Unit 5 Overcoming Obstacles

Objectives to grasp the main idea and the structure of the text (narration with a flashback) to appreciate the narrative skills (using details to bring out a character; a surprising ending; use of puns) to master the key language points and grammatical structures in the text to have a deeper insight into the theme

Teaching Procedures Before we read: Warm-up Activities Before we read Now we read Global Reading Global Reading (Text Analysis) Questions to Think Detailed Reading Detailed Reading (Language Points) After we read About writing genre Finding out details

Before We Read Do you know these proverbs? How would you put them into Chinese? Where theres a will, there is a way. Rome was not built in one day. God helps those who help themselves. You shall reap what you sow. Constant dripping wears away the stone.

Before We Read Warm-up Questions: Have you ever been confronted with some obstacles? How did you feel then? What are some obstacles among college students? What kind of people can always overcome obstacles? What do you think lead to success?

Now We Read: Global Reading Text Organization: Scan the text and see how many parts we can divide it into. Part 1: Michael at the National Junior Olympics Part 2: Michaels childhood Part 3: Michael won the championship Part 4: the most unusual finding about Michael

Part 1: Michel faced the most ________ competition in his ________ career. How does the description in Para. 1 impress you? What do you know about the audience? How do you like the writers comment on pole-vaulting? How would you associate pole-vaulting with flying? Why is two-story building mentioned here? Part 1: (para. 1- 2) the most challenging competition, pole-vaulting

Part 2: Michaels childhood was marked with _______ and _______. What does flying mean to Michael? How did he became interested in flying? What is his recurring dream? What do you think of the writers description of his dream? How do you like his fathers motto? How do you understand Michael did just that? How did he do that? How has his mother affected him? How about his father? Part 2 (paras. 3-5) : dreams, tough training

Part 3: Michael topped his personal ______, won the ______ and set a new _______ Para. 6 Do you know how Michael felt about his competition that day? Why (not)? What is implied by he seemed unaware of the fact that he had just beaten his personal best? What was his personal best? How many people were competing for the championship? Part 3 (paras ) : best, championship, world record.

Part 3: At the National Junior Olympics Para. 7-8 What heights were cleared one by one? What is implied by he showed no emotion? What happened to his opponent after he cleared 17.4? What situation was he confronted with? What was his attitude to the competition? How do you like it? What was his routine of three finger-tipped push-ups? Why was it the most challenging event to him?

Part 3: At the National Junior Olympics Para. 9 How did he feel when he stepped on the runway? What was the height then? What did it mean What was the National record? How did his feeling change then? What helped him and calmed him down?

Part 3: At the National Junior Olympics Para. 10 How do you interpret So he did? What happened then? What is implied by his heart pounding? What was the atmosphere then? How do you understand the silence was deafening?

Part 3: At the National Junior Olympics Para. 11 What is something felt wonderfully different, yet familiar? How did he start his jump this time? Para. 12 What was the result of this jump? How was the result presented to the readers? How did his parents feel about it? What was the final height that day and what did it mean?

Part 4: What was most unusual about Michaels victory was that ________. What happened to his life later on and why? Why could he attract so much attention? How do you like the way the writer ends his description? Who do you admire better, a Michael Stone with a sound body or a blind Michael Stone? Why is the fact that he is blind kept until the very end of the story? Part 4 (para. 13): he was blind

Questions to think: What obstacle(s) did he overcome? How did Michaels emotion change on the most challenging event of his life? What do you know about his parents? What has led to his success? Which is more important? Why is the text entitled True Height? the higher and higher bar at the competition; the tension and anxiety within him; the fact that he is blind ; calmness (no emotion) anxiety/ tension/ nervous/ afraid relieved after taking breath hard training + dreaming the new bar heights that Michael cleared on after another, or the tremendous obstacles Michael had overcome in attaining his goal

Detailed Reading Structure Sentence Comprehension Vocabulary

Detailed Reading: Structure It is … that Model: (L79-80) It was either the eruption of the people in the stands or the thump of his landing that brought Michael back to earth. Answer the questions, using It is … that. What made it possible for a blind boy to set a world record in pole vault? Who has ever exerted the greatest influence on you?

Detailed Reading: Structure Model: (L83) What he didnt know was that his dad was hugging his wife and crying. Put the following sentences into English.

Sentence Comprehension (L8) It also has the element of flying, and the thought of flying as high as a two-story building is a mere fantasy to anyone watching such an event It is like flying in some way, and to those watching such an event, thinking of flying at 17 feet is just an imagination that can never come true. mere: nothing more than fantasy: imagination, esp. when it has no connection with reality

Sentence Comprehension (L21) Wherever he flew was with a keen eye for detail and the free spirit of his mothers love. No matter where he flew, he would take with him a keen eye with which he found details and the free spirit coming from his mothers love. detail: e.g. go into detail / in detail

Sentence Comprehension (L 29) Michaels dedication, determination and discipline was a coachs dream. Any coach would be happy to find an athlete as dedicated, determined and disciplined as Michael. Other Examples: (… is ones dream.) Tibet is any tourists dream. His curiosity and hardworking is any teachers dream.

Sentence Comprehension (L37) If Michael Stone was surprised, excited or vain about clearing the bar at 17 feet, you couldnt tell. Its hard to say whether Michael Stone was surprised, excited or vain after he had cleared the bar at 17 feet. vain: too pleased with ones own abilities or looks What can make a person vain? be vain of/ about She was vain of/ about her appearance.

Sentence Comprehension (L47) A miss would get him second place. If he missed, he would win second place. (L48) Michael would not allow himself the thought of not winning first place. Michael wouldnt think of the possibility of not becoming the champion. allow sb./ oneself to do sth. allow sb./ oneself sth.

Sentence Comprehension (L54) It all hit him like a wet bale of hay. It came as a sudden, forceful and unpleasant surprise. strike/ hit sb. like a wet bale of hay (L58) Afraid would be a more accurate description. To put it more accurately, he was afraid.

Sentence Comprehension (L79-80)It was either the eruption of the people in the stands or the thump of his landing that brought Michael back to earth. Michael came back to the reality, either because of the outburst of cheers from the audience, or because of the muffled sound when he landed on the ground.

Sentence Comprehension (L91) With all the media attention and sponsorship possibilities, Michaels life would never be the same again. Michaels life has changed a lot because the media showed interest in him, and because many companies or institutions wanted to sponsor him. media: means of mass communication sponsorship/ sponsor:

Vocabulary: words with multiple meanings Usage: work Find 3 instances where work is used as a verb. Explain the different meaning of work. More exercise on work. (Page )

use of work If you want something, work for it! (do activity which needs physical or mental effort) He worked out every other day with weightlifting. (engage in physical exercise or training) He began shaking the tension. It wasnt working. (have the desired effect)

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (page 146) bear out : If facts or information bear out a claim, story, opinion, etc, they help to prove that it is true. e.g. Evidence bears out the idea that students learn best in small groups/ students can improve their English a lot by writing essays. The witnesses will bear you out in court.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L1) sweat: n./ v. n. Sweat was dripping from his forehead. Sweat was running off the athletes. v. What can make people sweat? (the sun, long climb, doing sport, nervousness, etc.) sweat heavily/ profusely sweat like a pig: sweat a lot Dont sweat the small stuff. (Dont worry about unimportant things.)

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L8) grace: a smooth way of moving that looks _________. e.g. move with the grace of a dancer graceful/ graceless (L13) numerous: many e.g. ~ people/ scholars/ attempts too ~ to mention/ list; on ~ occasions natural, relaxed, and attractive

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L15) passion: strong feeling, esp. of love If you have a passion for something, you have a very strong interest in it and like it very much. e.g. His eyes were burning with ~. speak with ~ arouse ones passion fly into a passion: suddenly become very angry

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L16) recur: vi. If something, esp. something bad or unpleasant, recurs, it happens again. e.g. a recurring theme/ dream/ nightmare The themes of courage and death recurred in many of Hemingways books. The school authority warned the student that he will be expelled if this cheating recurs.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L21) coincide: vi. coincide with: happen at the same time The art exhibition coincides with the 50 th anniversary of his death. The show was planed to coincide with the launch of a new book. be in agreement (with) e.g. Our interests coincide. coincident/ coincidence

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L28) alternate: every other or second; happening by turns e.g. I experienced alternate bouts of depression and cheerfulness within one hour that day. I spend alternate Sundays with my old friends. Other words: alternative

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L33) on one occasion: once in the past on two occasions: twice in the past on several occasions: several times in the past e.g. He is really a heavy drinker. On one occasion I saw him drink a whole bottle of vodka.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L39) on ones feet: standing up As soon as the bell rang, the class were on their feet and out of the door. (feel better again after being ill and in bed) Well soon have you on your feet again. get/ be back on ones feet: to have enough money again, or to be successful again after having problems I need to get on my feet again and forget all about this.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L41) beat: do better beat his personal best/ a record/ a score The record set by him has yet to be beaten. The companys profits are unlikely to beat last years $10 million. (L43) clear: go over sth. without touching it clear the bar/ the fence/ 18 feet

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L53) startle: give a sudden shock or surprise to e.g. How you startled me appearing out of nowhere like that! In what case will one feel startled? startling: a ~ discovery/ effect startled: be startled to do sth.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L56) intensity/ intense: (the quality of) having a strong effect or being felt very strongly (L56) anxiety/ anxious: (L57) tension/ tense (a situation of feeling) nervous, anxious and worried e.g. a tense situation/ atmosphere/ moment to relieve/ reduce/ ease tension Are you under intense pressure to succeed? He spoke with great intensity. The intensity of the hurricane was frightening.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L65) along with sb. or sth.: together with someone or something else Along with some other friends he started his trip to North China. (L66) stretch out: to put your had, foot etc. in order to reach sth. e.g. stretch out ones hand The beggars pathetically stretched their hands out to passers-by.

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L80) bring sb. back to earth: If sth. brings you back to earth, it cause you to stop _________, or cause you to return to ___________. The teachers voice brought him back to earth. Jack had been spending all his time chatting on line until his parents had a word with him, which brought him back to earth. daydreaming reality

Vocabulary: New Words and Phrases (L81) in ones minds eye: in ones imagination, in ones memory In my minds eye, I can still see the house where I was born. What is your future like in your minds eye? How did you expect your college life to be like, in your minds eye?

After We Read Writing Genre Finding out Details Vocabulary File Additional Materials about Overcoming Obstacles Additional Materials about Overcoming Obstacles

After We Read: Writing Genre What is the genre of writing? (description) How is Michaels childhood involved? ( In a flashback) How is Michael presented to the readers? the use of details a surprising ending use of puns Without the last sentence, would you still admire Michaels achievement? Whats the effect of the surprising ending?

the use of details Michaels mother is _______ and _______. Michaels father is a _________. What details are presented to show Michael is his mothers boy or his fathers son? details about his dream details about his tough training details about parents pride of him What are the clues of Michaels blindness in the description? romantic passionate hardcore realist

After We Read: Vocabulary File words about sports personal best the final race track and field competition a gymnast a body builde training program weightlifting coach/ trainer beat his personal best clear the bar at miss his final jump push-ups winning first place one inch off the National record sprinting down the runway set a new world record etc.

Thats the end of Unit 5. Preview Unit 6 before you come next week.