Unit 2　Robots

指导思想与理论依据　

1．指导思想

本课题努力结合新课程的理念，将课堂教学放在具体的语言情景之中；努力培养学生的综合语言运用能力，并且把听、说、读、写语言技能的训练综合运用于课堂教学之中。通过探究法、观察法和发现法，让学生发挥主观能动性，利用两两合作、小组活动的方式，激发学生参与教学的热情，让学生整堂课都处于新鲜感不断的亢奋状态中。根据学生的认知能力和接受程度，设计了写作等任务，使语言得到输出，可以使学生产生继续学习的动力。

总之，本次设计的宗旨是努力提高课堂教学的实效性，使学生能够提高语言的实际运用能力，达到最终教学的目的。

2．理论依据

《普通高中英语课程标准》明确提出：“要通过设计丰富多彩的课内外学习活动，使学生在参与交际活动的过程中形成交际策略。”

教材内容分析　　　

本单元以机器人和科幻小说为话题，介绍了20世纪世界知名的科幻小说家Isaac Asimov发表于1951年的Satisfaction Guaranteed 和他的生平。通过本单元的教学，旨在让学生了解科幻小说最大的特征在于：它赋予了“幻想”依靠科技在未来得以实现的极大可能，甚至有些“科学幻想”在多年以后，的确在科学上成了现实。如Isaac Asimov 1951年描述的机器人的部分功能已经被应用于现实生活和工作中。在教学中，要鼓励学生敢于幻想，大胆创新，发挥自己丰富的想象力和创作力，写出独具特色的科幻文章。

教学内容如下：

Warming Up介绍了机器人的制造、种类、功能等等，再让学生分组列表，把自己熟悉的科幻文艺形式(科幻故事、电影、电脑游戏、电视剧、卡通等等)写出来，并进行简单地交流。

Pre－reading 通过讨论机器人是否像人类一样有自己的思维、是否有感情引出Isaac Asimov的科幻小说Satisfaction Guaranteed，为本单元的Reading做好了铺垫。

Reading的课文是Isaac Asimov发表于1951年的科幻小说Satisfaction Guaranteed。文中描述的机器人Tony是一个除去面无表情外，身材高大、相貌英俊、聪明机智的完美男人，仅三周的时间就使女主人坠入爱河。

Comprehending共有3个练习，练习1是关于克莱尔的情感变化，练习2是关于课文内容的5个问答题，旨在考查学生对课文的理解；练习3要求学生比较机器人Tony在physical，mental两方面与人的异同，与Pre－reading 部分的问题相呼应。

Learning about Language分为两部分，Discovering useful words and expressions是本单元词汇练习题；Revising useful structures是本单元语法练习题，通过本单元的学习，要求学生熟练掌握不定式的被动语态。

Using Language分为两部分，Listening and speaking是Molly 和Kate 讨论Satisfaction Guaranteed的对话录音，要求学生根据对话内容学会运用表达自己观点的常用句型。这部分教学内容还要求学生以机器人为话题，充分发挥自己的想象力，谈论机器人做家务的利与弊。并且要求自己动手设计机器人，附上文字说明。Reading，discussing and writing部分的内容是科幻小说家Isaac Asimov的生平介绍。文章后附有练习题。练习1要求学生根据时间线索了解在作者生命中发生的重要事件；练习2、3要求学生讨论Isaac Asimov的“机器人三定律”；练习4要求学生借助文章信息和练习1的表格笔头简述阿西莫夫的生平事迹。

教材重组　　　

Period 1 Warming Up，Pre－reading，Reading and Comprehending

Period 2 Language Study

Period 3 Grammar

Period 4 Listening，Speaking and Writing

Period 5 Using Language

Period 6 Listening and Reading Task

Period 7 Speaking，Listening and Writing Task

三维目标　　　

知识目标

1．掌握本单元教学目的和要求中的单词和词汇。如：fiction，desire，satisfaction，alarm，alarmed，sympathy，elegant，pile，scan，fingernail，absurd，haircut，accompany，counter，cushion，awful，affair，declare，envy，test out，ring up，turn around，leave...alone etc。

2．帮助学生更多地了解机器人以及有关的科幻小说、小说家阿西莫夫及其文学作品。

3．复习被动语态和学习动词不定式的被动形式。

能力目标

学会使用推测和确信的表达法。

情感目标

培养学生的想象力和对未知世界的探索精神。

教学重点　　　

1．更多地了解机器人以及科幻小说。

2．掌握女主人公克莱尔的感情和心理上的变化。

教学难点　　　

1．巩固动词不定式的被动式的用法。

2．学会使用推测和确信的表达法。

教学方法　　　

1．任务型教学。

2．合作型教学。Period 1　Warming Up，Pre－reading，

Reading and Comprehending

Teaching goals　　　

1．Be able to learn some important words and phrases.

fiction，desire，satisfaction，alarm，alarmed，sympathy，elegant，pile，scan，fingernail，absurd，haircut，accompany，cushion，awful，affair，declare，envy，test out，ring up，turn around，leave...alone etc.

2．Help students to learn about robots and science fiction.

3．Enable students to realize science fiction reflects scientific thought；fiction of things－to－come based on things－on－hand.

Teaching important points　　　

1．Enable students to grasp what Tony did to help Claire and how her feelings towards Tony changed during Tony's stay at her house.

2．Help students to sum up characteristics of science fiction.

Teaching difficult points　　　

How Claire's feelings towards Tony changed during Tony's stay at her house.

Teaching methods　　　

Discussing，explaining，reading and practicing

Teaching aids　　　

The multimedia computer

Teaching procedures　　　

Step 1　Warming up

1．Present photos of different kinds of robots.Then ask the students to say something about their favorite robots.

2．Ask students to discuss the following questions in pairs.

(1)What is a robot?

(2)What can a robot do?

Suggested answers：

(1)A robot is a machine designed to do jobs that are usually performed by humans.Robots are programmed and controlled by a computer.

(2)A robot can do many things.For example，it can play music，sing songs and dance to music；it can pour tea，sweep the floor and cook dinner；it can play football；it can explore dangerous places；it can play with children；it can serve us etc.

Step 2　Pre－reading

Look at the photos of robots and ask students to discuss the questions in Pre－reading in groups.Students are encouraged to speak out their opinions freely.

1．Where would you find each robot？What does each one do?

2．Can you think of any other type of robot?

3．Do you think it is possible for a robot to think for itself，have feelings，have its own needs and desires，or look and feel like a human being?

Step 3　Skimming

1．Skim the text to find out t he main characters in the story.

　　Keys：

　　2.In groups，find answers to the following questions：

(1)What did Tony look like?

(2)What was Larry Belmont's problem in the end?

Several minutes later check the answers with the whole class.

Suggested answers：

(1)He was tall and handsome although his facial expressions never changed.His hair was smooth and black and his voice was deep.

(2)His wife may have fallen in love with Tony，the robot.

Step 4　Scanning

1．Ask students to read the text carefully and then find out the true statements.

(1)Claire didn't like the idea at the beginning，but she agreed to it at last.

(2)When Tony，the robot，offered to help dressing，Claire was pleased to accept it.But she thought it was surprising for a robot to be so human.

(3)Tony could understand Claire when she said she was not clever.

(4)Claire was sorry she could do little to help her husband，who wanted to improve his social position.

(5)Tony was eager to help Claire.He scanned quite a lot of books in the library，but he could find no way out.

(6)Tony went to town with Claire to buy things he wanted to improve the house.

(7)While Tony worked on the improvements of the house，Claire also did her part.

(8)Claire's guests were filled with admiration when they saw her house was completely changed.

(9)Claire was very happy to find that Gladys envied her.

(10)The company was very pleased with Tony's report because he had successfully made a woman fall in love with him.

Keys：True statements：(1)，(3)，(4)，(7)and (9)

2．In groups，discuss the questions in Comprehending on Page 12.

(1)Why did Tony open the curtains?

(2)What did Tony do to prevent Claire from being harmed?

(3)Why did Tony have to be rebuilt?

(4)How would you feel if you had a robot like Tony in your house?

(5)Claire spent three weeks with Tony in her house.Which sentences in the story show that she kept forgetting and then remembering he was a machine?

Several minutes later check the answers with the whole class.

Suggested answers：

(1)He wanted Claire's guests to see him and Claire together so that she could be envied by the women guests.

(2)Tony prevented Claire from being harmed by making her feel good about herself.He helped her make her and her home elegant so that she would not feel like a failure.

(3)Because the company (designers)felt that they could not have women falling in love with machines.

(4)Various answers can be accepted.

(5)Sentences：

How absurd，she thought.He was just a machine.

He held her firmly in his arms and she felt the warmth of his body.She screamed，pushed him away and ran to her room for the rest of the day.

Then she remembered—Tony was just a machine.

She shouted “Leave me alone” and ran to her bed.

3．In groups，list Tony's characteristics that were similar to and those that were different from those of a human being.

　　Suggested answers：

Step 5　Comprehending

1．Tell students that Claire's feelings towards Tony changed as the story developed.Read the story again and then fill in the occasions when Claire had these feelings.

　　Suggested answers：

　　2.After filling in the occasions when Claire had these feelings，ask students to work together to find out how Claire's emotion developed.

Suggested answer：

At first refused to have Tony at her house—accepted him—trusted him—proud of him—loved him—sad to remember he was just a machine

(T：From her emotion development，we can see Tony was designed as a Mr.Perfect.He is designed not to harm Claire or allow her to be harmed.This is one of Isaac's three laws for robots.Later in this unit we will learn more about his three laws.)

Step 6　Discussion

In groups，discuss the following questions.(Students are encouraged to speak out their opinions freely.)

What suggestions do you want to give to Larry Belmont as an engineer?

What suggestions do you want to give to Larry Belmont as a husband?

Step 7　Homework

1．Learn the useful words and phrases in this unit by heart.

2．Remember the characteristics of science fiction.

3．Surf the Internet to learn more about robots and science fiction.