Unit 8 My Forever Valentine Contents A. Text one I. Pre-reading:I. Pre-reading (I) Warm-up questions (II) Background information II. While-reading: Text

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Unit 8

My Forever Valentine

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• Contents• A. Text one• I. Pre-reading: • (I) Warm-up questions • (II) Background information• II. While-reading: Text Analysis• (I) Structure analysis• (II) Comprehension questions • (III) Language points• (IV) Difficult sentences • III. Post-Reading:• (I) Grammatical items• (II) Translation Exercises• (III) Oral activities• (IV) Writing practice • B. Text two• （I）Questions for text comprehension• （II）Language points

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A. text one

• I. Pre-reading: • (I) warm-up questions• 1. Is there any unforgettable event

happening between you and your parents?

Pre-reading: (I) warm-up questions

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Valentine's Day • Saint Valentine's Day,

commonly shortened to Valentine's Day is held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering chocolates, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").

(II). Background Information

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Valentine's Day• Modern Valentine's Day

symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.

• My dearest Miss, I send thee a kiss.

• Weddings are all the go, will you marry me or

no?

Pre-reading: (II) Background information

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Legend of Valentine

• Valentine was a priest in Roman times. At that time Roman Emperor Claudius II ordered that young men remain single, because he believed that married men couldn’t become good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail and finally executed.

Pre-reading: (II) Background information

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• II. While-reading: Text Analysis• (I) Structure analysis

While-reading: (I) Structure analysis

• 1-2 a brief account of the narrator’s father

• 3-10 father’s profound affection for his daughter on Valentine’s Day.

• 11-12 everlasting memory of the father

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• (II) Comprehension questions • 1) What was the narrator’s father? And

what was his hobby? (Paragraph 2)• The narrator’s father did office work. He

was fond of watching football matches.• 2) Why did the narrator think of her father

as her Valentine Man? (Paragraph 2)• Because her father chose Valentine’s Day

to show his profound affection for her by presenting her with gifts and showing great care for her on that particular day for many years in succession until he passed away.

While-reading: (II) Comprehension questions

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• 3) What does “the magic” mentioned in Paragraph 3 refer to? (Paragraph 3)

• “The magic” mentioned in Paragraph 3 refers to charm added to the day by the wonderful gifts and the profound affection that the narrator’s father gave her.

• 4) What gifts did the narrator’s father give her as she grew older? (Paragraph 5)

• As she grew older, the narrator’s father gave her such gifts as heart-shaped boxes filled with her favorite chocolates, which always included a special card signed “Love, Dad.”


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• 1) Why was the job of hand-delivering candy and cards relegated to the U.S. Postal Service? (Paragraph 7)

• Because the narrator settled down in a rural area, which was far away from where her father lived.

• 2) How did the writer describe the final card she received from her dying father? (Paragraphs 8-10)

• It was an ordinary-looking card, but full of her dying father's year-long affection for her which could move the author into tears.


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• 7) Why does her father’s final card still remain on her bulletin board today? (Paragraph 11)

• It's a reminder of her father, being special and important for her years long.

• 8) Would you please paraphrase the concluding part? (Paragraphs 11-12)

• It is something that makes me remember how particularly great fathers can be and how valuable and influential it has been to me over the years to have such a loving father. Those things will always live in my heart, and the same is true of the memory with my father on Valentine's Day.


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• （ III ） Language points • time: v. arrange or set the time at

which something happens or is to happen 安排时间，调整……的时间

• You timed your arrival well; we were just going to have dinner.

• The enemy timed his attack perfectly. • 敌人所选择的进攻时机恰到好处。• be timed to do sth.• The train is timed to arrive at 6 o’clock.

While-reading: （ III ） Language points

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• elaborate: adj. containing a lot of small details or parts that are connected with each other in a complicated way ； complex, complicated, detailed

• She made elaborate preparations for the party.

• The curtains had an elaborate pattern of flowers.

• The problem is too elaborate.


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• fondly: adv.• 1) in a way that shows you like someone

very much ， lovingly, affectionately• She greeted her old friend fondly.• Taking Mary in his arms, he kissed her

fondly.• 2) in a foolishly hopeful manner• She fondly imagined that she could pass

her examination without working hard.• Derivations: fond: adj. fondness: n.


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• recollection: n. memory; the power or action of remembering the past; something in one’s memory of the past

• clear/ distinct/ vivid/dim/faint/ hazy/ vague ~

• She stared at him in sudden recollection. 她凝神而视，忽然认出他来。

• Derivation: recollect: v.


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• usher: show or guide the direction• The girl ushered me along the aisle to my

seat.• usher in: to mark or be the start of sth new 开创；开始；开启 : usher in a new age/ era/epoch• The elections ushered in a new period of

change in the country.• 随着这些选举，国家进入了一个新的改革时期。• Firework displays ushered in the New Year.• 烟火表演标志着新年的开始。


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• succession: n. happening one after another; chain, series,

• in succession • She won the championship four times

in succession.• a succession of • A succession of visitors came to the

door.• succession to the throne: the act of

becoming the next king or queen 王位的继承


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• popularity: the state or condition of being liked, admired, or supported by many people

• The current system has never enjoyed popularity among teachers.

• 现行制度从未受到教师的欢迎。• She enjoys huge popularity with the

voters. • 她很受选民的喜爱。• Folk music is growing in popularity.


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• tease: joke; laugh at• Don’t get upset. I was only teasing.

• His classmates often tease him

about his southern accent.


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birthstone

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• surpass: v. exceed; go beyond in amount, degree, or quality

• China wants to catch up with and surpass the developed countries in the world.

• He surpassed all his rivals in wisdom and strategy.

• surpass the past and future 空前绝后• surpass expectations/hopes/dreams.


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• give way to• 1) have its place taken by • The storm gave way to bright

sunshine. 暴风雨过后出现了灿烂的阳光 • Tears gave way to smiles. • 2) agree to do what someone else

wants to do, instead of what you wanted to do

• We refused to give way to their demands. 我们拒绝对他们的要求让步。


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• perfunctory: adj. (of an action) done hastily and without thought, interest or care ， indifferent, uncaring, routine 敷衍的 ; 马虎的 , 例行公事的

• Olivia dismissed him with a perfunctory nod.

• ~ attitude/ response/ investigation

• Be~ about


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• relegate: v.put into a lower or worse place

• He was relegated to a remote place to do farm work.

• Their football team was relegated.• Many of the prisoners were

relegated to the lonely island. 许多囚犯被流放到岛上去。


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• assortment: n. a mixture of different things or of various kinds of the same thing; collection; diversity

• She has an odd assortment of friends.• This is an assortment of sweets. 什锦糖• The store has a wide assortment of gifts to

choose from.


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• 18cells assortment box for tiny screws


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• a lump in the/ one’s throat : a feeling of tightness or dryness in the throat caused by strong emotion, especially sadness （尤指因悲伤）哽咽

• After seeing the film, I had a lump in my throat.

• I felt a lump in my throat while seeing his pale face, but held back the tears.


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• scrawl: v. write in a careless, hurried, awkward, or unskillful way; scribble 乱涂 , 潦草地写

• She scrawled a brief note and handed it to her secretary.

• Don’t scrawl on the wall. (scrawl)• n. an example of hurried,

careless writing• Her handwriting is a scrawl. • 她的书写很潦草


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• reminder: n. something that reminds you of something that happened in the past

• The ruined church acts as a constant reminder of the war.

• She gave him a gentle reminder that payment was due.

• 她和婉地提醒他到期该付款了。

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• 1. The traditional holidays in our house when I was a child were spent timing elaborate meals around football games. ( Paragraph 1)

• Explanation: Some of the traditional holidays in the United States are Valentine’s Day (February 14); St. Patrick’ Day (March 17); and Halloween (October 31). In some states, Arbor Day, Bird Day, and Flag Day are school holidays. Child Health Day (the first Monday in October) is widely observed in schools. Many schools and some businesses close on Good Friday.

• Translation: 小时候，每到传统节日时，我们家总要根据足球比赛的时间来准备精美的饭菜。

(IV) Difficult sentences

While-reading: (IV) Difficult sentences

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• 2. That box and its contents ushered in a succession of bittersweet memories of my entrance into a world of popularity contests marked by the number of cards received, the teasing about boyfriends/girlfriends and the tender care I gave to the card from the cutest boy in class. (Paragraph 3)

• Translation: 那只箱子以及其中的贺卡礼物勾起了我一连串苦乐交织的回忆：（六岁起，）我开始加入一场场展示受欢迎程度的角逐，最终结果取决于收到贺卡的数量、有关男女朋友的揶揄，以及我给予班中最可爱的男生所赠贺卡的关爱程度。

While-reading: (IV) Difficult sentences

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• 3. Never in ten years was my father’s package late nor was it on the Valentine’s Day eight years ago when I reached into the mailbox to find a card addressed to me in my mother’s handwriting. (Paragraph7)

• Translation: 10 年中，我父亲的包裹总是准时寄到，即使在 8 年前的情人节，也是如此。那天，我把手伸进邮箱，拿到的是一张寄给我的卡片，上面是我母亲的笔记。

• 4. It was the kind of card that put a lump in your throat and teas in your eyes because you knew the person no longer was to go out and buy a real valentine. （ Paragraph 9 ）

• Translation: 这是张能让人喉咙哽咽、泪水盈眶的贺卡，因为当你看到它使，你明白这个人再也无法出门给你买情人节贺卡了。

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•III. Post-Reading• (I) Grammatical items:1. real and unreal conditionals 2. it + be + … + that

III. Post-Reading: (I) Grammatical items

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• 1. real and unreal conditionals• With real conditionals, there is a chance that

the condition will be fulfilled; with unreal conditional there is no such chance.

• e.g. If he arrives on time, he will be able to go with us. (Real condition)

• If he had arrived on time, he would have been able to go with us. (Unreal condition)

• If I were (was) you, I would be careful. (Unreal condition).


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• Conditional sentences have two clauses. Real conditionals:.

• If clause: present tense • Result clause: future tense If you eat too much ice cream,

you'll get sick.


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• Unreal Conditions — present: • If clause: simple past• Result clause: would or could +

base form of verb If I had more time, I'd do exercises

everyday.• Unreal Conditions — past:• If clause: past perfect• Result clause: would have + past

participle If Ronald had stayed in school, he

would have gotten a better job.


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• Practice• Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tenses.• 1. What ____________ (happen) if I press this

button?• 2. If the story hadn’t been true, the newspaper

___________ (not print) it.• 3. I _____________ (not buy) things on the

installment system if I were you.• 4. If he’d taken his doctor’s advice he

_______________________ (not die).• 5. She’ll lose weight if she ____________________

(go) on a diet.• 6. If I were you, I ___________ (not believe) his

story.


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• Keys: • 1. will happen (In a real conditional, when talking

about the future, the verb in the if-clause is in the present tense while that in the main clause is in the future tense.)

• 2. wouldn’t have printed (In an unreal conditional, we use “if + past perfect” and “would + have done” in the main clause when we talk about something in the past.)

• 3. wouldn’t buy (In an unreal conditional, we use a past tense in the if-clause and “would do” in the main clause when we talk about present or future situations.)

• 4. wouldn’t have died• 5. goes• 6. wouldn’t believe


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• 2. it + be + … + that• Sentences introduced by "It is"or "It was"are often

used to emphasize a specific subject or object. The introductory clause is then followed by a relative pronoun. “It + be + … + that” can be used to highlight the subject, object, adverbial of time, place, manner, cause.

• e.g. It is Jenny who spends all her money on shoes. (subject)

• It is shoes that Jenny spends all her money on. (object)

• It was in London that he met his first wife. (place)• It was only when he phoned that I realized what had

happened. (time)• It is learning English that I find most enjoyable

nowadays. (gerund action)


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Practice:• Highlight the underlined parts in the

following sentences using “it + be + … + that.”

• 1. I put them into the soil the day my first son was born.

• Key: It was on the day my first son was born that I put them into the soil.

• 2. We reached Istanbul by train.• Key: It was by train that we reached

Istanbul.• 3. He’s feeling unwell because he’s been

working too hard.• Key: It is because he’s been working too

hard that he’s feeling unwell.


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• 4. The awful weather drives him crazy.• Key: It is the awful weather that drives

him crazy.• 5. We get light and heat from the sun.• Key: It is from the sun that we get

light and heat.• 6. I understood the true state of affairs

not until I had read your letter. • Key: It was not until I had read your

letter that I understood the true state of affairs.


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• （ II ） Translation Exercises• 1 ．圣诞节期间，大家都很开心，互相拜访，互赠贺卡

和礼物。 (enjoy) • At Christmas people enjoy themselves very

much; they visit one another and present each other with Christmas cards and presents.

• 2 ．她的卧室和起居室墙上贴满了流行歌星和电影明星的照片。 (decorate)

• The walls of her bedroom and living room are all decorated with pictures of pop stars and film stars.

• 3 ．索菲亚委婉地取笑汤姆那顶新帽子，而汤姆不顾情面地就她的卷发戏弄了她一番。 ( tease sb. about)

• Sophia teased Tom about his new hat mildly, but Tom teased her curly hair unmercifully.

III. Post-Reading: （ II ） Translation Exercises

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4. 他取得了非凡的成就，超过了自己确定的目标（ surpass)

He had attained remarkable achievements which surpassed the goal he had set for himself.

5. 他痛哭不止，我设法劝他不要过度悲伤。 ( give way to)

He kept crying bitterly, and I tried to persuade him not to give way to grief.

6. 我想当然地认为你想要看这出戏，所以给你买了一张票。 (take for granted)

I took it for granted that you would like to see the play, so I bought you a ticket.


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• 7. 他们已经把这个问题降到优先考虑事项表上靠后的位置了。（ relegate ）

• They have relegated these problems somewhere down on the priority list.

• 8. 我将通过唐娜的律师把这封信寄给她。（ address ）

• I am going to address the letter to Donna in care of her lawyer.


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• 9. 我告诉她那个消息时，不知自己为什么喉咙哽咽起来。 (a lump in one’ s throat)

• I don’t know why telling her the news brought a

lump in my throat. • 10. 水手们白天用信号旗发信号，夜间则用信号灯发信号。

• Sailors signal with flags by day and with lights at night.

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• (III) Oral activities

III. Post-Reading: （ III ） Oral activities

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(IV) WritingWrite a short essay on the following

topic in about 150 words.Generation Gap:1. Causes of generation gap2. Solution to generation gap

III. Post-Reading: (IV) Writing

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• Sample:• In modern society, there is often a lack of

understanding between parents and children. parents dislike what their children think and do, while children often complain that their parents can not understand them. this is often called generation gap.There are some causes for the existence of generation gap. First, the environment in which young people now living is quite different from that of their parents'. therefore, they often hold different opinions on various problems in life. Second, disparity in age also leads to misunderstanding. young people want to do everything as they like, while older people often can't help interfering when they think what the young people are doing is wrong. This inevitably leads to disharmony.

III. Post-Reading: (IV) Writing

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• In m opinion, generation gap can be bridged as long as both parents and children are willing to make efforts. They may have an open talk and tell each other what they think about certain problems. They should be considerate enough to realize that each generation has its own advantages and disadvantages. Their openness and consideration probably will result in a much better relationship between parents and children.

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B. Text two• (I) Questions for text comprehension• 1. What can we infer from the author’s description of a

Christmas about the damaging effect of the Great Depression on American farmers?

• 2. What memories of childhood come alive again whenever the author sees the snow coming down?

• 3. What did the author think of cancer before he knew that he had cancer?

• 4. What were the main criticisms directed against the government concerning cancer research?

• 5. According to the author, what psychological problems may a cancer patient face?

• 6. What was the author’s intent in writing about the struggles of a cancer patient?

• 7. What did he suggest people with incurable diseases should do to mitigate their own problems?

Text two: (I) Questions for text comprehension

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• Key to Questions for discussion• 1. The Great Depression was devastating to American farmers

and their families. Many people lacked adequate food, shelter, and clothing.

• 2. Afflicted by the Great Depression, his family lived in poverty. On Christmas Eve, he prayed that he would get just a little present for Christmas and his dream came true the next morning.

• 3. He viewed cancer with great horror. He thought of it as a very serious infectious disease in which the flesh and nerves were gradually destroyed.

• 4. All the money was spent on cancer research, but insufficient attention was paid to the emotional rehabilitation of cancer patients and their families.

• 5. Depression and persistent anxiety. He may have low self-esteem, a sense of hopelessness about the future, and a lack of interest in people and activities once found pleasurable.

• 6. He wanted to instill positive attitudes in a cancer patient and hoped that the story would serve as an inspiration for all people with incurable diseases.

• 7. They should share their mutual problems, help each other and take part in community life on an equal level with others.

Text two: (I) Questions for text comprehension

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• (II) Language points

• 1. Make Today Count (Title): • We should live each day with a

gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation.

• 2. make ends meet (Paragraph 3): have just enough money to buy what one needs

• e.g. Since Mike lost his job, we can hardly make ends meet.

Text two: (II) Language points

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• are bound to (Paragraph 4): are certain or extremely likely to

• e.g. In a group as big as this, you are bound to get occasional disagreements.


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• 4. break the ice (Paragraph 9): make people who have just met each other less nervous and more willing to talk, for example at a party or meeting

• e.g. Sharon tried to break the ice by suggesting that we all play a game.

• 5. ..., it occurred to me that ... (Paragraph 10): ..., it suddenly came into my mind that ...

• e.g. It suddenly occurred to me that we could use a computer to do the job.


Documents

Unit 8 My Forever Valentine Contents A. Text one I. Pre-reading:I. Pre-reading (I) Warm-up questions (II) Background information II. While-reading: Text