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Unit 7Text 1

The Fun They Had

Issac Asimov

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Teaching Objectives

1. Help students learn the features of narration;

2 .Elicit further thinking with regard to ‘the future world’;

3. Learn the sentence structures “had hoped that” and “had been hoping that”;

4. Learn to use some important words and phrases.

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Summary

1. About the Author2. Before Reading 3. Global Reading4. Detailed Reading5. After Reading

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About the Author

Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), an American biochemist and writer, born in the former USSR on January 2,1920 and then taken to the US at the age of 3 and grew up in Brooklyn, New York.

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Isaac graduated from Columbia University in 1939, and got his Ph. D. in the same university in 1947. He taught biochemistry at Boston University, but he is most widely known for his science fiction.

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Some of his best-known works are , Robot, published in 1950 and The Foundation Trilogy, published in 1951-1953.The magazine under his name Asimov Science-fiction is well know in the US.

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Before Reading

Ask students to work in pairs or small groups and discuss the following questions:What is the present American school education like?Have you read any science fiction about the future world? If yes, what are they?

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Make a comparison between Chinese education system and that of the USA. Which do you prefer and why?Do you believe that schools today are headed in the direction of the home schooling described in the text?

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Topics for Discussion In small groups, answer these

questions:1. How much do you know about the ancient form of school in your culture.2. Say something about present school in your culture.3. What will school look like in the future, say, in about four hundred years?

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Global Reading

Is this text a piece of narration, description, argumentation or exposition?

How many parts can this text be divided into?

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Detailed Reading

Paragraph 1Paragraph 2-31Paragraph 32-35

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Paragraph 1

This paragraph serves as the introductory part and tells readers the exact date on which this story occurs, the names of the leading characters and a real book around which the story evolves.

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Language work

On the page headed May 17, 2157…

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Paragraph 2 - 31

This part is the main body of the story, a long conversation between the two leading characters concerned the old book and school centuries ago.

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Questions

Who determines what the students learn and at what pace they learn?When and where do students socialize with friends?

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What do you think are the biggest advantages of home schooling? What do you think are the biggest problems facing home-schooled students? What solutions can you think of for the problems?

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Language work

They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to --- on a screen, you know.

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When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess.

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“In my house,” he pointed without looking because he was busy reading. “In the attic.”

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Margie was scornful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.”

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The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.

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He smiled at Margie and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart.Margie had hoped he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right.

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The part Margie hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers.She always had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in no time.

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She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether.Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes…He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, “Centuries ago.”

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“Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”“A man isn’t smart enough.”

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Margie wasn’t prepared to dispute that. Tommy screamed with laughter.“But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the minds of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.”

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They weren’t even half-finished when Margie’s mother called, “Margie! School!”“Maybe,” he said nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the dusty old book tucked beneath his arm.

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Paragraph 32-35

Questions: What do you learn about Margie’s schoolroom and her mechanical teacher?What do you think of your school, teachers and your classmates? Do you have the fun Margie envisioned?

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Language work

The screen was lit up, and it said: “Today’s arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday’s home work in the proper slot.”

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Margie did so with a sigh.

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head

vt. To be in the first or foremost position of. e.g. The chapter was headed My Early Life.This canyon heads the list of natural attractions.

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crinkly

adj. uneven by virtue of having wrinkles or waves.

Synonyms: crinkled, rippled, wavy, wavelike

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still

adv. Without movement; motionlessly

e.g. stand still

standstill n. Complete cessation of activity or progress

e.g. All work came to a standstill.

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be through with

v. finish, be done with; dump, break with e.g. We may be through with the past, but the past isn’t through with us. I’m through with her. We’ve broken up.

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attic

n. A story or room directly below the roof of a building, especially a house.He made the attic in the small house a reading room. I unearthed the portrait from the attic.

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scornful

adj. expressing extreme contempt

He gave a scornful laugh at my proposal. We are scornful of the forces of convention.

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mechanical

adj. Operated or produced by a mechanism or machine

a mechanical toy dog We need a mechanical digger to level the ground. 

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sorrowfully

n. Sorrowadj. sorrowfuladv. Sorrowfully 1. in a sorrowful manner

2. with sadness; in a sorrowful manner

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send for

v. order, request, or command to come

He was so ill that we had to send for a doctor. Police were sent for to maintain order.

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take apart

v. take apart into its constituent pieces

The machine has already been taken apart.

John took the engine apart.

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had hoped that…

“Hope” in past perfect is used to indicate a past unfulfilled wish.

He had hoped to set a new world record, but was frustrated by bad weather.

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put together

v. create by putting components or members together

The boy took apart the toy car, but couldn't put it together again.

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slot

n. a small slit (as for inserting a coin or depositing mail) Pick up the receiver and deposit a coin in the slot.  If you put a coin in the slot of this machine, stamps come out of another slot.

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punch

v. deliver a quick blow to; drive forcibly as if by a punch

n. (boxing) a blow with the fist

They cut holes on the sheet of metal with a punch press.

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code

n. (computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions

A punch code is a computer language by pressing keys.

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calculate

vi. To perform a mathematical process; figure

Vt. To ascertain by computation; reckon We must measure and calculate to determine how much paint will be needed.The computer has been programmed to calculate the gross profit margin on all sales. 

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in no time

adv. in a relatively short time

He will come back in no time. I have a few dictionaries to hand. I can get the meaning of the phrase for you in no time.

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had been hoping

Like in the structure “had hoped”, “Hope” in past perfect progressive is also used to express a past unfulfilled wish.

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superior

adj. of or characteristic of high rank or importance He smiled a superior smile as he drove past in his expensive new car.

be superior to rise superior to

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loftily

adv. in a lofty manner

lofty adj. having or displaying great dignity or nobility

I don't like her lofty treatment of her visitors.

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regular

adj. customary, usual, or normal John is our regular caller.

Note:What is considered a regular teacher

in 2157 by Tommy and Margie seems so much different and remote from a regular TODAY.

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smart

adj. clever, bright, characterized by quickness and ease in learning

This boy is very smart; he may be another Edison.

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dispute

v. have a disagreement over something

They are disputing about the rights and wrongs of the case.  His honesty is beyond dispute. 

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scream

v. make a loud, piercing sound

She screamed with fear. The boy was screaming with pain. 

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adjustv. 1. alter or regulate so as to

achieve accuracy or conform to a standard

2. adapt or conform oneself to new or different conditions This kind of desk can be adjusted to the height you need.  He adjusted himself very quickly to the heat of the country. 

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fit

v. be agreeable or acceptable to

He will just fit the post.  This dress doesn't fit me.

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half-finished

adj. only partially completed

a half-finished jigsaw puzzle

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nonchalantly

adv. in a composed and unconcerned manner

nonchalant adj. Seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent.

Carefree and nonchalant

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tuck

v. To gather up and fold, thrust, or turn in so as to secure or confine; fit snugly into

Tuck your shirt into your trousers.She tucked her scarf into her blouse.

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whistling

whistle v. make whistling sounds

–ing participle denoting accompanying circumstance. When a man walks away whistling, he must be very proud and triumphant.

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light up

v. become clear

The fire lit up her face. A brilliant sun lit up their rooms.

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addition

n. the arithmetic operation of summing; calculating the sum of two or more numbers in addition (to)addition, subtraction, multiplication, divisionAddition and division are forms of computation.

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proper fraction

n. a fraction with a numerator smaller than the denominator 真分数

One forth is a proper fraction.

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insert

v. put or introduce into something

to insert an advertisement in a newspaper He inserted the key in the lock but could not open the door.

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sigh

v. exhale audibly in a long, deep breath, as in weariness or relief.

n. an utterance made by exhaling audibly

‘I wish I had finished this work,’ she said with a sigh.

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After Reading

Structural AnalysisWord DerivationPhrasal VerbsBlank FillingSentence TranslationOral WorkWriting

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Structural Analysis

The text could be divided into three parts according to the development of sequence. Please write a summary for each part.

Paragraph 1

Paragraph 2-30

Paragraph 31-35

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Word derivation

1) He is rather of material things. He always says that money is not everything. (scorn)

2) He was asked the same question so many times that the answer became . (mechanic)

3) Exercise has made a great in her health. (different)

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4) She is living such a miserable life that there is always a smile on her face. (sorrow)

5) The invention of computer has made faster and more accurate. (calculate)

6) Thomas always shows a good sense of .He thinks he performs better than any other colleague in his office. (superior)

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7) Nobody likes his way of speaking. He speaks to everybody . (lofty)

8) “It has nothing to do with me. Why should I lend you any money?” He said . (nonchalant)

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Phrasal Verbs

1) It’s a pity that you didn’t go to the high school reunion. Several old friends at the reunion. (turn)

2) When they first came to Shanghai, they were unable to themselves ________the environment. (adjust)

3) I have some meat from the butcher’s . (send)

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4) John wanted us to go to his party, but we politely the invitation. (turn)

5) We will persevere past failures. (regard)

6) His marked changes in personality were ___________ by some misfortunes in life. (bring)

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Blank Filling

Fill in the blank in each sentence with a word in its appropriate form.

dispute usual silent argue regular interesting still funny

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1) It's a(n) __________ thing, but I put the ring on the dressing table a few minutes ago, and now it's missing.

2) I don’t think she will be able to show up at the dance hall. I hear that she is in a(n) ____________ condition now.

dispute usual silent argue regular interesting still funny

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3) “I like the ____________ church before the service begins” (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

4) “But after tempest ( 暴风雨 ) there came a day as __________ as heaven” (Tennyson).

dispute usual silent argue regular interesting still funny

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5) The members of the town council __________ for hours about whether to build a new museum.

6) The speaker __________ that more immigrants should be admitted to the country.

dispute usual silent argue regular interesting still funny

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7) He ended his speech with the __________ expressions of thanks.

8) I doubt whether your procedure would be considered ___________ by authorities.

dispute usual silent argue regular interesting still funny

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Sentence Translation

1) 许多当代的大学生不能调整自己以适应不断变化的环境。 (adjust oneself to)

2) 我请他给我安装一个电脑软件，他几乎立刻就给我装好了。 (in no time)

3) 电视机肯定是坏了，我们必须得找人来修。(send for )

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4) 市议会的议员们就是否要新建一所博物馆辩论了好几个小时。 (dispute)

5) 很抱歉，我没法告诉你信的内容。信是用密码写的，我看不懂。 (code)

6)“ 三四十年代的运动员连吃饭的钱都不够，更别提在奥运会上拿奖了”，他叹息着说。(sigh)

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Oral Work

Do you think home schooling is a good idea? Why or why not?Do you believe that peer pressure weakens a student’s ability to learn? Why or why not?

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Writing

Do you believe that teachers are the most important factor in a student’s success? Write an essay elaborating factors that you think might help a student achieve success.