Mirror of America

Lesson9MarkTwain---MirrorofAmericaObjectivesofTeaching:1.Tocomprehendthewholetext2.Toleanandmasterthevocabularyandexpressions3.Tolearntoparaphrasethedifficultsentences4.Tounderstandthestructureofthetext5.Toappreciatethestyleandrhetoricofthepassage.Importantanddifficultpoints1.II.QuestionsforTextUnderstanding1.Whatisabiography?2.Ifyouwereaskedtowriteabiographyofsb.,howareyougoingtoarrangeallthematerialavailable.Whatisthegeneralwayofwritingabiography?3.Whatkindoflanguagedoyouexpecttoencounterandwhy?4.Whatistheauthor'sappraisalofMarkTwain?II.QuestionsforTextUnderstanding5.WhowasMarkTwain?Whathadhebeenbeforehebecameanauthor?Andwheredidhispennamecomefrom?6.SaysomethingaboutthehistoricalbackgroundofMarkTwain'stime.7.HowmanystagesdoyouthinktheauthordivideMarkTwain'slifeinto?III.BackgroundInformation:NationalGeographicMagazine,withacirculationofmorethan10millioncopiesannually,isthethirdbiggestonlynexttoTVGuideandReader'sDigest(morethan16million).ItisamonthlyjournalrunbytheNationalGeographicSocietybasedinWashingtonDC,anon-profitscientificandeducationalorganization.III.BackgroundInformation:Abiographyis,bydefinition,anaccountofsomeone'slifethathasbeenwrittenbysomeoneelse.Orawrittenhistoryofsomeone'slife.Generally,abiographyisaboutsb.whoenjoyscertainreputation,whohasacquiredcertainfamebyhis/hersuccessincertainarea.Theprotagonistcanbeapositiveornegativecharacter.III.BackgroundInformation:AbriefoutlineofTomTomliveswithhisyoungerbrotherSidandAuntPollyinSt.Petersburg,aremotetownonthebanksoftheMississippiriver.WhilehisbrotherSidisa“model”boy,Tomisquitetheoppositeofhisbrother.III.BackgroundInformation:Atschoolhedisobeyshisteacherandalwaysbusieshimselfwithoutsidemattersatthelessons.Tom’sbosomfriendisHuckFinn,aboydesertedbyhisdrunkardofafatherandlookeduponasanoutcastinthetown.II.BackgroundInformation:ButTomhasreadmanybooksandwantstomakehislifejustasbrightasitisdepictedinthestories.HedevisesgamesinwhichtheboysplaytheroleofbraveoutlawsandwarlikeRedIndianswhoaretheterroroftherichandtheoppressors.II.BackgroundInformation:OnenighttheboysinvoluntarilywitnessthemurderofDr.Robinson.Aninnocentmanischargedwiththecrime.ButonthedayofthetrialTomfearlesslyexposestherealcriminaltheIndianJoewhoescapesthroughanopenwindowofthecourtroom.II.BackgroundInformation:Anothernight,theboyswentouttodigforhiddentreasuresnearadesertedhousethreemilesfromtown.Theretheyalmostfallintothehandsofthemurdererwhoaccidentallyfindsaboxfilledwithgoldcoins.II.BackgroundInformation:ShortlyaftertheincidentTomgoestoapicnicwithapartyofschoolmates.Exploringacave,hegetslostwithBeckyThatcher,thedaughteroftheJudge.Tombehaveslikeabraveboy,calmsBecky’sfearsandfindsthewayoutofthecave.II.BackgroundInformation:Inafewdays’timeTomandHuckreturntothecave.Theyfindthedeadbodyofthemurderer,whocouldnothavefoundthewayoutofthecaveandalsothehiddentreasures.II.BackgroundInformation:AbriefoutlineofHuckTomandHuckfindthemoney.Theyeachgetsixthousanddollars,whichtheydepositwithJudgeThatcher.TheWidowDouglastakesHuckforhersonandtriesto“civilize”him.II.BackgroundInformation:Inthemeantime,Huck’sfathertriestogetthemoneyandsucceedsinkidnappingtheboyandimprisonshiminalonelycabin.Tofreehimselffromboththeboringwidowandthebrutalfather,HuckrunsawaytoadesertedislandinthemiddleoftheMississippiriver.II.BackgroundInformation:Indoingso,hemakesitappearthathehasbeenmurderedbysomerobbers.OntheislandhemeetsJim,MissWatson’srunawayslave,andthetwobecomeclosefriends.II.BackgroundInformation:Theystarteddowntheriver,comeacrossallsortsofpeopleandhavelotsoffunandadventures.TowardtheendofthenovelJimiscaughtandimprisonedatafarm,andHuckandTommakeaspectacularbutunsuccessfulattempttorescuehim.II.BackgroundInformation:AtlastitturnsoutthatHuck’sfatherhasdiedandMissWatsonhasalsodied,butnotbeforesettingJimfreeinherwill.III.Detailedstudyofthetext:1.MirrorofAmerica:Amirrorreflectsorrevealsthetruthofsomethingorsomebody.III.Detailedstudyofthetext:2.MostAmericansrememberMarkTwainasthefather...Father:metaphor.Endless:hyperbole.Thewholesentence:parallelism.III.Detailedstudyofthetext:MarkTwainisfamoustomostAmericansasthecreatorofHuckFinnandTomSawyer.Huck'ssailing/travelontheriverwassolight-hearted,carefreeandpeacefulthatitmadehisboyhoodseemtobeinfinite,whileTom'sindependentmindandhisexcitinganddangerousactivitiesmadethesummerseemeverlasting.III.Detailedstudyofthetext:3.idyllic:[i/ai]asimplehappyperiodoflife,ofteninthecountryanidyllicsetting,holiday,marriageDetailedstudyofthetext:4.cruise:Acruiseisaholidayduringwhichyoutravelonashipandvisitlotsofplaces.Whenitisusedasaverb,itmeanstomoveataconstantspeedthatiscomfortableandunhurried.Detailedstudyofthetext:Hewasonaworldcruise.TheyspentthesummercruisingintheGreekislands.ThetaxicruisedoffdowntheChang'anAvenue.cruisemissilecruiser:alargefastwarship.Detailedstudyofthetext:5.everybitas…as:infml,justas…as,quiteas…asHeiseverybitascleverasyouare.I'meverybitassorryaboutitasyou.Detailedstudyofthetext:6.cynical:Acynicalpersonbelievesthatallmenareselfish.Heseeslit