Background knowledge The English Channel: commonly called the
Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean separating the southern
coast of England from the northern coast of France, and connecting
the Atlantic in the west with the North Sea on the east via the
Strait of Dover. It is 34 to 240 km. (21-150 miles) wide and 560km.
(350 miles) long. The Channel is at its narrowest between Dover in
England and Cape Gris-Nez, near Calais, in France, it being 34 km.
(21 miles) wide. Its average depth decreases from 120 to 45 meters
(400-150 feet).
Slide 3
Background knowledge From earliest times, the Channel served as
a route for, and a barrier to, invaders to Britain from the
Continent. It was crossed by Julius Caesars legion in 55 B.C. and
Norman forces in 1066. However, when Napoleon and Hitler threatened
to cross it, they failed. Therefore, the Channel has chiefly served
as a physical barrier to the invasion of Britain. Transportation
across the Channel used to be supplied by ferry boat service
only.
Slide 4
Background knowledge The long-lasting Anglo-French conflict In
1066, William, Duke of Normandy, France, conquered England and
became King William I of England. After the Norman Conquest, French
manners and culture predominated among the English nobles. In 1154
King Henry II recovered the English throne. Thereafter the holdings
of English kings in France were greatly increased. At one time,
France assisted Scotland, over which the English kings attempted to
dominate. These sources of friction led to intermittent fighting
between the two countries from 1294 to 1337.
Slide 5
Background knowledge In 1337, Edward III of England (1327-1377)
took the title of King of France. This step began the Hundred Years
War which continued on and off until 1453. Early in the conflict
the English crushed the French, but by the end of Edwards reign the
French had reconquered almost all the territory Edward had won.
Fighting between the two countries continued in the fourteenth and
the fifteenth century. During King Henry VIIIs reign (1509-1547),
England again invaded France and expanded it holdings around
Calais.
Slide 6
Background knowledge From 1689 to 1815 there was a series of
conflicts between Britain and France for domination of the North
American continent. The principal objective of the British
government was to drive the French out of North America once and
for all. The maritime and colonial struggle between Britain and
France for world empire and trade, which began in 1689, lasted
until the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. It was
about this time that the long duel between Britain and France was
over.
Slide 7
Background knowledge The Channel Tunnel Project The Channel
Tunnel Project is the scheme for an under- ocean tunnel linking
Britain and France, which has been discussed on governmental levels
for almost 200 years. The first proposal for a Channel Tunnel came
in 1802 from a French engineer. Napoleon showed interest, but the
renewal of the war suspended the question, which, however, was
taken up again and again throughout the nineteenth century. The
proponents of the project were generally French, with the British
government holding off for security reasons.
Slide 8
Background knowledge In the early 1880s, digging actually began
near Folkestone, Kent, England, and Sangate, France. A pilot tunnel
2000 yards long was bored from the English side before a rage from
the press over the alleged threat to Britain s security caused the
British government to cancel the project.
Slide 9
Background knowledge The defence considerations remained
decisive until the 1950s, when the missile age made it appear
obsolete. The Channel Tunnel Study Group was formed and it
published in 1960 a proposal for a rail tunnel from Folkstone to
Calais. In 1964 the two governments agreed to proceed with a rail
tunnel. After frequent extensions of the estimated completion date,
with costs constantly rising, the British government cancelled the
project early in 1975, leaving two and a half kilometers of
preliminary digging on both sides of the Channel. In 1978 the
matter of a Channel crossing was again raised.
Slide 10
Background knowledge At long last, construction began again in
December 1978, and after sever years of unremitting toil, the
Chunnel was completed at the cost of 13.5 billion dollars.
Slide 11
Types of the text The text is a feature report which introduces
one of the significant transport construction projects in the
modern history of European architecture. This report includes
different opinions toward the Chunnel, the opinions of the local
residents of both sides of the English Channel, as well as the
comments of the construction tunnellers.
Slide 12
Structure of the text The text consists of two parts: Part I
describes the attitudes of the English and the French people
towards the Chunnel; Part II describes briefly the breakthrough
ceremony for the south running tunnel.
Slide 13
Style of the text The text follows the organization of a
typical journalistic feature report: a) A short opening paragraph
sets the scene, in which the thesis is stated in the second
sentence: For the first time since the ice age, England was about
to be linked to France. b) Immediately following the opening
paragraph is the unbiased presentation of the opinions of both
English and French local residents across the English Channel.
Slide 14
Style of the text c) The text then proceeds with the reporting
of the officially scheduled Chunnel inauguration to show the
determination and initiative endeavour of the British and French
Governments to connect Britain with the rest of Europe, in order to
emphasize the significance of the project. d) After the intentional
delay to create suspense, the author introduces the tunnel proper
and the historical contributions and benefits of this tunnel
thoroughfare.
Slide 15
Style of the text e) Much of the report, then, is devoted to
the real-time account of the exciting work at the breakthrough site
of the Chunnel, an account based on the author s personal
experience and first-hand information. F) The report ends up with
revealing the business worries on the part of the Chunnel
authorities, who were concerned with, but not without hope, the
business of the tunnel transport: promotion work was expected to
facilitate the effective use of the Chunnel on the part of the
French population.
Slide 16
Questions How did the English and the French people look at the
Chunnel, joyously or resentfully? Why do you think so? How do you
visualize the breakthrough ceremony? Exercise your
imagination.
Slide 17
Detailed Study of the Story Part I Paragraph 17 Question 1:
What did an English couple say about the French people, and what
did a Frenchman say about the English people? Why do you think they
showed a mutual feeling of dislike?
Slide 18
An English retired civil servant said that hed rather have
England become the 51 st state of the U.S.A. than have his country
linked to France. He added that the French didnt care for anybody.
His wife said that France was an awful place and that the French
people drank wine all the time. She disliked French food and
preferred to have English sauce with her food. In the meantime, a
French farmer complained about English ketchup and about their not
having any good wine. The British and the French disliked each
other because there had been long years of conflict between the two
countries.
Slide 19
Detailed Study of the Story 1. not two miles from the
soon-to-be-opened English Channel Tunnel, Compound adjectives 1)
the soon-to-be-opened English Channel Tunnel (lines 1- 2) means
that is to be opened soon e.g. an easy-to-perform trick a
difficult-to-use camera the soon-to-be-completed Metro 2) Gull-wing
means like the wings of the gull. e.g. a baby-food store a
mountain-top hut city-reconstruction discussions
Slide 20
3) Cross-Channel-link means building a link that crosses the
Channel. e.g. a keep-fit-class schedule a cross-border-raid threat
4) 31-mile-long e.g. a ten-year-old boy a three-inch-thick book a
3-hour-long journey
Slide 21
stiff upper lips trembled: ( keep/carry/ have) a stiff upper
lip: (show)the ability to appear calm and unworried when in pain,
trouble, etc e.g. The prisoners tried hard to keep a stiff upper
lip in spite of the hardships of the prison. WWWWe managed to keep
a stiff upper lip when the company announced that they would close
down our office. OOOOne failure means nothing. You've got to keep a
stiff upper lip. metonymy MMMMetonymy: Its substituting the name of
one thing for that of another with which its closely associated.
Thus the crown can stand for a king, and the White House for the
American government, the bottle for wine or alcohol, and the bar
for the legal profession. When metonymy is well used, brevity and
vividness may be achieved:
Slide 22
metonymy synecdoche antonomasia city crown doll 1 Baldy,
standing almost directly opposite White Jerkin, stooped to study
the characters written on his jerkin. 3 His wife spent all her life
on the stage.(= theatrical profession) =
Slide 23
4 Paper and ink cut the throats of men, and the sound of a
breath many shake the world.(=written words;speech) = = 5 The pen
is mightier than the sword. = 6 His joke set the whole table in a
roar.
Slide 24
Synecdoche When a part is substituted for the whole or the
whole is substituted for a part, synecdoche is applied: 1 Many
hands make light work. synecdoche---- 2 He had to earn his daily
bread by doing odd jobs. 3 Some mute inglorious Shelly here may
rest. antonomasia----
Slide 25
3. An ice age is any point of several periods when glaciers,
especially in the form of great ice sheets, covered more of the
earths surface than they do today. . Each ice age lasted at least
three million years, most of the earlier ones lasted more than 10
million years. Today we live in a warm period during or just after
the Quaternary ice age which was in the Pleistocene Epoch beginning
2.5 million years ago. Its believed that all of the early
development of humans came during this last ice age and
civilization has come into existence as its result. For the first
time since the world began to exist clearly this is an
exaggeration.
Slide 26
4444. Id rather England become the 51st state. (Grammar) e.g.
Id rather you stayed with us over the weekend. HHHHed rather John
hadnt called on him 5555. a retired civil servant with a complexion
the color of ruby port. C C C Civil servant: a person employed in
the civil service or the government departments. P ara: a retired
government official whose face is red colored, typical of a person
living by the sea. A completion the color of ruby port
Slide 27
6. He nodded toward the steel gray Channel out the window, his
pale blue eyes filled with foreboding. He noddedhis pale blue eyes
filled with forebodinga nominative absolute construction e.g. The
work done, we left the office with a light heart. The last bus
having gone, we had to walk home. It being a holiday, the park was
crowded with people. absolute construction
Slide 28
1111 IIII heard that she got injured in the accidentmy heart
full of worry HHHHe stood silent in the moon-lighthis door
open
Slide 29
2222 WWWWinter comingit gets colder and colder TTTThe rain
having stopped he went out for a walk 3333 MMMMore time givenwe
should have done it much better TTTThe boy stood therehis right
hand raised
Slide 30
4444 HHHHere are the first two volumesthe third one to come out
next month TTTThe two boys said good-bye to each otherone to go
homethe other to go to his friend's 5555 TTTThe huntsman entered
the forestgun in hand gun in hand with a gun in his handa gun in
hand gun in his hand
Slide 31
6 Nobody in the thief took a lot of things away Lunch over he
left the house But he was thinking 7 He fought the wolf a stick his
only weapon
Slide 32
8 with with Holms and Watson sat with the light on for half an
hour He used to sleep with the door open With a boy leading the way
they started towards the village With the work done he went
home
Slide 33
7777, as the gull-wing eyebrows shot upward. P ara: when he
raised his eyebrows suddenly which were as thick as the wings of a
seagull. gull-wing eyebrows 8888. the entente was scarcely more
cordiale E ntente and cordiale are both French words meaning
understanding and friendly respectively.
Slide 34
TTTThe meaning of sentence: The understanding on the other side
of the Channel was hardly more friendly, in other words, the
understanding is just as unfriendly. The use is a reference to a
historical event. As was mentioned before, conflicts between
Britain and France had been incessant for centuries. At the end of
the nineteenth century, Britain and France were again on the verge
of war. In 1901, however, things took a turn for the better, as
King VII of Great Britain was a Francophile (i.e., a person who is
friendly to France). The way was opened for agreements between the
two countries, and the Entente Cordiale, a friendly understanding,
was arrived at.
Slide 35
allusion AAAAllusion is a short, informal reference to a famous
person or event: AAAAngry young man L.A (Leslie Allen Paul) Looking
Back in Anger I dont want to the convention to think were just a
collection of angry young men.(J.F.Kennedy)
Slide 36
A A A Alice-in-Wonderland Lewis Carroll(Alice in Wonderland)
This is an Alice-in Wonderland approach to the problem.
Slide 37
Apple of his eye (Jacob) in the waste howling wilderness he led
him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his
eye.(Bible.Deut.32:10) I sacrificed everything to make you happy
and safe. I wont talk about your father, but you, you were the
apple of my eyes. B
Slide 38
9. a village a beet field away from the French terminal: a
village which is only a short distance away from the French
terminal. A beet field is a field where beet, a root vegetable, is
planted; it can t be very big.
Slide 39
11110. All they eat is ketchup. K etchup: Ketchup is a Chinese
word in origin. In the Amoy dialect of southeastern China, koechiap
means 'brine of fish.' It was acquired by English, probably via
Malay kichap, toward the end of the 17th century, when it was
usually spelled catchup (the New Dictionary of the Canting Crew
1690 defines it as 'a high East-India Sauce'). Shortly afterward
the spelling catsup came into vogue (Jonathan Swift is the first on
record as using it, in 1730), and it remains the main form in
American English. But in Britain ketchup has gradually established
itself since the early 18th century.
Slide 40
11111. A tiny explosion of air from pursed lips, then the coup
de grace. P ursed lips: C oup de grace: (French) a decisive
finishing blow
Slide 41
Paragraph 8 12. bye grace of one of the engineering feats of
the century, for rich or poorer, better worse, England and France
are getting hitched. by grace of: due to, by the favour of. The
usual phrase is by the grace of God, meaning owing to the favour
shown by God. for richer or poorer, better or worse: Whether one
likes it or not; whatever happens.
Slide 42
TTTThe literal meaning of the two phrases is: on terms of
accepting all results, or its not certain what the consequences
will be, but they will have to be accepted, because the action has
been taken. PPPPara: Thanks to one of the remarkable construction
achievements of the 20th century, whether one likes it or not,
England and France are on the way of getting geographically
connected.
Slide 43
11113. Queen Elizabeth of Britain: Elizabeth II (1926- ), queen
of the United Kingdom (1952- ) 11114. President Francois
Mitterrand: (1916-1996) became President of France in May 1981.
11115. inaugurate: aaaa.When a new leader is inaugurated, they are
formally given their new position at an official ceremony.
eeee.g.The new president will be inaugurated on January 20.
bbbb.When a new building or institution is inaugurated, it is
declared open in a formal ceremony. eeee.g.A new center for
research on toxic waste was inaugurated today at our university.
cccc.It you inaugurate a new system or service, you start it.
eeee.g.Pan Am inaugurated the first scheduled international
flight.
Slide 44
Question 2 With help of the information given in the notes,
explain the following: 1)200 years of failed cross-Channel-link
schemes, and 2)1,000 years of historical rift. 1):The Channel
Tunnel Project had been discussed between Britain and France on
governmental levels for almost two hundred years. It was in 1802
that the first proposal for a Channel Tunnel was put forward the
nineteenth century and for the most part of the twentieth century.
It did not come to fruition until the last decade of the twentieth
century. 2) Beginning with Norman Conquest in 1066 until the early
nineteenth century, there had been incessant conflicts between
Great Britain and France. All in all there was a rift between the
two countries for about one thousand years.(See the details in the
notes)
Slide 45
116. sweeping aside 200 years of failed cross-Channel-link
schemes, 1000 years of historical rift, and 8000 years of
geographic divide: ppara: according to the theory of geological
evolution, the ecologically important land bridge across the Strait
of Dover was finally submerged about 8000 years ago. (climax)
Slide 46
Paragraph 9 QQQQuestion 3 HHHHow will the Chunnel facilitate
the transport between Great Britain and France, or rather, between
Great Britain and other European countries? IIIIt will greatly
facilitate the transport between Great Britain and France. For
example, for a motorist to cross the English Channel, he can use
the Chunnel Shuttle Service and cross the Channel in only 35
minutes, as against 90 minutes by ferry before. The through service
provided by Eurostar passenger trains takes only 3 hours to travel
from London to Paris, and 3 hours 10 minutes from London to
Brussels, Belgium.
Slide 47
Paragraph 10 HHHHow do you understand the following sentence?
11117.The chunnel rewrites geography, at least in the English
psyche. The moat has been breached. Britain no longer is an island.
AAAAnswer:
Slide 48
TTTThe English Chunnel had served as a barrier to invasion of
Britain for centuries, and invasion by tunnel was at one time the
ultimate British nightmare(National Geographic, May 1994,p. 39). As
a matter of fact, whenever the idea of a link between the two
countries emerged, there also appeared visions of invasion, and
proposals for a link simply foundered. But the completion of the
Chunnel has now joined Britain to the European continent. In other
words, Britain is no longer an island. Thus the geographical
condition is completely changed, especially to the British people.
PPPPara: As far as the British are concerned, the Chunnel has
changed the geographical pattern which long separated Britain from
Continental Europe.
Slide 49
Part II PPPParagraph 1 QQQQuestion 5 HHHHow did the author of
the article get the opportunity of witnessing the bbbbreakthrough
ceremony for the south running tunnel? TTTThe author, Cathy Newman,
is a senior staff member of the National Geographic magazine. Being
a journalist, she was presumably invited to attend and to cover the
breakthrough ceremony, as there were also several dozen other
journalists going with her. 11118.Its June 28, 1991, and Im packed
into a train PPPPara: the historical present which adds vividness
and dramatic and lifelike quality to the description.
Slide 50
PPPParagraph 2 QQQQuestion 6 WWWWhy did one of the visitors say
makes you appreciate British Rail? IIIIts because the construction
workers train which took them down the tunnel screeched in a
dreadful way, whereas the British Rail passenger trains would not
make such noise. 11119. The Chunnel is a work in progress. I n
progress: being done or made. e.g. An inquiry is in progress. P
ara: the Chunnel is under construction. 22220. White dust fills the
air. ara: Characteristic of the land on the English side of the
English Channel are white cliffs of chalk, therefore the white
dust.
Slide 51
PPPParagraph 4 QQQQuestion 7 WWWWhy did the author refer to
when she spoke of those vive la difference quirks? SSSShe referred
to two distinctive differences between the British and the French
ways of doing things. One is that the French gave womens names to
the tunnel boring machines(TBM), for example, Catherine, whereas
the British only gave the machines numbers, e.g., TBM No6. The
other difference is that the French workers wore colorful
workclothes while their British counterparts wore something
grungy.
Slide 52
22221.vive la difference quirks: the peculiar behaviour that
highlights the differences between the two countries. V ive la
difference is French meaning Long live the differences. 22222.
Chic, well-cut, taupe jumpsuits: fashionable, well-tailored,
one-piece garment combining top and trousers in dark brownish
gray
Slide 53
PPPParagraph 5-7 QQQQuestion 8 HHHHow deep is the Chunnel under
the ocean at the breakthrough site? IIIIts about 180 feet or 54.9
metres deep. 22223. I imagine 180 feet of Channel above my head----
ferries, tankers, a Dover sole or two I I I I imagine 180 feet of
Channel above my head: I picture the transport scene of the Channel
180 feet above this tunnel. ferries, tankers, a Dover sole or two:
ferries and tankers that sail in the English Channel and one or two
flatfish that live in the Strait of Dover.
Slide 54
PPPParagraph 6 22224. The grating of the TBM interrupts my
reverie. (Vocabulary) rrrreverie:a kind of short pleasant daydream;
a formal word eeee.g. The announcers voice brought him out of his
reverie. 22225. a huge wheel with tungsten-tipped teeth--- chews
into the last trace of rock separating England from France.
personification()TBM aaaa. How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of
youth, stolen on his wing my three and twentieth year! (John
Milton)
Slide 55
Question 9 Describe the breakthrough scene in your own words.
There were many people present, the Eurotunnel officials,
construction workers, and journalists. When the cutterhead of the
tunnel boring machine bit into the last piece of rock separating
England from France, there was loud music as well as dazzling
lights. A number of Frenchmen were seen coming from the other side,
and thunderous applause was heard. The French and British people
drank champagne and hugged each other. It was truly a moving
sight.
Slide 56
26. Music blares, and lights glare. 27. the flow will be
lopsided. (Vocabulary) lopsided: a. Something is lopsided is uneven
because one side is lower or heavier than the other. e.g. His suit
had shoulders that made him look lopsided. b. If you say that a
situation is lopsided, you mean that one element is much stronger,
bigger, or more important than another element. e.g. In 1916,
Georgia Tech beat Cumberland 222-0. No game since has been that
lopsided. (or: lopsided economic relations)
Slide 57
Paragraph 8-14 Question 10 Did the mutual feeling of dislike
still exist when the tunnel was completed? No. Both the French and
British celebrated the breakthrough, and an Englishman said, I
might have opposed it 30 years ago, but now its my tunnel. 28. And
there are 56 million more behind them---- referring to the whole
population of France para: And soon the whole French population
will take the Chunnel transport and come over to visit Britain. 29.
Why do the French visit Britain?... Fashion? The implied meaning:
French will not visit Britain because there is nothing they admire
in Britain. 30. We will work on selling the idea. Para: We will try
to make people interested in going across the English Channel by
the Chunnel.