BTLEW Lesson 10 – The Green Banana Part Three ENTER BTLEW

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Lesson 10 – The Green Banana

Part ThreePart Three

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Text Text AppreciatioAppreciationn


I. Text analysis

1. General analysis

2. Theme

3. Structure

4. Further discussion

II. Sentence paraphrase

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Plot of the story

Setting of the story

Protagonists of the story

Theme of the story

I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisHave you got

the key elements in the

story?

To be continued on the next page.

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Plot: ”my” experience in a small

Brazilian village and what “I” concluded

Setting: a small village in the central

area of Brazil

Protagonists: an American traveler

(“I”), several Brazilian people

Theme of the story: go to the next page

I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis

For reference.

The end of General Analysis.

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We should respect

all civilizations in

the world.

Wisdoms are to be

discovered with an

open mind to other

cultures.

Theme of the story

The end of Theme.

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Part 1 (paras. 1— ) about:

Part 2 (paras. — ) about:



Structure of the text

4 The story of the “green bananas”.

What the author learned: We should respect all civilizations in the world.

The end of Structure.

5 8

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What is “learning moments”? Have you ever experienced “learning moments”? Have you ever heard of or encountered the experience of cultural differences? List the examples.

The occasion called for some show of recognition on my part. (para. 3) What does this sentence mean?

… trying to show interest if not complete acceptance. (para. 3) Does the author agree with the villagers?

I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisFurther discussion about the story

To be continued on the next page.W

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… its time had come to meet my need. … It was my own time that had come, all in relation to it. (para. 5) “It was my own time” to do what? Why is it, in the author’s opinion, that many useful things remain unknown to us? Who is to blame?

But once a conscious breakthrough to a second center is made, a lifelong perspective and collection can begin. (para. 7) What does he mean by the “second center”? Which is the first center? How can we make a conscious breakthrough to a second center? What does he mean by “perspective” and “collection”?


Further discussion about the story


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What’s the use of “green bananas” in the text?




Green bananas are first used as something to stop the leak of the jeep temporarily and then as a symbol of the unknown treasures of each civilization.

W

For Reference

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When the author says we should

leave our own centers of the world,

does he mean we should travel to other

countries more often?




The author believes that every nation has good things to offer to the rest of the world. It is therefore wrong to regard any nation as inferior. We should reject ethnocentrism and adopt cultural relativism.

For Reference

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in the central area of Brazil, steep mountain

road

jeep stopped

stopped for help

went on

reached destination

special potential of green bananas

importance of the rock

Cultural Cultural

relativismrelativism




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Beginning

Ending

Climax

Development

learning experience(paras.5-8)

Telling the first part of the Story:

Story (Narration

)

The end of Text Analysis.



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II. Sentence II. Sentence Paraphrase 1Paraphrase 1

My ancient jeep was straining up through beautiful countryside when the radiator began to leak. (para. 1)

When the radiator started to drip, my old jeep was trying hard to climb up the mountain in the picturesque rural area.

the infinitive

as object

go to 2

to strain: to try very hard

radiator: the part of a car which prevents the engine from getting too hot ( 散热器 )

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The over-heated engine forced me to stop at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a few houses that were scattered here and there. (para. 1)

Due to the high temperature of the engine, I had to stop at the next village, which contained a small shop and several houses that were loosely distributed.

infinitive

as object complement

go to 3

over-heated: too hot

consist of: contain; be made of

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He patted me on the shoulder, assuring me that everything would work out. (para. 1)

He patted my shoulder, confirming that all the things would be resolved.

telling me that something is sure to happen or is definitely true

go to 4

=patted my shoulder

More Examples


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II. Sentence II. Sentence ParaphraseParaphrase

Similarly:

1. to wound sb. in the leg= to wound one’s leg

2. to hit sb. at the back= to hit one’s back

back to 3

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I did not ask them, though, as that would show my ignorance. (para. 2)

However, I did not inquire about the reason,since it would reveal my lack of knowledge.

go to 5

an adverbial clause of reason

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He, in turn, inspected me carefully, as if to make sure I grasped the significance of his statement. (para. 3)

in a proper order

Then he examined me with great caution in the way of ensuring that I understood the importance of his words.

The infinitive is used in a set construction.

go to 6

with the appearance of;

apparently

More Examples

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II. Sentence II. Sentence ParaphraseParaphrase

1.He looked as if he had seen a ghost. (followed by a clause)

2. She cleared her throat as if to speak. (followed by an infinitive)

3. He was standing by the window as if waiting for somebody. (followed by a present participle)

back to 5

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I looked to see if he was teasing me, but his face was serious. (para.3)

I looked in order to find out whether he was joking, but he seemed deeply earnest.

infinitive

as adverbial

go to 7

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They then refilled my radiator and gave me extra bananas to take along in case my radiator should give me trouble again. (para. 4)

Then my radiator was filled again by them and I was provided with more bananas as a precaution my radiator should leak again.

infinitive

as attribute

go to 8

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As a product of American education, I had never paid the slightest attention to the green banana, except to regard it as a fruit whose time had not yet come. (para. 5)

As someone educated in the United States, I

naturally had never paid any attention to the

green banana, except to take it as a fruit

which was not yet ripe or which was not yet

ready to be picked and eaten.go to 9

The tone is humorous and self-mocking.

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It was my own time that had come, all in relation to it. (para. 5)

It was me who had come to know the green bananas, and everything connected with it. According to the author, every civilization has special geniuses (symbolized by the green banana), which have existed for many years. But they will not come to your notice and benefit you until and unless you are ready to go out and meet them.

go to 10

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II. Sentence II. Sentence Paraphrase Paraphrase 1010 I had been wondering for some time about what educat

ors like to call “learning moments”, and I now knew I had just experienced two of them at once. (para. 5)

refers to the two “learning moments”

The two things that suddenly dawned on him are: the fact that every civilization has wonderful treasure to share with others and the idea that every village, town, region or country has a right to regard itself as the center of the world.

infinitive

as object

go to 11

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II. Sentence II. Sentence Paraphrase Paraphrase 1111I had at first doubted their claim, as I knew for a fact

that the center was located somewhere else in New England. (para. 6)

The author obviously was born and brought

up in New England. Therefore he had

always regarded it as the center of the

world.

go to 12

adverbial clause of reason

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II. Sentence II. Sentence Paraphrase Paraphrase 1212

The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. (para. 8)

The green bananas have become a symbol of hidden treasures from every culture. For proper understanding of a piece of writing, it is often important to notice such symbolic language and to know what the symbols stand for.

The end of Sentence Paraphrase.

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BTLEW Lesson 10 – The Green Banana Part Three ENTER BTLEW