Unit 5
I PURPOSE
1.To grasp the important words and phrases and understand the text;
2.To grasp the writing skill--- double clue
3. To grasp the reading skill--- understanding idiomatic expressions.
II IMPORTANT AND DIFFICULT SPOTS
1.Words:
Section A
decay, preceding, secure, drip, slide, injure, hint, outline, interval, emotion, priviledge, episode, association
Section B
make oneself understood, on one‟s own, be dependent, treat with, come along, condemn sb. to sth. take its course, fight off, in vain, come by, chances are, confront with, come down to, bar… from
2.Sentences:
L1. As I stand there, the smell hits my nose, and I close my eyes as I remember the smell of decay from past experience.
L2. The head seems usually large on a skeleton body; the skin is dark yellow and hangs loosely around exaggerated bones that not even a blanket can hide.
L3. Taking a glass of water from the table, I put my finger over the end of the straw and allow a few drops of the cool moisture to slide into her mouth and ease her thrist. L4. Placing a pillow between her legs, I notice that these too are ice cold, and not until I run my hand up over her knees do I feel any of the life-giving warmth of blood.
L5. Having spent her last ounce of strength she cannot go on, but I have understood what she has done.
L6. Our eyes meet and somehow, together, we become aware that this is a special moment between two human beings.
L7. Some unknown interval of time passes before her eyes open again, only this time there is no response in them, just a blank stare.
L8. Mrs. Clark spared her family an episode that perhaps they were not equipped to handle and instead shared it with me.
B
L1. Assume for a moment that your 90-year-old mother has recently suffered a stroke. L2. When I say better, I mean she‟ll go on as she has—until some other germ comes along.
L3. I‟ll tell you which choice I would make in this theoretical situation.
L4. Sometimes such a transparent decision is more difficult to come by.
L5. Let me sound one note of warning.
SECTION A Graceful Hands
PART ONE
(PRE-READING / WARM-UP / THINK ABOUT IT (LISTEN AND TALK))
If you were given this decision to assist in your family member‟s death, what are the challenges you might face?
PART TWO
(A GENERAL PRACTICE ON THE PASSAGE)
Why was the word “graceful” used to describe the grandmother?
PART THREE A Detailed Study of the Passage
Part I
1. precede (para.1, line2) : be earlier than; come or go just in front of
eg. 1). The week that preceded May Day last year has seen days of heavy downpour in that country.
2). He came into the room preceded by a small dog.
2.reach for (para.1, line4) stretch one‟s hand in
order to touch or take
eg. The shopkeeper reached for a packet of tea.
3. lie motionless (para. 3. line 1): lie belongs to a movement verb, often followed by an adj. participle. The verb like this are: come, go, stand, run, etc. “Stand still” (para7. L1)
eg. 1). He came running.
2). He went to bed tired and hungry
4. sunk (para.3, L4): (only before noun) having fallen into the bottom of the sea; built or placed at a lower level than the surrounding floor, grounds, etc.
sunken treasure 沉在海底的宝藏
sunken bath 低于地面的浴缸
sunken garden 低洼的花园
sunken cheeks/eyes 凹陷的双颊/双眼
5. feel for (para.4, line1): search with hands, feet, a
stick, etc. // feel sympathy for sb.
eg. 1) . He felt in his pocket for his key.
2). Blinded by the soap, he had to feel for his glasses.
3). I really feel for the parents of that little boy who was killed.
6. ease (para.4, line7): make a progress, easy 使容易, 使顺利
eg. This new drug can ease childbirth for women.
(Cf) with ease, at ease
7. manage to do (para.4, line10): try hard to do sth. difficult
eg. 1). The box is heavy, but I can manage to carry it upstairs.
2). John managed to accomplish his work in time.
Part II
8.go about (para.5, line1) : set about
eg. How shall we go about the job ?
