1. 2011 年度河南省高等学校精品课程《高级英语》 (A New English Course, Book 6) Unit Three Walls and Barriers Copyright: Henan University of Technology 2012 Lecturer: Huang Huihui

2. Teaching Outline I. Teaching Objectives II. Background Information III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking IV. Text Structure V. Discourse Analysis VI. Theme-related Reading and Translating VII. Theme-related Writing

3. I. Teaching Objectives 1 Philosophical significance in architecture [ Thematic Concern ] 2 [ Linguistic Competence ] Summarizing and synthesizing 3 [ Discourse Analysis ] Exposition through comparision and contrast 4 [ Encyclopedic Knowledge ] Culture, architecture and human mentality

4. II. Background Information 1. About the author: Eugene Raskin (1909-2004) was a famous American musician, playwriter and architect. During his life, Raskin published three books on architecture: Architecturally Speaking, Sequel to Cities, and Architecture and People.

5. II. Background Information 2. Architectural styles: An architectural style may include such elements as form, method of construction,materials, and regional character. Architectural styles may reflect changing fashions, changing beliefs and religions, or the emergence of new ideas and new technology which make new styles possible.

6. II. Background Information 2. Architectural styles: Classical Antiquity The architecture of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, derived from the ancient Mediterranean civilisations such as at Knossos on Crete. They developed highly refined systems for proportions and style, using mathematics and geometry. Medieval Europe The dominance of the Church over everyday life was expressed in grand spiritual designs which emphasized piety and sobriety. The Romanesque style was simple and austere. The Gothic style heightened the effect with heavenly spires, pointed arches and religious carvings.

7. II. Background Information 2. Architectural styles: The Renaissance The Renaissance rebelled against the all-powerful Church by placing Man at the centre of his world.The Gothic spires and pointed arches were replaced by classical domes and rounded arches, with comfortable spaces and entertaining details, in a celebration of humanity. Neoclassical Architecture In its purest form it is a style principally derived from the architecture of Classical Greece and Rome and the architecture of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. In form, Neoclassical architecture emphasizes the wall rather than chiaroscuro and maintains separate identities to each of its parts.

8. II. Background Information 2. Architectural styles: Orientalism Orientalism is a term used by art historians, literary and cultural studies scholars for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Middle Eastern, and East Asian cultures (Eastern cultures) by American and European writers, designers and artists. Modernism The Industrial Revolution enabled a brave new world of bold structural frames, with clean lines and plain or shiny surfaces. In the early stages, a popular motto was "decoration is a crime". In Eastern Europe, modernism developed in a markedly more bureaucratic, sombre and monumental fashion.

9. II. Background Information 2. Architectural styles: Postmodernism The characteristics of postmodernism allow its aim to be expressed in diverse ways. These characteristics include the use of sculptural forms, ornaments,anthropomorphism and materials which perform trompe l'oeil. These physical characteristics are combined with conceptual characteristics of meaning. These characteristics of meaning include pluralism, double coding, flying buttresses and high ceilings, irony and paradox, and contextualism.

10. III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking 1. Video-watching: The Early Renaissance Architecture in Florence

11. III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking 2. Speaking and Discussing: Q1: What are the functions of walls? Q2: Compare the ancient walls with the modern walls. What are the differences? Why do these changes take place? What attitudes are reflected?

12. IV. Text Structure I.Presenting the Topic(1-2) II. Elaboration (3-5) III. Further Elaboration (6-10) IV. Conclusion (11) I. Introduction of the topic by quoting the negative attitude of the author’s father toward modern architecture (a bank building): Architecture is an expression of people’s mentality. II.The changed bank building style is a reflection of people’s changed conception of money. III.Moving from the building style of the bank to the architectural style in general, to illustrate HOW the architectural style reflects people’s mentality. The heavy walls express man’s fear of the outer world and his need to find protection; while the glass wall expresses man’s conviction that he can and does master nature and society. IV.Architecture is an expression of people’s thoughts, ideas, beliefs, attitudes and mentality.The change of the architectural style reflects people’s changed view of the world.

13. IV. Text Structure  Why do you think Raskin’s father and people of his generation take a negative attitude toward a bank with glass walls?

14. IV. Text Structure  What changes, according to the author, have occurred in people’s notion of money, in the function of the bank, and, accordingly, in its architectural features? What point does Raskin want to illustrate by dealing with these changes?

15. IV. Text Structure  How does Raskin contrast “classical” and “new” theories of architecture?  In which two aspects of life does Raskin contrast the modern men and their predecessors? In what way do the differences affect architecture?

16. V. Discourse Analysis 1. Argumentation through comparision and contrast: Focus of comparisonContrasting Points PastPresent conception of money -tangible commodity, -cash - product of imagination - credit, book-keeping bank’s function - to provide a “safe”- to offer service bank’s architectural design -appearing impregnable, with heave walls, barred windows & bronze doors;- enclosed - cubical cage of glass, lighted interior, with window displays from door to vault; - open Conclusion:The architectural style of a bank is not simply a matter of aesthetic concern; it is a reflection of people’s prevailing conceptions of money.

17. V. Discourse Analysis 1. Argumentation through comparision and contrast: Focus of comparison Contrasting Points PrimitiveModern conception of universe -large, fearsome, hostile, uncontrollable -controllable, relying on law & order expected functions of walls -to limit space for human protection-to separate undesirable air, resulting architectural style -heavy walls of huge boulders-thin sheet metal or glass as walls

18. V. Discourse Analysis 2. Inductive reasoning: Inductive reasoning is an instrument to help make a proposition logically sound. Induction is a process of thinking which begins with facts and builds from them to a general conclusion. Facts Proposition Logic

19. VI. Theme-related Reading and Translating Exercises From My Country and My People by Lin Yutang Chinese architecture seems to have developed along a line different from that of the west. Its main tendency is to seek harmony with nature. In many cases it has succeeded in so doing. It has succeeded because it took its inspiration from the spring of plum blossoms—translated first into the moving, living lines of calligraphy and secondarily into the lines and forms of architecture. It has supplemented this by the constant uses of symbolic motives. And it has, through the prevalent superstition of geomancy, introduced the element of pantheism, which compels regard for the surrounding landscape. Its essential spirit is the spirit of peace and contentment, with its best product in the private home and garden. Its spirit does not, like the Gothic spires, aspire to heaven, but broods over the earth and is contented with its lot. While Gothic cathedrals suggest the spirit of sublimity, Chinese temples and palaces suggest the spirit of serenity.

20. VI. Theme-related Reading and Translating Exercises Unbelievable as it seems, the influence of calligraphy comes in even in Chinese architecture. This influence is seen in the bold uses of skeleton structures, like pillars and roofs, in the hatred of straight, dead lines, notably in the evolution of the sagging roof, and in the general sense of form and proportion and grace and severity of temples and palaces. Just as in Chinese painting the outlining strokes, instead of serving merely to indicate the contour of shapes of things, acquire a bold freedom of their own, so in Chinese architecture the pillars in walls, or rafters and beams in roofs, instead of being hidden in shame, are frankly glorified and become important elements in giving structural form to the buildings. In Chinese buildings, the whole structural framework is, as it were, purposefully revealed in full to us. We simply like to see these structural lines, as indicating the basic pattern of the building, as we like to see the rhythmic sketches of outline in painting which stand for the substance of objects for us.

21. VII. Theme-related Writing Exercises Topic: Do you think the Chinese architectural style also reflects Chinese mentality? Why and why not? Write an augumentative essay to state your opinion.

22. Thank you!