Unit 8 Social Problems
Teaching Aims,
In this unit students are required to,
1) get to know some useful information concerning the topic of the reading passages in this unit and to know more about English culture;
2) do some preparation activities such as discussion,group work,etc,to practice their spoken skill and communicative skills;
3) grasp some new words and try to use these words which help them to enrich their vocabulary;
4)read the in-class reading passage in a limited time and grasp some expressions and grammatical points in the in-class reading passage to improve their reading comprehension;
5) do some post-reading exercises and some after-class reading to practice what they have got to know in class to improve their English comprehensive skills.;
6) translate some typical sentences into Chinese or English by using some expressions learned in the reading passages to acquire some translating skills and better their translating abilities.
I,Useful Information
As societies change and develop,many problems emerge,Change itself can be a social problem if it occurs too quickly,This is sometimes called the problem of,future shock”.
One of the greatest problems of developing societies is the problem of overpopulation,As advances in medicine,nutrition,and technology increase the average lifespan,birth rates do not decrease rapidly enough,and the result is overpopulation,The world’s current population of about six billion is likely to double in the next 20 to 30 years,and the excess people are most likely to be found in mushrooming urban areas where other social problems abound.
II,Preparation
Brainstorming
Guide to the teacher,
Collect as many words as possible and list them on the blackboard related to social problems,For example:
---ask the students to work in groups quickly to prepare a list of at least 20 words they associate with social problems (problems and causes);
---ask the group leader to write the words generated by his/her group on the blackboard;
---erase words that as repeated in various lists;
---classify the words and discuss the questions.
Following are the social problems for reference:
Crime,overpopulation,pollution,unemployment/layoffs,housing,clean water supply,transportation,flooding,poverty,generation gap,beggars (children and adults),littering,widening gap between rich and poor,rape,smuggling,fake products,trafficking (拐卖) of children and women,corruption,graffiti (在公共场所,建筑物的墙上涂画式写字),gambling,prostitution,domestic,violence,juvenile delinquency (少年犯罪),high divorce rate,racial discrimination,drug abuse,etc.
Social problems in China,overpopulation,housing,clean water supply,transportation,littering,theft,robbery,murder,mugging,rape,pollution,smuggling,fake products,trafficking of children and women,bribery,corruption,graffiti,gambling,prostitution,domestic violence,layoffs,etc.
Social problems that people associate with foreign countries,juvenile delinquency,high divorce rate,unemployment,racial discrimination,drug abuse,generation gap,crime,violence,etc.
NOTE:
Many problems exist both in China and in foreign countries,The aim of this activity is just to elicit as many problems from the students as possible,This is a way of generating vocabulary and helping the students learn more about the topic.
2.Causes of social problems:
There are various causes of different social problems,The following are just a few of the possible examples:
Poverty,unemployment,etc,----theft,robbery,murder,beggars,etc
High divorce rate,etc,---- juvenile delinquency,etc
Lack of communication ---- mental problems of various kinds,generation gap,etc
Pollution,littering ---- worsening environment
3,Describing the pictures on page 206 and 207.
Guide to the teacher:
In conducting the activity,the teacher should encourage the students to use the phrases in the model.
Sample
Picture A,Last night,Mr,Lester,a middle-aged widower,was walking along a dark Birmingham Street,He was carrying a briefcase in one hand and an umbrella in the other,There was nobody else in the street except two men,They were standing in a dark side-street,One of them was very big with curly hair,and the other was thin with a bald head.
Picture B,They waited for a few seconds and then walked slowly and silently towards Mr,Lester,The big man held Mr,Lester from behind and the thin one tried to snatch Mr,Lester’s briefcase.
Picture C,Suddenly,Mr,Lester threw the big one over his shoulder,He collided with the thin one and they both landed on the pavement,Without speaking,Mr,Lester struck both of them on the head with his umbrella,and walked calmly away.
Picture D,The two astonished men were still sitting on the ground when Mr,Lester crossed the road towards a door with a painted sign above it,Mr,Lester stopped,turned round,laughed at the two men and walked into the Central Birmingham Karate Club.
III,Reading-Centered Activities
1,Pre-reading
Suggestion for the teacher:
Prompt (if necessary) the students to think about practical issues like child-care,location of the school,location of the apartment,work place,etc.
Encourage the students to justify why both parents (or just one ) accept the jobs.
Samples
It depends,If I were the wife,I would persuade my husband to accept the job,As for me,before making a final decision,I would take into consideration such factors as child-care facilities,location of the school,location of the apartment,etc.
Both of us will accept the jobs,On the one hand,the jobs are challenging,which is good for our personal fulfillment,On the other,with the money we get,we could find a babysitter for our child.
Passage Reading,Latchkey Children---Knock,Knock,Is Anyone Home?
3.Language Points
1 ) such + a/ an +adj.+ n.(singular n,)
Who could have advised you to do such a foolish thing?
I regret having had such an opinion of you?
such + adj,+ n.(plural n.)
We have such grave responsibilities.
I have met many such people.
such +adj,+ n.(uncountable n.)
She didn’t deserve such fortune.
She thought about the effect of such news on her husband.
so/too +adj,+a/an + n so /too +adj,+ n (countable and uncountable nouns)
I have never seen so beautiful a child.
He has never again written so good a book as his first one.
John doesn’t understand you because he knows so little English.
It was surprising to see so high a bridge over so small a river.
“Shall I tell Ann how to improve her Painting?”,Yes,but too large a list of suggestions may discourage her.”
You have made too long a speech( a too long speech).
2) on the other hand
on the one hand…on the other…(indicating contrasted point of view)
On the one hand I admire his gifts,but on the other I distrust his judgment.
On the one hand you accept her presents; on the other,you are rude to the whole family,What really is your attitude to them?
on the other hand
He is clever,but on the other hand,he makes many mistakes.
Once you have caught me you could easily imprison me,But on the other hand,I am hard to catch.
on the other hand 而…却
Food here is cheaper than in London; clothing,on the other hand,is dearer.
Father and Mother wanted to go for a rid; the children,on the other hand,wanted to stay at home and play with their friends.
3 ) to feel guilty感到内疚/惭愧
He felt guilty at deserving his wife.
I felt guilty about visiting her so rarely.
to find sb guilty有罪
He was found guilty.
The jury found the prisoner guilty,
(to be guilty of 犯[某种罪或过失] )
I am not guilty of this crime.
Who is guilty of taking the last piece of cake?
(guilt n.罪; 内疚感)
The police worked day and night to prove the man’s guilt.
His face showed guilt,though he said he had done nothing wrong.
4) in the long run,eventually,ultimately,in the end从长远来说,终究,最后
In the long run prices are bound to rise.
In the long run,the best is unquestionably the cheapest.
Studying may be difficult now,but you’ll benefit in the long run.
It pays in the long run to buy goods of high quality.
(The opposite,in the short run)
5 ) all too 实在太…
all too +adj./ adv.
all too soon/quickly
The holidays were all too short.
The day passed all too quickly.
You are all too lazy.
much too,far too副词(用来加强语气,修饰形用词)
The tickets are far too expensive for me.
I think it’s much too hot for walking.
I think that is much too much work.
can’t/ can never be too + adj./ adv.怎样…也不过分
This can’t be stressed too strongly.
You can’t be too careful with them.
You can’t praise the play too highly.
One can never be too careful in one’s work.
too much过分,对付不了,过难
I couldn’t finish that book on relativity; it was too much for me.
6 ) to engage in
to take part in; to be occupied in
I have no time to engage in gossip,so please don’t come to me with your rumors and complaints.
If you engage in local politics,you can’t expect to have much time for your family.
to be engaged in,to be busy with 忙于…,从事…
It is a hard and long struggle we are engaged in.
At this moment he was engaged in a very violent argument with someone.
to be engaged to sb,have agreed to marry sb已定昏婚
She is engaged to Peter.
They are engaged to each other,
(Sorry! The line/number is engaged,My time is fully engaged with daily work.)
7) to range from…to…in to range between…and…,to vary; to be different from…to… in
Children in the kindergarten range in age from 1 to 6.
Prices range from 550 pence to 75 pence.
The temperature ranges between 0oc and 30oc.
8) on a …basis …地
on a daily basis,every day
on a long-term basis长期地
on a short-term basis短期地
e.g,The writing class was conducted on a twice-a -week basis.
The problems were going to be settled on a realistic basis.
I give you lecture on a short-term basis.
9) to cope with,deal with successfully
e.g,She couldn’t cope with all her work.
They lack the strength to cope with all these problems.
She was unable to cope with the duties of her new position.
10) to look upon/on sb / sth as,consider sb / sth to be; to think of 将…看作/看待
e.g,She looked on him as a very great scholar./as a friend.)
These children look on their teachers as their enemies.
Most people look on a TV set as an essential piece of furniture.
to look about for sth,to be in search of sth
to look back,to remember; to recall
to look after,to take care of
to look at,to examine/consider
to look back on,to think about sth in the past
to look down on/upon,to have/show a low opinion of
to look forward to,to expect to feel pleasure in
to look up,to find information (in a book etc)
look up to sb,to respect sb
11) whereas,but,while; but in contrast 而(used for introducing an opposite表示对比关系)
e.g,Some people have noting to spend money on,whereas others have no money to spend.
She had never done anything for them,whereas they had done everything for her.
Some praise him,whereas others condemn him.
12) whether or not/no是否
e.g,Can you tell me whether or not the train has left?
He couldn’t decide whether or no to return home.
13) given (we have learned it in Unit 6 of Book one)
adj.,fixed for a purpose
adj,prep,if allowed or provided with
considering; if taking into account
14) to work out
to decide or plan
to work out the details
I can’t work out what he wants/ how to do it?
to calculate the answer to
to work out the sum
Can you work out how much it costs to feed the average family?
He settled down at his desk to work out the exact figures.
to find the answer to; to solve sth
I can’t work out the meaning of this poem.
I’ll give you five minutes to work out this problem.
to have a result; develop ; turn out
I wonder how their ideas worked out in practice?
If the traffic plan works out,it will be used in other cities.
15) to deal with
to deal with sth,to attend ; to manage处理,料理
That matter ha already been dealt with.
There are too many difficulties for us to deal with.
to deal with sth,to discuss sth; to take/ have as a subject论述,谈(某问题)
This book deals with questions of political Economy.
Botany deals with the study of plants.
to deal with sb,to treat; take action about 和…打交道,对付/对待
That man is easy/ hard/ difficult / impossible to deal with.
I don’t know how to deal with these bad children.
to deal in sth,to sell sth,to trade in sth做…买卖,经营
This merchant deals in silk goods.
Dealer n.商人
16) to take sth into account/consideration把…考虑进去
to take account of 考虑
Your teacher will take your recent illness into consideration when judging your examination paper.
These were all factors that had to be taken into account.
You must take local conditions into account.
We must take account of the interests of the state,the collective and the individual.
on account of,because of由于
That was on account of the lack of exercises.
I have come to know Howard moderately well on account of this business.
to give an account of解释(理由)
Give an account of your behavior.
on no account /not on any account:not for any reason决不要,无论如何不要
My name must on no account be mentioned to anyone.
On no account must this switch be touched,
to account for,to give an explanation or reason for说明原因,解释
He couldn’t account for his foolish mistake.
17) in case of,for fear that sth,should happen; because of possibility以防;万一,如果
e.g,We’d better insure the house in case of fire.(We’d better insure the house for fear that there should be a fire.)
In case of fire,ring the bell 119.
Here is her birth certificate in case of questions.
in case,for fear that; because…might; lest; if (AmE)
Take your coat in case it rains.(in case it should rain).
In case I forget,please remind me.
In case the house burns down,we’ll get the insurance money.
4.Translation
Because of an emergency,the doctor will not be available for several hours.
How will taxes affect people with low incomes?
My mother always told me that in the long run I would be glad I didn’t give up practicing the piano.
The books range in price from $10 to $20.
It seems to me that you don’t have much choice.
Given their inexperience,they have done a good job.
For such a big house the price is fairly cheap,but you’ve got to take into consideration the money you will spend on repairs.
Can we begin by discussing questions arising from the last meeting?
IV,Further Development
Finish the exercises in part four.
For or Against
Directions,divide the class into an even number of groups,,Half of the groups are asked to develop arguments in favor of privacy and the other half arguments against piracy,The group with the most persuasive and convincing arguments wins.
Writing
Directions,In China,many buildings are equipped with burglar0proof doors and windows,What do you think of this phenomenon? Write a composition entitled,Burglar-proof doors and windows” to state your point of view,Your composition should include the following points.
Why do you think people install burglar-proof doors and windows?
Do you think it is useful? Why or why not?
Are there any other methods to prevent burglary? If so,what are they?
Sample Burglar-Proof Doors and Windows
In China,many buildings are now equipped with burglar-proof doors and windows,Some people think this phenomenon is good,while others think it’s bad,And the following is just what I think,
Most people install burglar-proof doors and windows for their families’ safety,There are more burglars and robbers around now than before,and burglar-proof doors and windows can keep them out,So burglar-proof doors and windows are necessary and useful.
Apart from this,they have some other uses,Foe example,in summery,you will feel uncomfortable and unbearable hot in a house with all the doors and windows closed,but it is dangerous to leave all the doors and windows open,If you have installed burglar-proof doors and windows,things are a lot easier—just lock the burglar-proof doors and windows and open the others,Then you’ll feel better,and it’s safe,too.
But burglar-proof doors and windows have their disadvantages too,Some people think that burglar-proof doors and windows prevent them from getting along well with their neighbors,Some families living in such houses think they are just like prisoners and thus feel uncomfortable,And in my opinion,the bigger problem lies in the fact that burglar-proof doors and windows prevent people from getting out quickly in times of emergency.
I can’t give any other methods to prevent burglaries,Maybe installing burglar-proof doors and windows is the best way out.