10 Unit 4 Diogenes and Alexander 教案讲义

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Unit 4

一、授课时间：第8、9周

二．授课类型：理论课9课时；实践课3课时

三．授课题目：Diogenes and Alexander

四．授课时数：12

五．教学目的和要求：

通过讲授课文使大学生了解有关犬儒哲学的有关知识，学会用英语解释句子以达到学以致用的目的。要求学生主动地预习课文，课前准备练习，学会分析文章体裁和进行段落划分。六．教学重点和难点：

1）背景知识的传授：Diogenes and Cynicism (doggishness)；

2）文章的体裁分析及段落划分；

3）语言点的理解：

Word study: account; possess; form; roll; elaborate

Grammar Focus: The function of adverbial modifier in different sentences; Patterns: the first/second, ect./the next/last+to-infinitive; the first, ect. + who/that clause

七．教学基本内容和纲要

Part One Warm – up

1.1 Warm-up Questions

1.2 Define the following words and phrases

Part Two Background Information

2.1 Differences and similarities between Diogenes and Alexander

Part Three Text Appreciation

3.1 Text Analysis

3.1.1 Theme of the text

3.1.2 Structure of the text

3.2 Writing Devices

3.2.1 Contrast

3.2.2 Developing paragraphs by examples

3.2.3 Other ways of developing paragraphs?

3.3 Sentence Paraphrase

Part Four Language Study

4.1 Phrases and Expressions

4.1.1 Word list:

4.1.2 Phrases and expressions list:

4.1.3 Word Building

4.2 Grammar

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4.2.1 Object

Part Five Extension

5.1 Group discussion

八、教学方法和措施

本单元将运用黑板、粉笔、多媒体网络辅助教学设备等教学手段，主要采用以学生为主体、教师为主导的任务型、合作型等教学模式，具体运用教师讲授法、师生讨论、生生讨论等方法进行教学。

九．作业，讨论题，思考题

完成课后练习；

多看英语报刊杂志及英语经典小说，扩大阅读量；

精听与泛听相结合，逐步提高自己的听力水平；

积极参加英语角等有助于提高英语口语的活动；

坚持用英语写日记；

做一些专四相关练习；

十．参考资料：

1)杨立民主编,《现代大学英语精读》（3）第二版，学生用书。北京：外语教学与研究出

版社,2012。

2)杨立民主编,《现代大学英语精读》（3）第二版，教师用书。北京：外语教学与研究出

版社,2012。

3)李观仪主编，《新编英语教程》（第三、四册）。上海:上海外语教学研究出版, 1999。

4)黄源深，虞苏美等主编，《综合英语教程》（1-4册）。北京：高等教育出版社，1998。

5)《高等学校英语专业英语教学大纲》，北京：外语教学研究出版社，2000。

6)Judy Pearsall主编，《新牛津英语词典》。上海：上海外语教育出版社，1998。

7)丁往道、吴冰等编著，《英语写作手册》。北京：外语教学与研究出版社。

8)张道真，《现代英语用法词典》（重排本）。北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1994。

9)张道真，温志达, 《英语语法大全》上、下卷。北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1998。十一、课后小结

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Unit 4 Diogenes and Alexander

Part One Warm – up

1.1 Warm-up Questions

1. What does the author tell us about Diogenes? Who was he? What was his philosophy? What did he think was the problem with people? How did he intend to help them? What were the key values he promoted? How, in his opinion, could we find true happiness?

2. What does the author tell us about Alexander? What did this king have in common with Diogenes, the beggar? Why was Alexander considered a man of destiny?

3. How would you contrast the two characters? Why did Alexander decide to visit Diogenes? What did Diogenes really mean when he said that Alexander was blocking the sunlight?

1.2 Define the following words and phrases

1. a mischievous pebble

2. elaborate

3. by design

4. restrained

5. chivalrous

Part Two Background Information

2.1 Differences and similarities between Diogenes and Alexander

1. Who was Diogenes?

A beggar

A philosopher

A missionary

2. Doctrine: Cynicism

the doctrine that scorned worldly needs and pleasures and held that virtue was the key to the only good 3. Cynicism in modern sense:

the belief of a cynic, who maintains that people are all motivated by selfishness, that no one will help others for good and sincere reasons

4. What are the major tenets (principles) of Cynicism? Do you find any expressions of these principles in the text?

self-sufficiency

shamelessness

outspokenness

perfection of virtue

5. Alexander

Macedonian King: son of Philip

The Thinker: student of Aristotle

The Conqueror: Greece, Asia, Egypt

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Why do you think he wanted to bring so many regions under his rule?

the Great Empire

Part Three Text Appreciation

3.1 Text Analysis

3.1.1 Character Analysis

How did Diogenes contrast with ordinary homeless people?

Diogenes: the philosopher (para. 4)

“A Socrates gone mad”:

repositioning of convention below nature and reason

Three key principles:

living in accord with nature

total disregard of convention

independence (freedom) being the only true, lasting good

Diogenes: the missionary (para. 5)

Comparison with ordinary hermits

Similarities:

Both grew tired of human society with its complications and wanted to live simply.

Differences:

hermits

went away to live simply—on a small farm, in a quiet village or a cave

Diogenes

had a sense of mission, deliberately chose to live in the busy streets in Athens or Corinth, in order to

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convert people

What was his mission?

“to restamp the currency”

call people back to the natural way of life—true life

Diogenes: ways of teaching (para. 6)

How did Diogenes differ from other philosophers of his time?

Plato:

taught his private pupils in his Academy, which he founded as one of the earliest centers of advanced learning in the world.

Aristotle:

taught his own private pupils by the use of laboratory, instruments, and specimens.

Diogenes:

taught all those who would care to listen by his own example or by taking people around him for examples.

He carried a lighted lamp in broad daylight and inspected the face of everyone he met.

“When you are all so busy, I feel I ought to do something!”

Alexander: citizen of the world (paras. 11-13)

1. King: different from other Macedonians

drinking?

women?

fighting?

2. Thinker: Aristotle’s pupil, he learned

culture

philosophy

principles of scientific research

3. Conqueror

took command of the League of Greek States

commander-in-chief of a new expedition against old, rich, corrupt Asia

The Dramatic Encounter (paras. 14-17)

The differences and similarities between the two historical characters.

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Similarities

1.Both were great thinkers.

2.Both had a sense of mission.

3.Both were “citizens of the world,” admiring the heroic figure of Hercules, who labored for

mankind.

4.Both were free.

3.1.2 Structure of the text

Paras. 1-10

Diogenes (life, philosophy, mission, ways of teaching)

Paras. 11-13

Alexander (a philosopher king with an inquiring, noble mind)

Paras. 14-17

their dramatic encounter

Relevant questions:

1. Question: What do you know about the historical background of the people discussed in the essay?

2. Question: What does the essay tell us about Diogenes and Alexander?

3. Question:What is a possible reason for an author to take the time to write an essay like this describing people who are long dead and gone?

4.Question: How is the essay structured?

5.Question:Try to find more information about these two historical figures to share with your classmates.

6.Question: Underline the parts of the text that you find particularly well-put and interesting.

7. Question: Be ready to give comments on the essay.

3.2 Writing Devices

1 Comparison & Contrast →examples

use transitional words or expressions to make comparison and achieve unity: not so (para. 5), the other…but for… (para. 6)

He was one, but not the other. (para.1)

Not so Diogenes. (para. 5)

But for Diogenes, … (para.6)

…Alexander was far older and wiser than his years. (para. 12)

Like all Macedonians he loved… (para. 12)

…he was a magnificent commander, but he was not merely a military automaton. (para.12)

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Only Diogenes, although he lived in Corinth, did not visit the new monarch. (para.13)

Diogenes merely sat up…Diogenes said nothing. (para. 14)

He understood Cynicism as the others could not. (para. 17)

Like Diogenes, he admired… (para. 17)

…who labored to help mankind while all others toiled… (para.17)

use transitional paragraph to achieve coherence

2. Parallelism

achieve increased strength, sounding more powerful, more effective, e.g. para. 14

3. Euphemism

e.g. done his business, natural acts

4. Transferred Epithet

a figure of speech that carries the modifier across and puts it on to another word which is not normally modified by it, so as to stress the emotions or feelings

e.g. a mischievous pebble (para. 1) (It is Diogenes, not the pebble, that is mischievous.); amazed silence (para. 17) (It is the crowd, not the silence, that is amazed.)

5. Analogy

e.g. drawing a parallel between “change the values” and “restamp the currency” (para. 5)

3.3 Sentence Paraphrase

1. Sometimes they threw bits of food, and got scant thanks; sometimes a mischievous pebble, and got a shower of stones and abuse. (para. 1)

Sometimes people would throw bits of food to him, but he hardly thanked them at all. Sometimes they would throw a pebble at him for fun, but get a shower of stones and a stream of abuse in return.

2. His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase the old false conventional markings, and to imprint it with its true values. (para. 5)

His purpose in life was clear to him: it was “to reprint the coins.” Human life can be taken as the clean coins which are imprinted with false markings. He was to remove the false markings and print the true values on it. In other words, his aim in life was to call on people to reject the false, conventional way of life and return to the simple and natural life.

3.He had done his business like a dog at the roadside.

He had emptied his bowels or passed water like a dog at the roadside.

4.He was not the first to inhabit such a thing. But he was the first who ever did so by choice, out of principle.

He was not the first to live in a cask. But he was the first who ever did so because he wanted to,

not by necessity, not being forced to. He based it on a principle.

5.But he taught chiefly by examples

Diogenes also taught by talking to people, but he mainly taught by setting an example for others to learn from.

6.In order to procure a quantity of false, perishable goods he has sold the only true, lasting good,

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his own independence.

In order to get a certain amount of material property or worldly possessions which actually have no value and will not last, he has allowed himself to be controlled by these things and has given away his own independence which is the only thing that is true and can last.

7. Only twenty, Alexander was far older and wiser than his years.

Alexander looked far older than a man of his age normally does, and was much wiser than a man

of his age normally is.

8. Live without conventions, which are artificial and false; escape complexities and extravagances…(para. 4)

Live simply and freely. Pay no attention to conventions, which are unnatural and useless. Avoid or get rid of all those unnecessary things that make our life complicated and wasteful…

9.They possess him. He is their slave. In order to procure a quantity of false, perishable goods he has sold the only true, lasting good, his own independence. (para. 4)

They own and control him. He is their slave. In order to get some goods that have no true value and will be useless very soon, he has sold the only true, lasting good, his own independence.

10. His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the currency”…(para. 5)

He knew very well what he lived for: it was to change people’s values, to make them know the true meaning of life…

12.He was the man of the hour, of the century…(para. 13)

He was the most popular/important/successful person at this particular moment or this century…

Part Four Language Study

4.1 Phrases and Expressions

1.Having no work to go to and no family to provide ____, he was free. (para. 1)

provide for:give sb the things that they need to live, such as food, clothing

Translation

他要供养他年迈的父母以及两个正在上学的妹妹。

He has to provide for his aged parents and two sister who are still at school.

道路被切断，无法给部队提供给养。

The road was cut off and supplies could not be provided for the troops.

2. As the market place _____ up with shoppers and merchants and slaves and foreigners, he had

________ through it for an hour or two. (para. 1)

Cf. wander, roam, ramble, stroll

Translation

中间还有两个小时，因此她逛了一趟商业中心。

There were still two hours to go, so she strolled through the

shopping mall.

漫步海边，感觉太好了。

I t’s wonderful to take a stroll along the seaside.

3. He thought everybody lived far too __________, expensively, anxiously. What good is a

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house? (para. 2)

Translation

彼得制定了一个非常详尽的计划来筹措资金。

Peter worked out an elaborate scheme for raising the fund.

他们为局长准备了一桌精美的饭菜，结果被狠狠批评了一顿。

They prepared a very elaborate meal for the bureau head only to be severely criticized.

4. No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture: the animals

______________ and sleep on the ground. All we require, since nature did not dress us properly, is one garment to keep us warm, and some shelter from rain and wind. (para. 2) Translation

这名警察死时很年轻，但他的一生过得很有意义。

The policeman died young, but he lived a meaningful life.

作为一个探险者，他的一生充满了冒险。

As an explorer, he lived an adventurous life.

5.…he spent much of his life in…Corinth, mocking and satirizing its people, and occasionally

________ one of them. (para. 2)

convert: to make sb change from one religion or belief to another

Ann has converted to Islam recently.

Marxist literature converted him into a staunch revolutionary.

Cf.

to make sth change from one form, system to a different one

This is part of the process of converting iron into steel.

to change from one object into another

I can’t see how this plastic sheet c onverts into a tent.

6. He was not the first to ______ such a thing. But he was the first who ever did so ___ choice,

_____ principle. (para. 3)

inhabit

Some of the rare species inhabit the area.

by choice

She took the job in the West by choice.

out of

Just out of curiosity, why did you take that job?

7. They _______ him. He is their slave. In order to procure a quantity of false, perishable goods

he has sold the only true, lasting good, his own independence. (para. 4)

Cf.

What possessed him to say a stupid thing like that?

She seemed possessed. Nobody could talk her out of it.

8. Therefore, he chose to live in Athens or Corinth, where travelers from all over the

Mediterranean world constantly came and went. And, design, he publicly behaved in such ways as to show people what real life was. (para. 6)

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Translation

世界是有意缔造的呢，还是偶然形成的呢？

Was the world made by design or did it come into existence by chance?

9. The little square began to fill with people—page boys,

soldiers…they all gradually formed a circle around Diogenes. He looked them _____, as a sober man looks at a crowd of tottering drunks, and shook his head. (para. 11)

look over: (here) examine, scrutinize

More examples with “over”: think over, talk over, read over, go over

10.With his handsome face, his f____ glance, his strong body, his purple and gold cloak, and his

air of d_______, he moved through the parting crowd toward the Dog’s k______. (para. 14)

11.Looking at the poor broken cask, the single r______ garment, and the rough figure lying on the

ground, he said: “Is there anything I can do for you, Diogenes?” (para. 15)

more examples:beloved wife, blessed morning, a wicked man, my aged parents, a rugged coastline

12. The Macedonian officers, after deciding that Diogenes was not _____ the trouble of kicking,

were starting to ______ and nudge one another. (para. 17)

Cf. worth, worthwhile, worthy

a worthwhile cause/discussion/job

High prices in the UK make it worthwhile for buyers to look abroad.

be worthy of attention/consideration/mention

A number of the findings are worthy of note.

a worthy champion/winner/son

Cf. grin, guffaw, titter, chuckle, giggle

grin: to make a wide smile

guffaw: to laugh loudly

titter: to laugh in a suppressed way

chuckle: to laugh softly in a low tone

giggle: to laugh quietly in a silly, childish, uncontrolled way

4.2 Grammar

4.2.1 Recognize and learn to use present participles as adverbial modifiers.

4.2.1.1 Recognize the type of adverbial modifier in these sentences.

Pattern 1

Indicating reason/cause

Having no work to go to and no family to provide for, he was free.

Pattern 2

Indicating simultaneous events

Reading through Verne’s books, one finds it hard to believe that they were written almost 100 years ago.

Pattern 3

Indicating an action immediately after another

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Opening it [the package], she set the button unit on the table.

1. Being the only child, the boy keenly feels the pressure to live up to his family’s expectations. indicating reason/cause

2. Lighting a torch, the wool merchant led his family out into the nightmare of the streets. indicating an action immediately followed by another

3. Slashing off green branches with his knife, the boy cut his hand. indicating simultaneous events

4. Seeing that camping cost $12, I replied, “No, that’ all right. I’ll try something else.”

indicating reason/cause

5. Then, hurrying downstairs, I burst through the front door and ran to the woods.

indicating an action immediately followed

6. Having admitted he was wrong, he felt all the better.

indicating reason/cause

7. Following Ausable down the corridor of the gloomy French hotel, Fowler felt disappointed. indicating simultaneous events

8. Hearing I had no money and would take none, people bought me food or shared whatever they happened to have with them.

indicating simultaneous events

9. Keeping his body twisted so that his gun still covered(掩护) the fat man and his guest, the man at the window swung his other leg up and over the window sill.

indicating an action immediately followed by another

10. Having read her father’s last letter to her, she bitterly regretted ever having quarreled with him.

indicating reason/cause

Rewrite the sentences using present participles

1. They talked to her for a good hour and tried to persuade her to stay on.

They talked to her for a good hour, trying to persuade her to stay on.

2. When she read the book again, she discovered that she had missed a lot in the first reading. Reading the book again, she discovered that she had missed a lot in the first reading.

3. The door opened. It was Harley, who entered. He looked dirty and tired and was carrying a suitcase and an umbrella.

The door opened. It was Harley, who entered, looking dirty and tired, carrying a suitcase and an umbrella.

4. The taxi driver took the injured boy and his parents to hospital. Then he left quietly.

Having taken the injured boy and his parents to hospital, the taxi driver left quietly.

5. All those years, she would often sit by the window and look out. She hoped to see her son returning

home.

All those years, she would often sit by the window and look out, hoping to see her son returning home.

6. When Galileo died on January 8, 1642, he left the world he loved better informed than it was when

he entered it.

When Galileo died on January 8, 1642, leaving the world he loved better informed than it was when

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he entered it.

7. They realized it was dangerous to continue in the dark and decided to camp for the night where they

were.

Realizing it was dangerous to continue in the dark, they decided to camp for the night where

they were.

8. I should wish to die while still at work when I know that others will carry on what I can no longer do,

and I am content in the thought that what was possible has been done.

I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and (being) content in the thought that what was possible has been done.

Part Five Extension

5.1 Group discussion

1.If you think of yourself as a person with a mission, a mission to serve the people, would you rather

be Diogenes with his philosophy or Alexander with his power?

2.Does Cynicism have any relevance to today’s realities?