Lesson Ten The Man in Asbestos

Teaching objectives: 1 Master some useful words and language points. Remember them and make sentences with them 2 Grasp the skills in paraphrasing a sentence. Try to paraphrase more difficult sentences 3 Learn how to analyze and conclude the general idea of the text. Click to edit yor text Click to edit your text Click to edit your text

Leading-in: What is asbestos? Asbestos is a kind of material highly resistant to water (防水), electrical insulation (绝缘)and heat insulation(隔热), fire insulation(防火) and heat preservation (保温).

lecturer humorist Leading-in: Canadian author professor The Introduction about the author Canadian author professor lecturer humorist

乌托邦;理想的国土[社会等];空想的社会改良计划 “乌”---没有 “托”是寄托 “邦”是国家 Utopia 乌托邦;理想的国土[社会等];空想的社会改良计划 “乌”---没有 “托”是寄托 “邦”是国家 财产是公有的，人民是平等的，实行着按需分配的原则，大家穿统一的工作服，在公共餐厅就餐，官吏由秘密投票产生。私有制是万恶之源，必须消灭它。

Utopians tended to paint rosy pictures of the world’s future . They believed that human wisdom would give us happy solutions to all our problems.

Pair work What kind of a world would you like to have in future? For example, our physical appearance, schools, families, hospitals, transportation, communication, media, arts, music, sports? Would people still have love and friendship?

dystopian People who have serious doubts about the opposites----the utopians. People don’t believe machines, industrialization, and scientific and technological developments can automatically lead us to a paradise on Earth.

What does the author want to do? What for? After reading through the text, please answer the following questions: What is the world of the future like? What has happened in this world of the future to the following: a) time b) death c) clothing d) cities e) work f) food g) education h) weather i) children j) communication How did all these changes come about according to the man in asbestos?

Retell the story according to the following key words: death and food a strange man city and nature sleep work and cars wake up communication

structure Para 1-6 the introduction , why the narrator eagerly plunged into a distant future: to witness its marvels Para 7-78 what he discovered in this future world and how his feelings about it changed Para79-81 the narrator found himself back in reality

astonished at a few of the marvels thrilled at the Conquest of nature doubtful whether the Conquest was a blessing angry at all the marvels and rejected the world of marvels

unchanging grey sky gross-grown skyscrapers the city in ruin the conquered nature without the changes of seasons and climate silent sea changes and death eliminated without work without toil people there have concentrated pills and haven’t any emotions

New society No hunger No disease No death No crime No gender inequality No natural disasters

Life is dull empty meaningless

According to the story, if these changes were to take place, what would the consequences be? If human beings no longer had any desires or worries, what would happen?

Social reformers are angry that such incredible human achievements are shown in an negative way. Leacock seemed to imply that such problems as hunger, war, disease, natural disasters and inequlity are what gives life purpose. These are the things that make us human. If that were the case, it would mean that they should not be eliminated.

A thought-provoking question In our battle against human sourges, we sometimes forget that a world of complete bliss is impossible. Human beings are always going to have problems.

Difficulties Hardships Risks Sufferings human experiece Pain Anxiety Failure sacrifice

Perfection is not only impossible, it is also undesirable “perfection ” the end of change the end of progress the worst problem of human beings

With His face was blue with cold. For She cried for joy. Language points: Because of Due to For the sake of Owing to Out of From With His face was blue with cold. For She cried for joy.

At will ----just as or when sb. wishes;freely. With an air-conditioner you can enjoy comfortable tempretures at will. 这个魔术师可随意让盒子变大变小。 The magician can make the box big or small at will.

Plunge into ---to fall or throw oneself into a place or a situation. The students plunged into their examinations. 他感动得流下泪来, 决心投入新的战斗. Moved to tears, he resolved to plunge into the new battles.

passage The passage of the time The passage of the law This is the most dramatic passage in his famous essay. There is a secret passage underneath leading to all the strategic points.

Due to poor management the bank was rated C last year. The company management were totally corrupt. Nobody ever suspected his belonging to that secret gang. Her persoal belongings remained untouched. The publication of the book was regarded as a great cultural event.

You won’t be able to get full professorship without publications. Goverment control may not be desirable. But goverment regulation is absolutely necessary. According to the new goverment regulations, foreign investors can own more than 50% of the stocks of a company.

She finally found herself sitting in a classroom. 那个男孩突然发现自己在朝着动物园的方向走 find oneself: to discover oneself in a situation suddenly; and unexpectedly. She finally found herself sitting in a classroom. 那个男孩突然发现自己在朝着动物园的方向走 That boy suddenly found himself walking in the direction of the zoo.

keep track of ---- to observe the progress of; follow. A timekeeper is a person who keeps track of time in a sport event. 很难保持与所有老同学的联系，我已失去与一些老同学的联系了。 It's hard to keep track of all one's old school friends.I have lost track of some of mine already. 如果你们听不懂我所讲的话，请提问。 Please ask if you cannot keep track of what I'm telling you.

to and fro ---back and forth. The man walked to and fro while he waited for the phone call. 小船在水上来回摇晃。 The boat rocked to and fro on the water. 公路上卡车和汽车正来往奔驰穿梭。 Trucks and cars are shuttling to and fro on the highways.

destined Destiny destination

down They decided to track the rumor down.

My letter was destined never to reach him. 不是冤家不聚头。 be destined to do: to be determined beforehand. My letter was destined never to reach him. 不是冤家不聚头。 Enemies and lovers are destined to meet.

do away with --- to make an end of; eliminate, to kill. 你能改掉坏习惯吗？ Can you do away with your bad habit？ 老师们想在学校里消灭作弊现象。 The teachers want to do away with cheating in the school．

die out ---to stop living completely; become extinct. This kind of bird is dying out. 如果允许人们随心所欲地射杀大象，那么他们不久就会灭绝． Elephants would die out soon if men were allowed to shoot as many as they want. It took a long time before the big fire died out. The old traditions are dying out.

beat out: to defeat or conquer completely. He beat out other people who wanted to get the job.

go overboard ---to throw into the water from the ship; to abandon; to throw away. Because of the stormy weather, some goods must go overboard.

launch into ---to begin excitedly and actively into something 他就新项目的重要性慷慨陈词。 He launched into a speech about the importance of new projects. 他利用这笔钱开始从事一新行业。 He used the money to launch into a new business. 在这些困难时期里要开办新的工商企业是需要勇气的。 It takes courage to launch into a new business in these difficult times.

hunt down --- run after and catch The police have hunted down the escaped prisoner.

Improve on I am unable to improve on his suggestion . ---do better than 我提不出比他更好的建议了。 I am unable to improve on his suggestion . 我不能比你的设计做得更好。 I can' t improve on your design.

More practice: 1. 我心目中的人工智能世界就是房子可以随意迁移。 The world of artificial intelligence in my mind is house can move at will. 2. 消防队员闯进燃烧的建筑物，救出了那个孩子。 The fireman plunged into burning building and saved the boy. 3. 你可记下自己所花的每一分钱。 You can keep track of every penny you spend. 4. 我敢保证他一定会在一个星期内被捉拿归案。 I'm sure he will be hunted down in less than a week. 5. 别过了头，否则她会认为你没有诚意的。 Don't go overboard, though, or she might think you're insincere.