高中英语人教版 (新课标)必修5&选修6Unit 2 The United Kingdom教案及反思

Period 3　Reading and Writing

The General Idea of This Period

This period lays emphasis on extensive reading and writing.At first the teacher will check the students’ homework, by asking some individual students to read out their summaries of the reading passage “Puzzles in Geography”.Then the teacher will ask the students some detailed questions based on the reading passage.This step has two goals.One is to help the students to consolidate what they have learnt during the last period.The other goal is to lead the topic to“Sightseeing in London”.

In the next step the students are asked to read the passage fast and write down the places that Zhang Pingyu visited.After reading the passage again, the students will write down the comments on these places.This will be done by filling in a chart.Since it is an extensive reading passage, there is no need to understand it in detail.But the students should pay special attention to how the writer described these places, because they will undertake a similar task next.

As is well known, language can only be mastered by being used.So, the students will next undertake a rather challenging task, that is, to introduce one of the famous buildings or attractions in their hometown or home village to a tourist.They should practice in pairs by asking and answering questions.

Then the students will organize the information from the dialogue into an introduction to the attractions in their local guide book.While doing this, the students should pay special attention to wording, especially verbs and adjectives.

Teaching Important Points

The important words, phrases and sentence patterns in this period.

Improve the students’ extensive reading ability.

Train the students’ ability to cooperate with others.

Teaching Difficulties

Train the students’ speaking ability, especially the ability to deal with some problems in understanding each other.

Train the students’ writing ability.

Teaching Aids

a tape recorder 

a projector

the blackboard

Three Dimensional Teaching Aims

Knowledge Aims

sightseeing, available, tower, uniform, royal, splendid, statue, communism, thrill, pot, smart, site, delight, occasion, longitude, navigation, original, unfair, suggestion

be worried about, make a list of, to one’s great surprise, on special occasions, in memory of, ring out the hour, set the time, have a photo taken, stand on either side of the line, on show, be proud of, leave sp.for sp., fall asleep

Worried about the time available, Zhang Pingyu had make a list of the sites she wanted to see in London.

It seemed strange that the man who had developed communism should have lived and died in London.

Ability Aims

Learn some rough information about the attractions in London.

Improve the students’ extensive reading ability.

Train the students’ speaking ability, especially the ability to deal with some problems in understanding each other.

Train the students’ writing ability.

Emotional Aims

Train the students’ ability to cooperate with others.

Stimulate the students’ love of their hometown

Know that London is a place greatly influence by invaders.

Teaching Procedure

Step 1 Greetings

Teacher greets the students as usual.

Step 2 Revision

T: In the last period, we learned some basic information about the United Kingdom, especially the historical influence on the geography and its historical attractions.First, who’d like to read your summary of the passage?

S: The United Kingdom consists of four countries, which joined together little by little in history, and this can be seen from the Union Jack.But the four countries don’t work together in every area.England is the largest of all and it can be divided into three zones.Both London and England were greatly influenced by different invaders.

T: Excellent.

T: I will ask you some general questions about the UK.While answering them, you can’t refer to your textbooks.　

T: No.1 What are the four countries in the United Kingdom?

S: They are England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

T: No.2 When did Great Britain come into being?

S: It came into being in 1603, when King James of Scotland became King of England and Wales as well.

T: No.3 What are the three zones in England?

S: They are the South, the Midlands and the North.

T: No.4 Do the four countries in the UK work together in every area?

S: No.They work together in some areas, but they have developed different educational and legal systems as well as different football teams for competitions like the World Cup!

T: No.5 Which group of invaders did not influence London?

S: The Vikings.

T: What did the invaders left in London?

S: The Romans built the oldest port in the 1st century AD, the Anglo-Saxons built the oldest building in the 1060s and the Normans constructed the oldest castle in 1066.

T: So there must be very beautiful sceneries to see if we go to London one day.

Step 3 Extensive Reading

T: Do you still remember the pictures of some beautiful buildings in the United Kingdom shown at the beginning of this unit?Have you dreamed of going there one day and seeing all the sceneries with your own eyes?

Ss: Yes.

T: So today we will learn a passage with the title“SIGHTSEEING IN LONDON”.

T: First read the passage silently and write down all the places that Zhang Pingyu visited during her trip.

(Teacher gives the students several minutes to read the passage and finish the task.)

S: She visited the Tower, St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Greenwich, Highgate Cemetery and the Library of the British Museum.

T: Do you know the full name of the Tower?

S: Is it called the Tower of London?

T: You are right.Then what did Zhang Pingyu hear when she came out of the Westminster Abbey?

S: She heard the sound of the clock, Big Ben, ringing out the hour.

T: Now read the passage again and find out Zhang Pingyu’s comment on each place she visited.

(Teacher gives the students several minutes to finish the chart below.)

T: Who would like to come to the blackboard to fill in the chart?

S: Let me have a try.

T: You did a very good job.

T: What do you know about Greenwich from this passage?

S: In Greenwich there is a longitude line.It is an imaginary line dividing the eastern and western halves of the world and is very useful for navigation.

T: Is the original Library of the British Museum used as a library today?

S: No.It is used to display wonderful treasures from different cultures, including some beautiful old Chinese pots.

Step 4 Speaking and Writing

T: In our hometown, there are also some interesting buildings or attractions.Work in pairs and choose one of them.One of you is the tourist and the other is the tour guide.The tourist may have a few problems understanding the guide.If so, you may use some expressions on Page 15 to help you.Now work in pairs and five minutes later, I will ask pairs of you to come to the front to demonstrate your dialogues.

(Ss work in pairs, meanwhile, the teacher goes round the classroom and helps the students to deal with any question that they may meet with.)

(After about five minutes.)

T: Are there any volunteers?

Ss: Let us have a try.

T: Good.

A: Welcome to Xishan Town.

B: Thanks.Would you please recommend some famous scenery in your hometown?

A: I suggest you should go to Linwu Cave in our town.It is in the east of our town.

B: Why is the cave famous?

A: The cave, which is also known as Dragon Cave, is faced to Taihu Lake.In the cave staglites stand like a forest under smooth ceilings.

B: Pardon?What did you mean by“staglites”?

A: I mean, in the cave there are lime rocks.It is said that the cave is below the bottom of Taihu Lake.The cave is acclaimed by Taoist believers as No.9 Cave under Heaven.There are also some Taoist cultural relics in the cave.

B: How deep is the cave?

A: It has a depth of more than hundreds of meters.

B: I feel like going there at once.Then what’s the price of the ticket?

A: It’s about 30 yuan including the Plum Blossom Garden.

B: Really?You mean I can also visit the Plum Blossom Garden?

A: Yes.Wish you a pleasant journey in our town.

B: Thanks.

T: Excellent.You have done a very good job.

T: Next use the information you have collected about this building or attraction and write about it in your local guide book.You want to encourage people to visit it so you should write in an exciting way.Think about the verbs and adjectives you can use.Now I will give you several minutes to finish writing the introduction.

(The students write the introduction, and the teacher goes around the classroom and helps the students to solve any problem that they may meet with.)

Example:

Why not visit our Linwu Cave?

Linwu Cave, which is also called Dragon Cave, is located in the east of West Hill, an island in Taihu Lake.The Cave has a long history.In the cave staglites stand like a forest under smooth ceiling.There are also some Taoist cultural relics in it, and the cave was acclaimed by Taoist believers as No.9 Cave under Heaven.On the way here, you will also cross Taihu Bridge, the longest bridge over the inland lake in China.It is the lake that has linked the island with Suzhou.Having bought a ticket of 30 yuan, you can also enjoy the Plum Blossom Garden.

Step 5 Homework

If the students haven’t finished writing the introduction to one of the attractions in their hometown, they can go on to do it after class.Even if the students have finished writing, they should try to beautify the words and sentence structures that they have used.

The Design of the Writing on the Blackboard

Unit 2　The United Kingdom

Period 3　Reading and Writing

Ⅰ.Places visited and comments:  　Ⅱ.Useful expressions: 

1.Excuse me...I’m afraid I can’t follow you.

2.I beg your pardon？

3.Please, can you speak more slowly?

4.What did you mean by...?

5.I’m sorry but could you repeat that?

6.I didn’t understand...

Research and Activities

Advertisement-competition

After class, each pair should try to finish their introduction to the chosen attraction and make it into an advertisement.They can go to the library or surf the Internet for some further information or pictures.Then each pair should put up their advertisement on the wall.Every student will act as a tourist and choose one place that he or she wants to visit most after reading the advertisements.And everyone is asked to put one flag under the advertisement that he or she has chosen.The one that gets the most flags will be the best advertisement and the makers will be supplied with a prize.

Reference for Teaching

The City of London

Nearly all the old City of London was burned down in the fire of 1666.It started on a Sunday evening in a bread shop.On Tuesday evening, a quarter of a million people had no homes, and the fire was still burning.

The old St.Paul’s Cathedral, there for a thousand years before that, went in the fire.The Cathedral you see today was built by Sir Christopher Wren.There is also a monument to the fire, near Eastcheap, where there fire started, and you can climb up it and look down on the city.Or, if you feel like climbing, you can go up the 627 stairs to the top of St Paul’s and look at the new city from there.

After the fire of London, some Londoners made new homes in new parts of London.Others wanted to come back, but found the new houses too expensive.The city started to lose its people and then, when the railways came, it was even easier to work in the city and live outside it.In the Second World War, many homes in the city were destroyed by bombs.

So now the city has very few shops and homes.The streets are full of thousands of offices, and only the street names make you think of the people who used to live there, and bought their food in Fish Street and Bread Street and Milk Street.

Some people do live in the new big blocks of flats near the Barbican (one of the old Roman gates), but often they only sleep there, and go away for weekends.The shops are shut on Saturdays, and the restaurants and pubs shut at six o’clock in the evening.If you go into the city at eight o’clock at night, you feel you are in dead city, while a kilometer away;  the streets of the West End are full of people.It seems a sad end.

The Cockney

Almost everyone who has heard of London has heard of the term“Cockney(伦敦佬)”.Strictly speaking, in order to call oneself a Cockney, one should have been born“within the sound of Bow bells”, that is to say, within the sound of the bells of the church of St Mary-le-Bow, which stands nearly in the centre of the city of London.But, in fact, all London’s citizens who were born and bred in the city may call themselves Cockneys if they like.However, the term is generally reserved for the Londoner with a“Cockney accent”.

They Cockney accent is not a particularly pleasant or melodious（悦耳的）one, and the Cockney’s distortion（扭曲, 变形） of the English language is such that the foreigner often finds it impossible to understand the speaker until his ear has become acclimatized（适应） to the peculiar tones.The principal characteristics of the Cockney accent consist in a general slurring of consonants and a distortion of vowel sounds.The best known example of Cockney speech is modern English literature is that of Eliza Doolittle, the heroine of Bernard Shaw’s play, “Pygmalion”and of the musical adapted from, “My Fair Lady”.

But if Cockney speech is unpleasant, the Cockney himself is usually far from being so.The average Cockney is distinguished（区分, 辨别） by his quick wit, his ready sense of humor, his ability to“carry on”under unusual or difficult conditions and by his willingness to be of help if he can.The Cockney’s humor is often satirical（讽刺的） but it is never vicious（邪恶的）;  he is always ready to laugh at other people’s peculiarities（怪癖） but he is equally ready to laugh at his own.He often makes jokes under the most difficult conditions, a quality that was very apparent during World War Ⅱ.This rather lugubrious type of humor is well exemplified（举例证明） by the title of an old Cockney music hall song: “Ain’t It Grand To Be Blooming Well Dead.”

Nowadays, as the tempo of life in big cities grows ever faster (although the Cockney opposes this process when he can), the opportunities for the Cockney to exercise his wit and humor diminish(减少, 变小).But if one keeps one’s ears open on buses, in railway stations, in street markets and similar places, it will soon become evident that the spirit of Cockney humor is still very much alive, although the old Cockney pronunciation is less common until now.

Most people who call themselves Cockneys usually do so with some pride.And, by and large, they are justified.

Famous Buildings in London Hyde Park

Covering an area of 350 acres (140 hectares) Hyde Park is one of the best known Royal parks.Originally owned by the monks of Westminster Abbey, the park was later seized by Henry Ⅷ.Since then the park was historically recognized for duels（决斗）, hunts and political demonstrations.The Rolling Stones and Pavarotti have performed concerts here, amongst many others.The Serpentine is an artificial lake used for boating and bathing, and Speakers Corner situated at the north-east is packed with soapbox speakers airing their points of view.

Westminster Abbey

Founded in 1065 by Edward the Confessor, Westminster Abbey has been the site of every Royal Coronation since 1066 (except those of Edward Ⅴ and Edward Ⅷ) and is the final resting place of many sovereigns, politicians, poets and artists.Burial in the abbey is one of the rarest and greatest honors in Britain.The nave is over a hundred feet high, the tallest of any church in the country.Behind the High Altar, in the Chapel of Edward the Confessor, the most sacred part of the abbey, rests the Coronation Chair.Coronations and royal weddings have been performed here for centuries.

Buckingham Palace 

Buckingham Palace has served as the Monarch’s permanent （永久的）London residence, since the accession（就职） of Queen Victoria in 1837. Built on the site of a notorious（声名狼藉的） brothel（妓院）, its days began in 1702, as the Duke of Buckingham’s city residence.Later it was sold by the Duke’s son, to George Ⅲ in 1762.

Whilst the Queen is in residence the palace is closed to the public.During the two months that Her Majesty is not at home, the doors to the Palace are open to the general public.Tickets must be purchased in advance for a guided tour, through 18 of the 661 rooms.

Kew Gardens 

Spring is probably the best time to visit, but all year round you will find a stunning array of flowers, lawns, formal gardens and botanical greenhouses.More than 50 000 different species of plants are cultivated at Kew. Commissioned（代理） by George Ⅲ’s mother, Princess Augusta, in 1759, Kew is now one of the world’s most important botanical research centres.Kew also offers many historical buildings including Palm house, a metal and glass hothouse built around 1845 and Kew Palace, once a royal palace dating from the early 1600’s.

St Paul’s Cathedral

Set amongst the tower blocks of London’s financial sector, St Paul’s Cathedral has a dominating presence.St Paul’s Cathedral is the fifth church to stand on this site and followed that of Old St Paul’s, with its amazing 160 m spire（尖顶） which was one of the wonders of medieval Europe until it was destroyed by fire.The Cathedral is open for visitors on Monday to Saturday from 8: 30.The last admission to the Cathedral for sightseeing is at 16: 00.The Cathedral Shop in the Crypt and the Crypt Cafe are open from 9: 00 to 17: 00 on Monday to Saturday and from 10: 30 to 17: 00 on Sundays.Special services and events may close all or part of the Cathedral—sometimes at short notice.It is a great privilege to welcome those who come here from many parts of the world to share the worship of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Inside the enormous dome lies the Whispering Gallery(回音廊).It is said that if you whisper close to the wall it can be heard over a hundred feet away at the other side of the dome, although the gallery is normally too busy to try this for yourself.

Tower of London 

The Tower of London started as a simple watch tower, built by William the Conqueror, to keep an eye on the city.The Tower of London has acted as a royal residence, treasury, mint（造币厂）and a prison. The Crown Jewels are found in the Jewel House, and for many catching a glimpse of these precious stones can be the highlight of their visit.

Tower Bridge 

Despite being just over one hundred years old, Tower Bridge ranks as one of London’s most famous attractions. A steel frame clad in granite（花岗岩） and Portland Stone, represents an amazing engineering achievement, allowing the road crossing to be raised giving tall ships access to upper reaches of the Thames.It is an impressive sight although it happens infrequently.Inside the north tower an exhibition explains the bridge’s history and design.

Shakespeare in London

Some time between 1585 and 1592, it is believed that Shakespeare left Stratford for London and joined a company of actors as a performer and a playwright.Legend long held that Shakespeare left Stratford because he was being pursued by the law for poaching deer on private property.By 1592 Shakespeare had received some recognition, though not entirely positive, as an actor and playwright.He was mentioned in a pamphlet (A Groats-worth of Wit) written by Robert Greene.Greene refers to Shakespeare as an“upstart crow”in the London theater and charges that Shakespeare was an unschooled player and a writer who used material written by his better educated contemporaries.Also during this year, the theaters in London closed due to the plague.By 1594 Shakespeare had joined a theater troupe known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men.Scholars attribute several of Shakespeare’s plays to this time period.Although no one can be certain of the dates of composition for any of the plays, a considerable amount of scholarship has gone into the endeavor of accurately determining an approximate time period during which Shakespeare wrote each play.Some believe that The Comedy of Errors, a farcical play centering on the mistaken identities of two sets of twins, may have been Shakespeare’s first play.A few counter that The Two Gentlemen of Verona, which focuses on the conflict between romantic love and friendship, may have been Shakespeare’s first play.Some scholars suggest that these plays may have been written as early as 1588 or 1589, while many others date both plays several years later, suggesting that they were written between 1592 and 1594.Other plays written during this early period include one of the history tetralogies: Henry Ⅵ, Part One(1589-1590); Henry Ⅵ, Part Two (1590-1591); Henry Ⅵ, Part Three(1590-1591);  and Richard Ⅲ(1592-1593).Many people believe that Henry Ⅵ, Part One was Shakespeare’s first play.This tetralogy treats the Wars of the Roses, the conflict between two factions of nobles.The last play of the sequence, Richard Ⅲ, ends with the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, to which belonged Queen Elizabeth, who ruled during much of Shakespeare’s life.It is also believed that Shakespeare wrote Titus Andronicus (1592-1594), The Taming of the Shrew(1593-1594), and Love’s Labor’s Lost (1593-1595) during this period of his life. Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare’s earliest tragedy, deals with the cycle of revenge which destroys the families involved in the play’s action.The Taming of the Shrew is a lively comedy featuring the willful Kate and her“tamer, ”Petruchio.Kate’s“taming”(her apparent and uncharacteristic submission to her husband) often troubles modern audiences. Love’s Labor’s Lost has been described as a satirization of the courtly and somewhat artificial love of male nobles, and of the academic pursuits, which were often more fashionable than serious in Shakespeare’s time, of the nobility.In addition to these dramatic works, it is believed that Shakespeare wrote the poem Venus and Adonis and began composing his sonnets in 1592 or 1593.He eventually wrote 154 sonnets.Between 1593 and 1594, he probably wrote the poem The Rape of Lucrece.

In 1596 the patron of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon, the Queen’s Chamberlain) died, leaving Shakespeare’s company under the patronage of his son, George Carey, second Lord Hunsdon.The next year, Shakespeare bought a spacious Stratford home, known as New Place.Shakespeare continued to be noted as an actor;  in 1598 he appeared in a performance of Ben Jonson’s Every Man in His Humor, and was listed as a principal actor in the London performance of the drama.Soon after, in 1599, Shakespeare and other members of the Lord Chamberlain’s Men leased land for the Globe Theater, which opened later that year.Also in 1599, the poet John Weever published a poem (“Ad Guglielmum Shakespeare”) in which he praised Shakespeare as a poet and playwright.During this period of his life, from about 1595 through 1600, Shakespeare wrote a number of plays, including the second historical tetralogy (Richard Ⅱ [1595]; Henry Ⅳ, Part One[1596-97]; Henry Ⅳ, Part Two[1598]; and Henry Ⅴ[1599]).This tetralogy deals with the events leading up to the Wars of the Roses: Richard Ⅱ is usurped by Henry Bolingbrook and later assassinated.The new king, Henry Ⅳ, worries over his role in Richard’s death and about the ability of his“madcap”son, Hal, to rule.A subplot focuses on Hal’s wild adventures with the comical knight, Sir John Falstaff.Hal becomes King Henry Ⅴafter his father’s death;  he conquers France and restores peace.King John, a historical drama dealing with the reign of King John and the tragedy of the young Arthur, is estimated to have been written between 1594 and 1596. A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the famous tragedy Romeo and Juliet were probably written in 1595 or 1596. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a fantastical comedy complete with fairies and magic, deals with such topics as love, imagination, and art.One of Shakespeare’s most popular and well-known plays, Romeo and Juliet is the story of ill-fated lovers who attempt to escape the disapproval of their feuding families.The comedies The Merchant of Venice and The Merry Wives of Windsor are believed to have been written between 1596 and 1597.Identified by critics as a problem play (one that raises moral dilemmas which it does not resolve), The Merchant of Venice is like The Two Gentlemen of Verona in that it deals with the relationship between romantic love and masculine friendship;  the play also focuses on the theme of mercy. The Merry Wives of Windsor is a farce dealing with middle class life and values; it features the knight Falstaff, who was introduced in Henry Ⅳ, Part One as Hal’s drunken and wayward companion.Other plays written during this period of Shakespeare’s life include Much Ado about Nothing (1598-1599); Julius Caesar(1599);  and As You Like It(1599-1600). Much Ado about Nothing is the witty comedy featuring Beatrice and Benedick.The play is sometimes considered flawed by critics due to what they and many audiences see as the insensitive treatment of the female characters, particularly the falsely accused Hero.The Roman tragedy Julius Caesar dramatizes the downfall of the title character and examines the nature of political rivalry, ambition, and power. As You Like It depicts the beautiful Forest of Arden as a haven from the trappings of courtly life.

Shakespeare also wrote several comedies during these years, including All’s Well That Ends Well (1601-1603); Twelfth Night(1601-1602);  and Measure for Measure(1604). All’s Well That Ends Well and Measure for Measure have both been tagged as problem plays.The first comedy ends abruptly with Bertram’s sudden acceptance of his wife Helena, whom he had essentially abandoned earlier in the play.In Measure for Measure, deception plays a central role in the play’s action;  this includes the deception perpetuated by a character depicted as a paragon of virtue, Isabella. Twelfth Night is typically seen as one of Shakespeare’s more mature comedies.Like other comedies, it features some disguise and role-playing, such as that of one the central figures, Viola, who disguises herself as the page Cesario.The play also concerns gender roles and class differences.

In this period Shakespeare also produced Greek and Roman dramas, including Troilus and Cressida(1601-1602); Antony and Cleopatra (1605-1607);  Coriolanus (1607-1608);  and Timon of Athens(1607-1608). Troilus and Cressida, a Greek drama, emphasizes the differences between the ideal and the real by portraying legendary Greek figures as people with less-than-admirable qualities. Antony and Cleopatra is the story of the love and passion between the famous Roman general and the sensuous, legendary Egyptian queen. Coriolanus is a Roman political tragedy dealing with issues of character and pride.Feelings of bitterness and disillusionment permeate the Greek drama, Timon of Athens.Shakespeare also wrote Pericles, Prince of Tyre probably between 1607 and 1608. Pericles is an adventurous tale of a prince who suffers the loss of his wife and daughter, but is, in the end, reunited with his family. Pericles is thought by some scholars to have been a collaborative effort.

After 1608 Shakespeare’s dramatic production lessened somewhat.The Globe Theater burned down, but was rebuilt a year later on the opposite bank of the Thames River.During these years, Shakespeare wrote romantic tragicomedies (that is, romances featuring elements of both tragedy and comedy).The romantic tragicomedies include Cymbeline(1609-1610); The Winter’s Tale(1610-1611);  and The Tempest(1610-1611), Cymbeline and The Winter’s Tale are both stories of loss and pain, but, like Pericles, they end with a happy reunion. The Tempest features the same elements of loss and reunion, but it also emphasizes the balance of wisdom and power that Prospero achieves at the play’s end.It has been noted that The Tempest was probably the last play Shakespeare wrote on his own, and that the character of Prospero, as one who manipulates events, stages masques, and directs the actions of other characters, represents Shakespeare the playwright and his farewell to the theater.During this later period, Shakespeare also wrote two plays that most scholars believe were composed in collaboration with the dramatist John Fletcher: Henry Ⅷ(1612-1613), a historical drama, and The Two Noble Kinsmen (1613), the story of the love two men have for the same woman.It is also believed that Shakespeare wrote another play around 1612 or 1613, Cardenio, but it has been completely lost.