The grammatical structure of this unit is predicative clause. Like object clause and subject clause, predicative clause is one of Nominal Clauses. The leading words of predicative clauses are that, what, how, what, where, as if, because, etc.

The design of teaching activities aims to guide students to perceive the structural features of predicative clauses and think about their ideographic functions. Beyond that, students should be guided to use this grammar in the context apporpriately and flexibly.

1. Enable the Ss to master the usage of the predicative clauses in this unit.

2. Enable the Ss to use the predicative patterns flexibly.

3. Train the Ss to apply some skills by doing the relevant exercises.

1.Guide students to perceive the structural features of predicative clauses and think about their ideographic functions.

2.Strengthen students' ability of using predicative clauses in context, but also cultivate their ability of text analysis and logical reasoning competence.

Step1: Underline all the examples in the reading passage, where noun clauses are used as the predicative. Then state their meaning and functions.

1) One theory was that bad air caused the disease.

2) Another theory was that cholera was caused by an infection from germs in food or water.

3) The truth was that the water from the Broad Street had been infected by waste.

Sum up the rules of grammar:

1. 以上黑体部分在句中作表语。

2. 句1、2、3中的that在从句中不作成分，只起连接作用。

Step2: Review the basic components of predicative clauses

1.Definition

在复合句中作表语的从句，叫作表语从句。它位于主句的系动词之后，对主语进行解释、说明，使主语的内容具体化。

2．Leading words , functions and examples:

引导词

用法

例句

从

属

连

词

that、

whether

(不能用if)

that在从句中不作成分，that没有实际意义，不可省略；

whether意为“是否”

My belief is that I will succeed by working hard.我的信念是通过努力我会成功。

The most pleasant thing of the rainy season is that one can be entirely free from dust.雨季最令人愉快的事情是完全没有灰尘。

The problem is whether we can find them there.问题是我们能否在那里找到他们。

because

说明主语所表示的事件发生的原因，意为“因为”

He has heart disease. That is because he has been smoking too much.他有心脏病。那是因为他抽烟太多。

as if/though

从句表示的情况发生的可能性较小时常用虚拟语气

It seems as if he didn’t know the answer.

他好像不知道答案。

连

接

代

词

who(ever)、

whom(ever)、whose、what(ever)、

which(ever)等

在从句中作主语、宾语、表语、定语等

You can be whoever you want to be.你可以成为你想做的任何人。

Tom is no longer what he used to be.汤姆不再是过去的那个他了。

连

接

副

词

when、where、

why、how等

在从句中作状语，表示时间、地点、原因、方式等

This is where I don't agree with you.这就是我不同意你的地方。

The question is how we can get in touch with him.问题是我们怎样才能和他联系。

That is why I got wet through.所以我才被淋湿了。

3．Points that we should pay attention to:

(1) The difference of “that” and “what”.

that引导表语从句时，是连词，在从句中不作成分；what是连接代词，引导表语从句时，在从句中作主语、宾语、表语或定语。

That was what she did this morning on her way to school.那就是她今天早晨在去学校的路上做过的事。

My opinion is that we should communicate with parents frequently.我的意见是我们应该经常和父母沟通。

(2)because与why的区别

because引导表语从句时强调原因，why引导表语从句时强调结果。

She often comes late. That's because she has a baby to take care of.

她经常迟到。那是因为她有一个孩子要照顾。

She has a baby to take care of. That's why she often comes late.

她有一个孩子要照顾。那就是她经常迟到的原因。

[点睛]　名词reason作主语时，后面的表语从句表示原因时要用that引导，而不用because。

(3) The subjunctive mood used in predicative clauses

①在表示建议、劝告、命令等含义的名词后的表语从句中，谓语动词用“should＋动词原形”，should可以省略。

My suggestion is that we (should) have a discussion about this matter instead of just laying it aside.我的建议是我们应当讨论一下这件事，而不应该只是把它放在一边。

The doctor's advice is that we (should) take more exercise.医生的建议是我们应该多做运动。

②as if/as though引导的表语从句如果是事实，就用陈述语气；如果与事实不符，就用虚拟语气(用一般过去时表示现在，过去进行时表示现在进行，过去完成时表示过去，could/would/might＋动词原形表示将来)。

Tom likes to talk big as if he were an important person.

汤姆喜欢说大话，好像他是一个重要人物似的。

Dark clouds are gathering. It looks as if it's going to rain.

乌云正在聚集。看起来好像要下雨了。(与事实相符)

Step 3: Practice using predicative clause in context.

(1)Answer the following questions using the information from the reading passage as well as the predicative clauses.

1. What was it that John Snow showed to the world?

What John Snow showed to the world was___________________________.

2. What was Snow’s discovery in two particular streets in London?

Snows discovery in two particular streets in London was that___________________________

3. What was Snow determined to find out during the 1854 outbreak of cholera in London?

What Snow was determined to find out was why ___________________________

4. What were the exact places (Snow marked on the map? )

The exact places Snow marked on the map were where__________________

5. What was the finding that Snow announced?

Snow's finding was that __________________________

keys:

1.how cholera could be overcome.

2. the cholera outbreak was so severe that more than 500 people died in ten days

3. the outbreak of cholera had caused over 500 deaths within ten days

4.all those who died had lived / all the dead people had lived

5. the water pump was to blame for the spread of cholera / the pump water carried cholera germs / water from the Broad Street pump had been infected by waste

(2) David is talking to Maria about their scientific research project. First complete David's lines (A-E), using the words in the box. Then put David's lines in the correct order and practice the conversation.

• A: Absolutely ! You may not believe it, but that was ___________happened at the initial stage of our group's research on developing a vaccine for malaria.

• B: Yes, it is. And it seemed _______________all the theories were useful, but the fact was_________ we couldn't persuade one another that one theory was better than another.

• C:Exactly The problem was not about ______________all our theories were equally good, but in deciding ___________________theory to depend upon.

• D: We realized that what we cared about was not_______________ aspect we needed to develop a theory in, but rather _________________we can reduce the cost of a vaccine without reducing its effect!

• E: You're right. At last, we became focused on the key issue, which was ___________we had to Cary out the research in the first place.

keys: what; as if ; that; whether; which/what/whose; which/what/; how; why

David is talking to Maria about their scientific research project. First complete David's lines (A-E), using the words in the box. Then put David's lines in the correct order and practice the conversation.

• Maria: This mix of theory and data is one of the key characteristics of what we call science.

• David:__A_____

• Maria: With your theoretical framework?

• David:__________________

• Maria: Deciding on a theory is definitely of critical importance.

• David:_________________

• Maria This was when you should have calmed down and got down to doing some sold work.

• David:_________________

• Maria: So what happened in the end?

• David:__________________

keys: ACBED