Unit 4 American Dream

Outline

Warming-up Exercise Background Information Text A---Tony Trivisonno’s Ameri

can Dream Language Practice Assignments Leisure Time

Warming-up Exercise

Group DiscussionI What is American dream and what is its

real significance for American people?II List the typical persons or examples of

American dreams.III Nowadays “Chinese Dream” becomes a

popular term for many Chinese people, discuss what it is and compare with American dream

Background Information “American Dream”

It refers to the belief of Americans that one can fulfill his aim and make a successful life. For minorities and immigrants, the dream also includes freedom and equal rights. New American Dream is another term for many young Americans.

Depression Days (line, 10)

It refers to the period of severe economic failure in most countries of the world that lasted from 1929 until World War II. It began in the US when the New York Stock Exchange fell on 29 October 1929, known as Black Tuesday. Many businesses and banks failed and millions of people lost their jobs. President Franklin D. Roosevelt improved the situation with his New Deal policy.

Text A Tony Trivisonno’s American Dream

Part One Paras 1---29

Main Ideas: With determination, and with help from

Mr. Crawford, Tony achieved his dream of owning hi

s own farm.

1 turn away (Para 4 line 11)

refuse to help sb. or allow sb. to enter a place

He’s my son after all, I can’t just turn hi

m away when he is in trouble.

The lecture hall was already full and many students were turned away.

More phrases with “turn”

• turn up 出现 , 出席 ; 被发现• turn in 交还 ; 就寝• turn down 拒绝 ; 关小• turn over 翻身 , 倒转 ; 仔细考虑 ; 移交 ,

转卖

• 17. Under the present system, state enterprises must ______ all profits to the government. [CET-6, 2000.6]

A. turn down B. turn up

C. turn out D. turn in• None of us expected the chairman to

____ at the party. We thought he was still in hospital. [CET-4, 2002.1]

A. turn in B. turn over

C. turn up D. turn down

2 work out (line 24)

plan, solve, calculateFinally I worked out that the parcel had bee

n sent to Vancouver by mistake.My mother allowed me to take the trip, but a

sked me to work out the total cost first."Everything will work out for the best" Athen

s mayor Dora Bakojannis, 50, talks about the Olympic Games in an unsafe world.

3 weekly (line 24)

happening once a week or every weekdaily, monthly yearly weekly salary, News Weekly His story was published in a weekly

newspaper 21st Century English.

The dollar had its biggest weekly rise against the euro since the end of July as a drop in oil prices

4 personnel (line 32)

1)The department in a large company or organization that deals with employees, keep their records, and helps with any problem they might have; human resources (used with a singular or plural verb, uncountable noun)

Bob Wilson has been appointed deputy secretary of the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet, according to a news release.

2) all the persons working in an organization, in the army, etc. ( used with a plural verb)

The report says the US military

intelligence personnel and the contractors working with them committed 44 acts of prisoner abuse.

5 skilled (line 40)

1) trained; experienced; having skill

The IT industry demands skilled labor

2) needing skill (usu followed by in or at)

She was skilled in dealing with all sorts of people

skilled/skillful

Dalton is widely recognized as the most highly skilled actor to play James Bond and to have provided the most authentic interpretation to Fleming's original vision.

He had been a skillful tailor in his day, but when he retired he took to drinking and got into all sorts of trouble.

6 wreck (line 47)

sth. such as a ship, car, plane, or building which has been destroyed, usu. In an accident

The wreck of the plane could be clearly seen on the hillside.

Explosive of a kind used by Chechen rebels has been found in Russia plane wreck

7 loan (line 48)

v. to lend sth or money He had kindly offered to loan me all the bo

oks required for the examination.n. 1) a sum of money that you borrow The president wants to make it easier for th

e small businesses to get bank loans. 2) the act of lending (followed by of) He is in need of a loan of the reference boo

ks for a few days.

8 down payment (line 55)

n. an initial amount given as partial payment at the time of purchase

If you make a down payment on sth., you pay only a percentage of the total cost when you buy it and you the remaining amount later.

But all-day kindergarten is not a frill. It is a down payment on the price of being competitive in the marketplace of tomorrow.

9 diet (line 67)

n. food and drink usu. Taken by a person or a group

on diet 减肥 diet foods 规定食物 diet pills 减肥药 Nowadays many people prefer a healt

hy diet rich in fruit and vegetables.

The spaghetti and meatballs dish makes diet friendly meals and it proves it is possible to enjoy a meal and maintain healthy weight at the same time.

通心粉和肉丸类菜式正是健康膳食 ,它使得人们相信同时享受美味和保持健康及体重是可能的 .

10 hunt (line 68)

v 1) search thoroughly (followed by for)

Many college students start searching for a job in the fourth year.

We have been hunting all over town for the right carpet.

2) chase and kill wild animals or as a support

They had gone up the hill to hunt deer.

11 abandon (line 69)

v. to give up completely or forever The young couple abandoned their

daughter hoping that they would give birth to a boy.

Prison authority officials report 400 terrorists have abandoned their hunger strike in prisons around the country.

12 sometime (line 71) sometime/sometimes/some time sometime: at a time in the past or future that is u

nknown or has not yet been fixed He saw her at the airport sometime last week. The government should accept the final budge

t's assumptions sometime this week. sometimes: on certain occasions, rather than all

the time Preparation for disaster sometimes requires a

change in behavior . some time

13 sponsor (line 73)

v support by giving money, encouragement or other help

The soccer team is sponsored by Coco-Cola, so the players wear the letters Coca-Cola on their shirts.

n

The company acted as a temporary sponsor and fiscal agent for the group.

14 amuse (line 74)

v. to cause to laugh or smile The kids amused themselves playing

hide-and-seek. As a writer, he wanted every

paragraph to have something in it that might entertain or amuse.

n. amusement amused/amusing

15 approach (line 74)

v. come near(er) to If you look out of the window on the r

ight of the bus, you’ll see that we are now approaching the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

n. John Kerry slams Bush approach to I

raq in a recent speech.

16 pass away (line 78)

v. used as an euphemism of die in order to avoid using the word die as you think it too blunt

The old lady passed away peacefully in her sleep.

He had been in and out of hospital but I didn't expect him to pass away so suddenly.

be gone, be no more

17 handle (line 80)

v. to manage, control The students handle the

conversation in the Chinese way even though they speak English.

As Hurricane Ivan approached the Gulf Coast, people worried a lot about how to handle it.

18 above all/after all

above all (line 88): mot important of all

John is fair, hardworking, and above all, honest.

Above all, there is one thing the M5 gives to its driver: driving pleasure at its best.

after all (line 91) Panda fans who were hoping for a cub a

re going to be disappointed. The National Zoo says Mei Xiang isn't pregnant after all.

19 Line 89

Tony did not begin on the bottom rung of the ladder. He began in the basement.

Tony had nothing when he arrived in the United States and he build up from nothing.

20 create (line 94)

v produce or make (esp. sth. new)

Hawking created a new theory of the universe.

The government will continue to work closely and facilitate the business environment to create more jobs.

Assignment

1) Remember the notes and make sentences using new words in this unit.

2) Write a paragraph on a familiar friend.