2. UNIT 10 A Debt to Dickens Background-author Language points Text analysis

3. Pearl Buck ( 赛珍珠 )

4. Background Information Pearl Buck was born on June 26, 1892, in West Virginia. Pearl was the fourth of seven children (and one of only three who would survive to adulthood). When she was three months old, she was taken to China, where she spent most of the first forty years of her life. From childhood, Pearl spoke both English and Chinese. She was taught principally by her mother and by a Chinese tutor. In 1934, Pearl moved permanently to the US. From the day of her move to the US, Pearl was active in American civil rights and women's rights activities. In 1938, Pearl won the Nobel Prize in literature for The Good Earth.Nobel Prize

5. The Good Earth is a novel by Pearl S. Buck published in 1931 and awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel in 1932 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938. It is the first book in a trilogy that includes Sons (1932) and A House Divided (1935).

6. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer paid $50,000 for movie rights. The film version of the novel, released in 1937, was seen by over twenty million people around the world. One of the movie's stars, Luise Rainer, won an Academy Award for best actress.

11. Charles Dickens

12. Poet’s Corner Charles Dickens died by stroke on June 9, 1870 and he was buried at Westminster Abbey in the Poet’s Corner.

13. Some of His Works The Pickwick Papers(1836)--- 《匹克威克外传》 Oliver Twist(1837-1839)--- 《雾都孤儿》 David Copperfield(1849-1850)--- 《大卫 · 科波菲尔》 A Tale of Two Cities(1859)--- 《双城记》 Great Expectations(1861)--- 《远大前程》

15. The Pickwick Papers(1836) His First Novel

16. Taken from the movie Oliver Twist This novel tells the story of Dickens’ life at the blacking factory.

17. The unhappy period in his youth was turned into his favourite, and most autobiographical novel, David Copperfield.

18. "A tale of two cities" is one of Dickens's most important representative works ．

19. Great Expectations is the story of the orphan Pip, writing about his life (and attempting to become a gentleman along the way). The novel, like much of Dickens' work, draws on his experiences of life and people.

20. Language points

21. desperate: adj. feeling or showing great despair and ready to do anything regardless of danger; in great need (of sth./to do sth.) Detailed reading1– desperate 1 e.g. The prisoners grew more desperate with the approaching date of execution. She is desperate for money. Detailed reading Derivation: desperation: n. Collocation: desperate for sth./to do sth.

22. Detailed reading1– desperate 2 Detailed reading Have you got some water? I’m desperate for a drink. Translation: 你有水吗？我很想喝点。 我很想见到她。 I’m desperate to see her.

23. heed: v. give attention to; consider seriously Detailed reading1– heed e.g. She didn’t heed my warning/advice. Their offspring do not heed to what they say. Detailed reading Derivations: heed: n. heedful: adj. heedless: adj. Collocations: pay heed to take heed (of sth.)

24. obligation: sth. that must be done because of a duty or promise Detailed reading1– obligation 1 e.g. You can look around the shop with no obligation to buy. We attended the party more out of a sense of obligation than anything else. 我们参加那个聚会是迫于人情，而并无别的原因。 Detailed reading Derivations: oblige: v. obliged: adj.

25. Detailed reading1– obligation 2 Detailed reading Everyone has a legal obligation to provide the tax office with details of their earnings. Translation: Collocation: under an obligation (to): having a duty (to) e.g.We are invited, but we are under no obligation to go. 每个人都有法律义务向税务局提供自己的收入详情。

26. render: v. cause sb. or sth. to be in a particular condition; give sth. to sb. or do sth., because it is your duty or because sb. expects you to Detailed reading1– render 1 e.g. His stammer rendered him unfit for a teaching job. It is an obligation of ours to render assistance to those in need. Detailed reading Derivation: rendering: n.

27. Detailed reading1– render 2 Detailed reading His fatness renders him unable to touch his toes. Translation: 他很胖，连自己的脚趾也够不着。 You will be expected to render an account of money that is owed. 请你发出借欠清单。

28. 我警告你，他一旦被惹怒是非常可怕的 ! rouse: v. (fml) waken The noise roused me from/out of a deep sleep. The speaker tried to rouse his listeners to action. Derivation: rousing: adj. Collocations: rouse from/out of rouse to Translation: I warn you, he’s dangerous when he’s roused! Detailed reading1-- rouse e.g. Detailed reading

29. A funeral is a sombre occasion. somber: (BrE: sombre) adj. dark-colored; dull and dismal; sad and serious Detailed reading1-- somber e.g. She prefers to wear somber clothes. You could see a sombre expression on his face that day. Detailed reading Derivation:somberness: n. Synonyms:serious; grave; dark Translation: 葬礼是个悲伤的场合。

30. treacherous: adj. behaving with treachery, (showing signs of) betraying a person or cause secretly; dangerous, esp. when seeming to be safe Detailed reading1-- treacherous e.g. 1. He was cruel, treacherous and unscrupulous. 2. We cannot trust treacherous people. 3. The ice on the lake is treacherous, not as strong or thick as it looks. Detailed reading Derivation: treachery: n. Synonym: unreliable

31. wretched: adj. very unhappy, miserable or pitiable; causing unhappiness or misery He is in bed with a bad cold, feeling rather wretched. What wretched weather! Derivation:wretchedness: n. Translation: I feel wretched about having to disappoint her. Detailed reading1-- wretched e.g. Detailed reading 我因不得不让她失望而深感懊丧。 Why can’t that wretched child behave himself? 那孩子真讨人嫌，为什么他就不能规规矩矩的呢？

32. zest: n. a feeling of being enthusiastic, eager, excited, interested, etc. Her zest for life is as great as ever. He entered into our plans with terrific zest. Derivation: zestful: adj. Synonym: enthusiasm: n. Detailed reading1– zest 1 e.g. Detailed reading

33. Detailed reading1– zest 2 Detailed reading The element of risk gave an added zest to the adventure. Translation: 这种冒险成分给探险活动平添了几分乐趣。 The danger of being caught gave a certain zest to the affair. 做这种事情有被发现的危险，但这倒增加了刺激性。

34. Text analysis

35. Main idea Global Reading- Main idea1 1. What does this narrative text tell us? This text first tells us about the most indelible experiences the writer went through when she lived an isolated life as a child in the remote Chinese countryside. Next, the text describes and relates how she discovered and read and digested Dickens’ novels. Then, it highlights the ways in which the writer benefited immensely from Dickens.

36. 2. What is the main purpose of the writer? The writer’s main purpose is to emphasize that she is immensely grateful to Charles Dickens, for she has been enlightened a great deal by him, and that Dickens’ novels, which deal with real life and real people and explore significant and permanent topics, constitute a rewarding heritage of mankind, and therefore are well worth reading and studying.

37. Structural analysis Structural analysis 1 1. How is the first paragraph associated with the last one? In the first paragraph the writer makes it clear that she has owed Charles Dickens a heavy debt by reading his novels. And the only way to honor her obligation is to write down what Charles Dickens did for her. In the last paragraph, the writer says she was deeply influenced by him. Thus, the concluding part of the narrative text is naturally connected with the beginning part.

38. 2. Work out the structure of the text by completing the table. Paragraph(s)Main idea 1 2-3 It introduces the setting and the relationship between the writer and Charles Dickens. The writer recalls her isolated childhood life in a remote Chinese countryside, her unpleasant experiences and the painful feeling she had because she was a foreigner. Structural analysis 2

39. Structural analysis 3 Paragraph(s)Main idea 4-6 7 The writer narrates and describes her experiences as a voracious reader. The writer highlights Dickens’ great influence upon her.