Unit 6A French Fourth

by Charles Trueheart

Independence Day

• In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as “ the Fourth of July” (or simply “the Fourth”), is a federal holiday.

Independence Day

• On July 4, 1776, the United States claimed it's independence from England and Democracy was born.

• Each year on July 4th, also known as Independence Day, Americans celebrate their independence with picnics, barbecues, fireworks and family gatherings.

• All Americans are entitled to Independence Day off work although some people have to work. (like policemen and firemen).

• Independence Day is considered a Family Day with picnics, barbecues, fireworks, parades, to celebrate independence and freedom.

• Americans proudly fly the American flag and spend the day with their families.

Celebration of the Fourth• a picnic or barbecue, • gather with family relatives• taking advantage of the three-day weekend or day off

from work. • Decorations (streamers, balloons, and clothing) • Parades • baseball games • displays of fireworks• face painting for the children and tossing of a football or

Frisbee

Structural Analysis:

Part I (Para. 1-3): The author starts with a way of celebrating his home country’s National Day.

Part II (Para. 4-9): The author makes a contrastive analysis of the costs and benefits of the expatriated people.

Part III (Para. 10-12): The author talks about the effect of globalization.

The advantages

and disadvantages

of rearing children in a

foreign culture

• Part I (Paragraphs 1 － 3): The author describes his way of celebrating his home country’s National Day, i.e. the Independence Day of the United States.

Word Study: 1. regulation   a). adj [attrib] required by the

regulations; correct 规定的 ; 正规的 b). n. [C usu pl] rule or restriction

made by an authority 规章 ; 规则 > regulate  vt. 管理，控制；

2. prompt  v [Tn] inspire or cause (a feeling or an action) 激起（感情） ; 唤起（行动） : What prompted him to be so generous?

> prompt adj 及时的 ; 迅速的

3. expatriate  v [Tn] cause (sb) to leave his native country; expel 使（某人）移居国外 ; 逐出本国 : expatriated on suspicion of spying for the enemy

> expatriate n 居於国外的人 ; 侨民 :

4. suppress  v [Tn] put an end to (sth), esp by force; crush 制止 ; 镇压 ; 压抑（尤指感情） : suppress one's anger, amusement, etc

>suppressible adj 可制止的 suppression n 制止 ; 镇压 suppressor n 制止者 ; 镇压者 ;

5. refuel  v a) [I and T] to fill a plane or vehicle with fuel before continuing a journey（给汽车 ﹑ 飞机等）加燃料b) [T] to make feelings, emotions, or ideas stronger 加强 ( 情感 ): The attack refueled fears of war.

6. twinge  n short sharp (usu unpleasant) thought or feeling; pang 一阵思绪（通常指不快的） ; 痛苦 : a twinge of conscience, fear, guilt, regret, remorse, etc

7. lacuna  n (plural lacunae or lacunas) (fml) section missing from a book, an argument, etc; gap （书籍﹑论据等中的）缺漏 , 空白 : a lacuna in the manuscript

Questions: 1. Why does the author hang the

American flag from his fourth-floor balcony in Paris? (Paragraph 1)

2. The author has kept the old flag for a long time. Why didn’t he get a new one? (Paragraph 1)

• Part II (Paragraphs 4 － 9): The author makes a contrastive analysis of the costs and benefits of the expatriated people.

8. object lesson---- a striking practical example of some principle or ideal 实物教学 , 示范

e.g. Let this accident be an object lesson in the dangers of drinking and driving.

9. folly  n a). [C] foolish or unwise act, idea or

practice 愚蠢的行为﹑思想或做法 : You'll pay later for your follies.b). [U] ~ (to do sth) foolishness; lack of wisdom 愚蠢 ; 愚笨 : It's utter folly to go swimming in this cold weather.

Aesop’s Fables

The Aesop’s Fables refers to a collection of fables credited to Aesop (620-560BC), a slave and a story-teller that lived in Ancient Greece.

The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today.

The fables remain a popular choice for moral education of children today.

Aesop’s Fables

FablesFables

The North wind and the Sun

The Fox and the Grapes

The Tortoise and the Hare

Boy Who Cried WolfBoy Who Cried Wolf

La Fontaine’s Fables It is a collection of ancient fables which have been reorganized by La Fontaine, a superficial writer of moral lessons for children. It is regarded as a mirror of the social life of France in the 17th century on the perceptive view of human nature.

It is regarded as a mirror of the social life of France in the 17th century on the perceptive view of human nature.

The American Revolution1775-1883

The revolutionary war in America is also known as the American revolution. It was fought between great Britain and the thirteen colonies. The result was the formation of a new nation-the United States of America. Fighting began in April at Lexington and Concord.

10. enact  v [T] formal to act in a play, story etc 上演 : a drama enacted on a darkened stage

>enactment n. reenactment n. 再次扮演

11. skirmish n.  fight between small groups of soldiers, ships, etc 小规模战斗 ; 小冲突 : (fig) a skirmish between the two party leaders

> skirmish v 进行小规模战斗或冲突

Three cornered hat and cotton bonnet

12. goggle-eyed  adj with your eyes wide open and looking directly at something 突眼的 , 眼珠突出的

> goggle vi. 瞪视 , 瞪大眼睛看

13. swell v. a). ~ (sth) (with sth) (of a person,

his heart, etc) feel like bursting with emotion （指人 ﹑ 内心等）感情迸发 , 情绪高涨 : His breast/heart swelled with pride at his achievement.

b). ~(to sth); ~ (sth) (up) (with sth) (cause sth to) become larger or bulge outwards, （使某物）膨胀 , 肿胀

Gulliver: an Englishman who travels to the

imaginarylands in Jonathan Swift’s satire Gulliver’s Travels.

14. the Enlightenment 启蒙运动a period in the eighteenth century when many writers and scientists believed that science and knowledge, not religion, could improve people's lives

>enlighten vt. 启发，开导

15. riposte vi make a quick clever reply to an insult or criticism 还击 , 敏锐地反驳

> riposte n. 机敏的反驳或应答 : a witty riposte

Questions: 3. What are the costs and

benefits of raising children in a foreign culture? (Paragraph 4)

4. Why do the author and his family go back home for the summer? (Paragraph 6)

• Part III (Paragraphs 10 － 12): The author talks about the effect of globalization, and argues that globalization has produced more negative than positive effects on cultural diversity.

16. resonate  v [I] ( ～ with) if something such as an event or a message resonates, it seems important or good to people, or continues to do this 共鸣 , 共振 :an idea that resonates with many voters

>resonance n. 共鸣 resonant  adj. 共鸣的 , 洪亮的

Background Information

Square dancing: a traditional American dance in which sets of four couples dance together in a square formation

surrey with fringe on top: old –fashioned horse-drawn carriages with fancy decorations on top.

17. sinister  adj making you feel that something evil, dangerous, or illegal is happening or will happen 邪恶的 ; 不吉祥的 : a sinister motive, action, place

18. personify  v [Tn] a) treat (sth) as if it were a human being 将（某事物）人格化﹑拟人化 : The sun and the moon are often personified in poetry.

b) be an example in human form of a quality or characteristic, esp one possessed to an extreme degree 为某品质或特点的化身 : He personifies the worship of money.

> personification n

19. cliche  n [C] phrase or idea which is used so often that it has become stale or meaningless 陈腐的词语或主意 ; 陈词滥调 : a cliche-ridden style

>clichéd adj

Davy Crockett hat

20. backdrop  n [C] 背景幕 , 背景the conditions or situation in which something happensagainst a backdrop of sth e.g. a love story set against a backdrop of war and despair

21. peer  n a) [C] person who is equal to another in rank, status or merit （官阶﹑等级﹑地位或功绩）同等的人

b) [C usu pl] person who is the same age as another 同龄人

>peer vi. 凝视 , 窥视

22. fleecy  adj soft and woolly, or looking soft and woolly 羊毛似的

>fleeciness n.

23. jar  v (-rr-) [I, Ipr] ~ (with sth); ~ (on sb/sth) be out

of harmony; clash 不和谐 ; 冲突 : (fig) Her comments on future policy introduced a jarring note to the proceedings.

>jarring adj 刺耳的 , 不调和的 jar n. 广口瓶 , 坛子 , 刺耳声

24. immerse  v [Tn, Tn.pr] a) ~ sth (in sth) put sth under the surface of a liquid 使某物浸没於液体中

b) ~ oneself (in sth) involve oneself deeply (in sth); absorb oneself 使自己沉浸（於某事物） : be immersed in thought, one's business, a book

>immersed adj 沉浸的 immersion n. 沉浸

Questions: 5. What are the differences

between the author and his children as expatriates at about the same age? What causes the differences? (Paragraph 10 － 11)

6. Why does the author say the development is sad? (Paragraph 12)