Unit 12Unit 12 University Days(book4)University Days(book4)Unit 12Unit 12 University Days(book4)University Days(book4)

Contents• I Background • II Questions• III Main idea• IV The Writing style• V Language points• VI Translation of difficult sentences• VII Discussion• VIII Homework

I Background• About the author:• James Thurber ( 1894-

1961), US essayist, short story writer, cartoonist, and was considered the best American humorist since Mark Twain. He is known for the irony, satire, and whimsical humor of his stories about ordinary American

Background• life.Thurber lost one eye in

a childhood accident, but despite that he had a very successful writing career. Since 1927 Thurber started a long-term cooperation with the magazine New York til his death in 1961, and contributed a lot to the terse clear and fresh style of the magazine..

Background • His stories were objective, his language was clear and

easy to understand, and his style was of a common touch, from which the reader can sense his humor and satire. He dealt with the frustrations of modern world. Altogether Thurber published over 30 books of short stories,including My Life and Hard Times.Thurber's best-known characters are Walter Mitty, his snarling wife, and silently observing animals. His stories have influenced later writers, such as Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller. Thurber is generally acknowledged as the greatest American humorist since Mark Twain

Culture background

• Raphael(1483-1520):

• Italian painter and architect. He was a major artist of the Italian Renassance and one of the finest religious painters in the history of art.

Background• His works are distinguis

hed by their gentle rounded forms,harmonious colours,and balanced design, all of which give an effect of serene beauty. Together with his contemporaries, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, he is considered one of the three artistic geniuses of his age.

II Discussion• Judge the statements for Ture or False.• 1.One of the reasons why the writer couldn

ot pass botany was that he could not see flower cells through a microscope.

• 2.The writer often enraged the instructor on purpose because he did not like botany.

• 3.The writer liked economics a little better than botany.

III main idea• This passage unfolds to the reader two aw

kward episodes of the writer’s university days, one about himself, and the other about a student named Bolenciecwcz.

• The writer disliked botany because no matter how hard he tried to adjust the microscope,he simply could not see anything through it,and was often blamed by the instructors, who also got angry for this.

Main idea• Episode I• The writer disliked the botany laboratory classes in

which he could not see any flower cells under a microscope; and, for that reason, he was given a deferred passed for botany.

• Episode II• In the economics class, there was a student who was

very slow at his studies. In spite of the prompting from the professor and his fellow students, he could not even give “train” as an example of a means of transportation.

• was he able to answer this question.

IV The Writing style

• The writer limits his story to two episodes so that the focus of the story is clear.he also narrows his story to cover two university courses, botany and economics.

• The writer’s transitions enable the reader to understand how focus shifts from the story in himself to the story in his classmate.

• At the start of the story, he makes a straightforward and emphatic announcement o fthe situation so as to bring the reader directly into the heart of the problem.

The writing style

• The writer makes use of different scenes to convey new information, thus clarifying the theme.

• The writer employs both onomatopoia and dialogue to bring yet more life into his narration.

• The writer uses a touch a satire and comic exaggeration to depict the behabiour of the botany professor in order to ridicule him. The humorous details may make us smile, but at the same time the story raises a serious point– how should students best be taught?

V Language points

• 1.enrage: to make angry, different from outrage(noun)• Eg: his arrogance enraged her. • 2.clockwork n. mechanism inside a clock• a clockwork toy• like clockwork ：• 3.His head snapped up.--- he suddenly raised his head.• 4. claiming that I could too see through a microscope –saying that it was tru

e that I could also see through a microscope• claim-say that it is true or that it is a fact ,though there is no proof • Examples:• He claimed that it was it he who had found a solution to the problem. (Altho

ugh others may not believe him.)• Wang claimed that he was from Jiangxi, though he spoke with a distinct Anh

ui accent.

Language points• 5. …but he would always end up in a fury,…—but he would always become very angry in the end.

• end up—be or become in the end• More examples:• Having over-indulged in drinking and dissipation, Lenny Burton ended up a

loser in life.• A small weak animal ending up prey to a predator is a common occurrence i

n the jungle.• 6. We are not concerned with beauty …..-We are not interested in beauty• be concerned with –be involved or interested; be about. Examples;• The Brown sisters don’t seem to be concerned with women’s liberation.• His new book is concerned with romanticism in English literature.• Cf .be concerned about /for –be anxious /worried /upset about. Examples;• She was greatly concerned about her son who had not written home for mont

hs.• Dora’s colleagues were all concerned for her ill health.

Language points• 7. the mechanics of flars –the structure of flowers and the w

ay in which flowers grow mechanics –the way in which something works or is done

• flars is the corrupted pronunciation of “flowers”.• 8 、 now and a ： now and then; 不时地，时常。 Nebulous:

adj 云雾似的，模糊不清的。• 9 、 a deferred pass –a postponed pass• a pass –the completing of a university course with an exami

nation standard that is acceptable but not good enough for honours.

• When the writer “took a deferred pass”, it means that he would mot get a pass for botany until he waited for another year ,took the course again, and passed the examination.

Language points• 10. cut off – stopped, discontinued• 11 、 to quiver all over ：浑身哆嗦。 Lionel Barrymore ：（ 1

878—1954 ）， American actor. 12. hold onto his temper ：忍住火，不发脾气。

• hold onto –stay in control of; not to lose Examples;• Mary was frightened at the sight of the hungry lion in search

of his prey, but she managed to hold onto herself and didn’t scream. Otherwise, the lion would have pounced upon her immediately.

• Though he was not in good health ,he held onto his job and refused to retire.

• 12. His head snapped up.—He suddenly raised his head

Language points• 13. his scenes with me had taken a great deal out of him –his outbursts of a

nger had used up all his strength .• 14. lacteal opacity – something milk-like which could not be seen through• Cf, a nebulous milky substance –something indistinctive like milk• 15. variegated ：（ adj. ）形形色色的。 a constellation of ：一群，……的荟

萃。• 16. losing control of his temper –becoming angry; not being able to control

his temper, Control can combine with different prepositions for different contexts.

• Examples;• Man finds it difficult to be in full control of the environment.• The old man’s heart trouble was brought under control.• The aeroplane went out of control and crashed .• What you propose to do is beyond my control.

Language points• 17. I went to that class straight from the botany class.• straight—without delay, immediately• More examples:• As we are pressed for time, I'll come straight to the point.• The Boeing 767 will take you straight to Now York without touching dow

n in Japan.• 18. None gave him more hints, in answering questions, or asked him simpler

ones than the economics professor, a thin, timid man named Bassum.—This is an example of using a comparative adjective to express a superlative degree.

• More examples:• None left behind more questions for experts to answer than Master Willia

m Shakespeare.• No one was more capable as a basketball coach than Butler at that time.

VITranslation of Difficult Sentences

• Its art is the art of social life, and its end is fitness for the world.

• 它的学问就是社会生活的艺术， 它的目的就是适应世界。

• It neither confines its views to a particular profession on the one hand, nor creates heroes or inspire genius on the other.

• 一方面它的视野不手某写特定职业的限定，另一方面它也不创造英雄或激励天才。

Translation of difficult sentences

• Works indeed of genius fall under no art; heroic minds come under no rule;

• 真正的天才之作不囿于技巧；英雄的头脑不墨守成规。

Translation of difficult sentences

• It is the education which gives a man a clear, conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in urging them.

• 是教育给予人们清醒明了的个人观点和判断力，以及发展这些观点的真理，表达观点的口才，进行判断的力量。

Translation of difficult sentences

• He has a repose of a mind which lives in itself, while it lives in the world, and which has resources for its happiness at home when it cannot go abroad.

• 他心态平和，与环境和睦相处。即使不能云游四海，他心里也能自得其乐。

VII Discussion• Divide the Ss into groups and ask them

to discuss the following topics:• what is the Thurber’s main idea aboui

t this text?• do you agree with him?why or why not?• what is your view about the university

days?

VIII Homework

• 1. Finish the exercises in the textbook and workbook

• 2. Search the relative information about today’s university life around you and share them with your partners.

• 3. Writing: You are given the title: “A university Education” for a composition according to the outline given below, with some cues for each paras.

The End

Thank You!