Unit 6

Romance

Part I. Lead-in questions:

1) Is college dating good? 2) What are your standards in choosing a lover? 3) Do you think it is wise to develop love with a

pen pal or a key pal? Why or why not?

Text A

A Valentine Story

--- By Doug Bell

Part II. Cultural Notes (1) Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day is a lover’s holiday celebrated on

February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of the two 3rd century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. Valentine is considered the patron of lovers and especially of those unhappily in love. The feast day became a lovers’ festival in the 14th century. Today it is marked by the exchange of romantic cards (valentines), flowers, chocolate of heart shape, and other gifts.

Part II. Cultural Notes (2)

Grand Central Station

Located on East 42nd street in Manhattan, New York , it is the largest and busiest railway station in the world. As you approach it from 42nd Street, you’ll be facing this triumphant facade featuring a fifty-foot pediment with statues of Hercules, Minerva and Mercury surrounding a clock. This interior of Grand Central is also an amazing sight and will transport you to another time. (to be continued)

(continued)

The Main Concourse seen here is an immense space 120 feet wide, 375 feet long and 125 feet high. Although the Terminal had suffered neglect in the 1970’s and 1980’s, a massive four-year restoration project was recently completed and you’ll be amazed at how new this place looks! One of the biggest jobs of this restoration was to the vast vaulted ceiling. Painted like an evening sky with more than 2500 gilded stars and constellations, it allows New Yorkers something they never get to see.

Part II. Cultural Notes (3)

Public libraries in the U.S. Public libraries in the U.S. are free to the public. One

can get a library card at the local library by filling in a form and showing the librarian a valid ID and something to prove that one lives in the neighborhood (e.g., a used and stamped envelope with one’s name as the addressee, one’s phone bill, gas bill, etc.). Besides borrowing books, people go to libraries to borrow video tapes, use the computers there, attend book readings by authors and other cultural events. Libraries are regarded as community centers.

Part III. Writing Features (1) 1) This short story has two narrators, the story

writer and John Blanchard. 2) The story is not developed completely in order

of time. Paras. 2-5 are flashbacks filling up the information readers missing.

3) To correspond to the switch in narrators and events, a change in tenses is introduced accordingly.

Writing Features (2)

4) In this story, we can easily find some examples of simile and metaphor, which enhance the effect of description.

A simile is a comparison of one thing to another, using the words “like” or “as”, e.g., “her hair was black as night”; “in her green suit she was like springtime come alive” (Para. 7).

A metaphor is a suggested but not stated comparison of one thing to another, e.g., “while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment” . “Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart.”

Writing Features (3) 5) Notice also the informal talk between the characters in

the story. For example, “Going my way, sailor?” is an incomplete sentence. Or see how the middle-aged woman spoke in Para. 15 — “son”, “go and tell”, “some kind of” and so on are all casual.

Writing Features: Text Organization

Part I. (para. 1):Opening of the story — John Blanchard was expecting to see someone at Grand Central Station.

Part II. (paras.2-6): A flashback explaining — Whom he was waiting for and why.

Part III. (paras.7-15):Development of the story — Miss Maynell put Blanchard to a test.

Part IV. (paras.16-17): Implication---The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.

Main Idea

The nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. (Or: The way one reacts to unattractive people reveals one’s character.)

AND

Tell me whom you love, and I will tell you who you are. (Or: I can judge you by the person you love.)

Part IV. Difficult Sentences He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but

whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. (para.2)

--- He was going to meet a girl, the girl he had never seen before but with whom he shared many of his views, interests and feelings. The girl would wear a rose to identify herself at their first meeting.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences I’d always be haunted by the feeling that you

had been taking a chance on just that , and that kind of love would disgust me.(para.4)

--- I would always be troubled by the fear that you fell in love with me because of my external beauty and that kind of love is what I hate to have.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences A young woman was coming toward me, her

figure long and slim. (para.7) --- A young woman was coming toward me and she

was tall and slim.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences Her golden hair lay back in curls from her

delicate ears.(para.7) --- Her curly golden hair was put behind her

delicate ears.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences

She was more than a little overweight, her thick-angled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes. (para.10)

--- She was a quite heavy woman, wearing low-heeled shoes. She must have trouble squeezing her feet which are thick in angles into the shoes.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was

my desire to follow her and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. (para.11)

--- I had the feeling that there were two of me fighting with each other, one having a strong desire to go with the young pretty woman, the other longing to stay with the woman who had been with me and supporting me spiritually.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences The woman’s face broadened into a smile.

(para. 15) --- The woman smiled a big smile.

Part IV. Difficult Sentences The true nature of a heart is seen in its response

to the unattractive. (para. 16) --- How one reacts to something unattractive can

tell much about what kind of person he is.

Part V. Language Points

make one’s way (to/towards)(para.1): go 走去 e.g. 1) Early in the morning the hunter made his

way into the woods. 2) I will make my way home now. It’s too late.

Part V. Language Points margin(para.2): n. 页边空白 e.g. 1)Professor Hanson had the habit of making

notes in the margin of the books he was reading.

2) Some publishers make profits by printing books with wider margins and hence charging higher prices.

Part V. Language Points reflect(para.2): vt. be a sign of, show 反映 , 展

示 e.g. 1) Does this letter reflect how you really

think?

这封信是否表达了你真实的想法？ 2) Her work reflects intelligence.

她的工作显示出她的智慧。 Phrase: reflect on 反思 , 思考

Part V. Language Points locate (para.3): vt. find the exact position

of 找到… 位置 e.g.: locate Albany ,NY on the map

locate an electrical fault, one’s name on the roll

We located the shops and the post office as soon as we moved into the town.

Part V. Language Points

bud(para.4): v. 发芽 , 萌芽 e.g. 1)Trees are budding to welcome the spring

season.

2)The flowers are bronzy in bud and bright yellow when open.

a budding poet 崭露头角的诗人

Part V. Language Points

haunt(para.4): vt. to come to mind continually; obsess 使担忧 ; 使苦恼

e.g. a riddle that haunted me all morning

be haunted by the fear of failure

1)The murderer was constantly haunted by the face of the man he killed.

2) 惊慌和痛苦虽已过去许久，她仍心有余悸。

She was still haunted by the panic and pain long after it had passed.

Part V. Language Points

take a chance (on sth.) (para. 5): take a risk 碰运气 , 冒险

e.g. 1) You take a chance on the weather if you spend your holiday in the UK.

我没预定票。我抱剧院还有不会客满的 侥幸心理。

2) I haven’t booked a ticket. I am taking a chance on the theatre not being full.

3) We can’t take a chance. We must be 100% sure.

Part V. Language Points disgust (para. 4):vt. cause a strong and

often sick feeling of dislike 使厌恶 , 反感

e.g. 1) The bad fish had a disgusting smell.

2) We're all disgusted at the way her husband has treated her.

Part V. Language Points

sustain(para.6):vt. support; keep going 支持 , 保持

e.g. 1) It’s love from his family that has been sustaining his life over these years.

2)The natural resources are not enough to sustain such a large population.

3) The teacher tried to sustain the children’s interest in learning English.

Part V. Language Points go one’s way(para.9): go in sb.’s direction

与某人同路 e.g. 1) I’m going your way. May I give you a

ride?

2) I wasn’t sure whether he was going my way or not, so I decided to go home by myself.

Part V. Language Points

provocative (para.9): adj. causing annoyance or anger 挑衅的

e.g. 1)He spoke in a provocative tone: “If you dare!”

2) Mary is looking very provocative in that miniskirt.

v. provoke 狗被激怒是很危险的。 A dog could be very

dangerous when provoked.

Part V. Language Points more than a little(para.10): very 非常 e.g. 1) To be frank with you, he is more than a

little stupid. 2) If you tell your father what you’ve done,

he’ll be more than a little angry. Cf. not a little: much, a lot of It has given me not a little anxiety.

Part V. Language Points

thrust (para. 10): v. push suddenly or violently 挤入 , 塞入

e.g. 1)After quarrelling with her husband, Nora thrust a few personal things into a suitcase and left home..

2) She thrust the papers at me.

Part V. Language Points

uphold (para.11): vt. maintain, support 支持 , 维护 e.g. 1) The roof is upheld by six pillars.

2) A good lawyer should play an active role in upholding social justice.

3) 最高法院将维持死刑原判。 The Supreme Court will uphold the earlier death

sentence.

Part V. Language Points

identify(para.13): vt. recognize or say who or what sb. or sth. is 识别

e.g. 1) Dead bodies in the plane crash were identified by dental records.

2) The visiting scholar spoke English with such a perfect accent that it was hard to identify his origin.

Part V. Language Points in response to(para. 16.): in answer to 对…作出

回应 e.g. 1)The stock market crashed in response to the

news of a possible oil crisis. 2) 嫌疑人对警察的提问保持沉默。The suspect kept silence in response to the questioning

of the police.

Part VI. Writing Invitations (Refer to P174) Invitations can be formal or

informal based on the situation at hand. Formal invitations are usually laid out ( 设计 ) according to the traditional pattern and they are available at the stationer’s. If you purchase one, all you have to do is write the name(s) of the recipient(s), the nature of the event, the time, and the date in the blank spaces provided. The informal one, on the other hand, demand more personal creativity.

Part VI. Writing Assignment

Write a letter of invitation based on the information below and an informal acceptance letter and an informal regret letter.

我们想请贵公司参加于四月二十九日到五月四日在南京国展中心举办的 2011 国际商品交易会。关于交易会的详情我们一周内将寄给您。希望不久能收到您的答复，并能前来参加。

Dear Mr. Grady, We would like to invite your corporation to

attend the 2011 International Fair which will be held from April 29 to May 4 at Nanjing Exhibition Center. Full details about the fair will be sent to you in a week.

We look forward to hearing from you soon, and hope that you will be able to attend.

Yours faithfully, Yang Kang

The End