Unit 7
Making a Living
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Pre-reading Task
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Why does Onetta think it worthwhile to
work hard day after day?
People need her; some people care for
her; she keeps her integrity by working
hard.
Would you rather have a low-paid job
that is interesting or a well-paid job that
is boring?
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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The Author
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Tom Hallman, Jr.,
45, has worked at
The Oregonian for
19 years.
He was a Pulitzer
Prize finalist in
reporting in 1995
and feature writing
in 1999 and in 2001.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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He won the 2001 Pulitzer
Prize for Feature Writing for
his series of articles in The
Oregonian on Sam
Lightner.The series Sam:
The Boy Behind the Mask
tells the true, heartwrenching story of Sam
Lightner. Born with a rare
disfiguring growth that
covers and distorts the left
side of his face, skull, and
neck--Sam is determined to
live a normal life.
The Boy behind
the Mask
Text Structure
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Please scan the text to see if there is
any natural division of parts in the text.
Asterisks divide the text into 4 parts.
Please read the first paragraph of each
part, locate the time words or
references to time.
They are 5:45, 7:45, “This is the
moment he’s been preparing for since
5:45 a.m.”, after 7 p.m..
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Part 1
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Paras 1-7 early morning
Preparation for the day’s work
Part 2
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Paras 8-25 mid-morning
On his way to work
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Part 3
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Paras 26-62
day
Door-to-door selling
Part 4
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Paras 63-84
Paper work
evening
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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The text is a description of a typical day
in the life of Bill Porter and also a
portrayal of his whole life. To do so, the
author skillfully inserts flashbacks of
past events and experiences in at least
two places. Could you find them?
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Flashback 1
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Paras 11-20
his disability, his schooling, and his hard
struggle to make a living for himself
Flashback 2
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Paras 71
his back surgery and the selling of his
house
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Role Play:
Two student will act as salespersons.
All other students will act as their potential
customers.
They will leave the classroom, think of
a product to sell, and plan their sales talk,
the product should be relevant to campus
life.
The salespersons have 10 minutes to
close a deal.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Thinking about
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Do you have any experiences
of being a salesperson? Have
you ever sold things to
others or been persuaded to
buy something?
What are the qualities of
being a good salesman?
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Text Analysis
This article first appeared in a newspaper;
therefore it carries many characteristics of
journalistic writing.
First of all, a journalist tries to be objective in
reporting. As a result, third-person narrative is
usually preferred over first-person narrative.
Moreover, the journalist would not make any
comments to reveal his/her feelings, but simply
give the facts.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Text Analysis-2
Secondly, an eye-catching beginning helps lure
readers to linger more on the story out of an
overwhelming number of stories offered by the
day’s newspaper. For example, at the beginning of
this story, we learn that it takes our physically
deformed hero great efforts to get up so as to do
something important, yet what is this something?
We are kept in suspense until the fourth paragraph.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Text Analysis-3
Thirdly, the vocabulary is simple, the
sentences and paragraphs short, sometimes
elliptical. When needs arise, a paragraph is as
short as one sentence.
Lastly, conversations can be transcribed
word for word if they illustrate the theme, like
the one in the text between Bill Porter and his
indecisive female customer.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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Linger (L1): spend a long time doing sth., esp. because
one does not want to leave 磨蹭；留恋；徘徊
She had a sandwich before heading off to work and had
no time to linger for a glimpse of the city’s scenery.
没有时间让你磨磨蹭蹭吃饭了，校车快来了。
There is no time for you to linger over your meal the
school bus is coming.
这美好的印象将永远留在我的记忆中。
The fond impression will linger in my memory forever.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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lingering: continuing to exist for longer than
usual or desirable
--a lingering illness
--lingering doubts/suspicions
--the lingering aroma of chocolate
--lingering smell/aroma/odour
(odor  deodorant)
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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tarry (arch or rhet 古或修辞) : to delay or be late
in going, coming, or doing; to wait; to remain or
stay temporarily, as in a place耽搁；逗留；徘徊
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tarry on the way
tarry (for) sb’s reply
Tarry awhile at the charming country inn.
在这个可爱的乡村小酒馆里呆一会儿吧。
dally: to waste time
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dally over one’s work
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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twist (L5): 扭曲；歪曲
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twist and turn 蜿蜒
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疼痛使他的脸都变了形。
His face was twisted with pain.
一些日本人极力歪曲他们肮脏的历史。
Some Japanese try to twist their dirty history.
The road twisted and turned across the hills.
twists and turns 弯弯曲曲处；曲折变化
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The twists and turns of his arguments made his speech
very difficult to understand.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
cripple (L12): hurt sb. badly so that they
cannot walk properly
-- She was crippled in a car accident.
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(fig.) damage or weaken (sth) seriously
-- The business has been crippled by current
financial crisis.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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gain on sb/sth (L14): chase to get in front
of or near to sb/sth, esp. a rival or sth.
pursued 逼近，接近
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The police are gaining on us!
The Democratic candidate was gaining on his
Republican rival in the election, but only
defeated him at the last moment.
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Language Study
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kick up (L19): cause to rise 扬起；激起
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The wind kicked up a cloud of dust.
Stop kicking up a fuss. He is miserable enough.
tilt (L21): move into a sloping position
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She sat listening, with her head tilted slightly to one
side.
舆论已经偏向社会主义党。
Popular opinion has tilted in favor of the Socialist.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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a pack of (L23): a set of persons with a
common interest, sometimes <derogatory>
not legal or organized
eg. a pack of thieves;
a pack of lies;
a pack of entertainment reporters;
a pack of kids
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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lean(L24):
(1) v. bend; be in a sloping position
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Galileo dropped a small stone and a big stone from the
Leaning Tower of Pisa to falsify Aristotle’s theory.
(2) a. thin and healthy; small in amount or quality
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He has a lean athletic body.
The shop is just making lean profits.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
delivery 1) the process of birth
2) the delivering of letters,
goods, etc.
正常分娩
a normal delivery
顺产
an easy delivery
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Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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送货
收货
邮递
快递
make a delivery
accept/take a delivery
postal delivery
express delivery
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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fraternity
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Five Columbia University students have
been arrested in an undercover drug
sting dubbed “Operation Ivy League.”
They allegedly sold a menu of narcotics
out of fraternity houses and on-campus
residences, authorities said Tuesday.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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美国警方7日称，在一次名为“常春藤行
动”的卧底调查中，美国名校哥伦比亚
大学的5名学生因涉嫌在联谊中心、宿舍
等地出售多种麻醉毒品，被警方逮捕。
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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transfer (L37): move from one place to another
transmit: 1) send out (a signal/program)
electronically by radio waves
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2) send/pass on sth from one person to another
--transmit knowledge from one generation to another
--The tension soon transmitted itself to all the members
of the crowd .
 n. transmission
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Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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delegate, agent & representative
delegate: 某人被选派或委托为代理或代
表…只能按照他们代表的大多数人的意志
或指示行事
He is a trade union delegate.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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agent: 代理人/商…任何一个有代理权的
人或团体，或在双方之间代表一方起中
间作用的人
an estate agent
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
representative: 本义是指某人作为代表
在一定的场合行使职权或处理事务，但
该词常用来指团体选出的代表该团体的
利益参加某种会议或处理某类事务者。
They are representatives of the various
departments of science and art.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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guarantee (L58):
(1) promise sth. with certainty 担保
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雾天我们不能保证火车会准点到达。
We cannot guarantee the punctual arrival of the
train in foggy weather.
大学生现在毕业不包分配。
College students are no longer guaranteed jobs
upon graduation.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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(2) undertake to pay the cost of repairs resulting
from a fault 保修
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The company guaranteed its clocks for six months.
Compare: warrant 保证是真的；证明是正当的
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This material is warranted to be pure silk.
美国干涉我国内政当然是没有道理的。
America’s interference with our internal affairs is
certainly not warranted.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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sell (on) sth (L58): <infml> persuade
Will they be able to sell their ideas to
voters?
I’m completely sold on the idea; I think
it’s a brilliant plan.
In the end she’s really sold on the idea of
buying some soap.
Can you sell your boss your scheme?
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
pledge: a solemn promise “公开保证”
make/take a pledge 宣誓
give sb. one’s pledge 对某人发誓
honor one’s pledge 恪守誓言
carry out/redeem one’s pledge 履行誓言
break/violate one’s pledge 违背誓言
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Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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tail (L106):
1) vt. follow secretly
The car has been tailing me for the whole
morning.
2) n. <infml> the person who follows
They put a tail on the spy as he left the
airport.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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register (L115): (infml) (of facts, etc) be
mentally reordered or fully realized/noticed
--Her name didn’t register (with me/in my
 mind.)
--I registered (that fact) that he was late.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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straight (L136):
1) consecutive: a straight-A student; a
two-hour straight live concert
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2) simple, with nothing-added
The workers were given a straight choice
between a pay cut and losing their jobs.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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be laid up (with) (L139): confined (as by
illness) to bed; be bedridden
The football player was laid up in bed with
a twisted knee.
He was laid up with acute flu for weeks.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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unreadable (L150):
1) (of handwriting) not easily deciphered;
indecipherable
[syn: indecipherable, illegible, unclear,
undecipherable]
2) unsuitable for or not worth reading;
dull: unreadable prose; wholly
unreadable statistics.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Language Study
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in time (L157): within an indefinite
time; eventually
In time they came to accept the harsh
facts.
You will in time recover your health
and strength.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Assignment
The text depicts a physically deformed
salesperson who sustained himself on mere
tough work. What are your reflections on
this feature story? Write a journal entitled
Purpose in Life.
Unit 7 Text A Life of a Salesman
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Listening
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1. Where are they from?
2. For what do they come to the Royal
College of Art?
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