Unit 12
Step 1 Lead-in
When were the inventions in the pictures made?
Picture 1:It was invented in the early years of the 20th century. electricity is used for light, heating, power, etc.
Picture 2:Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879
Picture 3:In 1769 James Watt built a steam-powered boat.
Who is the father of these inventions?
electric railway:The first electric railway was built by German Werner von Siemens in 1879.
light bulb:The electric light bulb was invented by Thomas Alva Edison in the united states and Sir Joseph Wilson Swan in England in 1879.
steam-powered boat:The first successful steam-powered ship was developed and produced by John Fitch in 1785.
Step 2 Reading
Who is the father of science fiction? Jules Verne
Do you know about him? How much?
If not, read the first passage of the text and fill in the chart to understand his life.
Jules Verne
Born in:1828 Died in:1905 Nationality: French Interested in: theatre
Studied : botany, applied science
Famous novels:20,000 Leagues under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, the Children of Captain Grant, the Mysterious Island, 80 Days around the World .
Step 3 Listen to the tape carefully:
Answer the questions below correctly.
1.Why do Dr Aronnax set out with his followers?
2. What does the monster turn out to be?
3. Is Nautilus an ordinary ship?
4. What do you think of Nautilus? Can you describe it?
5. How do you like the Captain Nemo?
6. How does he treat his guests?
Step 4 Fast Reading:
1.When was Jules Verne born and when did he die
He was born in 1828 and died in 1905.
2.How many science fictions are mentioned in the text?
There are two: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.
Step 5 Find the main idea for the following paragraphs:
Para. Main idea
Para.1 The life of Jules Verne
Para.2-5 The film “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Para.6 The film “Journey to the Center of the Earth
Step 6 True or False:
1. Verne had to sell newspaper to make a living when he was in Paris.(F)
2. Verne died at 77, with his dreams realized.(F)
3. The furniture on the Nautilu is precious and the food aboard is all sea food.(T)
4. Captain Nemo is a very cruel man and no one likes him.(F)
5. The story Journey to the Center of the Earth is a science fiction. (T)
Step 7 Tick out the right answers:
1. What did they see in the centre of the earth?
( ) A. layers of coal and marble
( ) B. boiling water from underground river
( ) C. a huge lake or underground ocean
( ) D. forests of mushrooms and plants
( ) E. ancient sea creatures
( F) F. an ancient document in an old book
( F) G. some modern ships
2. What is mentioned in the novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea?
( F ) A. Ships are disappearing is caused by a real monster.
( F ) B. Captain Nemo decides to kill the three men.
( ) C. Electricity is used for heating and power.
( F ) D. They walk around under the sea without clothes
Step 8 Have a quick read of the paragraphs(2-5).
Find the answer to these questions:
1.Are ships sinking then?
2.How many people set out?
3.Do they meet some dangers during the voyage?
4. What’s their means of transportation?
5. Who drives it?
6.Why do Dr Aronnax and his followers set out to find the monster?
7.What does the monster turn out to be?
8.What does Nautilus look like? precious furniture ; huge glass windows protected with thick iron plates
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
1. How were they on board the submarine
disappear---set out---find ---be thrown overboard ---survive--turn out--- on boar--permanent guests
2.What is mentioned about the submarine?
Extraordinary--precious furniture--huge glass windows-- thick iron plates-- all that is needed-electricity-- The food aboard
3. What did they do under the sea?
dressed in-- walk around--lighted by-- surrounded by… (r,f,s,p)waving and moving slowly
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
1.How did they begin the journey
decided to-- a narrow passage-- a chimney in an extinct volcano
2.What did they do in the center of the earth?
pass through layers of coal and marble--
drink water from a boiling underground river--
reach a huge lake or underground ocean-
go through forests of mushrooms and plants
3. What happened to them in the end?
build a raft to cross the sea--
are attacked by ancient sea creatures –
be drawn into a fast steam-
shot out of a volcano
Step 9 List what the two men do in the adventure of going to the centre of the earth.
1.travel to Iceland
2.enter…through a chimney in a dead volcano
3.through a narrow passage deep into…
4.Pass through layers of coal and marble
5.reach a huge lake or underground ocean
6.through forests of mushrooms and plants
7cross the sea in a raft
8.drawn into a fast stream
9.shot out of a volcano in southern Italy
First reading:
What do the two men do in the adventure of going to the centre of the earth?
Pick out the main verbs in the description of the story. Retell the story in groups according to the given verbs.
Main verbs:
…enter…lead through…pass through…drink…reach…walk along…go through…build…cross…be attacked…be shot out
Step 10 Further understanding:
Describe the character of Captain Nemo :sympathetic? clever? brave? selfish? warm-hearted? greedy? cruel?
What do your think of the character of Captain Nemo? Captain Nemo is the kind of person of whom it is difficult to say whether you like him or not. You may think he is hard and cruel, but he also has a soft and gentle side.
Step 11 Fill in the blanks according to the text
Jules Verne was born in (1828) in France. His father sent him to Paris to study (law), but instead Verne developed his love for the (theatre). To make a living, Verne had to (write) and(sell) stories. Jules spent many hours in Paris libraries studying(geology), (physics and many other (subjects). He used the (latest) ideas and (technical)(inventions) of his day in his books. Many of the(instruments) in his novels will remind the reader of Dr Benjamin Franklin’s experiments with(electricity). By taking the scientific developments of his day one step further, Jules Verne laid the foundation of (modern)(science)(fiction). He also suggested how inventions could be used (in)(the)(future) to allow man to do things that were considered(impossible) in his own time. Jules Verne died in(1905), long before any of his dreams ((came) (true).
Step 12 Test yourself on some linguistic knowledge:
(use your own words to paraphrase)
1. “ To make a living, Verne had to write and sell stories” .
Verne had to …in order to make a life/ make money.
2.applied science theoretical, not practical
3.By taking the scientific developments of his day one step further, Verne laid the foundation of modern science fiction. (translation通过将他所处时代的科学发展向前推进一步，儒勒.凡儿纳奠定了现代科幻小说的基础
4. It is believed to be caused by a sea monster.
People believe that it is caused by a sea monster.
5. set out to do set about doing
6.In their efforts to survive, they find themselves on the surface of the monster itself, which turns out (to be) a submarine.
7.come to be known; prove to be sb/sth
尽管今早看起来要下雨，但结果却是晴天。
(1)Though it looked like rain this morning, it turned out (to be) fine.
结果那个会议很没意思。
2)The meeting turned out to be a boring one.
8. All that is need for life on board comes from ocean.
What is needed for life in the ship are all from The ocean.
9.Dressed in diving suits, Captain Nemo and his guests walk around in the magic world. Because they are dressed in diving suits, Captain Nemo walk around in the magic world with his guests.
10.his permanent guests ：his long-term guests
What does the inside of the earth look like?The earth on which we live is a big ball of very hot rock, which consists of three parts: the earth’s crust, the earth’s mantle and the earth’s core.
The temperature inside is very high. It’s hot inside but cold outside. It has a shell just like an egg. There are some cracks in the shell of the earth in some places.
Hot water shoots into the air through those cracks and steam comes up from pools of hot water.
Step 13 Discussion:
What can we learn from Jules Verne and his novels about fact and fantasy?fact? fantasy?
Step 14 Homework:
1.Finish the exercises on Page 13.
2.Imagine a journey to some place in the future and write a composition about it. Prepare a role card in groups of three first.
First, how do you begin the journey?
First, how do you begin the journey?
First, how do you begin the journey?
Integrating Skills
The Story of Dr Frankenstein
Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft (1797-1851), English novelist.
Step 1 Skimming:
What did Dr Frankenstein create at last?
He had planned to create a larger human being but at last it turned out a living horror.
Step 2 Scanning
Now please read the text again and discuss
How many periods can Dr Frankenstein’s experiment be divided?
Three periods:
Period 1(Para1-Para3): He decided to create life from dead matter.
Period 2(Para4-Para5): He decided to create a larger human being than man.
Period 3(Para6-Para7): He succeeded in creating a creature, but a living horror.
Step 4 Detailed Reading:
Period 1:
Para 1: What did Dr Frankenstein want to do when he was young?
He wanted to learn the secrets of heaven and earth when he was young.
Para 2 After he was sent to university, what did he think of the things taught at university?
He felt them very disappointing and decided to pioneer a new way himself.
Para 3: What attracted his attention?
The structure of the human body and any animal that was alive attracted his attention.
What did he discover? He discovered the cause of life and how to create life from dead matter.
Period 2:
Para 4: Although he knew how to create life,what remained difficult work for him?
How to prepare a body for it with all its muscles and organs still remained a difficult job for him.
Para 5: Why did he decide to create a larger human being than man about eight feet in height? Because the small size of the parts slowed down his speed
Period 3:
Para 6: How did he create a life form that looks like a human being?
Step 5 Please rearrange the following steps in the right order.
1. He gained many materials from butcher shops and hospitals.
2. He finished his work on a night in November.
3. The dead creature came to life at one in the morning.
4. He lighted the flame of life into the dead thing.
5. He collected bones from graves and cut up dead bodies
5 1 2 4 3
Para 7: What did the creature look like? He got black hair, white teeth, yellow skin, black lips and strange sounds. He looked like a terrible monster
What did Dr Frankenstein think of the creature?
While unfinished, he was ugly but now he was a living horror
What do you think of the story?
A “Frankenstein” is any creation that ultimately destroys its creator.