A taste of English Literature(品味英语文学)

Goals(目标): Learn to read English literature. Promote English competence through literature. Sense the love of life and humanity(人文情怀) conveyed in literature.

Listen and figure out: How many speakers and who? What are their true identity?

Comments from critics: 《夏洛的网》是有史以来最优秀的儿童读物。 ---BBC “如果让我放一本书在太空舱，送往某个遥远的星系以唤醒另一种形式的生命，我会选择怀特的这本代表作，它写了友谊，失去，顺从和死亡。” ——美国国家公共电台的莫林·科里根 “这本最棒的书不仅仅是关于忠诚和友谊，还有象征意义——谷仓空地象征着一生。” ——《芝加哥论坛报》首席文学编辑伊丽莎白·泰勒

The beginning of the story Chapter 1 The beginning of the story What happened to Wilbur next? the birth of the pig Mr Arable’s attitude Fern and Wilbur

When Wilbur was 5 weeks old, he was sold to Fern’s Uncle Homer, who put Wilbur in a manure pile in the cellar of his barn, where there were sheep, lambs, goose, goslings, rat and other farm animals. Yet Wilbur felt lonely even though Fern visited him and sat close to him every day after school. The fact that he was meant to be killed on Christmas upset him. So he tried to escape until a VIP in his life appeared…… VIP! Who can it be?

Charlotte promised to save Wilbur from being killed and they became very good friends. Is this the end? How? In what way did Charlotte save Wilbur?

Chapter 12: One day, Charlotte called a meeting… purpose? result? their relationship Role play Is this the end?

The end: Life in the barn was very good - night and day, winter and summer, spring and fall, dull days and bright days. It was the best place to be, thought Wilbur, this warm delicious cellar, with the garrulous geese, the changing seasons, the heat of the sun, the passage of swallows, the nearness of rats, the sameness of sheep, the love of spiders, the smell of manure, and the glory of everything. Wilbur never forgot Charlotte. Although he loved her children and grandchildren dearly, none of the new spiders ever quite took her place in his heart. She was in a class by herself. It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.

Summary: characters language theme ending

Tips: English learning depends much on reading. Literature is a necessary part of it. We benefit a lot from movies, but we will get more out of the original book. We will get far more if we form the habit of reading English Literature. Charlotte’s Web is a wonderful book to begin our trip to English literature. Yet it is just the beginning.

Book list for recommendation: 1.Charlotte’s Web ，1952 E·B·怀特（ EB White） 2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ，1950C.S.路易斯（CS Lewis） 3. Where the Wild Things Are，1963莫里斯·桑达克（Maurice Sendak） 4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ，1865路易斯·卡罗尔（Lewis Carroll） 5. The Little Prince，1868露易莎·梅·奥尔科特（Louisa May Alcott） 6. The Little Prince，1943安东尼·德·圣.埃克苏佩里（Antoine de Saint-Exupéry） 7. Winnie-the-Pooh，1926米尔恩（AA Milne） 8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory，1964罗尔德·达尔（Roald Dahl） 9. A Wizard of Earthsea，1968厄休拉·勒奎恩（Ursula K Le Guin） 10. A Wrinkle In Time ，1962马德琳·英格（Madeleine L’Engle） 11. Little House on the Prairie ，1935罗兰·英格斯·怀德（Laura Ingalls Wilder）