Darkness at Noon Unit 13 Section One: Cultural Information Section Three: Text Understanding Section...
-
Upload
summer-allston -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
0
Transcript of Darkness at Noon Unit 13 Section One: Cultural Information Section Three: Text Understanding Section...
Darkness at Noon Unit 13Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Harold Kerns
Harold Kerns
Raised in New York city, Harold kerns earned a B.A and a law degree at
Harvard, studied at Oxford university, worked as a partner in a Washington
DC law firm, was the subject of a long –running Broadway play, and wrote a
popular television movie-all despite the fact that he was born blind. His “i-A”
classification by a local draft board, which doubted the severity of his
handicap, brought about the 1969 Broadway hit play Butterflies Are Free by
Leonard Gorse . Kerns once explained that he was merely the “prototype’ for
the central character.” I gave the story its inspiration-the play’s plot is not my
story; its spirits is. In 1972 Kerns wrote To Race the Wind, which was made
into a CBS-TV movie in 1980. During his career as a lawyer, Kerns worked
hard to expand legal protection for the handicapped and fought to secure
their right to equal opportunity in the business world. He died in 1987 of a
brain tumor. .
Butterflies are Free
Darkness at Noon Unit 13Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Harold KernsButterflies Are Free
It is a 1969 play by Leonard Gorse that was produced on
Broadway at the Booth Theatre between 21 October 1969
and 2 July 1972. Gorse also wrote the screen adaptation for
the 1972 film with Eileen Hackers, Goldie Hawn and Edward
Albert .Loosely based on the life of Harold Kerns (1944-
1987), the play concerns a blind man named Don Baker
(Albert), who lives in San Francisco where he meets a hippy
girl named Jill (Hawn) and must deal with his controlling
mother (Hackett).
Butterflies are Free
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
1. observer: n. (a) one who watches carefully
e.g. she is a keen observer of nature.
(b) One who pays attention to rules .etc. one who
celebrates festivals, birthdays, anniversaries, etc?
e.g. Americans are observers of Christmas Day
observant adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
2. narcissistic: obsessively and exclusively interested in
one’s own self
e.g. Women were believed to be more narcissistic than
men.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
3. to date : up to now
e.g. To date migrant workers have been still looked down
upon is spite of their contribution.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
4. converse: vi.talk
e.g. My teacher conversed with me about my future
career
adj.(idea, statement which is ) opposite ( to another)
e.g. He always likes to put forward converse ideas in
class.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
5. enunciate: vt.&vi.
(a) say or pronounce words clearly
e.g. He enunciates his words clearly.
(b) expresses a theory, etc clearly or definitely
e.g. She enunciated her feminist theory in this book.
enunciation n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
6. invariably: never changing constantly
e.g. Our love to our motherland is invariably rooted in our
hearts.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
7. pick up:
(a) take hold of and lift
e.g. He picked up his hat on the table and left.
(b) gain; acquire
e.g. She picked up a livelihood by selling things from
door to door
(c) recover; regain
e.g. You’ll soon pick up health when you get to the
seaside.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
8. dread: n. great fear and anxiety
e.g. She lives in constant dread of poverty.
vt.&vi. fear greatly
e.g. I dread having to visit he dentist.
dreadful adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
9. retina: n. layer of membrane at the back of the eyeball,
sensitive to light
e.g. If one’s retina detaches, he or she’ll become blind at
once.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
10. detach: vt. (a)unfasten and take apart; separate
e.g. He detached a link from a chain
(b) Armed forces) send (a party of men, ships, etc) away
from the main
e.g. A number of men was detached to guard the right
flank.
detached adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
11. inform somebody of something: give knowledge to
e.g. Keep me informed of new developments in the field.
Have you informed them of your intended
departure?
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
12. previously: adv. before
e.g. We had know the power of nature previously
previous adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
13. respond: vt.&vi.
(a) act in answer to
e.g. when jack insulted Jill, she responded with a kick.
(b). react to; be affected by
e.g. the illness quickly responded to treatment
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
14. graphically: adv. by writing ordiagrams, (fig) vividly
e.g. He illustrated his ideas graphically.
graphic adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
15. drive something home: make something completely clear
e.g. He is the students’ favorite teacher, and one of his
strong points is that he excels in driving His lecture home to
his audience.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
16. firm: adj. (a) solid hard
e.g. His position is as firm as a rock.
(b) Not easily changed or influenced
e.g. She has a firm faith in the future of the world.
(c) Of a person his body, its movements characteristics,
etc) steady stable
e.g. The baby is not very firm on its feet yet
He gave me a firm glance.
firmness n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
17. hospitalize: vt. send to hospital; admit into hospital
e.g. He was hospitalized with lung cancer.
hospitalization n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
18. orderly: adj.
(a) well arranged; in good order; tidy
e.g. She likes an orderly room
(b) ell-behaved; obedient to discipline
e.g. An orderly crowd was standing in the rain to pay tribute to
the hero.
orderliness n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
19. intone : vt. &vi.recite a prayer, psalm, etc in a singing
tone, speak with a particular tone
e.g. They are intoning a Christmas song in the church.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
20. approximately: adv. about, nearly
e.g. The area of my land is half an acre approximately.
approximate adj. ; vt.& vi.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
21. disposition: n. (a) arrangement; placing in order
e.g. The disposition of furniture in his room is wonderful
(b) Person’s natural qualities of mind and character
e.g. He is a man with a cheerful disposition
(c) inclination
e.g. There was a general disposition the leave early
(d) power of ordering and disposing
e.g. Who has the disposition of this property?
dispose vt.&vi.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
22. desert: vt.&vi.
(a) leave; go away from
e.g. We sheltered from the storm in a deserted hut
(b) leave without help or support, esp. in a wrong or cruel
way
e.g. He deserted his wife and children and went abroad
(c) run away from; leave without authority or permission
e.g. A solider that deserts his post in time of war is
punished severely
(d) fail
e.g. His courage deserted him.
desertion n.
deserter n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
23. blurt out: tell something suddenly and often
thoughtlessly
e.g. she blurted out the secret of her boyfriend the other
day at the family union
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
24. misconception: n. misconceiving; instance of wrong
understanding
e.g. She has a misconception of love.
misconceive vt.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
25. ridiculous: adj.deserving to be laughed at; absurd
e.g. You look ridiculous in those tight jeans.
What a ridiculous idea!
ridiculously adv.
ridicule n.&vt.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
26. turn down:
(a) cause to fold down
e.g. He turned down his coat collar and left in a hurry.
(b) reduce by turning a wheel or tap
e.g. He turned down the lamps to make romantic air the
room.
(c) refuse to consider an offer, a proposal
e.g. He tried to join the army but was turned down
because of poor health.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
27. qualification: n.
(a) act of qualifying, modifying of limiting; something
which modifies, restricts of limits
e.g. You can accept his statement without qualification.
(b) training, test, etc that qualifies a person, degree,
diploma, rewarded at the end of such training.
e.g. She got a doctor’s qualifications after training.
qualify vt.&vi
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
28. frustration: n. defeat of disappointment
e.g. She was embittered by numerous frustrations last
year.
frustrate vt.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
29. exclusion: n. excluding or being excluded
e.g. Every is allowed to vote to the exclusion of racism
disillusionment n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
30. disillusion: n. set free from mistaken beliefs
e.g. They had thought that the new colony would be a
paradise, but them were soon disillusioned.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
31. issue: vt.&vi. (a) come out; go out; flow out e.g. The blood was issuing from his wound. (b) Distribute for use or consumption e.g. They issued warm clothing to the poor people (c) publish books, etc; put stamps, banknotes, shares etc into circulation e.g. Her book was issued last year. n. (a). outgoing e.g. There was an issue blood from her nose. (b) Putting forth; sending out; publication e.g. I often buy new stamps on the day of issue. (c) question that arises for discussion e.g. They often argue political issues.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
32. regulation: n. rule; order; authoritative direction
e.g. Everyone should obey traffic regulations
adj. as required by rules; correct.
e.g. You should fill in the application forms of the
regulation size.
regulate vt.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
33. mandate: n. order from a superior; command given with
authority
e.g. We got the mandate to launch an attack tonight.
mandatory adj.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
34. handicapped: adj. suffering from some disability
e.g. We should donate more money for handicapped
children.
handicap n. &vt.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
35. by and large: on the whole; taking everything into
consideration
e.g. We should carry out the plan by and large.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
36. procedure: n. the regular order of doing things, esp.
legal and political
e.g. we should stop arguing about questions of
procedure and get down to business.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
37. be attached to: be bound to by love or affection
e.g. She is deeply attached to her younger brother
He is foolishly attached to old customs.
attach vt.&vi.
attachment n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
38. wander: vi.
(a) go from place to place without any special purpose or
destinations.
e.g. They are wandering over the countryside.
(b) leave the right path or direction
e.g. We wandered for miles and miles in the mist.
(c) be absent-minded
e.g. his mind wandered back to his college days.
wanderer n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
39. distinctly: adv .in a clear manner
e.g. He pronounced the word distinctly.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
40. plant: vt.&vi.
(a) put plants, bushes, trees, etc in a garden, etc.
e.g. She planted the garden with rose bushes last year.
(b) cause an idea to take root in somebody’s mind
e.g. The teacher planted patriotism in her students’ mind
(c) take up a position or attitude
e.g. He planted himself in front of the fire.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
41. foreman: n.
(a) workman in authority over others
e.g. Her brother is the fore man of the workers.
(b) chief member and spokesman in a jury
e.g. The foreman will read the verdict in the afternoon.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
42. come upon:
(a) attack by surprise; strike
e.g. Fear came upon us
(b) come across
e.g. I came upon a fiend of mine on the street the other
day.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
43. disabled: adj. unable to do something.
e.g. we should show more care for the disabled ex-
service men.
disable vt.
disablement n.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Questions Paragraph 1
Questions:
(1)Why does the author use the word “observer” instead
of “people”? What rhetorical device is employed
here?
(“Observer” means somebody who sees and notices.
The author, according to the text, was an intelligent
and capable man, but those “observers” simply
ignored this fact owing to his blindness. They may
well be called blind observers. The author uses ironic
device to express his indignation at such people.)
Sentence Highlights
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 1
Questions:(2) What does the word “narcissistic” allude to? (This word is derived from “narcissism”, which describes the character trait of self-love. In Greek mythology, Narcissus was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. As a punishment, he was doomed to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, Narcissus pined away and changed into the flower that bears his name, the narcissus. In the text, the author implies that he has never been in love with the image he creates in the eye of others, because it is imposed upon him.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 2
Questions:
(1) In what way do people talk to the author?
(They often talk to him in two ways: either converse with
him at the top of their lungs, with careful enunciation of
each word, or they whisper to each other, assuming that
since his eyes do not work, his ears do not, either.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 2
Questions:
(2) Do you think that if the word “blind” uttered, the
speaker’s retina will really detach? What is implied in the
statement?
(What the author assumes is certainly not true. If one is
retina detaches, he will become blind at once. The mere
utterance of the word itself can never cause such a
heavy loss. There is no doubt that the author uses
sarcasm to express his indignation.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraph 2
Questions:
(3) Explain the sentence “Hi, Jane, we have got a 76
here” and point out the rhetorical device employed in it.
(This sentence means that: We have got a disabled man
here”. “76”is used here to refer to a handicapped person
because of the regulations issued by the department of
labor in 1976. The rhetorical device is metonymy. At the
same time, it can be treated as euphemism as well.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraph 3-13
Questions:
(1) What is the main idea of this part?
(Because of his blindness, people think that he cannot
talk, though they think that he can hear.)
(2) What does “this point” refer to?
(It refers to the sentence: on the other hand, others know
that of course I can hear, but I believe that I cannot talk.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraph 3-13
Questions:
(3) Please read the sentences in quotation marks,
imitating the way the orderly and the elderly woman
conversed with each other.
(4) Do you think that the author’s complaint works?
(No, it does not at all. The author became angry with
them and told them that he did not need an interpreter.
The orderly, ignoring his complaint and his ability, just
mechanically interpreted what he said to the elderly
woman.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 14Questions:(1) Point out the topic sentence of this paragraph. (the first sentence)(2) Although the author is qualifications included a cum laude degree from Harvard College, he was turned down by over forty law firms. What does this imply and what rhetorical device is employed?(A cum laude degree from Harvard College suggests that the author was best qualified to practice law, yet he was rejected time and again just because of his disability. It best exposes people’s prejudices against the disabled. Contrast is employed here.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 15-17
Questions:
(1) Which is the word that indicates that the author’s
narration of his disillusioning experiences comes to an
end?
(Fortunately)
(2) Is the business community’s response to the
regulations issued by the department of labor positive or
negative?
(Generally speaking, it is positive. Many are willing to
offer the disabled equal employment opportunities.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Paragraphs 15-17
Questions:
(3) What does the last sentence imply?
(It implies that one should be judged according to his
ability. Both dad and I played basketball badly, so the
little friend asked:” which one is blind?” Similarly, if both a
handicapped person and a non-handicapped person do
their jobs equally well, the manager should judge them
by the same standard.)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
1. To date is has not been narcissistic. (Para. 1)
Paraphrase: Up to now I have no fondness for the image I
have created in the eye of others.
2. Very often people will converse with me at the top of their
lungs, enunciating each word very carefully. (Para. 2)
Paraphrase: Quite often people tend to talk with me at
the top of their voices, pronouncing each word carefully
and clearly.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
3.I have concluded that the word “blind” is not used for
one of two reasons: Either they fear that if the dread
word is spoken, the ticket agent’s retina will
immediately detach, or they are reluctant to inform
me of my condition of which I may not have been
previously aware. (Para. 2)
Paraphrase: I have come to understand why the word
“blind” is not used: Either they fear that if the terrible
word is uttered, the ticket agent will immediately
become blind, or they are not willing to let me know
my condition about which I may not have hand the
first idea.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
4.This point was graphically driven home to me while we were in England. (Para.4)
Paraphrase: This point was made completely clear to me during our stay in England.
5.This procedure continued for appomaximately five at which point even my saint-like disposition deserted me. (Para.1 2)
Paraphrase: This whole set of questions, responses and repetitions lasted for about five minutes at which point I because very impatient in spite of my good temper.
6.By and large, the business community’s response to offering employment to the disabled has been enthusiastic. (Para. 15)
Paraphrase: Generally speaking, companies and firms respond to the regulations of equal employment opportunities for the disabled in a positive way.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Questions
Sentence Highlights
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Text Appreciation Text Appreciation
On a point by point basis and in a deductive method, the
author of this narrative text exposes the social prejudices
against the handicapped. He also expresses his indignation at
those who are biased against the disabled to their ability and
dignity. The language of the text is primarily characterized by a
formal style, though some colloquial sentences are scattered
here and there.
Language Appreciation
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
1. Darkness at Noon (Title)
Note the symbolic and metonymic meaning of the title. It is
common sense that noontime should be broad daytime,
so this estrangement of common sense aims to produce a
special effect on the reader. The reader can infer different
layers of meaning from it; for the author, it is darkness all
the time no matter when; for the observer, he is blind to
the author’s outstanding achievement and ability owing to
his prejudice against the disabled.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Text Appreciation
Language Appreciation
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
2. The opening sentences in paragraphs 2.3.14
These three opening sentences, with simple yet
forceful language, outlining the whole text in an
ascending order, expose the illogical foolishness of
those who are biased against the disabled, and
convey the author’s indignation at such practice.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Text Appreciation
Language Appreciation
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
3. A waiter or waitress will ask Kit if “ he would like a drink” to which I respond that” indeed he would”
Note the cynical tone of the sentence.4.The attempt to find employment, the continuous frustration
of being told that it was impossible for a blind person to practice law, the rejection letters, not based on my lack of ability but rather on my disability, will always remain one of the most disallowing experiences of my life.
Note the effect of the listing of the things the author has experienced. It emphasizes the frequent frustrations the author has met in his life. Also note the assonance device employed (between “ability” and “disability”.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Text Appreciation
Language Appreciation
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Activity 1
Pair works
Have the students work in pairs and ask each if they wou
ld like to have a disabled student in their dormitory and why?
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Role-play.
Two executives (a man and a woman) are trying to an ideal
person for a new job in their company. The best two
candidates have very similar qualifications for the job but
one has a physical disability. The two company directors
have different views on why the job should be given to one
or the other and discuss their possible views.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Oral activity:
Language Support
In an interview, interviews tend to ask questions, while inter
views are expected to
answer their questions. The following lowing questions may
be asked in an interview
to evaluate an applicant:
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
(1) Communication and coordination ability
What community activities have you ever got involved in?
have you ever been an organizer?
In organizing or attending such activities, what were your
gains, and what were your losses? In retrospect, what should
have been done to improve such activities?
(2) Academic achievements
Have you got a good ranking in your class/grade?
What are your favorite subjects? Why?
In what way can you apply your major to your applied job?
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
(3) Career path development
What kind career path have you designed for yourself?
What preparations have you made so far for your
career?
(4) Strengths and weaknesses
Would you please recommend to us your strengths?
What are the areas you believe you should get improved
in the future?
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Oral activity: II on p.212
Information support
In defending and challenging the idea on people with disab
ilities, the following information may be of some use:
USA president Franklin Roosevelt (impaired movement as
the result of polio)
Classical composer Ludwig van Beethoven (deaf in later y
ears)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Oral activity: II on p.212
King Richard III of England (childhood sickness allowed bo
nes to malformed
resulting in severe curvature of the back and extremely unev
en legs)
Civil rights activist Helen Keller (deaf and blind)
Stephen Hawking (has motor neuron disease and uses a
wheelchair and speech synthesizer)
Christopher Reeve (USA actor famous for portraying Supe
rman who became quadriplegic after a horse-riding accident)
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Oral activity: II on p.212
Vocabulary support
List of physical disabilities
(1) Mobility impairment
Clubfoot Paralysis Amputation Parkinson’s disease
Cerebral palsy Arthritis Stroke
(2) Visual impairment
Blindness Low vision Color blindness Cataract
(4) Hearing impairment
Deafness tinnitus
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5
Darkness at Noon Unit 13
Report and discussion
Step1: Divide the students into of four or five, then have
each group report on one
famous handicapped person in class.
Step2: Have the students work in their group and discuss
the problems that the
disabled are faced with in China today and offer possible sol
utions to
them.
Section One:Cultural Information
Section Three:Text Understanding
Section Four:Text Appreciation
Section Five:Activities
Section Two:Word Study
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Activity 5