Unit 2 Values

1. Unit 2 Values

2. Pre-Reading Tasks • 1. Answer the following questions : • What happened to Abraham Lincoln one day? • How is the story related to the theme of the unit – values?

3. While-Reading • 1. The text can be divided into three parts. Between each part, there is a blank line. • Names mentioned in the text: • Jamie Beaulieu, waiter at Sam Walton’s birthday party • Jonnie Baker, night manager at the local Wal-Mart • Richard Hoback, Mayor of Bentonville, Arkansas • Gordon Garlington, pastor of the local church • John Marshall, local barber • Jim Von Gremp, corporate affairs director • Ferold F. Arend, retired president of Wal-Mart • Jim Hendren, company lawyer

4. Text Analysis • The text begins with an anecdote: how waiter Jamie Beaulieu had anticipated a lavish mansion at the Waltons, only to find an ordinary-looking household. This kind of beginning lures readers to to on. There are other anecdotes, like how Sam Walton forgot his wallet and insisted on fetching it to pay the local barber, and how he lost 4 straight games after a Wal-Mart exployee asned him a question about price.

5. Text Analysis • Sam Walton is a folksy guy, of which a lot of examples are given, examples of how generous an employer he is are also plentiful. • Jamie Beaulieu’s anticipation and the reality he later found out form a contrast. It reveals Sam Wolton’s down-home characteristics. When retired company president Ferold F. Arend compared Sam Walton with his previous employer, we appreciate further Sam Walton’s generosity.

6. Language Points • 1. Remote: far away in space or thime • Examples: The supply of electricity to remote mountainous villages is one of the local development projects in Yunnan province. • 2. Discount: amount of money which may be taken off the full price • Examples: Traditional retailers who’ve opened cyberstores may offer special discounts to online shoppers.

7. Language Points • 3. Only: In writing and formal speech, you can put “only” at the beginning of a sentence, followed by the word, word group, or clause it modifies, and then you put an auxiliary or “be” followed by the subject of the main clause. • Examples: Only here was it safe to prepare and handle hot drinks.

8. Language Points • 4. Carry on: behave or conduct oneself in a specific way • Example: There is nothing unusual about them. They carry on just like everybody else. • 5. Folk: people in general (you can refer to people as folk or folks) • Example: they got married and had kids and lived like other folks

9. Language Points • 6. Get away with: do sth. Wrong or risky without being caught or punished • Example: They claimed that they knew how to play the system and get away with it. • 7. Bird dogs: dog which hunts birds • 8. Local: of or for a particular place • Example: The plane was to take off at 6 a.m. and land at 7 a.m. local time.

10. Language Points • 9. Treatment: the way you deal with sb. Or behave towards them (followed by of) • Example: Like everyone else, I resent his cruel treatment of his old father. • 10. Cheerful: (of sb.) happy in a lively, energetic way. (of sth.) make you happy • Example: they are both very cheerful in spite of their colds

11. Language Points • 11. Throw one’s weight around: behave in an aggressively arrogant way • Example: Mr. Smith is not much of a manager. He always throws his weight around • 12. Open up:unlock and open the door so that people can get in • Example: Open up, or I break in.

12. Language Points • 13. Headline: the title of a newspaper article, printed above the article in large letters • Example: headlines in the newspaper are arranged so that they attract attention. • 14. Hold to: keep to • Example: John holds to his belief that you can be successful as long as you work hard. • 15. Stock: shares of a company that are sold to investors • Example: You’d better get professional advice before buying stocks or bonds.

13. Language Points • 16. On the run: continuously active and moving about; try to avoid being captured • Example: I have been on the run all day and I am exhausted. • 17. Steer clear of: keep away from • Example: Children are told to steer clear of troublemakers. • 18. Make up: form the whole of (sth.) • Example: Women make up nearly 50% of university entrants.

14. Language Points • 19. Liable: likely (to do sth.) • Examples: It’s liable to snow heavily tomorrow. • 20. Loyalty: the quality of staying firm in your friendship or support for sb./sth.. ; a stong feeling that one wants to be faithful to sb./sth.(followed by to) • Example: my father is a soccer fan. His loyalty to the local team has taken him all over the country to see them play.

15. Language Points • 21. Qualify: have or give sb. A legal right to sth./to do sth. (followed by for or infinitive to) • Example: A few useful skills – English teaching, for example – qualified foreigners for woek visas. • 22. Scholarship: award of a grant of money to a scholar • Example: He cannot afford to go to college if he doesn’t win a scholarship.

16. Language Points • 23. And the like: and other things of the same sort • Example: Many students are also keeping fit through jogging, aerobics, weight training, and the like. • 24. Cultivate: 1) make a special effort to establish and develop sth. • Example: They encourage students to cultivate special interests in theoretical physics. • 2) prepare land and grow crops on it • Example: They cultivated 500 acres in the suburb.

17. Language Points • 25. Reward: give sth. To sb. In return for work or services (used in the pattern: reward sb. For sth. With sth.) • Example: the officer is to be rewarded for his efforts with promotion to the rank of inspector. • 26. Retire: (cause to) stop working at one’s job, usu. Because of age (followed by from) • Example: Although their carrers are important they plan to retire at 50.

18. Language Points • 27. Come/get aboard: join • Example: Scientists have spent years studying the way the brain retains information. • 28. Deserve: be sth. or have done sth. for which ones should receive (a reward, special treatment etc.); be entitled to (not used in the continuous tense) • Example: I am only partly responsible for the success of this book, my collaborator deserves more credit.