Unit 5 Overcome Obstacles Text A True Height

Unit 5 Overcoming Obstacles Lead-in Text Analysis Language Points Presentation & Exercise

Lead-in Background Information Olympics Organized and governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Games are the most important international sports event in the world held every four years.

Background Information Olympic symbol --- five interlocked rings Olympic motto --- Swifter, Higher, Stronger.

Background Information Pole Vault The pole vault (PV) is an event in track and field where athletes compete to clear the highest possible crossbar(横木)by using a vaulting pole. The basic concept is to convert horizontal energy (the run) into vertical energy (thus clearing a higher bar).

Discussion Discuss in groups the problems that you still have in overcoming these obstacles. If there hadn’t been any obstacles in the past, you would have scored outstanding successes in your studies or career. It’s the obstacles you have faced all your life that have kept you from enjoying a perfect life. Overcoming obstacles is thus a necessity of success. Here are Some suggestions:

Discussion a. Get started. b. Break your task into smaller tasks. c. Work with the time you have. d. Set small deadlines. e. Eliminate distractions. f. Ask for help.

II. Text Analysis 1. Part Division Line Main idea 1 1 ~ 11 2 12 ~ 35 3 36 ~ 90 4 91 ~ 95 Michael faced the most challenging competition in his pole-vaulting career. Michael’s childhood was marked with dreams and tough training. Michael topped his personal best, won the championship and set a new world record. What was most unusual about Michael’s victory was that he was blind.

Comprehension Part I Description --- Use your own words to draw a picture of the stadium on that day, including the weather, Michael’s appearance and inner feeling, the audience’s response, etc.

Comprehension Part II Questions and Answers What individual characteristics should Michael’s success be attributed to? He is diligent, perseverant, optimistic, ambitious, etc.

Comprehension Part III. Comparison Michael’s reaction before/after clearing the bar Before: His palms were sweating. He needed a towel to dry his grip. (L. 1) After: 1) If Michael Stone was surprised, excited or vain…(LL. 37~38) 2) He seemed unaware of …(LL. 40~41) …, again he showed no emotion. (LL. 43~44)

Comprehension Part IV Discussion Why does the author keep the secret about Michael’s blindness until the last sentence?

Language Points Sentences Paraphrase In his dreams, he would always fly over those places described in his mother’s stories. Line 16 ~ 20 He would be running down a country road. As he raced between golden wheat fields, he would always outrun the locomotives passing by. It was at the exact moment he took a deep breath that he began to lift off the ground. He would begin soaring like an eagle.

Language Points Sentences He would not be ashamed of getting himself the second place, but… Line 47 ~ 49 Nothing to be ashamed of, but Michael would not allow himself the thought of not winning first place. Paraphrase the first part of the sentence. What can you learn from the sentence? Michael holds a very good attitude toward the competition. On the one hand, he wouldn’t think it is a shame of winning the second place; on the other hand, he would try his best to win the first place.

Language Points Sentences Line 54 Then it all hit him like a wet bale of hay. What does “hit sb. like a wet bale of hay” mean? If something hits you like a wet bale of hay, it comes as a sudden, forceful and unpleasant surprise.

Vocabulary grace: n. 1) quality of being smooth and elegant, esp. in movement or structure e.g. We admired the grace with which the fashion models walked across the room. 2) kindness; willingness to do what is right e.g. She had the grace to say that he was right.

Vocabulary mere: adj. nothing more than e.g. She lost the election by a mere 20 votes. 光说无济于事。 Mere words won’t help.

通常指无限制的，不受意志支配的，完全脱离现实的空想 Vocabulary fantasy: n. (creation of ) imagination CF: fantasy, fancy & imagination An amusement park full of figures from fairy tales may be called Fantasy Land. 一个游乐园，如果充满了神话故事中的人物塑雕，则堪称虚幻境界。 通常指无限制的，不受意志支配的，完全脱离现实的空想

Vocabulary His mind went where fancy took it. 他总是不着边际地胡思乱想。 强调凭空想像客观世界不存在之事物，这种凭空想像并非完全脱离现实，只是离现实较远 His mind went where fancy took it. 他总是不着边际地胡思乱想。 Does she have the imagination to figure out what happened? 她真的富有想像力，能够推想出发生的事情吗？ 是个常用词，贬义最少，它所表示的想像或想像力可以指对过去的事物的重新构想；也可以指对不存在或不能存在之事物的构想

Vocabulary detail: n. small, particular fact or item e.g. Everything in her story is correct down to the smallest detail. Collocation: go/enter into details 详细说明 in detail 详细地

Vocabulary coincide: v. (of ideas, opinions, etc.) to be in agreement e.g. His tastes and habits coincide with those of his wife. happen at the same time or during the same period of time e.g. They could not go to the theatre together because his free time never coincided with hers.

Vocabulary hard-core: adj. stubbornly resistant to improvement or change E.g. a hard-core criminal死不悔改的罪犯 Twenty days passed before the last hard-core protesters gave themselves up.

Vocabulary alternate: adj. 1) every other or second E.g. The show was sponsored by different clients on alternate weeks. 2) (of two things) happening by turns She wears a shirt with alternate stripes of blue and white 这是晴雨交替的一周 This is a week of alternate rain and sunshine.

Vocabulary alternate: v. (cause to ) follow by turns E.g. 汤姆时而发怒，时而害怕。 Tom alternated between anger and fright.

Vocabulary Collocation: alternate between 时而……时而…… e.g. They alternate between supporting us and opposing us. alternate in 轮流 e.g. We alternate in doing the household chores. alternate with （使）与……交替 e.g. Sunny weather alternates with rain.

Vocabulary vain: adj. 1) too pleased with one’s own abilities or looks e.g. He’s as vain as a peacock. 2) without result; useless e.g. After a number of vain attempts to climb the mountain, we were forced to return to camp. 3) In vain e.g. I tried in vain to get Sue to come with us.

Vocabulary startle: vt. give a sudden shock or surprise to e.g. You startled me! I didn’t hear you come in. She was startled to see him looking so ill.

Vocabulary bring (sb.) back to earth: cause (sb.) to stop daydreaming; cause (sb.) to return to reality E.g. Emily’s voice brought him back to earth

Presentation and exercises (50 min.) 1. How did dreaming and hard work contribute to Michael’s success? 2. Do Ex. on page 161