Unit 2Active reading (1)Language points1 ... I can recall the changing colors of those days, clear and definiteas a pattern seen through a kaleidoscope. (Para 1)A kaleidoscope is a toy that shows changing patterns. It is made of a tube with mirrors and colored pieces of glass inside. The glass pieces move as you turn the kaleidoscope. As a metaphor, kaleidoscope means a view,situation or experience that keeps changing and has many different aspects.2 … and look over the lights of Boston that blazed a nd blinked far off across the darkening water. (Para 2)To blaze means to burn strongly and brightly. The lights ... that blazedand blinked means the lights were bright and went on and off continuously, like the blinking of eyes.3 The sunset flaunted its pink flag above the airport, and the sound of waves was lost in the perpetual droning of the planes. (Para 2)To flaunt means to deliberately try to make people notice something, egyour possessions, beauty, abilities etc, because you want them to admire you. The sunset flaunted its pink flag means the pink color of the setting sun was like a flag which the sun was using to try to make everyone notice and admire it. To drone means to make a continuous low sound. Because Logan is an international airport, the noise of the planes continued all the time. So it was perpetual.4 I marveled at the moving beacons on the runway and watched, until itgrew completely dark, the flashing red and green lights that rose and setin the sky like shooting stars. (Para 2)A beacon is a bright light that shines in the dark and is used as a signalto warn people of danger or to show them the way to somewhere. Beacons are used in airports to show approaching and departing planes the position ofthe runways to help them land and take off safely. A shooting star is a meteor, a large piece of rock in space that falls through the earth’s atmosphere and makes a bright line of light in the sky. When you see a shooting star, it is said to be lucky, and some people make a wish.5 Out by the parking lot David and I found the perfect alcove for our Superman dramas. (Para 5)A parking lot is the American equivalent of a car park, British English. A lot in American English refers to a small area of land used for aparticular purpose.6 During recess, David and I came into our own. (Para 6)To come into one’s own means to have the opportunity to show how good or useful someone is. Here the two children are good at imaginative play with Superman games.7 We ignored the boys playing baseball on the gravel court and the girls giggling at dodge-ball in the dell. (Para 6)Dodge-ball is a game played by children standing in a circle or on opposite sides of an area. A rubber ball is thrown by those outside, who try to hit those in the circle. The children in the circle try to dodge the ball to avoid being hit.8 Our Superman games made us outlaws … (Para 6)An outlaw is a criminal, especially one who moves from place to place to avoid being caught. There are many famous stories of outlaws in Western culture, eg Robin Hood, Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Ned Kelly etc. Here, the two children are outlaws because they play their imaginative games against the custom of other games like dodge-ball.9 … the sallow mamma’s boy on our block who was left out of the boys’ games ... and skin his fat knees. (Para 6)Mamma, mama, momma, mummy are children’s names for mother (mum). A mamma’s boy is one who depends too much on his mother and is not independent when he should be.To skin one’s knees m eans to hurt one’s knees by falling on a rough surface in a way that causes some skin to be removed.10 At the time my Uncle Frank was living with us while waiting to be drafted … (Para 8)The draft means conscription into the armed forces for military service. People who are drafted are made to join the army, navy etc; they are conscripts or draftees not volunteers.Reading and understanding3 Answer the questions.1 What were Sylvia Plath’s most important memories?She remembered winning a prize, Paula Br own’s new suit and the view from her window.2 Where did she live and what could she see from her bedroom window?She lived on the bay side of town, on Johnson Avenue, and she could see the lights of Boston and LoganAirport from her bedroom window.3 What did the view make her want to do?It made her want to fly in her dreams.4 Why did she have such vivid dreams?Because she was rarely tired when she went to bed.5 Who appeared in her dreams?Superman appeared and taught her to fly.6 Why did she enjoy the radio adventures of Superman?Because she loved the sheer poetry of flight.7 Where did her friend and she play Superman?At the dingy back entrance to the school, an alcove in a long passageway. Unit 2 Childhood memories468 Why do you think they chose Sheldon to be the villain?Because he was a mamma’s boy and was left out of the other boys’ games.9 How did she feel about her Uncle Frank?She admired him as she thought he bore an extraodinary resemblance to Superman incognito.4 Choose the best summary of the passage.3 Sylvia Plath wrote about her real and imaginary life as a child. Dealing with unfamiliar words5 Match the words in the box with their definitions.1 accurate and true (definite)2 continuing all the time (perpetual)3 to spin quickly in circles (whirl)4 to shine very brightly (blaze)5 to laugh in a nervous, excited or silly way that is difficult to control (giggle)6 to encourage someone to speak or continue speaking (prompt)7 to fall to the ground (tumble)6 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 5. Plath never needed to be (1) prompted to talk about her childhood memories. They were very (2) definite and still real to her as an adult. She imagined she could fly and (3) whirl through the air like Superman. Coming from the highways around Boston was the (4) perpetual sound of traffic. In thedistance a planewas taking off, its lights (5) blazing into the night sky. She remembered the sound of (6) giggling which came from the group of girls. Sadly in her later life it seemed as if Superman had (7) tumbled to earth.7 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box.1 The lights at the airport went on and off all day and night. (blinked)2 The playground was like a desert. It was without any interesting or positive features and unfriendly. (barren)3 The boys were playing a children’s game in which the players chase and try to touch each other and the girls were gossiping and giggling. (tag)4 Pulling the legs off insects is a form of action causing extreme physical pain by someone as a punishment, and is extremely cruel. (torture)5 The similarity in appearance between the twins was striking. (resemblance)6 He would cover candy with a piece of cloth used for cleaning lips and hands, and make it disappear. (napkin)8 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 If you look through a kaleidoscope, are you likely to see (a) changing coloured patterns, or (b) a single coloured pattern?2 If you flaunt something, do you (a) deliberately try to make people notice, or (b) try to hide it?3 If you marvel at something, do you find it (a) boring, or (b) surprising and fascinating?4 Are shooting stars likely to (a) move brightly through the night sky, or(b) stand still?5 Is the twilight likely to be (a) at the end of, or (b) in the middle of the day?6 If you drift off to sleep, are you likely to fall asleep (a) quickly, or(b) slowly?7 If someone is bookish, are they likely to be (a) more, or (b) less interested in reading books than doing other activities?8 If you make up something, do you (a) invent it, or (b) borrow it from someone else?9 If you come into your own, are you likely to show (a) how effective and useful, or (b) ineffective and useless you can be?10 Is a villain likely to be a (a) good, or (b) bad person?11 If you are left out of something, are you likely to be (a) included, or(b) excluded?Active reading (2)Language points1 These changing ideas about children have led many social scientists to claim that childhood is a “social construction”. (Para 4)A social construction refers to the process or result of creating an ideaor system of behaviour in social contexts, ie it is created and developed between people and is not something natural or genetic.2 Social anthropologists have shown this in their studies of peoples ... (Para 5)Social anthropologists are scholars and researchers who study human societies, customs and beliefs from a social perspective, which may be distinct from the focus of physical anthropologists or linguistic anthropologists.3 Because they can’t be reasoned with, and don’t understand, parentstreat them with a great deal of tolerance and leniency. (Para 5)Tolerance is the attitude of someone who is willing to accept otherpeople’s beli efs or way of life without criticizing them even if they disagree with them. The word leniency means giving a punishment or actingin a way that is not as severe or harsh as it could be.4 They are seen as being closer to mad people than adults because theylack the highly prized quality of social competence … (Para 6)Something is prized if it is considered to be very important or valuable. The examples in the passage emphasize how different cultural communitiesmay give importance to quite different qualities which they expect from children, so the children are brought up very differently.5 They are regularly told off for being clumsy and a child who falls over may be laughed at, shouted at, or beaten. (Para 6)To tell someone off means to criticize someone angrily for doing something wrong. If you are told off for doing something in a serious or official way, you are reprimanded.6 Looking at it from a cross-cultural perspective shows the wide varietyof childhoods that exist acrossthe world … (Para 11)A cross-cultural perspective is a view which considers different cultures separately or independently and then makes comparisons. An intercultural perspective would look at the relations and interactions between different cultures or communities, taking inside views of each culture into account.A transcultural perspective would look at different cultures usingknowledge, skills and insights which are thought toapply to a wide range of cultural contexts and which would help people in intercultural contexts.Reading and understanding3 Read the passage again and complete the table.Teaching tips•When Ss have completed the table on their own, divide the class into seven groups, each group being responsible for one row in the table. They have to summarize the characteristics of childhood of this ethnic group, and also include an example. Then they report to the class. Each group should also add related information they learned from the passage, and the language and culture notes. The presentation of each group could be given from that exact roles of parents from that exact cultural or ethnic group. If this is difficult, T may give each group a copy of the example below, and ask them to practise and present it to the class.•As a way to follow this up, T can ask each group, one by one, to compare their result with that of another group, without looking at their books. An alternative follow-up is for the T, together with one or two Ss, to take the roles of TV reporters who meet each group and ask them “on camera” to compare themselves with another group, and talk about how they understand the other group from a cross-cultural perspective.1 We are American colonial people. We lived in the 17th and 18th centuries on the east coast of America and our families settled here from Europe. In our time, children were expected to be good and industrious. That was the main characteristic of childhood. For example, when our girls were four they knitted stockings and mittens; when they were six they spun wool. We called them “Mrs” to show the girls our appreciation.2 We are Inuit people from the Arctic regions. Some of us are from Canada and Greenland, Denmark, others from Russia and Alaska of US. For us, children need to get ihuma – you would call this the process of acquiring thought, reason and understanding. That’s the main characteristic of childhood.For example, as parents we are tolerant and lenient with children until they are old enough to develop ihuma, then we can teach them and discipline them.3 We are from Tonga, a kingdom of about 170 islands in the south-west Pacific Ocean. As parents, we may regularly beat our children if they haven’t yet developed poto. You would think of poto as social competence.For us, it’s the main quality that our children need to deve lop. So we treat them withdiscipline and physical punishment when they are mischievous or wilful.4 We are the Beng people. We live in different parts of West Africa. The main characteristic of childhood is that young children are thought to be in contact with the spirit world. They come to the world reluctantly because life in the spirit world is so pleasant. As parents, we have to look after our children properly, or they may return to the spirit world. We have to treat them with care and reverence. They can know and understand everything we tell them, whatever languages we use.5 We are parents from the Western world today. Some of us are from Europe, others from North America, Australia and other places. The main characteristic of childhood in our countries is that children are incompetent and dependent, so they should play, be part of the family and go to school. Children should not work. For example, a child under 14can’t look after a younger child unsupervised because they aren’t competent or responsible yet. If we found a child of 12 working in afactory or in a market, the social services could intervene and the family could be prosecuted.6 We are Fulani people. Most of us live in West Africa. For us, the main characteristic of childhood is that children are competent and responsible. So by the age of four our girls can care for their younger siblings; by six they can pound grain or produce milk and butter which they can sell in the market alongside us.7 We are the Yanamamö people from the Amazonian rainforest. We live among the hills where you probably call the border between Brazil and Venezuela. The main characteristic of childhood is that children are responsible and competent. Our girls help their mothers from a young age and by the age of ten they will be running the house. This is important because they will probably be married at 12 or 13.Our boys have fewer responsibilities. They can play because they don’t get married until later.Culture / Ethnic group Characteristics of childhoodAmerican colonial expected to be good and industriousInuit develop a process of acquiring thought, reason and understanding Tongaregularly beaten and told off by parents and older siblings, seen as being verynaughty, until they develop social competenceBengtreated with great care and reverence, believed that they are in contact with thespirit worldChildhood memories Unit 255Culture / Ethnic group Characteristics of childhoodWestern world todayseen as incompetent and irresponsible; playing not working, going to school notlabouring, consumption instead of productionFulani competent and responsible; expected to workYanamamöcompetent and responsible; girls expected to work from a young age, be marriedand have children at 12 or 13; boys having fewer responsibilities and gettingmarried later4 Choose the best way to complete the sentences.1 The characteristics of childhood a hundred years ago (d) .(a) would have interfered in their education(b) are similar to those of today(c) would be illegal today(d) meant that children were treated more like adults2 The idea that childhood is a social construction suggests that (a) .(a) children experience childhood in different ways according to the society in which they live(b) enormous transformations have taken place within a relatively short time(c) children in the past worked harder(d) all children are different from adults3 Both Inuit and Tongan parents understand that (b) .(a) their children need to be treated in a way which would be considered harsh by outsiders(b) their children don’t yet possess certain prized qualities, such as reasoning and social competence(c) growing up is a process of acquiring thought, not social skills(d) bringing up their children requires tolerance and discipline4 Parents of Beng children treat them with great care because they (d) .(a) think children know all human languages and understand all cultures(b) think life in the earthly world is unpleasant(c) believe the children still live in a spirit world(d) fear the children may choose to return to the spirit world where they lived before they were born5 Western childcare practices (c) .(a) include allowing eight-year-old girls to work and 12-year-old girls to marry(b) treat the child in a bizarre and possibly harmful way(c) see the child as being incompetent, dependent on the parents, and incapable of looking after other children(d) are only similar to Yanamamö childcare practices in that girls help out at home, and boys are allowed to play well into their teens6 The main idea of the passage is that (c) .(a) history shows us how our perception of childhood has changed(b) childhood is viewed in different ways according to the child’s cultural and social upbringing(c) both history and society can affect our perception of childhood(d) Western notions of childhood are outdated and not informed (continued)Dealing with unfamiliar words5 Read the passage again and find the words in the box. Choose the best definition in the context of thepassage.1 consumption(a) the process of buying or using goods(b) the process of eating, drinking, or smoking something2 colonial(a) relating to a system or period in which one country rules another(b) made in a style that was common in North America in the 18th century3 knit(a) to make something such as a piece of clothing using wool and sticks called knitting needles(b) to join together or work together as one group or unit4 harsh(a) unpleasant and difficult to live in(b) strict, unkind, and often unfair5 contact(a) communication between people, countries, or organizations either by talking or writing(b) a situation in which people or things touch each other6 impose(a) to force someone to have the same opinion, belief as you(b) to cause extra work for someone by asking them to do something that may not be convenient for them7 perspective(a) a way of thinking about something(b) a sensible way of judging how good, bad, important etc something is in comparison with other things6 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words and expressions in the box.Our (1) knowledge and understanding of childhood is undergoing a process of (2) nonstop change. In the West we see children as being (3) in need of adult control. However, among other (4) socio-cultural groups with similar traditions children are (5) mainly considered to be capable of assuming greater responsibilities. So there is a (6) strong desire for (7) someone who does not belong to this group to think that such practices might be odd or even harmful. But while most ethnic groups may at first show (8) hesitation about integrating other traditions and customs with their own, (9) outside pressures usually make them change their traditional view of childhood.Key: (1) notion (2) continual (3) dependent on (4) ethnic (5) largely(6) temptation (7) an outsider (8) reluctance (9) external7 Answer the questions about the words and expressions.1 Is prosecution likely to be (a) the act of accusing someone of a crime, or (b) the process of supervisionby the social services?2 Is intricate likely to be (a) very basic, or (b) very detailed in design?3 Is leniency likely to involve (a) kindness and understanding, or (b)strict discipline?4 If someone tells you off, are they (a) criticizing, or (b) praising you?5 Is a mischievous child likely to (a) be well behaved, or (b) enjoy having fun by causing trouble?6 If a child is wilful, are they likely to cause damage or harm (a) deliberately, or (b) by mistake?7 When a child is unsupervised, are they likely to be (a) looked after by adults, or (b) without an adult looking after them?8 Is something bizarre likely to be (a) strange and difficult to explain,or (b) very usual?Language in useunpacking complex sentences1 Look at the sentences from the passage Superman and answer the questions.1 My flying dreams were believable as a landscape by Dali, so real that I would awake with a sudden shock, a breathless sense of having tumbled like Icarus from the sky and caught myself on the soft bed just in time.(a) What were believable?Her dreams about flying were believable.(b) How real were they?They were very real.Unit 2 Childhood memories60(c) Who had the sense of having tumbled like Icarus?The writer, Sylvia Plath.(d) Why would she wake up with a breathless sense?Because she felt she was really flying.(e) What did the breathless sense feel like?It felt like a sudden shock.(f) Why did she catch herself on the soft bed just in time?Because she felt she was falling.2 We even found a stand-in for a villain in Sheldon Fein, the sallow mamma’s boy on our block who was left out of the boys’ games because he cried whenever anybody tagged him and always managed to fall down and skin his fat knees.(a) What did we find?We found someone who could be a villain.(b) Who was the stand-in for a villain?Sheldon Fein.(c) What was he like?He was sallow and a mamma’s boy.(d) Where did he come from?He came from their block.(e) Why was he left out of the boys’ games?Because he always cried and fell over.(f) What happened when he always managed to fall down?He skinned his knees.2 Rewrite the sentence from the passage Cultural childhoods in a diagram below.He has written how a Yanamamö girl is expected to help her mother from a young age and by the age of ten will be running a house.3 Complete the sentences with the correct form of suitable expressions from the collocation box.Sometimes more than one collocation is possible.1 The Australian bush fires blazed for several days before they were brought under control.2 As a child Ruth’s long dark hair tumbled down her back.3 He comes from a very close-knit / tight-knit family with three brothers and two sisters.4 I remember my father used to knit his brows / eyebrows together when he was thinking hard aboutsomething.5 It was extremely hot and the sun was blazing.Hehaswrittenhow aYanomamö girlfrom a youngage andwill be runninga houseis expected to helpher motherby the age of ten6 Did you knit that jumper / hat yourself? It’s really beautiful!7 I’m wat ching the financial markets – I think the prices of stocks will tumble quite soon.4 Translate the paragraphs into Chinese.1 My flying dreams were believable as a landscape by Dali, so real that I would awake with a sudden shock, a breathless sense of having tumbled like Icarus from the sky and caught myself on the soft bed just in time. These nightly adventures in space began when Superman started invading my dreams and teaching me how to fly. He used to come roaring by in his shining blue suit with his cape whistling in the wind, looking remarkably like my Uncle Frank who was living with mother and me. In the magic whirling of his cape I could hear the wings of a hundred seagulls, the motors of a thousand planes.我的飞行梦像达利的风景画那么真实可信，以致于自己常常会在一阵惊吓中醒来，好像伊卡罗斯那样从空中摔下来，虽然发现自己刚好掉到软软的床上，但也被吓得喘不过气来。
