1. Reading and Cultural corner
Module 6
The Tang Poems
Reading and Cultural corner

2. The Golden Age of Chinese Poetry

3. the Tang Dynasty
the Silk Road

4. What do you know about the Tang Dynasty?
How long did it last?
Can you say some famous persons in this dynasty?
What were the greatest achievements of the Tang Dynasty? Can you give some examples?

5. Do you know these sorts of poetry?
modern verse 新诗
旧体诗
抒情诗
叙事诗
散文诗
五言诗
classical poetry
lyric poetry
narrative poetry
prose poetry
a poem with five characters in each line
七言诗
a poem with seven characters in each line

6. Work in pairs. Think of three facts about the Tang Dynasty
Work in pairs. Think of three facts about the Tang Dynasty. Listen to the tape and check.
（1）The Tang Dynasty was a great
dynasty in Chinese history.
（2）A lot of poems were written in the
Tang Dynasty.
（3）Li Bai and Du Fu were born in the

7. Fast-reading
Read the passage as quickly as you can and match the paragraphs with these titles:
Para.1
Para.2
Para.3
Para.4
Para.5
Para.6
An exciting culture
Du Fu
Li Bai
Tang poetry
A great dynasty
Technology and progress

8. Language points It was a time of expansion. time 意为“时期，时代”
in time of war /peace 在战时/和平时期
at flowering time 在开花时节
The new president is spending a hard time.

9. Soon Japan and Korea were organized on the Tang model, which…
on … model = on the model of
参照……的模式，仿照……的样子
He opened a bar on the American model.
Now many people celebrate Christmas on the model of western countries.

10. Cultural development went hand in hand with technological progress.
Students stand hand in hand in a row.
Corruption and crime go hand in hand.
shoulder to shoulder 肩并肩
heart to heart 心与心，心连心
face to face 面对面

11. In fact, he thought of himself as a failure.
think of 认为，评价
What do you think of the concert last night?
think of…as … 认为……是……
Little children often think of what the teacher says as a truth.
In fact 事实上，实际上

12. But it was not just scientific knowledge that could now reach a wider audience.
It is/was…that 为强调句型
It is I who am going to the Great Wall tomorrow. （被强调部分为指人的名词或代词时，一般用who）
It was not until yesterday that the little boy realised he was cheated.

13. The boy took hold of the toy and left.
It is said that he drowned when he fell into a river while trying to take hold of the reflection of the Moon.
take hold of 抓住
The boy took hold of the toy and left.
take 相关的短语有：
take away 拿走
take down 拿下
take off 脱下；起飞
take out 取出

14. How long did the Tang Dynasty last? 2. What were the benefits of trade
Careful-reading
Read the passage and answer the questions.
How long did the Tang Dynasty last?
2. What were the benefits of trade
with foreign countries?
Around 300 years.
It made Chinese culture cosmopolitan
and tolerant.

15. 3. Name three advances in science and technology at this time.
Medical schools were opened;
Printing began;
Seng Yixing measured the sun’s shadow and the altitude of the North Pole.

16. 4. Why was Tang poetry so great?
5. What was the relationship between Li Bai and Du Fu?
Because of the beauty of its images and the range of its topics.
They were friends.

17. 6. What was the difference between the two men’s poetry?
Du Fu painted a realistic picture of the society, while Li Bai was romantic.

18. Fill in the blanks The Tang Dynasty was a time of ________ . expansion
Trade with foreign countries created a
________ and cosmopolitan culture. New
discoveries were made in __________,
geography and medicine. But it was not just
scientific knowledge that could now reach a
wider audience. _______ also marked the
beginning of the golden age of literature in the
Tang Dynasty, which meant _______.
expansion
tolerant
astronomy
Printing
poetry

19. Tang poetry was better than everything that
had come before it because of an ________ of
talent and the appearance of new forms. Du
Fu regarded himself as a ______ because he
never became famous during his lifetime.
However, his ____________ was recognized
in the 11th century. He was a _______ because
he painted a realistic picture of the problems
of that time. Not successful in the Civil Service
Examination, Li Bai began a life of travel and
poetry. As a ________, he wrote about nature,
friendship and the pleasures of wine etc.
explosion
failure
poetic genius
realist
romantic

20. Work in groups and discuss the questions.
What were the greatest achievements of the Tang Dynasty?
What made Tang poetry so great?
Which Tang poets have you studied, and who do you like best?
Which modern Chinese poems do you like?

21. Practice Try to translate these two poems into English. 回乡偶书 贺知章
少小离家老大回，
乡音无改鬓毛衰。
儿童相见不相识，
笑问客从何处来。

22. Cultural corner

23. (give your own answers)
Read the passage and answer the questions.
How many Romantic poets does the passage speak about?
Which Chinese poets are the most "romantic"?
Five.
(give your own answers)

24. New words independence n. 独立，自主
When a boy leaves college and begins to earn money he can live a life of independence.
adj. independent
You should learn to be independent of your parents.

25. Scott was an imaginative writer. adj. imaginable 想象得到的
imagination
n. 想象力
You didn't really see a ghost, it's only imagination.
adj. imaginative 富于想象力的
Scott was an imaginative writer.
adj. imaginable 想象得到的
They stock every imaginable type of pasta.
adj. imaginary 想象中的，虚构的
The story is wholly imaginary.

26. inspiration
n. 灵感；鼓舞人心的东西
Many poets and artists have drawn their inspiration from nature.
Let's give mutual support and inspiration to each other.
adj. inspirational

27. Work in groups. Choose a poet to talk about.