Grammar and usage

UnitUnit

44

Allusion

Let’s enjoy the following pictures.Lead in

Answer the questions:

1. What are the expressions above called in Chinese? Allusions

2. Do you know some English allusions? Can you give us some examples?

典故

Scrooge

a character who is extremely mean. It comes from the novel A Christmas Carol.

allusions in reading part:

Living on my own, I also learnt to control the amount of money I spend each week. In fact, some of my friends say I am a bit of a Scrooge.

Some others:a sacred cow

someone or something that is held in high regard and can not be harmed. It is from religion.

The board member was a sacred cow to the company.

Some others: be over the moon

Terry was over the moon because his favourite team had just won the championship match.

someone who is very happy. It is from works.

Pandora’s boxSome others:

How could we have known that by work applying for a credit card we were opening Pandora’s box.

one action has caused a lot of bad things to happen. It comes from works.

WaterlooSome others:

After failing to get funding for his research, he is facing his Waterloo.

a final defeat or failure. It comes from history.

She has done a lot of charity work this year

and is a real Mother Teresa.

Some others:Mother Teresa

a person who works selflessly for others. It comes from real life.

The ways of making an allusion.a. examples from literature

b. examples from religion

c. examples from works

d. examples from history

e. examples from real life

Conclusions:

More allusions:

1. Mickey Mouse course

2. dark horse

3. Daniel in the lion’s den

4. catch-22

非常容易黑马

艰巨的任务令人左右为难的规定

5. Achilles’ heel

6. Jonah

7. a Herculean task

8. good Samaritan

More allusions:

致命要害带来不幸的人

极为艰巨的工作

心地善良，乐于助人的人

Answers:

1) a Herculean

2) dark horse

3) Mickey Mouse course

4) Daniel in the lion’s den

5)Achilles’ heel

6) good Samaritan

7) catch-22

8) Jonah

They look so worried because they are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

* drop the other shoe

结束悬念或公布结果等

She was very ill but seems to have turned the corner now.

* turn the corner

渡过难关，出现新局面

Don’t follow what others do. You should stick to your colors.

* stick to one’s colors

坚持某人的立场

Practice:

* in the same boat

The boss told the employees that they are in the same boat.

处境相同，面临相同的危险

* to the bitter end

The soldiers fought to the bitter end.

直到死；到最后

* the die （骰子） is cast

Once they sign the paper, the die is cast.

事情已成定局无法改变

1. Try to understand the meanings of

allusions learnt this class and use them

correctly.

2. Do PartC1and PartC2 on Page120 in

workbook.

3. Preview the text in the task.

HomeworkHomework