Unit
Unit 11
11
THE
THE STORY
STORY OF
OF AN
AN EYEWITNESS
EYEWITNESS
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Watch the video and answer the following questions.
1. Is Jack optimistic or pessimistic about human future
in front of the terminating disaster?
Optimistic. He believes that mankind are certainly
capable of surviving the disaster.
2. What is Jack going to do next?
He made his son a promise, and he is going to keep it.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
The Day After Tomorrow
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Tom: What do you think’s gonna happen to us.
Jack: What do you mean?
Tom: I mean us, civilization, everybody.
Jack: Mankind survived the last Ice Age. We’re certainly
capable of surviving this one. All depends on
whether or not we’re able to learn from our
mistakes. I sure as hell would like a chance to
learn from mine.
Tom: You did everything you could.
Jack: I was thinking about Sam.
Tom: Jack, you know the chance of Sam.
Jack: I made my son a promise. I’m going to keep it.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters are extreme, sudden events
caused by environmental factors that injure people
and damage property. Earthquakes, windstorms,
floods, volcanic eruptions and diseases all strike
anywhere on earth, often without warning.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Flood
A flood occurs when a body
of water rises and overflows onto
normally dry land. Floods occur
most commonly when water from
heavy rainfall, from melting ice
and snow, or from a combination
of these exceeds the carrying capacity of the river
system, lake, or ocean into which it runs. In 1099, in the
Netherlands and England, a combination of high tides and
storm waves on the North Sea flooded coastal areas of
England and the Netherlands, killing 100,000 people.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Earthquake
An earthquake is a trembling
movement of the earth’s crust.
These tremors are generally caused
by shifts of the plates that make up
the earth’s surface. The movements
cause vibrations to pass through and
around the earth in wave form, just as ripples are
generated when a pebble is dropped into water. Volcanic
eruptions, rockfalls, landslides, and explosions can also
cause a quake. In 1556, more than 830,000 people in the
Shensi Province of China were killed by this earthquake. It
caused the collapse of caves that people had carved out
of cliffs and used for homes.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Major Storms
Cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons are the same kind
of tropical storm but are called by different names in
different areas of the world. A tropical cyclone is the
general term for violent circular winds with torrential
rains that originate in the tropics. When they occur in the
Atlantic Ocean, they are called hurricanes. In the Indian
Ocean, they are called cyclones. In the Pacific Ocean,
they are called typhoon.
Audiovisual supplement
Cultural information
Volcanic Eruptions
A volcanic eruption occurs when
molten rock, ash and steam pour
through a vent in the earth’s crust.
Volcanoes are described as active
(in eruption), dormant (not erupting
at the present time), or extinct (having ceased eruption; no
longer active). Some volcanoes explode. Others are slowflowing fountains of lava, which is hot fluid rock. In 79 A.D.,
the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy buried the towns of
Pompeii and Herculaneum under 20 feet of ash and lava,
killing an estimated 20,000 people. The ash that buried the
town and the people also preserved them. The work of
uncovering the ancient cities began in 1748 and continues
to this day.
Structural analysis
Rhetorical features
The text is a vivid description of the damage wrought by
a devastating earthquake upon the city of San Francisco. It
tells us the serious consequences of the conflagrations after
the earthquake. Though only the first half of an eye-witness
report Jack London was requested to write for the Collier’s
Magazine, the text has a clear topic sentence and a
relatively complete structure.
The text is composed of a clear topic sentence and the
following evidences:
Structural analysis
Rhetorical features
 The topic sentence: “There is no estimating within
hundreds of millions the actual damage wrought”, which
appears in Paragraph 1.
 This topic sentence is developed in the following
paragraphs by a chronological description of the
destruction caused by the earthquake and the subsequent
conflagrations as witnessed by the author, i.e. what
happened to the city of San Francisco on Wednesday
morning, Wednesday afternoon, Wednesday evening and
then early next morning. Furthermore, the author
describes the physical destruction of the city first and then
the quiet and calm reactions of the city dwellers.
Structural analysis
Rhetorical features
The most prominent rhetorical device used in this text
is parallelism. In Paragraph 2, you can find: “Its industrial
section is wiped out. Its business section is wiped out. Its
social and residential section is wiped out.” In Paragraph 7
you can find: “An enumeration of the buildings destroyed
would be a directory of San Francisco. An enumeration of
the buildings undestroyed would be a line and several
addresses. An enumeration of the deeds of heroism would
stock a library and bankrupt the Carnegie medal fund. An
enumeration of the dead ― will never be made.” And in
Paragraph 8 you can see: “There were no crowds. There
was no shouting and yelling. There was no hysteria, no
disorder.”
Structural analysis
Rhetorical features
Practice:
You are required to find more of such parallel structures
in the text and then discuss their stylistic effect.
In Paragraphs 8 and 14 you can find similar structures:
I saw not one woman who wept, not one man who was
excited, not one person who was in the slightest
degree panic-stricken.
There were no firemen, no fire-engines, no men
fighting with dynamite.
All these parallel sentences help to illustrate the
destructive power of the earthquake and conflagrations.
Detailed reading
THE STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS
Jack London
1 The earthquake shook down in San Francisco hundreds
of thousands of dollars worth of walls and chimneys. But
the conflagration that followed burned up hundreds of
millions of dollars worth of property. There is no
estimating within hundreds of millions the actual damage
wrought.
Detailed reading
2
Not in history has a modern imperial city been so
completely destroyed. San Francisco is gone.
Nothing
remains of it but memories and fringe of dwelling houses
on its outskirts. Its industrial section is wiped out. Its
business section is wiped out. Its social and residential
section is wiped out. The factories and warehouses, the
great stores and newspaper buildings, the hotels and the
palaces of the nabobs, are all gone. Remains only the
fringe of dwelling houses on the outskirts of what was
once San Francisco.
Detailed reading
3
Within an hour after the earthquake shock, the
smoke of San Francisco’s burning was a lurid tower visible
a hundred miles away. And for three days and nights this
lurid tower swayed in the sky, reddening the sun,
darkening the day, and filling the land with smoke.
Detailed reading
4
On Wednesday morning at quarter past five came the
earthquake. A minute later the flames were leaping
upward. In a dozen different quarters south of Market
Street, in the working class ghetto and in the factories,
fires started. There was no opposing the flames. There
was no organization, no communication. All the cunning
adjustments of a twentieth-century city had been
smashed by the earthquake. The streets were humped into
ridges and depressions, and piled with the debris of fallen
walls. The steel rails were twisted into perpendicular and
horizontal angles. The telephone and telegraph systems
were disrupted. And the great water mains had burst. All
the shrewd contrivances and safeguards of man had been
thrown out of gear by thirty seconds’ twitching of the
earth-crust.
Detailed reading
5
By Wednesday afternoon, inside of twelve hours, half
the heart of the city was gone. At that time I watched the
vast conflagration from out on the bay. It was dead calm.
Not a flicker of wind stirred. Yet from every side wind was
pouring in upon the city. East, west, north, and south,
strong winds were blowing upon the doomed city. The
heated air rising made an enormous suck. Thus did the fire
of itself build its own colossal chimney through the
atmosphere. Day and night this dead calm continued, and
yet, near to the flames, the wind was often half a gale, so
mighty was the suck.
Detailed reading
6
Wednesday night saw the destruction of the very
heart of the city. Dynamite was lavishly used, and many of
San Francisco’s proudest structures were crumbled by man
himself into ruins, but
there was no withstanding the
onrush of the flames. Time and again successful stands
were made by the firefighters and every time the flames
flanked around on either side, or came up from the rear,
and turned to defeat the hard won victory.
Detailed reading
7 An enumeration of the buildings destroyed would be a
directory of San Francisco. An enumeration of the
buildings undestroyed would be a line and several
addresses.
An enumeration of the deeds of heroism
would stock a library and bankrupt the Carnegie medal
fund. An enumeration of the dead ― will never be made.
All vestiges of them were destroyed by the flames. The
number of the victims of the earthquake will never be
known. South of Market Street, where the loss of life was
particularly heavy, was the first to catch fire.
Detailed reading
8
Remarkable as it may seem, Wednesday night, while
the whole city crashed and roared into ruin, was a quiet
night. There were no crowds. There was no shouting and
yelling. There was no hysteria, no disorder. I passed
Wednesday night in the path of the advancing flames, and
in all those terrible hours I saw not one woman who wept,
not one man who was excited, not one person who was in
the slightest degree panic-stricken.
Detailed reading
9
Before the flames, throughout the night, fled tens of
thousands of homeless ones. Some were wrapped in
blankets. Others carried bundles of bedding and dear
household treasures.
Sometimes a whole family was
harnessed to a carriage or delivery wagon that was
weighted down with their possessions. Baby buggies, toy
wagons and go-carts were used as trucks, while every other
person was dragging a trunk. Yet everybody was gracious.
The most perfect courtesy obtained. Never, in all San
Francisco’s history, were her people so kind and courteous
as on this night of terror.
Detailed reading
10
All night these tens of thousands fled before the
flames. Many of them, the poor people from the labor
ghetto, had fled all day as well. They had left their homes
burdened with possessions. Now and again they lightened
up, flinging out upon the street clothing and treasures they
had dragged for miles.
Detailed reading
11
They held on longest to their trunks, and over these
trunks many a strong man broke his heart that night. The
hills of San Francisco are steep, and up these hills, mile
after mile, were the trunks dragged. Everywhere were
trunks, with across them lying their exhausted owners, men
and women. Before the march of the flames were flung
picket lines of soldiers. And a block at a time, as the flames
advanced, these pickets retreated. One of their tasks was
to keep the trunk-pullers moving. The exhausted creatures,
stirred on by the menace of bayonets, would arise and
struggle up the steep pavements, pausing from weakness
every five or ten feet.
Detailed reading
12
Often, after surmounting a heart-breaking hill, they
would find another wall of flame advancing upon them at
right angles and be compelled to change anew the line of
their retreat. In the end, completely played out, after
toiling for a dozen hours like giants, thousands of them
were compelled to abandon their trunks. Here the shopkeepers and soft members of the middle class were at a
disadvantage. But the working-men dug holes in vacant lots
and backyards and buried their trunks.
Detailed reading
13
At nine o’clock Wednesday evening, I walked down
through the very heart of the city. I walked through miles
and miles of magnificent buildings and towering skyscrapers.
There was no fire. All was in perfect order. The people
patrolled the streets. Every building had its watchman at
the door. And yet it was doomed, all of it. There was no
water. The dynamite was giving out. And at right angles two
different conflagrations were sweeping down upon it.
Detailed reading
14 At one o’clock in the morning I walked down the same
section. Everything still stood intact. There was no fire.
And yet there was a change. A rain of ashes was falling. The
watchmen at the doors were gone. The police had been
withdrawn. There were no firemen, no fire-engines, no
men fighting with dynamite. The district had been
absolutely abandoned.
Detailed reading
15
I stood at the corner of Kearney and Market, in the
very innermost heart of San Francisco. Kearney Street was
deserted. Half a dozen blocks away it was burning on both
sides. The street was a wall of flame.
And against this
wall of flame, silhouetted sharply, were two United States
cavalrymen sitting their horses, calmly watching. That was
all. Not another person was in sight. In the intact heart of
the city two troopers sat their horses and watched.
Detailed reading
16
Surrender was complete. There was no water. The
sewers had long since been pumped dry. There was no
dynamite. Another fire had broken out farther uptown, and
now from the three sides conflagrations were sweeping
down. The fourth side had been burned earlier in the day.
In that direction stood the tottering walls of the Examiner
Building, the burned out Call Building, the smouldering
ruins of Grand Hotel, and the gutted, devastated,
dynamited Palace Hotel.
Detailed reading
What are “all the cunning adjustments of a twentiethcentury city” and what are “all the shrewd contrivances
and safeguards of man”? (Paragraph 4)
Here they refer to all the scientific and technological
inventions made by human intelligence, such as
modern constructions, transportation and
communication systems, and defense works established
against natural disasters. Though people are “cunning”
and “shrewd,” they are still too weak to fight against
the might of nature. These two words are used with a
touch of irony to emphasize the great disparity in
strength between man and nature.
Detailed reading
Is it self-contradictory when the author writes “not a
flicker of wind stirred. Yet from every side wind was
pouring in upon the city”? Why or why not? (Paragraph 5)
No. Away from the burning city, it was dead calm.
Inside it, however, the flames were becoming more and
more rampant and the heated air became lighter and
lighter and rose continuously. Thus a discrepancy of air
pressure was formed. Consequently, under the higher
pressure from outside, air was pouring in upon the city
where the atmospheric pressure was lower.
Detailed reading
How did man’s efforts to combat the conflagration turn out?
(Paragraph 6)
It was very hard or even impossible for man to halt the
advancement of the flames. His efforts to combat the
conflagration turned out to be useless.
Detailed reading
Why does the author say “an enumeration of the dead －
will never be made”? (Paragraph 7)
As the author sees it, it will be impossible to know the
exact number of the victims of the earthquake because
all their traces have been erased by the flames.
Detailed reading
Can you tell why lines of soldiers were flung before the
march of the flames? (Paragraph 11)
One of the tasks of the soldiers was to keep the trunkpullers moving so as to reduce the loss of lives in the
disaster.
Detailed reading
Why did man give in completely at the end of the
campaign against the conflagration? (Paragraph 16)
Man had tried his best to fight against the flames, and
yet the conflagration was getting all the more rampant.
Moreover, water and dynamite, with which the firemen
fought against the flames, were exhausted. As a result
they had no choice but admit defeat.
Detailed reading
Group discussion:
Have you ever witnessed a natural disaster (storm,
flood, snow storm, or earthquake, etc.)? Have you ever
read any works or seen any movies about a natural
disaster? Share your direct or indirect experiences with
your partner.
Detailed reading
conflagration: n.
an extensive fire which destroys a great deal of land
or property
e.g. A conflagration in 1947 reduced 90 percent of the
houses to ashes.
Towards evening the conflagration was got under.
Detailed reading
wrought:
beaten out or shaped by hammering
e.g. wrought iron 熟铁
a carefully wrought plan 一项精心制定的计划
Detailed reading
wipe out: v.
kill in large numbers or eliminate completely and
without a trace
e.g. The local administration is determined to wipe out
insect pests and plant diseases.
The plague once could wipe out a village.
鼠疫曾一度可以夺走整个村庄村民的生命。
Detailed reading
nabob: n.
a person of conspicuous wealth, status and power
e.g. The old nabob left the world with nothing like
anyone else.
Synonym:
big boy, big cheese, big wheel, bigwig,
fat cat, heavy hitter, heavyweight, highmuck-a-muck, kingfish, kingpin, big shot,
nawab
Detailed reading
fringe: n.
(often the fringes) the outer, marginal, or extreme part
of an area, group, or sphere of activity
e.g. They have to live in rural-urban fringe.
他们不得不住在城乡结合部。
They live on the western fringe of London.
Detailed reading
lurid: a.
very vivid in colour, esp. so as to create an unpleasantly
harsh or unnatural effect
e.g. lurid colours
鲜明的色彩
lurid details of the accident
这次事故惊人的细节
Translation:
火红的晚霞
_________________
a lurid sunset
关于分娩，她向我们做了令人毛骨悚然的描述。
She gave us a lurid description of the birth.
________________________________________________
Detailed reading
ghetto: n.
a part of a city, esp. a slum area, occupied by a minority
group or groups
e.g. This is a realistic novel about ghetto life.
这是一部描写贫民窟生活的现实主义小说。
The district is now largely a black ghetto.
Detailed reading
debris: n.
[U] scattered pieces of rubbish or remains
e.g. The sea tided the ship debris ashore.
The blast sent flaming debris into the air.
爆炸产生的碎片飞溅入空中。
Detailed reading
contrivance: n.
a thing which is created skillfully and inventively to serve
a particular purpose
e.g. a mechanical contrivance 机械发明
an automatic contrivance 自动装置
Derivation: contrive v.
make or work out a plan for; devise
e.g. Can you contrive to be there by six?
He can always contrive ways to amuse the children.
Detailed reading
dynamite:
n. a high explosive consisting of nitroglycerine mixed
with an absorbent material and typically moulded
into sticks
e.g. The bridge was blown with dynamite.
v. blow up sth. with dynamite
e.g. Rescuers are ready to dynamite the barrier lake.
Detailed reading
lavish:
a. sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious
e.g. Lavish promise is followed by poor performance.
诺言过多，信守必少。
v. expend profusely
e.g. The young couple lavish too much care on their
only child.
Derivation: lavishly ad.
Detailed reading
crumble: v.
cause sth. to break apart into small fragments
e.g. The masonry of the old building began to crumble.
旧楼房的砖石结构开始崩落。
Colors fade, temples crumble, empires fall, but wise
words endure.
颜色会褪、庙宇会倒、帝国会垮，可明智的话却不朽。
Synomyms:
decompose, decay, disintegrate, break
Detailed reading
withstand: v.
offer strong resistance or opposition to sb. or sth.
e.g. They can withstand severe tests.
These materials are found capable of withstanding
high temperature and high pressure.
Detailed reading
flank:
v. attack down or from the sides, or rake with gunfire
from the sides
e.g. Flank right!
攻击右翼！
n. the side of military or naval formation
e.g. By the left flank, march!
向左转，齐步走！
Detailed reading
enumerate: v.
mention one by one; determine the number or
amount of
e.g. The errors are too many to enumerate.
错误太多，不胜枚举。
Can you enumerate the capitals of the 50 states?
你能把五十州的首府列举出来吗？
Synomyms:
count , number , numerate
Detailed reading
vestige: n.
a trace of sth. that is disappearing or no longer
exists
e.g. No vestige of a change appeared.
There had not a vestige of the abbey remains.
修道院的遗迹已荡然无存。
Detailed reading
hysteria: n.
exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion or excitement,
esp. among a group of people
e.g. Eventually the hysteria died down.
最后狂暴情绪平息了下来。
News of the victory produced mass hysteria.
胜利的消息令大众情绪激动万分。
Derivation: hysterical a.
marked by excessive or uncontrollable emotion
e.g. hysterical laughter
歇斯底里的笑声
Detailed reading
panic-stricken: a.
frightened
e.g. The panic-stricken fled in all directions.
惊慌的人群向四面八方逃去。
The panic-stricken mother is looking for her child.
Word formation: -stricken: attacked by
e.g. earthquake-stricken area
drought-stricken area
poverty-stricken area
flood-stricken people
grief-stricken chimpanzee
Detailed reading
baby buggy and go-cart
Babybuggy: (AmE) a baby carriage
go-cart: (or: go-kart) a small racing
car with a lightweight or skeleton
body; light handcart
Detailed reading
gracious: a.
courteous, kind, and pleasant, esp. towards sb.
of lower social status
e.g. Nancy is gracious even to unexpected visitors.
南希甚至对不速之客也很有礼貌。
Thanks for your gracious reception!
谢谢您的热情接待！
Detailed reading
fling: v.
throw or hurl forcefully
e.g. fling a door open
fling up vain attempt
放弃徒劳的尝试
Synonym:
hurl, sling, throw, cast, pitch, toss, throw
Detailed reading
smoulder: v.
burn slowly with smoke but no flame
e.g. It took hours for the ruins to smoulder out.
废虚燃了几个小时才烧尽。
Her eyes smoulder with jealousy.
她的眼睛燃着嫉妒的光。
Detailed reading
Nothing remains of it but memories and fringe of dwelling
houses on its outskirts. (Paragraph 2)
Paraphrase:
Except for some dwelling houses on its outskirts, San
Francisco has almost completely disappeared from
the world and only remains in people’s memories.
Detailed reading
There was no withstanding the onrush of the flames.
(Paragraph 6)
Paraphrase:
Nothing could stop the forceful advancement of the
flames.
Detailed reading
An enumeration of the deeds of heroism would stock a
library and bankrupt the Carnegie medal fund.
(Paragraph 7)
Paraphrase:
The courageous deeds in the firefighting would fill up a
library if related in writing and exhaust the Carnegie
medal fund if rewarded.
Detailed reading
Sometimes a whole family was harnessed to a carriage
or delivery wagon that was weighted down with their
possessions. (Paragraph 9)
Paraphrase:
Sometimes all members of a family fastened
themselves with straps to a carriage or delivery wagon
that was heavily loaded with their possessions.
Detailed reading
And against this wall of flame, silhouetted sharply,
were two United States cavalrymen sitting their horses,
calmly watching. (Paragraph 15)
Paraphrase:
Two United States soldiers sat astride on their horses
and calmly watched the conflagration, their shapes
contrasting sharply with the wall of flame behind them.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Word derivation
Word practice
Synonym / Antonym
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Choose the word that can replace the underlined part
in each sentence without changing its original meaning.
1) There is a great deal of interest in harnessing wind and
waves as new sources of power.
A. tackling B. controlling C. coordinating D. utilizing
2) The government must continue to safeguard and grow
the reserves because their country has no oil or other
natural resources to turn into ready cash.
A. maintain B. preserve
C. defend
D. retain
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
3) A recent CNN poll shows twenty-three percent of
respondents labeling hackers as useful, fifty-two
percent seeing them as a menace.
A. trouble
B. threat
C. pitfall
D. disaster
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
harness: exploit the power of
e.g. 人类一直在寻求利用自然力量和资源的途径。
Human beings have been seeking ways of
harnessing natural forces and resources.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
safeguard: make safe
e.g. 我们已采取措施以防遭到空袭。
We have taken measures to safeguard our city
from air attack.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
menace: person or thing that threatens
e.g. 房子外面的大窟窿对孩子们的安全是个威胁。
The big hole outside the house is a menace to
children’s safety.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
1) withdraw v. → withdrawal n.
e.g. 我收回我的批评。
I withdraw my criticism.
警方被迫进行战术撤退。
The police were forced to make a tactical
withdrawal.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
2) adjust v. → adjustment n.
e.g. 请调整焦距。
Please adjust the focus.
这部机器易于调节。
This machine is easy of adjustment.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
3) enumerate v. → enumeration n.
e.g. 这项研究罗列出这种情况的长期并发症。
This study enumerates the long-term
complications of the condition.
摘要列举一个论题的主要部分。
A summary is an enumeration of the main parts
of a subject.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
4. hysteria n. → hysterical a. → hysterically ad.
e.g. 她瘦削的双肩在歇斯底里发作时痉挛地颤动着。
Her thin shoulders were shaking convulsively in
hysteria.
事故发生后他们变得歇斯底里。
They became hysterical after the accident.
阿加莎的母亲又一次神经质地尖叫起来。
Agatha’s mother screamed again, hysterically.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
5) courtesy n. → courteous a. → courteously ad.
e.g. 彬彬有礼，惠而不费。
Courtesy costs nothing.
她无论什么时候都彬彬有礼，乐于助人。
She was unfailingly courteous and helpful.
得体的行为举止也体现在你能及时有礼貌地处理信件。
Good manners also dictate that you handle
your mail promptly and courteously.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
6. devastate v. → devastation n.
e.g. 他们企图一举摧毁全城。
They intended to devastate the town at one
stroke.
浩劫后的恢复工作要历时数年。
It can take years to recover from the devastation.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
7) disrupt v. → disruptive a. → disruption n.
e.g. 这场冲突可能导致政府垮台。
The conflict seemed likely to disrupt the
government.
只要有几个爱捣乱的学生, 就能把全班搅乱。
A few disruptive students can easily ruin a class.
那件事导致了家庭的破裂。
The incident led to the disruption of the family.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
8) vacant a. → vacancy n.
e.g. 这家旅馆没客人。
The hotel is vacant.
这个空缺已经被补上了。
The vacancy has already been filled.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
1. All the shrewd contrivances and safeguards of man had
been thrown out of gear by thirty seconds’ twitching of
the earth-crust.
Synonym: inventions, creations, innovations
2. Thus did the fire of itself build a colossal chimney
through the atmosphere.
Synonym:
enormous, immense, mammoth
3. Dynamite was lavishly used.
Antonym:
economically, thriftily, frugally, sparingly
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
4. The exhausted creatures struggled up the steep
pavements, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet.
Antonym: smooth, level, even
5. In the end, completely played out, after toiling for a
dozen hours like giants, thousands of them were
compelled to abandon their trunks.
Synonym:
plod, drudge, labor
6. Yet everybody was gracious. The most perfect courtesy
obtained.
Antonym: unsociable, discourteous, ill-mannered
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
7. But the workingmen dug holes in vacant lots and
backyards and buried their trunks.
Synonym: plot, patch
8. Nothing remains of it but memories and fringe of
dwelling houses on its outskirts.
Synonym:
edge, boundary, margin
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Inversion
Determiners
Oral activities
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Inversion
In formal English, it is quite common to use inversion
after negative adverbial expressions and restrictive words
such as only, never, hardly and little for the purpose of
emphasis.
For example:
At no time did I say I would accept late homework.
Not until January will I have a holiday.
Little did I know that he was a compulsive liar.
Only then did I know what I had got myself into.
Seldom have I seen him looking so miserable.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice:
Invert the following sentences.
1. She knows little what surprises we have in store for her.
Little does she know what surprises we have in store for
her.
2. You should be absent from your seminars on no account.
On no account should you be absent from your
seminars.
3. A movie rarely makes you feel so warm and so uneasy at
the same time.
Rarely does a movie make you feel so warm and so
uneasy at the same time.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
4. I have never seen such awful behaviour before.
Never before have I seen such awful behaviour.
5. They learn his terrible secret only later.
Only later did they learn his terrible secret.
6. She didn’t realise how serious it was until the next
morning.
Not until the next morning did she realise how
serious it was.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Determiners
Determiners are a class of words functioning in a noun
phrase to identify or distinguish a referent without
describing or modifying it. Determiners, in English, form a
closed class of words and phrases that number about 50
(not counting the cardinal numerals) and include:
• Alternative determiners: another, other, somebody else
• Articles: a, an, the
• Cardinal numbers: zero, one, two, fifty, infinite
• Degree determiners/Partitive determiners: many, much,
few, little, several, most
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those, which
• Disjunctive determiners: either, neither
• Distributive determiners: each, every
Vocabulary
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Elective determiners: any, either, whichever
Equative determiners: the same
Evaluative determiners: such, that, so
Exclamative determiners: what (eyes!)
Existential determiners: some, any
Interrogative and relative determiners: which, what,
whichever, whatever
Multal determiners: a lot of, many, several, much
Negative determiners: no, neither
Paucal determiners: a few, a little, some
Personal determiners: we (teachers), you (guys)
Possessive determiners: my, your, our, his, her
Quantifiers: all, few, many, several, some, every,
each, any, no
Sufficiency determiners: enough, sufficient, plenty
Uniquitive determiners: the only
Universal determiners: all, both
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Some determiners can only modify a specific type or
form of nouns.
For example:
much weight [uncountable noun]
many chances [plural form of a noun]
every morning [sigular form of a noun]
a few students [plural form of a noun]
little hope [uncountable noun]
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice:
1. How _____
C money did they steal ?
A. a little
B. few
C. much
D. many
2. A _____
D of elephants destroyed the plants.
A. little
B. troop
C. pack
D. herd
3. On Sundays there is not _____
B traffic along this road.
A. many
B. much
C. few
D. several
4. He has spilt _____
D ink on his clothes.
A. many
B. few
C. any
D. a little
B of spectators cheered the players.
5. A _____
A. staff
B. crowd
C. crew
D. gang
6. It rained heavily. Only _____
C children came to school.
A. much
B. many
C. a few
D. few
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Translation
1. 我整个上午的工作都由于那件不幸之事而陷于停顿。
(out of gear)
If sth. is out of gear, it doesn’t work.
My whole morning’s work has been put out of gear
by that mishap.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
所有事情似乎都出了问题。
Everything seems out of gear today.
全国因总统遇刺陷入混乱。
The whole country was thrown out of gear by the
assassination of the President.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
2. 他躲在树丛中，终于甩掉了追赶的人。(fling off)
If you fling off sth., you get away from it.
By hiding himself among the bushes, he at last flung
off his pursuers.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
那个罪犯企图甩掉警察。
The criminal tried to fling off the police.
春天到了, 脱去笨重的冬装真让人高兴。
It’s good to fling off heavy clothing now
that spring is here.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
3. 我们应该尽力消除制度中不公正的东西。(wipe out)
When you wipe out sth., you get rid of it totally.
We must make every effort to wipe out the injustice
in the system.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
我们需要彻底解决公司里存在的问题。
We need to wipe out the problems that have been
existing in this company.
我们要消灭一切敢于入侵的敌人。
We will wipe out all the enemies who dare to intrude
into our country.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
4.士兵们坚守在那个孤立无援的阵地上，直到援兵到来。
(hold on to)
If you hold on to sth., you cling to it and refuse to
lose grip or give up.
The soldiers held on to that isolated position until
reinforcements arrived.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Practice：
保持优势
hold on to a favorable position
坚持己见
hold on to one’s own views
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
5.在所有的事实面前，他不得不承认偷了那份绝密文件。
(compel)
If you are compelled to do sth., you are forced to do
it unwillingly.
In front of all the facts, he was compelled to admit
that he had stolen that confidential document.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
没有什么可以迫使我做这样的事。
Nothing can compel me to do such a thing.
所有的学生都必须填写这个表格。
All students are compelled to fill out this form.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
6.他不会说英语，这使他在参加国际会议的时候处于不利的
地位。(at a disadvantage)
If you are at a disadvantage, you are less likely to
succeed than other people.
His inability to speak English puts him at a
disadvantage when he attends international
conferences.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
过剩人力使这家公司处于极为不利的困境之中。
Overmuch manpower puts the company at a great
disadvantage.
他把货亏本卖出去。
He sells his goods at a disadvantage.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
7.这个地方几英里内都看不到一个人，这使我感到十分孤独。
(in sight)
If sb. or sth. is in sight, it is at or within a
reasonable distance for seeing.
Here there was no one in sight for miles, which made
me feel very lonely.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Practice：
胜利在望。
Victory is in sight.
丰收在望。
A bumper harvest is in sight.
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
8. 1945年5月初，即使是希特勒最狂热的支持者也都明白
“千年帝国” （Thousand Year Reich）是注定要毁灭的。
(doomed)
If sb. or sth. is doomed, they are marked by or
promising bad fortune.
At the beginning of May 1945, it was clear even to the
most zealous of Hitler’s followers that his “Thousand
Year Reich” was doomed.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Practice：
他们的计划注定要失败。
Their plan is doomed to failure.
建立在金钱基础上的婚姻是肯定要破裂的。
A marriage built on money is doomed to break.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Dictation
Cloze
Oral activities
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Dictation
You will hear a passage read three times. At the first
reading, you should listen carefully for its general idea.
At the second reading, you are required to write down
the exact words you have just heard (with proper
punctuation). At the third reading, you should check
what you have written down.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Dictation
The first time I was personally introduced to lightning,
/ I was flying between Puerto Rico and the American
continent. / Had I not been in an airplane, / I might not
be alive now to describe the experience.
We had just ridden through three minutes of violent
storm. / As I was beginning to wonder / how much longer
the wings of the airplane could stand the terrible tossing,
/ suddenly it happened. / The inside of the plane lit up /
like an electric light. / The light lasted less than a
thousandth of a second, / yet huge green sparks jumped
all over the cabin. / The radioman was knocked to the
floor, / and the hairs on the back of his head stood out
stiffly.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
The lightning bolt had evidently struck the trailing
wire of our radio / and followed it to the tail of the
airplane, / then on to the radio itself, / which was
severely damaged.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Cloze
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud — a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
After years of dangerous work in the sky, scientists were
at
(6)
_____
lastable to reveal the thunderstorm to have quite
a complex
(7). In some ways, it is similar to
________
nature
animal nature, since it has been discovered to be composed
___
of (8) cells that grow and join together and multiply.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
“More exactly” is the short form of “If we explain it
more exactly”.
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud – a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
The context indicates that the heat of thunder comes
“from” the thunderclouds.
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud – a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
In terms of logic, an adverb “even” that expresses
concession is required here.
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud – a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Both “not … until” and “not … before” are acceptable
here.
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud – a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Here “it” refers to “the thundercloud”.
The simplest way to explain a thunderstorm is to say that
________ (1),
exactly
it is a violent expression of the clouds. More
thunder is the result of a great heat bursting forth
from (2) the thundercloud – a heavy, tall mass of cloud
______
rising in formations resembling the shapes of towers and
mountains.
______
Even (3) in ancient times, it was understood that great
violence occurred in the thundercloud, but no one was able
to measure the power of this cloud ______________
before/until (4) the
twentieth century. Only the airplane made it possible for man
___
it (5) roar.
to enter the thundercloud to see what makes
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
The phrase “at last” means “eventually” or “finally”,
which implies the difficult process of achieving sth.
After years of dangerous work in the sky, scientists were
at
(6)
_____
lastable to reveal the thunderstorm to have quite
a complex
(7). In some ways, it is similar to
________
nature
animal nature, since it has been discovered to be composed
of (8) cells that grow and join together and multiply.
___
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
According to the context, especially “animal nature” in
the following sentence, here we should fill in “nature”.
After years of dangerous work in the sky, scientists were
at
(6)
_____
lastable to reveal the thunderstorm to have quite
a complex
(7). In some ways, it is similar to
________
nature
animal nature, since it has been discovered to be composed
___
of (8) cells that grow and join together and multiply.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Collocation “be composed of” means “be made up of”.
After years of dangerous work in the sky, scientists were
at
(6)
_____
lastable to reveal the thunderstorm to have quite
a complex
(7). In some ways, it is similar to
________
nature
animal nature, since it has been discovered to be composed
___
of (8) cells that grow and join together and multiply.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Giving a talk
Having a discussion
Writing
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Giving a talk
On May 12, 2008, a deadly earthquake, measuring
magnitude 8, occurred in Sichuan province, killing at
least 68,000. Its main tremor lasted for around 3 minutes,
but strong aftershocks continued to hit the area even
months after the main quake. Try to tell your classmates
a touching story that happened during or after the
earthquake.
Words and phrases for reference:
maternal love, when rescuers found her, death posture,
kneeling on both knees, the entire upper body forward,
baby lying under her body, asylum, survive, a written
message, remember that I love you
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Topic: 2004 Indonesian Earthquake, Tsunami, 2005
Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, USA, and the list still goes
on and on. Throughout modern history, the failure to cope
with Mother Nature has resulted in catastrophic
consequences, from wrecked economies to thousands of
lives lost. Even though modern technology improves
forecasts, Nature still gets the upper hand every now and
then. Have a discussion with your classmates on what
measures should be taken to reduce the damage and
losses caused by earthquakes.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Viewpoints for reference:
In conclusion, education is society’s best tool in
minimizing the effects of earthquakes.
Seismologists have instruments, including the
seismograph, that record earthquake movement to further
study the emerging patterns.
Earthquake prediction, based on the time interval
between body and surface waves, is still primitive, yet
promising.
Engineers have also conducted research about building
structure in relation to earth movement.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
You might have experienced or heard of a natural
disaster in your hometown or somewhere else in our
country.
Write a 250-word composition about it. In the first part,
make a general statement about what happened. In the
second part, describe the damage caused by the disaster.
And in the third part, talk about the measures taken by
the central and/or local government to rescue the lives
of the people.
Vocabulary
Grammar
Translation
Integrated skills
Oral activities
Writing
Outline:
1. a disaster in my hometown
2. the damage caused by the disaster
 Death toll rises.
 Buildings are ruined.
 Property loss is great.
3. the measures taken by the central and/or local
government to rescue the lives of the people
 Rescuers continue to search for survivors three days
after the disaster.
 The Red Cross Society allocates relief funds and goods
to the stricken region.
 The investigation is done by experts.
Text II
Memorable quotes
Lead-in question
Text
Questions for discussion
Text II
Memorable quotes
Lead-in question
How do people usually react in a disaster?
a. Desperately.
b. Calmly.
c. Numbly.
d. Hysterically.
Text II
Memorable quotes
MEMORIES OF THE SAN FRANCISCO
EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE
DeWitt C. Baldwin
1
Shortly after five the morning of April 18, 1906, I woke
up to dress quickly and have an hour’s practice on the piano.
At about five fifteen, I had gotten as far as sitting up with
my feet over the side of the bed when totally unexpectedly
the house began to shake violently. I heard dishes break
from different parts of the house; furniture moved at the
violence of the shock.
Text II
Memorable quotes
2
I ran across the hall to our parlor from which I had
heard crockery and glassware falling off a shelf or a glass
cabinet. There I saw the upright piano where I was about
to practice on. It shifted about a foot and a half away from
the wall.
3
Then I quickly dashed down the hall to see the
effects of the earthquake. I especially wanted to talk to my
parents. My elder sister Helen was awakened by the
earthquake, but she was still in her room. When I saw her I
asked her where our parents and my baby sister were. She
hurriedly informed me that “Mother grabbed Virginia and
they ran downstairs for safety under the front door.”
Text II
Memorable quotes
4
I was quite excited so I raced to the front windows to
look out. There I noticed some people running up and down
our street while others were curiously peering out their
windows. We all hurried back to our rooms to get dressed.
5
Mother and Father hastily got breakfast ready.
Around quarter of eight we were at our table eating and
talking over immediate plans when suddenly a second fairly
strong earthquake shook the house again. Very soon after
the
second tremors sirens began to wail at different
directions of the city. This indicated to us that local fires
had started.
Text II
Memorable quotes
6
As soon as breakfast was over I requested Mother’s
permission to go outside our back wooden stairs. (School
had already been called off that time.) I was curious to see
the nearest fire at the corner of 22nd St. and Mission St.
7
As I ran across Valencia St., I noticed on my left down
Valencia St. a small old three-story hotel. The first story
had partly sunk in the earth while the second and third had
fallen out into the street. That was the first structural
destruction I had witnessed.
Text II
Memorable quotes
8
I had hardly gone on to Mission St. when I came
across a large crowd
watching a huge department store
ablaze. I observed how the firemen desperately attempted
to bring the fire under control. After surveilling some time
and listening to tales from different folks who were there
to see the fire, I turned back home and on the way
collected information about other fires from distant places
in the city.
Text II
Memorable quotes
9 Not until mid-afternoon did the first grim experience
of the earthquake and the subsequent fires strike me. As I
went out on our street, Dolores St., the sidewalk began to
fill up with people from all parts of the city. They were
carrying a load of possessions they considered important to
them. There were sights that were a bit laughable to me as
a boy. It seemed that some had left their homes quite
hurriedly that they had not selected carefully the things to
carry with them or that some had not expected to return
that they were carrying their whole possessions with them.
Folks were carrying bundles, boxes, trunks and even a bird
cage. I saw mothers carrying their babies and little children
hanging on to their parents’ hands. These lines of people
overflowed the sidewalks and were going toward the
mountains beyond the Mission area of the city. As the day
went on I saw many things that entertained me.
Text II
Memorable quotes
10 My parents forbade me to go down near the Ferry
building or any distant part of the city. They thought it far
too dangerous for any boy to be wandering about, but still
I was out on the street most of the time. Father was too
busy downtown and Mother’s hands were too full with the
baby to take care of, so I managed to be where the action
was.
11 With boys my own age, I wandered as far as I dared to
explore some
destruction sites and get a view of local
fires. In some places there were gaps on the ground. Some
were about one foot to five feet wide narrowing toward
the inner earth. They seemed anywhere from two feet to
over twenty-five feet deep, just
like a crevice.
Sometimes when I dared to peer down the fissure I would
see fallen things inside. At times I couldn’t see anything
because the crack was frightfully deep and dark.
Text II
Memorable quotes
12 All through the night of the first day great numbers of
people were constantly passing by our house evacuating
toward the Mission area. On the second day U.S. soldiers
were dispatched to every part of the city to keep peace and
order, to prevent looting, and to implement emergency
regulations set by the Mayor and the City Council.
13 The morning of the third day came and
many fires
were still in progress. Many structures in our neighborhood
were destroyed and leveled to the ground, such that one
could stand at the foot of Market St. and look as far as the
eye could see to the east and to the west. By this time fires
were still raging to the east of Market St. and toward the
Mission area, likewise in several areas reaching toward the
Golden Gate Park.
Text II
Memorable quotes
14 Later that day as the fires continued, we were ordered
to evacuate our homes and find shelter on the hills.
At this point the gravity of the situation began to dawn
on me. “This is getting serious,” I said to myself. The fire
had threatened the very place we lived. The whole
situation set me thinking of the frailty or the
incompleteness of the power of man
relative to the
power of nature.
Text II
Memorable quotes
15
Our family was very fortunate to be provided with a
small market wagon. My father being an officer of the
United Railroads of San Francisco, was able to get us what
we called a spring wagon to take us and all important
possessions on our journey. Hastily Mother packed a small
trunk with all the baby’s needs that we could bring, a few
blankets and some provisions. Soon all of us were on the
wagon. Going by Valencia St. looking as far as I could see
down the road,
I watched the flames bursting on both
sides meeting each other on the street.
Text II
Memorable quotes
16 That sight and the knowledge that soon the flames
would reach our home before morning really gave me
serious thoughts about the uncertainty of life.
My heart
developed sober seriousness as to what the situation would
mean to us and what it had meant to others. As a boy of
eight I had been around the city many times. I was
acquainted with the city and I loved it. San Francisco was
really a part of me and to say good-bye to it like that
surprised me and made me think of what was ahead of us.
17
One of the other sad thoughts I had was this. I began
to feel sorry that others did not have the same
transportation. For me as a boy, the seriousness of the fire
and all that it meant was gradually flooding my mind. My
mind was then filled with genuine concern for others. I felt
so desirous to help in whatever way I can.
Text II
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18 Two lasting impressions were imbedded in my mind
the third day. As I looked beyond Mission St.,
I saw a
powerful blaze consuming everything before it. I began to
think of the destructive power of fire and realized that fire
was more destructive of man and his environment than any
cause I had known then. Later that day when we were
ordered to leave our houses to find places of refuge
somewhere on the hills so the authorities could better
handle the spreading menace, I began to realize as never
before the importance of food, shelter and protection.
19
By daybreak of the fourth day folks stirred and
started the day with the problem of finding the water for
their needs.
Text II
Memorable quotes
20
In the middle of the day a man arrived on horseback
to communicate to us the good news from one of the
centers of command in the city. We learned that the night
before, a decision was reached to dynamite every house on
the block ahead of the fire to make it difficult for the
flames to spread across the street. Consequently the fire
was controlled at the block of the 20th St. and those who
lived beyond that block were allowed to go back to their
homes.
Text II
Memorable quotes
About the text ― This text is abridged from an article
with the same title. This article can be found in the
Museum of the City of San Francisco.
Text II
Memorable quotes
About the author ― DeWitt C. Baldwin was born in 1898
and died in 1992. When the earthquake took place, the
author was only eight years old. In this article written in
1988, he also said the following things to tell the reader
how he felt about the earthquake as a child: “These
eighty-two years later I find it difficult to describe my own
personal feelings about the earthquake that day. As an
eight-year-old boy I was not frightened then by the actual
earthquake. The tremor and the noise of the breakage did
not disturb me. That for me was just a more destructive
one than I had known. The rest of the family were quite
excited and nervous, but I was not afraid. I guess I felt
secure in the knowledge that the house and the family
would be all right. Even so, I sensed the seriousness of the
situation and I saw the severity of it for many people. My
attitude was one of excitement, curiosity and a great
desire to see and hear all I could.”
Text II
Memorable quotes
second tremors (Paragraph 5) ― another round of minor
quakes
Text II
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grim experience (Paragraph 9)― very unpleasant
experience
Text II
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destruction sites (Paragraph 11) ― places that had been
destroyed
Text II
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like a crevice (Paragraph 11)― like a narrow opening
Text II
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… many fires were still in progress. (Paragraph 13)
― … many fires were still going on.
Text II
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relative to the power of nature (Paragraph 14)
― compared with the power of nature
Text II
Memorable quotes
watching a huge department store ablaze (Paragraph 8)
― watching a big department store burning
Text II
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At this point the gravity of the situation began to dawn
on me. (Paragraph 14)― At this moment I began to
realize the seriousness of the situation.
Text II
Memorable quotes
I watched the flames bursting on both sides meeting each
other on the street. (Paragraph 15)― I watched the
flames that were coming from both sides and merging on
the street.
Text II
Memorable quotes
My heart developed sober seriousness as to what the
situation would mean to us and what it had meant to
others. (Paragraph 16)― I became aware of the serious
consequences the situation would bring to us and other
people.
Text II
Memorable quotes
I saw a powerful blaze consuming everything before it.
(Paragraph 18)― I saw a powerful fire eating up everything
on its way.
Text II
Memorable quotes
1. What were the reactions of each member of the
Baldwin family when the earthquake and fire came?
The father, as an officer of the United Railroad of San
Francisco, thought that he might be needed so he went
to his office in the downtown area; the mother’s hands
were too full with the baby to take care of; the author
managed to wander as far as he dared to explore the
earthquake and collect information about the fires.
Only on the third day were the family ordered to
evacuate their homes and find shelter on the hills. And
in the middle of the fourth day they were allowed to go
back to their homes.
Text II
Memorable quotes
2. Try to find the sentences in the article that express
the thoughts which the earthquake and fires brought
to the eight-year-old boy’s mind.
“The whole situation set me thinking of the frailty or
the incompleteness of the power of man relative to the
power of nature.”
“That sight and the knowledge that soon the flames
would reach our home before morning really gave me
serious thoughts about the uncertainty of life.”
“San Francisco was really a part of me and to say goodbye to it like that surprised me and made me think of
what was ahead of us.”
Text II
Memorable quotes
“For me as a boy, the seriousness of the fire and all
that it meant was gradually flooding my mind. My mind
was then filled with genuine concern for others. I felt
so desirous to help in whatever way I can.”
“I began to think of the destructive power of fire and
realized that fire was more destructive of man and his
environment than any cause I had known then.”
“I began to realize as never before the importance of
food, shelter and protection.”
Text II
Memorable quotes
3. In what ways are Text I and Text II in this unit
mutually supportive?
1) The time they told for the outbreak of the
earthquake, i.e. 5:15 a.m., a Wednesday in 1906, in
their articles, is identical.
2) They give similar descriptions of the destructive
force of the earthquake and the flames.
3) They give similar descriptions of the reactions of
the victims.
Text II
Memorable quotes
1.Calamity is man’s true touchstone.
— Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher
2. Fate is not satisfied with inflicting one calamity.
— Publilius Syrus
Text II
Memorable quotes
Questions for discussion
What should we do after a disaster to reduce damage?
Suggested points:
Wait for an all-clear announcement before leaving your
home or shelter.
Check people around you for injuries. Begin first-aid and
seek help if necessary.
Restrict telephone use to emergency calls.
Avoid collapsed or deteriorated buildings.
Food that came in contact with flood waters may be
contaminated and should be discarded.
Debris in the streets, downed power lines and flooding
may make driving hazardous.
Text II
Memorable quotes
How to recover after a disaster?
Suggested points:
Recovering Emotionally
People may experience fear concerning their safety or
that of a loved one, shock, disbelief, grief, anger and guilt.
Memory problems, anxiety and/or depression are also
possible after experiencing a disaster.
Recovering Financially
If possible, avoid making major financial decisions during
this time and do not hesitate to seek psychological
counseling to help deal with the trauma. Some financial
issues, however, must be addressed without delay.
Checking Your Home
If you had to leave your home, return only when local
authorities advise that it is safe to do so.
Checking Utilities and Major Systems
Checking specific systems such as telephones, electrical
systems, climate control systems and plumbing.
Text II
Memorable quotes
Francis Beaumontand (1584－March
6, 1616) was a dramatist in the
English Renaissance theatre, most
famous for his collaborations with
John Fletcher.
John Fletcher (1579－1625) was a
Jacobean
playwright.
Following
William Shakespeare as house
playwright for the King’s Men, he
was among the most prolific and
influential dramatists of his day;
both during his lifetime and in the
early Restoration, his fame rivaled
Shakespeare’s.
John Fletcher
Text II
Memorable quotes
Publilius Syrus, a Latin writer of
maxims, flourished in the 1st
century B.C. He was a Syrian who
was brought as a slave to Italy, but
by his wit and talent he won the
favor of his master, who freed and
educated him.
Notation (type here)