Summary:  Reading about well-known persons人物传记

I. Related units:相关单元

Book 1  Unit 5  Nelson Mandela----a modern hero

Book 4  Unit 1  Women of achievement   Unit 2 Working the land

               Unit3   Ataste of English humor---Charlie Chaplin

Book 5  Unit 1: Great scientists

II. 4 respects-------- the main line 文章主线

background (birth, family, education, career…)

challenges (?overcome) / life goals (？achieve)

achievements (for people around or the whole world )

inspirations (lessons for readers)

III. Reading based on the 4 respects 阅读中抓住主线

Phil White has just returned from an 18,000-mile, around-t he-world bicycle trip. White had two reasons for making this epic journey. First of all, he wanted to use the trip to raise money for charity, which he did. He raised ￡70,000 for the British charity, Oxfam. White's second reason for making the trip was to break the world record and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. He is still waiting to find out if he has broken the record or not.

White set off fromTrafalgar Square, inLondon, on 19th June 2004 and was back 299 days later. He spent more than l,300 hours in the saddle（车座） and destroyed four sets of tyres and three bike chains. He had the adventure of his life crossing Europe, the Middle East,India, Asia,Australia,New Zealandand theAmericas. Amazingly, he did all of this with absolutely no support team. No jeep carrying food, water and medicine. No doctor. Nothing! Just a bike and a very, very long road.

The journey was lonely and desperate at times. He also had to fight his way across deserts, through jungles and over mountains. He cycled through heavy rains and temperatures of up to 45 degrees, all to help people in need. There were other dangers along the road. InIran, he was chased by armed robbers and was lucky to escape with his life and the little money he had. The worst thing that happened to him was having to cycle into a headwind on a road that crosses the south ofAustralia. For l,000 kilometres he battled against the wind that was constantly pushing him. This part of the trip was slow, hard work and depressing, but he made it in the end. Now Mr.White is back and intends to write a book about his adventures.（2012·上海·A）

1. When Phil White returned from his trip, he __________. 

A. broke the world record                 B. collected money for Oxfam

C. destroyed several bikes                D. travelled about l,300 hours

2. What does the word "epic" in Paragraph l most probably mean?

A. Very slow but exciting.                 B. Very long and difficult.

C. Very smooth but tiring.                 D. Very lonely and depressing.

3. During his journey around the world, Phil White _________.

A. fought heroically against robbers inIran    B. experienced the extremes of heat and cold

C. managed to ride against the wind inAustralia

D. had a team of people who travelled with him

4. Which of the following words can best describe Phil White?

A. Imaginative.    B. Patriotic.   C. Modest.       D. Determined.

IV. Writing basked on the main line 写作中依据主线

1. Summarize a reading 缩写文章

John Snow, an expert physician , attended QueenVictoriainLondonwhen so many thousands of terrified people died every time there was an outbreak of cholera. He realized that only after the cause was found could cholera be controlled. Thus he carried out his research, marking the deaths on the map, analyzed the results and finally drew a conclusion with certainty that the water was to blame. As a result, King cholera was defeated. John Snow’s experience inspires us that we should overcome many problems scientifically. 

(By July)

 

2. Write an introduction to a well-known person 写作练习

  

为参加学校以“伟大人物，杰出榜样”为主题的读书征文活动， 你查阅了许多有关中外伟大科学家的相关资料，请按照下面简要的读书笔录，写一篇有关伟大科学家Stephen Hawking 事迹的简介，并发表自己的感悟来参加征文比赛。词数：120-150, 题目自拟。

姓名	Stephen Hawking	职业	英国杰出的物理理论学家（theoretical physicist）
出生时间	1942年	毕业学校	牛津大学；剑桥大学
主要事迹	21岁患了致命的疾病致残。他却以坚强的意志继续黑洞问题的研究；他于1988出版了《时间简史》。目前他仍然忙于撰写科学论文，并到世界各地发表演讲。

 

V: Self-reflection 自我反思

In our future study, whenever asked to write or read about some person, we should carry out the task mainly based on these four parts to draw a clear skeleton.

 

VI: Related words and expressions 课文中相关的表达词组、句型

Useful expressions: 词组

fight for …..              drive…. out of ….      concern oneself with ……  a specialist in women’s illnesses         devote all her/his life to (doing) sth            be outspoken about …..    lead/live a busy life     crowd in                 gain a doctor’s degree          support her  

fill one’s mind          argue about the price     look down upon…       do some research on..           her chosen career             catch my eye             care for babies(=take care of..)      

keep sb free from ….  be intended for sb       place…second to ….       her gentle nature    deliver a baby / a woman/ milk / a speech     could/can not wait to do … 

carry on (doing ) sth      consider himself a farmer          struggle for sth  

over the past five decades    over the past half century      up to/till now (接完成时)        

see the great need for (doing) sth                   a disturbing problem              search for a way

circulate his knowledge               thanks to    rid the world of hunger =get rid of the world’s hunger       be satisfied with…     care about being famous                      give sb less freedom to do sth

would rather keep time for his hobbies                  mean very little to sb（对某人很不重要） 

with the hope of (=in hopes of=in the hope of )   confuse the students             dream of doing sth

regret doing sth 后悔干某事           make it possible to do sth            cause damage to sth

damage ….. by doing sth             welcome sth as a great way to do …  build up sb’s confidence            lead to cancer            in addition (to sth)      more water than vitamins and minerals 

focus on…                        keep …free from/of disease/chemicals                      drive …..from …..

avoid damaging the environment or people’s health             the first agricultural pioneer

brighten the lives of Americans          feel depressed              feel content with their lives

act the fool doing ordinary everyday tasks                be/feel bored doing sth / with sth  make everything entertaining           throughout the world  a homeless man with a moustache    worn-out shoes            a social failure            in search of gold              without success

his optimism and determination to overcome all difficulties    as if    direct the films

eat each mouthful with great enjoyment        star in a film    his outstanding work in film      inspire people with great confidence    attend QueenVictoria      be exposed to cholera  

 the deadly disease       many thousands of terrified people      face the challenge     

absorb …… into ….. with ….       the affected person    mark…on a map      

give him a valuable clue        be linked to           a direct link between….and …..      have the water delivered to sb   announce with certainty     the source of all the water supplies        

expose people to polluted water   win a victory over sb/sth       be responsible for… 

come to an end       apart from     find it difficult to ….     be strict with…

instruct sb to do sth.     think long and hard about ….                    make changes to sth

explain changes in the movements of the planets (在….方面的变化:注意介词)  publish his ideas     reject his theory                create the earth     work selflessly as a doctor      lost heart

become more hopeful about my future       as a matter of fact       be willing to do sth

help us achieve our dream of making black and white people equal  

附加词组：

shoulder the responsibility to do sth  have great determinations to do sth  struggle for a bright future    be satisfied/content with…   have faith in his ability to succeed  get into the habit of doing sth     hold the belief that….   enrich one’s life    The efforts really make a difference. It makes sense to do …

 

Helpful sentences:句型

非谓语 (ving… ; ved…; to do… )

1.Watching a family of chimps wake up is our fist activity of the day.

2.Since then, finding ways to grow more rice has been his life goal.

3.It seemed that she had been very busy in her chosen career, traveling abroad to study as well as writing books and articles.

4.The Christian Church rejected his theory, saying it was against God’d idea and people who supported it would be attacked. 

5.Unfortunately his father died, leaving the family even worse off.

6.Born into a poor farmer’s family in 1930, Dr Yuan graduated from SouthwestAgriculturalCollegein 1953.

7.With three kids attending school, the couple have to leave their hometown in the countryside and work hard in the city.

 

半倒装句型

1.Only then did we decide to answer violence with violence.

2.Only after her mother came to help her for the first few months was she allowed to begin her project.

3.Only if you put the sun there did the movements of the other planets in the sky make sense.

 

强调句型

It was hard work and determination as well as her gentle nature that got her into medical school.

 

拟人手法

The last thirty years have seen the greatest number of laws stopping our rights and progress.

 

过渡的副词/介词短语

1.Jane warns us that our group is going to be very tired and dirty by the afternoon and she is right. 2.However, the evening makes it all worthwhile.

3.Dreaming for things, however, costs nothing.

4.Although he is one ofChina’s most famous scientists, Yuan Longping considers himself a farmer, for he works the land to do his research. Indeed, his sunburnt face and arms and his slim, strong body are just like those of Chinese farmers.

5.He therefore gives millions of yuan to equip others for their research in agriculture.

6.Such training was common in acting families at this time , especially when the family income was often uncertain.(注意especially 的用法)

7.With this extra evidence John Snow was able to announce with certainty that polluted water carried the virus.

8.By his teens, Charlie had, through his humor, become one of the most popular child actors inEngland. (through 短语作插入语的用法)

 

同位语

By chance I came across an article about a doctor called Lin Qiaozhi, a specialist in women’s diseases.

 

形式宾语

1.This special strain of rice makes it possible to produce one-third more of the crop in the same fields.

2.I find it difficult to carry out the research with suitable equipment.

3.You may find it astonishing that Charlie was taught to sing as soon as he could speak and dance as soon as he could walk.

 

定语从句

1.Mandela was the black lawyer to whom I went for advice

2.He was generous with his time, for which I was grateful.

3.There was a time when one had got to have a passbook to live inJohannesburg.

4.She inspires those who want to cheer the achievements of women.

5.As Victor Hugo once said, “ Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face”.

 =As Victor Hugo once said, laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

(注意引用名句或谚语的正确写法)

6.Yet Copernicus’ theory is now the basis on which all our ideas of the universe are built.

                                               

名词性从句（主语，宾语，表语和同位语）

1.What made her succeed later on was the kindness and consideration she showed to all her patients.

2.Suddenly it hit me how difficult it was for a women to get medical training at that time.

3.Until then everyone had thought chimps ate only fruit and nuts.

4.She has argued that wild animals should be left in the wild and (should) not (be) used for entertainment or advertisements.

5.The first suggested that cholera multiplied in the air.

6.It seemed that the water was to blame.

 

状语从句

1.I felt bad the first time I talked to a group.

2.Many thousands of terrified people died every time there was an outbreak.

3.The acting is so convincing that it makes you believe that it is one of the best meals he has ever tasted!

 

附加：描述类形容词

objective客观的 subjective主观的 one-sided片面的 doubtful 怀疑的  patriotic 爱国的

be positive about sth;    negative;        optimistic;     pessimistic; embarrassed ; co-operative;

be generous to sb with sth ;      be respectful to sb;  creative;  imaginative;    warm-hearted;            a devoted/faithful friend;  be strict with sb in/about sth ;    be enthusiastic about sth;               be cautious about; be responsible for sth;           be outspoken about sth;   It is considerate of sb to do sth; modest;    outstanding;   a sense of humor;  be grateful/thankful to sb for sth;

have a gift for;  be expert in …   ;  energetic=be full of energy ; lose one’s temper;

feel depressed;      make … entertaining;     be delighted by…;    a disturbing problem

附加：职业及身份

specialist/ expert; professor; scholar; detective; chef; physician; dentist; tutor; suspect; underdog; captain; astronaut; pilot; biologist ; physicist; chemist; engineer; graduate; customer; consumer; competitor; terrorist; steward; stewardess; coach; judge; player; athlete; audience; victim; journalist; director; assistant; interviewee; performer; translator; interpreter; citizen; librarian; pianist; candidate; author; cowboy; president, miner; candidate候选人，应试者 ; folks (=people)

 

Writing  about  Stephen Hawking

Background

1. Stephen Hawking is the name that people from all over the world know and it’s the name that represents strong will.

2.       Since then, finding ways to study the problems of Black Hole has been his life goal.

3.       We are all shocked but admire him for his strong will.

4.       He is truly a genius --- that is everyone thinks so.

5.       His life is not a plain sailing.

Face challenges/ overcome difficulties

1.       However, life is always not what you think it ought to be.

2.       Although god played a huge joke on him, he didn’t give up doing research on Black Hole.

3.       What made him succeed later on were the determination and the courage he showed to all his life.

4.       However, life doesn’t come as what he thinks. He was badly ill and doctors said that he would gradually lose the ability to move, which once made Stephen feel depressed. However,….

5.       But he was not knocked down by the sudden disaster. After all, he was only 21 years old, and there’s still a long way to go in his life.

6.       Because of the illness, he can’t use his body, nor can he move his finger. But he never stopped his step to science.

7.       But the fate was unfair, for he suffered a severe disease and it led to physical disability at the age of 21.

8.       Everyone thought his life could just be like sleeping on the bed receiving others’ care and consideration. However, it may happen to someone else but not him.

Achievement

1. He worked as a brilliant theoretical physicist.

2. With his unbelievable determination, his book A Brief History of Time came out in 1988.

3. His efforts really makes a difference. … Up to now, he is positive about writing scientific theories and delivering speeches around the world.

Inspiration

1.       Stephen Hawking’s experience inspires us that nothing could defeat us if we have a determined mind and the courage to face challenges. We should be enthusiastic about everything as well as be responsible.

2.       The lesson we learn from Stephen Hawking is that no one can achieve his achievement without determination.

3.       He not only spreads the knowledge, but also inspires those who is in trouble.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Samples

Example 1

If you ask who is the greatest scientist in the 20th century, most people will come up with the answer --- Stephen Hawking --- an outstanding English theoretical physicist, who could merely live on the wheelchair.

Born in 1942, however, Stephen Hawking gained a degree from bothCambridgeUniversityas well asOxfordUniversity. But his life is not always that lucky, Stephen was exposed to a severe disease at the age of 21, leaving him lying on the chair for the rest of his life. It was his determination that helped him overcame the difficulties and carry on the research on Black Hole. With his strong will and hard work, Stephen Hawking published his famous book A Brief History of Time in 1988. Up to now, he is still positive about writing scientific theories and delivering speeches around the world.

To my understanding, it is his great determination; strong will as well as insistence that makes him outstanding throughout the world. Life doesn’t come as what you think, but the great determination to facing the challenges in our life is the most important.

                                              ---  By  Zhang Siqi

 

Example 2

Born in 1942, Stephen Hawking, one of the most outstanding theoretical physicist inEngland, taught us the meaning of determination.

In my view, Stephen Hawking is a genius in physics, which leads him to an easy approach to graduating from bothCambridgeUniversityandOxfordUniversity. However, unfortunately, a deadly disease caught him in his 20s. Instead of being defeated, Stephen still held the belief that he should carry on his research on Black Hole. With his strong determination, he finally published his famous book A brief History of Time in 1988. Presently, Hawking is devoted to scientific theories, which will be published all over the world.

Deeply touched by Stephen Hawking’s experience, we should learn that only by working hard and possessing a strong determination can we achieve what we dreamed about.

                                                           --- By  Yu Renjing

 

 

Example 3

Stephen Hawking, born in 1942, graduated from theUniversityofOxfordas well as theUniversityofCambridge. He is an outstanding theoretical physicist in the world.

Unfortunately, at the age of 21, he developed a severe illness, which made him disabled forever. He, however, was not defeated by the deadly disease. It was his great determination and strong will that made him carry on his research on the Black Hole. Because of years of hard work, his book A Brief History Of Time was published in 1988. At present, he is still buried in writing papers about the universe and delivering speeches all over the world.

He inspires us that we need to be determined to our goals. Only by doing this can we achieve our dream through difficulties and challenges.

(by Mo Yiming)

 

 

Great man with a beautiful mind

Born in 1942, Stephen Hawking is recognized as an outstanding British theorectical physicist,  who graduated fromOxfordUniversityas well asCambridgeUniversity.

Though, at the age of 21, he suffered a deadly disease and has become seriously disabled ever since, he holds great determinations to carry on his research on the black hole. Finally, he had the book  A Brief History Of Time published in 1988, which amazed the whole world. He is still absorbed in writing scientific papers and delivering speeches around the globe.

What has made him so successful is not only his great mind but also his determination and unbeatable courage to fight against his illness. He inspires those who are struggling for their chosen careers to go forward bravely.