Unit16 lesson3 Life stories

Shang Lan, a gymnastic athlete Beethoven,a deaf musician Hawking: 霍金 a British scientist Zhang Haidi

A deaf dancer The Thousand-hand Bodhisattva

Blind,deaf and dumb when she was young peaceful and mild in her middle ages Helen Keller

Introduction about Helen Keller

Helen Keller(June 27, June 1, 1968), was an author, lecturer, and humanitarian whose unusual life and dedicated 献身的 work had an international influence on the lives of the disabled ( 残疾人 ). She became blind and deaf at the age of 19 months through a damaging brain fever and could communicate only through hysterical ( 歇斯底里 ) laughter or violent tantrums ( 发怒 ). But, with the help of her teacher Anne Mansfield Sullivan, Keller learned to read braille 盲文 and to write by using a special typewriter. Bibliography 自传 : Keller, Helen, The Story of My Life and Teacher (1955); Waite, H. E., Valiant Companions: Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan Macy (1959);

Read these comprehensive questions and try to think of possible answers. Then find answers to questions in the text.

1. How was Helen Keller different from other children? 2. Why was her teacher so important to her? 3. How did she learn new words? 4. Why did she feel happy when she understood the meaning of the word “water”? 5. Why was the word “love” so difficult for Helen to understand? 6. Why did she think that love might be the sun? 7. How did she learn the word “think”? 8. What do the words “love” and “think” have in common? Answer the questions

1. How was Helen Keller different from other children? Heller Keller couldn’t see or hear. 2. Why was her teacher so important to her? Because she was a very special girl who needed a superb teacher.

3. How did she learn new words? She learned new words spelt on her hand. 4. Why did she feel happy when she understood the meaning of the word “water”? Because the knowledge gave her hope and joy.

5. Why was the word “love” so difficult for Helen to understand? Because it is abstract word that can not be touched. 6. Why did she think that love might be the sun? Because Mrs. Sullivan took her to the sun when teaching the word “love”.

7. How did she learn the word “think”? When she made a necklace of beads, she kept making mistakes. And she stopped to think. At this time, her teacher noticed this and spelt the word to her.

8. What do the words “love” and “think” have in common? They are both abstract and they can not be touched.

Can you figure out the whole process of Helen’s learning ? Some of the clues are given here:

getting to know Sullivan …getting to know some words which can be touched…the mystery of language was revealed to her …getting to understand some abstract words.

Helen needed a superb teacher because she couldn’t speak, read and write. And Sullivan, who had eyesight problem, was a teacher and had the same experience with Helen.

All Sullivan got to do first is to stop Helen’s unbearable behaviors, and when they first met, she gave Helen a big hug.

Sullivan’ s way of teaching is simple and straightforward. She taught Helen the word “doll” by spelling it on her hand.

Now that Helen understood the key to language, she was very eager to learn more and use it as much as she could. When Anne taught her the word “love”, she got confused about it. She mistook it for sun and the sweetness of flower.

When Anne noticed that she had made a mistake when making a necklace of beads, she taught her the word “think”.

She came to understand “think” and “love”-these 2 abstract words, which can not be touched. She realized that Anne deeply loved me.

Discussion: What kind of teacher do you think Anne Sullivan is? Try to use as many adjective words as you can: Kind-hearted patient responsible, (dedicated) creative considerate respectable

1.Read the whole passage again. 2.Find more stories about Helen Keller.