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Unit 9

Unit 9. Text I Who Killed Benny Paret?. Objectives:. 1. Parallelism 2. Development of argumentative essay 3. Vocabulary and sentence structures. Teaching Tasks and Process. Pre-reading questions.

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Unit 9

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  1. Unit 9 Text I Who Killed Benny Paret?

  2. Objectives: • 1. Parallelism • 2. Development of argumentative essay • 3. Vocabulary and sentence structures

  3. Teaching Tasks and Process

  4. Pre-reading questions • What is your first reaction to the title of the text? Most probably you want to know who Benny Paret was. Now you are told that he was a prizefrighter . What do you think the article is about?

  5. What are the possible causes of the death of a prizefighter during a boxing match? His own health? His opponent? His assistant? His lack of skill? The referee?

  6. Have you ever seen a boxing match in a film or on TV? If so, what do you think of this form of sport? • What do you think the boxing fans like to see?

  7. Background information • This piece of writing is a magazine editorial. It first appeared in Saturday Review (a weekly magazine published in the U.S.A.) on 5th May, 1962. the writer gives us a serious account of a single incident --- the tragic death of a prizefighter as a result of the society’s questionable mores that regard prizefighting as a means of making money and giving entertainment.

  8. The Main Ideas • Paras. 1-2 --- the prize fight promoter • Paras. 3-5 --- to please the crowd, the knockout • Paras. 6-8 --- the ring, a massive hemorrhage in the brain • Para. 9 --- the people who pay to see a man hurt • Para.10 --- the prevailing mores that regard prizefighting as a perfectly proper enterprise and vehicle of entertainment

  9. Language points • The explanation of the boxing terms in English: • area: a building in which boxing matches are held and which provides accommodation for the spectators and facilities (such as dressing and shower rooms) for the participants

  10. bout: a contest between two boxers which consists of a specified number of rounds and which usually ends in a decision by the judges in a knockout • canvas: the canvas-covered mat which forms the floor of the ring • clean hit: a fair and honest hit; a blow that is dealt by conforming to the rule • count out (a boxer): (a referee) counts to ten before the boxer can get up, so that the boxer loses the match

  11. dance: move with one’s feet or body to dodge the blows of the opponent but seldom attack • dodge: avoid (the opponent) by moving suddenly aside • feint: deceive the opponent by making a feint, that is, by making a quick movement of the hand as if to punch, thus causing the opponent to move away or try to block, and thus leave an opening for a real punch • fight: prizefight • fight manager: person who manages the training and other activities of a prizefighter

  12. jab: make a quick straight punch usually on the head • knockout: the termination of a match when one boxer has been knocked unconscious or has been knocked down and is unable to rise and resume boxing within 10 seconds • mauler: the boxer who handles his opponent roughly • mouthpiece: a rubber guard held in the mouth by a boxer to prevent chipped teeth or cut lips resulting from hard blows, or a plate or strip of soft waxy substance used by boxers to protect the teeth and gums

  13. parry: block a thrust or blow by an opponent in boxing • prizefight: a public boxing match for a money prize • prizefighter: boxer • prizefight promoter: an individual or organization that organizes a boxing match, and that guarantees the purse (sum of money offered as a prize) for professional boxers • referee: judge in charge of a prizefight • ring: the small square space closed in with ropes in which a boxing match is conducted

  14. round: one of the periods of actual boxing into which a match is divided. A round generally lasts for three minutes with a one-minute rest between rounds • (boxer’s) second: the person who helps a boxer • slugger: a boxer who depends mostly on the strength of his punch and little on defence and boxing skill; also called a puncher • weave: move from side to side to present a moving target to one’s opponent

  15. … my beatwas education… • Beat is also called news beat or run. • The local authorities decided to remove the reporter from the White House beat. • This fledgling newspaper reporter is on the social security beat.

  16. There was nothing spectacular in Mr. Jacobs’ manner or appearance: but when he spoke about prizefights, he was no longer a bland man but a colossus… • There was nothing in Mr. Jacobs’ appearance and manner that would attract public attention, but when he talked about prizefights, he was not ordinary any more, he looked like a giant…

  17. spectacular: very impressive: a spectacular achievement in science • a bland little man --- a pleasantly gentle or agreeable ordinary person. Little here suggests “of no importance”; it is used in contrast to the word colossus, which means “a person of great importance”. • 4) colossus: a person or thing of very great size, importance or ability

  18. you wind up counting your empty seats • you end up with few people coming to watch the prizefight. To wind up here means “to bring to an end”. • The chairperson wound up the discussion with a summary of the important points. • It’s getting late. We’d better wind up the meeting.

  19. .…appointed a committee to assess the responsibility • Appoint meaning “choose someone to a post or to do a certain job” is a formal word. Its Chinese equivalent is 委任、任命. • A committee was appointed to investigate the scandal.

  20. …certified the physical fitness of the fighters • declared that it was true that the boxers were physically fit. Certify is a word used on formal occasions. • The witness certified Jack’s presence at the scene of the accident. • I am writing to certify that Mr. C. Zhang graduated from our college.

  21. Questions • 1. Why does the writer call himself a “fledgling newspaper reporter”? • “A fledgling newspaper reporter” means “a young inexperienced newspaper reporter”. The writer was born in 1915, so in 1935 or 1936 he was only about twenty years old.

  22. 2. Explain the sentence: I found myself on varied assignments, all the way from ship news to reporting. • I found I was given different kinds of assignments, ranging in variety from ship news to sports reporting.

  23. 3. What feeling does the clause “fellow who could hit with the force of a baseball bat” give you? • 4. Explain the sentence: The Paret fight produced a flurry of investigations.

  24. 5. Explain the sentence: No crowd ever brought to its feet screaming and cheering at the sight of two men beautifully dodging and weaving out of each other’s jabs.

  25. 6. Why does the writer go into elaborate details to describe the human brain? • 7. Do you think that prizefighting should be declared illegal? Give reasons to illustrate your point of view.

  26. Comments on the Text • 1. The use of an intriguing title • 2. The telling use of authoritative “inside” information from the world of boxing.

  27. 3. The subtle use of medical evidence in the description of what happens when the human fist delivers a strong blow to the head to give strong support to his argument. • 4. The skillfully dismissive way in which he suggests that the “investigators” looked into every possible cause except “the real one”. • 5. The persuasive argument that the primary responsibility for the boxer’s death lies with “the people who pay to see a man hurt.” (Paras.7,8,9,10)

  28. 6. An attempt to create in the reader a sense of guilt at Jacobs’ portrayal of those who watch boxing and a sharing with the writer of a sense of disgust when he describes in sickening detail the crowd’s excitement at the brutality acted out in the ring for their entertainment. • 7. The clever way to issue an implicit challenge to the reader towards the end of the editorial.

  29. TEXT II A Piece of Steak

  30. The author—Jack London • Jack London (1876-1916) • American novelist and short-story writer. • His books were filled with: • Adventures • Exotic backgrounds • Scenes of savage brutality

  31. Novels by Jack London

  32. Questions • 1. Where did the story take place? (in Australia) • 2. What feature or features of Tom King tell people that he was a prizefighter? • 3. Describe Tom King’s personality. • 4. Why did tradesmen no longer agree to let Tom King buy anything on credit? • 5. What did Tom King do to support his family between fights? • 6. What do you think were the causes of Tom King’s defeat?

  33. Discussion/Exercises • ORAL WORK • Role-play • What Do People Come Out to See in a Boxing Match?

  34. Assignments • Exercises on the Work Book

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