monk only a short time ago. They do it in order to bring merit to their parents (THAM BUN").A boyisnotamanifhehasn'tbeenamonkonceinhislife.EventheKingofThailandRama9hadbeena monkforonemonth.Inolddaysthisperiodwasthreemonths.Now it canbeonlyafewweeksorafewdays.Somefamiliesstill refusetomarrytheirdaughterifthefuturehusbandhasn'teverbeenamonk.Itmeans that he isn't ripe enough. Ordination is an important part of life in Thai society.A boy thatbecomes a monk (PHRA") for a few months is making a really good action towards his parents.Monks represent the Lord Buddha.When Thai peoplegreet a monk or even a novice, they greetthe Lord Buddha's teachings.In abus, seats in the back arereserved to monks.If a woman issittingthere,she shouldleavebecausea womancannottoucha monk.TextAnalysis1.Style:essay(inaverybroadsense)orinterviewTheinterviewees:afarmerandhiswife(note: Since the World War ll it has become popularfor writers to interview people,record whatthey say and, after some, not too much, editing, publish these people's stories in book form.)2.Stylisticfeaturecolloquial:straightforward language, short sentences,small and easy words3.ThemeofthestoryThe text tells about the deep regret of the old people over the loss of traditional values and the wayoflife.4.Structure of the textPartIthewife'sspeechparas.1-3)Thewifetells usbrieflyabout herfamilyandhowall her childrenleft.(paras. 47)This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can't adjust to.Partllthefarmer'sspeech(paras.8-11)The farmer tells about what he thinks are the root of all evils and what joys he finds in life andfarming.5.What'sthemessageoftheland?It's our history, our culture, our tradition and our life. In a word, it is our root which we cannot livewithout.SentenceParaphrase1.Myhusbandmoved intoourhousesas is thewaywithus inEsarn.(1)"As" introduces a defining relative clause and functions as its subject, representing what is stated inthe main clause.(Whenwegot married)my husband came to live in ourhouse.It was thetradition here inEsarnthat the bridegroom should come to live with the bride'sfamily1). As is known to all, Taiwan belongs to China. (as-subject of the clause)2). As is often the case, girls learn a language more quickly than boys.(as-subjectofthe clause)2.The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them. (1)The rest :the remaining people; the otherstwoboys and twogirls:appositiveof"therest'afford to :to have enough money to doOur other children-two boys and two girlsleft as soon as we had the money to buy them jeans.1).Your father, a proud and unbending man, refused all help that was offered him.2).Playingfootball,hisonlyinterestinlife,broughthimmanyfriends.3). A dry lightning storm, that is, a thunderstorm without rain, started a fire in a remote part of theforest in August.3.It's easier for my husband. He has ears which don't hear, a mouth which doesn't speak, and eyesthat don't see. (2)Newsabout my children'sproblemsdoesn't makemyhusband as sadasme.Hedoesn'tbotherabout what is happening around us and to our children.Henever says anything about them.4.He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life. (2)minding:take careof;attendtoHe'salwaysbeenpatientandtalkslittle.Hejustdoeshisdutyandcarriesonhislife5.Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, gettingoldandexhausted.(3)Our land is getting poorer with each passing year, like us who are getting old, weak and tired
monk only a short time ago. They do it in order to bring merit to their parents ("THAM BUN"). A boy is not a man if he hasn't been a monk once in his life. Even the King of Thailand Rama 9 had been a monk for one month. In old days this period was three months. Now it can be only a few weeks or a few days. Some families still refuse to marry their daughter if the future husband hasn't ever been a monk. It means that he isn't ripe enough. Ordination is an important part of life in Thai society. A boy that becomes a monk ("PHRA") for a few months is making a really good action towards his parents. Monks represent the Lord Buddha. When Thai people greet a monk or even a novice, they greet the Lord Buddha's teachings. In a bus, seats in the back are reserved to monks. If a woman is sitting there, she should leave because a woman cannot touch a monk. Text Analysis 1.Style: essay (in a very broad sense) or interview The interviewees: a farmer and his wife (note: Since the World War II it has become popular for writers to interview people, record what they say and, after some, not too much, editing, publish these people’s stories in book form.) 2.Stylistic feature colloquial: straightforward language, short sentences, small and easy words 3.Theme of the story The text tells about the deep regret of the old people over the loss of traditional values and the way of life. 4.Structure of the text Part I the wife’s speech paras. 1—3)The wife tells us briefly about her family and how all her children left. (paras. 4—7)This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can’t adjust to. Part II the farmer’s speech (paras. 8—11) The farmer tells about what he thinks are the root of all evils and what joys he finds in life and farming. 5.What’s the message of the land? It’s our history, our culture, our tradition and our life. In a word, it is our root which we cannot live without. Sentence Paraphrase 1. My husband moved into our houses as is the way with us in Esarn. (1) "As" introduces a defining relative clause and functions as its subject, representing what is stated in the main clause. (When we got married) my husband came to live in our house. It was the tradition here in Esarn that the bridegroom should come to live with the bride’s family. 1). As is known to all, Taiwan belongs to China. (as—subject of the clause) 2). As is often the case, girls learn a language more quickly than boys. (as—subject of the clause) 2.The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them. (1) The rest :the remaining people; the others two boys and two girls :appositive of "the rest" afford to :to have enough money to do Our other children—two boys and two girls—left as soon as we had the money to buy them jeans. 1).Your father, a proud and unbending man, refused all help that was offered him. 2).Playing football, his only interest in life, brought him many friends. 3). A dry lightning storm, that is, a thunderstorm without rain, started a fire in a remote part of the forest in August. 3.It’s easier for my husband. He has ears which don’t hear, a mouth which doesn’t speak, and eyes that don’t see. (2) News about my children’s problems doesn’t make my husband as sad as me. He doesn’t bother about what is happening around us and to our children. He never says anything about them. 4.He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life. (2) minding :take care of; attend to He’s always been patient and talks little. He just does his duty and carries on his life. 5.Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and exhausted. (3) Our land is getting poorer with each passing year, like us who are getting old, weak and tired
1)Theysentustheirstatement,hopingtogetoursupport.2) They went on with their struggle, thinking theirs was a just cause.3).Not having received an answer,he decided to write another letter to them.4).Thedoctor,notwishingtomakehernervous,didnotfullyexplaintheseriousnessofhercondition.6.... but in a bad year, it's not only the ploughs that break but our hearts too. (3)... but when there is a drought, the land is so hard that the ploughs break. And we become very,very sad.1)Itwasthepolicemanthat/whocaughtapickpocketonNo.933busyesterday.(Thesubject isemphasized.)2)ItwasapickpocketthatthepolicemancaughtonNo.933busyesterday.(Theobjectisemphasized.)3).It was onNo.933bus that thepoliceman caughtapickpocketyesterday.(Theadverbial of placeisemphasized.)4. It was yesterday that the policeman caught a pickpocket on No.933 bus.(The adverbial of timeisemphasized.)7.Shops have sprung up, filled with colorful plastic things and goods we have no use for. (4)Many shops appear in a short time.In these shops there are lots of colorful plastic things andthings that are useless for us.1) The men, soaked with sweat from an all-night march, immediately went into action.2) The substance, discovered almost by accident, has revolutionized medicine.3) The book, written in 1957, tells of the struggle of the miners.8.if that kind of thing had happened when I was young,the whole village would have condemnedsuch an ungrateful son, and his fatherwould surely have given him a good beating.(6)Inmydayifaboyhadscreamedathismother,thewholevillagewouldhavescoldedhimforhislackofgratitude,andhisfatherwouldcertainlyhavepunishedhim.9.Yes, this bag of bones dressed in rags can still plant and reap rice from morning till dusk. (7)It's true I'm not strong and my clothes are full of holes, but I can still work in the rice fields all day10.My eyes do seethey see more than they should. My ears do hear-they hear more than isgoodforme.(8)I'm not whatmywifesaysIam.I do seeand hear-l seeand heartoomuchevil,too manyuglyand terrible things, things that I wish I did not have to see and hear. And this is not good for me.1)Hedrankmorethan (what)wasgoodforhim.2) Kate meant more than (what) was said.3)Someof thestorieswerereallymorethan (what)could bebelieved.11.It'sgoodtosmellthescentofripeningriceinNovember.Thesoftcoolbreezemovesthesheaves, which ripple and shimmer like waves of gold. (11)Theripeningriceissopleasanttosmell inNovember.Inthesoftcoolbreeze,thesheavesmoveandshineinthesunlikeagoldensea1) They were infuriated by this insulting demand.2)No soakingrainfell intheperiod.3)Our industry is developing at an astonishing speed.12.Yes,IlovethislandandIhopeoneofmychildrencomesbackonedaytolive,andgivesmegrandchildren so that I can pass on the land's secret message to them.Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children returns one day to live on it, and produces a lotofgrandchildrenformesothatI can tell them whatthis land means tous.It is ourhistory,ourculture, our tradition, and our life.Phrases and expressions1.now and then: now and again; occasionallyExamples:Nowand thenweheard shots inthewoodsHe loses his tempernowand then, but not often.Ihearfromhimeverynowandthen.2.mind one's own...:to take care of one's...Examples:Will you mind my bag while I buy my ticket?I wasmindingmyownwork when herushed in
1) They sent us their statement, hoping to get our support. 2) They went on with their struggle, thinking theirs was a just cause. 3). Not having received an answer, he decided to write another letter to them. 4). The doctor, not wishing to make her nervous, did not fully explain the seriousness of her condition. 6. but in a bad year, it’s not only the ploughs that break but our hearts too. (3) . but when there is a drought, the land is so hard that the ploughs break. And we become very, very sad. 1) It was the policeman that/who caught a pickpocket on No. 933 bus yesterday. (The subject is emphasized.) 2) It was a pickpocket that the policeman caught on No. 933 bus yesterday. (The object is emphasized.) 3). It was on No.933 bus that the policeman caught a pickpocket yesterday. (The adverbial of place is emphasized.) 4. It was yesterday that the policeman caught a pickpocket on No. 933 bus. (The adverbial of time is emphasized.) 7.Shops have sprung up, filled with colorful plastic things and goods we have no use for. (4) Many shops appear in a short time. In these shops there are lots of colorful plastic things and things that are useless for us. 1) The men, soaked with sweat from an all-night march, immediately went into action. 2) The substance, discovered almost by accident, has revolutionized medicine. 3) The book, written in 1957, tells of the struggle of the miners. 8.If that kind of thing had happened when I was young, the whole village would have condemned such an ungrateful son, and his father would surely have given him a good beating. (6) In my day if a boy had screamed at his mother, the whole village would have scolded him for his lack of gratitude, and his father would certainly have punished him. 9.Yes, this bag of bones dressed in rags can still plant and reap rice from morning till dusk. (7) It’s true I’m not strong and my clothes are full of holes, but I can still work in the rice fields all day. 10.My eyes do see—they see more than they should. My ears do hear—they hear more than is good for me. (8) I’m not what my wife says I am. I do see and hear—I see and hear too much evil, too many ugly and terrible things, things that I wish I did not have to see and hear. And this is not good for me. 1) He drank more than (what) was good for him. 2) Kate meant more than (what) was said. 3) Some of the stories were really more than (what) could be believed. 11.It’s good to smell the scent of ripening rice in November. The soft cool breeze moves the sheaves, which ripple and shimmer like waves of gold. (11) The ripening rice is so pleasant to smell in November. In the soft cool breeze, the sheaves move and shine in the sun like a golden sea. 1) They were infuriated by this insulting demand. 2) No soaking rain fell in the period. 3) Our industry is developing at an astonishing speed. 12.Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children comes back one day to live, and gives me grandchildren so that I can pass on the land’s secret message to them. Yes, I love this land and I hope one of my children returns one day to live on it, and produces a lot of grandchildren for me so that I can tell them what this land means to us. It is our history, our culture, our tradition, and our life. Phrases and expressions 1.now and then: now and again; occasionally Examples: Now and then we heard shots in the woods. He loses his temper now and then, but not often. I hear from him every now and then. 2. mind one’s own.: to take care of one’s. Examples: Will you mind my bag while I buy my ticket? I was minding my own work when he rushed in
Myfatherwasjustdrivingalong.mindinghisownbusiness,whensuddenlyabrickcamethroughthe window.3.in spite of:without being affected or prevented by somethingExamplesButinspiteofthehardships,realeffortsandprogressarebeingmade.Wewentoutinspiteoftherain.Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much.4.barter... for: to exchange (goods, property, etc.) for other goods, etc. without using moneyExamples:I had to barter with the locals for foodInthelocalmarket,meatandvegetablesarebarteredforelectricalgoodsTheprisonerstriedtobarterwiththeguardsfortheirfreedom.5.springup:toappear,develop,grow,etc.quicklyorsuddenlyExamples:New houses were springing up all over the town.Dozens of websiteshave sprung up to provide informationfortravelers.New dot-com companies are springing up all the time.6.tend to: to be inclined to; have a directionExamples:People tend to need less sleep as they get older.Young children tend to get sick more often than adults.Recent studies show that girls tend to be better at languages than boys.7.give sb. a (good/...) beating: to hit sb. as a punishmentExamples:His father tookhim to the barn and gave hima good beating.Our soldiersgavetheenemyathoroughbeating.8. as for: with reference to (sometimes suggesting indifference or contempt)Examples:As for you, I never want to see you here again.Asfortheburglar,heescapedthroughthewindowAs for my past, I'm not telling you anything.9.occur to: if an idea or thought occurs to you, it suddenly comes into your mindExamples:I suppose it didn't occur to you to phone the police.It never seems to occurto my children to contact me.It had never occurred to him that he might be falling in love with her.10.a bag of bones: a very thin person or animalExamples:The cat was just a bag of bones.Lack of enoughfood reduced refugees to bags of bones.11.inrags:wearingoldandwornortornclothesExamples:Hegavefivedollars toa tramp dressed inrags andtattersChildren in rags begged moneyfrom the tourists.There are areas where every child is in rags and learns to be a thief from the age of three.12. at peace with: in a situation in which there is no war or fighting; in harmony withExamplesThetwocountriesareatpeacewitheachother.The country is at peace with itsneighbors forthefirsttime in years.Ifyoudothis,youwill notbeatpeacewithmeinthefuture.13.tie...down: to restrict sb./sth. to certain conditionsExamples:Childrendotieyoudown,don'tthey?She didn't want to be tied down by a full- time job.A plan of union ties the negotiations down to real facts and real pieces of church life14.bird/etc. on the wing: if a bird is on the wing, it is flyingExamples:
My father was just driving along, minding his own business, when suddenly a brick came through the window. 3. in spite of: without being affected or prevented by something Examples: But in spite of the hardships, real efforts and progress are being made. We went out in spite of the rain. Kelly loved her husband in spite of the fact that he drank too much. 4.barter. for: to exchange (goods, property, etc.) for other goods, etc. without using money Examples: I had to barter with the locals for food. In the local market, meat and vegetables are bartered for electrical goods. The prisoners tried to barter with the guards for their freedom. 5.spring up: to appear, develop, grow, etc. quickly or suddenly Examples: New houses were springing up all over the town. Dozens of websites have sprung up to provide information for travelers. New dot-com companies are springing up all the time. 6.tend to: to be inclined to; have a direction Examples: People tend to need less sleep as they get older. Young children tend to get sick more often than adults. Recent studies show that girls tend to be better at languages than boys. 7.give sb. a (good/.) beating: to hit sb. as a punishment Examples: His father took him to the barn and gave him a good beating. Our soldiers gave the enemy a thorough beating. 8. as for: with reference to (sometimes suggesting indifference or contempt) Examples: As for you, I never want to see you here again. As for the burglar, he escaped through the window. As for my past, I’m not telling you anything. 9.occur to：if an idea or thought occurs to you, it suddenly comes into your mind Examples: I suppose it didn't occur to you to phone the police. It never seems to occur to my children to contact me. It had never occurred to him that he might be falling in love with her. 10.a bag of bones：a very thin person or animal Examples: The cat was just a bag of bones. Lack of enough food reduced refugees to bags of bones. 11.in rags：wearing old and worn or torn clothes Examples: He gave five dollars to a tramp dressed in rags and tatters. Children in rags begged money from the tourists. There are areas where every child is in rags and learns to be a thief from the age of three. 12. at peace with：in a situation in which there is no war or fighting; in harmony with Examples: The two countries are at peace with each other. The country is at peace with its neighbors for the first time in years. If you do this, you will not be at peace with me in the future. 13.tie. down：to restrict sb./sth. to certain conditions Examples: Children do tie you down, don’t they? She didn't want to be tied down by a full- time job. A plan of union ties the negotiations down to real facts and real pieces of church life. 14.bird/etc. on the wing：if a bird is on the wing, it is flying Examples:
Thisarea isnotedforbutterfliesinsummer,and inAugustthepurplehairstreakwill beonthewingJohn shot the duck on the wing.15.pass...onto:tohandorgivesth.tosb.else,esp.afterreceivingorusingitoneselfExamples:I passed her message on to her mother.Pass thebookonto mewhenyou'vefinished with it.It was discovered that he had been passing secrets on to the Russians whilst working at thePentagon.WordBuidingfore-: before; in front offoretel预言foresee预见forerun先驱，前驱forecas预报foreground前景foreword前言，引言，序forearm前臂foreleg前腿foresight现见，预见forerunner先驱者，先锋-able/-iblea. (n.+able) showing the qualities ofb.(v.+able)that canbe;fit to beExamplesfashionable (=showing the qualities offashion)eatable (=that can be eaten;fit tobe eaten)regrettable respectable responsible sensible conductible enjoyablereadable imaginable thinkableresistiblecorruptibleWritingDevicesMetaphorAmetaphorisalsoa comparison.Thedifferenceis thata similecomparesthings explicitly-thatis,itstates literallythatXislikeY.A metaphor compares things implicitly. Read literally, it does not state that things are alike; it saysthat they are the same thing, that they are identical.Lesson Four The Boy and the Bank Officer1.Objectives1.Throughdetailedexplanationofthetext,studentsareexpectedtolearnsomerelevantknowledgeaboutthebusiness of a bank.2.Thestudents shouldhaveaperfectmasteryof linguisticessentials suchaswordandphraseusage.3. To make sure the students grasp the basic facts and the logic of argument.4. To make the students realize the difference in style.II.Content1.Brief Introduction to thehistoryofbanks.2. Brief Introduction to Text A.3.DetailedDiscussionoftheTextA4.Make sure the studentsgraspthefollowinguseful phrasesand expressions:happen to do, in the first place, overlighted, authority, more than, think twice about, as to whetherno...but to, one cannot but do, move in sth,.zero in on sth, damn5.MakethestudentsunderstandsomecomplicatedsentencesbyparaphrasingIII.KeyandDifficultPoints,Teaching Methods1.Key Points1)Makesurethestudentsgraspsomeuseful expressionsanddistinguishsomesimilarwordsandphrases.2)Makethestudentsunderstand somecomplicatedsentencesbyparaphrasing3)Strengthen students'oral skills.2. FocusTryto improvethestudents'skills ofdistinguishing similarwordsand phrases3.Teaching Methods:lecturesIV.Discussion
This area is noted for butterflies in summer, and in August the purple hairstreak will be on the wing. John shot the duck on the wing. 15.pass. on to：to hand or give sth. to sb. else, esp. after receiving or using it oneself Examples: I passed her message on to her mother. Pass the book on to me when you’ve finished with it. It was discovered that he had been passing secrets on to the Russians whilst working at the Pentagon. Word Buiding fore-: before; in front of foretell预言foresee预见forerun先驱，前驱forecast预报foreground前景 foreword前言，引言，序forearm前臂foreleg前腿foresight现见，预见 forerunner先驱者，先锋 -able/-ible a. (n.+able) showing the qualities of b. (v.+able) that can be; fit to be Examples: fashionable (= showing the qualities of fashion) eatable (= that can be eaten; fit to be eaten) regrettable respectable responsible sensible conductible enjoyable readable imaginable thinkable resistible corruptible Writing Devices Metaphor A metaphor is also a comparison. The difference is that a simile compares things explicitly—that is, it states literally that X is like Y. A metaphor compares things implicitly. Read literally, it does not state that things are alike; it says that they are the same thing, that they are identical. Lesson Four The Boy and the Bank Officer Ⅰ. Objectives 1. Through detailed explanation of the text, students are expected to learn some relevant knowledge about the business of a bank. 2. The students should have a perfect mastery of linguistic essentials such as word and phrase usage. 3. To make sure the students grasp the basic facts and the logic of argument. 4. To make the students realize the difference in style. Ⅱ.Content 1. Brief Introduction to the history of banks. 2. Brief Introduction to Text A. 3. Detailed Discussion of the Text A . 4. Make sure the students grasp the following useful phrases and expressions: happen to do, in the first place, overlighted, authority, more than, think twice about, as to whether, no.but to, one cannot but do, move in sth,. zero in on sth, damn 5. Make the students understand some complicated sentences by paraphrasing. Ⅲ. Key and Difficult Points, Teaching Methods 1. Key Points 1) Make sure the students grasp some useful expressions and distinguish some similar words and phrases. 2) Make the students understand some complicated sentences by paraphrasing. 3) Strengthen students’ oral skills. 2. Focus Try to improve the students’ skills of distinguishing similar words and phrases. 3. Teaching Methods: lectures IV. Discussion
V.Detailed Discussionofthe textBackgroundInformation1.AuthorPhilipRoss(1939—)isanAmericanwriterbased inNewYork.Afterworkingasanewspaperreporterforfour years,he turned to freelance(自由职业作家)writing.Manyofhis articles haveappearedintheNewYorker（《纽约人》），Reader'sDigest（《读者文摘》）andNewYork Times（《纽约时报》）.ThistextistakenfromStrategiesforSuccessfulWriting:ARhetoricandReader,3rd edition published by Prentice Hall, Inc.in 1993 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.2.Cultural BackgroundBanksfirstemerged in theMiddleAges when peoplegrew tiredofcarryingaround all theirgold andbeganleavingtheirmoneywiththegoldsmith.TheMedicifamily, one of the most prominent banking families in Europe during this time, became quitewealthyfromitsbankingandmoneylendingpractices.During the early Renaissance,as international traderevived,Italian money changers once againappeared. They did business in the streets from a bench (banca in Italian; hence the word bank)Florence, Italy,became a great bankingcenter,dominatedbytheMedici (A-μUAEae)family.TheMedicifamily,oneofthemostprominentbankingfamiliesinEuropeduringthistime,becamequitewealthyfrom itsbankingand moneylending practices.TextAnalysisPlot:aboy'swithdrawalofmoneyfromthebankSetting: at the bankProtagonists: bank officer, the boy and "p"Theme of the storyTraditionally,poorpeopleandpeoplewhosympathize withthem have regardedbanks as evil,asenemies of the poor. Such suspicions and misgivings obviously still linger on.This article seems toprovethatprejudices ofpeopleliketheauthorareungrounded.Structure of thetextPart 1 (para. 1) about: The attitude of the author's friend toward bank.Part2(paras.2-23)about:Theboymanagedtowithdrawmoneyfromthebankbutwaskindlyrefused.Part 3(paras.24-32)about:The bank officer cleared the fact.Warm-up ActivitiesGuess themeaning of thefollowing words.1.openanaccount开户头2.closeanaccount结清账户3.deposit存款4.withdraw提款5.overdraw透支6.balance节余7.credit信用8.passbook存折9.passcard银行卡10.anaccountbook存折11.asavingsaccount定期存款12.acurrentaccount活期存款SentenceParaphrase1.if banks were required to sell wallets and money belts, they might act less like churches. (para. 1)Banksactlikechurcheswhichusuallycontrolpeople'slifeandcaninterfereinpeople'slife.So,theauthorthinks itis ridiculousforbanks toact like churches.A church is a place where religious people are given moral lessons.The author and his friend hatebanks acting like churchesbecause they thinkbanks should simply give service and have norighttotellpeoplewhattodoandwhatnottodo.2.it was lunchtime and the only officer on duty was a fortyish black man with short, pressed hair, apencil mustache, and a neatly pressed brown suit. (para. 3)pressed hair :uncurled haira pencil mustache :a thin mustache looking like a line drawn by a penciland a neatly pressed brown suit :and a neat and tidy brown suit3.Everything about him suggested a carefully dressed authority. (para. 3)Everythingabout himhis clothes,manner,etc.indicated that he was a carefullydressedman whohad animportantpositionandpower.4."But that doesn't seem fair," the boy said, his voice breaking. (para.8)his voice breaking :Absolute construction functions as accompanying manner
V.Detailed Discussion of the text Background Information 1.Author Philip Ross (1939— ) is an American writer based in New York. After working as a newspaper reporter for four years, he turned to freelance (自由职业作家) writing. Many of his articles have appeared in the New Yorker (《纽约人》), Reader’s Digest (《读者文摘》) and New York Times (《纽约时报》). This text is taken from Strategies for Successful Writing: A Rhetoric and Reader, 3rd edition published by Prentice Hall, Inc. in 1993 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. 2.Cultural Background Banks first emerged in the Middle Ages when people grew tired of carrying around all their gold and began leaving their money with the goldsmith. The Medici family, one of the most prominent banking families in Europe during this time, became quite wealthy from its banking and money lending practices. During the early Renaissance, as international trade revived, Italian money changers once again appeared. They did business in the streets from a bench (banca in Italian; hence the word bank). Florence, Italy, became a great banking center, dominated by the Medici (ÕµÚÆæ)family. The Medici family, one of the most prominent banking families in Europe during this time, became quite wealthy from its banking and money lending practices. Text Analysis Plot: a boy’s withdrawal of money from the bank Setting: at the bank Protagonists: bank officer, the boy and "I" Theme of the story Traditionally, poor people and people who sympathize with them have regarded banks as evil, as enemies of the poor. Such suspicions and misgivings obviously still linger on. This article seems to prove that prejudices of people like the author are ungrounded. Structure of the text Part 1 (para. 1) about: The attitude of the author’s friend toward bank. Part 2 (paras.2-23 ) about:The boy managed to withdraw money from the bank but was kindly refused. Part 3 (paras. 24-32 ) about: The bank officer cleared the fact. Warm-up Activities Guess the meaning of the following words. 1. open an account 开户头 2. close an account结清账户 3. deposit 存款 4. withdraw提款 5. overdraw 透支 6. balance节余 7. credit 信用 8. passbook存折 9. pass card 银行卡 10. an account book存折 11. a savings account定期存款 12. a current account活期存款 Sentence Paraphrase 1.If banks were required to sell wallets and money belts, they might act less like churches. (para. 1) Banks act like churches which usually control people’s life and can interfere in people’s life. So, the author thinks it is ridiculous for banks to act like churches. A church is a place where religious people are given moral lessons. The author and his friend hate banks acting like churches because they think banks should simply give service and have no right to tell people what to do and what not to do. 2.It was lunchtime and the only officer on duty was a fortyish black man with short, pressed hair, a pencil mustache, and a neatly pressed brown suit. (para. 3) pressed hair :uncurled hair a pencil mustache :a thin mustache looking like a line drawn by a pencil and a neatly pressed brown suit :and a neat and tidy brown suit 3.Everything about him suggested a carefully dressed authority. (para. 3) Everything about him—his clothes, manner, etc. indicated that he was a carefully dressed man who had an important position and power. 4."But that doesn’t seem fair," the boy said, his voice breaking. (para. 8) his voice breaking : Absolute construction functions as accompanying manner