Welcome to the unit Unit 2 Witnessing time

Are you familiar with these famous Chinese historic sites? The Forbidden City The Summer Palace

The ruins of Yuanmingyuan The Ming Tombs The ruins of Yuanmingyuan

The ruins of Yuanmingyuan are located in the suburbs of Beijing to the north-west of Qinghua Universty. Yuanmingyuan dates back to the Qing Dynasty. It has the reputation of being “the garden of gardens”. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in a fire. Our government has taken measures to repair it and much restoration work still needs to be done.

Do you know anything about the historic sites in the pictures? discussion

the Colosseum When was the Colosseum built? (In the 1st century BC) What was it used for? (It was an amphitheatre or arena that was used for displays of combat and wild-beast shows.) How big is it? (It was designed to hold 50,000 spectators.) the Colosseum

Classical gardens of Suzhou What is Suzhou famous for? (It is famous for its splendid scenery, especially its classical gardens.) Of all the gardens, which impressed you most? Classical gardens of Suzhou

(The Lingering Garden impressed me most (The Lingering Garden impressed me most. Before I visited the garden, I couldn’t help wondering why it was given that name. Only then did I understand the real meaning. Everyone was so fascinated by the beautiful scenery there that they lingered in the garden and were reluctant to leave.)

Angkor Wat Where was the temple complex built? (In Cambodia) When was it built? (In the early years of the 12th century.) Why was it built? (It was built to honour the Hindu god Vishnu.)

St Basil’s Cathedral When and where was the Cathedral built? (In Moscow between 1555 and 1560.) Do you know anything special about the Cathedral? (The Cathedral consists of nine individual churches, each of which is crowned by a unique tower. The central tower is surrounded by eight towers, each topped with an eight-point star symbolizing the Christian Church as a guiding light for mankind.) What do you feel when seeing the church? Are the towers in harmony with each other?

1. Do you know anything about the historic sites in the pictures? 2. Do you think it is a good idea to rebuild historic sites that have been damaged or destroyed? Why or why not? 3. Which modern buildings do you think will be famous in 1,000 years? Discussion

1. Do you know anything about the historic sites in the pictures? Of all the four historic sites, I know the classical gardens of Suzhou best. I have been to Suzhou twice and paid a visit to the classical gardens. They are so well designed and built that they look really natural. Of all the gardens, the Humble Administrator’s Garden, the Lingering Garden, the Master-of-Nets Garden and the Mountain Villa are the most famous. Whenever you are there, you’ll be fascinated by Suzhou’s splendid scenery. It is no wonder that Suzhou is called ‘the earthly paradise’.

2. Do you think it is a good idea to rebuild historic sites that have been damaged or destroyed? Why or why not? In my point of view, it is a really good idea to rebuild historic sites that have been damaged or destroyed. Historic sites reflect the history and culture of a particular period, which helps people remember what has happened before so that they will not forget the past. Besides, rebuilding historic sites may promote local tourism. In turn, this may improve the local environment and preserve its natural beauty. In conclusion, I strongly recommend historic sites be rebuilt.

3. Which modern buildings do you think will be famous in 1,000 years? I think that the National Stadium in Beijing for the 2008 Olympics will be famous in 1,000 years. There’s no doubt that the venue will be a landmark in the city of Beijing. Not only can it accommodate a maximum of 100,000 spectators, but also its nest-like appearance from the outside reminds people of getting back to nature. That’s why people gave it the nickname, ‘the Bird Nest’. Your first sight of the design will surprise you. It’s so unique that you cannot take your eyes off it.

Language points

While the pace of change in the modern world gets faster and faster, people are becoming more and more aware of the need to preserve the world’s cultural heritage. 1) while conjunction during the time that, or at the same time as: 当…..时候，在此期间 I read it while you were drying your hair. While I was in Italy I went to see Alessandro. I thought I heard him come in while we were having dinner.

while (ALTHOUGH) conjunction despite the fact that; although: 虽然 While I accept that he's not perfect in many respects, I do actually quite like the man. While I fully understand your point of view, I do also have some sympathy with Michael's.

while (BUT) conjunction compared with the fact that; but: 而，但是 He gets fifty thousand pounds a year while I get a meagre twenty! Tom is very extrovert and confident while Katy's shy and quiet. I do every single bit of housework while he just does the dishes now and again.

while (LENGTH OF TIME) noun　 a while: a length of time: 一会儿 (一点)时 间 I only stayed for a short while. You were there quite a while (= a long time), weren't you? "When did that happen?" "Oh, it was a while ago (= a long time ago). I haven't seen him for a while (= for a long time). I'll be fine in a while (= soon).

高考链接 1.（06天津） The cost of living in Glasgow is among the lowest in Britain,        the quality of life is probably one of the highest. A. since      B. when     C. as      D. while 2. (06辽宁) He was about halfway through his meal          a familiar voice came to his ears. A. why    B. where    C. when   D. while

高考链接 3. We don’t keep winning games _______ we keep playing well. (2006浙江) A. because  B. unless  C. when  D. while 4. ______ I accept that he is not perfect, I do actually like the person. (2004江苏) A. While B. Since C. Before D. Unless

2) aware: adjective [after verb] 1. knowing that something exists, or having knowledge or experience of a particular thing: [+ that] I wasn't even aware that he was ill. Were you aware of the risks at the time? She was well (= very) aware that he was married. "Has Claude paid the phone bill?" "Not as far as I'm aware." (= I don't think so) I suddenly became aware of (= started to notice) him looking at me.

2. having special interest in or experience of something and so being well informed of what is happening in that subject at the present time: to be ecologically/politically aware sexually aware awareness noun [U] Public awareness of the problem will make politicians take it seriously. Environmental awareness has increased dramatically over the past decade.

Homework Prepare the Reading part.