Unit 4

Fun, Oh Boy. Fun. You Could Die

from it

Warm-up discussion

• Is fun important in your life? How important?

• What is fun in your life? What is your greatest fun?

Discourse Analysis

Introductory P.Introductory P. BodyBody Concluding P.Concluding P.

What is fun?

• Definition

What is not fun?

• negation

• How should we treat fun?

• What is fun?

anecdote

FunFun

Introductory Paragraphs (para.1-

5)• What is fun?

• Definition

Language Points:

1. be sb’s for the asking (inf):

if something is yours for the asking, you can have it if you want ite.g. The job was hers for the asking.

2. Puritan a) member of the party of English Protestants

in the 16th and 17th centuries who wanted simpler forms of church ceremony 清教徒b) (usu derog) person who is extremely strict in morals and who tends to regard pleasure as sinful 道德上极拘谨 , 视享乐为罪恶的人 ;

>puritan a. 清教徒的 ; 禁慾的 ; 苦行的

3. overshadow  v [Tn] a) cause (sth) to be shaded or to have little light 使（某物）被遮暗 ; 使阴暗 : a village overshadowed by mountains

b) (fig) cause (sb) to seem less important or noticeable 使（某人）相形见绌或黯然失色 : Despite her professional success, she was always overshadowed by her husband.

4. fetish  n a) object that is worshipped, esp because a spirit is believed to live in it 物神（尤指认为有神灵寓於其中而受膜拜的） . b) thing to which more respect or attention is given than is normal or sensible 受到过分崇拜或注意的东西 : He makes a fetish of his new car.

> fetishism n [U] 盲目崇拜 , 恋物癖 fetishist n. 物神崇拜者 fetishistic adj. 恋物的

Questions:

1. What is the thesis statement of the essay?

2. What technique does the author employ in this part of essay?

3. In Para.4, a series of questions has been raised. What’s the effect of it?

Body Part (Para.6-Para.11)

• What is not fun?

• Negation

5. flunk  v (infml) a) [I, Tn] fail (an examination, academic course, etc) 使不及格 : flunk biology

b) (phr v) flunk out be dismissed from a school or college for failure 因成绩不及格而被学校除名 .

6. bumper n bar fixed to the front and back of a motor vehicle to lessen the effect of a collision （机动车辆前後的）保险杠 .

bumper-to-bumper adj, adv (of vehicles) in a line, each close behind the one in front （指车辆）首尾相接（的） : travel bumper-to-bumper

>bumper  adj unusually large or plentiful 异常巨大的 ; 异常多的 : a bumper crop/harvest

7. traipse  v (infml) walk wearily; trudge 疲惫地走 ; 拖着脚步走 : We spent the afternoon traipsing from one shop to another.

traipse around/through/across, etc

8. step sth up increase sth; improve sth 增加某事物 ; 促进某事物 : step up production

>step up come forward 站出来 ; 自告奋勇 .

9. licentious  adj (fml) disregarding the rules of behaviour, esp in sexual matters 漠视行为规范的 ; （尤指）放荡的 , 淫乱的 .

> licentiously adv. licentiousness n [U].

10. swill  v [Tn] (infml derog) drink (sth) in large quantities; guzzle 大喝（某物） ; 狂饮 : swill beer, tea, etc

> swill n 流动 ; 大喝

11. rough and readyalso rough-and-ready adj.a) A rough and ready solution or method is one that is rather simple and not very exact because it has been thought of or done in a hurry.Here is a rough and ready measurement.b) A rough and ready person is not very polite or gentle....rough and ready soldiers.

12. epitome  n person or thing that is a perfect example of a quality, type, etc 典型的人或事物 ; 缩影 : the absolute epitome of a school teacher * She's the epitome of kindness.

> epitomize, -ise v [Tn] be an epitome of (sth) 成为（某事物）的缩影

Questions:

4. Is family outings to Disney World fun in this anecdote? What does the author suggest through this story?

5. Are those who put happy faces on flunking test papers, dirty bumpers, sticky refrigerator doors, bathroom mirrors really having fun?

6. How does the advertising help to cultivate our fun-seeking appetite?

Conclusion part (Para.12-Para.15)

How should we treat fun?

What is fun on earth? (anecdote)

13. damper n a) movable metal plate that controls the flow of air into a fire in a stove, furnace, etc 气门 ; 气闸 . b) (idm) put a damper on sth (infml) cause (an event, atmosphere, etc) to be less cheerful, excited, etc 使…受到抑制 , 减弱 : Their argument put a bit of a damper on the party.

14. reverent  adj feeling or showing reverence 虔敬的 ; 恭敬的 : reverent attitudes, gestures, etc

> reverently adv revere  vt . 尊崇 , 敬畏 reverence n. 尊敬反： irreverent

15. mirth  n [U] (fml) merriment or happiness; laughter 欢乐 ; 欢笑 : Her funny costume caused much mirth among the guests.

> mirthful adj. mirthless adj: a mirthless laugh 苦笑 .

16. pay back phr va) to give someone the money that you

owe them= repay　b) to make someone suffer for doing

something wrong or unpleasantpay sb back for sthe.g. I'll pay Jenny back for what she did to me!

17. blaspheme  v [Tn] ~ (against sb/sth) swear or curse using the name of God; speak in an irreverent way about (God or sacred things) 亵渎（神圣的事物） : blaspheme (against) the name of God 亵渎神的名> blasphemer n person who blasphemes 亵渎神者 . blasphemous adj 对上帝和神圣事物表示轻蔑或不敬的

blasphemy n 亵渎神的行为或言语

18. scan  v (-nn-) a) [Tn] look at every part of (sth) carefully; examine (sth) with great attention 细看（某物）的各部 ; 仔细检查（某物） : He scanned the horizon, looking for land.

b) [Tn] glance at (eg a document) quickly but not very thoroughly 匆匆而粗略地看 : She scanned the newspaper over breakfast.

>scan n 扫描 : a body scan scanner n 扫描器

Questions:

7. An imaginary event is presented in Para.8 and a real event in Para.14. what’s the function of the narration of the anecdote in this paragraph?

8. Two simple and direct statements are used to begin and end the essay. What is the effect of these statements?