Section A Cyber-stepmother

Preparation Getting the Message Direction: Direction: Read the questions and complete the answers according to the text. 1. As stepmother the author used to feel that______. A. she was a part of the core family B. her stepchildren did not welcome her C. her stepchildren din not take her as a real parent D. her stepchildren were not comfortable with her 2. After the children moved to a town far away, the usual way to improve the family relationship was to ______. A. enjoy holidays together B. work on homework together C. exchange messages online and over the phone D. pay a visit and have a family meal

Preparation Getting the Message Direction: Direction: Read the questions and complete the answers according to the text. 3. The stepmother still felt out of touch even with so many modern tools of communication because_____. A. she would like to see them rather than talk over the phone B. the kids preferred talking to their Dad instead of to her C. the kids called her by her name instead of Mom D. she was not sure if the kids remembered her as a key member of the family 4. When the author saw Margo’s last message, her eyes were filled with tears because ___. A. she felt a sharp ache of emptiness B. she was moved that her stepdaughter said “Love you” to her C. her name did not appear along with her husband D. she felt embarrassed for not identifying herself

Reading Through Main Idea Main Idea With the development of the Internet, there emerges a new way of communication between stepparents and the stepchildren. The text illustrates how a stepmother communicated with her stepchildren by going online and how she and the eldest stepdaughter came to exchange words of affection openly with the help of the Internet.

New Words cyber stepparent attach exist arrangement baseball rent Kingdom Kid forth necessarily keyboard identify mall chat-line combine enable correspond basis online core gap Wire guilty respond ache accustomed

Phrases and Expressions attach…to at least be/become/feel comfortable with right away combine…with correspond with on a daily basis out of touch

Detailed Study of Text A 1. “Stepparent” is a term we men and women who 1. “Stepparent” is a term we attach to men and women who marry into families where children already exist. marry into families where children already exist. 2. This technology, the telephone, enable us 2. This technology, combined with the telephone, enable us to correspond with them on a daily basis by sending to correspond with them on a daily basis by sending Frequent notes and messages, and even chatting together Frequent notes and messages, and even chatting together when we were all online. when we were all online. 3. Feeling guilty for not identifying myself, yet not wanting to embarrass her, I simply responded, “Love you too! to embarrass her, I simply responded, “Love you too! Have a good sleep!” Have a good sleep!”

attach: vt. A. fix or connect 贴；联系 e.g. Please find the attached report you will need for tomorrow‘s meeting. 请查收随信附上的你明天开 会所需的报告。 B. (used in be attached to) be attach: vt. A. fix or connect 贴；联系 e.g. Please find the attached report you will need for tomorrow‘s meeting. 请查收随信附上的你明天开 会所需的报告。 B. (used in be attached to) be fond of and feel a strong connection with 喜欢；依恋 e.g. The shy girl is very much attached to her parents. 那个 腼腆的女孩很依恋父母。 attach... to: A. connect... with 把 …… 和 …… 联系起来 e.g. Many people attach success to those who have earned great money. 许多人把赚了大钱的人当作成功人士。 B. regard as having (special meaning or importance) 重视； 认为 …… 有重要性 e.g. The experts wouldn't attach too much weight to these findings. 专家们不会认为这些发现有多大价值。

to enable sb. to do: 使某人能够 e.g. A good college education enables us to adjust ourselves more comfortably to the 21st century. 良好的大学教育 可以使我们更好地适应 21 世纪。 on a daily basis: every day 每天 e.g. She checks her mailbox on a daily basis. 她每天都查看 邮箱。

feeling guilty for/about: 因 …… 而愧疚 feeling guilty for/about: 因 …… 而愧疚 e.g. She feels guilty of not offering him a hand when he was in bad need for her help. 当 他最需要她的帮助时，她却没有 助他一臂之力。为此她感到愧疚。 e.g. She feels guilty of not offering him a hand when he was in bad need for her help. 当 他最需要她的帮助时，她却没有 助他一臂之力。为此她感到愧疚。