Unit Three Romance & Affection
Text Three Sons and Mothers
I. Introductory questions:
1. How did you say good-bye to your parents when you left for college?
2. Is it harder for sons than for daughters to express affection for their parents? Why/ why not?
Pre-Reading Brainstorming Hints
bidding good-bye verbally; with/without physical contact; hand-shake; hug; tap on the back; show emotions / embarrassed by showing feelings; cute and adorable; immature; dependent; self-reliant
Questions:
Why the story entitled “Sons and Mothers” instead of “Son and Mother”?
Because it can happen not only to the son and the mother in the text but also to sons and mothers all over the world. It is also an allusion to D. H. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers.
Language points:
empty-nest: a figurative use, referring to a home from which all grown-up :children have left, leaving the home empty and the parents lonely
syndrome ( n. ): a set of characteristics (usually medical or psychological) indicating the existence of a particular problem
intensity ( n. ): quality of being strong and having force
eg. The poem showed great intensity of feeling.
intense (adj.)--intensify (v.)
eg. There was intense competition between the rival companies.
The wind seems to intensify the cold, making it even less bearable.
lie in: to exist in
eg. Her charm lies in her inner beauty.
The real remedy to poverty lies in education.
paradox (n.): a statement that seems contradictory but may be true
eg. "More haste, less speed" is a paradox.
let go (of): (usually of a feeling, attitude, or control over something) to accept that You should give it up or that it should no longer influence you
eg. College students must let go of their previous passive learning habit.
The work should focus on helping parents to let go of their children
resort to: to turn to (a person or thing) for help or (a course of action) for use, often as a fin
al option
eg. Because of their poverty, they restored to stealing.
Is it advisable for parents to resort to punishment to make the child obey?
（n）A place frequented by people for relaxation or recreation常去的地方，胜地：人们为放松和消遣常去的地方：
a popular place of resort.常去的受欢迎之地
reason ( n. ): good sense
eg. There is a great deal of reason in his advice.
Their demands go beyond all reason.
I told him his decision was a foolish one, but he wouldn't listen to reason.
[Paragraph 1]
sophomore (n. ): a student in the second year of a course in an U.S. college or high school
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transition (n.): the passage from one form, state, style, or place to another
eg. The transition to a multi-party democracy is proving difficult.
The health-care system is in transition at the moment. [U]
transitional adjective [not gradable]
a transitional government
a transitional period of two or three months
Itself can be used to put emphasis on a word.
by itself孤单地
in itself本身；实质上
The shop itself (= only the shop and nothing else) started 15 years ago but the mail order side of the business is new.
The house stands by itself outside the village.这幢房子孤单地坐落在村外。
The dog managed to drag the box into the room by itself (= without help).
The animal had been left in the house by itself (= alone) for a week.
The plan wasn't illegal in itself (= there was nothing in the plan that was illegal) but it would lead to some doubtful practices.
downright (adv.): thoroughly; absolutely
eg. He was downright rude to me.
These working conditions are unhealthy, if not downright (= and probably extremely) dangerous.
(adj)Thoroughgoing; unequivocal彻头彻尾的；毫不含糊的
a downright lie彻头彻尾的谎话
I think the way she's been treated is a downright disgrace.
pathetic (adj.): causing feelings of pity or sorrow; (derogatory) helplessly useless
eg. The little dog's pathetic cries of pain went unheeded by the passersby.
His pathetic efforts to learn French lasted only two weeks.
The refugees were a pathetic sight - starving, frightened and cold.
After the accident he became a pathetic figure, a shadow of his former self.
cultivate (v.) to develop or improve (something) by education or training
eg. Nowadays parents try to cultivate a love of art in their children.
Students need to cultivate good study habits.
cultivated ( adj. )--cultivation ( n. )
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