Unit 4 Today’s Trends

Unit 4 Topic: Modern trends and fashions Functions: Agreeing and disagreeing; giving advice Vocabulary: Family statistics—multiples and percentages; style and fashion Lessons: Lesson A—Modern family trends Lesson A—Modern family trends Lesson B—Family trends Lesson B—Family trends

Objectives After this unit, you should be able to… 1. Read and express numbers and statistics; 2. Express your opinions, agree or disagree; 3. Make use of quantity expressions; 4. Talk about certain family trends; 5. Know about some trends in modern society.

Trends… Concepts of trends Family trends Fashion trends Fitness trends Trends in personal relationships in workplaces Trends in modern ethics and values

Family trends Match-maker or love with no in-between? Nuclear family or big family? Housewife or househusband? Decision-maker in a family? Independent child or overprotected child? Traditional or non-traditional family?

Lesson A Family statistics Do Exercise A on Page 55 and be familiar with expressions of statistics statistics Pair work: talk about the statistics in Exercise A.

More statistics

Statistics 1) times: two times, three times… doubled, tripled, quadrupled, quintupled doubled, tripled, quadrupled, quintupled 2) percentages: 15 percent (15%), 67 percent (67%) 3) fraction: one-third (1/3), two-fifths (2/5), a quarter (1/4) 4) general: a majority of…, a minority of…, most of…,

Non-traditional families Listen to Track 2-4-1, Track and do the exercises A and B; Track 2-4-1Track Track 2-4-1Track Discuss: make a list of reasons you are for or against non-traditional families. Here, non-traditional families refer to families in which husbands stay at home taking care of babies, doing most of housework, while wives are breadwinner. Here, non-traditional families refer to families in which husbands stay at home taking care of babies, doing most of housework, while wives are breadwinner. Homework: find some statistics to make a graph.

More Non-traditional families More Non-traditional families Single-parent families —a mother or father alone raising children; DINK families —“Double Income, No Kids” Blended or step-families —two divorced people marry, bringing with them children from their previous marriages; Gay or lesbian couples with children; Adoptive families —parents raising children they’ve adopted; Foster families —parents temporarily caring for children in need;

I don’t agree! Useful expressions for agreeing and disagreeing on both Page 57 and 71. Read the introduction in Exercise B and prepare to discuss the issue: more and more children aged 3-5 are in a day care center or preschool program. family trend

I don’t agree! Listen to Track and practice the conversation. Track Track Do exercises D and E on Page 58.

Agree or Disagree? 1.It’s wonderful that working parents can put their children in day care. 2.A father can never match a mother in taking care of children and the home. 3.Couples are getting married too late these days. 4.You always have to have confidence in yourself. 5.The secret to success is to stay with the same company throughout your career. 6.Our children’s lives will be better than ours in many ways.

Modern opinions Group work: discuss with your group members to get more supportive reasons for the statement you are assigned to.

Modern Opinions A man can do housework as well as a woman does, and the same to taking care of children. Confidence can lead people to better use their abilities and potentials. To stay life long in the same company is good for one’s career development, but sometimes new challenges and circumstances are necessary too for one’s advancement. It’s made possible by the development of science and technology.

Modern opinions Class activity: Exercise C and D on Page 60. Do Exercise E and F on Page 61. Listen to Track and practice what you hear Track Track 2-4-4

Independent study How would you describe your individual sense of style? Are you interested in trends in music of fashion? Why or why not? 自学 教材 页的内容 自学 教材 页的内容

Lesson B Family trends and personal style Watch the video Part 1 and do exercises A and B on Page 67; Watch the video Part 2 and do exercises on Page

More discussion… Issues in the homework More useful expressions for agreeing and disagreeing on Page 71; Do exercises B, C and D: 1) the use of “often”, “sometimes”, “never” 1) the use of “often”, “sometimes”, “never” 2) Practice how to give advice 2) Practice how to give advice

Homework Get ready for discussion about the following issues: Fashion in the 1970s and the 1990s Shopping trends in our society Fitness trends in the modern life