COLLEGE ENGLISH

1. CONTEMPORARY COLLEGE ENGLISH 现代大学英语 主讲: 庄玉芳

2. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY

3. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY Detailed Study of the Text

4. Part II (Para.8-para.16) LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • Then the faces of the boys and girls came into view. (para. 8) • “to come into view”: to begin to be seen--- As soon as we turned the corner, the palace came into view. • “I did not know what to say. (para.11) • “Question word + to do” can often be used as the object of certain verb.--- Would you please tell me how to get to the Summer Palace?--- Before so many books I didn’t know which to choose. • A lady came along, followed by a group of men. (para. 11) • “ to come along”: to arrive, to appear--- When the right opportunity comes along, she will take it. • “followed by a group of men”: a past participle phrase that tells us in what manner the lady came. • (Cf) “ I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand.”

5. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • to burst into tears (para. 11) • to burst into ( tear, laughter …): to suddenly begin to (cry , laugh …) • ---She burst into laughter two minutes after she had read the letter from his father. • We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard… (para11) • Paraphrase: We were made to stand in different places to form regular lines or shapes in the big courtyard …. • … from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood. (para. 11) • Paraphrase: From the balcony on each floor of the building people could see the pattern into which we formed. • …to woke up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning. (para14) • Paraphrase: … after the nap, we continued our business at school --- making friends, falling in love, playing and learning. • “to go on with…” is an infinitive phrase of result, denoting the “result” of the action expressed by the main verb “woke up”.(Cf) the infinitive of purpose--- They lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feet. (Of result)--- He picked up a stone to hit the attacking snake. (Of purpose)

6. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • Our path, however, was not totally sweet and unclouded. (para.15) • Paraphrase: School life wasn’t just fun and pleasure. There were serious tasks and unpleasant things, too. • It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. (para.15) • Paraphrase: what we did at school wasn’t just playing and wasting time doing nothing useful. • “all”: (adv.) completely --- a room painted all white 一间全刷成白色的房间--- directions that were all wrong完全错误的方向 • “ a matter of”: a situation tat involves sth. or depends on sth.--- Some people like pop music while others prefer serious music. It’s a matter of taste. --- Wisdom is a matter of knowing when to speak your mind and when to mind your speech.

7. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred, or give rise to fighting. (para.15) • Paraphrase: When two or more boys fell in love with the same girl, it might cause the boys to suffer, or to hate each other, or to fight. • “ to bring about ”: to make sth. happen--- Science has brought about many changes in our lives.--- The war brought about great human sufferings. • And while the lady would sometimes smile, she would often yell and scold. (para15) • “would”: used to show that a past action occurs pretty often. • “while”: a conjunction of concession, which can not be replaced by “when”.--- While I did well in class, I was poor at sports. While I understand what you say, I can’t agree with you.

8. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • In addition, the time for changing one’s mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever returning to the paradise of home. (para16) • Paraphrase: Besides, it was impossible for us to quit school and return to the good old days when we stayed home playing and fooling around all day. Our childhood was gone, never to come back. • “over and gone “: ended • “there is no question of : there is no possibility--- There is no question of their dismissing you at the moment. • Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. (para.16) • Paraphrase: The kind of life that was waiting for us at school would be full of exertion, struggle and perseverance. • “but exertion, struggle, and perseverance”: this prepositional phrase modifies “nothing”. • “nothing but”: only --- She ate nothing but an apple for lunch. --- Right now he thinks about nothing but his research.

9. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves. (para.16) • Paraphrase: If there came opportunities, capable students would seize them to achieve success and happiness. • “ who were able”; “that presented themselves”: both of them are relative clauses. “who” cannot be replaced by “that’. • “ to take advantage of sth”: make use of sth. well. --- The farmer took advantage of the good weather and got all the wheat in. (Cf) “ to take advantage of sb.”: “to treat sb. unfairly to get what one wants” • “ to present itself/themselves”: (formal) to appear, happen --- When the chance to study at Harvard presented itself, I jumped at it.

10. Part III (Para. 17- Para.20) LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • in vain (para17) • Meaning: uselessly; without a successful result--- Her parents tried in vain to persuade her to stop smoking. • … came to a startled halt. (para.17) • Paraphrase: I stopped, greatly surprised. • “to come to a halt: to stop--- The car came to a halt before it hit an old man.--- Work came to a halt when power was suddenly cut. (Cf) “to bring sth to a halt”: cause sth. to stop. • --- Air traffic in the country was brought to a halt by heavy snowstorms. • How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides? (para.17) • Paraphrase: How did the street come to be covered with so much rubbish on both sides? Where did they come from? • “ to find one’s way”: to arrive or get to a place

11. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • High buildings had taken over… (para17) • Paraphrase: high buildings now stood where there used to be fields that bordered the street… • … here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks, or making snakes appear from baskets. (para. 17) • This is an inverted sentence, because the subject is too long. • “showing off their tricks, or making snakes appear from baskets”: two present participle phrases modify the subject” conjurers”.Other examples in the text: --- Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus. • “here and there”: in various places • Extremely irritated, I wondered when I would be able to cross. (para.18) • “extremely irritated”: the past participle phrase denotes the state • Paraphrase: I was very angry and didn’t know when I could cross the street.

12. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY Theme of the text • Life/The Human Condition • The central allegorical motif of "Half a Day" is that a morning spent in school is symbolic of an entire lifetime spent in the school of life. • This allegory is achieved through a multiplication and overlapping of times, that is, the boy’s narration suggests more than one unit of time. • Everything that occurs in the story represents common experiences of the human condition: birth, childhood, old age, death, the afterlife, religion, love, friendship, pain, fear, joy, learning, memory, and nostalgia, as well as the cycle of life from generation to generation. • Coming-of-Age • "Half a Day" is a "coming-of-age" story, meaning that one of its central themes is the transition from childhood to adulthood.

13. Retell the Story With the Following Phrases LESSON ONE HALF A DAY • tear away from • take over • over and gone • make … out of… • cling to

14. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY Homework Do all the exercises after the text

15. LESSON ONE HALF A DAY Thank you See you