Unit 5 The World at War

I. Lead-in II. Language Points III. Guided Writing IV. Presentation and Exercises

Lead-inBackground Information

Joseph Heller (1923-1999) an American novelist best known for

his 1961 novel Catch-22, an anti-war satire based on the author’s own military experience.

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Lead-inBackground Information

Heller’s other novels: Something Happened (1974), Good as Gold (1979), God knows (1984), Picture This (1988), a sequel to Catch-22, Closing Time (1994).

Lead-inBackground Information

Meaning of Catch 22 Catch-22 is a rule which says that a

ny-one rational enough to want to be grounded cannot be insane and is therefore capable of returning to

flight duty.More

Lead-inBackground Information

Meaning of Catch 22 Absurd, no-win choices, particularly

in situations in which the desired outcome of the choice is an impossibility,

and regardless of choice, the same negative outcome is a certainty.

Lead-inBackground Information

Catch-22 situation a difficult situation from which there

is no escape because you need to do one thing before doing a second, and you cannot do the second thing before doing the first.

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Lead-inBackground Information

Catch-22 situation 1. The rules or conditions that create suc

h a situation. 2. A tricky or disadvantageous condition. 3. A situation or predicament characteris

ed by absurdity or senselessness. 4. A contradictory or self-defeating cours

e of action.

Language PointsSentences Study

1. It was a horrible joke, but Doc Daneeka didn't laugh until Yossarian came to him one mission later and pleaded again, without any real expectation of success, to be grounded. Doc Daneeka snickered once and was soon immersed in problems of his own, which included Chief White Halfoat, who had been challenging him all that morning to Indian wrestle, and Yossarian, who decided right then and there to go crazy.

原文 without 引导的短语是插入语，汉译可根据语义关系调整语序。后一句两个定语从句在 汉译中可化为宾语从句。

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Language PointsSentences Study 翻译： 那是个粗鲁的玩笑，可是达尼卡大夫并没

有笑，直到约萨里安又执行了一次任务之后，再次来求他要求停飞——尽管这没有任何指望。达尼卡大夫窃笑了一下，很快又沉浸到他自己的麻烦中去了，这包括怀特 · 哈夫特指挥官那天早上一直在向他挑战，要和他比印度式摔跤，而约萨里安则恰恰在彼时彼地决定要发疯。

Language PointsSentences Study

2. There was only one catch and that was catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them.

为避免译句过长，第一句中的定语从句可译为

一个句子。

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Language PointsSentences Study

翻译： 只有一个诡局，那就是第二十二条军规，它

规定：在面对真正的、紧迫的危险时考虑到自身安全是理智的思维过程。奥尔疯了，因此可以停飞。他只须提出请求；而一旦他提出请求，他就不再是疯子，就得去执行更多的飞行任务。如果去执行更多的飞行任务，奥尔就是疯了，如果不去他就不疯，但如果不疯，他就得去执行飞行任务。

Language Points Words Study1. reveal: to let something become known, for exa

mple, a secret or inform-ation that was previously not known

Examples: These new fashions reveal more than she will a

ccept.Antonym: disclose: to give information to people, especia

lly information that was secret Examples: She opened a box and disclosed its c

ontent.

Language Points Words Study

2. bloodshed: a situation in which people are killed or injured, especially during fighting

Examples: There was great bloodshed in Paris du

ring the years after the Revolution in 1879.

Language Points Words Study3. mission: A. military operation, especially one by aircraft B. task Examples: Mission Impossible is my favourite movie. The space mission by three Chinese taikonauts

is a remarkable achievement. Flying in enemy territory is an extremely danger

ous mission.

Language Points Words Study4 ． plead: A. to ask for something in an urgent or emotional wa

y 恳求 B. to say in a court of law whether you are guilty of a

crome or not 申诉；答辩；辩护；抗辩Examples: The criminal pleaded with the victim for mercy. The retired professor pleaded the cause of the Old

Age Pensioners.

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Language Points Words Study

plead Usage: plead for/against sb 为某人辩护（反驳

某人） plead (not) guilty 认罪（不认罪）

Language Points Words Study5. combat: n. fighting during a war vt. to do something to try to stop somethi

ng bad from happening or a bad situation from becoming worse

Examples: A combat zone is an area where fighting is takin

g place. To combat wrinkles, the actress applies serum t

o her skin.

Language Points Words Study6. specify: to explain something in an exact an

d detailed wayExamples: The contract specifies the job description. Did you specify any particular time for us to

call? It specifies a eight-mile speed limit in this ar

ea.

Language Points Words Study7. get out of: A. to avoid doing something that you should do

or said you would do B. abandon gradually Examples: The lion got out of its cage and shocked the pu

blic. Don’t try to get out of your duties. Get out of his bad habits, and he will find a new

self.

Guided Writing

Imagine you are attending an important ceremony in China. Write a short passage describing the scene.

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Guided WritingDirections: Choose a suitable ceremony, such as a military

parade,the funeral of a national hero, the state visit of a foreign leader, or a memorial celebration.

Describe who is there, and what people are doing.

Describe the beginning of the ceremony. Focus on a detail which captures the mean-ing

of the event.

Presentation and Exercises Work in groups and carry out research t

o find out more. The whole group cooperate to write a pa

per entitled A Country’s Role in an International Conflict in about 300 words. Make notes about these and other things for your reference:

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Presentation and Exercises how and why the country became i

nvolved the country’s role in the war how many people lost their lives how the war ended the effects of the war on the countr

y how it is remembered today