Unit 4 Five Famous Symbols of American Culture
Main Idea: Passage A gives us some insight into the origins of symbols by which the United States of America is known around the World. The Statue of Liberty is a female figure which derives from the two favorite women in French artist Bartholdi’s life. Another symbol of American culture is the Barbie doll, which derives from an old German toy model with the American designer’s daughter’s name on it. The great American Gothic painting is in the medieval European style showing the faces of an American dentist and the artist’s sister. The Buffalo nickel derives from an admiration for the American Buffalo and the Indian people. The most lasting image of America derives from the partly true but mostly fictitious story of Uncle Sam.
Structure analysis:
The overall structure of the passage is listing: the author listed five famous symbols of American culture. Each symbols is parallel to another or there is a matching relationship between the symbols. The five symbols are put together to support the central topic of the reading passage--- Five Famous Symbols of American Culture.
For each part of the passage, the author centers on one specific symbol, dealing with it from different aspects such as who created, what the creator was, how he created, when, and how the symbol was accepted, etc. One of the threads that cannot escape our attention is that the author always tries to present the story according to the time sequence.
Part 1. The Statue of Liberty (Para.1)
Para.2: Who created the Statue of Liberty and what was he? When?
What is the purpose to create the statue? What do we know about the creator?
When: In the mid-18703
Purpose: Celebrating US independence and the France-America
Alliance
About the creator:
He was in love with a woman whom he married in 1876 in spite of his mother’s objection
Para.3: How did he create the Statue of Liberty?
It is said that he had used his wife’s arm as the model, but felt her face was too beautiful for the statue. So for the face, he chose his mother’s.
Para.4: When did the creator finish the statue? How did he like the statue?
In 1886; the creator called it “my daughter, liberty”.
Part 2. Barbie Dolls (Para.5)
Para.6: Barbie’s real name: Barbara
Para.7: The creation of Barbie: The model for Barbie was a German doll; the new version was named after Barbara, who was then a teenager.
Para 8-10: How do people feel about Barbie?
Barbie has become the universally recognized Queen of the Dolls.
Barbara is said to have loved the doll but Ken, Barbara’s brother, was disgusted by the doll.
Part 3. American Gothic (Para.11)
Para.12-13: Who created American Gothic? What is it? How was it created?
It is a painting created by Grant wood. He got the inspiration from the Gothic window of an old farmhouse and he used his dentist, a sour (脾气坏的) looking man and his sister Nan for the characters in his painting.
Para.14: How do people feel about American Gothic?
Nan remarked that the painting saved her from a very boring life.
Part 4. The Buffalo Nickel (Para.15)
Para.16-17:
What do we know about American coins? Who created the Buffalo nickel?
American coins honor prominent figures of the US government but the Buffalo nickel has three actual American Indians as models. It was James Earle Fraser who created the Buffalo nickel.
Para.18: How was the buffalo nickel created?
As most of the buffaloes were killed, James Earle Fraser was forced to sketch an aging buffalo from New York City’s Central Park Zoo for the coin.
Part 5. Uncle Sam (Para. 19)
Para.20-21: What is the origin of Uncle Sam?
Uncle Sam came from someone who was called Sam Wilson. Sam Wilson joined in American Revolution at an early age and at 23, he started a meatpacking business. During a later war in 1812, he supplied the army with meat stamped “EA-US”, identifying the company (EA) and country of origin (US). Then it was said that US stood for “Uncle Sam” and Uncle Sam soon earned his fame as a figure supplying the army.
Para.22: How did the portrait of Uncle Sam come to be known?
After the war, a character called Uncle Sam became popular in political cartoons, which came from an earlier cartoon character called Brother Jonathan. Then years later it was an American artist, James Montgometry Flagg who created the most enduring portrait of Uncle Sam, a tall man with white hair and a small white beard on his chin, a dark blue coat and a tall hat with stars on it.
Discuss the following questions:
1. What are the symbols that you have heard about?
2. What can you imagine to be the reasons the Statue of Liberty was built?
3. What more can you say about the symbols of American culture?
Vocabulary & Phrases:
statue: n. the figure of a person or animal, that is made of stone or metal and usually put in a public place
the statue of / to Lu Xun
compare;
stature: n. the height of a person 身高
Mother was of very small stature, barely five feet tall.
liberty: n. the freedom to go where you want, do what you want, etc.
loss of liberty
We must defend our civil liberties at all costs.
You are at liberty to leave when you wish.
I am not at liberty to tell you how I got this information.
work out: have sth. as the subject of thought or effort
They are working on a report of their investigation of synthetic rubber.
Is Tom still working on the new book that he promised?
I want to work on perfecting my style before trying anything new.
The scientists are still working on inventing new methods of reaching outer space.
enlighten: vt. give sb. more information about sth. so that he or she knows the truth
A few devoted doctors have fought for years to enlighten the profession.
I cannot remember how the trains turned round to return to London. Could you enlighten me?
It can be an enormously enlightening and exciting experience.
approve: v. accept, permit pr officially agree (to)
We need to get an official from the government to approve this project.
Approve of: say, show or feel that sth. is good; be pleased about sth.; like sb. or sth.
I didn’t approve of his manner.
His father didn’t approve of his leaving school at 16.
affection: n. feeling of fondness
Mark felt great affection for his sister.
She had developed quite an affection for this place.
The children are doing all kinds of things to win the affection of their parents.
go ahead:
1)continue or advance (without permission)
If you go ahead and sell this medicine, your license will be revoked.
2)be allowed to continue ( with sth.); take place, as after a difficulty
In spite of the chairman’s illness, the meeting will go ahead as planned.
The council gave us permission to go ahead with our building plans.
3)move in front of sth. or sb.
I’ll go ahead and tell them you’ll be there shortly.
Go ahead, what are you waiting for?
4)begin, especially to speak
Go ahead, we’re all listening.
assemble: v.
1)fit the parts of sth. together
assemble one’s new bookshelves
assemble the bike
2)come together in a group; gather or collect
The leaders assembled in Shanghai for meeting.
I’ve assembled all the information I need for my essay.
He is assembling evidence concerning a murder.
for sale: intended to be sold
come up with: find or produce ( an answer, a solution, etc.)
I hope you can come up with a better plan than this.
Scientists have come up with new ways of saving energy.
refashion into: change into; make into
Can you refashion this dress into a skirt?
It’s nice to see these old dark buildings being refashioned into modern ones.
exaggerate: v. make (sth.) seem larger, more important, better or worse than it really is
Don’t exaggerate. I was only two minutes late, not twenty.
The problem has been greatly exaggerated.
breast: n.
1)either of the two soft, rounded parts of a woman’s chest that can produce milk after she has a baby
It is reported that breast cancer kills more women than any other form of cancer.
2)the upper front part of the body between the neck and the stomach, esp. in birds or animals
I had chicken breasts for lunch.
version: n.
1)a thing which is based on sth. else but which has some details that are different
the five-door version of the Ford
the film version of Romeo and Juliet
2)an account of an event, etc. from the point of view of one person
The two drivers gave different versions of the accident.
name sb./sth. after sb.: give sb./sth. the name of sb. as an honr
This island was named after his discover.
The bridge was named after the hero.
universally: ad. (believed or accepted) by everyone; in the world or in all situations
a universally accepted point of view
fame: n. the state of being well-known
come / rise to fame 出名
Pop stars often achieve fame at a young age.
The novel earned him fame and money.
Gothic:n.
1)of or like a style of building common in Europe between the 12th and the 16th centuries
On the other side of the street is a famous Gothic church.
2)(of literature) of or like stories in which strange things happen in horrible places
Gothic novels usually describe romantic adventures in mysterious or frightening settings.
interpretation: n.
1)an explanation or understanding of sth.
He is always putting a wrong interpretation on what I say.
What’s your interpretation of these statistics?
2)making clear or bringing out the meaning of ( a character, music, etc.)
The actor’s interpretation of Hamlet was severely criticized.
inspire: vt. givesb.a feeling of wanting and being able to do sth. good, create a work of art, etc.
His novel was inspired by his relationship with his first wife.
What inspired you to change your name?
capture one’s attention: draw one’s attention; be attractive to someone
grave: a.
1)(used about people) sad or serious
He was looking extremely grave.
his unusually grave face 她异常严肃的脸
2)seriously bad
These events could have grave consequences for all of us. 严重后果
He said that the situation in his country was very grave. 局势严峻
alongside: prep. Beside; together with
the opportunity to work alongside experienced musicians
The dog sat alongside the master.
ad. Along the side
a garden with a small river running alongside
stretch: v.
1)make sth. longer, wider or tighter by pulling
The artist stretched the canvas tightly over the frame.
My T-shirt stretched when I washed it.
2)cause to go as far as possible or beyond the usual limit
I’m afraid we can’t take on any more work---we’re already fully stretched.
3)(of a piece of land or water, etc.) spread over a large area or distance
The long white beaches stretch for miles along the coast.
no doubt: very probably
No doubt he will help us if we ask him.
pose for: (cause to) take and hold a position necessary for an artist or photographer, etc.; sit for
In her youth, she earned a reasonable living by posing for art students in drawing classes.
Please sit still while you pose for your photograph.
He takes special care to pose people for their pictures in the best position to suit them.
save … from:
1)prevent sb. or sth. from having or doing sth. bad
What can we do to save him from the results of his own foolishness?
Lots can be done to save their marriage from failure.
Thank you; you saved me from making a fool of myself.
2)preserve sth. or sb. from danger, ruin, etc.; rescue from
Luckily your precious records were saved from the fire.
settlement: n.
1)the movement of a new population into a place to live there
the settlement of the American West
the settlement of immigrants
2)an agreement, usu. official, that ends an argument; the act of reaching this kind of agreement
The strike lasted for several weeks until a settlement was reached.
Our objective must be to secure a peace settlement.
They are not optimistic about a settlement of the eleven-year conflict.
She accepted an out-of-court settlement of 4000 dollars.
frontier: n. the border between two countries, or (esp. in the past in the US) the border between cultivated land where people live and wild land
We crossed the frontier between France and Italy.
In British English, a frontier is a border between two countries. The usual American word is border.
go against: be opposite to; be not in favorof; act against
Lying goes against my principles.
I should warn you that if the case goes against you, you may find yourself in prison.
Your unfortunate report might go against your chances of winning the contract.
make sth. from: produce, shape, from, cause sth. to exist by using an existing object as material
The natives make excellent boats from tree trunks.
horn: n.
1)a hard, point, often curved part that grows from the top of the head of some animals
Cattle, sheep and goats have a pair of horns.
2)a drive for sounding a warning signal
The irritated driver blew his horn at the slow truck.
The driver sounded his horn when the child stepped in front of his car.
liberate: vt. set sb. or sth. free
One of our tasks is to liberate people from poverty.
reputation: n. the opinion that people in general have about what sb. or sth. is like
an international reputation
have a good / bad reputation
She began to make her reputation as a novelist in the 1960s.
inspect: vt.
1)look at sth. closely or in great detail
The detective inspected the room for fingerprints.
The firemen are inspecting an abandoned warehouse for potential fire hazard.
2)make an official visit to make sure that rules are being obeyed, work is being down properly, etc.
Several government officials came to inspect our factory last week.
contract: n. a legal document that states and explains a formal agreement between two different people or group
a temporary contract
They signed a three-year contract with a major record company.
1)make a written legal agreement with sb. to do sth. or to have sb. work for a certain party
His firm has been contracted to supply all the furniture for the new building. get an illness or disease
She contracted pneumonia.
He contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion. 他因输血染上了艾滋病。
2)become or make sth. smaller or shorter
Metals contract as they cool.
“I’m” is the contracted form of “I am”.
Blood is only expelled from the heart when it contracts.
evolve from: (also evolve out of) develop in gradual stages from sth. different
Some people still do not believe that man evolved from monkeys.
recruit: vt. persuade sb. to become a new member of an organization, esp. the army
The state is recruiting young people to the teaching professions. 这个州在招聘年轻人从事教学工作。
n. a new member of an organization, esp. the army
The new recruits were trained for six months and then sent to the war front.
Language Notes:
- His mother could not approve of her son’s affection for a woman she had never met, … (Para.2)
Meaning: His mother was not pleased that her son loved a woman she had never known,…
- …but Bartholdi went ahead and married his love in 1876. (Para.2)
Meaning: but Bartholdi continued loving the woman and married her in 1876.
- He needed someone whose face represented suffering yet strength, someone more severe than beautiful.
Meaning: He needed someone whose face showed that she had suffered a lot but remained strong, someone who looked more plain attractive.
- Before all the different types of Barbie dolls for sale now, there was just a single Barbie. (Para.6)
Meaning: The sentence implies that the existence of Barbie, who was a real person, came before all kinds of Barbie dolls on the market.
5. … a joke gift for adults described as having the appearance of “a woman who sold sex”. (Para.7)
Meaning: … a gift for adults which is intended as a joke and which is described as having the appearance of “a woman who sold sex”.
6. Mattel refashioned the doll into a decent, all-American---although with an exaggerated breast size---version and named it after Barbara, who was then a teenager. (Para.7)
Meaning: Mattel Toy Company changed the doll into a model that was respectable, purely American, yet with big breasts, and named the new-born doll after Barbara, who was just a teenager at that time.
7. Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie has become the universally recognized Queen of the Dolls. (Para.8)
Meaning: Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie has been known to everyone as Queen of the Dolls.
8. Nan later remarked that the fame she gained from American Gothic saved her from a very boring life.
Meaning: Nan said later that the painting American Gothic helped her come to fame and prevented her from loving a dull life.
9. … and earned a reputation for being honest and hard working. (Para.20)
Meaning:… because he was honest and hard working, he won people’s respect.
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