unit 2 : the value of life unit 2 before reading before readingbefore readingbefore reading global...

Unit 2 : Unit 2 :

The Value of LIfe

Unit 2Unit 2

• Before Reading

• Global Reading

• Detailed Reading

• After Reading

Unit 2: Before ReadingUnit 2: Before Reading

• Word Web

• Read and think

• Think and speak

• Helen Keller

Helen Keller's Chronology

Helen Keller's Miracle

Helen Keller and Anne

Unit 2: Before Reading: Word WebUnit 2: Before Reading: Word Web

Directions: What types of disabilities do you know? What words will occur to you whenever we mention the word “disability”? Write down as many words as possible.

Physical Disability

blindness, color blindness, deafness, deaf-muteness, dumbness, paralysis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, diabetes, brain injury

Unit 2: Before Reading: Word WebUnit 2: Before Reading: Word Web

Mental Disability

learning disability, phobia, anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder

Developmental Disability

attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, mental retardation

Substance Abuse

alcoholism, Nicotine addiction, drug abuse

Unit 2: Before Reading: Read and thinkUnit 2: Before Reading: Read and think

Directions: Read the following introduction to sight diseases. Compared with what you have learned about the diseases before, is this introduction more informative? What new knowledge can you get from it?

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Read and thinkBefore Reading: Read and think

What can people with sight problems see?

Being blind does not always mean living in total darkness. Forty-nine percent of the blind people and eighty percent of the partially sighted people can recognize a friend at one arm’s length.

Other people will be affected by eye diseases in different ways: some will have no central vision or no vision to the sides; others may see a patchwork of blank and defined areas; or everything may be seen as a vague blur.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Read and thinkBefore Reading: Read and think

-----Glaucoma (青光眼 ) can result in tunnel vision, where all side vision is lost and only central vision remains. -----Diabetic (糖尿病 ) retinopathy (视网膜眼疾 ) can cause blurred and patchy vision. -----Macular degeneration can lead to the loss of central vision whilst side vision remains. It should be remembered that people are affected by eye diseases in different ways. You should not assume that you know what someone can see simply because you know what eye diseases they have.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Think and speakBefore Reading: Think and speak

1. Imagine you, who used to have good sight, now were told to have only three days to see. How would you spend the last three days with your sight?

If I had only three days to see, I would…

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Think and speakBefore Reading: Think and speak

2. Exchange your ideas with your classmates to see whose decisions are the most impressive.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen KellerBefore Reading: Helen Keller

Helen Keller: (1880-1968) deaf-blind American author, activist and lecturer

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen KellerBefore Reading: Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born in 1880 in northern Alabama, USA. Nineteen months after she was born, she was extremely ill, and lost both her sight and hearing. When she was seven, her parents hired a tutor named Anne Sullivan. She taught Helen to read and write and how to think. Helen entered Radcliffe College, the women’s branch of Harvard University at the age of 20. Her first book, The Story of My Life, was translated into many languages. She also did research, gave speeches all around the world, and helped raise money for many organizations for the blind. Helen received dozens of awards, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor that an American civilian can receive. She died in her sleep in 1968.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen Keller's ChronologyBefore Reading: Helen Keller's Chronology

June 27, 1880 She was born at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, Alabama.

February, 1882 She lost both her sight and hearing after being struck by illness.

March 3, 1887 She met Anne Sullivan, her life-long teacher.


June 28, 1904She received a Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating from Radcliffe College of Harvard University.

June,1955 She received an honorary degree from Harvard University, the first woman to be so honored.

September,1964 She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

June 1, 1968 She passed away in her sleep.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen Keller's miracleBefore Reading: Helen Keller's miracle

She couldn’t see or hear, but she was a college graduate, a productive writer, a world-famous speaker, and eventually she became a heroine and icon. Helen Keller made herself a miracle.

a college graduate:

She learnt to read French, German, Greek, and Latin. She was the first deaf and blind person to attend college and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Radcliffe College of Harvard University.

a productive writer:She wrote nearly a dozen books and a lot more articles. Her first

book, The Story of My Life, was translated into many languages. One of her most famous books The Teacher was later made into a play called The Miracle Worker.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen Keller's miracleBefore Reading: Helen Keller's miracle

a world-famous speaker:

She traveled all over the world, visiting many countries on five different continents, to give speeches and help raise money for many organizations for the blind, such as the American Foundation for the Blind and the American Foundation for the Overseas Blind, which is now called Helen Keller Worldwide.

a heroine and icon:

She inspired many works of art, including two Oscar-winning movies. TIME features her as one of the most influential people of the twentieth century. She is categorized as a Hero and Icon, who exemplifies “courage, selflessness, superhuman ability and amazing grace”.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen and AnneBefore Reading: Helen and Anne

Anne Sullivan was born on April 14, 1866. She got illness in her eyes at 3, which later caused her to be visually impaired. Anne moved to the Perkins Institution for the Blind at 14. Six years later, in 1886, she graduated from college. When she was only 20 years old, she became Helen’s teacher. She changed Helen from a bad-tempered kid into a gentle child.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Before Reading: Helen and AnneBefore Reading: Helen and Anne

Then she taught Helen to read and write, but most importantly, she taught Helen how to think. Anne spent the rest of her life, 49 years, with Helen till she died in 1936. She helped Helen fulfill her life and was considered a miracle worker. April 5, 1887 was a day that both Helen and Anne couldn’t forget, when Anne made the “miracle” breakthrough, teaching Helen that everything had a name by spelling W-A-T-E-R into Helen’s hand as water flew over her palm.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Global Reading: Sentence RearrangementGlobal Reading: Sentence Rearrangement

Directions: The following sentences are quoted from the text. Rearrange them into logical order.

1. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come.2. Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow.3. There are those, of course, who would adopt the motto of “Eat, drink, and be merry”, but most people would be punished by the certainty of death.4. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the value of life.

2-4-1-3

Unit 2: Unit 2: Global Reading: Further UnderstandingGlobal Reading: Further Understanding

Directions: Read Paragraphs 1 - 5 and answer the following questions.

1. Why does Helen Keller think that it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow?

Because she believes that such an attitude would emphasize sharply the value of life.

2. According to Helen Keller, what is the right way to live each day?

According to her, we should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Global Reading: Further UnderstandingGlobal Reading: Further Understanding

3. What does Helen Keller mean by saying that most of us take life for granted?

Although we all know that we will die sooner or later, we tend to picture that day as far in the future. So, we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitudes towards life. In other words, we take life for granted.

4. What does Helen Keller think of the attitude that most of us adopt towards our faculties and senses?

She thinks that we tend to take our abilities to see and hear for granted and seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. That is why we often fail to make our life fuller and richer.

Unit 2: Unit 2: Global Reading: InterviewGlobal Reading: Interview

Directions: Work in pairs to perform an interview between a correspondent and Helen Keller. The topic you are talking about is the right attitudes we should hold to our faculties and lives. Your conversation can be based on the text and the interview should cover the following points:

1. How do most of us view life and death?2. How do most of us view our faculties?3. How should we live each day?4. How should we make use of our faculties and senses?

Unit 2: Unit 2: Detailed ReadingDetailed Reading

0-We tend to take what we have for granted, and seldom do

we think about the value of life. Yet, Helen Keller, being both

blind and deaf, taught us how to make the fullest use of our w

onderful senses to appreciate life from a wholly different view

— with love and passion.


1-All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to live. Sometimes it was as long as a year; sometimes as short as twenty-four hours. But always we were interested in discovering just how the doomed man chose to spend hislast days or his last hours. I speak, of course, of free men who have a choice, not condemned criminals whose sphere of activities is strictly confined.

Three Days to SeeHelen Keller


2-Such stories set us thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances. What events, what experiences, what associations, should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings? What happiness should we find in reviewing the past, what regrets?


3-Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the value of life. We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those, of course, who would adopt the motto of “Eat, drink, and be merry”, but most people would be punished by the certainty of death.


4-Most of us take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture that day as far in the future. When we are in good health, death is all but unimaginable. We seldom think of it. The days stretch out endlessly. So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude towards life.


5-The same listlessness, I am afraid, characterizes the use of all our faculties and senses. Only the deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the blessings that lie in sight. Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who have never suffered lossof sight or hearing damage seldom make the fullest use of these blessed faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sounds hazily, without concentration, and with little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we have until we lose it, of not being conscious of health until we are ill


6-I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.


7-Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed. “Nothing in particular,” she replied. I might have shown disbelief had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.


8-How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep. I feel the delightful texture of a flower, and discover its remarkable folds; and something of the miracle of Nature is revealed to me.


Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently in a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers. To me a thick carpet of pine needles or soft grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the colorful seasons are a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips.


9-At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of color and action which fills the world is taken for granted. It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that which we have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of light the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life.


10-Oh, the things that I should see if I had the power of sight for three days!

What is the usage of “thrilling”, “limited” and “specified” here?

All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to live.

They are -ing and -ed forms of verbs used as adjectives. In the -ing case the noun being modified is the doer of the action and in the -ed case the noun being modified is often the receiver of the action.

We should live each day with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come.

1. What does the word “which” refer to here?

A gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation.

2. Why do most of us lose the gentleness, the vigor and the keenness of appreciation?

Because day after day, time seems to be endless in our life.

3. Translate this sentence into Chinese.

每一天我们都应该怀着柔情 , 充满活力 , 心存感激 , 而这些在来日方长时却常被我们所忽视。

So we go about our petty tasks, hardly aware of our listless attitude towards life.

1. What does this sentence imply?

We spend our life on meaningless things, but never realize that we are so indifferent to the true value of life.

2. Translate the sentence into Chinese.

所以我们忙于琐事，几乎不曾意识到自己对生活的态度有多么冷漠。

Particularly does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life.

What rhetorical device is used in this sentence?

Inversion is used in this sentence. This is a partial inversion with the word “particularly” at the beginning of the sentence.

I might have shown disbelief had I not been accustomed to such responses, …

What can we infer from this part of the sentence?

The author has been used to getting responses like this, so such responses don’t seem so unbelievable to her.

How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note?

What do you think may be the answer to the question according to the author? Why?

Yes, it is really possible because the people who are able to see always take what they see for granted, and pay little attention to them.

In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep.

Translate this sentence into Chinese.

春天里，我怀着希望触摸着树枝寻找新芽，那是大自然从冬眠中苏醒第一个征象。

To me the colorful seasons are a thrilling and unending drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips.

Translate this sentence into Chinese.

对我来说，多彩的季节如同一场动人心魄的永无完结的戏剧，剧中情节从我的指尖流过。

It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that which we have and to long for that which we have not, ...

Paraphrase this part of the sentence.

Perhaps it is common to all human beings that we seldom feel thankful for what we have and that we are eager to own what we haven’t.

specify: v. state sth. in an exact and detailed way

These toys can’t reach the standards the state has specified.

The order specifies a December deadline for completion of the work.

condemn: v. give sb. a severe punishment after deciding they are guilty of a crime; say very strongly that you do not approve of sth. or sb., especially because you think it is morally wrong

The prisoner was condemned to death.

We all strongly condemn violence of any sort.

我们强烈谴责任何形式的暴力行为。

Patterns: condemn sb. for doing sth. condemn sb. to sth. condemn sb. / sth. as sth.

confine: v. keep sb. or sth. within the limits of a particular activity or subject; if you are confined to a place, you have to stay in that place, especially because you are ill

He is confined to bed with illness.

这次事故之后她坐在轮椅上度过了后半生。

She was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life after the accident.

She confines her speech to environmental pollution.

in / under…circumstances: under the conditions that affect a situation, action, event, etc.

It is unwise for you to quit under the present circumstances.

In no circumstances should you leave your baggage unattended in the airport.

adopt: v.start to deal with or think about sth. in a particular way

We adopted new methods to cultivating tulips this year.

新技术的采用提高了产品的质量。

The newly-adopted techniques improved the quality of products.

take … for granted: expect that sb. or sth. will always be there when you need them and never think how important or useful they are; believe that sth. is true without making sure

Most of us, busy with work, take our family for granted.

不要想当然地认为努力一定会换来成功。

Don’t take it for granted that hard work is certainly followed by success.

deaf: adj.

1) physically unable to hear anything or unable to hear well

The manager is deaf to the customer’s complaints.

2) be unwilling to hear or listen to sth.

It is amazing that the deaf people can dance so beautifully without hearing the music.

deaf and dumbdeaf as a postbe deaf to sth.fall on deaf ears

Collocations:

take in:understand and remember new facts and informationThe smart boy can always take in what the teacher teaches in class quickly.

我怀疑他是否真的听进了我说的话 , 他看起来心不在焉的。

I doubt whether he really takes in what I am saying; he seems so be absent-minded.

grateful: adj. feeling that you want to thank sb. because of sth. kind that they have done, or showing this feeling

We are really very grateful to you for all you have done for us.

The winner smiled at his parents, grateful for their support.

appreciative of sth.: grateful for sth.

The guests are quite appreciative of the host’s entertainment.

A good boss should be appreciative of what the staff do for him.

convince: v.make sb. feel certain that sth. is true

The jury was convinced that he was innocent.

他终于让我相信了他的真诚。

He eventually convinced me of his sincerity.

The newspaper article has convinced me that smoking is a dangerous habit.

Patterns: convince sb. of sth. convince sb. (that)…

worthy of: being deserved to be thought about or treated in a particular way

Helen Keller’s contributions are worthy of the honor they offered her.

他的成就值得给予最高赞赏。

His achievements are worthy of the highest praise.

awaken: v.

1. wake up or to make sb. wake up

Many people are still not awakened to the importance of environmental protection.

2. if sth. awakens an emotion, interest, memory, etc., it makes you suddenly begin to feel that emotion, etc.

She was awakened to take her turn on guard.

半夜我被房间里奇怪的声音吵醒了。

I was awakened by the strange sounds in my bedroom at midnight.

The special agent didn’t reveal his identity until the last moment.

这桩法律界的丑闻终于被一位勇敢的记者在报纸上披露了出来。

This scandal in the law was finally revealed in the newspaper by a brave journalist.

reveal: v.make known sth. that was previously secret or unknown

long for:want sth. very much, especially when it seems unlikely to happen soon

On his birthday he got the present he had longed for, a new bicycle.

Patterns: long to do sth. long for sb. to do sth.

long for sth.

Unit 2: Unit 2: After ReadingAfter Reading

• Useful expressions

• Proverbs and Quotations

Unit 2: Unit 2: AfterReading: USeful expressionsAfterReading: USeful expressions

1. 扣人心弦的故事 a thrilling story2. 有限的时间 limited and specified time

3. 判刑的罪犯 condemned criminals4. 活动范围 sphere of activities

5. 在类似的处境下 under similar circumstances6. 人生的价值 the value of life7. 完全无法想象 all but unimaginable8. 没有尽头 stretch out endlessly9. 冷漠的态度 listless attitude

10. 意识到 be conscious of

Unit 2: Unit 2: AfterReading: USeful expressionsAfterReading: USeful expressions

13. 值得注意 be worthy of note

14. 只凭触摸 through mere touch

15. 精巧对称 delicate symmetry

16. 寻找 in search of

17. 苏醒的大自然 awakening Nature

18. 放声歌唱的小鸟 a bird in full song

19. 不时地 at times

11. 习惯 be accustomed to

12. 没什么特别的 nothing in particular

Unit 2: Unit 2: AfterReading: proverbs and quotationsAfterReading: proverbs and quotations

1. We walk by faith, not by sight.

我们用信念前进 , 而非视觉。2. Learning is the eye of the mind.

知识是心灵的眼睛。3. One never notices what has been done; one can only see

what remains to be done. — Curie, Polish physicist

不要注意已经做了哪些，只要去考虑还有哪些要做的。

—— 波兰物理学家居里夫人

Unit 2: Unit 2: AfterReading: proverbs and quotationsAfterReading: proverbs and quotations

4. Our destiny offers not the cup of despair, but the chalice of opportunity.

— Nixon, American President

命运给我们的不是失望之酒，而是机会之杯。 —— 美国总统尼克松

5. The highest result of education is tolerance. — Helen Keller, American Writer

宽容是教育的最好成果。 —— 美国作家海伦•凯勒

unit 2 : the value of life unit 2 before reading before readingbefore readingbefore reading global...

Documents

anne slide

lecturer slide

anne helen keller

drug abuse slide

annehelen keller

word disability

brain injury slide

value of life slide