Unit 12

Out of Step ---Bill Bryson

Contents

Pre-reading questionsBackground informationStructural analysis Detailed study of of Text IComprehension questions of Text IExercisesGrammatical itemsGlobal study of Text IIOral activitiesWriting practice

Pre- reading Questions

1. It is said that the United States is a nation on the wheel. How important do you think is the car for an ordinary American?

2. Cars are entering ordinary Chinese families. How will it change Chinese people’s way of life?

3. Do you think people will become over-reliant on cars in the future? Explain your reasons.

Background Information (I)1. About the authorBill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. A backpacking expedition in 1973 brought him to England where he met his wife and decided to settle. He wrote for the English newspapers The Times and The Independent for many years, writing travel articles to supplement his income. He lived with his family in North Yorkshire before moving back to the States in 1995, to Hanover, New Hampshire, with his wife and four children. In 2003 he and his family moved back to England, where they currently reside.

Background Information (II)

2. His major works The Lost Continent, Bill Bryson's hilarious first travel book, chronicles a trip in his mother's Chevy around small town America. Since then, he has written several more, including notable bestsellers, A Walk in the Woods, I'm A Stranger Here Myself (published in Britain as Notes from a Big Country), and In a Sunburned Country (published in Britain as Down Under).

The lost Continent A Walk in the woods

Background Information (III)

His other books include Bill Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words, Neither Here nor There: Travels in Europe, Made in America, The Mother Tongue and Bill Bryson's African Diary. His latest book, A Short History of Nearly Everything, was published in Spring 2003.

New England

(Paragraph 1) the northeastern region of the United States comprising six states — Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Captain John Smith because of its resemblance to the English coast (another source has it that Prince Charles, afterward Charles I, inserted the name on Smith's map of the country).

Structural analysis of the text I (I)

This is an exposition that presents the absurdity of the Americans’ dependence on cars. The Americans, being so accustomed to using cars, have almost forgotten the existence of their legs. Wherever they go, they go in their cars. As a result, pedestrian facilities are neglected in city planning or rejected by the inhabitants.

Structural analysis of the text I(II)

The text can be divided into three parts.First part :Paras 1-6The author introduces his idea with an anecdote.Second part: paras 7-12The author presents the fact that the Americans are habituated to using cars for everything.Third part: paras 13-20The author explains the pedestrian facilities are neglected or discarded.

Comprehension of the text I (1)

1. What is the author’s purpose of writing this article?A1: The author wants to point out the fact that Americans walk too little today.

2. What method does the author employ to make his idea clear and effective?A2: By means of using example. He cites factual and verifiable examples of his who would drive to the gym to do exercises, his own effort to walk across the street and the commercial failure of the pedestrian mall in Laconia.

Comprehension of the text I (2)

3. What is the tone of the author in the text?A3: A slight touch of humor and irony throughout the passage.

4. How important is the car to average Americans?

A4: Cars are omnipresent in Americans’ lives. Students drive between classes; parents pick up their children from a nearby friend’s home by car; etc.

Comprehension of the text I (3)

5. What do you think make the author sad at the end of the passage?A5: what makes the author sad is Americans’ over-reliance on cars. The four wheels of the car have replaced human legs and people willingly sacrifice beauty and nature for the convenience brought by the car.

Detailed study of the text I (1)

Paras.1-6The writer introduces his idea with an

anecdote. Q: 1) What kind of town is it?Al: It is a small, pleasant and agreeable town. The inhabitants are friendly and willing to help. But although the town is compact, few people go about on foot.

2) What is considered the author's "eccentric behavior"?A2: Instead of driving a car, the author walks around the town, doing his shopping, going to the movies or visiting the cafe or bar. To people who are used to going everywhere in the car, he is like an eccentric.

3) Why would drivers "depart reluctantly, even guiltily" when their offer was declined?A3: With cars becoming the basic essentials of their life, people are so habituated to using the car for everything. The scene of somebody walking around seemed so unusual to them that they would naturally show their concern to those unfortunate people. When their offer to give him a ride was declined, they were sorry for not being able to help the person in need.

1. sedate :adj. tending to avoid excitement or great activity and to be calm and relaxedShe is a sedate old lady; she is caring but never talks much.The fight against a nuclear power station site has transformed a normally sedate town into a battlefield. V. to make calm or sleepy, especially with a drugThe patient was heavily sedated and resting quietly in bed. Word derivation: sedately ad. , sedation n., sedative a./n.

Language points (1)

2. eccentric : adj. (of people or behavior) unconventional and slightly strangeThe old gentleman, who lived alone all his

life, was said to have some eccentric habits.

n. a person of unconventional and slightly strange views or behavior

The old gentleman enjoyed a colorful reputation as an engaging eccentric.

3. curb : a line of raised stones separating the footpath from the road v. / n (to place) a control or limit on something undesirablePoor nutrition can curb a child's development both physically and mentally. There will be new curbs on drunk-driving from next month.

Paras.7-12

In this part, the author presents the fact that the Americans are habituated to using cars for everything. Q:1) What is the main idea of the part?2) How does the author support this idea in this part?3) Why are the examples described in detail?

Al: People in the United States are getting used to going anywhere in their cars, however near the destination may be.A2: Examples are employed to support this idea.A3: In order to show how ridiculous people have become, the author chooses to describe these examples in detail: A fit man rode his car for only 16 feet to get to a store next door; a woman rode to the gymnasium to do exercises although it was only a six-minute walk from her home. The detailed descriptions support the author's idea.

Language points (2)

4. habituate :to accustom by frequent repetition or prolonged exposureYou must habituate yourself to reading aloud.By the end of the school term, the students had been habituated/accustomed/used to rising at five o'clock.

5. Contortion: n.movement of the body or face into an unusual shape or positionThe spectators cannot but admire the contortions of the gymnasts. contort :v. (to cause something) to twist out of its natural shape

Compare: distort, twist, deform, contort, warp These verbs mean to change and spoil the form or character of something.

To distort is to alter in shape, as by torsion or wrenching; the term also applies to verbal or pictorial misrepresentation and to alteration or perversion of the meaning of somethingThe human understanding is like a false mirror, which, receiving rays irregularly distorts and discolors the nature of things by mingling its own nature with it (Francis Bacon).

Twist applies to distortion of form or meaning:a mouth twisted with painHe accused me of twisting his words to mean what I wanted them to. Deform refers to change that disfigures and often implies the loss of desirable qualities such as beauty:Great erosion deformed the landscape.The earlier part of his discourse was deformed by pedantic divisions and subdivisions (Macaulay)

Contort implies violent change that produces unnatural or grotesque effects:a face contorted with ragea contorted line of reasoning Warp can refer to a turning or twisting from a flat or straight form:The floorboards had warped over the years. It also can imply the bending or turning of something from a true course or direction:Prejudice warps the judgment.

Paras.13-20

In this part, the author explains that pedestrian facilities are neglected or discarded. Q: 1) Why did the author say "Actually, I'm surprised it was that much"? Al: When the author found that the newly planned suburbs totally overlooked pedestrian needs, he assumed there was no budget for pedestrian facilities at all. So he says he was surprised to learn that there actually was less than one percent of the budget on it. Here the author writes with a touch of irony.

2) Why did Laconia change its downtown pedestrian mall to one with parking lots? A2: Although the pedestrian mall was well-decorated, shoppers were unwilling to walk to the stores from a parking garage. As a result, it was a commercial failure. The government had to compromise with the public preference.

Language points (3)

6. bring something home to somebody : to make somebody realize somethingThe news report has brought home to us all the plight of the prisoners of war. drive something home to somebody : to make somebody realize something, especially by saying it often, loudly, angrily, etc.The professor drove home to them that they must finish the writing assignment by Friday.

7. negotiate : to get over or past ( an obstacle, etc. ) successfully; to manage to travel along a difficult routeThe only way to negotiate the path is on foot. Frank Mariano negotiates the dessert terrain in his battered pickup.8. Coo: to speak in a soft, gentle, and loving way, especially when expressing surprise " How wonderful to see you again, darling," she cooed. The little girl is always cooing over those parrots of hers.

9. anew :adv.(formal) again or one more time, especially in a different wayThe scientists started the experiment anew. The film tells anew the story of her rise to stardom.

Vocabulary exercises (1)I. Explain the underlined part in each sentence.1. agreeable: pleasant/comfortable virtually: in fact / practically 2. unfurl: spread ; lower limbs: legs3.extravagant: very long

( undertakings: (places of) physical exercises4. had this brought home to me: was made to realize this5. decide to skip coffee and head over: decided not to have coffee and instead to go (to the bookstore)6. entertained: held in mind / considered

Vocabulary exercises (2)Fill in the blank in each sentence with a word taken from the box in the proper form.abandon debonair notion anew dodge thrive compact ludicrous triumph contortion negotiate undertaking1. We _________ our way out of the airport and joined the flow of cars.2. In her opinion, he will make a perfect husband; he is handsome, ________, and wealthy.3. In the old days, the poverty-stricken travelers were often caught __________ fares on the train.4. Could you explain yourself? I’m afraid I have no _______ of what you mean?

negotiated

debonair,

dodgingnotion

5. It is curious that this _________car should have such plenty of boot space.6. The children were awed by the exaggerated __________ of the clown’s body.7. In spite of all the difficulties, his business continues to _________.8. Hosting the Olympic Games has been a massive ______________ to any city.

compact

contortion

thrive

undertaking

III. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of the given words.

1. disagreeable 2. eccentricity 3. acquainted 4. ridicule 5. triumphal 6. DeficienciesIV. Fill in the blank in each sentence with an appropriate phrasal verb or collocation from the text.

1. going about 2. going through 3. pops out 4. pace off 5. pulled up 6. dug out

V. Explain the underlined phrasal verbs in your own words. 1. came across: encountered 2. bring about :cause 3. acceded to: agreed to4. confined to: unique of5. hanging around: doing nothing6. counted upon: relied on

Grammar exercises

I. Complete the sentences with the past perfect or past perfect progressive of the verbs in the brackets.

1. had been talking 2. had been working 3. had worked 4. had been applying 5. had broken 6. had been standing 7. had swallowed 8. had been

II.Complete the following sentences according to the given situation.

1. has been empty2. had been working for the company3. had been waiting for me for half an hour4. had had lunch

III. Complete the following sentences with shall, should, will or would.1. will 2. shall 3. Should 4. would 5. Will 6. shall 7. should 8. should 9. would 10. WouldIV. Fill in each blank with one of the words and phrases in the box.1. once, nowadays 2. ages ago 3. lately, just 4. soon, after a long time 5. immediately, Eventually 6. once

Translation exercise1. 这所大学是世界上历史最悠久的高等学府之一。 The university is one of the most venerable institutions of higher education in the world.2. 如果一个人缺乏实践经验，他仅仅凭借课堂里学的东西是难以使自己成为一个成功人士的。If one is deficient in practical experience, he can hardly make himself a success with only what he has acquired in class.3. 我为老是受到打断干扰而感到恼怒，因为我不得不在本周内完成这篇专题文章。I felt exasperated by constant interruptions, for I had to finish writing the monograph by the end of this week.

4. 他认为用旧文体来写一个当代的主题是滑稽可笑的。He feels that it is ludicrous to write about a contemporary topic in an ancient style.5. 上海的外滩在上世纪 70 年代和 80 年代是年轻情侣喜欢来谈情说爱的地方。The Bund in Shanghai was a place where young couples liked to come to coo in the 70's and the 80’s of the last century.6. 作为一个 10 岁左右的孩子，他的虐日是非常恬静的，因为她喜欢读书胜于嬉戏。His daughter is very sedate for a girl of about ten, for she likes reading more than playing.

7. 当第一抹阳光洒向大地的时候，这对情人手拉手，在乡村的大道上散步。The couple strolled hand-in-hand along the country road when the sun in its first splendor steeped the earth.8. 这个诗人在世时被普遍认为是一个怪癖的浪漫天才。The poet was commonly considered as an eccentric romantic genius when alive.

DictationRecently in the United States, / there has been a debate concerning old drivers. / There have been a series of accidents / committed by elderly drivers / and they have given rise to new debates on the old issue: / how old is too old to drive? / Some people point to statistics / showing that older drivers are safer than teenagers, / at least until they reach seventy-five. / Moreover, elderly drivers are, less likely to drive drunk / than other drivers. However, at least twenty-one states / have special requirements on older drivers: /

those over sixty-five and older / are required to renew their driving license every year / and undertake vision tests. / Taking away a license can rob older people of their independence / and force them to rely on others / for trips to the grocery store or doctor's office. / Some people argue / whether someone continues to drive or not / should be based on performance / not just simply age.

Fill in each blank in the passage below with ONE word you think appropriate.1. on 2. hates 3. as 4. growth 5. need 6. develop 7. expensive 8. on 9. affect 10. Little 11. Traffic 12. which 13. offering 14. public 15. poor

Comprehension of text II (1)

1. What are those engaged in discovering America likely to notice at once about the Manhanttan skyline? What do they possibly conclude from their discovery?They are likely to notice at once seemingly incongruous opposites about the Manhattan skyline. They may conclude that it is not sensible from either human or aesthetic angle and that it is the result of insane politics, greed, deliberate intention to impress others and megalomania. The ill effects of the result are, in turn, traffic jams, bad ventilation, noise and all the other problems any metropolitan city can hardly avoid.

2. How do you understand the author’s idea when he says that it would be helpful to consider the skyline in the way we might consider a lyric poem or a novel when we analyze its aesthetic quality?The total effect which is termed as " the Manhattan skyline" is made up of numerous buildings, each competing with all of the others in height, or glamour, or efficiency, or respectability. Though each goes its own way, the skyline as a whole evokes the universal feeling of exaltation and aspiration out of all this irrational, unplanned, and often infuriating chaos. There actually exists an unforeseen unity.

3. How could the fluid and ever-changing unity be achieved?It is achieved mainly by means of two elements, namely the gridiron ground plan and the vertical grid of steel cage construction, both of which are composed of simple and infinitely repeat-able units. So far as the first element is concerned, the artificial geometric grid imposed upon the land without regard to contours has one important quality of rational simplicity. The second element, the vertical thrust or the motion upward, is, in effect, only a three-dimensional variant of the gridiron street plan.

Oral Activities

1. Do you prefer cars or public means of transport if you are an urban dweller? Have a debate in class.2. Talk about the advantages and disadvantages of private cars in China.

Writing Practice

1. Bikes are better than cars2. Cars ---beneficial or injurious?

The end of this Unit!

Thanks a lot!