Message of the Land Lesson 3-Message of the Land I. Questions Questions II. A guess A guess III. Land idioms Land idioms IV. A poem A poem Pre-Reading

Message of the Land

Lesson 3-Message of the Land

I. Questions

II. A guess

III. Land idioms

IV. A poem

Pre-Reading

1. What does “land” mean to you? What are the differences among “land”, “soil” and “earth”?

2. What does the word “motherland” or “homeland” associate your mind with?

3. Do you think land carries secret message? What are they?

I.I. QuestionsQuestions



II.II. A guessA guess

The end of A guess.

Land of the Rising Sun

Land of the Rose

Land of the Shamrock 国花三叶草

Land of Cakes

Land of the Stars and Stripes

Scotland

Japan

U.S.A

Ireland

England

Do you know what these nicknames refer to?


III. Land III. Land idiomsidioms

To be continued on the next page.

1. land flowing with milk and honey/land of milk and honey —a place in which life would be pleasant, with plenty of food and chances of success and happiness

[origin] Bible 3:8, Exodus, O.T.

“… bring them up… to a land flowing with milk and honey…”

Note: this English idiom is equivalent to Chinese “ 鱼米之乡” in meaning, but different in cultural connotations.

流奶与蜜的地方（喻：丰饶之国；富饶之

地）


III. Land idiomsIII. Land idioms


2. land/house of Bondage埃及；艰苦之

境地

—Egypt: also any place or condition of great hardship or oppression

[origin] Bible

3. land of dreams —region outside the laws of nature, as experienced in sleep or in the imagination

梦乡；梦境；梦幻世界




5. land of Nod

—infml sleep

[origin] Bible 4:16, Genesis, O.T.

睡乡

6. land of promise/promised land/land of covenant

—any state of future happiness

[origin] Bible 15:18-21, Genesis, O.T.

未来的幸福境界；乐土；福地；希望

之乡




7. Land of Shades

—the underworld; place where the spirits of the dead go

阴间；地狱；冥府

8. land of the living

—the place of living men; this present existence

[origin] Bible 53:8, Isaiah, O.T. “For he was cut off out the land of the living…”

人世；现世

Lesson 3 - Message of the Land

I. Thailand and the Author

II. Bangkok

III. Thai Buddhism

IV. Monks in Thailand

Background Background InformationInformation

Siamese 暹罗人 Drama (entitled Tales of Thailand in the latest editions)

People of Esarn Monsoon Country 《雨季的乡下》 (1988) its sequel, The Force of Karma 《因果报应》

(2002).

His works:

The others are Muslim, Catholic

or Chinese.

If you have done good deeds next life will be better

94% of Thai people are Buddhist.


I. Text Style

II. Stylistic Feature

III. Text Structure

IV. Language Points

While-Reading


Style: essay (in a very broad sense)

or interview

The interviewees: a farmer and his wife

(note: Since the World War II it has become popular for writers to interview people, record what they say and, after some, not too much, editing, publish these people’s stories in book form.)

I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis

Style

The end of Style.


colloquial


Please find

supporting details

in the text.

The end of Stylistic feature.

Stylistic feature

straightforward language

short sentences

small and easy words

Part 1: The wife’s speech (para. 1- )

(para. - )

Part 2: The farmer’s speech (para. - 11)

The wife tells us briefly about each member of her family and how all her children left. This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can’t adjust to.

The farmer tells us what he thinks are the roots of all evils. He also tells us what joys he finds in life and in farming.

3

47

8

Text Structure



Changes in family

Changes in the village

The wife’scomplaints

Thefarmer’scomplaints

None of the children will come back to inherit the land.

• Greed, anger, and lust are the root of all evils.• No young man will care what message the land gives.

the loss of traditional values and the way of life

All four children went away. Children wear

jeans instead.

no barter, but cash no pay-free help plastic things instead only the old on the land no practice of the old customs no respect for the old




What’s the message of the land? For further

discussion


It’s our history, our culture, our tradition and our life. In a word, it is our root which we cannot live without.

习惯用语 barter sth for sth:barter with sb for sth: 犯人们想和看守人交换自由The prisoners tried to barter with the g

uards for their freedom.

barter

Example:

as crafty (adj.) as a fox

craft Word Formation needlecraft handicraft aircraft spacecraft

Example:

习惯用语 in / after the fashion of sb: like sb She paints in the fashion of Picasso.come into / be in fashiongo / be out of fashion: outdated

fashion Word Formation fashionable (adj.) old-fashioned (ad

j.)Example:

hairdresser: n. beautician: n.barber: n.

greed Word Formation greedy (adj.) greediness (adj.)

Example:

adj.+ness

coldness darkness shortness exactness tiredness happiness sadness selflessnessfriendlessness

1. A group of kids stood by and watched the school bully beat up a smaller boy.

a. a person who threatens the weaker b. a person who deceives others c. a gangster d. an activist2. The soil is not difficult to till when there is a l

ot of rain. a. weed b. cultivate c. sow d. reap

a, b


真题搜索

The end of Quiz 1.

3. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I really don't need any help. a. gratitude b. thankless c. disgraceful d. unreasonable4. The destruction of rainforests has been ____ as a disaster for the environment.

a. condemned b. condensedc. contradicted d. congested

5. There is a ____ of vegetable garden behind the house. a. pane b. slip

c. strip d. stripe

b a c

真题搜索

6. The ____ of wheat was caused by the draught.

a. scarcity b. scarcelyc. scare d. scanty

a


真题搜索



The text tells about the deep regret of the old people over the loss of traditional values and the way of life.

Theme of the story The theme is hidden in

the message of

the land.

The end of Theme.

Part 1: The wife’s speech (para. 1- )

(para. - )

Part 2: The farmer’s speech (para. - 11)

The wife tells us briefly about each member of her family and how all her children left. This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can’t adjust to.

The farmer tells us what he thinks are the roots of all evils. He also tells us what joys he finds in life and in farming.

3

47

8

Text Structure

Phrases:spring up; afford to; in spite of…

Sentence Structure:not only….but also

Grammar: subjunctive mood 虚拟Figures of Speech: simile; metapho

r; personification;

Teaching Focus

1. marry: vt./vi. （ line 4, para. 1 ） They married young.John is going to marry Jane.marry sb offHe is married to a famous writer.He is whole-heartedly married to his work.

Language Points

Word Formation married (adj.) marriage (n.)

2. my husband moved into our houses as is the way with us in Esarn.

relative clause (subject)

Language Points

as: As is known to all, Taiwan belongs to China.Air, as we know, is a gas.

3. Question: What is the cultural connotation in this sentence?

Answer: When we got married) my husband came to live in our house. It was the tradition here in Esarn that the bridegroom should come to live with the bride’s family.

Language Points

• 1 She did her work _____her • manager had instructed. (TEM-2003)• A. as B. until C. when D. though• 2 Fool _____Jane is, she could not have done

such a thing.• A. who B. as C. that D. like• 3 ___ is often the case with a new idea, much

preliminary activity and optimistic discussion produced no concrete proposals. (TEM-1994)

• A. That B. It C. This D. As

真题搜索

1. can / could be able + afford sth /to do sth

They walked because they couldn’t afford (to take) taxi.

I mustn’t annoy my boss because I can’t afford to lose my job.

3 afford to: (line 6, para. 1)

• No one can ____ to waste so much time.

• a. provide b. afford

• c. supply d. equip

真题搜索

sentence paraphrase

(para. 2) …telling us that they are doing well. I know this is not always true.

It’s easier for my husband. He has ears which don’t hear, a mouth which doesn’t speak, and eyes that don’t see.

Word Formation now and then here and there ups and downs the ins and outs

add insult to injury 连打带骂 , offer an insult to 侮辱 swallow an insult 忍受侮辱 , 忍辱含垢 sit down under insults 甘受侮辱 , 驯顺地

忍受凌辱

Word Formation insult indignity humiliation

4 in spite (n. ) of(para.3): (prep.) They went out in spite of the rain.

regardless (adv.) ofShe carried on regardless of the danger.

despite (prep.): They had a wonderful holiday, despite the bad weather.

He went to school in spite of the heavy rain. a. regardless of b. concerning c. with respect to d. despite of

Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and exhausted. (3)

personification

not only…but also

1 词性对等： (1) 富兰克林不仅被看作发明家，而且被看作政治家。

Frankin was considered not only an inventor, but also a statesman.

(2) 这位护士不仅能干而且亲切和蔼。The nurse was not only competent but also kind.

2 谓语动词的数应与 but also 后主语的数保持一致： Not only you but also Mr Wang teaches in this college.

3 not only 放在句首，后接句子时要用倒装结构Not only had the poor man been fined, but also he had been sent to prison.

Exercises

①Either you or I ___(be) right.②Neither the students nor the teacher___ (know)

anything about it. ③Not only Jane but also her families __(be) kind t

o me. Having no money but ____ to know, Tom simpl

y said he would go without dinner. a. not to want anyone b. wanted no one c. not wanting anyone d. to want no one

Word Formation spring to spring from

spring up (line 6, para.4)

spring up: New houses were springing up all over the town. spring to life: suddenly become activeOn hearing his name called, the sleeping dog sprang to life. (come) spring to mind: Nothing immediately springs to mind. spring from sthHatred often springs from fear.

Cultural note

16) In my day, if I were to … lightning would strike me. (para 4)

Cultural background: In Thailand, females wear wrap-around skirts. I

n some Asian countries, to be stuck dead by lightening is believed to be a punishment by God.

Most people were fast asleep when the hurricane ____ at 4:05 pm.

a. stuck b. strikedc. stricken d. struck

What is the topic sentence of Para. 4? What are the supporting details?

Answer: Topic sentence: “… we two haven’t changed much, but the village has.”

Supporting details:– Cash instead of barter– Paid help– Plastic things instead of village crafts– The old alone on the land– Young people’s different way of thinking, dressing an

d behaving

Question:

What is the function of the first sentence in para. 5?

Answer: The first sentence in para. 5 is a transitional sentence. The wife shifts her talk to the things that should not change, which include people’s worship, and young people’s respect to their parents and the aged.

Question:

• 7 If that kind of thing had happened when I was young, the whole village would have condemned such an ungrateful son.

If 条件句 had + 过去分词主句 would/ should/ could/ might + have + 过去分词

Paragraph 6

e.g.你要是接受了我的建议，就可以通过考试了。If you had taken my advice ， you wouldn't (couldn’t) have failed in the exam. 你要是锁好了门，他也就不会批评你了。

He would have finished his college education, but he ____ to quit and find a job to support his family.(TEM-2007)A. had had B. has C. had D. would have

真题搜索

occur to sb: come into mind

An idea has occurred to me.

It never occurred to her that he might be cheating her.

occur to (paragraph. 7)Word Formation occurrence (n.) incident event

真题搜索

It didn’t ____ to me that you would object.a. recur b. incur c. occur d. concur

a bag of bones(para.7): a very thin person or animalThe cat was just a bag of bones.pack one’s bags: (prepare to) leaveHe was told to pack his bags.

.

A bag of bones (paragraph. 7)

Question: What is the general idea of para 4 to para 7? Answer: This part focuses on the changes that she finds she

can’t adjust to. Question: How does the wife present her speech? What is

her attitude toward the changes around her? Answer: By comparison/contrast and exemplification, the w

ife presents her idea of this changing world. She dislikes the changes around her. She won’t accept the changes and even refuses to change with the life.

Question: Find the evidences of comparison/contrast and exemplification in the text.

Question:

1 What’s her view of life?2 What does she consider the most import

ant things in her life?3 Does she believe in love? Do you think sh

e loves her husband and children? Does she express her love in the same way as the young people do today?

Question:

Para. 8

• My eyes do see--- they see more than they should. My ears do hear---they hear more than is good for me.

• ---I’m not what my wife says I am. I do see and hear--- I see and hear too much evil, too many ugly and terrible things, things that I wish I did not have to see and hear. And this is not good for me.

tie down (para.10)

to tie somebody down: to restrict somebody’s freedom.

e.g. She doesn’t want children because she says they tie you down.

她不想要孩子，就因为她总说孩子会束缚她的自由。 Young children do ____ a woman ____. a. tie… up b. tie… down c. tie… in d. tie… off

Question: What can be inferred from para. 10?

Answer: The farmer is very traditional. He still clings to the conventional idea of having a big family with children around him. Because of his strong attachment to the land, he wants his children to follow in his footsteps and be content with the farming life.

Question:

Question: What can we learn from the last paragraph? What is the message of land? The farmer nurses a strong love towards the land. He loves the feeling when tilling the land and the smell and sight when the rice on the land is ripening. He feels so close to the land that he can even read the message of the land. He strongly hopes that one day he can pass on the land’s secret message to his grandchildren.

Question

• She caught the flu and ____ it on to her child.

• a. past b. surpassed

• c. passes d. passed

Writing device Further discussion Oral work

After-Reading

SimileA simile is a brief comparison , usually introduced by the preposition “like” or the conjunction “as”, as ... as, than , as if , as though and etc.Eg:

-O my love’s like a red, red rose. ---Robert Burns-Jim was as cunning as an old fox.-The cheque fluttered to the floor like a broken wing.

Wring Device -----Figures of Speech

MetaphorA metaphor, like a simile, also makes a comparison between two unlike elements, but unlike a simile, this comparison is implied rather than stated. Eg:He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The world is a stage. He is the black sheep of the family.The child is the apple of her eye.



II.II. Writing Writing DevicesDevices

Please find the sentences in the text which contain either simile or metaphor and point out the rhetorical device in each sentence.

1. Sometimes, they get bullied and insulted,

and it is like a knife piercing my heart. (2)

2. When each of them has a pair of jeans,

they are off like birds on the wing. (10)




Personification

Our piece of land is small, and it is no longer fertile, bleeding year after year and, like us, getting old and exhausted. (3)

Personification is really a special kind of metaphor.

personificationReferring to inanimate things or abstractions as if they were human.




The soil is not difficult to till when there is a lot

of rain, but in a bad year, it’s not only the

ploughs that break but our hearts, too. (3)

Zeugma: a single word is made to modify or govern two or more words in the same sentence

Zeugma


Examples

Zeugma蜜蜂是在酿蜜，又是在酿造生活 .---- 杨朔《荔枝蜜》水调数声持酒听，午醉醒来愁未醒。 ---- 张先《天仙子》第二位汪太太过了门没生孩子，只生病。在家养病反倒把这病养家了，不肯离开她，所以她终年娇弱得很 . ----钱钟书《围城》


Zeugma1.The senator picked up his hat as well as his courage.2. Miss Bolo rose from the table considerably agitated, and went straight home, in a flood of tears and a sedan轿子 chair.3. Ten minutes later, the coffee and the captain arrived simultaneously.


Zeugma4. Yesterday he had a blue heart and coat.5. I got up yesterday and managed to catch a bus and a cold.6. … old people gathering in the social hall for comradeship and a hot lunch.


Ⅲ Further discussion

List some facts that attract the young man away from countryside to cities or even overseas.

I.I. Oral WorkOral Work

Image of Mother

16 Years of Age—

Mother? She’s hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 Years of Age—

That old woman? She’s way out of date!

25 Years of Age—

Well, she might know a little bit about it.

35 Years of Age—

Before we decide, let’s get Mom’s opinion.

Debating 2:

First read this poem:


I.I. Oral WorkOral Work45 Years of Age—

Wonder what Mom would have thought about it?

65 Years of Age—

Wish I could talk it over with Mom!

The end of Debating.

Topic for debating:

Generation gap can/cannot be bridged.

Changes in family







Changes in family




None of the children will come back to inherit the land.

• Greed, anger, and lust are the root of all evils.• No young man will care what message the land gives.


All four children went away. Children wear

jeans instead.

no barter, but cash no pay-free help plastic things instead only the old on the land no practice of the old customs no respect for the old


Documents

Message of the Land Lesson 3-Message of the Land I. Questions Questions II. A guess A guess III. Land idioms Land idioms IV. A poem A poem Pre-Reading