,” which hurt Buddy deeply. (ii) T or F 1. F. Budd’s mother spoke highly of the poem to encourage Budd. His father, although formerly a writer and now a Hollywood tycoon, was as strict with 2 the son as he was with his own work. He pointed out directly that the poem was nothing but “lousy.” 2. F. His father criticized the poem as lousy not because he did not love his son. In fact, he loved his son as much as Budd’s mother did. He knew very well how to educate the son and how to curb his conceit and arrogance in a timely way. The problem with his father was, perhaps, he was too rigid and rigorous in his manner and attitude. 3. T. Both parents loved Budd. His mother’s love was gentle and temperate. She encouraged the son and helped to establish his confidence. His father’s love was harsh and rigid. He constantly reminded Budd not to be conceited and arrogant. Though in a different way, both parents loved Budd and showed their concern to Budd’s growth and development. 4. F. It is quite impossible to say whose love is more powerful or more effective. Both were important and necessary to Budd’s development. Both were equally powerful though different. Any single love was incomplete and even misleading. With the mother’s love, we are encouraged and become confident; with the father’s love, we will pay constant attention to our faults and defects and will correct them in time, and also we will make an objective evaluation of our own ability. (iii) Structural analysis In order to highlight the image of the father, the author purposely deviates from the theme in the middle and describes the father’s indignation toward the haughty actress. This event reflects the father’s personality, he is a person strict in his work and with his company men, and he is rigid and rigorous in his manner. (iv) Comprehensive questions 1. How did his mother respond to Budd’s first poem? 3 2. Why did Budd look forward to his father’s arrival? 3. How did his father respond to the poem? 4. Which kind of love was important to Budd’s growth, the mother’s love or the father’s love? iii. Learn the Text in Details Part One This is the introductory part of the text. Budd wrote his first poem which is highly praised by his mother and was now expecting his father’s arrival in excitement, for he was sure his father would appreciate his wonderful poem more than his mother. (i) Questions: 1. Why was his mother’s attitude to Budd’s poem positive and affirmative? It is the first time for Budd to try on a poem. His mother showed incredible excitement to his poem because she wanted to encourage the son to go on with writing. She did not want to nip his talent in the bud. (ii) Language Points 1(exuberant (1)(of people and their behavior) overflowing with life and cheerful excitement His paintings were full of exuberant color( (2)(of plants)growing strongly and plentifully the exuberant growth of a tropical rain forest 2. nothing short of: (used to add force to a statement) nothing less than The closure of the factory will be nothing short of a disaster,of disastrous for the people in the area( 2. glow 4 (1)to give out heat and,or soft light without flames or smoke The iron bar was heated until it glowed( The cat’s eyes glowed in the darkness (2)(+with)to show redness and heat，especially in the face，e.g.，after hard work or because of strong feelings She was glowing with health and happiness( She glowed with pride at her son’s achievements . 3. flourish: a showy movement or manner that draws people’s attention to someone He opened the door with a flourish. 4. elaborate: full of detail; carefully worked out and with a large number of parts She made elaborate preparations for the party, and then no one came. The curtains had an elaborate pattern of flowers. 5. do justice to: to treat in a fair and proper way; to get the best result from She cooked a delicious dinner, but we couldn’t really do it justice(=eat enough of it) because we’d eaten too much already. She didn’t do herself justice in the exam( =did not answer the questions as well as she could have) Part Two In this part, Budd’s father came home, and beyond his expectation, the poem was denounced as “lousy.” (i) Questions: 1. What was his father’s response to Budd’s poem? How was that different from his mother’s? Unlike his mother, his father denounced the poem as “lousy” and very rudely declared that he had the right to tear apart this stuff because he thought it was 5 “lousy”. This was quite beyond Budd’s expectation. While his mother showed her understanding and support to the son, his father compared the son’s first try in poetry to the work of his colleagues in the studio, which were, to him, both “lousy” and thus wasted his time and money in reading such “stuff”. 2. What kind of man was his father? He was strict in his work, but seemed too rough and tough on his colleagues. Running a Hollywood studio, he demanded his work and his men to be the perfect. Once there was something unsatisfactory in the work, he would fly into a rage and bitterly complain about his job and his men. This personality was also reflected in his attitude to Budd’s poem, which was ruthlessly reprimanded by him as “lousy”. Therefore, rigorous and merciless, his father showed a love to the son which was quite different from his mother. While his mother’s love was a kind of encouragement, his father’s love was a kind of strength or force, which called Budd’s attention to his work constantly and urged him to review and to improve. (ii) Language Points 7. burst in: to enter ( a room, etc.) suddenly The police burst in ( through the door) and arrested the gang. 6. circle (1) to move in a circle, especially in the air( about/around/round) (over somebody/ something) Vultures circling (around) over a dead animal. (2) to move in or form a circle round (somebody/ something) The plane circled the airport before landing. The moon circles the earth every 28days. 7. oath 6 (1)(words used in making)a solemn promise to do something or solemn declaration that something is true(usually appearing to God，etc(as a witness) There is a standard form of oath used in law coups( (2)casual and improper use of the name of God，etc(to express anger， surprise，etc; swear-word He hurled a few oaths at his wife and walked out，slamming the door( 8. glamorous: attractive, charming, exciting glamorous film stars glamor: attractive or exciting quality which somebody/something has, and which seems out of reach to others hopeful young actors and actresses dazzled by the glamor of Hollywood Now that she’s an air hostess, foreign travel has lost its glamor for her. 9. sentence somebody( to something): to state that somebody is to have a certain punishment He has been sentenced to three years in prison. (figurative) a crippling disease which sentenced him to a lifetime in a wheelchair 10. moron: (informal and derogative) very stupid person They’re a load of morons. 11. blank (1)without writing or print; unmarked a blank sheet of paper; a blank page (2) without expression, understanding or interest; empty a blank expression/ face/ gaze He looked blank.(= He is puzzle.) Her questions drew blank looks all around.( = No one seemed to know how to answer them.) 7 (3)(attributive) total; absolute a blank denial/ refusal 12. rant: to speak loudly, violently or theatrically He ranted (on) at me about my mistakes. 13. wheel (1)to push or pull(a vehicle with wheels) wheel a barrow(along the street) (2)to move in a curve or circle birds wheeling about in the sky above us Left,Right wheel 向左转,向右转! 14. glare n. (1)strong unpleasant dazzling light avoid the glare of the sun，of car headlights，etc( (2)angry or fierce look;fixed look give somebody a hostile glare v. (1) to shine with a dazzling(unpleasant light The searchlight flared，illuminating the prison yard (2)to stare angrily or fiercely r at somebody,something) He didn’t shout or swear，but just glared silently at me. 15. hold one’s ground: to maintain one’s claim, intention, argument, etc.; not to yield or give way The speaker calmly held his ground in the face of angry opposition. She held her ground in spite of all the counter-arguments. 16. tear apart: to destroy or defeat something completely; to criticize something harshly The civil war tore the country apart. Will his absence tear the whole project apart? 8 Part Three In the last part, the author makes a comparison between the father’s love and the mother’s love. He learns that although conflicting, they are complementary and in fact, both of them are indispensable to his growth. (i) Questions: 1. Can you describe the mother’s love? It is gentle and temperate. It is a force, a loving force from which all creation grows. That is to say, mothers tend to encourage us with loving words, helping to establish our confidence to go forward. 2. How is the father’s love? It is rigid and rigorous. It is another kind of force, a loving force which constantly calls our attention and caution to our conceit and arrogance. Although it constantly hurts us, it is this kind of loving force that enables us to make a better estimation of our own ability. 3. Which kind of love is important to the children’s growth, the mother’s or the father’s? Both are important and necessary to children’s growth. The mother’s love is gentle and mild, but it tends to spoil and even destroy a child without the father’s love to curb it. On the contrary, the father’s love tends to hurt a child or even dispel his or her confidence forever without mother’s love to encourage and recognize. Therefore any single love is incomplete and even misleading. Only with these two complementary loves combing together will a child be able to develop healthily and wisely. 4. How does your mother show her love to you? 5. How about your father? Is he as strict as the father we learnt in the text? How do you feel about this kind of love? Open for discussion 9 (ii) Language Points 19. reluctant: unwilling and therefore slow to co-operate, agree, etc. She was very reluctant to admit the truth. 20. work up (1) to develop or improve something gradually work up a business (2) to increase something in numbers or strength working up the support for the party 21. crush (1)to press or squeeze(somebody,something)so hard that it breaks or is damaged Several people were crushed to death by the falling rocks( (2)to break something hard into small pieces or into powder by pressing Huge hammers crush(up)the rocks( (3)to defeat(somebody,something)completely:to subdue The rebellion was crushed by government forces( He felt completely crushed by her last remark( 22. dawn on: to gradually become clear to one’s mind; to become evident to somebody. It finally dawned on me that he had been lying. The truth began to dawn on him. 23. counsel (1) to give professional advice to (somebody with a problem) a psychiatrist who counsels alcoholics (2) to give ( the stated advice) I would counsel caution in such a case. (3) to advise 10 He counseled them to give up the plan. 24. take/bring somebody down a peg: to make ( a proud or conceited person ) more humble The arrogant film star needs/ wants taking down a peg or two. 25. on the crest of: at the point of great success, happiness, etc. After its election victory, the party was on the crest of the wave. 26. echo (1) ( of places) to send (something) back The valley echoed back his song. (2) (figurative) (of people, places, etc.) to repeat something; to imitate; to recall They echoed their leader’s every word. (3) (of places) to repeat a sound ( to/with something) The hills echoed to the sound of laughter. 27. buffet: to knock or push somebody/ something roughly from side to side flowers buffeted by the rain and wind a boat buffeted (about) by the waves. 28. navigate (1) to find the position and plot the course of a ship, an aircraft, a car etc., using maps and instruments Which officer in the ship navigates? (2) to steer( a ship); to pilot (an aircraft) navigate the tanker around the Cape (3)to sail along, over or through ( a sea, river, etc.) Who first navigated the Atlantic? 29. capsize: to ( cause a boat to) overturn or be overturned The boat capsized in heavy seas. 11 Huge waves can capsize the ship. iv. Further Understanding Explain in your own words the sentences taken from the text. (P146) 1. First, I wrote the poem out of my sincere passion and with my great intelligent. 2. My father thought that poem I wrote was too affected and artificial, but anyway, it did reveal some sign that I had potent ability in poetry writing. 3. I shall not be spoiled by my mother’s tender love, neither be discouraged by my father’s stern love. I shall follow my own way, with the combination of the two loves. v. Rhetorical features of the text III. Translation exercises 她过去享受惯了最好的。 (nothing short of) She was used to nothing short of the best. 我对你的意思一点也不明白。 (have no idea) I have no idea (as to) what you mean( 虽然群众对他的决定高声提出抗议，裁判仍然坚持他的立场。(hold one’s ground) The referee held his ground although his decision was hotly contested by the crowd( 他的演讲激发了群众的情绪。(work up) His speech worked up the feelings of all audience( 最后他开始了解真相。(dawn on) The truth at last dawned on him. 苏珊要做的事情太多了以致没有好好的做作业。 (do justice to) 12 Susan had so many things to do that she could not do justice to her lessons. O'Neill， Eugene Gladstone (1888-1953)， American dramatist， who attempted to define fundamental human problems in his works. He is considered by many to be the most important writer in the American theater. O'Neill was born in New York City. He traveled with his father， Irish-American actor， James O'Neill， on theatrical tours. From 1914 to 1915 he studied under American theater scholar George Pierce Baker. O'Neill won four Pulitzer Prizes and was awarded the 1936 Nobel Prize for literature. Sinclair Lewis辛克莱•路易斯(1885-1951)，美国著名小说家，诺贝尔文 学奖获得者。《大街》是其成名作。 Works--Main Street，Babbitt，Arrowsmith，Dodsworth，Elmer Gantry point of view – satirical critic of American middle class 〈大街〉问世后迅速风靡欧美国家，一年内再版28次，被称为“20世纪 美国出版史上最轰动的事件”。此书还成为了当时堪萨斯州各级学校学生 的必读教材。小说主题新颖，风格别致，洋溢着浓郁的美国中西部地方风 情，评论家称此书是美国文学中描述地方风情最出色的文学作品。 William Faulkner William Faulkner has become the most frequently and intensely interpreted writer of modern American literature. awarded the Nobel Prize for the anti-racist: Intruder in the Dust. Faulkner's four masterpieces are: The Sound and The Fury, Light in August, Absalom, Absalom!, and Go Down, Moses. Faulkner has been regarded as a man with great might of invention and experimentation. he added to the theory of novel as art form and evolved his 13 own literary strategies. To him, the primary duty of writer is to explore and represent the infinite possibilities inherent in human life. 14 15