New Horizon College EnglishBook Ⅰ

Unit 9 Section A:

Looking to the 21st Century

Contents

I. Background Information

II. Pre-reading Activities

III. Text Analysis– Structure

IV. Intensive reading

V. Writing skill

VI. Exercises

I. Background Information

1. The Futurist (http:// www.wfs.org/futurist.htm), a biomonthly magazine of predictions, trends and ideas published since 1967, takes no position on what the future will or should be but acts simply as a clearing house for ideas.

2. The World Future Society( WFS, http://www.wfs.org), located in Maryland, produces five publications, manages a bookstore, its web site and its membership of over 30,000. It is a not-for-profit organization for educators and scientists interested in how social and technical developments shape the future.

II. Pre-reading ActivitiesListen to the short passage twice and answer questionsQ1. How will work quality be determined in this new century? Reference key: Computers could measure brain activity

to determine the quality of our work.Q2. What tool brings about major changes in this new

century? Reference key: The computer.Q3. What are the five tasks this tool will do in this new

century? Reference key: The five tasks are: 1. Evaluate and treat

sickness. 2. Learn about health problems. 3. Take care of regular duties in the home. 4. Show the routes, take money automatically and identify motor problems. 5. Help with homework and order food.

Script This new century will bring many changes. Computers could

measure brain activity to determine the quality of our work. Doctors will use computers instead of books to evaluate and treat sickness; citizens will use computers to learn about health problems. Computers in cars will show our routes, take money from our bank accounts, identify motor problems, figure out repair costs and locate repair shops. Home computers will take care of regular duties in the home and help with homework and order food. More women will enter the work force and start their own businesses; people will change jobs every ten years; middle managers will disappear while people with precise skills will become more important than ordinary workers. Protecting the environment will be an international concern. Health and fitness will be major interests of government and business as well as citizens.

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III. Text Analysis-- Structure

Part 1 ( Paras. 1-4): General Idea: we ourselves determine the future.

Part 2 ( Paras. 5-35): The main body: seven topics (your brain, your doctor, your car, the computer-home, the workplace, the environment and your health) to support the main idea.

IV. Intensive reading

Part 1 ( Paras. 1-4):

Q: Who or what determines our future?

Answer: We ourselves or our actions determine our future. (para.2)

1. The future does not determine itself. The action of the present determine the future. (Paras 2)

Meaning: The future is not determined by itself but by the actions we take today.

2. The responsibility we have for the future begins when we recognize that we ourselves create the future – that the future is not something imposed upon us by fate or other forces beyond our control.

Meaning: It is we who are responsible for the future. When we know that we ourselves create the future, that is, when we realize that it is we, not fate nor other forces beyond our control, who determine the future, our responsibility begins.

Please notice that the second that –clause is the explanation of the first that-clause.

3. …or other forces beyond out control. (Para 4)

beyond: prep. outside the limits of beyond our power 非我们力所能及的 beyond doubt 毫无疑义 beyond compare 无与伦比的

Part 2 ( Paras. 5-35):

Q1: What will the 21st century doctors depend on in their medical diagnosis and treatment?

Answer: They will depend more on computers in their medical diagnosis and treatment.(Para.10)

Q2:What will be more important to the success of a business?

Answer: Information and specialists will be more important to the success of a business. ( Para.27)

1. Your brainwaves may be checked to see whether you are busy, tired or doing your work properly. (Para 6)

Meaning: Research work may be done on your brainwaves to see if you are busy, tired or doing your work in a suitable way.

brainwave: n. electric current produced by rhythmic electric changes between the parts of the brain.

2. He could predict their performance from the strength of the brain’s electrical activity… (Para 7)

predict: vt. say in advance e.g. One can look to the future but can’t predict

the future. 人可以展望未来，但无法预测未来。 e.g. They predict that about twenty percent of t

he students will fail to pass the examination. 他们预计将有 20%的学生考试不及格。

3.Frequent computer analysis…(Para 8)

analysis: n. examination of something; analyzing

Please note that the plural form of “analysis” is “analyses”.

e.g. My evaluation of a work of art may be based not on analysis but on a general impression.

我对文艺作品的评价往往不是基于分析，而是凭总体印象。

4. More and more, doctors will use visual information about your condition from computers, instead of textbooks, for diagnosis and treatment. (Para 10)

More and more: increasing over time e.g. As time went on, he found it more and mor

e difficult to support his family. 随着时间的推移，他发现养家越来越困难了。 e.g. Her life was heading more and more where

she wanted it to go. 她的生活正越来越朝着她所希望的方向发展。

5.Home computers will enable you to answer interactive questions… (Para 11)

interactive: a. 1) communicating between the user and the machine e.g. This will make computer games more interactive t

han ever. 这使得电脑游戏中人机之间比以前更能互动。 2) acting on each other e.g. Student-centered teaching is interactive teaching i

n the classroom. 以学生为中心的教学是一种在课堂上师生双向互动的教学方法。

6. To pay for costs, cars will be billed for using high-speed toll roads. (Para 14)

pay for: 1) suffer the result of e.g. He stopped me from getting that job and I’

m going to make him pay for it. 当初他不让我接那个工作，现在我要让他为此付出代价。

2) pay some money to acquire something e.g. I paid $50 for that coat. 我花 50美元买了这件大衣。

7. Computers turn on the lights, heating and essential household services before people arrive home from work. (Para 19)

Meaning: Computers turn on the lights, the heating, and other needed household functions before people get home from work.

household: 1) n. a house and its affairs; all the people living in a h

ouse e.g. The garbageman collects trash from household to

household. 2) a. concerned with the management of a house e.g. household costs 家庭开支 household business 家庭企业

8. …and databases in places as far apart as New York and London …(Para 20)

database: n. computer’s organization of information

e.g. Online learning depends on many databases to monitor the process of learning. 网上学习由许多数据库监控学习的过程。

far apart: far away e.g. With the help of E-mail, people far apart ca

n communicate with each other without any problems. 电子邮件使相距遥远的人们能轻松地相互交流。

9. Protection of the environment used to be the concern of special groups. (Para 29)

Meaning: In the past usually only special groups of people were concerned about the protection of the environment.

protection: n. 1) the act of keeping safe or the state of being kept saf

e e.g. Such a thin coat gives little protection against the

cold. 这样一件薄薄的大衣难以御寒。 2) someone or something that protects e.g. What’s the use of shoes? They are the protection f

or feet. 鞋的作用是什么？它们是保护脚的。

10. Although pills for tension,…(Para 35)

pill: n. a small piece of medicine tension: n. 1) (a feeling of )nervous anxiety, stress, worry, or pres

sure e.g. The doctor said I was suffering from nervous tensi

on. 医生说我神经紧张。 2) the degree of tightness or stiffness of a wire, rope, e

tc. e.g. If the tension of this rope is increased it will break. 如果拉力增加，绳子就会断掉。

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V. Writing skill

-- using some specific examples to support a general point

Task: Write down some examples to support the following general points, then choose one of the topics to write a paragraph.

a. General idea:

It is convenient to learn online.

b. General idea:

Self-confidence can make a good impression.

a. General idea: It is convenient to learn online.

Referent examples: You needn’t to spend time on the road to

the classroom. You can have more chance to practice. You can make more friends than the regu

lar classroom study. ….

b. General idea: Self-confidence can make a good impression.

Referent examples: Smiling can show relax and self-confidence. It can let you be more polite. It tells the other people that you prepare well. …. back

VI. Exercises

1.Rewrite the sentences by omitting the word “if”

2.Study the model and then rewrite the sentences by using the structure of “make it + adj. for somebody to do something”.

3.Essay summary.

1.Rewrite the sentences by omitting the word “if”

Model:

If you should see Harry, give him my regards.

Should you see Harry, give him my regards.

More practice

(1). If you should fail to solve the arithmetic problem, come to me.

Should you fail to solve the arithmetic problem, come to me.

(2)If your car should break down, change to a bus.

Should your car break down, change to a bus.

2.Study the model and then rewrite the sentences by using the structure of “make it + adj. for somebody to do something”.

Model:

It’s difficult for cities to survive and for businesses to make a profit because of the pollution of the environment.

The pollution of the environment makes it difficult for cities to survive and for businesses to make a profit.

More practice

(1) It is hard for one to start up a new business because of lack of money.

Lack of money makes it hard for one to start up a new business.

(2)With the Internet it is easier for shoppers to order their groceries at home.

The Internet makes it easier for shoppers to order their groceries at home.

3.Essay summary

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The End