I. Lead-in Questions

1. Would you enjoy writing “The Art of Eating Spaghetti ”? Why or why not?2. Why did Russell Baker enjoy writing “The Art of Eating Spaghetti”?3. Look at the title of Text A, then find out in which paragraph a similar phrase appears. Read that paragraph carefully and explain in your own words what the author means by saying “writing for myself”.

II. Cultural Notes

1.Grade schools in the

U.S. 1.Grade schools in the

U.S.

2.Spaghetti and the proper way of eating it2.Spaghetti and the proper way of eating it 3.What American

teachers wear in school. 3.What American

teachers wear in school.

1.Grade schools in the U.S.

American schools generally consist of elementary schools (kindergarten to 5th or 6th grade), middle schools (grades 6-8) or junior high schools (grades 7-9), and high schools (grades 9-12 or 10-12). Many children attend preschool and kinder- garten from ages three to five, most youngsters begins first grade at around 6. Students do not pay tuition in grades 1-12. They graduate and receive a diploma after twelfth grade.

2.Spaghetti and the proper way of eating it

Spaghetti is the Italian-style thin noodle, cooked by boiling and served with sauce. Usually you would put a fork into a plate of spaghetti, turn the fork several times so that spaghetti will wind around the fork, then place the fork into your mouth. It’s impossible to suck.

3.What American teachers wear in school.

Nowadays, people in the U.S. love to dress casually. Even among those companies with a rigid dress code some now allow employees not to wear suits on Fridays. U.S. teachers wear fairly formal clothes to school, but not necessarily suits and ties. Bow ties are considered even more old-fashioned than ties.

III. Language Points

WordsWords

1.possibilityn. 1)the fact or state of being possible 可能，可能 性eg: I admit the possibility of your being right . 我承认你可能是对的。 There is no possibility of his success. 他不可能成功。2)something that is possible 可能的事物eg: What are the possibilities? 可能会发生哪些情况？ It is a possibility that he will come tonight. 他今晚有可能来。

WordsWords

3)potentiality for favorable or interesting results. 潜在价值eg:The idea has tremendous possibilities. 这个想法极具潜在价值。 My new house has great possibilities. 我的新房子有很大的潜在价值。短语： by any possibility 以任何可能的方法 eg:They cannot by any possibility be in time. 他们决不可能准时。 If I could by any possibility manage to do it, I would. 只要我有可能设法去做，我会去做的。

WordsWords2.borevt. 1)to make weary by being dull, repetitive, or tedious 使人厌烦eg:The play bored us. 这出戏剧令我们厌烦。 The teacher bored his students. 这位老师使学生感到厌烦。2) to make a hole in or through, with or as if with a drill 钻孔eg:bore a tunnel through the mountain 开凿一条穿山隧道 bore a hole in the floor 在地板上打个洞

WordsWords

n. 1)a hole made by boring 孔 eg:He made a bore in the board.他在板上钻了一个孔。2)something or somebody that is unpleasant or annoying 令人厌烦的事物或人eg:It is a bore having to go out again on a cold night like this.像今天这样寒冷的夜晚还得出门真烦死人。The play was a bore.那出戏令人生厌。派生词： boredom n. 厌烦，乏味 boring adj.( 事物 ) 另人厌烦的 , 乏味的 bored adj.( 人 ) 感到厌倦的

WordsWords

短语： bore…to death 使厌烦死了，烦透了eg:You must be bored to death. 你一定烦透了。I was bored to death before the first day was out.第一天还没过去我就已经厌烦得要命了。

WordsWords

3.associatev.1)to connect or join together; combine 联合，合并eg: They were closely associated with each other during the war. 在战争期间，他们的关系密切。 She associated herself with her father in banking. 她跟父亲一起从事银行业。2) to connect in the mind or imagination 联想，在心中联系eg: We associate China with the Great Wall. 我们想起中国，就联想到长城。 I cannot associate the two ideas. 我无法将这两个概念联系在一起。

WordsWords

n.1)partner 合伙人，伙伴eg: He is not a friend; he is a business associate. 他不是我的朋友，而是我生意上的合伙人。 He was my close associate at school. 他是我学生时代的亲密伙伴。2)the holder of an associate degree 准学士学位，大专毕业证书 eg: an Associate of Arts 准文学学士学位

WordsWords

adj. quasi, assistant 准的，副的eg: associate professor 副教授 an associate editor of a magazine 杂志副主编近义词 :combine, connect ,join(v.), partner(n.)派生词： association n. 联合，合并。短语： associate…with 把……和……联想到一起。eg:We associate turkey with Thanksgiving. 我们看到火鸡就联想到感恩节。 We associate rose with love. 我们看到玫瑰就想到爱情。

WordsWords

4.anticipatev.1)expect 预期，预料eg:I anticipate great pleasure from my visit to Beijing. 我预料这次访问北京会得到莫大的愉快 We anticipate a heavy rainfall tomorrow. 我们预料明天会下大雨。2)to do sth. before 抢占，占先eg:We anticipated our competitors by publishing our article first. 我们抢在对手之前发表了文章。 They may have anticipated Columbus in the discovery of America. 他们可能比哥仑布早先发现美洲。

WordsWords

3 ） to make use of before the proper time 预支eg:Don’t anticipate your income. 不要寅吃卯粮。 anticipate one’s next month’s salary 提前支用下月工资近义词： expect派生词： anticipation n. 预料，预期

WordsWords

5. tediousadj. boring and lasting for a long time 乏味的，冗长的eg:The arguments were tedious and complicated. 那些论点冗长而繁复。 Traveling through a desert in a car is tedious. 乘车穿越沙漠旅行是乏味的。 a tedious speaker 说话罗嗦的人 tedious work 乏味的工作 a tedious lesson 无聊的课派生词 : tedium n. 乏味，冗长

WordsWords6.reputationn.1)the general estimation in which a person is held by the public 名气，名声 eg:The English had a bad reputation for food. 人人皆知英国的食物很糟糕。 have a reputation for idleness 懒惰得出名2 ） the state or situation of being held in high esteem 好名声，名誉，声望eg:He is winning a reputation among businessmen. 他在商界赢得了好名声。 She has a high reputation as a writer. 她是一个非常有名望的作家。

WordsWords

近义词： fame短语： save(ruin) one’s reputation 挽回（毁掉）某人的名誉build up a reputation 博得名誉

WordsWords7.inspirev.1)fill sb. with confidence, eagerness , etc. 激励，鼓舞 eg:I was inspired to work harder than ever before. 我受到激励比以往任何时候都更努力工作。 inspire sb. with courage 鼓起某人的勇气 inspire confidence in sb. 使某人产生信心 inspire sb. to do sth. 激励某人作某事

WordsWords

2) to affect or touch 影响，触动 eg:The falling leaves inspired her with sadness. 落叶触动了她的伤感。3) to draw in (air) by inhaling 吸入eg:inspire the crisp fall air 吸入秋天的清新空气近义词： encourage派生词： inspiration n. 灵感，鼓舞 inspiring adj.鼓舞人心的

WordsWords8.formaladj.1)relating to or involving outward form or structure 外行的，形式 ( 上 ) 的eg:the formal structure of a poem 一首诗形式上的结构 a formal likeness 外表上的相似 formal beauty 形式的美，外表的美

WordsWords

2 ） serious and careful in manner and behavior 刻板的，拘谨的eg:He is very formal in all his dealings. 他待人处事都很刻板。 a formal manner 拘谨的态度

WordsWords3) based on correct or accepted rules 正式的，合乎传统习俗的 eg: Business letters are usually formal, but we write in an informal way to family members or friends. 商业信件通常都是很讲究格式的，但我们给家人或朋友写信就比较随便了。 go to a formal party 参加一个正式聚会反义词： informal adj. 非正式的 an informal visit 非正式访问

WordsWords 9.severeadj.1)completely plain 朴素的eg:a severe black dress 朴素的黑衣裙 a severe literary style 了无华饰的简洁文体 severe beauty 淳朴的美2) causing very great pain, difficulty, worry, etc. 严重的，剧烈的eg:a severe attack of influenza 流行性感冒的剧烈发作 a severe shortage of food 食品的严重短缺

WordsWords

3)extremely difficult to accomplish 严峻的 eg:a severe competition 激烈的竞争 a severe test of ability 对能力的严峻考验派生词： severely adv. 严格的，严厉的，严肃的 severity n. 严格 , 严厉 , 严肃

WordsWords 10.antiquen.an object having special value because of its age 古玩，古董 eg:a fake antique 假古玩 genuine antique 真古董 imitation antiques 仿古品adj. belonging to, made in, or typical of an earlier period 古板的，古风的，古式的 eg:antique furniture 旧式（古香古色）的家具 an antique mirror 古镜近义词： aged 年老的 ancient 古老的 , archaic, old 反义词： modern

WordsWords 11.tacklev.1)try to deal with 处理，应付 eg:I don’t know how to tackle this problem. 我不知道如何解决这个问题。 He tackles his homework after supper. 他晚饭后开始作家庭作业。2) (in football) to seize and throw down (an opposing player) （橄榄球中）抱住并摔倒（或挡住）对方球员 eg:He tackles fearlessly. 他毫无畏惧地紧抱住（对方）。

WordsWords

近义词： deal with 应付，处理短语： tackle sb. about (over) sth. 为某事与某人坦率地交谈eg:After the meeting he tackled me about my speech. 会议后他和我坦率地交流对讲演的看法。 If Bill’s late again I’ll have to tackle him about it. 如果贝尔再迟到，我会坦率地和他谈。

WordsWords 12.scan v. look through quickly 浏览，粗略地看 eg:He scanned the newspaper while having his breakfast. 他吃早饭时把报纸浏览了一下。 He scanned the articles that might give the information he needed. 他浏览一下可能提供自己所需要的资料的一些文章。近义词： examine检查 , inspect视察

WordsWords 13.extraordinary adj.1)very unusual or strange 不同寻常的，奇特的 eg:Perhaps the most extraordinary building of the nineteenth century was the Crystal Palace. 也许 19世纪最不寻常的建筑物要算“水晶宫”了。 a man of extraordinary strength 特别有力气的人2)highly exceptional; remarkable 非凡，显著的eg:an extraordinary achievement 一个非凡的成就 an extraordinary leader 杰出的领导人

WordsWords

3) in addition to the ordinary ones 临时的，额外的 eg:the extraordinary session (of the Diet) （日本，丹麦，德国，瑞典等的） 临时议会 an extraordinary general meeting 临时大会 近义词： remarkable显著的 , unusual 不同寻常的

WordsWords 14.sequencen. 1)a group of things that are arranged in or happen in an order 一连串相关的事物eg:a sequence of historical plays by Shakespeare 莎士比亚的一系列历史剧calamities in rapid sequence 接二连三的灾祸2)an order of succession; an arrangement 次序，顺序 eg: In a poem, cadences are arranged in regular sequence. 在一首 ( 英 ) 诗里，抑扬顿挫是按一定顺序配置的。 in sequence of date 按照日期先后 a sequence of clubs （牌戏中的）同花顺子

WordsWords

近义词： succession, series派生词 :sequent adj.顺序的，依次的，后来的 短语： in sequence 顺次 in regular sequence 按着次序 the sequence of events 事情的先后次序

WordsWords 15.contemptn.1)scorn 轻视，藐视 eg:fall into contempt by foolish and bad behavior 由于愚昧和不良行为被人瞧不起 hold sb. in contempt 藐视某人 in contempt of all rules and regulations 藐视一切规章制度 contempt of court 藐视法庭；不遵守法庭的规定

WordsWords 2)disgrace 受辱，丢脸，不光彩 eg:bring sb. into contempt 使某人受辱（丢脸） He had to live in contempt after that. 他在那之后不得不过屈辱的生活。派生词： contemptible adj. 可鄙的，轻蔑的反义词 :esteem 尊重 ， honor 荣誉 , respect 尊敬短语： be beneath contempt卑鄙到了极点；应予鄙视，不值一顾 eg:His conduct is beneath contempt. 他的行径 卑鄙到极点。 in contempt of … 藐视，不在乎 eg:He rushed forward in contempt of danger. 他不顾危险向前冲。

WordsWords 16.avoidv.1)keep or get away from 避免，回避，逃避 ;防止 eg:We only just avoided an accident. 我们几乎撞车（或遭难）。 I cannot avoid seeing him. 我难免要和他见面。2) stay clear of; shun 避开 eg:I walked carefully to avoid the puddles in the road. 我小心行走以避开路上的水坑。 avoid crowds 避开人群

WordsWords 16.avoidv.1)keep or get away from 避免，回避，逃避 ;防止 eg:We only just avoided an accident. 我们几乎撞车（或遭难）。 I cannot avoid seeing him. 我难免要和他见面。2) stay clear of; shun 避开 eg:I walked carefully to avoid the puddles in the road. 我小心行走以避开路上的水坑。 avoid crowds 避开人群

WordsWords

3) make void; invalidate （法）撤消，作废 eg:avoid a plea 使抗辩无效派生词： avoidance n.避免，回避，避开 avoidable adj. avoidably adv近义词： keep away from避开 evade 躲避

PhrasesPhrases

1.out of date: old-fashioned 过时的 eg:This style has gone out of date.这种式样已经过时。 The dance used to be very popular, but now it is out of date. 这种舞蹈过去很流行但是现在已经过时了。

PhrasesPhrases

2.face up to: be brave enough to accept or deal with 勇敢地接受或面对eg:She must face up to the fact that she is no longer young. 她必须接受她不再年轻的事实。You are too old for the job. You have to face up to the fact. 你太老了，这个工作不适合你，你应该面对现实。

PhrasesPhrases 3.turn in1) hand in; give over 交还，上交eg:You must turn in your uniform before you leave. 你离开前必须把制服交还。2) inform on or deliver 告发，检举eg:They turned the escaped prisoner in to the police. 他们将逃犯送交警方。 3)produce 完成eg:turns in a consistent performance every day. 每天的表现都很一致

PhrasesPhrases

4.hold back: prevent the expression of(feelings, tears, etc.)控制eg:He is accustomed to holding back his emotions. 他惯于控制自己的感情。 She smiled and could not hold back tears of joy. 她笑了，眼里充满了喜悦的泪花。

IV. Comprehension IV. Comprehension

122

1. Text Organization 1. Text Organization Parts Paragraphs Main Ideas

Part 1 Paras1-2 Baker was bored by everything associated with English courses, including essay writing.

Part 2 Paras3-5 Baker found himself attracted by one particular topic and wrote about it for his own joy.

Part 3 Paras6-9 The experience of writing the essay helped him discover his talent for writing and realize what he wished to do in life.

2. Main Idea2. Main Idea.

The writer was bored by everything associated with English courses, including essay writing. Unluckily, his new teacher, Mr. Fleagle, had a reputation among students for dullness and inability to inspire. Mr. Fleagle distributed a homework sheet offering the students a choice of topics. The writer recalled the night in Belleville when his family were seated around the supper table, eating Spaghetti. So he wrote “The Art of Eating Spaghetti”. Mr. Fleagle read this essay in class and praised the writer. At that moment, the writer understood writing is not only for readers but also for himself.

3. Paraphase 3. Paraphase .

1) The idea of becoming a writer had come to me off and on since my childhood in Belleville, but it wasn’t until my third year in high school that the possibility took hold.

Ever since I was a child in Belleville, I had thought of becoming a writer from time to time, but I didn’t make up my mind until I was in the eleventh grade.

2) Until then I’d been bored by everything associated with English courses.

Up to then I had lost interest in things related to English courses.

3) I hated the assignment to turn out long, lifeless paragraphs that were agony for teachers to read and for me to write.

I found it painful to write long, boring essays as required by teachers; neither did teachers enjoy what I wrote.

4) He was said to be very formal, rigid and hopelessly out of date.

It was said that he was very strict and old-fashioned.

5) When our class was assigned to Mr.Fleagle for third-year English I anticipated another cheerless year in that most tedious of subjects.

When it was decided that Mr. Fleagle would teach us English during my third year in high school, I expected the English course to be as boring as before.

6)I prepared for an unfruitful year with Mr. Fleagle and for a long time was not disappointed.

I expected that things wouldn’t improve with Mr. Fleagle as our English teacher, and for a long time I was right in my expectations.

7) Later in the year we tackled the informal essay.

Later in the year we learned how to write informal essays and practiced writing them.

8) This title produced an extraordinary sequence of mental images.

At the sight of the title I saw an unusual series of pictures in my mind’s eye.

9) To write it as I wanted, however, would violate all the rules of formal composition I’d learned in school, and Mr. Fleagle would surely give it a failing grade.

But if I wrote what I wanted to write, I would break all the rules of formal composition I’d learned in school, and Mr. Fleagle would definitely give it a very low score.

10) I was preparing myself for a command to report to Mr. Fleagle immediately after school for discipline when I saw him lift my paper from his desk and knock for the class’s attention.

I expected that Mr. Fleagle would order me to see him soon after school for the purpose of punishing me when I saw him lift my paper from his desk and knock at the desk so that he could attract the class’s attention.

11) In the eleventh grade, at the eleventh hour as if it were, I had discovered a calling.

In the eleventh grade, and one might say at the last possible moment, I had found something I wished to take up as a career.

4. Grammar 4. Grammar .

Usage of “as”

As Conj. 1) while; when; at the time that eg:He caught me as I was leaving 2) in the way that eg:dancing as only she can 3)that which; what eg:I did as I was told 4) (of) which fact, event, etc (referring to the previous statement) eg:To become wise, as we all know, is not easy 5)since; seeing that eg:As you're in charge here, you'd better tell me where to wait

6)in the same way that eg:He died of cancer, as his father had done 7)in spite of the extent to which eg:Intelligent as you are, I suspect you will fail 8)for instance eg:capital cities, as London adv/conj. used correlatively before an adjective

or adverb and before a noun phrase or a clause to indicate identity of extent, amount, etc.used with this sense after a noun phrase introduced by the same

prep. in the role of; being eg:As his friend, I am probably biased Related phrases 1) You use as for and as to at the beginning of a sentence

in order to introduce a slightly different subject that is still connected to the previous one.

  eg: I feel that there's a lot of pressure put on policemen. And as for putting guns in their hands, I don't think that's a very good idea at all.

  我感觉到警察们承受着巨大的压力。但让他们携带枪支，我认为那根本不是个好主意。

 2) You use as to to indicate what something refers to. eg:They should make decisions as to whether the student

needs more help. 在学生是否需要帮助这件事上你们应该做出决定。

3) If you say that something will happen as of, or in British English as from, a paticular date or time, you mean that it will happen from that time on.

eg: The border, effectivelly closed since 1981, will be opened as of January the 1st.

  自 1981年边界关闭之后，将在 1 月 1日起开放。 She is to retire as from 1 October. 她从十月一日起退休了。 4) You use as if and as though when you are giving a

possible explanation for something or saying that something appears to be the case when it is not.

 eg: Anne shrugged, as if she didn't know. 安耸耸肩 ，仿佛她并不知道。

6. Writing Technique 6. Writing Technique .

Russell Baker is very good at selecting details to prove his point. For example, in paragrapg2 he creats an unfavorable image of Mr. Fleagle by describing his “formal, rigid and hopeless out-of-date” eyeglasses, hraistyle, clothes, jaw, nose, and manner of speaking.

What’s more, Russell Baker employs repetition not only to make it easy for readers to follow what he is saying, but also to impress them more deeply. For

The main devices used in achieving coherence include transitional words or phrases like however, but, therefore, thus, first(ly), second(ly), what's more, as to, and in terms of, repetition of key words and phrases as superwoman, in one's spare time, etc. In Text A, and parallel structure as Kevin 1990, Kevin 2020, etc. In Unit 8, book 1.

example, in para.2, there are 9 prim’s or primly’s om as few as 3 sentences! Thus readers will have in their mind a vivid picture of what Mr. Fleagle looked like. Another example of such repetition can be found in para 5. Count how many I wanted’s there are in this paragraph. They help to emphasize Russell Baker’s strong desire to write for myself. On the other hand, where this stylistic device is not

justified. Baker is also expert in avoiding repetition by employing synonymous words and phrases. Here are some examples:

a. dull, lifeless, cheerless, tedious b. turn out, write, compose, put down c. anticipate, prepare for d. formal, rigid, prim, correct, proper,

respectable

e. vivid memories of something come flooding back to sb., something reawakes in one’s mind, sb. Recalls something

f. recapture, relive g. pleasure, delight, happiness h. contempt, ridicule i. topic, title

V. Post-reading Discussions

1.Did you have any worries in preparing for the examination? What were they? How did you manage to overcome them?

2.What was the most frustrating thing you came across concerning the examination?

3.Do you have a memorable story about the entrance examination, or have you ever heard one that happened to your friends or others.