Lesson Two

1. Lesson Two Maheegun My Brother

4. outline • Introduction to the text • 1. Theme • 2.Structure of the Text • 3.Language and Style • Detailed Discussion of the Text • Exercises • Answers • Written Work

5. Introduction to the text • 1. Theme • As the title suggests, the story depicts the ideal relationship between humans and wild animals –they are fellow creatures on earth ,and therefore should treat each other like brothers.

6. Introduction to the text • 2.Structure of the Text • The first three paragraphs serve as the introduction. • The second part describes the happy days the boy and Maheegun had together in the short period of less than ayear , and how Maheegun returned to the wild where he belonged .

7. Introduction to the text • Next is the reunion of the two when the boy’s life was endangered by two hungry wolves . • In the concluding part, the brothers returned to the place where they each belonged –the boy to his warm home and his loved ones, the wolf to his kind in the wild .The story begins in spring and ends in early spring , in the normal sequence of Nature.

8. Introduction to the text • 3.Language and Style • Successful description of natural scenes • the snowstorm • the wolf –his appearance ,action and mood . • Rich in verbs, phrases and idioms denoting action . • Here are some describing Maheegun’s actions; upset, scatter, poke his head around the corner, lay his head between his front paws , turning his head this way and that , lick at the dried blood.

9. Introduction to the text • Another feature is the frequent use of inversion . • Gone was the puppy-wool coat. • In its place was ahandsome black mantle . • In sailed Mrs.Yesno, wild anger , who demanded… • There stood agiant black wolf .

10. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 1.The year I found Maheegun ,spring was late in coming • The year /day /first time /last time : noun phrases of this type , followed by arelative clause ,is used as an adverbial of time , e. g. The year I was born, my father was working towards aPhD degree . • spring was late in coming : that spring it was unusually cold

11. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 2.I pick him up and put him inside my jacket • Note the difference between “pick ” and “pick up”: • Pick (cotton , tomatoes ,apples ,strawberries ,etc. ): to take floewrs , fruit ,etc. from the plant ortje tree where they are growing • Pick up : • To lift ,take up by hand ,e. g. Would you pick up the book from the floor ? • To allow sb. To get into your car and take them somewhere ,e. g. Mnay people no longer pick up hitchhikers • To return to an earlier subject or situation in order to continue it ,e. g. Let’s pick up the conversation after lunch .

12. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 3.Little Maheegun gained strength after I got the first few drops of warm milk in him. • This means that the baby wolf was very small and could not eat or drink or suck from adish ,so the boy had to feed him by getting the milk into his mouth (probably with aspoon or an eyedropper ) .

13. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 4.He wiggled and soon he was full and warm . • Full :well fed ,often to the point of discomfort ,e. g. • ----Would you like any more of he fish ? • ----No .thanks ,I’m full • Never exercise on afull stomach

14. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 5.Not that we didn’t have our troubles . • When I say the year I got Maheegun was the happiest (year ) of my life , I don’t mean that Maheegun never caused troubles . • What does “our ” refer to ? The boy and his family ?Or the boy and wolf cub ? • Not that :although it is not true that , e. g. She loved music but seldom went to concerts—not that she couldn’t afford to.

15. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 6.Maheegun was the most mischievous wolf cub ever . • Maheegun was the most mischievous cub I had ever known of.

16. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 7.He was curious .Like looking into grandma’s sewing basket—which he upset ,scattering thread and buttons all over the floor . • He was curious ,too. For example ,he was eager to know what was in Grandma’s sewing basket. He knocked it over ,sending everything inside flying all over the floor

17. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 8.We hunted the grasshoppers that leaped about like little rockets. • Like little rockets :asimile in which the grasshoppers are compared to little rockets because the way the former jump is like little rockets shooting upward .

18. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 9.By then ,Maheegun was half grown. • At that time, Maheegun had not yet grown into adult wolf but he was on the way of becoming one

19. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 10.The warmth of the stove soon brought sleep tome • The warmth of the stove made me sleepy and soon I fell asleep

20. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 11.It was not long after that I found the answer • Soon I found that Maheegun still remembered me .

21. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 12. But something caused me to wake up with a start. I sat up ,and in the moon-flooded cabin was my grandfather standing beside me . • Start: an act of moving your body quickly and suddenly because you are surprised ,afraid, etc. • Flood: to fill or enter a place in large numbers or amounts, e.g. • Most of the morning his body is flooded with sunlight .

22. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 13. Then after a while ,from the distance came a softer call in reply .Maheegun stirred, with the deep rumble of pleasure in his throat .He slipped down the rock and headed out across the ice. • After a while ,a lesson passionate cry came from the distance answering Maheegun’s call. Maheegun moved, he seemed pleased, for I heard a deep rolling sound of pleasure in his throat .Then he got down from the rock and moved away across the ice .

23. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 14 . I tried to travel west but only to hit the creek again . • Only to do sth: used to mention sth. That happens immediately afterwards ,esp. sth. that causes surprise , disappointment, etc. ,e.g. • Ausable returned home only to find Max, his enemy ,standing halfway across his room . • Hit :arrive at ,reach ,e.g. • You’ll hit the main road in five minutes’ drive.

24. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 15 .I knew l had gone in a great circle and I was lost . • I realized that I had been moving this way and that around the same area and that I had lost my way . • Be/get lost : to be unable to find your way ,not knowing where you are, e.g. • Don’t panic when you are lost in the forest .

25. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 16. There was only one thing to do .Camp for the night and hope that by morning the storm would have blown itself out. • I knew that it was dangerous to move on in the blinding snow , and that the only thing to do was to stay where I was and get some sleep during the night and hope that I would find the snowstorm had stopped the next morning . • blow itself out : (of a storm ) to lose force or cease entirely , e.g. • The weather forest says that the storm will soon blow itself out and move out to sea.

26. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 17. …I was in deep trouble . • …I was in a very dangerous situation.( I might be frozen to death here if I couldn’t find my way.) • in trouble : in a situation that is difficult or dangerous ; in a situation in which you can be criticized or punished.

27. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 18. A great white stillness had taken over and with it ,biting cold . • The storm had blown itself out. Now nothing in this world moved. It was quiet and terribly cold ./ what smothered this world of whiteness was stillness plus biting cold. • take over: to gain control

28. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 19. My supply of wood was almost gone. There must be more. • I had little wood left. I needed more to keep warm in the biting cold .

29. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 20. slashing off green branches with my knife, I cut my hand and blooded spurted freely from my wound . • While cutting twigs (= small branches ) from green branches with my knife , I cut my hand and blood started pouring out from the wound .

30. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 21.The howl seemed to freeze the world with fear. • The long loud cry seemed to have struck terror into every living creature, and they suddenly became still.

31. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 22. Suddenly the world explored in snarls . I was thrown against the branches of the shelter. • Suddenly with terrible snarls , the wolf began to attack . I was sent flying and landed against the shelter.

32. Detailed Discussion of the Text • 23. The cold and loss of blood were taking their toll. • As I had lost a lot of blood , and it was extremely cold , I was sick and weak. • Take its/their/a heavy toll on sb./ sth. : to have a bad effect on sb./ sth.e.g. • The destruction of the World Trade Center in New York id taking its toll on US airlines.

33. Exercises 1 .Put the following phrases into Chinese .Pay attention to the compound words . • a state-owned factory • Home-made cakes • Heart-felt thanks • an enemy-occupied area • Snow-covered fields • Test-oriented education • Government-controlled shares • a poverty-stricken village • a student-centered approach • Sugar-coated pills

34. Exercises 2 .Fill in the blanks • as blind as ___ • as brave as ___ • as busy as__ • as cunning as__ • as easy as __ • as fierce as __ • as firm as __ • as free as__ • as gentle as__ • as greedy as __

35. Answers 1 .Put the following phrases into Chinese .Pay attention to the compound words . • 国营的工厂 • 家庭制作的蛋糕 • 由衷的感谢 • 敌人占领区 • 白雪覆盖的田野 • 应试教育 • 政府所控股份 • 贫困的山村 • 以学生为中心的方法 • 裹着糖衣的药片

36. Answers ２.Fill in the blanks • a bat • a lion • a bee • a fox • ABC • a tiger • a rock • a bird • a lamb • a pig

37. Written Work • Answer the question in about 130 words • How did the boy in the story get lost in a snowstorm and how did Maheegun come to his rescue ? • You are expected to cover these points : 1.How the boy was trapped in asnowstorm 2.What dangerous situation he was in 3.How the wolf came to his rescue

38. After-class Activities • Have you ever seen the film Dancing with the wolves ? It has the similar background with this text. You’re hoped to see this film and make a comparison between them. • You can also read some novels written by Jack London , who has writtenmany novels about wolves.