Period 3 Period 4 Reading & Integrating skills
What is usually weighed with a balance? Pre-reading What is usually weighed with a balance? What goes into the scales left and right? 2. Why a balance is needed in the play? 3. What’s the deeper meaning of the balance?
Fast-reading: Read the texts, finish the following work: Place the pictures in right order. 2. Find the best answers of the following five questions.
the Merchant of Venice(1)
1 4 2 3 6 5
The text mainly tells about___. Antonio’s kindness B. Portia’s cleverness C. Shylock’s cruelty D. all of the above 2. Antonio did business with ____. people in Venice B. people in Italy C. people in other countries D. people in the world
3. Antonio was a ____ person. warm-hearted B. strong-willed C. open-minded D. ill-tempered. 4.In the text the author shows us human being’s merit of ____. bravery B. pride C. kindness D. tolerance
By saying “Do not so bitter.” the Duke wants Shylock to be ____. forgiving B. calm C. kind-hearted D. reasonable 2. The word “scold” in the second paragraph means ___. fool with B. laugh at C. criticize D. make known
3. It seemed that the Duke in the court supported ___. A. Portia B. Antonio C. Shylock D. none of the above 4. That Portia was able to defend Antonio was due to___. her cleverness B. a famous lawyer’s help C. her husband’s support D. Both A and B
5. Find out the right order: Shylock insisted on having one pound of Antonio’s flesh. B. Portia asked Shylock to show his mercy on Antonio. C. Antonio said his last words to Bassanio. D. Portia warned Bassanio of the impossibility of changing the law. B A D C
the Merchant of Venice(2)
Shylock was charged with(指控) ___. murder B. stealing C. cheat D. ill-treatment 2. To punish a murderer, the law of Venice would ___. take everything that he owned away B. sentence him to imprisonment C. sentence him to death D. both A and B
3. Which happened first in the text? Shylock wanted to take the money instead of Antonio’s flesh. B. Portia permitted to give shylock a fair judgment. C. Shylock promised to leave his money to his daughter and son-in-law. D. Antonio forgave Shylock.
Analyse the main characters Analyse the main characters. Find sentences in the text to support your ideas. Shylock: greedy and mean cold-blooded stone-hearted vengeful(复仇心重的) crafty(狡诈的 )
Portia: smart wise kind merciful decisive brave
Antonio: generous weak sheepish kind friendly
I will take the money. Give me three times more than Antonio borrowed from me. Take my life too. My money and goods are as dear to me as life itself. They are my only comfort. When you take those away from me, you also take my life.
Why must I have mercy on him? Tell me that! I have done nothing wrong and I fear no judgment. I desire my pound of flesh. I have sworn to heaven to have my pound of flesh. I must have it.
Antonio is my enemy, and I hate him. If you offered me six times what you have just offered, I would still take my pound of flesh. Give me my pound of flesh. Why must I have mercy on him? Tell me that!
I ask for what is mine by law. Oh, wise young judge! I ask for what is mine by law. I promise. Let me go home now. I am not well. I have promised to take my pound of flesh. If you won’t let me have it, that will be a sign of weakness and no one will trust your laws anymore. The greatness of Venice will be lost.
And Shylock, take your knife and prepare to do the deed And Shylock, take your knife and prepare to do the deed. Have you brought sth. to weigh the flesh? A balance? Did you bring a surgeon, shylock, to take care of Antonio’s wounds and make sure that he doesn't bleed to death? You must cut off one pound of flesh, no more, no less. And not one drop of blood must fall.
Then Shylock must be merciful. He must have mercy on Antonio. Mercy brings good. Mercy falls like the gentle rain from the sky upon the earth. We should learn to show mercy to others. Therefore, go down on your knees and beg the Duke for mercy.
We cannot change a law. If one law is changed, then people will later want to change other laws. That is the law. You wanted justice, so you shall get justice, more than you wanted. She is a woman, but she can act as a wise judge and she manages to save Antonio.
Although Antonio’s ships are at sea and he has no money at hand, he borrows money from Shylock on the condition that if he can not pay the money back on time, Shylock will cut one pound of flesh from any part of his body. My ships are all lost at sea and now I have to pay Shylock with a pound of my flesh…how I wish to see you before I die. If your love for me is not enough to lead you here, forget about the letter.
It’s useless trying to argue with Shylock It’s useless trying to argue with Shylock. You might as well go stand upon the beach and argue with the sea. Don’t wait any longer. Pass judgment on me and give Shylock what he wants. If Shylock cuts deep enough, I’ll pay him back with all my heart.
Farewell Bassanio. Don’t be sad for me. I shall be happy to give up my part of Shylock’s money. Shylock must promise to leave the money upon his death to his daughter and her husband.
Free talk: Among these persons, who do you like best?why? Which quality do you think is the most important to a person? Give your reasons.
Read the following sentences that could be spoken in the play Read the following sentences that could be spoken in the play. Who says what and to whom? sentence spoken by spoken to “I feel sorry for you. You’ve come to face an enemy with a heart of stone, who knows neither pity nor mercy.” Duke Antonio “I don’t have to give you answers that will please you” Shylock Bassanio “Don’t worry! Before he can even take one drop of your blood, he will first have to take my flesh, blood, bones and everything else.” Bassanio Antonio “Don’t feel bad that a friend paid back the money you owed, but feel bad that you lost him.” Antonio Bassanio
According to the following pictures, retell the texts in your own words.
Homework: Group work: read the texts again, act them out with your classmates. 2. Find more details about this play in your school library or from the internet. 3. Finish the exercise of Language study.