Unit 8 In My Day
Contemporary College English
Book III
Contents
1
Warm-up
2
Background Information
3
Text Appreciation
4
Language Study
5
Extension
1
Warm-up
I. Becoming old
II.Generation gap
I. Becoming old
 When do people attain old age?
 What changes would occur to the elderly?
 Why do the aged like to talk about their
past lives?
 What are your thoughts on age and
aging?
I. Becoming old
I. Becoming old

Typically, the beginnings of change in the five
senses are as follows:
Hearing—the mid 40’s
Vision—the mid 50’s
Touch—the mid 50’s
Taste—the late 50’s
Smell—the mid 70’s
II.Generation gap
Generation gap refers to the difference in ideas,
feelings and interests between older and
younger people, which often causes
misunderstanding. In the U.S.A, "Never trust
anyone over thirty" had even been a very
common belief among young people
II.Generation gap
How to bridge it?
Mutual understanding
love
…
II.Generation gap
The Image of the Mother
4 Years of Age—
My Mommy can do anything!
8 Years of Age—
My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!
II.Generation gap
The Image of the Mother
12 Years of Age—
My Mother doesn’t really know quite everything.
14 Years of Age—
Naturally, Mother doesn’t know that, either.
II.Generation gap
The Image of the Mother
16 Years of Age—
Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned.
18 Years of Age—
That old woman? She’s way out of date!
II.Generation gap
The Image of the Mother
25 Years of Age—
Well, she might know a little bit about it.
35 Years of Age—
Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion
II.Generation gap
The Image of the Mother
45 Years of Age—
Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?
65 Years of Age—
Wish I could talk it over with Mom!
2
Background Information
I.The Great Depression
II.Guy Fawkes Day
I.The Great Depression
One of the most critical economic periods in the
United States history was the Great
Depression. A majority of the U.S. citizens did
not know much about the Depression. The only
information that they knew was what they read
from textbooks. Many citizens never really had
to face the hardship like others were forced to
face. Growing Up by Russell Baker is an
autobiography on the problems he and his
family endured during this era.
I.The Great Depression
Causes of the Great Depression:
Speculation in the 1920s caused many people to buy
stocks with loaned money. The stock market boom was
very unsteady, because it was based on borrowed
money and false optimism.
Politicians believed that business was the key business of
America. Thus, the government took no action against
unwise investing.
Stock Market crash on October 24, 1929 (black Thursday)
I.The Great Depression
Misery and personal sufferings were widespread.
Living conditions changed when multiple families crowded
into small houses or apartments.
Unemployment rate was very high.
Thousands went hungry.
Children suffered long term effects from a poor diet and
inadequate medical care.
Women continued to doing women’s work such as nursing,
and even if they were able to get an industry job which
seldom hired women, they usually were paid less than
men.
I.The Great Depression
Pictures of The Great Depression
family leaving South Dakota for the west
I.The Great Depression
Pictures of The Great Depression
people who were unemployed and looking for a job
I.The Great Depression
Work ethic during the Great Depression
work ethic—a feeling that one should be ashamed
not to be doing one's best and working one's
hardest—was an important foundation
stone for the pre-Depression order. It is the value
that people stick to during depression years.
II.Guy Fawkes Day
Gunpowder Plot
After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been
persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I,
would be more tolerant of their religion.
Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth
and a number of young men decided to blow up the Houses of
Parliament to kill the King.
To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of
gunpowder and stored them in a cellar, just under the House of
Lords. But as the group worked on the plot, a warning letter
reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the
conspirators.
II.Guy Fawkes Day
II.Guy Fawkes Day
Gunpowder Plot
Guy Fawkes who was in the cellar of the Parliament with the 36 barrels
of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of
November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.
Even today, the reigning monarch only enters the Parliament once a year,
on what is called "the State Opening of Parliament". Prior to the Opening,
and according to custom, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of
the Palace of Westminster.
II.Guy Fawkes Day
II.Guy Fawkes Day
Tradition
Preparations for Bonfire Night celebrations include making
a dummy of Guy Fawkes, which is called "the Guy".
Some children even keep up an old tradition of walking
in the streets, carrying "the Guy" they have just made,
and beg passersby for "a penny for the Guy". The kids
use the money to buy fireworks for the evening
festivities. On the night itself, Guy is placed on top of
the bonfire, which is then set alight; and fireworks
displays fill the sky.
3
Text Appreciation
I.Theme of the Story
II.Structure of the Text
I.Theme of the Story
It is the responsibility of both parents and children
to bridge the generation gap. On the one hand,
young people should have more interest and
respect of what their parents stand for. On the
other hand, old people should show
understanding to young people’s great interest
in the future.
Structure of the text
Part 1 (paras.1-45 ) about: Understanding of a
mother from a son’s point of view
Part 2 (paras.46-53 ) about:Understanding of
children from a father’s point of view
Part 3 (paras. 54-55 ) about:Meeting of the two
views
4
Language Study
1. blood and bone
your own flesh and blood
Examples:
I couldn't see my blood and bone (flesh and
blood) insulted in this way.
4
Language Study
2. mend one’s ways
to improve one’s behavior after you have
been behaving badly for a long time
Examples:
… I suppose, that she was mending her ways. (40)
mend fences: to try to become friends again with sb. you
have argued with
The object of the meeting was primarily to mend fences.
4
Language Study
3. on one’s mind
to keep thinking about and worrying about sth.
Examples:
3.
You seem quiet today. Do you have anything on
your mind?
Work is very much on her mind at the moment.
4
Language Study
4. on the run
a. while you are busy or hurrying
b. trying to hide or escape from sb.,especially the police
c. in a weak position in an argument orcompetition
Examples:
I had to eat lunch on the run today.
A dangerous criminal is on the run in the bay area of the
city.
Labor has the Conservatives on the run.
4
Language Study
5. pep talk
a talk during which sb. encourages you
to do sth. better or to work harder
Examples:
We got a pep talk from our coach.
pep up: to make sb. or sth. more active and lively
A short break would pep you up.
We need to look at ways of pepping up the economy.
5
I.Oral work
II.Writing
Extension
I.Oral work
Report in your own words
Please give a little character sketch
of the author’s mother when she was
young.
Explain the “dispute of time” in your
own words.
I.Oral work
Group discussion
Is the generation gap inevitable?
 Is the generation gap a serious problem today?
 Have you ever experienced generation gap
between your parents and yourself?
 Does generation gap only exist between
parents and children?
 What should we do about the generation gap?
II.Writing
On old age
What problems do old people have to face?
Is there anything you look forward to in old age?
Thank You!