By Yu Hong

1. Unit 4 By Yu Hong A Turn in Life Chengdu Textile College

2. Contents • Lead-in • Section A: The Great TV Turn-off • Section B: Ahead of the Game • Section C: Writing Timetables (2)

3. Lead-in • Introducing the topic • Exploring the topic

4. Introduction What would you do if you couldn’t watch TV for a week? Panic might be your first reaction, but you would soon find there are many things to do other than to watch TV. Read the following story—it might inspire you to turn off your TV for at least a week.

5. Exploring 1. There are few people who do not watch TV now. DO you like watching TV? Besides watching TV, what else do you do in your spare time? Many people say they cannot imagine what life would be like without TV. Discuss with your classmates what are the advantages and disadvantages of TV.

6. 1. What are the advantages of TV? advantages I think • it is a cheap way of getting information • people can watch films, shows and games without leaving home • it offers educational programs such as English learning ones • people can hear news about different parts of the world

7. Section A The Great TV Turn-off • Pre-reading • While-reading • Post-reading • Exercises • Basic writing skills

8. Pre-reading Discuss the following questions. • From the title of Text A, can you guess what lesson we are going to learn? • What do you often do in your spare time besides watching TV? • What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of TV? • What do you think of other activities?

9. While-reading Spot Dictation “it’s an experiment,” my mother said, “to see what families do when there’s no TV to watch. We’re all supposed to keep a _______of what it’s like to _______without TV for a week.” “Couldn’t we do _______ other kind of experiment? I’d rather find ______ how long I can ________ being at the dentist’s, as _______ as I can watch TV while I’m there.” Listen to the tape and fill in the blanks. diary go some take out long

10. Getting the Message Read the questions and complete the answers. • What is the Great TV Turn-off? It is a project done by the library to see _____________________________________________. • How did Teddy like the idea at first? He ________________________________________. That’s why he said, ”I was not impressed.” • How did Teddy feel for the first three days? He felt ____________________________. what families do when there is no TV to watch Did not like the idea first Rather bored

11. Getting the Message • What did Teddy do in the last four days of the project? He _______________ on Thursday, ________________ on Friday, set up ______________ on Saturday, and helped his mother ___________ on Sunday. • What did he come to realize after the Great TV Turn-off was over? He came to realize that other than to watch TV, ____________________________________. borrowed two books finished painting A yard sale Make acake there was also something better to do

12. New Words &Phrases and Expressions • turn-off • impress • diary • dentist • librarian • project • warn • touch • Blank • Cruel • anyway • blow • dust • shelf • neglect • downtown • handle • besides • yard • sale • Chocolate • faithful • go without • as/so long as • draw a blank • set up • in the habit of • blow…off • get around to • break down • check out • not…any

13. Think about that Read the passage and try to catch the main idea. What will you do if you haven’t a TV? The following words may help you. shift, indoor and outdoor activities, couch potato, reading, going out with friends, chatting Reference

14. Main Idea This passage is a funny story about a family’s one week without TV. This family carries out an experiment to see what people will do without TV. For the whole week, the kid keeps a diary on his life in this week and finally he realizes that he might just find something better to do besides watching TV.

15. Intensive Reading Para. 1-4 My mother gave me the bad news on Monday morning. “No television this week, Teddy,” she said with a smile, “We’re taking part in the library’s Great TV Turn-off.” “We’re what?” I asked. I was not impressed. “It’s an experiment,” my mother said, “to see what families do when there’s no TV to watch. We’re all supposed to keep a diary of what it’s like to go without TV for a week.”

16. Para. 5-7 “Couldn’t we do some other kind of experiment? I’d rather find out how long I can take being at the dentist’s, as long as I can watch TV while I’m there.” “sorry, Ted,” my mother said. “The librarians are very interested in the results of this project.” I watched sadly as my mother put a sign on the TV that warned, “DO NOT WATCH THIS TV IF YOU VALUE YOU LIFE.”

17. Para. 8-11 I valued my life plenty, so I didn’t touch the TV when I came home from school that day. That night, I went to bed early and opened the diary my mother had given me to write in. What else was there to do? Monday: I’m drawing a blank! This just seems cruel. There wasn’t a whole lot to write in my diary the next day either, but I did it anyway.

18. Para. 12-15 Tuesday: Got tired of staring at DO NOT WATCH TV sign. Went outside. Found some old boards and built a house with Dan and Ray. After supper, I cleaned my room without being asked. I must be going mad. By Wednesday, I was in the habit of writing in my diary. Wednesday: Blew the dust off some old games on the shelf. Invited Dan and Ray to come over and play them. Thursday: I got around to working on a painting I had been neglecting. It’s actually starting to look pretty good.

19. Para. 16-19 Friday: Broke down and walked downtown to that place—the library. Checked out two mysteries. Saturday: I don’t think I can handle this any longer! Tell me, what is there to do on a Saturday morning besides watching TV? Late Saturday: Finally found something to do—cleaned out my room. My mother said it was okay to set up a yard sale outside. I sold almost all of my old things! Sunday: Took the money from the yard sale downtown. Bought two model planes and two mysteries. Later, I helped my mother make a chocolate cake, and ate some while reading the mysteries.

20. Para. 20-21 Monday: Your faithful diary-writer has amazed himself! My mother just reminded me that this is the end of the Great Turn-off. I don’t think I’ll turn on the TV today, though—I’ve got this mystery I want to finish reading. Maybe the Great TV Turn-off has changed me. I might watch TV tomorrow—or I might not. I might just find something better to do.

21. e.g. – 一I was not impressed. 我可不太喜欢这个主意。 impress: vt. 留下深刻的印象，压印 1.漂亮的风景给游客留下了深刻的印象。 - The visitors are deeply impressed by the beautiful views. 2.我有一只戒指，上面刻着我的名字。 - I have a ring with my name impressed on it.

22. what it’s like: how it feels e.g. …what it’s like to go without TV for a week. 在不看电视的这一周内所发生的一切。 1.不打伞在雨中行走是什么滋味？ - What’s it like to walk in the rain without an umbrella? 2.她很想知道做歌星是什么感觉。 - She really wants to know what it is like to be famous singer.

23. dentist’s: 牙医诊所 e.g. How long I can take being at the dentist’s, as long as I can watch TV. 只要有电视看，我能在牙医那待多久。 Here “the dentist’s” refers to “the dentist’s office”. Other examples of the similar are: the hairdresser’s, the butcher’s. 2. 那位女士去找牙医治疗牙疼。 - The woman went to see a dentist to help her deal with her toothache.

24. draw a blank: 不成功，无结果 e.g. – Monday: I am drawing a blank! 星期一：没啥可记。 1.沙伦努力回想，可什么也想不起来。 - Sharon searched her mind butdrew a blank. 2.当地警察连一个目击者也没找到。 -The local policedrew a blankin finding any witnesses. .

25. anyway: adv. 不管怎样 e.g. – I did it anyway. 我不管怎么还是做了。 1. 今年我们的小麦歉收，不过不管怎样，我们的玉米可望有个好收成。 - This year we had poor crops of wheat, but we could expect a good corn harvest anyway. 2. 我知道现在雨下得很大，但是不管怎样你得马上赶过来。 - I know it’s raining heavily, but you’ll have to come here right now anyway.

26. without being asked:主动地 e.g. – after supper, I cleaned my room without being asked. 晚饭后，我自觉打扫了房间。 1. 我女儿主动给我端上一杯水。 - My daughter will bring me a cup of water without being asked. 2. 我不等他点就主动把他要的东西端上来了。 - I would bring him the right food without being asked.

27. must be (must have done)一定是 e.g. – I must be going mad. 我一定是疯了。 1. 外面很湿，昨晚一定下雨了。 - It is wet outside, so it must have rained last night. 2.我想他肯定很生我的气。 - I think she must be mad at me.

28. in the habit of : 有什么的习惯 e.g. – I was in the habit of writing in my diary. 我已经习惯写日记了。 1. 我习惯每天早上5点起床。 - I was in the habit of getting up at 5 every morning. 2. 有些媒体热衷于披露名人的私生活。 - Some media are in the habit of exposing the private lives of famous people.

29. e.g. – I got around to working on a painting I had been neglecting. 完成被我抛之脑后的一幅画。 get around to:find time for 找时间做 1. 我总想着去看她，但是总没去成。 - I meant to visit her, but I never got around to it. 2. 由于研究工作忙，约翰和卡罗尔的婚礼又推迟了10个星期。 - Being busy with their research work, John and Carol did not get around to marrying for another ten weeks.

30. neglect:vt. 漏掉，忽视 e.g. – …a painting I had been neglecting. 我遗忘的一幅画 1.不要忘了浇水，因为有些花需要每天浇水。 - Don’t neglect your watering as some of the flowers need to be watered every day. 2. 许多男人一心追求成功，而忽略了对妻子、孩子的关心。 - Many men run after success, and often neglect their wives and children.

31. Break down:垮掉，停止运转 e.g. – Broke down and walked downtown to that place. 我快崩溃了。步行到市中心的那个地方。 1. 听到消息，那个可怜的母亲一下子崩溃了，哭起来。 - On hearing the news, the poor mother broke down in tears. 2. 我可以用你的电脑吗？我的电脑坏了。 - Can I use your computer, as mine has broken down again?

32. Clean out:清理 e.g. – Finally found something to do—cleaned out my room. 终于找到事情做了—清理自己的房间。 1. 他们搬走前把架子、橱柜都清理干净了。 - They had cleaned out the shelves and cupboards before they moved. 2. 我天天都清理冰箱。 - I clean out the freezer every day.

33. faithful adj. 忠实的，如实的 e.g. – Your faithful diary-writer has amazed himself! 你忠实的日记作者自己也不相信。 1. 他言行一致。 - He is faithful in word and deed. 2. 你觉得由该书改编成的电影忠于原作吗？ - Do you think the film adaptation was faithful to the book?

34. Basic writing skills: pronouns 英语写作中，代词的使用主要遵循下列规则： 代词必须清楚地指代某个成分，不能指代不明。例如： Faulty: A Japanese man asks an American passenger whether the airport has a luggage-trolley service. He wants to say that there is not only a trolley service, but that it is free! Clear: A Japanese man asks an American passenger whether the airport has a luggage-trolley service. The American wants to say that there is not only a trolley service, but that it is free!

35. 2. 代词也不能随意更改指代内容。例如： Faulty: Everything from your sex, racial background, social class and communication style all influences his body language. Clear: Everything fro your sex, racial background, social class and communication style all influences your body language.

36. 3. 代词应与所替代的成分在人称和数方面保持一致，并且应当与其所指代的成分尽量保持就近位置。但当everyone等做主语时，虽然谓语动词使用单数形式，但是其相应的代词却可以使用单数形式也可使用复数形式。例如： • Everyone, however, can improve his or her listening skills with practice. • Everyone is embarrassed when they make a mistake and everyone makes mistakes.

37. exercise • Each of the boys explained their project. • I hate standing in lines where you have to take a number. • If you send in your ticket order in advance, one can be sure of getting good seats. • The old man asked me to move my suitcase off the bench so he could sit on it. • Everyone who parks on that street has had their car windows broken. his I you the bench correct

38. Post-reading • Tell each other about your ideas on hi-tech. • Preview Text B.

39. Exercises • Using the Right Word • Working with Expressions • Translating • Using Topic-related Terms

40. Key for the exercises Ⅰ • impresses 2. diary 3. project 4. warned • 5. cruel 6. neglect 7. handle 8. faithful • without 2. of 3. in 4. off • 5. down 6. out 7. out 8. to Ⅱ

41. Ⅲ • As long as you get regular exercise, you will become healthy again. • I have always been thinking of reading a book on space, but I never seem to get around to it. • Since the writer had bought the computer, he no longer wrote his stories with a pen. • The school has set up some new rules that everybody must follow. • 我们都要记录下在不看电视的这一周内发生的一切。 • 我倒想看看只要有电视看，我能在牙医那呆上多久。 • 我非常珍惜我的生命，所以当天放学回家后，我没有碰电视机。 • 没啥可记的。这简直太痛苦了。

42. Ⅳ • what it’s like • what else • check out • come over • get around to • cleaning out

43. Section B Ahead of the Game • Warm-up • Language points • Exercises • Follow up

44. Warm-up Discuss with your partner about the problem of the man in this text and how he overcomes it.

45. New Words & Phrases and Expressions • ahead • suffer • particularly • relationship • previous • convince • cap • sunny • delicious • disappoint • Locate • congratulation • atmosphere • enclose • delight • bare • glow • distance • favorite • dial • confidently • hesitate • sight • Ahead of • Suffer from • Be concerned about • Lose touch with • From above • The ticket to • Work out • Spend on • Take on • From a distance • Be dressed up • Within/in sight

46. Skim and Scan Answer the following questions. 1. How did the author’s friend feel after he broke up with his girlfriend? A. He felt free. B. He lost self-confidence. C. He became disappointed. D. He felt painful.

47. 2. What did he think was very important in building a good relationship with women? • Good skin B. Dating at expensive restaurants C. Good hair D. Being dressed up 3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as one of his ways to hide his thinning top during a date? • Going to a cinema • Walking the dog • Going to a sports event • Playing in the park 4. How did the author help his friend to get back to the normal dating world? • By introducing nice ladies to him. • By taking him to expensive restaurants • By finding some dating places where a cap was acceptable

48. D. By tricking him into taking a lady for dinner without wearing a hat. 5. What can we tell about the author from this story? • He likes laughing at his friend. • He is a helpful friend. • He is a very rich person. • He is a boring person.

49. Intensive Reading Para. 1 A friend of mine was suffering from a lack of self-confidence after the end of a particularly difficult relationship. He was a bit concerned about returning to the dating world, worried that he had “lost his touch” with women.

50. Para. 2 Unfortunately, soon after ending his previous relationship, he began to lose his hair, and he saw this as a sign from above that he was supposed to be alone for the rest of his life. “Who is going to want to date a man without hair?” he said to me. He was convinced that good hair was the ticket to a successful relationship. “What will she run her fingers through now?” he asked sadly. “The skin on top of my head.”