1.了解作者Priestley，及文中涉及的Englishness 及Admass的含义；

2. 掌握重要词语和难句释义及隐喻、委婉语等修辞方法；

3. 理解课文内容，熟悉文章主题思想和篇章结构；

4. 掌握辩论性文章的写作特点，赏析文章的文体特点。

1.收集有关作者Priestley的相关信息，了解其创作；了解英国人的特性及Admass的特点；借助工具书及词典理解文中重点词语；熟悉文章主题。通过教师课堂讲解，能够理解文中难句；熟悉文章的结构；掌握文章的写作技巧、文体风格及修辞手法；完成指定的课后练习和知识拓展练习。

2. 单元重点

掌握metaphor, simile, euphemism, metonymy 等修辞方法

掌握辩论性文章的写作特点

3. 单元难点

以非正式性文体的方式论辩英国人的特点，阐述在Englishness与Admass之争中，英国人的作用。

1. Background Information

（1）John Boynton Priestley (1894 –1984)

Priestley is known as J. B. Priestley, an English novelist, playwright, broadcaster and essayist.

Priestley's output was vast and varied—he published over 120 books (usually light and optimistic in their tone), about 50 plays and essays.

Priestley has perhaps identified himself more successfully than any other novelist in the first half of the 20th century. In 1977 he was awarded the Order of Merit, an honor limited to twenty-four “living greats”, one of the highest honors in England.

Some of his novels are:

The Good Companions(1929);Angel Pavement(1930);English Journey(1934);

They Walk in the City (1936);Bright Day (1946) ; Some of his plays are:

Dangerous Corner (1932); I Have Been Here Before (1937) ; When We Are Married (1938); An Inspector Calls (1945)

(2) Englishness

The term Englishness refers to the special character of the English people. It may involve:

① A state of mind (invisible inner spiritual world)

② Depending on instinct & intuition (related to the unconsciousness)

③Based on strong moral & ethical principles

(3)Admass

1) Its word formation

In terms of word formation, the forming of the word Admass is clipping. It comes from two or more complete words, with one of which or each of which being clipped. so Admass comes from advertisement

(advertising) and mass media.

2) Its meaning

Chiefly used in Britain, the term has two meanings and can be used both as a

noun and an adjective. The first meaning of the word is a system of commercial

marketing that attempts to influence the great masses of consumers by mass media advertising. The second meaning of the word as a noun is the section of the community that is regarded as readily influenced by advertising and mass communication.

2. Text Analysis

The text is taken from J.B. Priestley’s book The English. It is part exposition and part argument.

The dominant intention or the controversial topic of his argument is stated early in paragraph one in one unambiguous sentence: “ The English are different”. Around this central topic develops Priestley’s 6 points of argument. Just because of the differences of the English people, Englishness is in striking contrast and conflicts with Admass, which results in the inevitable battle between Englishness and Admass.

3. Structure of the Text

The text is divided into three parts:

Part1 (paragraph1-2): introduction—central thesis: the English are different.

Part 2 (paragraph 3-13): body—the inevitability of the battle between Englishness and Admass and the role different English people play in the battle.

Part 3 (paragraph 14-15 ): ending—the author’s voice: Englishness still exists, but it needs reinforcement and nourishment.

4. Key words and expressions

indulge in, scuffle, shop steward, feel at home, keep clear of, impoverished, overdraft, nudge, walk-out, recoil, spoil, van, junk, articulate, racket, inept, shiftless, slovenly, skimp, fall between two stools, vicious, logic-chopping, frivolous, myopic, bowler hats, ungovernable mops of hair.

5. Analysis of Rhetorical Devices

metaphor, simile, personification, metonymy, euphemism, parallelism

6. Writing Techniques

1) typical British English

2) colloquial expressions

3) appealing to the English readers’ emotion

4) elliptical sentences

Translate the following passage into Chinese.

Now I am not pretending that something like this is being said in every branch of English industry, and certainly not where there is a genuine—if rather ole-fashioned—pride in the work on hand. But something like it is being said, thought or felt, in the very places where there is the most money, the most boredom, the most trouble and ‘industrial action,’ and indeed the most strikes, the ‘bloody-mindedness’, which bewilder so many foreign commentators, is the conflict between Admass, offering so much and the Englishness that instinctively recoils from Admassian values and life-style.

Key:

我现在并不是在故弄玄虚地说，英国工业的所有部门都有这样的言论。当然在对自己现在从事的工作有一种真正的自豪，即使是在非常落伍的那种自豪的部门也没有这种言论。但恰恰就是在那些最赚钱、最乏味、麻烦最多、“工业行动”最多，事实上大众广告最多的地方，人们有类似的议论、想法或感触。在无休止的争吵，突然发生停工和罢工以及让许多外国评论家迷惑不解的“好斗的固执”背后是大众广告和英国人特性间的矛盾；大众广告提供众多的东西；英国人的特性本能地对大众广告价值观和生活方式感到反感。

教学模拟：探讨汉语的未来

要求：使用PPT辅助陈述，时间不少于8分钟；就陈述内容设定2~3个问题，并要求班级同学回答

1. Is Priestley’s reasoning sound?

2. Are there any logical fallacies in his argument?

Key:

1. No, his reasoning on some points does not seem logically sound.

2. Yes, there are some fallacies. For example, in his first issue he states that it is instinctive feeling and not rational thought that shapes and colors actual events in England. To support this point of view, Priestley states there are fewer fascists in England than in many other countries. From this the reader concludes more fascists are to be found in countries where rational thought and not instinctive feeling shapes and colors actual events. But one fails to find the logical connection between rational thought and fascism. Furthermore, one has to accept Priestley’s statement that there are fewer fascists and fanatical believers in England without any supporting evidence or proof.

The following sentences are not unified or coherent. Try to improve them.

1. She began to speak very fast at the meeting at ten o’clock.

2. Bernard Shaw was one of the best-known playwright

3. The houses were mere shanties, and rags were stuffed in the cracks and holes.

4. I read the novel on the train, which did not interest me at all.

5. A well-dressed man admitted us to the house, and we later learned that he was a thief.

Key:

1. The meeting started at ten o’clock, and she began to speak. She spoke very fast.

2. Bernard Shaw was one of the best-known English playwrights of the 20th century.

3. The houses were mere shanties, with rages stuffed in the cracks and holes.

4. On the train I read the novel, which did not interest me at all.

5. We later learned that the well-known man who admitted us to the house was a thief.

1. Who are those people who have rejected Admass? What important role can they play?

2. What other elements apart from boredom have brought about dishonesty and vicious criminality in England?

Key:

1. The following people have rejected Admass: 1) workers in smallish, well-managed and honest enterprises; 2) crusty High Tories who avoid the City and directors’ fees; 3) professional men and women;

The last group of people are the most important because they are articulate and people are ready to listen to them. If the battle with Admass can be won, it will probably be these men and women who will help Englishness to win it.

2. Other elements besides boredom have brought about dishonest and vicious criminality in England. There is trying to get rich by any means; there is the false notion that the world owes you something while you owe it nothing; there is no fear of punishment in life or after death as long as you are not found out; and there is the feeling that life is meaningless and purposeless.