Unit Eight

A Magician at Stretching a Dollar

Warm-up questions

• 1.      Do you celebrate Christmas at home? What activities do you have to celebrate the festival?

• 2.      What presents do your parents buy for you at Christmas? What is the most unforgettable present you’ve ever received from them? Can you recall how you felt at the moment?

• 3.      How do you spend Christmas at school? What do you do during the Christmas season?

Background Information • 1 A word about the author • Russell Baker (1925-), one of American’s notable humorists and

political satirists, was born in Loudoun County, Virginia. After graduating from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in English he worked as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun from 1947-1954, starting as a police reporter and working his way up through the ranks to London correspondent and to White House reporter.

• He joined the New York Times in 1954 in Washington and covered the White House Congress, State Department and politics. In 1962 he began writing his “Observer” column for the New York Times and continued to write that column for 36 years.

• He served as a member of the Pulitzer Prize Board in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and a fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

•  • 2. Mickey Rooney (1920-)• American actor, singer and dancer, he made his stage

debut at age six and from 1927 to 1933, starred in over 50 episodes of the comedy series. He adopted the name “Mickey Rooney” in 1932 and began landing bits parts in feature films signingwith MGM in 1934.

• Rooney established himself as a solid character actor in the postwar period and a triumphant stage debut in the late 1970s.

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key structurs  

• 1        in search of : look for; seek

• --Immigrants came to the US in search of the American dream.

• 2.speech has escaped me: …I was unable to speak.

Language points • 1 stretch :• 1)      make wider, longer or tighter by pulling; be or become wider.• --Oil paintings are generally painted on stretched canvas.• 2)      extend • --The enemy camps stretched for ten miles .• 2. approach • (v) come near(er) to; go to (sb) with a request or offer • --The 2008 Olympic Games are quickly approaching.• (n) 1) (to a place) path, road• --The path serves as an approach to the boat house.• 2)(to a task, problem or situation) means of attaining a goal or purpose • --We will be exploring different approaches to gathering information.

• 3.instant: coming or happening at once • --Instant messaging differs from e-mail in that conversation happen in

real time.• Note: instantly, instance • --Read the message and destroy it instantly.• 4. something like: about; approximately • --One US dollar currently buys something like 8 RMB.• 5. somehow: in some way; by one means or another • --He expected somehow to discover a woman who could love him.• 6. scrape together: manage to gather money, etc. despite

difficulties • --She had scraped together enough money for college.• 7. payment: paying or being paid; sum of money paid • --Hackers threaten the security of online payment.

• 8. rob sb of sth: deprive…of; take away (sth) from sb. • --Disease has robbed her of her memory.• 9. astonish: surprise greatly • Note: astonishment noun, astonishing /astonished • --I’m astonished at the election result.• 10. come upon: find or meet by chance • --He came upon a student’s comments on him while surfing the

Internet.• 11. think over: consider further (before reaching a decision, etc);

reflect upon • --I’ve thought it over, and I’ve come to a decision .• 12. absolute:• a 1) Complete, perfect, undoubted • --Punctuality is an absolute must for business meetings.• 2)not relative • --Absolute zero is a theoretical temperature that is thought to be the

lowest possible temperature. • Ad.: completely:• --The dress is absolutely fabulous!

• 13. hint • (n) slight or indirect indication or suggestion • --It’s good to see a hint of progress.• (v) suggest indirectly • --The politician has hinted that he might once again become the leader of his party.• 14. avoid: keep or get away from • Note: avoid doing sth • --The actor avoided talking about his marriage. • 15. deny: not to confess • 1)      refuse to give• --It’s inhumane to deny medical care to prisoners.• 2)      say that (sth) is not true • --George W. Bush denied past drug use.•

• 16) spontaneous:

• (a)    done, happening from natural impulse, not caused or by suggested by sth, or sb outside

• --The 88-year-old singer was greeted by a spontaneous burst of applause from the audience.

• Spontaneously : (ad) done, happening naturally

• --Several cars have caught fire spontaneously while parked.

Assignment

• It is suggested that the students divide them into several groups to role-play the story.