1. Advanced English Made by Yang Lin

2. Unit 9 Mark Twain----Mirror of America

3. Mark Twain

4. Teaching Points I. Background information II. Introduction to the passage III. Text analysis IV. Rhetorical devices V. Questions for discussion

5. I. Background Information 1. Mark Twain 2. Tramp printer 3. Confederate guerrilla 4. Philippine Moros

6. II. Introduction to the Passage 1.Type of literature: -- a piece of objective description

7. Introduction to the Passage 2.The purpose of a piece of objective description: ---to record and reproduce a true picture with opinions and emotions of the author excluded

8. Introduction to the Passage 3. Ways of developing a piece of objective description: ---to begin with a brief general picture, divide the object into parts and organize the detailed description in order of space

9. III. Effective Writing Skills 1. The requirements of writing a summary 2. Using many elliptical and short, simple sentences to achieve certain effect

10. IV. Rhetorical Devices 1. Antithesis 2. Alliteration 3. Personification

11. Antithesis Antithesis means “contrasting ideas sharpened by the use of opposite or noticeably different meanings”. It is a figure of speech in which the writer deliberately uses opposite or different words, phrases or clauses in parallel structures so as to disclose and emphasize the contrast or contradiction between two things. It results in linguistic brevity and rhythmic harmony.

12. Examples: 1. We find ourselves rich in goods, but ragged in spirits, reaching with magnificent precision for the moon, but falling into raucous discord on earth. 2. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…

13. Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sound The initial consonant sound is usually repeated in two neighbouring words (sometimes also in words that are not next to each other). Alliteration draws attention to the phrase and is often used for emphasis.

14. Alliteration Examples: for the greater good of safety and security share a continent but not a country

15. Alliteration Repetition of initial consonant sounds means that only the sound must be the same, not the consonants themselves. Examples: killer command fantastic philosophy A neat knot need not be re-knotted.

16. Personification attribution of human characteristics to animals, inanimate objects or abstractions Animals, inanimate objects or abstractions are represented as having human characteristics (behaviour, feelings, character etc.). Personification can make a narration more interesting and lively.

17. Personification Examples: Why these two countries would remain at each other's throat for so long. (3)(3) I closed the door, and my stubborn car refused to open it again. The flowers nodded their heads as if to greet us. The frogs began their concert.

18. V. Text Analysis 1.Mark Twain 对美国文学与美国社会影响与 贡献； 2. Mark Twain 所处的时代背景； 3. 分析作者写作中所含的幽默风格

19. VI. Special Difficulties 1. Compound nouns and compound adjectives 2. Paraphrasing some sentences 3. Identifying figures of speech 4.Translating some sentences

20. VII. Questions for Discussion 1. Why is Mark Twain one of America’s best-loved authors? 2.Give a brief account of Mark Twain’s experience before he became a writer. 3. When did Mark Twain become a pilot on a steamboat? 4. What story did he write that made him known as “the wild humorist of the Pacific slope”?

21. VIII. Exercises 1. Paraphrase 2. Write a short story of Mark Twain

22. Thank You