AN INTEGRATED ENGLISH COURSE

1. AN INTEGRATED ENGLISH COURSE Gao Yufen English Department R-406Nancy5815@sina.com84724483

2. UNIT 14 TEXT 1 The Idiocy of Urban Life

3. Teaching Points • I. Pre-reading discussion and presentation • II. Introduction • III. Text Analysis • IV. Questions • V. Structural analysis and Rhetorical features • VI. Discussion about Text II

4. I. Pre-reading discussion • 1. What are the major differences between city life and country life? • 2. Where do you prefer to live, in the city or in the country?

5. Presentation

6. Presentation

7. II. Introduction • About the author • Background Information

8. III. Text Explanations • This text falls in the generic category of argumentation. • It can be divided into three parts. • Part I (Paragraphs 1-2) is the introduction. • Part II (Paragraphs 3-9) the author provides evidences for the idiocy of urban life. • Part III (Paragraph 10) the author provides evidences for the idiocy of urban life. In Part m, i.e. the last paragraph, the author reiterates his point.

9. Paragraph 1-2 Analysis • In this part, the author contrasts human beings with rats in terms of their urban lives. It starts with a description of a civil urban life at night, when rats are active in the city. Then it is contrasted with the urban life of human beings. Finally the writer presents the thesis of his argument: aggressively individualistic and atomized urban life today goes against both the purpose of the city and the human nature, and thus is foolish.

10. Language work • 1. civil ~ polite and formal • His manner was civil, though not particularly friendly. • He'd been careful to be civil to everyone. • 2. cruises easily through blinking traffic lights ~ moves easily through traffic lights that turn red and green alternately cruise ~ (of a vehicle or its driver) travel (at an efficient speed) • The plane is cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet. • We're planning to spend our retirement cruising on luxury liners around the world.

11. 3. during an insomniac night ~ during a sleepless night. The word "insomniac" here is used as a transferred epithet to modify something inanimate. More examples of transferred epithet: Even so, the risk of discovery was beginning to cause Pettit sleepless nights. He threw a reassuring arm round my shoulder. 4. rat race ~ fierce competition

12. Paragraph 3-9 Analysis • In this part, the author provides evidences for the idiocy of urban life. There are four subsections: Paragraphs 3 and 4 discuss the pretense of city dwellers when they try to live outside the city boundaries; Paragraphs 5 and 6 put forward the point that city work is much less meaningful than fanning; Paragraph 7 proves that the city dwellers live and work in an unreal environment; and Paragraphs 8 and 9 show the damage done by the office work to the physical conditions of the workers.

13. Language work • 1. rubs to some ~~ rubs as called by some people • 2. disdain ~ think oneself superior to; reject • The older musicians disdain the new, rock-influenced music. • Our new neighbours seem to be disdaining to speak to us.

14. 3. simulation ~ imitation of the conditions of (a situation etc. ) ; resemblance I was quite deceived by her simulation of sorrow. simulate ~ imitate; give the appearance of In cheap furniture, plastic is often used to simulate wood. Anne simulated pleasure at seeing Simon, but really she wished he hadn't come.

15. 4. in the richer ones further out ~ in the richer suburbs farther away from the city boundary 5. prim new trees ~ neatly pruned new trees prim ~ 1) neat a prim garden 2) very formal and correct in behaviour and easily shocked by anything rude She's much too prim and proper to go into a pub.

16. 6. frenzy ~ uncontrolled and excited behaviour or emotion, which is sometimes violent A gunman killed ten people in a murderous frenzy today in that city. The audience worked themselves up into a frenzy as they waited for the singer to come on stage.

17. 7. scandal ~ 1) something that causes a public feeling of outrage or indignation The minister was forced to resign after a scandal involving him and another minister's wife. Their affair created a scandal in the office. 2) malicious gossip Someone must have been spreading scandal.

18. 8. reel ~ move from side to side unsteadily At closing time he reeled out of the pub and across the road. She hit him so hard that he reeled across the room. 9. the rural life that has been surrendered for the city lights ~ the rural life that has given way to the city lights

19. Paragraph 10 Analysis • In this part, the writer summarizes the idiocy of urban life and the ultimate reasons for this phenomenon. On the one hand, city dwellers try to simulate rural life, and on the other hand, they disdain and mock this life.

20. Language work • 1. slumping along their streets ~ walking with stooping head and shoulders along their streets. • 2. scurry ~~ run or move hurriedly, especially with short quick steps • We all scurried for shelter when the storm began. • Suddenly, he jumped to his feet and scurried out of the room. • 3. far less the sky ~ looking at the sky far less than they did their buildings

21. IV. Questions • 1. What is urban life like at night? • 2. What does the author think of the human urban life? • 3. What is the author's evidence that city dwellers try to simulate rural life? • 4. What is it that attracts city dwellers to the country? Can their dream come true? Why or why not?

22. V. Structural analysis and Rhetorical features • Argumentation • The writer takes a negative attitude towards urban life

23. VI. Discussion about Text II • The City

24. Assignment • Grammar exercises • Writing a piece of paper within 200 words