Unit 6 The Human Touch

1. Unit 6 The Human Touch Text A The Last Leaf

2. Group discussion or debate ----Charity begins at home. • Interpret the saying • Is it enough only to help those people we know? • Divide you into a pro side and a con side. • Discuss with neighbors and list key arguments on a sheet of paper.

3. Who is the author?----O. Henry • American writer of short stories, best known for his ironic plot twist and surprise endings. • Most famous stories: • The Gift of the Magi---- A husband sells his watch to buy his wife a Christmas present of a pair of hair combs; but she cuts and sells her long hair to buy him a Christmas present of a new chain for his watch.

4. What are the scenes in the story? • Work in pairs to list the names of characters in each paragraph • A story is composed of scenes. Normally a change of characters indicates a change in scene. • Divide the text into scenes according to the change in character. • Refer to Text Organization 2 to see whether your way of division is correct. • Characters in the story and their relationship

5. What is the main idea of each part? • Part 1 ( paras 1-2) Sue’s roommate Johnsy caught pneumonia • Part 2 ( paras 3-8) The doctor told Sue that Johnsy needed a strong will to live on. • Part 3 ( paras 9-17) Johnsy decided that she would die when the last ivy leaf fell. • Part 4 ( paras 18-21) Sue told Behman about Johnsy’s fancy. • Part 5 ( paras 22-33) As Johnsy was encouraged by the last leaf that wouldn’t give in to the weather, her will to live returned. • Part 6 ( paras 34-37) The doctor told Sue that Johnsy would recover, but Behrman caught pneumonia himself and his case was hopeless. • Part 7 ( paras 38-39) Sue told Johnsy that Behrman had performed a kind deed without any thought of self.

6. What is the main idea of the text? • Old Behrman saved Johnsy’s life at the expense of his own.

7. Language points • the last sentence in the first paragraph • taste in sth. : his taste in clothes • in tune: in harmony / harmonious 1) be in tune with sth • e.g. His ideas are in tune with the times. • 2) be out of tune with sth. • e.g. Her character is quite out of tune with her beauty.

8. 3. joint joint account / a joint venture /Thanks to our joint effort, the activity is very successful

9. 4. stalk = track • The criminal stalked the victim. • When the night falls, danger stalks the streets of the city.

10. 5. scarcely = hardly = barely • I can scarcely/hardly/barely move / walk. • Scarcely had I sat down to eat when the phone rang. • scarce a. scarce resources

11. 6.Subtract • subtract A from B • Subtract the tax from the income • Three subtracted from ten equals seven. • Add, subtract, multiply, divide

12. 7. Backward (para 9) • -ward • Go forward/backward/sideways

13. 8. Bare • Bare hand / foot / hill • Barefoot doctors • Bare / empty / blank /vacant • ___ bottle / ___ words • A ___ sheet of paper / fill in the ___ a ___ wall • A ___ seat

14. 9. dreary=dull=gloomy • He looked dreary. • Spend a dreary day

15. 10. Ten to one (line 44) • =very likely to happen • Ten to one he won’t be there tonight.

16. 11. By doing sth. (line 58, para 18) • He tried to get help by screaming.

17. 12. To excess (line 59)=to an extreme degree • Drink / smoke / eat to excess

18. 13. For the rest • The book contains some beautiful illustrations. For the rest, it is rather dull. • For the rest • And the rest=and so on

19. 14. fierce • 1. violent and angry • Fierce doges / winds / storm/attacks • Look fierce / have a fierce look • 2. intense; strong • Fierce concentration / loyalty/hatred • 3. fierce competition / opposition • Fierce hot

20. 15. Mock (at) sb. /sth. • They mocked (at) him and called him a coward. • Make fun of / tease / poke fun of