Unit 6 Sporting life

Reading 1 My Dream Comes True

1. Lead-in

2. Language points

3. Guided writing

4. Presentation and exercises

Background informationBackground information

Denise Lewis, the writer, is a British athlete, born in 1972, who won the gold medal for the heptathlon, at the 2000 Sydney Olympics Games. After her 2000 Olympic gold medal event, she was given an OBE (Order of British Empire), an honor given by the queen, to recognize her contribution to sports and other championships. In the 2004 Olympic Games she had to withdraw due to injuries. She retired from sports in 2005.

Denise Lewis

Spirit of the Olympic Games

What do you think the original spirit of the Olympic Games was?

Share the spirit of Olympic games.

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Spirit of the Olympic Games

The Olympic spirits 1894 when the International Olympic Committee was founded

1908

Key words ：friendship, solidarity,

fair play, honor, glory, courage ， dedication, passion

Participants are motivated to become the best that they can be.

The most important thing is not to win but to take part!

Sentence StudySentence Study

1. The 800m race had punished me so much over the years – in the World, Commonwealth and European Championships – and now it stood between me and the Olympic title. (Para. 4)

it 这里指 the 800m race ；破折号里的内容起到补充说明的作用 .

这些年来，在世锦赛、英联邦锦标赛以及欧洲锦标赛的八百米赛跑中我屡战屡败，饱受挫折。现在，它再次横在我与奥运冠军头衔之间。

2. I felt the performer in me move in and take over. (Para. 7)

performer 这里指的是作者的运动员身份， take over 意思是：接管，占上风；翻译时要灵活处理。

我感觉自己已经进入最佳状态。

Sentence StudySentence Study

3. … I could hear the roar of the crowd, giving me a boost at exactly the moment I needed it the most – just when my legs were burning and I could see the gap opening between me and the Russian. (Para. 9)

这个句式较复杂。 giving me… 分词短语作状语，表示伴随状况。 the moment 后面有两个定语从句，I needed it the most 和 just when…

······ 我听见观众高声叫喊，在我最需要的时候为我加油助威——这时我的腿疼得要命，我看见我和那个俄罗斯运动员之间距离正在拉大。

Sentence StudySentence Study

Sentence StudySentence Study

4. As I crossed the line my initial thought was how much harder the race had been than expected, bearing in mind how, only eight weeks before,

I had set a new personal best of two minutes 12.2 seconds. (Para.11)

该句的主句是 my initial thought was … ；分词短语 bearing in mind… 后面的成分全部表示伴随状况 .

冲过终点线时我最初的念头是这次赛跑比预期的要艰苦得多，记得八周前我以 2 分 12.2 秒的成绩打破了个人最好成绩。

Word StudyWord Study

boost

v. to help sth to increase, improve, or become more successful 提高，改善，推动，促进n. an action or event that helps sth to increase, improve or become more successful 提高，改善，推动，促进

A surplus of exports over imports will boost employment.

Last month saw a tremendous boost in sales. 

Word StudyWord Study

composedadj. calm and relaxed 镇定的，镇静的

All was composed, however: Cathy's despair was as silent as her father's joy.

He remained composed in face of the danger.

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stretchn. an area of land or water 一段，一片 , 伸展v. make longer or wider 使更长；使更宽，伸展，

A thousand boats set sail on a long stretch of the river.百里江面 , 千帆竞发

They enter the final stretch shoulder to shoulder.

After that heavy lunch I think we need to stretch our legs. 

Word StudyWord Study

count downto wait for something to happen, usually noticing every day or moment that passes until it happens 倒数，倒计时

On New Year's Eve, we count down the time until midnight

The spaceship will soon be launched, the people at control have already begun to count down.

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inner selfn. the person you are inside 内在的自我，内心

In truth your soul is the most intimate, powerful part of your inner self and is forever changing and growing.

Your world is a mirror of your inner self, love will be yours when you give it away.

Word StudyWord Study

lead up to

to happen or exist immediately before something 就在 ······ 之前发生（或存在）

Tom concluded to let Jerry lead up to the subject.

Four fine stone steps lead up to the front door.

The disease can lead up to a vicious circle of further trouble.

Word StudyWord Study

miss outto lose an opportunity to do or have something 错过（机会）

These studies concluded that students who work long hours often do not have enough time or energy for homework and miss out on social and intellectual development gained from participating in school clubs and athletic teams.

Word StudyWord Study

shut outv. if you shut something out, you stop yourself from seeing it, hearing it, or thinking about it 把 ······ 挡

在 外面 ; 排除干扰 She tried to shut out the fantasy.

He could not shut out the consciousness of her indi

viduality and presence for a moment. 

Structuring a descriptive passage

Descriptive passages may follow this pattern.

Guided writing

Descriptive writing vividly portrays a person, place, or thing in such a way that the reader can visualize the topic and enter into the writer’s experience.

Generalized schema of a descriptive passage

Guided writing

Descriptions may be

Constrasting idea

Characteristics which may challenge expectations

Impressions

A constrasting idea

Opening general statements /main points

Supporting points with specific details

Conclusion

Descriptions and their functions

Work in groups and identify the sentence functions within the paragraphs mentioned below in Reading across culture.

Paragraph 2Paragraph 3Paragraph 5

Guided writing

Semi-controlled practiceSemi-controlled practice Write a short passage about games people play in China. Use echo words to make it more coherent.

Guided writing

Language Functions Echo words… not everyone likes the same sports…

Opening general statement

different people, games, national sports…

Badminton, … and … are all popular…

Supporting specific details

football, table tennis…audience, fan, spectators, follower

Although more men…,women’s …is also popular…

Describe characteristics and challenge expectations

men, women…

It seems as if … Describe impressions the general impression is…

However, … Describe a contrasting idea

whereas

Guided writing

Sample

● Make an opening general statement. In China, there are four national sports, not just one: table tennis, basketball, football and taijiquan. ● Support the general statement with specific details. Table tennis is well-known internationally as a Chinese sport. Basketball is a huge spectator sport (look at the massive audience for the 2008 Olympics match between China and the US). Football has a huge fan base, with many people following the British and other European teams, as well as Chinese ones.Taijiguan has a large following, as you can see in the early morning in parks, when many people keep fit with these beautiful martial arts movements. (To be continued)

● Describe characteristics and challenge expectations. Whereas many people think of football as having an English origin, this is only true of the modern game; actually it is well-established that football has Chinese origins. It is recorded that Chinese soldiers and emperors – and women – were playing and watching football ( 蹴鞠 cuju) thousands of years before anyone in England is known to have kicked a ball. Although the Chinese men’s football team has made its international mark, for instance at the WorldChampionships, it is the Chinese women’s team which has actually had more international success sofar. (To be continued)

Guided writing

● Describe impressions The general impression is that many Chinese people know and play table tennis, follow and watch football and basketball, and sometimes do taijiquan – which is culturally Chinese, of course. ● Describe a contrasting idea However, whereas three of these national Chinese sports need some equipment and a number of players (at least two and perhaps two teams), for taijiquan you only need yourself, a small patch of open space,a calm and peaceful mind and deep breathing. In terms of international competitive (even aggressive) sports, that’s a breath of fresh air.

Guided writing

Presentation and exercises