Christmas Day in the Morning
 Step 1. Background Information
 Warming-up questions
 Question 1: How much do you know about
Pearl S. Buck(1892-1973)?
About Pearl S. Buck
A friend of Chinese people
A Literature Nobel Prize Laureate
I should not be truly myself if I did
not, in my own wholly unofficial
way, speak also of the people of
China, whose life has for so many
years been my life also, whose life,
indeed, must always be a part of
my life. The minds of my own
country and of China, my foster
country, are alike in many ways,
but above all, alike in our common
love of freedom.
Birthday: June 26, 1892
Came to China: 3 months old
Period of stay in China: 40 years
Residential area: Zhenjiang,
Jiangsu Province
 In 1915 she met a Cornell graduate, John
Lossing Buck, who became her husband in 1917.
They moved to South Xuzhou, Anhui province
where she gathered the materials she would use
in The Good Earth and other stories. Their
marriage was unhappy but would last 18 years.
Pearl’s first child proved to be retarded（智力迟
钝的，低能的） and Pearl herself underwent a
hysterectomy（子宫切除术）. The couple later
adopted a baby girl.
Pearl and her family
 1st husband: John Lossing Buck, a Cornell
graduate
 Carol (first child): Profoundly retarded
 Janice: adopted child
 1st Marriage: unhappy but last 18 years
 2nd husband: Richard Walsh, a publisher
Pearl’s works:
 East wind, West
Wind
 The Good Earth
 Dragon Seed
 The Big Wave
 Satan Never Sleeps
Pearl and Her Prizes
 Pulitzer Prize and Howells Medal for The
Good Earth
 Nobel Prize in Literature 1938 for The Good
Earth
“----for her rich and truly epic descriptions
of peasant life in China and for her
biographical masterpieces"
Do you
know how
to decorate
for
Christmas?
Tell us
next time!
 oh, we all want some
figgy pudding;
oh, we all want some
figgy pudding;
oh, bring us a figgy
pudding and bring it
right here
good tidings we bring to you
we won't go until we
and your kin;
get some;
we wish you a merry
we won't go until we
Christmas and a happy new
get some;
year.
we won't go until we
get some, so bring
some out here
 we wish you a merry
Christmas;
we wish you a merry
Christmas;
we wish you a merry
Christmas and a happy new
year.
 Question 2: Can you tell us something
about Christianity and Christmas?
The Story of the Christ Child
and Christmas
 When Rome was a great Empire ruled by Caesar
Augustus and Israel was governed by King Herod,
in the village of Nazareth lived Joseph and Mary.
Joseph was a carpenter and Mary was a young
virgin who would become his wife. Mary told
Joseph of a dream in which she was visited by an
angel who told her she had been chosen to bear
the Son of God and his name was to be Jesus.
 One day the emperor sent notice that all persons
were to register for a new tax. They were
instructed to return to the towns of their birth.
Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for Bethlehem.
Mary who was with child, and close to the birth,
rode on a donkey while Joseph walked beside
her. They traveled for many days and only
rested at night.
 When they reached Bethlehem it was night. They
looked for a place to rest but there were no empty
rooms when they reached the inn. As they were
being turned away Joseph mentioned his wife was
with child and close to birth. The inn keeper took
pity on them and told them of some caves in the
nearby hills that shepherds would stay with their
cows and sheep.
 So Joseph and Mary went up into the hills and
found the caves. In one cave was a stable room.
Joseph cleaned it and made beds of fresh hay.
He found a feeding trough which he cleaned
and filled with hay to use as a crib. The next
night Mary gave birth to a son and they named
him Jesus, as the angel had said.
 When the child was born a great star
appeared over Bethlehem that could be seen
for miles around. In the fields nearby
shepherds were tending their flocks. An
angel appeared to them surrounded by bright
light. The shepherds were frightened and
tried to run.
 "Fear Not," said the angel, "For I bring you
tidings of great joy. For unto you is born this
day in Bethlehem - a Saviour who is Christ
the Lord."
 "And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall
find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger."
 Suddenly the sky was filled with angels,
praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the
Highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward
men."
 After the angels departed the shepherds set out
for Bethlehem. When they reached the cave
they found the stable and inside was the child
wrapped in swaddling clothes.
 As the star shined over Bethlehem, in the east three
kings would see it. They knew it was a sign and they set
off to follow the star. There was Caspar - the young
King of Tarsus, Melchior - a long bearded old man and
leader of Arabia, and Balthazar - the king from Ethiopia.
They traveled on camels for many days over the
mountains, and through the deserts, and plains. Always
following the bright star.
 When they finally arrived in Bethlehem they
found the child in the manger. The 3 kings
bowed to their knees and offered gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. They would stay
the night in the cave and the next day
returned to their lands to spread the news.
 The exact day of the Christ child's birth has never been
pinpointed. Traditions say that it has been celebrated
since the year 98 AD. In 137 AD the Bishop of Rome
ordered the birthday of the Christ Child celebrated as a
solemn feast. In 350 AD another Bishop of Rome,
Julius I, choose December 25th as the observance of
Christmas.
Step 2. Structure analysis
 This article can be divided into 3 parts. The
first part (para.1-8) describes the current
experience. It offers a brief introduction to
the text. The second part (para.9-41) retells
the story in his childhood. The third part
(para.43-46) brings us back to the present in
the story.
Pre-class Work II
Say which of the following statements are true
or false.
1. f
2. f
3. t
4. f
5. f
6. t
7. t
8. t
9. f
10. f
11. t
12. f
13. f
Step 3. In-class Discussion
Love alone could waken love. Do you agree?
 Faults are thick where love is thin.
 Love is blind.
 Love is full of trouble.
 Love me little, love me long.
 Love lives in cottages as well as in
courts.
Love will find a way.
Love laughs at locksmiths.
Love me, love my dog.
Love is the mother of love.
Love makes the world go round.
Step 4: Language understanding
 1. …help with the milking. (P.1)
To help with: to give a hand in
 2. Strange how the habits of his youth clung
to him still! (P.1)
It was strange how up to that moment he had
continued doing things the way he had
always done them from boyhood.
 3. Yet what was the magic of Christmas
now? (P. 2)
 Is this a question?
 This is a negative statement in question
form.
 Another example: What’s the use of going
there?
 This sentence shows that Christmas no
longer had much attraction since they
were old and there were only the two of
them at home.
 4. His childhood and youth were long
past, and his own children had grown up
and gone. (P. 2)
Question: What is meant by “his
childhood and youth were long past”?
It means that he was no longer young.
 5. It isn’t worthwhile, perhaps…(P. 3)
Complete the sentence:
Perhaps we shouldn’t bother about the
celebration.
 6. Yes, Alice, even if there are only the
two of us…(P.4)
Question: Did he agree with his wife?
No, he didn’t agree with his wife. He
felt that although their children were not
coming, they should still have a proper
Christmas.
 7. to trim (P. 5)
To make neat, even or tidy by cutting
 8. Why did he feel so awake tonight? For it
was still night, a clear and starry night. (P. 8)
Question: Why did Rob call it “tonight” since
the title is “Christmas Day in the Morning”?
The reason is given in the second sentence.
 9. He slipped back in time, as he did so
easily nowadays. (P. 9)
He had recently got into the habit of recalling
things in the past /of reminiscing/ of letting
his thoughts go back to the old days.
 10. He was fifteen years old…when he had
overheard what his father was saying to his
mother.(P. 9)
To be on his father’s farm: Note the use of
“on ”before the noun “farm”.
He had not known it until one day…: The past
perfect is used here because the state of not
knowing had lasted up to that day. “It ”refers
to the fact that he loved his father/
When: on which day
To overhear: to hear something spoken without
intention
 11. Mary, I hate to call Rob…I wish I
could manage alone.(P. 11)
I hate to call: I don’t want to call…/I’m
sorry that I have to call…
I wish I could manage alone: This is
expressed in subjunctive mood,
indicating that in fact he couldn’t.
 12. His mother’s voice was brisk, “…It’s
time he took his turn.”(P. 11)
 Brisk: quick, sharp and vigorous
 To take one’s turn: to do one’s share
 “Took” is used to indicate subjunctive mood.
Notice the pattern “It’s time +v. in the past
tense”
 13. He had never thought of it before, taking for
granted the tie of their blood. (P. 13)
 He had never thought of the fact that his father
loved him because he took the relationship of
father and son as a matter of course. He had
never given this another thought.
 14.…there would be no more loitering in the
mornings and having to be called again. (P. 14)
 …he would never loiter in the morning and
need no longer to be called again and again.
 to loiter: to move or go about business slowly
and with many stops
 15.… stumbling blind with sleep and pulled on
his clothes. (P. 15)
 When he got up, it was still very dark and he
was still very sleepy. He could hardly open
his eyes and could not see or think clearly, so
he walked or moved unsteadily and blindly.
 16. And then on the night before
Christmas,…And he always saved and bought
them each something, too.
 This paragraph describes how Rob and the
family usually celebrated Christmas. The way
they celebrated Christmas revealed their
poverty.
 17. the ten-cent store(P. 15): a store where
everything is sold cheap, supposedly no more
than ten cents.
 18. He lay on his side and looked out of his
attic window.(P. 15)
 To lie on one’s side
 To lie on one’s back
 To lie on one’s stomach
 19. Then Jesus had been born in a barn,…
bring their Christmas gifts. (P. 18)
 Bible: New Old Testaments
 …And when they had come into the house,
they saw the young child with Mary his
mother, and fell down, and worshipped him;
and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts: gold and
frankincense, and myrrh…
 20. A thought struck him like a silver dagger.
(P. 19): An idea suddenly crossed his mind.
 The metaphor of a silver dagger is used to
suggest the lightening speed with which the
brilliant idea flashed across his mind.
 21. He laughed to himself as he gazed at the
stars.(P.20)
 To laugh to oneself/to laugh at sb
 To gaze: to look intently and steadily(as in
wonder)
 22. …he got up and crept downstairs, careful
of the creaky boards…(P. 22)
 He had to be careful so that the boards
would not make any noise and wake up his
father, thus spoiling his plan.
 23. The cows looked at him, sleepy and
surprised.(P.22)
 The cows seemed sleepy and surprised to
him because this reflected his own feelings.
 24. Two strong streams rushing into the pail,
frothing and fragrant. (P. 24)
 To froth: to cause to form a whitish mass of
bubbles; to cause to foam.
 Fragrant: sweet smelling
 Frothing and fragrant: alliteration
 25. The task went more easily than he had
ever known it to before.(P.25)
 After “to”, “go ” is left out.
 26. Milking for once was not a chore. (P. 25)
For the first time milking was not a tedious,
unpleasant and boring task.
 27. He put the stool in its place… (P.25)
He put the stool back to its original place…
 28. He put the covers over his head to silence
his quick breathing. (P. 26)
Question: why did Rob put the covers over his
head?
 He did not want his father to hear his
quick breathing and find out the truth.
 29. His dancing heart was ready to jump
from his body. (P. 30)
 The word “dancing” suggests that he was
very excited and his heart was beating fast
and dancing with joy.
 30. The minute was endless…. (P. 31)
The minute was endless, because he was so
eager to see how his father would react to
his special gift. The feeling of the length of
time is often connected with one’s emotion.
 31. a queer sobbing sort of a laugh. (P. 34)
His father was so moved that he was choked
with emotion.
 32. His father was standing beside his bed,
feeling for him…(P. 34)
 To feel for sth: to try to find sth. by
touching; to grope for sth.
 33. He found his father and clutched him in a
great hug. He felt his father’s arms go around
him.
 Words like “found” and “felt” indicate that it
was dark and they couldn’t see each other.
 34. His heart was bursting with love. (P. 38)
His heart was filled/overflowing with love.
 35. No, come to think of it…(P. 39)
I’ve never thought about it before, but now
when I think about it, I realized that…
 36. Outside the window now the stars slowly
faded. (P. 42)
Question : Why is the word ”now” used here?
 It is used here to indicate the switching
back of time.
 37. Love alone could waken love. (P.44)
Only love could waken love. Love could not be
bought or forced.
Step 5. Summary
By the author’s experience, the
article wants to convey the idea of
universal love as advocated
Christianity.
Step 6. Exercise