Unit 2

American Homes and British Homes

I. Warm-up Activities

Discussion Questions:1. What is your home like?2. Where do you prefer to live, in a

house or an apartment, in a town or a village? Why?

3. Help students to learn about different houses. (P. 19)

II. Keys points in the text:1. be of + n.

This structure is equivalent to “be +adj.”

‘n. ’ can be: 1) size, age, shape, length, width,

height, depth, color, kind, sort, type…e.g. The stamp is of a strange shape.

He chooses some paper of different colors.

2) “n.” can be some abstract noun, like “use, help, value, importance, significance, necessity…”

e.g. This book is of great help to me. It is an event of great significance in

Chinese history.

2. more or less

1) almost; nearly 差不多，或多或少，在一定程度上

The job is more or less finished.His condition has more or less

improved.2) about; not exactlye.g. The trip will take 10 days, more

or less.

3. afford Vt.

Example sentences: 1) Most families in cities can afford

a computer at home nowadays.2) How can you afford (to spend) so

much money for an expensive car? 3) I can’t afford 3 weeks away from

work.

4) We can’t afford to upset such an important customer.

5) I can’t afford to neglect my boss’s instruction.

Meanings of “afford”:1) & 2): be able to buy or pay for3)—5): be able to spend, give, do…

without loss or damage 花得起，有能力去做，承担得起

4. go up

Think about the meanings of “go up” in the following examples:

1) National income would go up next year by 8.5 percent.

2) There are new houses going up everywhere around here.

3) The whole village went up when it was bombed.

4) Jane’s hopes of going to college went up in smoke when his father lost his job.

5) What time does the curtain go up?

Meanings of “go up”:1) to rise, increase 涨价 , 上涨 , 上升2) to be built 被兴建 , 建立3) to explode or be destroyed in fire 爆炸 , 被焚毁4) go up in smoke: (infml) to have no

result, come to nothing 化为泡影5) (of the curtain on stage) to open

and start the performance 启幕 , 开演

5. senior

n. & adj. 1) (someone who is) older He is several years senior to me. He is my senior by two years.

2) (someone of) high or higher rank He is senior to me, though he is

younger. a senior officer/ minister seniority n. 年长 ; 位高 e.g. Harry felt that two years’

seniority gave him the right to advise his brother.

6. be on the move

meaning: move (house) frequently;

traveling around;e.g. 1) I don’t know where Mike is this

week; he is always on the move. 2) Science is always on the move.

7. keep out

meaning: to cause to stay away or not

enter 使…不进入 / 远离 e.g. Warm clothing will keep out

the cold. They have shut the door and

meant to keep us out.

keep (sb) out of …: not become concerned with… 不牵涉

进去e.g. I try to keep out of their family

quarrels. I hope you will keep out of trouble

while I’m away.

8. give a (wonderful) view of… view: something seen from a

particular place, a scenee.g. I’d like a room with a view,

please. The view from his bedroom

window is of a big playground of a school.

9. feed

1) Vt. give food to … e.g. She feeds the baby with a spoon. We have to feed 120 guests after the

wedding.2) Vi. (esp. of an animal or a baby) eat Cows feed on grass.

11. pay back

pay (sb/sth.) back: to return, repay 偿还e.g. The loan has to be paid back to the

bank with interest. Lend me 100 yuan and I’ll pay you back

tomorrow (or: I’ll pay it back to you).

III. Post-reading activity

Suppose you and your friend are studying in the U.S and Britain respectively. Now you are on the phone talking to each other. Tell him/her about the American homes and British homes.