Unit-7--The--Chaser-(New-2011)

Unit7TheChaserAbouttheAuthorandthetextJohnCollier(1901-1980),Britishplaywright,poet,andnovelist.Hewasfamousfornumerousfantasieshehadwritteninhislifetime.“TheChaser”wasoriginallypublishedinTheNewYorkerin1940.Pre-readingQuestions:1.Doyoubelievelovecanbefostered?Howcanyoulureoneintolovewithyou?2.Whatisthemostpreciousthingintheworld?Thebelovedperson?TextComprehensionJudge,accordingtothetext,whetherthefollowingstatementsaretrueorfalse.1.Thetoneofthepassageismatter-of-fact(F)Thewholestoryisasatire.First,theideathatthereexistsalivepotionintheworldisasatireonlove.Iflovecouldbebought,thenlovewouldnolongerbepriceless.Second,thattheoldmanremindsAlanrepeatedlyofhisstockofglove-cleanertoshowtheideathathemayneeditsomedayisasatireonthefateoflove.Love,howeverfieryandfierceatthebeginning,mayprobablyendupindeath.Sothewholestoryissatiricalintone2.Thelovepotionhasjustatemporaryeffect(F)RefertoParagraph19.Theeffectsofthelovepotion,accordingtotheoldman,arestrong,permanent,andeverlasting.)3.Itisthelovepotionthattheoldmanintendstosellprimarily.(F)Theoldmansellsthelovepotionalmostfornothingbecausebydoingsohiscustomerswillcomebackforamuchdearercommodity,theglove-cleaner,tohelpthemout.Itisthe“deathpotion”thattheoldmanmakesmostofhisprofitsfrom,andintendstoselltohiscustomers.Questionsaboutthetext:Q:Whatistheimpliedmeaningoftheoldman’sremark,“youngpeoplewhoneedalovepotionveryseldomhavefivethousanddollars.Otherwisetheywouldnotneedalovepotion”(Paragraph13)A:Whattheoldmanmeansisthatyoungmenwhofallinloveone-sidedlyareseldomrichenoughtowinyounggirlsheart;iftheyoungmanwasrichenough,itwouldbemucheasierforhimtowinthegirl’sheart.Hiswordsimplythatmoneyisoneofthecrucialfactorsforlove.Ifamanisnotrich,hecanneverexpecttobelovedbyagirl.Q:Whataretheeffectsoflovepotion?Describethemindetail.A:---Thelovepotionhasapowerful,everlastingeffect.Itreplacesindifferencewithdevotionandscornwithadoration.Itwillmakeagaygirlwantnothingbutsolitudeandherlover’scompany.Shewillfeeljealousforhimwhenherloveriswithothergirls;shewillwanttobeeverythingtohim.Shewillbeonlyinterestedinherloverandtakeeveryconcernofhim.Evenifheslipsabit,shewillforgivehimthoughterriblyhurt.Inaword,shewillfallinlovewithhimifshedrinksthelovepotion.Q:WhydoyouthinktheoldmantoldAustenaboutthelife-cleanerbeforesellingthelovepotion---Theexperiencedoldmanhadencounteredmanyyoungmenwhohadbeeninthegripofromanticdesirebefore,butwhoeventuallygottiredofthepossessivelovetheyhadexperienced.HeknewforsurethatAusten’spossessivelovewouldn’tlastlong.Itwouldeventuallyboreandangerhim.Heexpectedthatwhenhisenthusiasticpassionchangedintohatred,returntobuythe“chaser”sothattheycouldbefreefromthewomenforwhomtheyhadpreviouslyboughtthelovepotion.Q:Whyisthelovepotionpricedsolowwhilethelife-cleanersohigh?A:---Theauthorseemstoimplybythegreatgapbetweenthepricesofthelovepotionandtheglove-cleanerthatloveisfarfrombeingprecious.Itiseasyforamantofallinlove,yethardforhimtosticktoit.That’swhyhehastopayacolossalamounttogethimselfoutofit.Theotherreasonforthelowpriceofthelovepotionmaybethatbydoingso,theoldmancanattractmorecustomerstohisprimarycommodity,theglove-cleanerQ:Whatmorallessonscanbedrawnfromthestory?A:---Oneofthemorallessonsthatcanbedrawnfromthestoryisthatanythingprecious,loveincluded,ismostlikelytohaveanend.Apersoncaneasilyfallinloveandgetmarried,butwhatawaitshim/hercouldbeendlessremorse,andawishthatismightendassoonaspossible.Sooneshouldbewiseandkeeptheireyesopenwhentheyareinlovethoughloveissaidtobeblind.Q:Howdothespeechesoftheyoungmanandtheoldmandiffer?Howdosethathelptobuildupthetheme?A:---Theyoungman’sspeechisshortandchanging:Atfirst,hespeaksinahesitantandtentativemanner,butlateronhisspeechchangesintoasuccessionofcriesandexclamations.Incontrast,theoldman’sspeechesformasharpcontrast,whichhelpstobringoutthetwocharacters.Theyoungmanisgreen,passionate,andhopelesslyinlove,whiletheoldmaniscalm,sensible,andabitsatirical.Itisbythiscontrastthatthethemeofthestoryisbroughtoutmoreeffectively.LanguagePoints1.peertolookverycarefullyorwithdifficulty,especiallyasifnotabletoseeclearlyeg:Shepeeredovermyshoulderatthecomputerscreenandaskedaboutthefigures.Cf.peeptolookatsomethingquicklyandsecretly,especiallythroughaholeorothersmallopeningseg:Nowandthenshepeepedtoseeifhewasnoticingher.2.makesomebody’sacquaintancetomeetsomebodyforthefirsttimeeg:Hemadeheracquaintanceatadance.LanguagePoints3.imperceptiblethatcannotbenoticedorfeltbecausesosmall,slightorgradualeg:animperceptiblechangeintemperatureWordderivation:perceivev.,perceptionn.,perceptiblea.,imperceptiblea.,imperceptiblyad.4.apprehensivelyfullofanxietyaboutthefutureeg:Theylookedateachotherapprehensively.Wordderivation:apprehensivea.,apprehensionn.eg:Shewasapprehensiveabout/forherson’ssafetyeverytimehewentoutonhismotorcycle.eg:Studentsarewaitingwithapprehensionfortheirfinalexaminationresults.LanguagePoints5.obligetodosomebodyafavor;tofulfillthewishesofeg:Sheaskedhimtolendherhiscar,andhewillinglyobliged(her).eg:Ishouldbeobligedifyoucouldspeaklouder.tomakeitnecessaryforsomeb