Unit Ten The Wonderful Lousy Poems (abridged)

Teaching Objectives Pre-reading Questions Global Reading Detailed Reading Oral Activities

Teaching Objectives Practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Clarify the different kinds of forces in our life: e.g., mother ’ s love and father ’ s love. Understand how to take advantage of those conflicting but complementary forces to help one follow the true course of life.

Pre-reading Questions Have you ever tried to do something you thought amazing when you were a kid? Is there any difference between your father ’ s response to it and your mother ’ s?

Global Reading How did the author organize this text? What do you think proper education to a child should be like?

Detailed Reading Paragraph 1Paragraph 1-6 Paragraph 7-20 Paragraphs 21-24

Paragraph 1-6 Questions: What was his mother ’ s attitude to Budd ’ s poem? Why? According to paragraphs 1~6, what do you think his father ’ s attitude to his poem would be ? Why?

Language work: lousy: very bad, unpleasant, useless, etc. (eg) lousy weather exuberant: 1. (of people or animals and their behaviors) overflowing with life and cheerful excitement (eg) His paints were full of exuberant colour. 2. (of plants) growing strongly and plentifully (eg) the exuberant growth of a tropical rain forest

proud-bursting: with overflowing pride (eg) I received the first prize from out headmaster, proud-bursting. do justice to someone/something (also: do someone/something justice) 1. to treat in a fair or proper way (eg) we should do justice to history. 2. to get the best result (eg) She didn ’ t do herself justice in this exam. glow: 1. to give out heat and/or soft light without flames or smoke (eg) The iron was heated until it glowed. 2. to show redness and heat, esp. in the face (eg) Her cheeks glowed with embarrassment.

flourish: 1. a decorative curve in writing 2. a showy movement or manner that draws people ’ s attention to one (eg) He opened the door with a flourish. suspense: a state of uncertainty about something that is undecided or not yet known, causing either anxiety or sometimes pleasant excitement (eg) The children waited in suspense to hear the end of the story.

Paragraph 7~20 Questions: What was his father ’ s response to Budd ’ s poem? According to author ’ s narration, can you describe the characteristics of his father?

Language work burst in on/upon somebody/something: to interrupt suddenly and usually noisily (eg) They burst in on me while I was working. call somebody/something down (on): to ask for something to come down (as if) from heaven, invoke, reprimand (eg) The priest called down God ’ s anger on those bandits. glamorous: having glamour (eg). a glamorous woman < glamour (n.) glamourize (v.) to make (something) appear better, more attractive, more exciting, etc..

teeming: (of a place) full of creatures (eg) the teeming jungle This river teems with all kinds of fish in summer. rant: to talk in a loud excited way, using grant but meaningless phrase (eg) The priest ranted about the devil and all his works.

verdict: 1. the official decision made by a jury in a court of law at the end of a trial, esp. about whether the prisoner is guilty or not 2. a statement of opinion, judgement or decision given on any matter (eg) What ’ s your verdict on the film? bawl: 1. to shout in a loud rough voice (eg) He bawled at me. 2. to cry noisily (eg) I couldn ’ t sleep because the baby wouldn ’ t stop bawling

Paragraph 21~24 Questions: 1. Make a comparison between the mother ’ s love and father ’ s love in this text. 2. Assuming only mother ’ s force without father ’ s force, or only father ’ s force without mother ’ s force, analyze the possible consequences.

Language work crush: 1. to press with great force so as to break, damage, or destroy the natural shape or condition (eg) The tree fell on top of the car and crushed it. 2. to destroy completely, esp. by the use of great forces (eg) He was crushed by the chairman ’ s remark. dawn: to begin to grow light just before the sun rises (eg) The morning dawned fresh and clear after the storm. dawn on/upon somebody: to become known (eg) It suddenly dawned on me that I ’ d caught the wrong train.

buffet: to strike forcefully or repeatedly (eg) We were buffeted by the wind and the rain. capsize: to turn over (eg) The boat capsized in the storm, but luckily it didn ’ t sink.

Oral activities During the growth of the children, Most of them will face different even opposing forces of love in the family. Usually these forces are contradictory, but complementary to each other. So, how should we do to navigate our own craft and follow our true course, just as the author of this text?