Unit Five

Cruelty

Objectives:Students will be able to : grasp the main idea and the

structure of the text get the knowledge about how to read

fiction master the key language points and

grammatical structures in the text conduct a series of reading, listening,

speaking and writing activities related to the theme of the unit

How to read fiction Every work of fiction, either a novel or a short story, has two levels of meanings:

the literal or surface meaning and the deeper meaning underlying the human experience

of the story.

Literal meaning plot setting characters point of view

How to read fiction 1. PLOT The action that takes place in the story. It

is a series of connected happenings and their

result. The stages of plot usually goes like the following:

Rising Action Climax Resolution Conflict

How to read fiction 2. SETTING The background against which

the incidents of the story take place. Not merely a place, it includes the place where, the time when, and social conditions under which the story

moves along.

How to read fiction

3. CHARACTERS The persons who initiate or go throug

h the events of the plot. Their qualities emerge and your understanding of them develops as the story progresses.

How to read fiction 4. POINT OF VIEW The position from which the writer views his or her subjects. There are two common points of view in telling stories:

– Third-person narration: most writers use the third- person, that is , he, she, or they

– First-person narration: stories told by the first-person narrator “I”. The narration, as a result, is limited to the observations, feelings, and behavior of this character.

How to read fiction

Usually stories do more than show characters in a particular place and time. Most serious stories develop a theme, a deep meaning underlying the surface of the story. And the key to understanding the second level of meaning is experience —— experience in living and experience in reading fiction.

How to read fiction Short Stories

CharacteristicsShort — Can usually be read in one

sitting.Concise — Information offered in the

story is relevant to the tale being told. This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot.

Usually tries to leave behind a single impression or effect. That means the story is, though not always, built around one character, place, idea, or act.

How to read fiction

Short StoriesCharacteristicsBecause they are concise, writers

depend on the reader bringing personal experiences and prior knowledge to the story.

《 Three-Character Classic 》

人之初　 性本善　 性相近 习相远

Men at their birth,are naturally good.Their natures are much the same;their habits become widely different.

Lead-in ActivityRanking activity1. What are the determining forces in

shaping human nature? genes, family, parenting,

schooling, peers, socioeconomic factors…2. Work in groups to rank these forces

in descending order of importance and also explain why.

3. Each group should have a group leader to report the result of the discussion to the class.

Which is more important in shaping a person’s character?

Nature Nurture

Internal Causes

External Causes

Ranking activity — the determining forces in shaping human nature:

?

Nature VS. Nurture

Genes Family Parenting Schooling Peers Socioeconomic factors …

A FRIEND IN NEED

Somerset Maugham

Contents

1. About the author 2. Questions about Text A3. Understanding Text A4. Text Analysis5. Writing Analysis6. Useful Expressions7. Word Study8. Information about Text B9. Assignment

1. About the author

Somerset Maugham (1874-1965):

an English writer considered to

be one of the best writers of short stories in the English

language. He also wrote plays and novels. His novels and short stories are characterized by great narrative facility, simplicity of style, and a disillusioned and ironic point of view.

Somerset Maugham was born in Paris. He learned French as his native language. At the age of 10, Maugham was orphaned and sent to England to live with his uncle.

Maugham then studied medicine in London for six

years. He qualified in 1897 as doctor from St. Thomas' medical school but abandoned medicine after the success of his first novels and plays.

Maugham lived in Paris for ten years as a struggling young author. His first novel, Liza of Lambeth appeared in 1897, and drew on his experiences of attending women in childbirth. His first play, A Man of Honor, was produced in 1903. Four of his plays ran simultaneously in London in 1904. Maugham's breakthrough novel was the semi-autobiography Of Human Bondage《人性的枷锁》 (1915), which is usually considered his outstanding achievement.

2. Questions about the text ? What event inspires our narrator

to tell this story?

? What kind of person is Edward Hyde Burton?

? What is the function of Mr. Turner in this story? Is it effective? What are other possible ways one might provide the same effect in a story?

? Is there a surprise ending in this story? Why or why not?

2. Questions about the text

? What is the theme of this story? Support your answer.

? Are there any examples of irony in this story? Explain.

? Are there examples of foreshadowing in this story? Explain.

3. Understanding the Text

Part One (Para.1) Main Idea:

Function:

It is not easy job to judge people, for they aren’t always what they appear to be.

To raise a puzzle for readers to think about.

Language Points:

shrug my shoulders: to raise the shoulders, especially as a gesture of doubt, lack of respect, or indifference.

or: say sth. with a shrug

3. Understanding the Text

Part Two (Para. 2-3) Main Idea:

Function:

Kind and gentle, Edward Burton, a wealthy merchant, appeared as if he could not bear to hurt a fly.

To leave a deep impression to readers what kind of person Burton looks like.

Language Points: “both in appearance and manner he suggested a

very definite type” 无论是外表还是风度，他都让人想到一种非常明确的类型。

suggest: to make someone think that a particular thing is true

syn. indicate e.g. Trends in spending and investment suggest

a gradual economic recovery.evidence/results/data/studies etc suggest(s) that e.g. Opinion polls suggest that only 10% of the p

opulation trusts the government.

3. Understanding the Text

Part Three (Para. 4- 51) Main Idea:

Function:

As it turned out, Burton was cold-blooded enough to send a friend to certain death.

To reveal Burrton's real personality which is just contradicting to what he looks like.

Language Points:

(Prar.6) “I nodded a greeting.”nod: to move your head up and down, especia

lly in order to show agreement or understanding

nod your approval/agreement etc (=show your approval etc by nodding)

have a nodding acquaintance (with sth.) to know a little about a subject but not a lo

t

Language Points: (Para.30) "I got some glimmering of what he was

driving at.” I could see what he was trying to say.glimmering: a small sign of thought or feeling e.g. The glimmerings of an idea began to

come to him.

“I've known too many men who were little tin gods at their university to be impressed by it.”

I have known too many men who were so self-esteemed that I wouldn’t be impressed by it.

Sections

Para. Mainly about

One 4-16

Two 17-31

Three 32- 51

Further Analysis of Part Three

What Edward knew about Lenny.

How Edward responded to Lenny’s request.

How Edward, a “kind” gentleman, handled a friend in desperate need.

4. Text Analysis1. Who narrates Part I and Part II?

2. Who narrates Part III?

Part I and Part II are narrated by “I”, who offers his subjective opinion of Burton's character.

Yet in Part Three Burton himself takes over the narration to tell what happened between him and a friend in trouble. He sounds cool and objective; just because of this he is shown to be so vicious and so cold-blooded.

4.Text Analysis

3. Is the ending of the story surprising? 4. Which sentence reveals Burton’s vicious

nature to the full?

5. What does the author want to convey to

the readers of the story? Possible answers:

Yes or No ???

The last one or ???

Appearances can be deceptive.

The cruelty of human beings.

5. Writing Analysis Literary devicesIrony: Writers use irony to keep

readers alert —— helps avoid predictability, and often leaves an impression on the reader.

Are there any examples of irony in

this story?

5. Writing Analysis

Literary devicesForeshadowing: Many stories, despite

an ending that may surprise some, have left clues through the story.

Are there examples of

foreshadowing in this story?

5. Writing Analysis

Literary devicesContrast: When contrasts abound, it

is hard for readers to easily predict what will happen next.

What is the biggest contrast in the story?

6. Useful Expressions1) 他这人很自大

2) 亲口听他讲的这个故事

3) 衣着整洁素雅，合乎他的年龄和身份

4) 和睦恩爱的一家人

He has great vanity.

hear the story from his lips

be neatly and quietly dressed in accordance with his age and station

a united and affectionate family

6. Useful Expressions 5) 引起人们的恻隐之心 6) 你觉得他甚至连只蚂蚁都不忍伤害。 7) 点头致意

8) 身体状况不太好

9) 对…… 有一种本能

arouse your instinct of protection

You felt that he could not bear to hurt a fly.

nod a greeting

not in very good condition

have an instinct about ……

6. Useful Expressions10 ）穷困潦倒

11) 临阵脱逃

12) 对付不了

13) 喝酒作乐把身体搞垮

be down and out

funk it at the last moment

more than one can manage

ruin one’s constitution by drink and dissipation

7. Word Study

deceptive

mild

commit

constitution

be (all) of a piece

deceptive : adj.(1)something that is deceptive seems to be one thing bu

t is in fact very different （骗人的，靠不住的） e.g. Gwen's students may look angelic, but appearances can be deceptive .(2) intended to make someone believe something that i

s not true （虚假的） e.g. misleading and deceptive adverts deception: n the act of deliberately making someone believe some

thing that is not true e.g. She didn't have the courage to admit to her dece

ption. He was convicted of obtaining money by deceptio

n .

deceive: v. (1) to make someone believe something that is

not true ￚ synonym trick e.g. He had been deceived by a young man claiming to be the son of a millionaire. [deceive somebody into doing something] e.g. He tried to deceive the public into thinking

the war could still be won. [deceive somebody about something] e.g. I wouldn't deceive you about anything as important as this.

deceit: n. dishonest behavior that is intended to trick someone e.g. The whole relationship was based on lies and dec

eits. deceitful: adj. behaving dishonestly in order to trick people ( 骗人的，

欺诈的 ) deceiver noun [countable] deceptively adverb

mild: (1) not strong / severe 不强烈 / 不剧烈 e.g. They were both suffering a mild heart attack. There was a note of mild alarm in her voice. 她的声音中带有一丝惊恐。 A mild punishment / criticism (2) (about weather) warm and pleasant e.g. a mild winter / climate (3) (about food) not strong or hot-tasting e.g. a mild curry ( 淡味的咖喱 )

(4) (about drugs / cosmetics) very gentle and not likely to have any bad effects e.g. a mild soap that is kind to your skin (5) not large or extreme e.g. The joke caused mild amusement. 这个笑 话有些可笑。 (6) (about person) gentle e.g. Jerry gave the impression of being a rather mild man. Nick spoke in a mild voice.

commit (1) to do something wrong or illegal e.g. commit a crime / murder / a robbery / suicide (2) make sb. agree or promise to do sth. [commit (sb.) to (doing) sth.] e.g. The scholarship commits students to teaching in public schools. 奖学金指定学生们必须在公立学校教学。 I don’t want to commit to any particular date. 我不想定下具体的日期。

(3) decide to have a permanent relationship (like marriage) with sb. e.g. He is not ready to commit. 他还没准备好结婚。(4) decide to use money, time, people etc for a particular purpose [commit something to something] e.g. A lot of money has been committed to this project. 大量的经费投入到这个项目中。(5) order someone to be put in a hospital or prison [commit somebody to something] e.g. The judge committed him to prison for six months.

(6) agree to do sth important [commit oneself to (doing) sth / to do sth.] e.g. The government committed itself to reduce /reducing taxes. 政府已经允诺减轻赋税。 He committed himself to the antiwar movement. 他专心致力于 /献身于反战运动。 (7) other expressions commit sth to memory : memorize commit sth. to paper: write down

constitution: (1) the physical makeup of a person: 体质一个人的身体特质：

e.g. She was born with a strong constitution. 他天生长就好的体格 He has a weak constitution. 他体质弱。(2) 宪法 e.g. The right to speak freely is written into the Constitution of the United States.(3) the parts or structure of something构造 , 构成部分 e.g. the constitution of the committee

be (all) of a piece: 成为一个整体 (与 ...) 一致 e.g. The style of the book is all of a piece, in both illustrations and text. 这本书图文的风格一致。 be/go (all) to pieces: [ 作表语 ]疲惫不堪的 ; 神经受撼动的 , 失去控制力的 e.g. He just went to pieces after his wife died. I was so nervous in my driving test that I went all to piece.

Ernest Hemingway(1899-1961)born on 21st July 1899 in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. At the age of 17 Hemingway published his first literary work. He died aged 61 in 1961, of self inflicted gun shot wounds. He was a world-renowned US writer of novels and short stories. He created a style of writhing using short, simple sentences, and received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954.

8. Information about Text B

Hemingway’s four major novels — The Sun Also Rises 《太阳从这里升起》 A Farewell to Arms 《永别了武器》 For Whom the Bell Tolls 《丧钟为谁而鸣》 The Old Man and the Sea 《老人与海》

The text “A Man of the World” is taken from The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway.

A MAN OF THE WORLD

a man of the world: someone who has had many experiences and is not easily shocked.

9. Writing Assignment

Write a Character Analysis about “Blindy”. Your writing should follow the following outline.

Character Analysis

I. Introduction: 1. Author and title 2. Character and setting 3. Summary statementII. Body: 1. Character’s trait (1) 2. Evidence # (action and thoughts) 3. Character’s trait (2) 4. Evidence # (action and thoughts) ……III. Conclusion: Restatement of the main idea.