Post on 04-Jan-2016
description
The Rivals
A conversation between
Mr. Harraby-Ribston and
Mr. Crowther on a moving train
Time allotment
1. Cultural knowledge and relevant language expressions (4 hours) Some basic means of transportation in Britain Ways of breaking the ice in the English conversation Highland Fling Relevant language expressions2. Exercises (2 hours) Key words Translation Grammars
A passenger train is one which includes passenger-carrying vehicles. It may be a combination of one or more locomotives and one or more unpowered trailers known as cars (Am. E), carriages (Br. E) or coaches.
A carriage is an unenclosed four-wheeled vehicle drawn by horses or other draft animals.
A horse-drawn coach waits for passengers in downtown Chicago. It has a covered body with side doors. Once common through England and the USA coaches were
replaced by railroad in the 19th century as the preferred form of transportation.
In British English and Australian English, the term coach is used to
refer to a large motor vehicle for conveying passengers. A coach has a luggage hold separate from the passenger cabin. Coaches are more
used for longer trips between cities - or even between countries - where passengers may pre-book tickets for a specific journey.
English conversation can be described as an activity where two or more participants take turns at speaking. Typically, only one person speaks at a time and there tends to be an avoidance of silence between speaking turns. If more than one participant tries to talk at the same time, one of them usually stops. Politeness and silence are aspects of English gentlemanship.
In a journey, there are some ways to break the silence. (which ways?)
One protagonist, Mr. Harraby-Ribston tried to break the ice by pitching a
suitcase out of the moving train, but failed at first, why?
at a good sixty miles good: at least; more e.g. a good hour It’s a good five miles to the station.
a Mr. Crowther
a: implying that the speaker does
not know the person
e.g. A Mr. Smith wishes to speak to
you on the phone.
a sharp glance:
a brief and severe look
What does such a look mean?
No emotion of any kind is revealed.
resume his seat: go to seat again
puff: breathe quickly after carrying
heavy load
heightened color: increased color;
redder
exertion: effort made to carry load
arouse curiosity fear
anger interest
fallible: capable of making errors e.g. All humans are fallible.
infallibly: certainly, invariably, doubtlessly, without fail fallacy: a false belief e.g. It is a fallacy that everyone is equal before the law because people with money hire expensive lawyers to keep them out of jail
that being so An absolute construction as an adverbial of reason, in which “that” refers to “no conversation had followed”.
make a fool of sb make sb look stupid
in the eyes of in the opinions of
In the event of in the case of
Spelling differences between Br. E. and Am. E.
Br. E. enquiry clamour programme centre cheque draught
Am. E inquiry clamor program center check draft
buzz: make a low sound of zzz’s, the sound
produced by a fly or bee, hence an
onomatopoeic word.
refreshment: the experience of being made to
feel less tired and bored
afresh: (adv.) again
one’s due: what one deserves
give sb his due 公正对待某人 e.g. I thought he would make a mess of it, but to
give him his due, he did a good job.
one’s dues: cost of membership/sufferings
e.g. yearly dues
She paid her dues by singing in smoky night-
clubs in small towns before becoming a star.
for one’s part: to speak for oneself
e.g. For my part, I plan to go the
party even if you decide not to go.
the sight of sb doing sth
(the complex object of the preposition)
e.g. the sound of water gurgling
the sound of door opening
the smell of something burning
make a point of sth: stress sth
e.g. He made a point of promising he would repay me soon.
infringe: encroach (go where sb or sth
doesn’t belong)
e.g. Our neighbor’s fence infringes on
our land.
infringe the intellectual property rights
infringe school rules
Structure of the text Part 1 (paragraph 1-2)
Mr. Harraby-Ribston tossed his suitcase out of the moving train and the incident produced different responses in Harraby-Ribston and Crowth’s minds.
Questions on Part 1 What was the profession of Mr. Harraby-
Ribston? What did he do in front of Mr. Crowther? When Mr. Crowther saw that incident , how
did he respond? What did Mr. Crowther think might have bee
n the reason for the man’s behavior? Why did Mr. Crowther appear so calm and
quiet?
Part 2 (paragraph 3- the end)
An exchange of words and wits between Mr. Harraby-Ribston and Mr. Crowther, presenting the quick wit displayed by both parties, and the charm of the English language used in this verbal fencing.
First round
Mr. C: Does reading in the train surprise you?Mr. H: What surprises me is that you weren’t surprised when I …
witty remarks:e.g. The only thing we have to fear is fear
itself. (E. D. Roosevelt)
Second round
Mr. C: You are very easily surprised.Mr. H: I don’t know about that. Surely, surely, my dear sir, it was, to say the least of it, an unusual sight.
I don’t know about that: show you slightly disagree with other.Surly: show you think sth must be true when others seem to be disagreeing with you
I dare say (bet): used when you are
saying that sth is probable
to the best of my recollection: as far as I
can remember
for that matter (spoken): as far as (a topic
being discussed) is concerned
e.g. I didn’t like it much. Nor did the kids,
for that matter.
What of it? (spoken): What does it matter?
Highland fling: It was created sometime during the 1700s in the Scottish Highland. It is considered a war dance as the dancers were originally military men. Highland Fling is usually performed by three or four persons to the duple rhythm music. The term "Fling" expresses the kick which characterizes the step.
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=x7vSWqgd6kw
The following several roundsMr. C: If one allowed oneself to be surprised at anything, however
insignificant, one’s whole life would consist a series of trivial
astonishments.
Mr. H: You think it an insignificant act to throw one’s suitcase out of a
railway-carriage window?
Mr. C: Totally!
Mr. H: Then what would you consider a significant act?
Mr. C: Perhaps I would have thought it significant if the suitcase has
been mine.
Mr. H: And the affairs of strangers don’t interest you?
Mr. C: Only in so far as they affect mine.
Mr. H: If you had thrown your suitcase out of the window, I should have
been curious to know why you did it.
Mr. C: I gather you are anxious to tell me why you did it.
Mr. H: Not if it wouldn’t interest you.
Mr. C: (no reply, which seems that Mr. H is outwitted in these rounds)
Mr. Harraby-Ribston began the next round by talking his marriage. And this topic leads to the final result.
Who finally wins the battle of wits?
Write out the core conversation between Mr. H and Mr. C about marriage and final result.
Quick review (Cultural knowledge)
1. train, carriage, coach
2. English conversation
3. Ways of breaking the ice
4. Highland Fling
Quick review (language difficulties) a good hour a Mr. Smith a sharp glance resume seat puff heighten color exertion arouse infallibly buzz afresh
due/duesgive sb his due pay one’s due
sfor one’s partthe sight of sb doing sthMake a point of sthinfringe I dare say (bet).to the best of my recollectionfor that matterWhat of it?
Quick review (different spellings between Br. E & Am. E)
Br. E. enquiry clamour programme centre cheque draught
Am. E inquiry clamor program center check draft
Quick review (structure)
Part 1 (1-2): incident and responses Part 2 (3- 47): a battle of words and wits 1st round --- Mr. 2nd round 3rd round 4th round . . . final result
Homework
Reading and writing Read the relevant articles on the styles of bo
th English and Chinese conversation and make a ppt on the ways of breaking the ice in the Chinese conversation.