Unit Two
Going Home
Teaching aims：1.skillful handling of the language points
2. profound understanding of the theme(the power of love, the
confusion and the hope of a person who once was a criminal)
Teaching emphasis：1.understanding of the complex felling of Vingo on his
way home；
2.the contrast of vingo’s silence and the exciting and
happy emotion of the passangers；
3.symbol of the yellow ribbon
Teaching contents：1.general introduction of the text
2.symbolic meaning of yellow ribbon
3. appreciation of the song “yellow ribbon on the old oak
tree”
4.background information：1）Florida and the Sun Belt
（佛罗里达及阳光地带）
2）parole （假释）
5．Language points：1）words and expressions: mysterious ,sometime, dream
of ,vanish, pass through, mask, deep
into the night, pull into, pull out of, root,
wonder, retreat, etc.
2)complex sentences：
I.
He sat in front of them, dressed in a plain,
ill-fitting suit, never moving, his dusty face
masking his age.
II.
He kept chewing the inside of his lip a lot,
frozen into complete silence.
III
Absolute construction
Teaching method: explanation、question and answer、discussion、music
appreciation
StepⅠ.Appreciation of the song “yellow ribbon on the old oak
tree”(60minutes)
Ask the students to listen to the song several times and appreciate the song. Ask
them to talk about the melody of the song,the content of the song,the theme of the
song.
This is a moving story. Yellow ribbons are still sometimes used to welcome
someone home. Ribbons are also sometimes worn to symbolize support for a cause.
The plot follows three stages. Paragraphs 1 to 4 form the introduction in which
the setting is made clear (time: spring; place: a bus from New York to Florida) and
the characters are introduced (protagonist: Vingo; minor characters: six young
people, three boys and three girls). In the next 5paragraphs, as the plot develops,
we learn where Vingo was going and what for, and how the young people got
interested in what was going to happen. The last part of the story (para.10-12) is the
conclusion: Vingo was forgiven and welcomed home.
The original title of the story is “ The Yellow Ribbon”. The narrator objectively describes
what happens on the bus, and he never enters the mind of the main character Vingo.
StepⅡ.language points (90minutes)
1．They were dreaming of golden beaches and tides of the sea as the grey, cold
spring of New York vanished behind them.
It was a grey, cold day in spring. As the bus left New York City, these young
people were thinking about what they would enjoy in Florida- the golden beaches
and tides of the sea.
To dream of/ about (doing) sth.: to imagine and think about sth that you would like
to happen.
e.g. On the way to school the boy dreamed about the football match in the
afternoon.
The girl dreamed of becoming a movie star.
2．Vingo was on the bus from the beginning.
The sentence introduces the main character of the story. He was not one of the six
young people going to Florida on holiday. Throughout the story, he was something
of a mystery. We were never told about his age, why he had been thrown into
prison, what his life had been like before he was put into prison,. However, what
we want to know most is probably where he was going and what was worrying him
all the way.
3. to pass through( a place): to go through a town, perhaps stopping there for a
short time, but not staying
to pass (a place): to go past a place without entering
e.g. As they passed through the flooded areas, they felt bad.
On her way to work she passed a supermarket.
4. He sat in front of the young people, his dusty face masking his age, dressed in a
plain brown suit that did not fit him.:
He sat in front of the young people. You could hardly tell how old he was because
his face was covered with dust.
5. Dressed in a …:This past participle phrase is used to tell the reader more about
the subject of the sentence “he”
To fit (sb.) : to be the right shape or size for sb.
Cinderella’s sisters tried the shoes, but they didn’t fit.
6.His fingers were stained from cigarettes…: His fingers were yellow because he
had smoked a lot.
7.and he chewed the inside of his lip a lot.: he repeatedly bit the inside of his lower
lip, which showed his nervousness.
8.He sat in complete silence and seemed completely unaware of the existence of
the others.: He sat without saying anything as if he did not know there were other
people around.
Unaware of sth. : not knowing or realizing that sth is happening or that sth
exists.
He worked at his computer for hours, unaware of the noises outside.
9. Deep into the night, the bus pulled into a Howard Johnson’s restaurant and
everybody got off the bus except Vingo.: Late at night the bus stopped at one of the
Howard Johnson fast food chain restaurants. Every passenger on the bus got off to
eat, but Vingo didn’t.
To pull in (to sth): (of a train or bus) to enter a station and stop
10.One of the girls became so curious that she decided to engage him in a
conversation. : one of the girls became very interested in Vingo, and she decided to
get him to talk.
To engage sb in conversation: to start talking to sb and involve him/ her in a
conversation
To engage sb in sth: to make sb take part in sth
She tried to engage her roommate in a philosophical discussion.
11.You going that far?: Are you going as far as Florida? ( In conversation, elliptical
sentences are often used. Here “are” is omitted.)
It is a long journey from New York City to florida. In between are New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. You live
there?
When we think the answer is likely to be “yes”, we can turn a statement into a
question by using the rising tone in speaking and a question mark in writing.
You come from Beijing?
You want to read this book?
Want some wine? : Do you want some wine?/ Would you like to have some
wine?
12. …as Vingo nodded in sleep.: as Vingo fell asleep.
He sat in complete silence.
Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats…shaking
clenched fists in triumph and exaltation.
But then some boys began to glance at me in curiosity.
Compare: into is used to show a change in state
He thanked her and retreated into his silence.
Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con’s mask.
13. The girl insisted that he join them.
To insist that sb do sth or sth. Be done: to demand that sth. Should happen
and refuse to let anyone say no
e.g. The teacher insisted that the students should turn in their homework on
time.
14. Get a new guy-she’s a wonderful woman, really something- and forget
about me.
The part of the sentence put in between the two dashes is added to the
speech for Vingo to give his opinion of his wife. This part is called a
parenthesis.
Really something: she is really a special woman.
I told her she didn’t have to write to me or anything, and she didn’t. Not
for three-and-a- half years.:
I told her she didn’t have to write to me or keep in touch with me in any other
way. And she didn’t. I didn’t hear form her or about her for three and a half
years when I was in jail.
Or anything: or anything of a similar type
15. When I was sure the parole was coming through I wrote her again .:
When I knew for sure that I would be released on parole I wrote her a letter
again.
Parole :permission for early release that is given to a prisoner before the
end of his sentence on condition that he behaves well
To come through: to arrive
16. soon all of them were caught up in the approach of Brunswick, looking at
the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
The young people became excited and deeply interested in Vingo’s story
and in what was going to happen at Brunswick.
To be caught up in sth: to become involved, excited and interested in sth
17. Vingo stopped looking, tightening his face into the ex-con’s mask, as if
fortifying himself against still another disappointment.:
Vingo moved his eyes away from the window, and his face again became
expressionless as if he was trying to find the courage to face another
possible blow, another disappointment in his life.
The ex-con’s mask: the expression of a former prisoner trying to hide his
true feelings
To fortify oneself (against sb/sth) : to make oneself feel stronger or braver,
etc
18. Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats,
screaming and shouting and crying , doing small dances, shaking clenched
fists in triumph and exaltation. All except Vingo.:
Then all of a sudden, all the young people left their seats and began doing
all sorts of things they could think of to express their happiness and
excitement. Vingo alone remained still.
StepⅢ. Assignment(5minutes)
1.Try to grasp the language points dealt with in class.
2. Write a composition about What Happened After Vingo Returned home, try
to describe their inner feelings vividly.
StepⅣ. Discussion(30minutes)
Imagine what happened after Vingo returned home, have a discussion.
StepⅤ.Learn to sing the song(30minutes)
Reference Books:
宋兴蕴
杨立民
胡文仲
《现代大学英语全程辅导》
《现代大学英语教师用书》
《英美文化辞典》
辽宁师范大学出版社
外语教学与研究出版社
外语教学与研究出版社