Lesson Three

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Department of Foreign Languages and Literature

Pu Dong-mei

Text A Why Historians Disagree

Contents1. Teaching Objectives

2. In-class Discussion

3. Background information:

1) about the author

2) about the text

a. expository writing

b. Woodrow Wilson

c. Zimmerman Note

4. Language points

5. Text analysis: 1) theme, style; 2) structure

6. Comprehension questions

7. Writing devices: formal, academic writing

Teaching Objectives

1. Introduction to the expository writing and its

features

2. Comprehension of the whole text

About the author

The present text is based on the introduction to a

book entitled Conflict and Consensus in

Modern American History edited by Allen F.

Davis and Harold D. Woodman, professors

at Temple University and Purdue University

respectively, who also wrote the introduction.

Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), America’s 28th president (1913-

1921), was a professor of law, the president of Princeton

University, and the governor of New Jersey before he was elected

to the White House.

When Woodrow Wilson took office, he faced economic crisis,

democratic decay, and a world at war. Meeting those challenges

with progressive ideas and high-minded ideals, he reinvented the

presidency, crafting a vibrant legacy that has defined the powers

and responsibilities of every president to this day.

Zimmerman NoteZimmerman Note

The Zimmerman Note was a communiqué authored by

German Foreign Secretary Arthur Zimmerman and

intercepted by American Intelligence. The note had been

designed to entice Mexico into declaring war against the

United States should the U.S. declare war on Germany. As a

reward, Mexico would then receive Arizona, New Mexico, and

Texas after the war.

  Full Text of The Zimmermann Telegram

On the first of February we intend to begin submarine warfare

unrestricted. In spite of this, it is our intention to endeavor to

keep neutral the United States of America.

If this attempt is not successful, we propose an alliance on the

following basis with Mexico: That we shall make war together

and together make peace. We shall give general financial

support, and it is understood that Mexico is to reconquer the

lost territory in New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona. The details

are left to you for settlement.

Full Text of The Zimmermann Telegram

You are instructed to inform the President of Mexico of the above in the greatest confidence as soon as it is certain that there will be an outbreak of war with the United States and suggest that the President of Mexico, on his own initiative, should communicate with Japan suggesting adherence at once to this plan; at the same time, offer to mediate between Germany and Japan.

Please call to the attention of the President of Mexico that the employment of ruthless submarine warfare now promises to compel England to make peace in a few months.

Zimmerman

(Sent January 19, 1917)

Theme   In this essay, the two authors discuss the definition of history, the

role of the historian and the reasons why historians disagree. They point out the common misunderstanding that history is just names, dates and statistics of the past and the historian's job is to find and remember as many of them as possible. They tell us that historians do not just collect facts. They give meaning to the facts. And because they have different interests and a different understanding of human motivation and human behavior which in turn is due to their different background in age, sex, race, class, education, religion, politics, etc. They tend not only to be interested in different facts but also interpret the same facts differently. They two historians therefore emphasize the importance of understanding the historians' approach, perspective and philosophy rather than the facts they have used or left out.

Style

This is a piece of expository writing. The language used is a little formal, with impersonal structures, long sentences and formal words, which are typical of academic writing.

The purpose of expository writing is to explain or to give the reader information to help him understand the world around him.

Structure

The text can be divided into three parts:

Part 1 (Paras. 1-3):

      students and common people's misunderstanding of the study of

history and the reason why historians disagree

Part 2 (Paras. 4-12):

      the definition of history and explanation of the reason why

historians disagree by illustrating why the U.S. entered WWI in

details

Part 3 (Para. 13):

      the impossibility of eliminating all disagreement

Comprehension Questions1. What are the three definitions of history?

in the broadest sense the whole of the human past

in a restricted sense the recorded part of human life

in a common sense what historians write about the past

2. What is the role of the historians?

Historians do not just collect facts. They give meaning to the facts.

3. Why do historians disagree?

Because historians have different interests and a different understanding of human motivation and human behavior which in turn is due to their different background in age, sex, race, class, education, religion, politics, etc., they tend not only to be interested in different facts but also interpret the same facts differently.

Comprehension Questions Cont’d4. What is the misunderstanding the authors are trying to clarify in

Para.1? History is just the facts of names, dates and statistics of the past.

The study of history is the study of these “facts” about the past.

5. What is the confusion of the students put forward in Paras.2-3?

1. Historians who are wrong may have their “facts” correct.

2. Contending historians more or less agree on the same facts,

but come to different conclusions.

3. It seems that historical truth becomes a matter of personal

preference.

4. It’s hard to decide which of the two opposed points of view

about an event is correct.

Comprehension Questions Cont’d6. What is the main idea of Paras. 7—8? How are the two paragraphs

developed? Paras. 7—8 is about the factors for American entry into WWI. The two paragraphs are developed by way of exemplification.7. What is the main idea of Paras. 9—10? What are the

interpretations of the three schools? Paras. 9—10 is about how the three schools interpret these

factors. First group: These are the only important ones and they are

equally important; Second group: The list is incomplete—leaving out Wilson’s pro-

British attitude; Third group: These are not of equal importance—bankers’

influence is the most important.

Comprehension Questions Cont’d

8. What can be concluded in Paras. 9—10?

Conclusion: Subject—the same: American entry into WWI facts—different reason—different points of view

9. What are the two reasons listed in Para. 11 to explain why

historians disagree? 1. They begin from different premises. 2. They are merely considering different levels of causes and

effect.

Comprehension Questions Cont’d

10. How do the authors view the controversy among historians?

The controversy not only lies between historians, but also

happens to the same historian with the discovery of new

information and progress of the society. It is impossible to remove

the controversy and it is the very existence of the controversy

that lends excitement to the study of history.

11. Of the three possible definitions of history the authors have listed

in the text, which do you think is the most accurate? Why?

12. Do historians ever agree in their interpretation of a historical

event? Can you think of a few examples on which the historians

sharply disagree? How come they disagree since they are dealing

with facts?

Writing Device: Exposition

1. What is exposition?

Exposition means expounding or explaining.

2. Who are most likely to use the expository writing style? It is most frequently used by a student, a scientist, or a

professional.

3. In which scope and field do they use it?

An expository paper explains or explores sth., such as the process

of making a machine, the causes of a natural or social

phenomenon, the planning of a project, or the solution of a

problem. That is, use an expository writing when we explain how

the object is made, how it is used, and how it may change. It

mainly deals with processes and relationships.

Writing Device: Exposition con’t

4. What is the most important quality of exposition? How to achieve

it?

The most important quality of exposition is clarity. To achieve this

the writer should:

1) Limit his subject or the scope of discussion, for it’s impossible to

explain many things clearly in a short essay.

2) Prepare enough material (details of examples) to help his

explanation; the reader often finds abstract discussions hard to

follow if they are not illustrated by concrete examples.

3) Present his facts and views in proper order, in the order of time or

of logical sequence depending on the nature of the subjects.

4) Make his exposition, if possible, interesting or moving;

Writing Device: Exposition con’t

5. What methods are adopted for paragraph development in the expository writing?

1) Illustration — the use of example to illustrate a point, helping to clarify a writer’s thought by making the general specific, and the abstract concrete; and also adding interest and help to persuade or convince the reader;

2) division and classification division—separate things into parts (glasses—[\frame, lens); classification—organize things which share certain qualities

(courses—obligatory and optional);3) comparison and contrast (the subject-by-subject pattern, the point-by-point pattern);

4) Analogy — shows the similarities between two different class;5) cause and effect;6) definition;

Translation on Page 81

1) The cause of the aircraft crash is so far unknown.

2) The cause of global warming is still hotly debated

among scientists.

3) He devoted all his life to the cause of environmental

protection.

4) The river has caused us a lot of trouble in history.

5) What do you think caused the upsurge of international

terrorism?

Translation on Page 81

6) We must try and unite with those who have opposed

us.

7) There is always opposition to any progress and reform.

8) Some people are always opposed to new things.

9) A lot of those loans were never repaid. That high ratio

of bad debts finally led to the financial crisis in this

second economic power in the world.

10) The Business Bank now offers a special loan for

students who can’t pay for their education.

Translation on Page 81

11) The boy asked Mrs. Stow for the loan of her binoculars.

12) She concluded her speech by saying that she hoped she could come again some day and see more of the country.

13) As soon as they concluded the investigation, they were to report to the Security Council.

14) During his visit, he will conclude a new trade agreement with India.

15) Based on those reasonable doubts, the jury had to conclude that the boy was not guilty.

Translation on Page 8116) She is flying to New York by way of Tokyo.

17) I’d like to say a few words about the situation in the sixties of the last century by way of an introduction to the movie.

18) They decided to recall their ambassador by way of protest.

Translation on Page 89

1) Heroes and heroines are people with unusual qualities.

2) Celebrities are people who become famous because of

publicity through the media.

3) In China’s mainland, “sweet heart” often refers to a

person’s husband or wife.

4) A fair-weather friend is one who will desert you as

soon as you are in trouble.

5) Broadly speaking, money refers to anything generally

accepted in exchange for other goods and services.

Translation on Page 89

6) An armchair revolutionary is one who talks about revolution, but

who doesn’t put what he says into practice.

7) Professor Lu says that a good teacher is one who does all he/she

can to make himself/herself unnecessary for the students.

8) Economics is defined as the social science that deals with the

production, distribution and consumption of goods and services.

9) DVD is a disk on which large amounts of information, especially

photographs and video can be stored, for use on a computer.

10) The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines “workaholic”

as “a person who works most of the time and finds it difficult to

stop working in order to do other things”.