Unit 4: Section A
Five Famous Symbols of American Culture
By Tang Qiongling
Ⅰ.Teaching aims
Help students to catch the main idea of the text, to understand the structure of the text, to analyze some difficult sentences, to master the use of some key words and phrases, to do some oral practice about the text.
Ⅱ. Teaching steps
1．Background Information
The Statue of Liberty
The idea of creating the Statue of Liberty began in France at a dinner party hosted by Edouard Rene Lefebvre Laboulaye, a scholar. Laboulaye and Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a sculptor, began to discuss the idea of presenting the United States with a monument to memorialize independence and human liberty.
Bartholdi sailed from France
to New York on June 8, 1871, to propose the building of the statue
to honor the friendship between France and the United States. As the ship pulled into New York Harbor, Bartholdi spotted the perfect location, Liberty Island.
Barbie dolls
It was the late 1950s when Ruth Handler noticed her daughter playing with paper dolls and imagining them in grown-up roles. Since most dolls at the time were baby dolls, Ruth envisioned one that would inspire little girls to think about what they wanted to be when they grew up. Ruth created a teenage fashion model doll named Barbie (after her daughter), and the rest is history. Barbie has been an integral part of the lives of millions of young girls. Her timeless appeal has resulted in a dedicated legion of fans that love to collect her.
American Gothic
Wood intended the couple to represent a typical small town resident and his daughter, but most interpret them as man and wife. Since completion, Grant Wood’s 1930 painting American Gothic has become a critically acclaimed work that continues to enjoy enormous popularity. It also has become an American icon and is the model for a countless number of commercial art parodies, such as posters, cards, and souvenirs. The painting hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.
Uncle Sam
The prevailing theory is that Uncle Sam was named after Samuel Wilson. Wilson was born in Arlington, Mass., on September 13, 1766. His childhood home was in Mason, New Hampshire.
In 1789, he and his brother Ebenezer walked to Troy, New York. Samuel Wilson died in 1854. His grave is in the Oakwood Cemetery in Troy.
The single most famous portrait of Uncle Sam is the “I WANT YOU” Army recruiting poster from World War I. The poster was painted by James Montgomery Flagg in 1916-1917.
Buffalo nickel
In 1911 sculptor James Earl Fraser began designing the “Buffalo” nickel. Fraser said the portrait on the “head’s” side was a composite of three American Indians — Iron Tail, Big Tree and Two Moons.
2. Questions & Answers
Warming up questions
⑴.What are the symbols that you have heard about?
The symbols, by which the United States of America is known around the world, are the Statue of Liberty, the Barbie doll, the great American Gothic, the Buffalo nickel and Uncle Sam.
⑵. What can you imagine to be the reasons
the Statue of Liberty was built?
According to the very name “the Statue of Liberty”, I guess it has something to do with freedom, because the word “liberty” means freedom. The biggest freedom for America is its independence from Britain, so the only reason I can think up for building the Statue is that it was to memorialize the victory of the War of Independence. Besides, since the statue was sent to the United States as a present from France, it was also intended to honor the alliance between the two countries.
⑶. What more can you say about the symbols
of American culture?
I’ve heard of the name, the Statue of Liberty, but know little about its story. As to Barbie doll, it is very popular with little girls around the world. In different seasons, the company launches different beautiful clothes for her. At a certain time, the company declares that Barbie is in love and has a boyfriend. Some time ago, Barbie even got married. Then, little girls dashed to stores to buy wedding dresses designed for her. I believe that is a great success in business. As to Uncle Sam, I only know that it is another name for U.S.
Introductory questions
1.What are the five symbols of the United States?
They are the Statue of Liberty, Barbie dolls, American Gothic, the Buffalo nickel, and Uncle Sam.
⑵．Whose face was the Statue of Liberty modeled after?
It was modeled after Bartholdi’s mother’s face.
⑶. What was the real name of Barbie?
Her real name was Barbara Handler.
⑷. How popular is Barbie according to the text?
Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie has become the universally recognized Queen of the Dolls. The average American girl owns ten Barbie dolls, and two are sold somewhere in the world every second.
⑸. Who painted American Gothic?
Grant Wood.
(6). How did Wood get the idea of painting American Gothic?
He was inspired by the Gothic window of an old farmhouse.
⑺. What was the Buffalo nickel produced for?
It honored a pair of connected tragedies from the settlement of the American frontier – the destruction of the buffalo herds and the American Indians.
⑻. Why did Fraser go to New York City’s Central Park Zoo to sketch an aging buffalo?
Because buffalo no longer wandered about the great grasslands.
⑼. What did the employee say when he was asked about the letters “EA-US”?
He said “US” was short for “Uncle Sam” Wilson.
⑽. How did Flagg’s portrait of Uncle Sam look like?
It was a self-portrait of Flagg.
- Text Analysis:
Main idea of the text
The passage is about five famous symbols of American culture, telling readers their historical backgrounds, origins and relevant stories.
Part I (Paras. 1-4)
To celebrate US independence and the France-America alliance, a French artist created the Statue of Liberty, with his wife’s arm and his mother’s face as models for his creation.
Part II (Paras. 5-10)
Barbie originated from a German doll and an American girl, Barbara, whose parents founded the Mattel Toy Company and made Barbie popular. Barbara and her brother Ken, the human models of Barbie and her boyfriend, had different opinions on the doll.
Part III (Paras. 11-14)
Inspired by the Gothic window of an old farmhouse, Grant Wood produced American Gothic. It was the faces of his dentist and sister in the painting that captured the world’s attention.
Part IV (Paras. 15-18)
Contrary to the tradition, the image of a buffalo and three actual American Indians were used on two sides of the coin, the Buffalo Nickel, by a famed artist James Earle Fraser.
Part V (Paras. 19-22)
When Sam Wilson was providing meat to the army in a war, some explained the initial letters “US” as Uncle Sam. It became popular later because of a character in political cartoons. An artist created its portrait in army recruiting posters.
4. The in-put of the key words and phrases:
to work on an enormous project (L. 2)
work on: have sth. as the subject of thought or effort
Scientists around the world are working hard on the mystery of SARS.
to be in love with sb. (L. 4)
Those in love with life are ready to give or receive love.
approve of (L. 5): say, show or feel that sth. is good
If my plan isn’t approved of by the Committee, all my work will come to nothing.
come up with (L. 19): find or produce (an answer, a solution, etc.)
What is happiness? People have come up with various answers to this question.
to refashion the doll into … (L. 23)
refashion into: change into; make into
The deserted banks of the river have been refashioned into a place for the local residents to take rest and leisure.
to capture the world’s attention (L. 39)
capture one’s attention: draw one’s attention; be attractive to someone
When introduced into China, the story of Harry Potter immediately captured children’s interest.
to stand alongside (L. 41)
alongside: beside; together with
So strong was my love for the girl that whenever I stood alongside her I felt nervous.
there was no doubt (that)…(L. 42): it was certain…
There is no doubt that computer science is changing our life in all dimensions.
to pose for the portrait (L. 42)
pose for: take and hold a position necessary for an artist or photographer, etc.
The film star is very popular and she often cooperatively poses for a photograph with her fans.
to save her from a very boring life (L. 43)
save … from: prevent sb.or sth .from having or doing sth. bad
This incident confirmed that his honesty not only saved him from being dismissed, but got him a promotion as well.
to go against tradition (L. 51)
go against: be opposite to; be not in favour of; act against
Anything that goes against the law of nature will receive severe punishment from it.
to liberate…from…(L. 59)
liberate: set sb. or sth. free
The Women’s Movement in 1960’s and 70’s has liberated them from kitchen and housework to a certain degree.
to earn a reputation for being honest and hard working (L. 60)
earn: to get sth. as a result of your efforts or your behaviour
He who has endured the hardest lot can earn himself the best chance to rise above all others.
to sign a contract with sb. (L. 63)
contract: a legal document that states and explains a formal agreement between two different people or groups
Marriage is a contract signed between a man and a woman, which must be faithfully fulfilled.
to be short for… (L. 67)
SARS is short for ‘Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome’, but optimists interpret it as ‘Smile And Remain Smile’.
to evolve from (L. 70): develop in gradual stages from sth. different
The human figure in the Emblem of 2008 Olympic Games evolved from the Chinese character “Jing”(京), referring to Beijing.
Expressions & Patterns
1)It is said / reported that sb. does (did) sth. / sth. happens(ed). 据说/ 据报道，某人做(了)某事/ 某事发生(了)。
It is said that the pyramids in Egypt were constructed by ET (extraterrestrials).
It is reported that man is able to live up to 150 years under ideal conditions.
2) According to sb. / a report / a story / a survey / a legend, sth. happened/sb. did sth. 据某人说／据报道／传说/ 据调查／传说，发生了某事/ 某人做过某事。
For the birth of the universe, there are different versions in different cultures. According to one story, it was created by God.
The Queen was very distressed at those rumors about the royal family, according to sources in Buckingham Palace.
3) Some people object to/are opposed to/put obstacles in the way of/don’t approve of sb.’s doing sth., but sb. goes ahead and … 一些人反对／阻拦／不同意某人做某事，但某人不为所动，仍······
In 1850s, many people, including some naturalists, objected to Darwin’s exploration of the evolution of species, but he went ahead and on November 24, 1859 published his great work The Origin of Species.
Einstein’s mother was bitterly opposed to his love with a girl his whole family had a strong dislike for, but he went ahead and married his love in January 1903.
- Assignments
1. Doing the exercises in the textbook.
2.Making sentences with the following expressions.
⑴to approve of
⑵to come up with an idea
⑶to refashion …into
⑷to rise to fame
⑸to stand alongside
⑺there was no doubt
⑻to save sb. from
⑼to go against tradition
⑽to sign a contract with sb.
⑶. Writing
How to Conduct Patriotic Education Among the Youth of Today
1. 我国爱国主义教育的现状。
2. 分析爱国主义教育的重要意义。
3. 如何在青少年中开展爱国主义教育？
Unit 4 Section B
Engelbreit’s the Name, Cute Is My Game
1．Reading Skills: Appreciating Figurative Language
Learning to be able to appreciate figurative language will help us to have a better understanding of the message the author tries to convey. The key point is to examine the language by asking yourself the following questions:
What comparisons are being made?
What mental pictures do they bring to your mind?
What ideas is the author trying to convey?
Example 1
Now more than sixty years old, Barbara—who declines interviews but is said to have loved the doll—may be the most famous unknown figure on the planet. (Para. 9, Reading Passage A, Unit 4)
This is the so-called oxymoron（矛盾修饰法）, a figure of speech that combines two usually contradictory terms in a compressed paradox. According to the sentence, the doll Barbie named after Barbara is probably the most famous figure in the world on the one hand, and on the other, only a few know the real Barbara.
Example 2
He was strongly influenced by medieval artists and inspired by the Gothic window of an old farmhouse, but the faces in his composition were what captured the world’s attention. (Para. 12, Reading Passage A, Unit 4)
This is hyperbole（夸张法）— exaggeration for the sake of emphasis in a figure of speech not meant literally. According to the sentence, the faces are compared to something that is so unusual that they are eye-catching to everyone.
2．Language Points
turn sb./sth. down: refuse to accept sb./sth.拒绝，驳回
1. He tried to join the army but was turned down because of poor health.
2. I’m afraid your request for a pay rise was turned down again.
be suited to:be suitable for 适合于
1. Some people are simply not suited to the competitive world.
2. Jim and Mary seem suited to each other, in spite of their quarrels.
crush:vt. 1. press sth. very hard so that it
is broken 压碎，压坏
His arm was badly crushed in the car accident.
crush:vt. 2. upset or shock sb. badly
压倒，压跨
The news that his wife had been killed in the accident completely crushed him.
crush:vt. 3. defeat sb./sth. completely打败，击败
They were determined to crush the enemies of their country.
come-down:n. (also comedown) loss of importance or social position; a fall or reduction败落；降低
She used to have servants; now she finds it a come-down to have to do the work herself .
bold:a. 1. (of people’s behavior) brave and confident; not afraid 勇敢的; 无畏的
1. Not many people are bold enough to say exactly what they think.
2. The little boy was bold enough to walk in the dark street.
bold:a. 2. not shy, esp. in a way that shows a lack of respect 冒失的，鲁莽的
1. One student was made so bold as to argue with the professor.
2. Would you think me bold if I asked how much your hat cost?
bold:a. 3. (of printed letters) in thick, dark type 粗(字)体的，黑(字)体的
The headwords in the dictionary are in bold type.
bare:a. 1. not covered by clothing 裸露的2. empty; without its usual covering 空的；光秃秃的，无遮盖的
bare arms 赤裸的手臂
a bare chest 赤裸的胸膛
bare hands 徒手
a bare floor 未铺地毯的地板
a hill bare of trees 没有树木的小山
a room bare of furniture 空无家具的房间
distinctive:a. easily recognized because very individual 有特色的，与众不同的
1.She’s got a very distinctive way of dressing.
2.Long complex sentences are distinctive of Henry James’s later style.
with an eye to: showing an interest in or concern for 关注, 心中有某种打算, 想要
1. The greeting cards are finely made, with an eye to color and style.
2. He bought the cottage with an eye to staying there after retirement.
elaborate:a. complicated; carefully prepared and finished 精细复杂的，精心制作的
vt. describe or explain sth. in detail 详细叙述
an elaborate research project 复杂的研究项目
elaborate plans 详尽的计划
an elaborate design 精心的设计
an elaborate performance 精致的表演
1. The company has worked out an elaborate management training scheme for graduates .
2. Some of these points will have to be further elaborated as we go along.
imaginary: a. existing only in the mind; not real 想像中的，虚构的
1. We must consider our real situations, not imaginary ones.
2. Lots of children have imaginary friends.
imaginable, imaginary, imaginative
注意它们之间含义上的区别：imaginable明确强调被修饰之事在人的清晰的心理印象中被看到或被了解，如：This is the only solution imaginable. imaginary指存在于想像或幻想之中，如：The equator is an imaginary line. imaginative指某事物具有某种想象力的特征，如：She’s always full of imaginative ideas.
feature:vt. have as a prominent characteristic 以······为特征，给······以显著地位n. 1. a typical quality or important part 特点，特征，特色2. any of the noticeable parts of the face, body, structure, etc. 面貌，相貌
1.The novel features a young struggling dancer who finally succeeded.
2.He insisted he could make out the individual features of each person in the photo.
dress up: wear one’s best clothes 穿着盛装，精心打扮
1. What they wanted was to dress up and display themselves.
2. It’s a small informal party — you don’t have to dress up.
influential:a. having power or influence 有影响力的，有说服力的
an influential writer / newspaper / speech 有影响的作家/报纸/演说
factors that are influential in reaching a decision 对作出决定有影响的因素
He was influential in getting the hostages set free.
bother with: worry about; bother about
为······操心，为······费心
1. Don’t bother with seeing me off.
2. He’s surprised that you bother with such silly questions.
plunge into: 1. (cause to) rush into a state of activity 突然陷入2. (cause to) enter sth. suddenly 纵身投入
1. The city was plunged into darkness when the electricity supply was cut off in the storm.
2. We ran to the edge of the lake and plunged into the cold water .
gratitude:n.the feeling of being grateful or thankful 感激，感谢
-itude：表示抽象名词的后缀
altitude 高度 multitude 众多
aptitude 才能 solitude 孤独
fortitude 刚毅 plentitude充分
latitude 纬度 longitude 经度
attitude 态度 decrepitude 衰老
The book contains sample questions and answers, which will help you to pass the exam.
show up: appear or become visible; make a showing 出现
The lines on her face show up in the pale spring light.
license:vt. give official permission for sth. 给······发放许可证，准许n. an official document showing that permission has been given to own, use or do sth. 执照
decorate:vt. add sth. to (an object or a place), esp. in order to make it more attractive 装饰，装潢
1. They decorated the classroom with fresh flowers.
2. How much will it cost to decorate the room?
have/keep/with one’s feet (planted/set) on the ground: be realistic and practical
实事求是，脚踏实地
1. Other people dream of things they will never have, but she has her feet firmly on the ground.
2. Mrs. Smith was a dreamer, but her husband was a man with his feet on the ground.
date back to: have existed since始于(某时期)
1. The custom dates back to the time when men wore swords.
2. Their quarrel dates back to last year.
take off: (of an idea, a product, etc.) suddenly become successful or popular
（指思想、产品等）突然受欢迎，流行
After a slow start, the plan soon took off and was accepted by all the directors.