Unit 2 The Power of Language
What can words change or make?
Part I Preparation
2.
Chatting: The words / sentences that affected
you.
Make up a story
3.
Debate:
A.
Do you agree that Mandarin should be popularized all over
the country with great effort and gradually replace dialects in
education and public spheres?
Do you support that the use of Mandarin Chinese should be
enforced in media and education?
1.
B.
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Language—culture--cognitive activity--social evolution
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Diversity in “social ecosystem” & prosperity in
community life, economics, …
Extinct dialects took away ____
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Promoting mandarin & reserve / respect dialects
Promoting a language vs. enforcing a language
Media vs. school
Communication vs. performances vs. entertainment
Part II ReadingCentered Activities
In-Class Reading
The Power of Notes
I Pre-reading question
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Do you think people need
encouragement and praise? Why or why
not? (You may use your own examples or
stories of people you know to support
your argument.)
II Q&A: text study (1)
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Para 1—4
Who’s Don Wolfe? Describe him based on the
information you find in the text.
What is Don’s note to me? And why does it
mean so much to me?
Now summarize the 4 paragraphs with one
sentences.
II text study (2)
Para 5--7
 Why did the author value note writing more
than phone calls?
 With its value all revealed to people, why do
most people hesitate in writing notes to others
and usually make phone calls instead?
 What is the author’s choice between writing
notes and making phone calls and why.
II Q&A text study (3)
Para 8—10
 Why do you think the author cite the example
of George Bush in para 8? And which point of his
life is highlighted in the text?
 Do you personally think Bush and Peterson
wrote notes to people of all walks of life
because they think their recipients would be
boosted to help their business or career?
II Q&A text study (4)
Para 11—16
What is the sole thing that make your
note spirit-lifting and warm?
 What are the 4 S words?
 How to keep your notes spontaneous?
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II Q&A text study (5)
Para 17—19
What is the least uplifting component for a note?
A. Poetic words?
B. Superlatives?
C. Compliments?
D. Lateness?
III Post-reading
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E2 P57
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After-class work:
Who are in your recipients list of note
writing and what would you write to
them? Use the tips and common senses about
note writing from the passage.
language
Sentences: for grammar & creative writing
 New words
 Expressions P54-55
 Exercise: Vocab 1--6
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Learn words in groups 1
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Lift (people) up l35
Uplifting l17 l77
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Lift spirit l52
Spirit-lifting l15
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Inspiring l7
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Boost: noun l19
verb l43
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Positive reinforcement l50
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2 antonyms
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Sincere l55
Responsive
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Insincere l23
Unresponsive l18
3 Old words—new words
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Nearby l 13
Upbeat l21
Overdue l78
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Rag-eared l7
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=dog-eared
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Characterize l36
Recipient l 15
Practitioner l 51
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Be –d as…
receptionist vs. recipient
Not “praticer”
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E.g. a nearby school
Adj. not a verb
Due: the book is due
tomorrow; due to
4 Easy words---difficult words
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Enterprise l1
Intrigue
l2
Drawback l25
Savor
l27
Cordial
l31
Aloof
l 36
Scribble l 41
Thrive
l 51
Vague
l59
Precise
l 60
Spontaneous l 61
Mentor
l 76
overdue
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company / business
attract / amazed
disadvantage / shortcoming
Taste
Sincere
Unfriendly / indifferent
Write
prosper / develop
unclear
exact
natural
tutor / teacher
delayed
After-Class Reading
1. All the Good Things
2. Mother Tongue
Students’ presentations
Further explorations
Passage I All the good things
(1) to learn and interpret the story:
 To understand “all the good things”
 Summarize the two stories in school involving Mark
and his classmates
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Para 1—6
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Para 7-11
 What is the connection of this story with the one in
“The power of Notes”?
Passage I All the good things
(2) Background information 1:

Elementary and secondary Education in U.S
public school (tuition free / stated funding):
①
elementary school (Kindergarten—8th grade)
exceptions : +middle school / junior high school (7th grade – 9th grade)
②
secondary school / high school (9th grade –12th grade)
Private school (family pay the tuition)
4/5 run by religious groups, with religious instruction as part of the
curriculum (e,g. The Blind Side)
Home Schooling
----College
(2) Background information 1:
the Vietnam War:
---1 Nov, 1955~~30 April 1975
---a Cold War military conflict
---in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
• North Vietnam,
supported by its
communist allies
• the government of
South Vietnam,
supported by the U.S.
and other anticommunist nations
Movie: Across the World
Passage I All the good things
(3) Focus on language:
 Difficult sentences…
For translation practice: L3-4; L17-19; L21-22
For grammatical understanding: para 7
 New words
Incessantly: 只要你给他机会他就会说个不停。
incessantly; novice; state; wink : synonym?
state: v/n
scene vs. scenery
impress sb vs. impress on sb sth
shrug, edgy, lull, ragged, to this day…
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Exercises 1,2 -after class work
Passage 2 Mother Tongue
(1) Amy Tan:
Chinese American & American Writer
The Joy Luck Club
an “untypical” case of language learning
Passage 2 Mother Tongue
(2) Focus on the text
 Task: find out all the examples of Amy’s mother’s
“broken” English and analyze them. (para 8-10)
 Amy’s perception of her mother’s broken English (para
4--6)
 Amy’s understanding of the use of their “family talk”
English (para 3)
 Amy’s switch in using the two Englishes and when she
couldn’t switch (para 2)
Passage 2 Mother Tongue
(3) Focus on language
• Long sentences
• New Words
Evoke (~ emotions / feelings / memories)
lengthy (a ~ what?)
shrink (~ shrink)
rebellious (noun? verb?)
yell (sb ~; ~ at sb)
•
Exercises 1, 2 –after class work
The Joy Luck Club
an “untypical” case of language learning
Mother Tongue: “broken” English --para 6
English major student, using “standard” English -- para 11
English writer (whose works concerns a lot about her mother
tongue—broken English and question the “standard” English
being orthodox ) –para 1
Part III Further Development
Part III Further Development
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1. Enriching Your Word Power
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2. debate: Texting vs. Calling (optional; for writing)
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3. How powerful are your words: make your “drama
conversation” (after-class work)
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4. A picture’s Worth a Thousand Words
(after-class work)
debate: Text message versus Calling
Step 1: divide the class into two groups
Group 1 lists all the advantages of text message
Group 2 lists all the disadvantages of calling
Step 2: develop and further your arguments by
taking notes when listening
Step 3: get a conclusion according to your notes
and outline for your group
Suggestion: write an article on this topic based on the
debate or your own research / ideas.
Part IV Translation
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回忆：翻译的步骤？
翻译作业情况
英译汉长句翻译——翻译方法之：原序和换序译法。
（1）复习unit 1: P42： 默读&了解
（2）学习unit 2:P86--90
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正确的翻译步骤+对两种语言（源语和目标语）的熟练理解
和书写能力=方法
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翻译练习：英语时事新闻
Q&A
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翻译的价值：你能用它来干嘛？
证书&就业；技术&生存；特长&竞争
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英译汉翻译的前提？
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英语语法、英语词汇
汉语语感、汉语书面/口头表达能力
常识（各个学科的基本知识、具体的生活体验）
翻译软件能代替人脑来翻译吗？
没有软件能够代替人脑做翻译工作。
单词和短语的翻译可以做到。
有帮助排序和分析句子的软件：作为翻译的一个步骤，在人脑的
监控下，可以帮你节省时间。
有词典：帮你翻译单词，但要用人脑去选择词典里的某个词义，
并把词典里的汉语表达变成符合上下文的表达方式。
Tips for quiz preparation
 1. dictation: new words from 3 passages
 2. parts of speech & transformation of words
 3. Synonyms
 4. translation E—C: from ICR+ACR1(1)
 5. Writing & thematic debate: strengths of
dialects over Mandarin Chinese