Unit 2 English around the world
Teaching aim:
a) Let students know the development of English and feel the role that culture plays in the change of language.
b) Comprehend the whole passage
The important points:
Some new words and expressions
The hard points:
Improve the students’ ability of comprehension
Step 1 lead in
Activity 1:
Ask students several questions in the form of brain storming.
1.Do you know the countries where people speak English? List them on a piece of paper.
2.What are the two main groups of English?
3.Do you know the differences between British English and American English?
Activity 2:
Read a sentence to the students in British English and American English to let them distinguish which one is British and which is American.
A、Do you have any plan this fall?
B、What? Do you mean this autumn?
Step 2. Fast Reading
Read the passage quickly and do the following exercises.
Activity 1: Choose the correct explanation for the words
1. actually A. for example
2. elevator B. a set of rooms for living in
3. native English speaker C. really; in fact
4. come up to a place D. a machine for moving people or things up and down
5. such as E. People who hasspoken English since birth
6. apartment F. visit a place
7 usage. G. have a part in
8. play a role in H. the way that words are used in a language
Activity 2: Choose the correct answers.
1. English has/had the most speakers _____.
A. now
B. when the British ruled many parts of the world
C. in the time of Shakespeare
D. in the 12th century
2. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Languages always stay the same
B. Languages changes only after wars
C. Languages no longer change
D. Languages change when cultures change
3. From AD450 to 1150, English sounded more like _____
A. French B. Chinese C. German D. Russian
4. Shakespeare’s English was spoken around ____.
A. 1400’s B. 1150’s C. 450’s D. 1600’s
5. Which country has the fastest growing number of English speakers.
A. Australia B. China C. India D. Britain
Step 3. Intensive reading
Activity 1. fill in the chart
AD450--1150 English was based on _______
____________ English was more like French.
At the end of the 16th century How many people speak English? __________
___________ Shakespeare made use of a wider vocabulary.
___________ American English gained its own identity.
Later __________ English had its identity.
Activity 2. Answer the following questions
(1)What is the clue of the passage?
(2) Why does India have a very number of English speakers?
(3) When did people from England begin to move to other parts of the world?
Activity 3.Read quickly to get the main idea of the text.
Let the students find out key sentence of each paragraph or ask them to summarize the main point for each paragraph in their own words.
Paragraph 1: The spread of the English language in the world
Paragraph 2: Native speaker can understand each other but they may not be able to understand everything.
Paragraph 3: All languages change when cultures communicate with one another.
Paragraph 4: English is spoken as a foreign language or second language in Africa and Asia.
Step 4： Post-reading
Work in groups. Discuss the two questions and then ask two groups to report their answers to the class.
1. Do you think it matters what kind of English you learn? Why?
Possible answer:
I don’t think so. Here are the reasons:
★ Native speakers from different parts of the world have no difficulty in understanding each other despite the fact that they speak a bit differently.
★ It is necessary for us to learn the narrow difference between different kinds of English if we hope to communicate fluently with native speakers of English from all over the world.
★ Different kinds of English have the same language core. If you have got a good command of one kind, you will almost have no difficulty understanding another kind of English.
(Any persuasive and supporting reason the students give can be accepted.)
2. Why do you think people all over the world want to learn English?
Possible answer:
The reasons why people all over the world want to learn English:
★ With economy globalization, English has become the best bridge to serve the purpose of people all over the world communicating with one another.
★ However, like all major languages in the world, English is always changing. In order to adjust to native speakers from different parts of the world, it is a must for people all over the world to learn English, whether in English speaking countries or in non-English speaking countries.
★ Also, people from different parts of the world speak English with various accent and dialects, and people have to learn about the difference between different kinds of English in order to avoid misunderstanding while communicating.
(All persuasive reasons can be accepted.)
Step5. Language focus:
Ⅰ、Warming up
1. more than = over
There is more than one student cheating in the exam.
2. be different from
Tell the difference between A and B
3. play an important role/part in
Computers are playing an important role in modern society.
4.because of /as a result of / owing to / on account of / thanks to
I did not go out because of rain.
I couldn’t go to college because he failed in the exam.
5.native adj/n
A native Englishman He is a native of Beijing.
Ⅱ、Reading
1.even if=even though: in spite of the fact; no matter whether:
He likes to help us even if he is very busy.
2. come up (with)
Many questions came up at the meeting, but he answered none.
It’s very cool here. Why don’t you come up.
He couldn’t come up with an answer.
3. over time
The importance of these social skills does not change over time.
The had a pleasant chat over a cup of coffee.
4.communicate with: exchange information or conversation with other people:
He learnt to use body language to communicate with deaf customers.
5.actually=in fact: used when you are adding new information to what you have just said: We’ve known for years. Actually, since we were babies.
6.be based on…:
This news report is based entirely on fact.
7.make use of: use sth. available
We should make full use of the internet when we do research work.
8.Only time will tell: to say that something can only be known in the future:
Will China’s national football team enter for the next finals of the World Cup? Only time will tell.
Step6. Homework
一.写出下列美式英语的英式形式
1.do something over 2. fill out a form
3.meet with somebody 4. protest something
5.stay home 6.visit with somebody
7. Monday thru Friday
二.写出下列汉语的英语
1.和也 2.说英语的世界
3.在中东 4.联合国
5.在……中起作用 6.与……相处;进展
7.相爱;爱上 8.参加;加入
9.此刻 10.. 扔掉;丢弃
11.测试;试用;参加选拔 12. 擅长于
13.一两个 14.努力做
15.在……表现出兴趣 16.恶劣的对待某人
17.到处;广泛地 18. 注意;照料;指望
19.不与人为伴 20.不注意;不关心