高中选修课备课资料

云龙中学校本教材

----“英语美文阅读与欣赏”课程纲要

一、课程基本概况

1、课程名称：英语美文阅读与欣赏

2、课程类型：校本课程（选修）

3、课时总数：18学时

4、授课时间：高二上学期

5、授课对象：高二或拥有高二同等词汇量的学生

6、主讲教师：等

二、课程背景简介：

1）人教版的英语教材内容涉及面较为广泛，是一套比较理想的也已经为大家所接受的教材。但对于农村普通中学云龙中学的学生来说，有些内容还是显得偏难偏生涩。学生本身知识面不够广，词汇积累少，对有些话题很难展开讨论，打击了他们原本就不怎么高的积极性，课堂缺乏生机和活力。笔者在几年的教学过程中曾经尝试过每周抽一节课时间找一些相对简单易懂的课外英语素材（主要为美文赏析），发现学生比较喜欢，遂进行尝试。

鄱阳湖台材和开发教材的能力。根据《慈溪市英语学科模块开设教学建议》，秉承着选择性原则和循序渐进原则，开设的这门课。

三、课程目标：

“英语美文阅读与欣赏”课程是国家课程的校本化，可以归类为兴趣特长类的课程，旨在根据本校学生英语学习水平的实际情况补充适量、相当的阅读素材，弥补人教版英语教材的不足，拓宽学生的阅读视野，丰富学生的词汇，使得学生更广泛地了解英语国家的文化，培养学生学习英语语言的兴趣，在语言学习的同时，陶冶情操，提高文学素养和人文素养。

四、课程内容与任务

课程内容主要包括六个方面，即文学作品中的神话、童话及传说；名人轶事或生平介绍；

不同国家、地区的社会习俗；人生感悟；时事聚焦；小说欣赏。

主要任务是通过篇章阅读,获取信息，了解相关知识，增强文化意识；掌握不同题材文章的阅读技巧,形成相应的阅读策略;掌握关键词、短语和句型，扩大词汇量，重点培养学生阅读理解能力。

4、科目安排：18课时，每个话题（六个话题）各3课时

（1）童话&神话传说

（2）人物传记

（3）社会风情

（4）人生感悟

（5）历史文化

（6）观点交锋

五、课程实施

1、准备阶段：成立教材编写小组，拟定教材大纲，编写配套校本教材

2、教学形式：课堂教学

3、教学方法：任务交际法

4、教具：多媒体、音像资料等

5、考核方式：终结性考试

六、课程评价：

教师评价与学生评价相结合

附阅读自我评价表：（每节课下前学生自我评价）

Name Date 注: 优秀（A）良好（B）合格（C）待改进（D）

Part I Myths and T ales神话传说

Lesson 1 Apollo 阿波罗

Among the crowd of Olympian gods the one most widely admired was Apollo. He was the son of Zeus and Leto. According to Greek mythology, Leto was driven by Hera from land to land at last Poseidon took pity on her and brought the island of Delos out of water for her to live on. There she gave birth to the twins, Apollo and Artemis.

Apollo was the sun-god. He wore a purple robe(长袍). He usually sat in his bright eastern palace early in the morning and made ready to start his daily journey across the sky. During the day he drove his carriage of gold and ivory (象牙), and brought light, life and love to the great world below. Late in the afternoon he came to the end of his journey in the far western sea and got on his golden boat to return to his eastern home.

Apollo was the god of music and poetry. He could stir up all feelings. These feelings are expressed in lofty songs. With his lyre (古希腊的竖琴) of gold and the sweet accents of his godlike voice he led the choir of the Muses at Olympus. The pleasant music from his lyre was so exciting that stones marched into their places in rhythmic time and of their own will when he helped Poseidon build up the walls of Troy (特洛伊城). On one occasion, invited to a contest by the human musician Marsyas, he won and then flayed him to death for his pride. On another occasion, he lost out to Pan at a musical contest and turned the ears of the judge, King Midas, into those of an ass(驴).

His son, Orpheus, took over such skill from the father that his lyre moved man and animals alike.

Apollo stood for youthful and manly beauty. His golden hair, stately manner and air all

combined to make him the admiration of the world. A beautiful girl, by the name of Clytle, was so fond of his beauty and glory that from dawn to dusk she knelt on the ground, her hands outstretched towards the sun god, and her eyes looked at his golden wheeled carriage racing across the blue sky. Though her love was not returned, she had never changed her mind about Apollo. The gods were moved at the sad sight, and changed her into a sunflower.

Words and Expressions（词和短语）

1. admire vt.崇拜，钦佩

2. lofty adj. 崇高的，高尚的

3. march v.行军，前进

4. rhythmic a dj. 韵律的，有节奏的

5. stately a dj. 庄严的，威严的

6. outstretch v. 伸出，伸展

7. according to 根据8. take pity on 同情，怜悯

9. give birth to生，生育10. lose to 输给……

11. take over接管12. stand for代表

Lesson 2 The Little Match Girl

卖火柴的小女孩

Once upon a time, a little girl tried to make a living by selling matches in the street.

It was New Y ear?s Eve and the snow clad streets were deserted. From brightly lit windows came the tinkle (发出清脆的声响)of laughter and the sound of singing. People were getting ready to bring in the New Y ear. But the poor little match seller sat sadly beside the fountain. Her ragged dress and worn scarf did not keep out the cold and she tried to keep her bare feet from touching the frozen ground. She hadn?t sold one box of matches all day and she was frightened to go home, for her father would certainly be angry. It wouldn?t be much warmer anyway, in the draughty attic (阁楼) that was her home. The little girl?s fingers were frozen with cold. If only she could light a match! But what would her father say at such a waste! Falteringly (迟疑地)she took out a match and lit it. What a nice warm flame! The little match seller cupped her hand over it, and as she did so, she magically saw in its light a big brightly burning stove.

She held out her hands to the heat, but just then the match went out and the vision faded. The night seemed blacker than before and it was getting colder. A shiver (寒噤) ran through the little girl?s thin body. After hesitating for a long time, she struck another match on the wall, and this time, the glimmer turned the wall into a great sheet of crystal. Beyond that stood a fine table laden with food and lit by a candlestick. Holding out her arms towards the plates, the little match seller seemed to pass through the glass, but then the match went out and the magic faded. Poor thing: in just a few seconds she had caught a glimpse of everything that life had denied her: warmth and good things to eat. Her eyes were filled with tears and she lifted her gaze to the lit windows, praying that she too might know a little of such happiness.

She lit the third match and an even more wonderful thing happened. There stood a Christmas tree hung with hundreds of candles, glittering (闪烁) with tinsel (金属箔) and colored balls. “Oh. How lovely!” shouted the little match seller, holding up the match. Then, the match burned her finger and went out. The light from the Christmas candles rose higher and higher, then one of the lights fell, leaving a trail behind it. “Someone is dying,” murmured the little girl, as she remembered her beloved Granny who used to say: “When a star falls, a heart stops beating!”

Scarcely aware of what she was doing, the little match seller lit another match. This time, she saw her grandmother.

“Granny, stay with me!” she pleaded, as she lit one match after the other, so that her

grandmother could not disappear like all the other visions. However, Granny did not disappear but gazed smilingly at her. Then she opened her arms and the little girl hugged her crying: “Granny, take me away with you!”

A cold day dawned and a pale sun shone on the fountain and the icy road. Close by lay the lifeless body of a little girl surrounded by spent matches.

“Poor little thing!” exclaimed the passers-by. “She was trying to keep warm!”

But by that time, the little match seller was far away where there is neither cold, hunger nor pain.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. deserted adj.冷清清的

2. draughty adj. 漏风的

3. vision n.景象

4. fade v .消逝，消失

5. strike vt. 擦（火柴）；击打

6. hesitate v. 迟疑，犹豫

7. glimpse n .v. 一瞥8. deny v.否定，否认

9. pray v. n. 祈祷10. aware adj.意识到，觉察

11. exclaim v.呼喊，惊叫

Lesson 3 The Pied Piper of Hamelin

哈米伦的吹笛人

Once upon a time, on the banks of a great river in the north of Germany lay a town called Hamelin. The citizens of Hamelin were honest people who lived contentedly in their grey stone houses. The years went by, and the town grew very rich. Then one day, an extraordinary thing happened to disturb the peace. Hamelin had always had rats, and a lot too. But they had never been a danger, for the cats had always solved the rat problem in the usual way—by killing them. All at once, however, the rats began to multiply.

In the end, a black sea of rats swarmed over the whole town. First, they attacked the barns and storehouses then, for lack of anything better, they gnawed（啃）the wood, cloth or anything at all. The one thing they didn?t eat was metal. The terrified citizens flocked to plead with the town councilors（委员会）to free them from the plague of rats（鼠疫）. But the council had, for a long time, been sitting in the Mayor?s room, trying to think of a plan.

“What we need is an army of cats!”

But all the cats were dead.

“We?ll put down poisoned food then…”

But most of the food was already gone and no poison stopped the rats.

“It just can?t be done without help!” said the Mayor sadly.

Just then, while the citizens milled around outside, there was a loud knock at the door. “Who can that be?”the city fathers wondered uneasily, mindful of the angry crowds. They gingerly opened the door. And to their surprise, there stood a tall thin man dressed in brightly colored clothes, with a long feather in his hat, and waving a gold pipe at them.

“I?ve freed other towns of beetles and bats,”the stranger announced, “and for a thousand florins, I?ll rid you of your rats.”

“A thousand florins!” exclaimed the Mayor. “We?ll give you fifty thousand if you succeed!” At once the stranger hurried away, saying, “It?s late now, but at dawn tomorrow, there won?t be a rat

left in Hamelin!”

The sun was still below the horizon, when the sound of a pipe wafted through the streets of Hamelin. The pied piper slowly made his way through the houses and behind him flocked the rats. Out they scampered from doors, windows and gutters (沟), rats of every size, all after the piper. And as he played, the stranger marched down to the river and straight into the water, up to his middle. Behind him swarmed the rats and every one was drowned and swept away by the current.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, there was not a single rat in the town. There was even greater delight at the town hall, until the piper tried to claim his payment. “Fifty thousand florins?”exclaimed the councilors, “Never…”

“A thousand florins at least!” cried the pied piper angrily. But the Mayor broke in. “The rats are all dead now and they can never come back. So be grateful for fifty florins, or you?ll not get even that…”

His eyes flashing with anger, the pied piper pointed a threatening finger at the Mayor.

“Y ou?ll bitterly regret ever breaking your promise,” he said, and disappeared.

A shiver of fear ran through the councilors, but the Mayor shrugged and said excitedly, “We?ve saved fifty thousand florins!”

That night, freed from the nightmare of the rats, the citizens of Hamelin slept more soundly than ever. And when the strange sound of piping wafted through the streets at dawn, only the children heard it. Drawn as by magic, they hurried out of their homes. Again, the pied piper paced through the town, this time, it was children of all sizes that flocked at his heels to the sound of his strange piping. The long procession soon left the town and made its way through the wood and across the forest till it reached the foot of a huge mountain. When the piper came to the dark rock, he played his pipe even louder still and a great door creaked open. Beyond lay a cave. In trooped the children behind the pied piper, and when the last child had gone into the darkness, the door creaked shut. A great landslide（山崩）came down the mountain blocking the entrance to the cave forever. Only one little lame boy escaped this fate. It was he who told the anxious citizens, searching for their children, what had happened. And no matter what people did, the mountain never gave up its victims. Many years were to pass before the merry voices of other children would ring through the streets of Hamelin but the memory of the harsh lesson lingered in everyone?s heart and was passed down from father to son through the centuries.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. multiply v.增加

2. content adj. 满足

3. swarm v.密集

4. flock v. 聚集

5. uneasily adv.不安地

6. threaten v.威胁

7. claim v.索取，索赔8. current n. 水流

9. procession n.队伍10. troop v. 群集

11. harsh adj. 严厉的12. block v. 封锁

13. all at once 突然14. rid sb. of sth.使某人摆脱……

15. make one?s way 前进16. break in 插嘴，插话

PartⅡFigure stories人物故事

Lesson 1 Pop Star and Songwriter: Han Hong流行歌星和创作者：韩红

Songs about Tibet are growing in popularity among China?s pop music circles today, and they?ve caused a lot of interest in the region. But the songs of Han Hong, a Tibetan-born young song-writer, are particularly beautiful because they?re based on her own experiences and knowledge of the culture.

Many people didn?t expect Han Hong to become a famous pop star in China, for she didn?t have the attractive look and slim figure that is usually associated with successful personalities in the pop industry. Despite discouraging comments, Han Hong has never given up her pursuit of a career in music. Now she has become famous for being one of the few all-around female musicians who not only sings well, but is a very successful songwriter.

Han Hong was born in 1971 in Xigaze, the second largest city in the Tibet after Lhasa, and was given the Tibetan name, Gesang Zhuoma. That?s why quite a number of her songs are deeply rooted with Tibetan culture and music traditions.

At the age of nine, Han Hong came to Beijing to receive professional vocal training in a children?s choru s (合唱团). This was just the start of the long way in pursuit of a professional musical career. In 1985, 14-year-old Han Hong won her first national prize in a singing competition.

Han Hong?s ambition goes far beyond just being a pop singer, though. She also writes her own music. She started composing songs in 1993, without having had any professional training. Maybe this helped her form her own style, which has become popular with so many listeners.

Quite a number of Han Hong?s songs combine elements of classical Tibetan folk music with pop music. Her songs have thrown a light on the mysterious and rich culture of Tibet and caused a lot of interest.

The song Brilliant Rays on a Snowy Landscape (《雪域光芒》) is one of Han Hong?s early works, which conveys the vastness (广博) and beauty of Tibet. It swept various pop song billboards across China, receiving more than 20 awards.

As a pop singer in Beijing, she also tried different styles of music, such as Jazz, R&B, Rock and Roll and Latin music.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. popularity n. 流行

2. personality n. 性格；人物

3. despite prep.尽管，虽然

4. comment n.v.评价

5. pursuit n. 追求

6. professional adj.专业的

7. combine v. 结合，联合8. element n.要素，元素

9. mysterious adj.神秘的10. convey v.揭示

11. be based on 以……为基础12. be associated with 相联系

13. thrown a light on 解释

Lesson 2 Special Fund in Honor of Hong Zhanhui

给洪战辉的特别救济金

A special fund has been set up to support students who are suffering hardships in honor of a young man named Hong Zhanhui, a 23-year-old college student in Huaihua of Hunan Province. Hong was born in a poor rural family in Xihua County in 1982. When he was 12 years old, his father caught a mental illness and killed his sister. Later, the family adopted a girl, naming her Chenchen. A year later, Hong?s mother walked out because she couldn?t stand the beatings from her husband.

Hong has since shouldered all the burdens on his own. He had to split his time and energy into

earning money, looking after Chenchen, treating his father, and educating himself. He took on a lot of part-time jobs, such as selling instant noodles（方便面）, selling ball-point pens, books, potatoes, and so on. “Many people looked down upon me for selling then,”Hong recalled, “But I didn?t care.”

After his stories were known by the public, he received a large amount of donation. He thought he himself had passed the worst time and there were many other people who needed help much more than him. “I think it is more important for a man to support himself and be strong. I want to be such a man, who brings opportunities to other people instead of myself.”

He tried his best to return all of them. He put those from the donators who didn?t leave their names into the fund to help others. But he insists that those who accept help from the fund must pay back the money after they pass the hardships. He says that the help which doesn?t need to be repaid may be something selfish, because it may hurt a person?s pride as a human.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. mental adj.心理的，精神的

2. adopt vt. 收养；采纳，采取

3. burden n. v. 负担

4. split v. 分离，分裂

5. recall v. 回忆

6. opportunity n. 机会，机遇

7. in honor of 为了纪念……，向……表示敬意

8. took on 承担；呈现；雇佣

Lesson 3 Louis Armstrong

路易斯．阿姆斯壮

Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong (1900—1971), an African-American musician, is one of the most important figures in the history of jazz. In the 1920s, this trumpeter, singer and bandleader began exploring the boundaries of jazz technique and style. Masters of jazz today admit their debt to this pioneer.

Armstrong?s gift was obvious from the start of his career. His earliest recordings first with a band led by his former teacher, Joe “King” Oliver, and then with his own band earned Armstrong international fame for technical originality. He freed his playing from the ordinary rhythms (节奏) of early jazz by creating musical phrases that seemed to go against the pulse of a song, only to combine them in the place later. His deep and rough voice became as special as his cornet (短号）playing, especially in his scat performances. Scat is a singing style in which meaningless syllables (音节) are repeated without preparation. Armstrong?s scat was among the earliest ever recorded.

By 1930, Armstrong had turned to more commercial, less experimental jazz. Some musicians criticized him for this. But others insisted that the real power of Armstrong?s art lay in its grace and sensitivity, fine qualities of the heart which remained in his music.

In the following years, Armstrong traveled around the world as the leading “goodwill ambassador” of American jazz music. The gentleness and great attraction of “Satchmo” filled his music and made him one of the world?s most beloved performers for over forty years.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. explore v.探索

2. boundary n.边界，界线

3. former adj.原先的，前面的

4. originality n. 创造力，独创性

5. commercial adj.商业的

6. criticize v.批评

7. grace n.优雅8. ambassador n.大使

9. go against 违背，违反10. turn to 转向

Part 3 社会风情

Lesson 1. American Breakfast美国早餐

Popular breakfast foods in the United States, as in many other countries

around the world, include coffee, milk , juice, eggs, and bread. Some other breakfast items served in the United States are thought by many to be traditionally American. However, they actually come from other cultures.

A very popular breakfast food in America is the pancake--- a thin , flat cake made out of flour and often served with maple syrup. The idea of the pancake is very old. In fact, pancakes were made long ago in ancient China.

Bagels, a round thick bread with a hole in the middle , are also popular for breakfast in America. Polish people in the late 1600s came up with the idea for the first bagels and this new kind of bread soon took off across Eastern Europe.

In the late 1800s, thousands of Jews from Eastern Europe travelled to the United States and brought the recipe for bagels with them. Today, New Y ork bagels are said to be the best in the world. Many people have them with cream for breakfast on the go.

Doughnuts (usually spelled “donut”in the United States) came from France. They were served to American soldiers in France in the World WarⅠ.After the war, American soldiers asked cooks in the United States to make doughnuts for them. Now , served with coffee, they are a very popular breakfast food across the United States.

Lesson 2Getting married 结婚

Every culture in the world has marriage and wedding ceremonies . Usually marriages are between one woman(the bride) and one man ( the groom). However, in other parts of the world a man may have several wives, or, as in some areas of India, a wife may have more than one husband..

There are also many different kinds of wedding ceremonies practiced around the world. These ceremonies can be very short and simple, or very long and complicated.

One of the largest and most expensive wedding ceremonies in recent times was held in Dubai in 1981. The couple tying the knot at this wedding were the son of Sheik ( a male Arab ruler) Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Princess Salama. The wedding ceremony took seven days and cost $44 million. It was held in a large building which was specially built for the ceremony and looked like a stadium. The bride and groom needed a large place for their wedding because more than 20,000 guests were invited.

The reasons why a man and woman get married also vary. Sometimes they marry because they are in love, sometimes they marry because someone they meet through a matchmaker, and sometimes they marry because their parents tell them that they must marry.

One unusual example of an arranged marrige took place in Bangladesh in 1986. The groom was an eleven-month-old boy and the bride was a three-month-old girl. They were the youngest married couple ever.

The parents of the bride and groom arranged the marriage as a way of ending a

fight between the two families who had been arguing over a farm for twenty years. Both families thought they owned the farm, but no one knew exactly . The fight ended for good when the young boy married the young girl. By arranging this marriage, neither famlily was forced to lose face. The two families agreed to give the farm to the young people.

Lesson3 Seattle's Coffee Culture 西雅图的咖啡文化

It is one o'clock in Seattle. You are walking down the street. A lot of people are outside for lunch. You see a woman. She is holding a white and green paper cup. You see another person. He is also holding a cup in his hands. You see another and another. Everyone has a cup in their hands！What are they all drinking？You smell the Seattle air. It's coffee！

People in Seattle love coffee. Some say it's because Seattle has many rainy days and people need coffee to be happy. Others say coffee shops are popular because Seattle people are very laid-back and relaxed.

Coffee shops in Seattle are a lot like teahouses in China. In Seattle，people go to coffee shops to talk to friends，read，play games，work on the computer，or relax. Coffee is an important part of people's day.

The world's largest coffee shop chain，Starbucks，first opened in Seattle in 1971. But Starbuck is not the only popular coffee shop in the city. There are other large chains，like Seattle's Best Coffee，Caffe Ladro，or Tully's. Seattle also has many small neighborhood coffee shops. Everyone has their favorite.

The best coffee shops in Seattle：

Bauhaus Books and Coffee（Capitol Hill国会山庄））

Great place to spend an afternoon. Floor-to-ceiling used books and paintings on sale. Sit at a table downstairs and use the Internet or sit outside on the balcony. Enjoy the great coffee！

Espresso Vivace Sidewalk Bar街边吧（国会山庄（Capitol Hill）

Seattle's best coffee. Vivace motto is“Una bella tazza di caffe.”It means“a beautiful cup of coffee.”People wait in long lines for Vivace famous espresso. This is caffeine with class！

Victrola Coffee and Art（Capitol Hill）

Everything a coffee shop should be. High ceilings，lots of room，and art on the walls. Free live music a few times a week. Great coffee，friendly baristas，and wonderful carrot cake. Wireless internet.

Part 4 Life Inspiration人生感悟

Lesson1 What will matter?人生的意义

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end. There will be no more sunrises, no days, no hours or minutes. All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear.

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will all expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived.

It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant. Your gender, skin color, ethnicity will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage and sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence, but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories of those who loved you. What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.

It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.

Lesson2 It's worth it!

我们总是处在决定和选择之中，决定一件事情是否该做，是否值得做；选择我们认为重要的，放弃我们认为不重要的。而这个过程往往是艰难的，痛苦的，我们会反复地衡量得与失，理性地分析对与错。也许只有当我们静心独处，仔细倾听内心的声音的时候，才能做出一个不后悔的选择。

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the "No Man?s Land" between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.

"You can go," said the Lieutenant, "but I don?t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your own life away." The Lieutenant?s words didn?t matter, and the soldier went anyway.

Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and brought him back to their company?s trench. As the tw o of them tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. "I told you it wouldn?t be worth it," he said. "Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded."

"It was worth it, though, sir," the soldier said.

"How do you mean …worth it??" responded the Lieutenant. "Your friend is dead!"

"Yes sir," the private answered. "But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say, …Jim, I knew you?d come.?"

Many a time in life, whether a thing is worth doing or not really depends on how you look at it.

Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not regret not doing it later in life.

Lesson3 Love is a two-way street

A father sat at his desk poring over his monthly bills when his young son rushed in and announced,

“Dad, because this is your birthday and you?re 55 years old, I?m going to give you 55 kisses, one for each year!” When the boy start ed making good on his word, the father exclaimed, “Oh, Andrew, don?t do it now; I?m too busy!”

The youngster immediately fell silent as tears welled up in his big blue eyes. Apologically the father said, “You can finish later.”

The boy said nothing but quietly walked away, disappointment written over his face. That evening the father said, “Come and finish the kisses now, Andrew!” But the boy didn?t respond.

Unfortunately, a few days later after this incident, the boy had an accident and was drowned. His heartbroken father wrote...

“If only I could tell him how much I regret my thoughtless words, and could be assured that he knows how much my heart is aching.”

…Love is a two-way street. Any loving act must be warmly accepted or it will be taken as rejection and can leave a scar. If we are too busy to give and receive love, we are too busy! Nothing is more important than responding with love to the cry for love from those who are near and precious to us. Because... there may be no chance at all as in the case of the little boy...

爱，是一条双行道。对于爱的表示一定要热心地接受，否则对方会以为你拒绝了，从而留下一道伤痕。如果我们忙得连给予和接受爱的时间都没有，那未免也忙得太过分了！对于那些在我们身边，对我们弥足珍贵的人，用爱去回应他们爱的渴望，这最重要不过了！因为……如果发生像小男孩这样的情况，即使后悔也没有机会了。

The Real Meaning of Peace

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.

The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.

But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest — in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?

“Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”

PartⅤ History and Culture历史文化

Lesson 1 Studying difference学习差异

I always knew that China had a different education system to America. But, I did not know just how different our schools were. This summer, an American classmate and I spent a week in Tianjin No 2 Middle School. There we realized that there are major differences between students in China and the United States.

In the US, we have many college entrance examinations but extracurricular (课外的) activities and experiences are also considered important when applying for college. We could not imagine having class in the summer, nor could we imagine being in a class with 50 students. Most classes in the United States have 29 students at most and we often joke with our teachers and classmates. In English class, Chinese students study grammar and practice listening comprehension most of the time. In the US, our language classes include a lot about the culture of the country whose language we are studying. Also, during these classes we can only speak in the language we are studying.

What struck us the most was how they specialized their studies in Senior 2. Students who choose to major in the humanities (人文科学) do not take any science classes. Students who choose to major in the sciences do not take any history or geography classes. But in US high schools, students are required to take all the major subjects: history, science, maths, a foreign language and literature. Most American students enjoy studying a broad range of subjects which allows them to have an interest in sciences, history and music, for example.

Yet, specialization allows Chinese students to have a much more in depth knowledge base than American students. As we sat in their maths and science classes, we were astounded at (惊讶于) the level of difficulty. We were taken aback when they told us that in maths class, they never use calculators. In the US, we always use calculators. We could never imagine doing all those calculations by hand!

The best part about Chinese education is the focus on very neat, readable handwriting. Unfortunately, in the States too many people do not write well. The worst part is that both the males and females must have short hair. This made it very difficult for us to tell the difference between the guys and girls from the back of the room where we sat.

Yet, learning about the many differences between these two education systems was rewarding. If asked to visit that classroom again, my answer would definitely be yes.

Words and expressions

1. strike vt. 给予……印象

2. specialize v. 专门研究，专攻

3. literature n.文学

4. focus n. 焦点；重心

5. rewarding adj. 值得的

6. calculation n. 计算

7. definitely adv. 一定地，必定地8. at most 至多

9. apply for 申请10. major in 主修

11. tell the difference between… and…区别

Lesson 2 Spring Festival’s Symbols 春节符号

Symbols are an important part of Chinese culture, and are more than just pretty decorations. Each decoration has its own tale to tell.

Fu(福)

The character fu, usually painted on red, diamond-shaped paper, can be seen almost every household and is usually hung upside down. Those who hope for extra luck and fortune do this on purpose: The pronunciation of “fu dao”is similar to the phrase “luck arrives”. In other words, good luck will arrive and is welcome to enter the house.

Paper cuts (jian zhi)

Making jian zhi is an ancient Chinese folk art that dates back to the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589). Traditionally, professional craft men (工匠)made paper cuts by hand; today, most paper cuts are made by machine. Red paper cuts are a sign of good fortune and are put on house and restaurant window. The bat is a popular cutting, as the Chinese word for bat is fu, which sounds like the character for good fortune. Fish are also a common paper cut, as the Chinese word yu sounds like the term for plenty.

Chinese knots (zhong guo jie)

The ancient folk art of knotting was developed in the Tang and Song Dynasties (618-1279). Each knotted shape has a special meaning: the most common is the red, diamond-shaped knot, which means “forever happy”. Other knots include “prosperity”knots (decorated with chili peppers); “romance”(in heart-shaped patterns); “fortune” (tied with ancient coins); “happiness”(featuring the double-happiness character); and “longevity (长寿)”(100 coins connected with red thread). It?s popular for women to wear a small piece of the knots as a necklace.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. symbol n.符号

2. decoration n.装饰

3. diamond n. 钻石

4. dynasty n. 朝代

5. prosperity n.兴旺

6. feature vt. 以……为特色

7. on purpose 故意地8. be similar to 和……相似

9. in other words 换句话说10. date back to 追溯到……

Lesson 3 Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt

埃及艳后

Cleopatra was the regular name of the queen of Egypt in the Ptolemaic dynasty (托勒密王朝). The best known was Cleopatra Ⅻ. The name “Cleopatra” is Greek for “father?s glory”; her full name, “Cleopatra Thea Philopator” means “the Goddess Cleopatra, Beloved of Her Father.”Cleopatra Ⅻwas never in fact the only ruler of Egypt; she only co-ruled with her father, brother, brother-husband, and son. However, in all these cases, her co-rulers were king in name only, with her keeping the true power.

Cleopatra was far from beautiful, although her image today is attractive. Her face on ancient coins had a long hooked nose and strong features. Y et she was clearly a very attractive woman. She had a musical voice and extraordinary charm. She was also highly clever. She was the first of her family who could actually speak Egyptian! She spoke nine languages and was a smart politician.

At the age of seventeen she became the queen of Egypt, and ruled the country together with her 12-year-old brother. However, she dropped his name from official documents. And it was

Cleopatra?s face alone that appeared on coins. Perhaps because of her independence, she was removed from power in 48 BC. And she was soon forced to flee Egypt. She made preparations to recover her rights by force or arms.

At this moment Julius Caser followed Pompey into Egypt. He was attracted by her beauty. In Rome Cleopatra lived openly with Caser as his wife until his death. Then she returned to Egypt. Later she became the ally (同盟) and wife of Mark Antony. Their connection was highly unpopular at Rome, and they were defeated in 31 BC. Having no prospect of final success, Antony committed suicide, and then Cleopatra did so in the thirty-ninth year of her age.

With her ended the dynasty of the Ptolemies, Egypt was made a Roman province.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. regular adj.规则的，定期的

2. extraordinary adj.非同寻常的

3. charm n.魅力

4. hooked adj钩状的

5. politician n. 政治家

6. official adj.官方的；正式的

7. document n. 文件8. independence n.独立

9. remove v. 去除10. flee v. 逃离，逃跑

11. recover v. 恢复12. prospect n. 可能性；前景

13. commit suicide 自杀14. in name 名义上

PartⅥ观点交锋、时事聚焦

Lesson 1 Greenhouse Effect Occurred 5,000 Y ears Ago

发生在5000年前的温室效应

It is common sense nowadays that too much carbon dioxide in the air caused by too much lumbering (伐木) leads to global greenhouse effects.

A team of archaeologists from China and the United States is saying that the greenhouse effect started about 5,000 years ago, much earlier than people might expect.

This is the conclusion reached by a group of Chinese and US archaeologists based on a research on the relics excavated (发掘) from the ruins of a Neolithic site in Rizhao City, Shandong Province in east China, over the past twelve years.

The experts from Shandong University and US scholars began its survey at the ruins of the ancient Liangcheng Town in suburban Rizhao in 1995, focusing on the relationship between plants and human activity.

They collected wood samples from the site and did research on 21 pieces of waterish logged timber (木材) and three pieces of charcoal (炭). Archaeologists found that the wood excavated at the site were mostly the remains of burning or construction activities.

Prehistoric human beings probably burned wood in cooking, lighting, molding pottery (制陶) and even bronze smelting（冶铜), while large numbers of relics of ancient housing facilities show that people of that time lumbered much to build houses.

The team also concluded that prehistoric human beings used plants for other purposes, such as curing diseases, making furniture or tools and feeding animals, but these plants were hardly preserved and found.

Experts concluded that the remains of plants and trees at the site showed that prehistoric humans had started lumbering and that the increase of carbon dioxide therefore probably started before the industrial age.

The traditional view was that human beings affected the environment little in ancient times and that it was not human beings but climate change or catastrophes (大灾难) that promoted

ancient cultures or made them disappear.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. archaeologist n. 考古学家

2. conclusion n.结论

3. ruins n. 废墟

4. scholar n. 学者

5. survey n.v.调查

6. construction n.建筑

7. prehistoric adj. 史前时期的8. facility n.设施

9. conclude v. 得出结论10. furniture n. 家具

11. preserve v. 保护，保存12. promote vt.促进

13. common sense 常识14. lead to 导致

15. focus on 集中16. in ancient times 在古代

Lesson 2 China’s New “Four Great Inventions”

中国的新“四大发明”

The four great inventions—paper making, printing, gunpowder and compass—were achievements in ancient China. Are there new “four great inventions” in modern China? Experts have recently put forward their “four new great inventions”, wishing real new “four great inventions” can come into being soon.

Wu?s Method is selected because it puts new life into traditional Chinese mathematics.

Wu Wenjun is the creator of Wu?s Method, a computerized method for geometrical theorem proving(几何定理证明). He inherits and carries forward the traditions of China?s ancient mathematics, and turns to studies of mechanical proof of geometrical theorems. His study has completely changed look of the field.

Y uan Longping?s hybrid rice (杂交水稻)is selected because it is regarded as the fifth great invention of China and “the second green revolution”.

Hybrid paddy rice is named “oriental magic rice”in the West. Y uan?s achievement not only solves the food problem for Chinese people, but is regarded as a magic weapon to solve the global food problems.

Synthesized crystalline bovine insulin (合成牛胰岛素晶体) is selected because it is the first time that humans have synthesized living body.

Chinese scientists succeeded in synthesizing crystalline bovine insulin on Sept. 17, 1965, making an important step in the course of understanding life and exploring life?s secrets.

This is the first time that zoetic(有生命的) protein has been synthesized by humans in history. In the past it was a universal belief that that man could by no means synthesize living body.

The land facies oil-forming theory (土地外观石油形成理论) by Li Siguang is selected because it brings “oil deficiency in China” to an end.

The land facies oil-forming theory plays an important role in construction of China?s Daqing, Dagang and Shengli oilfields. Before the theory was created, people believed that big oil fields could only be formed in sea facies stratum(地层). This is the reason why Westerners thought China was oil deficient.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. compass n.指南针

2. creator n. 创造者

3. inherit vt.继承

4. revolution n.革命

5. magic adj. 有魔力的，神奇的

6. weapon n.武器

7. universal adj. 宇宙的，普遍的8. deficiency n.缺陷

9. construction n.建设10. deficient adj.有缺陷的

11. come into being 形成12. bring… to an end 使……结束

Lesson 3 China’s launching plans for Shenzhou 7

中国神七发射计划

China has mapped out plans for its new launches in the Shenzhou program on the next flight. But one conclusion seems to have escaped most reports in the aerospace media. The flight of Shenzhou 7 could be timed to coincide with the Beijing Olympics. Plans for 2008 Summer Olympics call for the events to be held between the 8th and 24th of August that year. It?s reasonable to expect that China will use the event to display its achievements to the world, and human spaceflight is China?s most significant recent breakthrough.

Shenzhou 7, China?s next manned space mission, was originally advertised for 2007. This fit the pattern of staging a two-gap between crewed Shenzhou missions, which have previously launched in 2003 and 2005. But Chinese media statements have amended(修正，改正) this to 2008. Chinese media have reported that the whole program is going well, and more time is needed to work on spacesuit that will be used on this flight to stage China?s first spacewalk. It?s possible that Chinese engineers want to make the best preparations for this complex mission.

China could intend to carry out the mission of Shenzhou 7 just as media attention is focused on the lead-up to the Olympics. The crew of the flight, and possibly China?s other flown astronauts, could then take part in the opening ceremony. China has previously honored her space travelers in great celebrations, such as the Hong Kong event that saw Y ang Liwei singing with Jacky Chan.

Words and expressions（词和短语）

1. launch n.v.发射

2. escape v. 逃跑，逃避

3. reasonable adj.合理的

4. display n. v.展示

5. achievement n.成就

6. breakthrough n.突破

7. stage vt. 实行，进行8. previously adv. 在以前

9. map out 拟定(计划) 10. coincide with 吻合