Unit 4 Astronomy: the science of the stars
Period 3 Learning about language: Grammar
整体设计
教材分析
This is the third teaching period of this unit. To test whether students have grasped the important and difficult language points they learned in the last period, the teacher should first offer them some revision exercises. Then lead in the new lesson.
This teaching period mainly deals with the following: 1. Reviewing noun clauses as the object and as the predicative; 2. Learning the new grammar items: noun clauses as the subject. Students often feel noun clauses abstract and difficult to learn, so it is necessary to make the lesson interesting and lively, and connect it with their daily life in order to let it easy to accept and understand. Firstly, the teacher can ask students to read the passage HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH again, tick out all the sentences from the passage where noun clauses are used as the subject, and then translate them into Chinese. Secondly, compare and discover the uses of each noun clause by giving a lot of example sentences. Thirdly, do the exercises in Discovering useful structures on Page 29 and more exercises for students to master the related noun clauses. Finally, summarize the use of noun clauses as the subject and let students make it clear how each noun clause is being used in the situations.
At the end of the class, ask students to do the exercises in Using structures on Page 64 and more additional exercises for consolidation.
教学重点
Get students to understand and use noun clauses as the subject.
教学难点
Enable students to learn how to use noun clauses as the subject correctly.
三维目标
知识目标
1. Get students to know more about noun clauses.
2. Let students learn noun clauses as the subject.
What it was to become was a mystery. . .
. . . it was not clear whether the solid shape was to last or not.
能力目标
Enable students to use noun clauses as the subject correctly and properly according to the context.
情感目标
1. Get students to become interested in grammar learning.
2. Develop students’ sense of group cooperation.
教学过程
设计方案(一)
→Step 1 Revision
1. Check the homework exercises.
2. Dictate some new words and expressions.
3. Translate the following sentences.
1) 你早晚会来的。
2) 我的车与你的不一样。
3) 他总是第一个来, 最后一个走。
4) 他来不来还不清楚。
5) 我们的成败取决于是否每个人都努力工作。
6) 我们必须采取措施防止这种疾病的蔓延。
Suggested answers:
1) You will come here in time.
2) My car is different from yours.
3) He is always the first to come and the last to go.
4) It is not clear whether he comes or not.
5) Our success depends on whether everyone works hard or not.
6) We must take actions to prevent this disease (from) spreading.
→Step 2 Preparation
Show some sentences on the screen. Ask students to read each of them and then find out its subject.
A tree has fallen across the road.
You are a student.
To find your way can be a problem.
Smoking is bad for you.
“How do you do? ” is a greeting.
What she said is not yet known.
That we shall be late is certain.
It’s certain that we shall be late.
→Step 3 Grammar learning
1. Reading and discovering
Ask students to turn back to Page 25 to read through the reading passage and find all the sentences where noun clauses are used as the subject and underline them. Then translate them into Chinese.
Suggested answers:
1) What it was to become was uncertain until between 4. 5 and 3. 8 billion years ago when the dust settled into a solid globe.
地球会变成什么(样子), 直到45亿至38亿年前这个云团变成一个固体的球状物, 才确定下来。
2) The earth became so violent that it was not clear whether the shape would last or not.
地球变得激烈动荡, 不知道这个固体形状是否会继续存在下去。
3) What is even more important is that as the earth cooled down, water began to appear on its surface.
更重要的是, 随着地球的冷却, 地球的表面就开始出现了水。
4) It was not immediately obvious that water was to be fundamental to the development of life.
水对于生命的发展会起关键作用, 这一点在当时并不明显。
5) What many scientists believe is that the continued presence of water allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases and acids into the oceans and seas.
很多科学家相信, 由于地球上长期有水存在, 使地球得以把有害气体和酸性物质溶解在海洋里。
6) Why they suddenly disappeared still remains a mystery.
为什么他们突然消失了, 至今还是个谜。
7) So whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved.
所以, 在未来的数百万年中, 生命能否在地球上延续取决于这个问题能否得到解决。
2. Thinking and discussing
Let students read aloud the sentences they picked out, think over and discuss with a partner how each of these noun clauses is being used in the situations. If students have some difficulty, give them a hand.
3. Summing up: noun clauses as the subject.
主语从句
作主语用的名词性从句, 因其在复合句中作主语, 又称主语从句。
(1)连接词:
1) 从属连词 that, whether等。
that 引导主语从句只起引导作用, 本身无实际意义, 在主语从句中不充当任何成分, 但不能省略。
That she left him cut him to the heart.
她的离开使他很伤心。
由whether引导的主语从句放在句首、句末都可。
Whether it will please them is not easy to say. /It is not easy to say whether it will please them.
很难说这会不会使他们高兴。
2) 连接代词 who, what, which, whoever, whatever, whichever等。
What seems easy to some people seems difficult to others.
对某些人看来很容易的事, 对另外一些人可能很困难。
3) 连接副词 when, where, how, why等。
Why he did it remains a mystery.
他为什么做那件事依然是个谜。
(2)位置
主语从句可以前置, 也可以后置。用it作形式主语, 而把主语从句放在句末, 常用下面几种句型:
1) It+be+表语+主语从句
It is still uncertain whether he is coming or not.
他是不是来还没有确定。
2) It+不及物动词+主语从句
It happens that they were absent.
他们碰巧缺席了。
3) It+及物动词(被动语态)+主语从句
It has been decided that the exhibition will not open on Sundays.
现经决定展览会星期日不开放。
注意:
1) 主语从句在句首时, 必须由连接词引导, 不能省略这些连接词; 但是如果用it作形式主语, 而把主语从句放在句末时, 从属连词that可以省略。
他们相互喜爱是很自然的。
误: They should like each other is natural.
正: That they should like each other is natural.
正: It is natural (that) they should like each other.
2) 如果主语从句放在句首, 不能用if引导; 但是如果用it 作形式主语, 而把主语从句放在句末时, 也可以用if引导。
玛丽是不是真听见他了, 很值得怀疑。
误: If Mary really heard him is really doubtful.
正: Whether Mary really heard him is really doubtful.
正: It was doubtful whether/if Mary really heard him.
→Step 4 Grammar practice
1. Turn to Page 29. Ask students to do Exercise 2 and Exercise 3 in Discovering useful structures. First let them finish them individually. Then check the answers with the whole class. Give some explanations if necessary.
2. Turn to Page 64. Ask students to do Exercise 1 and Exercise 2. Check the answers after most of them finish.
→Step 5 Discussion
Let students have a discussion in groups. The topic is “My problem”. One talks about the problems in his study or life. The others should give some advice or suggestions. Remind students to use the following structures:
(Show the following on the screen to help students. )
The fact is/It is a fact that. . .
The difficulty is. . . /What I find difficult is. . .
The trouble is. . . /What worries me is. . .
My suggestion is. . . /What I would suggest is. . .
My advice is. . . /What I would advise is. . .
I think that. . . /What I think is. . .
I want to tell you that. . . /What I want to say is. . .
→Step 6 Closing down by a quiz
Show the following exercises on the screen. Let students finish them within three minutes. Three minutes later, check the answers with the whole class.
1. I have always been honest and straightforward, and it doesn’t matter ______________ that I’m talking to.
A. who is itB. who it isC. it is whoD. it is whom
2. It is pretty well understood ______________ controls the flow of carbon dioxide in and out the atmosphere today.
A. that
B. when
C. what
D. how
3. ______________ made the school proud was ______________ more than 90% of students had been admitted to key universities.
A. What; because
B. What; that
C. That; what
D. That; because
4. ______________ team wins on Saturday will go through to the national championship.
A. No matter what
B. No matter which
C. Whatever
D. Whichever
5. ______________ is our belief that improvements in health care will lead to a stronger, more prosperous economy.
A. As
B. That
C. This
D. It
6. ______________ I can’t understand is ______________ he changed his mind.
A. That; that
B. What; why
C. Which; how
D. That; why
Suggested answers: BCBDDB
→Step 7 Homework
1. Finish off the workbook exercises.
2. Preview the reading passage A VISIT TO THE MOON on Page 30, find the sentences in which noun clauses are used, and see if you can understand them.
设计方案(二)
→Step 1 Revision
1. Check the homework exercises.
2. Translate the following into English.
1) 太阳系
2) 及时; 终于
3) 下蛋
4) 产生; 分娩
5) 轮到某人; 接着
6) 总有一天我会遇见他。
7) 都市生活与乡村生活是非常不同的。
8) 他们不应该允许在这条街上停车, 街道太窄了。
9) 他的心脏病痛没能阻止他第二天去上课。
10) 在未来的数百万年中, 生命能否在地球上延续取决于这个问题能否得到解决。
Suggested answers:
1) solar system
2) in time
3) lay eggs
4) give birth to
5) in one’s turn
6) I’ll see him in time.
7) City life is quite different from country life.
8) They shouldn’t allow parking in this street. It’s too narrow.
9) His heart trouble did not prevent him (from) going to class the next day.
10) Whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved.
→Step 2 Warming up by a game
Let students work in pairs. One talks about the problems in his study or life. The other should give some advice or suggestions. Encourage them to use what-clauses as the subject.
Example:
S1: What I find difficult is. . . /What worries me is. . .
S2: What I would suggest is. . . /What I would advise is. . .
→Step 3 Discovering useful structures
Ask students to find out the sentences containing noun clauses as the subject in the reading passage and underline them. Then translate them into Chinese.
→Step 4 Learning the use of noun clauses as the subject
1. Ask students to turn to Page 92 and learn part 3 The Subject Clause by themselves.
2. Encourage them to ask as many questions as possible. Give them explanations if necessary.
3. Let them do some additional exercises.
4. Sum up.
→Step 5 Practice
Ask students to finish the following exercises within 10 minutes. Then check the answers with the whole class.
1. Exercises 2 and 3 in Discovering useful structures on Page 13.
2. Exercise 1 in Using structures on Page 64.
→Step 6 Consolidation
Let students work in pairs to make sentences with noun clauses as the subject to fill in the blanks.
1. What _____________________________is astronomy.
2. When _____________________________hasn’t been decoded yet.
3. Whether _____________________________depends on your behavior.
4. How _____________________________ is a personal decision.
5. Why _____________________________ a puzzle to us.
6. It’s funny that
_____________________________.
7. It worries us that
_____________________________.
8. It appears that _____________________________ .
→Step 7 Homework
1. Finish off the Workbook exercises.
2. Make use of different learning resources to have an inquiry study of the subject clause, and summarize the rules of it.
板书设计
Unit 4 Astronomy: the science of the stars
Grammar: noun clauses as the subject
连接词 例句
从属连词: that, whether That she left him cut him to the heart.
Whether it will please them is not easy to say.连接代词: who, what, which, whoever, whatever, whichever What seems easy to some people seems difficult to others.
连接副词: when, where, how, why Why he did it remains a mystery.
it作形式主语
It+be+表语+主语从句 It is still uncertain whether he is coming or not.
It+不及物动词+主语从句 It happens that they were absent.
It+及物动词(被动语态)+主语从句 It has been decided that the exhibition will not open on Sundays.
活动与探究
Suppose you are to design an activity for your school on Earth Day, which is intended to call on teachers and students to protect the earth. Work in groups and choose a reporter of your group to report your work. The following points should be included in the report of your activity:
what the activity is about;
why the activity is designed;
when and where to do the activity;
who takes part in the activity;
what to be done in the activity.