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1、Unit 5 Angels on a pin.Questions for discussion1.Why did Jim want to give the student a zero for that question in examination?2.Did the student accept the score?What did he do?3.Did the author think that the student deserved a zero?Did he think that Jim was completely wrong?4.Should the examination
2、be abolished?.Background information1.About the author Alexander Calandra He is professor Emeritus(retired professor)of Physical Sciences at Washington University in St.Louis,Missouri.The text is adapted from“Angels on the Head of a Pin:A Modern Parable”2.Introduction to the text 1)About the title I
3、t comes from the much-talked-about question:”How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?”which is used to ridicule those people who asked meaningless questions about the Bible in the Middle Ages.It is also used ironically to describe the kind of questions that philosophers ponder.2.This article
4、was written at a time when the whole of the United States was thrown into a panic over the launching of the first satellite(Sputnik)by the Russians,because this seemed to prove that the former Soviet Union had left the US far behind in science and technology.Many Americans believed that there must b
5、e something seriously wrong with their educational system.3)Education is also a great challenge in our country.Problems are many.test-oriented vs.quality-orientedIII.Detailed discussion of the text 1.I received a callwho teaches physics1)to receive a call:other collocations related to“call”:to make
6、a call,to have a call,to answer a call,to give sb.a call,to get a call.2)Physics:it is used as a singular noun in spite of the plural form.Nouns like this include economics,politics,mathematics,mechanics2.do him a favor:be kind enough to help hime.g.Will you do me a favor and bring me a cup of coffe
7、e?I have a favor to ask of you.3.He told me that he was about to give a student azero for his answer to a physics question.be about to:If sb.is about to do sth.or sth.is about to happen,he/she will do it or it will happen very soon.e.g.I was just about to go to sleep when the telephone rang.The meet
8、ing is about to begin.4.He insisted that he deserved a perfect score if the system were not set up against studentsvto insist that:to say firmly and repeatedly that something is true although other people may not agree,e.g.vI said he was probably mistaken.But he insisted that he had seen her before.
9、vI feel all right,but the doctor insists that Im running a fever.Note:“Insist”is also often used to mean“to demand that sth.should happen and refuse to let anyone say no.”e.g.vMy mother insisted that I should do more exercise.vThe US government insisted that Japan should open up its markets.5.impart
10、ial:(opposite of partial)fair;not giving special favor or support to any side,e.g.vThe law must be impartial.It should not favor any individuals.vWe must give impartial treatment to all our business partners.6.Show how it is possible to determine the height of a tall building with the aid of a barom
11、eter.with the aid of:with the help of;usingsentence pattern:how it is possible tovThis method shows how it is possible to get solar power cheaply.vHow it is possible to travel to Mars.7.we must admit the student really had a pretty strong case for full creditvto admit:1)to admit sth.2)to admit to do
12、ing sth.3)to admit that 4)to admit sb.to some place vcase:here means reason or argumentvcredit:praise that you give to people for sth.they have done.8.on the other handvCompare the following two sentences:vWrong:We have worked hard.On the other hand,the teacher has also given us a lot of help.vRight
13、:On one hand,we need freedom;on the other hand,we also need discipline.9.A high grade is supposed to prove competence in the course,vto be supposed to do:to be intended to do,although in this case it is not so,e.g.vThis medicine is supposed to be good for your heart,but to my surprise it has no effe
14、ct on the heart.vCourse:a series of lessons on a particular subject.10.What would do you do if you were me?(subjunctive mood)vIf I were a millionaire,_.vIf I could start my life again,_.vIf I had only three days to live,_.vIf I were the mayor of Beijing,_.11.But I warned him that “Warn”is used in th
15、e following patterns：1)to warn sb.about sth.e.g.vI warned her about the weather.vHe warned us about the population problem.2)to warn sb.not to do sth.e.g.vShe warned me not to catch cold.vThe doctor warned him not to smoke again.3)to warn sb.thatv I warned you that you had to hurry.v We were warned
16、that there was a storm coming.4)to warn sb.of sth.or against sth.e.g.v I warned her of the danger.v Scientists warned the government against that policy.12.I asked him if he wished to give upv The difference between“if”and“whether”:He didnt know whether he should go or not.(followed by“or”)I didnt k
17、now whether to laugh or cry.(followed by infinitive“to”)It depends on whether we have time.(after preposition)13.he dashed off his answer,vparaphrase this sentence vto dash off:to leave a place very quickly As soon as the lesson ended,she dashed off.14.to recalle.g.vI recall that she was wearing a b
18、lue dress that evening.vAs I recall,I paid twenty cents for that meal.Now it will cost twenty yuan.vCompare:remember memorizevThis is a day I will always remember.vShe is remembered as one of the best Beijing Opera singers.vThese words are useful,so youd better memorize them.15.The beauty of this me
19、thod is that The advantage of/the good thing about this method is that e.g.vThe beauty of this project is that it doesnt cause any pollution.vThey say that the beauty of the market is that it is self-regulating.16.As you climb the stairs,you mark off the length of the barometer along with the wall.“
20、As”here means“while”or“when”.e.g.1)As I was on my way to school,I recalled that I had to grade the students paper before Friday.2)She sang as she walked.3)As I opened the door,I saw our cat playing with my computer.17.The only trouble with this method is thatv“The trouble”is the opposite of“the beau
21、ty”.It refers to the problem or disadvantage.e.g.vThats a good idea.But the trouble is that we do not have the money.vI agree that we must make our company more efficient.But the trouble is how we can lay off so many workers.v18.if you prefer a more sophisticated method1)prefer:like it betterPattern
22、 A:to prefer A to B,e.g.vShe prefers country life to city life.Pattern B:to prefer to do sth.,e.g.vShe prefers to wear cotton shoes.Pattern C:to prefer doing sth.,e.g.vShall we go to the Summer Palace or stay home tomorrow?2)sophisticated:more advanced and complicated,e.g.sophisticated machines/soph
23、isticated weapons/sophisticated equipment19.the height of the building can in principle be worked out.in principle:generally,e.g.vIn principle,every child has the right to go to school.to work out:to calculate(but it has not yet been carried out),e.g.vWell have to work out how many people are needed
24、.vShe could work out the answer quickly on a piece of paper.20.Finally,he concluded that paraphrase this sentence to conclude:to come or bring to an end,e.g.vBefore I conclude my speech,Id like to quote a famous writer.vThey plan to conclude the party with singing and dancing.21.While there are many
25、 ways probably the best “While”is used here to show that you partly agree or accept.e.g.vWhile China is still a developing country,she is already leading in the world in some areas.vWhile city life has many attractions,it also has some problems.22.as follows It is used to introduce a list of things
26、that come next.e.g.vThe reasons he gave were as follows(A,B,C and D).vOur department offers such courses as follows(A,B,C and D).23.which had been thrown into such a panic by the successful launching of the Russian Sputnik.v to be thrown into panic:to be affected by a sudden strong feeling of fear a
27、nd nervousness.v the Russian Sputnik:the Russian satellite,the first spaceship launched(sent into space)in 195724.Perhaps we should ask ourselves whether we are always asking the right questions.Please discuss whether these questions are right:vWhen can we give every Chinese a car?(Is it a good idea in the first place?)vHow can we make machines work for us so that we do not have to work at all?(Do we really want this to happen?)