1. READING: THE PROPERTIES OF WATER
Unit 11 The water planet
READING:
THE PROPERTIES OF
WATER

2. Activity 1. Structure of the passage
PRE-READING
Activity 1. Structure of the passage
A: 1 minute to skim the passage, focusing on the titles (title
and subtitles)in the text and then fill in the chart below.
You donot need to read the whole text.
CHEMICAL STRUCTURE
SALINITY
THE PROPERTIES OF WATER
OCEAN MOTION
DENSITY
HEAT CAPACITY

3. What can_________ be compared to?
B: Use the topic of each paragraph and the structure above to
make six questions. Work in groups and fill in the questions.
Write down your answers and anything else you know about
the topic.
What is / are_________?
What can_________ be compared to?
What does ________
look like?
How does________work?
What are different
parts of_________?
What are some
examples of________?

4. Activity 2. Word Study freezing dissolve range float decrease absorb
A: Look at the titles of the reading. Which of the following
words do you think will be in the reading passage when we
talk about this topic.
freezing
dissolve
range
float
decrease
absorb
sensitive
stable

5. range: to vary within specified limits
freezing:
dissolve: to reduce (solid matter) to liquid
form; melt
float: to cause to remain suspended
without sinking or falling
decrease: to grow or cause to grow gradually
less or smaller, as in number,
amount
absorb: to take something in
stable: resistant to change of position or
condition
sensitive: responsive to external conditions or
stimulation

6. Chemical Physical molecule atom oxygen hydrogen solid (kilo)gramme
B: Look at the words below and put them into the correct
column. You may refer to the “Vocabulary” part in the
book.
Chemical
Physical
molecule
atom
oxygen
hydrogen
solid
(kilo)gramme
density
mass
volume
cubic
capacity
substance
centigrade
dense
gallon
motion

7. pure atom hydrogen unique solid oxygen absorb mass centigrade float
C: Word study
P The letters of the following words have been mixed up.
Put the letters in the correct order.
pure
atom
1 otma ____________
2 quicnu ___________
3 sdlio ____________
4 oasbrb ___________
5 cgmetidea ___________
6 rupe ___________
7 nhroygde __________
8 yoxgen ____________
9 assm ___________
10 fatol ___________
hydrogen
unique
solid
oxygen
absorb
mass
centigrade
float

8. Activity 3. Finding Topic Sentences
READING:
Topic Sentence of the text:
Paragraph: ________
Sentence: 7
Learning about the properties of water helps us understand life on our planet.
Topic Sentence of CHEMICAL STRUCTURE:
Paragraph: ________
Sentence: 2
The chemical structure of water makes it an
excellent medium for life.
Topic Sentence of SALINITY:
Paragraph: ______
Sentence: 3
The salinity of the earth's oceans is about thirty-five
parts per thousand, meaning that there are about
thirty-five grammes of dissolved solids and gases in
one kilogramme of water.

9. 4 5 6 Topic Sentence of DENSITY: Paragraph: ________ Sentence:
The density of pure water is 1,000 kg/m3, meaning that
one cubic metre of water weighs one thousand
kilogrammes.
Topic Sentence of HEAT CAPACITY:
Paragraph: ________
Sentence: 5
Heat capacity is the mount of energy it takes to raise the
temperature of a substance by one degree centigrade.
Topic Sentence of OCEAN MOTION:
Paragraph: ________
Sentence: 6
Since changes in salinity and temperature affect water's
density, the water in the ocean is always moving.

10. Activity 4. Comprehension A
Paragraph 1.
marine life: (definition based on the text)
Ninety-nine percent of the living space on earth is in the oceans.
incredibly: unbelievably doubtfully
extremely questionably √ √
Life in the oceans ranges from the tiniest plankton all the
way up to giants like sharks and whales. (paraphrase)
__________________________________________________________

11. Paragraph 2.
H2O:2_______________ + 1____________ = 1___________ 
Hydrogen Atoms
Oxygen Atom
H2O Molecule
medium: average channel
means condition √
polar: – ↑ ↓ √ √
positive end: – ↑ ↓ √
negative end: – ↑ ↓ √
Normal state of water: solid liquid gas √

12. Why is the chemical structure of water important?
1. Because water is polar, it can break down both solids and gases.
2.The nutrients in whatever falls into the ocean quickly become available to other living creatures.
3. The chemical structure of water also makes it different from almost everything else on earth.
The nutrients in whatever falls into the ocean quickly become available to other living creatures. (paraphrase)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. kilogrammes per cubic metre
Paragraph 3.
sea water (salt water)
= ________________+ ________________+_________________
salinity of sea water affects: ___________and____________________
dissolved gases
dissolved solids
pure water
weight
freezing point √
salinity of sea water: ‰ %
Paragraph 4.
Factors of density: ___________and _______________
Unit of density: _____________ = ________________________________
Density of pure water: ____________________=
______________________________________________________________
When water freezes, its density decreases. If it did not, the oceans would be frozen solid. (paraphrase)
______________________________________________________________________________
mass
volume
kg/m3
kilogrammes per cubic metre
1,000 kg/m3
one cubic metre of water weighs one thousand kilogrammes

14. significance of water to nature
Paragraph 5.
Heat capacity: water temperature substanc energy √
Opposite word/phrase of absorb:
give off change create √
Paragraph 6.
How does the water in the ocean move?
Dense water sinks and less dense water is pushed to the surface.
Paragraph 7.
Main idea: ________________________________
Water, which seems so simple and common, is what makes life possible. Of all the resources on earth -- oil, gas, gold and so on -- nothing is as precious as a drop of rain. (paraphrase)
______________________________________________________________________________
significance of water to nature

15. Activity 4. Comprehension B
POST-READING
Activity 4. Comprehension B
Complete the chart below. P21
Property
What is it?
What is it good for?
Chemical structure
Density
Heat capacity

16. Activity 5. Language Study
Word study P21 2 Fill in the blanks with the proper words. The first letter has been given.
hydrogen
1 The water molecule is made up of two h___________ atoms and one o________ atom.
2 Water is a liquid at room temperature, but it turns into a s________ when the temperature drops below 0℃ and into a gas when heated above 100℃.
3 The soil can a__________ water, so it helps to keep water from flowing away.
4 Marine scientists study the r_____________ between living creatures and their habitat in the ocean.
5 Life in the oceans appears in different sizes, r__________ from the tiniest fish all the way up to the biggest blue whales.
6 Oil has a density lower than 1,000 kg/m3, so it will f_____on water.
oxygen
solid
absorb
relationship
ranging
float

17. Activity 6. Summary Features of Science Exposition：
A. Sentence Structure:
B. Vocabulary:
C. Tense:
D. Text Structure:

18. INTEGRATING SKILLS
READING:
NATURE'S NURSERY:
ESTUARIES

19. Activity 1. Finding Topic Sentences
Topic Sentence of Paragraph: _____
Sentence: 1
As the oceans are the source of life on earth,
the estuaries are our planet's nurseries.
Topic Sentence of Paragraph: _____
Sentence: 2
Estuaries are great places for nature's young ones.
Topic Sentence of Paragraph: _____
Sentence: 3
Estuaries are also important because they absorb
nutrients and pollutants from water coming from
inland sources, thus cleaning our water.
Topic Sentence of Paragraph: _____
Sentence: 4
Estuaries provide both recreation and education
for human beings.

20. Activity 2. Structure of the passage1 1 4 1 2 2 3 4 2 3 3 4 √

21. Activity 3. Answering the questions
1 Why are estuaries such good places for nature's young ones?
2 What does density mean in this passage?
3 How do estuaries affect the water that passes through
them?
4 Why are estuaries more sensitive to pollution than other
areas?
5 Why are estuaries important to human beings?

22. Activity 4. Word Study the body of water where a river pollutant
meets the ocean
b. warm-blooded vertebrate animals
to generate (offspring) by sexual
or asexual means.
something that pollutes, especially
a waste material
e. the process of eroding or the
condition of being eroded
f. refreshment of one's mind or body after work through activity that amuses or stimulates
pollutant
estuary
recreation
mammal
reproduce
erosion

23. Provide…for
The company will provide food and drink for them.
2. Have an opportunity to do…
I have an opportunity to discuss the problem with her yesterday.
3. A variety of
He left for a variety of reasons.
There are a variety of patterns for you to choose from.

24. deep adj, adv
The box is 2 meters deep.
Frogs go deep under the mud.
He often works deep into the night.
deep 深地
deeply 抽象意义“深深地, 深厚地, 深切地”
I’m deeply moved by what he said.
he was deeply hurt.
The war and its misery made him suffer deeply.

25. Estuaries are also important because they absorb nutrients and pollutants from water coming from inland sources, thus cleaning our water.
Thus作“因此; 这样” 解,意思接近so. 后面的creating a stable environment 是现在分词作结果状语.现在分词作结果状语,一般放句尾,往往用逗号隔开,前面可以加上thus(这样), therefore(因此),hence(由此), consequently(因而) 等副词,表示一种自然而然的结果.

26. 4. Contribute to 为…贡献; 有助于…
His work has contributed to our understanding of his difficult subject.
Habitat 栖息地; 产地
Habit 习惯
The polar region is the habitat of the polar bear.
I prefer to see animals in their natural habit, rather than in zoos.