1. The universal language
Unit 2
The universal language
Reading 1
2012/4

2. Turandot in Beijing
It’s a review of an opera.

3. Turandot
in Beijing

9. Lead-in What’s a review?
A review is a report or an essay giving some information as well as some opinion or ideas about a book, performance, a painting or something similar.

10. Prediction What do you expect to read in a review of an opera?
background information
characters
plot
opinion …

11. Task1: Reading strategy: Reading a review of an opera
What should we pay attention to while reading a review of an opera?
1. A review of opera usually starts with some background information.
2. Talk about the story---the characters and the plot.
3.The review can give some other important information about the opera such as the actor’s names.
4. A comment---- lots of words that describe feelings.

12. The structure of the passage
The passage can be divided into four parts. Find out the main idea of each part.
Part 1(Para 1-2)
Part 2(Para 3-7)
Part 3(Para 8)
Part 4(Para 9)
Background information
The story
Other information about the opera
Comment

13. Task1: Reading strategy:
1. Background information: (Para1-2)
Turandot is a world-famous ____________ written by __________.
It was performed in _______________.
opera
Giacomo Puccini
the Forbidden City
Turandot: [‘tuərəndɔt] 图兰朵
Giacomo Puccini['dʒa:kɔ:mɔ: pu'tʃi:ni] L1
贾科莫.普契尼(意大利歌剧作曲家)

14. Task1: Reading strategy:
2. The story: (Para3-7)
Main characters:
Turandot: a stubborn and cruel Chinese princess (L13)
Calaf [‘ka:la:f]卡拉夫 : a prince who falls in love with Turandot (L22)
Liu柳儿: a young slave of Calaf’s father who loves Calaf (L24)
The plot: Detailed reading

15. Task1: Reading strategy: 3. Other important information (Para8)
Director
Conductor
Zhang Yimou L47
Zubin Mehta [' zu:bin' meitə] L46
祖宾.梅塔(著名指挥家,出生于印度)
Actors and actresses:
Sharon Sweet [‘ʃærən ' swi:t]莎伦.斯威L48-Turandot
Barbara Hendricks [‘ba:brə ' hendriks] L49--Liu
芭芭拉.亨德里克斯（美国女高音歌唱家）
Kristjan Johannsson [‘krisdʒn ' jəʊhænsn] L50 – Calaf 克里斯蒂安.约翰松(冰岛男高音歌唱家)

16. Task1: Reading strategy: wonderful L52 amazing L55
4. A general comment (Para9) ---
wonderful L52
amazing L55
* The performance was_____________. (L3)
splendid
* The could not be a more________ setting. (L9)
awesome
* The weather was also __________ for a performance outdoors. (L10)
perfect
best
* The production combined the very ______ of Western and Chinese talents. (L45)
* The music was conducted by Zubin Mehta, a _______conductor. (L46)
superb
excellent
* L50: They were________

17. Task 2:Scanning--PartA
1. What is Turandot?
It is a world-famous opera written by Giacomo Puccini between 1920 and 1924.
L1, L5
2. What decision does Calaf make when
he first sees Turandot?
Calaf falls in love with Turandot at first sight and decides to solve the riddles so that he can marry her. L22-23
3. What happens at the end of the story?
At the end of the story, Calaf and
Turandot unite in marriage. L40

18. Read the review again and answer.
Task 3:Detailed reading—Part C1,C2
Read the review again and answer.
Who was the author of Turandot?
Giacomo Puccini, an Italian. L5
2. Why does the writer think that the Forbidden City is a good setting for Turandot?
Because you could almost feel the history---Turandot is a story which happened in the Forbidden. L9, L14

19. 3. What kind of person is Turandot?
She is stubborn and cruel. L13
4. What has Turandot’s father promised her?
He has promised to allow Turandot to choose her own husband. L15

20. She will not have to marry him, but can have him killed. L30
5. What happens to the prince who cannot answer the princess’s riddles?
He is killed. L19
6. What does Calaf say will happen if Turandot can guess his name by sunrise?
She will not have to marry him, but can have him killed. L30

21. 7. What does Liu do to protect Calaf and his father?
Liu claims that she alone knows Calaf’s name, but resists telling Tuandot. L32-33
8. What makes the production amazing?
The bringing together of a group
of people from many countries, the
music and the grand setting. L53-55

22. C2: How familiar are you with the story of Turandot
C2: How familiar are you with the story of Turandot? Put the events of Part C2 on page 20 in the correct order.
Answers:

23. Post-reading: Answer: 1 f 2 c 3 g 4 a 5 b 6 d 7 e
Match the new word of Part D on page 21 with the meaning.
Answer:
1 f c g a b d e

24. Complete the e-mail of Part E on page 21.
Answers:
1. _____________ 2. _____________
3. _____________ 4. _____________
5. _____________ 6. _____________
7. _____________ 8. _____________
stubborn
merciful
dare
fall in love
demand
unwilling
butterflies
awesome

25. Work in groups
Talk about a Western or a Chinese opera that you are familiar with. You can introduce the main characters, the setting and the plot. Or you can talk about the actors or actresses, the director and the conductor.

26. Discussion
1. Do you agree that music is an international language? Why or why not?
2. How important do you think music is for people today?
3. Have you been to any musical events or seen any on TV? If you have, what did you think of them?

27. Homework 1. Fill in the form in Parts A , B and C
of listening on page 114 of the
workbook.
2. Find the important words and
expressions in Reading.