I. Lead-in Questions

1.What are the special contributions of 1.What are the special contributions of Abraham, John and Martin to the Abraham, John and Martin to the American nation?American nation?

2.In what way did they die?2.In what way did they die?3.Do you know anything about how the USA 3.Do you know anything about how the USA

was divided after the Abolition Act?was divided after the Abolition Act?

II. Cultural Notes

1. Freedom

and Rights: 1. Freedom

and Rights:

2. The Civil Rights

Movement: 2. The Civil Rights

Movement:

Freedom and Rights:Freedom and Rights:

Freedom of the individual is considered one of the essential features of western civilization, which is itself sometimes called the Free world. This freedom is often expressed in terms of rights to do certain things or to be treated in a particular way. When a person does something that others think strange, British and American people will often say, “ It’s a free country,” meaning that although they disagree with the

• they recognize the other person’s right to make it. Americans sometimes call the US the “ land of the free”, a phrase taken from its national anthem. British people have always strongly defended their freedom. Fear that they will lose the freedom to decide their own future is behind many people’s lack of enthusiasm for European unity.

The Civil Rights Movement:

( in the US) the national campaign by African-Americans for equal rights, especially in the 1950s and 1960s. The campaign included boycotts, the actions of freedom riders, and in 1963 a march to Washington led by Martin Luther King. It succeeded in causing the introduction of bussing and affirmative action. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were also introduced as a result of the civil rights movement, which has helped to change the attitudes of many white Americans.

III. Language Points

WordsWords

1. slender a. 1) tall or long and thin in an attractive way 苗条的，细长的 eg: She has a slender figure with delicate waist.她身材苗条 , 杨柳细腰。 Althouh her face was quite plain, she had long, slender expressive hands, like a concert pianist.尽管她容貌普通，但是有着修长的手指，像一个钢琴家。 2) very small in degree and only just enough 微弱的，少量的eg: They won the vote but by very slender majority.他们仅以微弱的优势在选举中获胜。

WordsWords 2. confidenta. 1) showing or feeling trust in oneself or one’s ability 自信的 eg: She is a confident woman who is certain of her view.她是一个很自信的人，很坚定自己的观点。 I was starting to feel more confident about the exam.我开始对考试有信心了。He is confident in his ability to do the job well.他有信心做好这个工作。 2 ） certain that something will happen or be successful 有把握，有信心eg: We are confident that the show will open on Tuesday.我们确信展览在周二开始。I am confident of you.我对你有信心。

WordsWords

3 ． intent a. 1) eager and determined to do sth. 热衷的，坚决的 eg: I am intent on writing a book for children. 我要给孩子们写本书。 Working day and night, Janet seems intent on breaking the record in the Guinness Book of Records. 詹妮特夜以继日地工作，决心要打破吉尼斯记录。2) paying great attention to what they are doing 专注的 eg: She looked from one intent face to another. 她看着一张张神情专注的脸。 She had been intent on every word. 她关注每一个词。n. intention 意图，打算

WordsWords

4. decaden. period of ten years 十年 eg: Education budgets have been increased over the last decade in China. 近十年以来，教育预算已经提高了。 Prices have risen steadily during the past decade. 在过去的十年里，价格稳步提高。

WordsWords5. liberate:vt. to set free; to release from restraint, confinement or slavery 解放，使自由，使摆脱奴役，释放（特指从不公正的惩罚压迫等中解放出来，而且往往是指用暴力或军事行动来解放）：eg: They liberated the prisoners, the occupied territories, etc.他们解放了犯人占领区等。liberation n. 解放： PLA (the Chinese People’s Liberation Army) 中国人民解放军

WordsWords

6. naked a. without clothes on 裸体的eg: He was naked to the waist. 他上身赤裸。I can see her through the naked window.通过没挂窗帘的窗户，我能看见她。With the naked eye 用肉眼辨析： bald 光秃秃的，秃头的； bare 土壤裸露的，不长草的 ; bold 卤莽的

WordsWords

7. converge vi. come together at a point 会合，集中The roads converge just before the station. 路在车站前会合。The teacher drew two converging lines on the blackboard. 老师在黑板上画了两条相交的线。

反义词： diverge

WordsWords

8. impose v. 1). to establish (an additional payment) officially 征（税）：eg: A new tax has been imposed on wine. 对酒类已征收新税。2 ） to take unfair advantage ， in a way that causes additional work and trouble 占（别人便宜）；加负担于： eg: Thanks for your offer of help ， but I don’t want to impose on you. 谢谢您提出来要帮助我，但我不想给您增加麻烦。

WordsWords3 ） to force the acceptance of ； establish 强

加；强使：eg: She imposed herself as their leader. 她自封为他们的领导。imposition n. (C; U of, on, upon): eg:It’s an imposition to ask us to stay at work until seven o’clock at night. 让我们留下来工作到晚上七点，这个要求太过分了。imposing: adj. powerful in appearance; strong or large in size 庄严的；堂皇的eg:There is an imposing view across the valley 山谷壮观的景象

WordsWords

9. disguise 1). (as) to change the usual appearance, etc. of,

so as to hide the truth 假扮；改装：She disguised herself as a man. 她假扮成男

人。 /He was disguised as Santa Clause. 他装扮成圣诞老人。

2). to hide (the real state of things) 伪装；掩饰；掩盖：

eg: It is impossible to disguise the fact that business is bad.

生意不好的事实隐瞒不了。

WordsWords

n.1). (C) something that is worn to hide who one really is 化装物；假扮物：eg: Nobody saw through his disguise. (=nobody recognized him) 谁都没看穿他的伪装。 2). (U) the state of being disguised 假装；伪装：eg: He went to the party in disguise. 他化了装去参加聚会。

WordsWords10. compel ：vt. make (sb.) do sth; force 强迫；迫使俄。e.g..:My father compelled us to stay indoors.我的父亲强迫我们呆在屋里。(fig.) Her intelligence and skill compel our admiration.(= compel us to admire her) ( 比喻 ) 她的聪明和技巧使我们非常钦佩。Compelling adj.Compellingly adv.

PhrasesPhrases

1 ． Stand up (for): speak in favor of ; support 支持eg: Always stand up for your friends. 要永远维护朋友的利益。You must stand up for your rights.你一定维护自己的权利。

PhrasesPhrases

Phrases:Stand up (to sth): 经得起，（考验）等Stand up to sb.: 对抗某人Stand well ： (idm 习语 ) with sb. 与某人相处的…… .Stand a side : 站到一边去，让开不参与，不行动，不做事，退出（如竞选中）Stand back (from sth) : 退后，向后站；为与某物有一段距离的地方Stand by: 袖手旁观，准备行动Stand by sb: 支持或援助某人

PhrasesPhrases

2. close in (on / around):come near to 接近 eg: Hitler committed suicide as Soviet forces were closing in on Berlin. 希特勒在苏联红军包围柏林是自杀了。 Israeli troops began to close in on Palestinian city. 以色列军队包围了巴勒斯坦。

PhrasesPhrases

3. in the eyes of: in the opinion of 在某人看来 eg: In the eyes of his students, Richard is a sensible and trustworthy teacher. 在学生眼里，理查德是一个理性的值得信赖的老师。 In the eyes of my parents, I am still a kid although I am already in my thirties. 在父母眼里，尽管我已经三十岁了，我仍然是个孩子。

IV. Comprehension IV. Comprehension

122

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

Part 1 Paras1-5 It is high time to honor the heroes who helped liberate slaves by forging the Underground Railroad in the early civil-rights structures in America.

Part 2 Paras6-23 By citing examples the author praises the exploits of civil-rights heroes who helped slaves travel the Underground Railroad to freedom.

2. Main Idea2. Main Idea.

early civil-rights struggles in the US, esp. the Underground Railroad

3. Paraphase 3. Paraphase .

1) Josiah Henson was a man of principle. Josiah Henson followed moral principle. 2) Josiah Henson is but one name on a long

list of courageous men and women who together forged the Underground Railroad.

Josiah Henson is only one name on a long list of courageous men and women who created the Underground Railroad by means of much hard work together.

3) In Kentucky where he was now headed, there was a $1000 reward for his capture, dead or alive.

In Kentucky, anyone who captured him, no matter he was dead or alive, would be rewarded $1000 and now he was going to Kentucky.

4) Making the best of his lot, Henson worked diligently and rose far in his owner’s regard.

Henson worked hard to make his fortune in life, and he was regarded highly by his owner.

4. Grammar 4. Grammar .

In our text there are two meanings and tow part of speeches of “but”, for example,

“Josiah Henson is but one name on a long list of courageous men and women who together forged the Underground Railroad.” Here but is an adverb, which means “only”. But in sentence “There was room for all but two.”, but is a preposition, which means “except”.

6. Writing Technique 6. Writing Technique .

Direct speech can often be more convincing than indirect speech, especially when it comes to expressing personal beliefs. For example, the text quotes Levi Coffin as saying “The bible, in bidding us to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, said nothing about color.” In some contexts, direct speech can make a story more vivid. For example, in the John Parker story, characters spoke short sentences to stress the urgency of the situation. For another example, Josiah threw himself to the ground and shouted to astonished onlookers: “Oh, no! Don’t you know? I’m free!” His joy affects us all.

V. Post-reading Discussions

1. If you were Josiah, what you would do for 1. If you were Josiah, what you would do for freedom?freedom?2. If Abraham Lincoln had not been died, what 2. If Abraham Lincoln had not been died, what would America have been?would America have been?3. If you were a African-American, do you 3. If you were a African-American, do you think you would go to college easily? Why or think you would go to college easily? Why or why not?why not?