Lesson Ten Diogenes and Alexander
I．Teaching Objectives:
After learning this unit, students are supposed to:
1. get familiar with the rules of word formation ;
2. get familiar with some grammatical points;
3. retell the text as a whole;
4. have a thorough understanding of the whole text: Diogenes and Alexander
5. get a list of the new words and expressions and be able to use them freely in writing and daily conversation;
II.Listening and speaking activities
1.Listen to the recording of the text and fill in the blanks about the main ideas of the article.
2. Talk about this passage with your friends ,and talk about what you think of Diogenes.
III. Reading Comprehension and Language Activities
1. Pre-reading discussions:
1) What do you think of the person who lying on the street , shoeless, bearded, half-naked ? ?
2) Are you a cynic person?.
2. Background knowledge :
1) Cynic and Cynicism (愤世疾俗者与犬儒主义) ：
The Oxford English Dictionary describes a cynic as a person “ disposed to find fault “ and as one who “shows a disposition to disbelieve in the sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions, and is wont to express this by sneers and sarcasm.”In short ,the cynic is “a sneering fault-finder”
The ancient school of Cynicism was founded in the fourth century BC by Antisthenes. The Cynics urged both men and women to follow a way of life in harmony with nature and to reject all unnecessary civilized luxuries. They also rejected all social conventions ,customs and laws.
2)Diogenes （第欧根尼）
Diogenes was a famous Cynic philosopher living during the time of Plato ( the 4th century
BC ). Having to flee from Sinope because of charges against him and his father for debasing the public coin , Diogenes went to Athens where he studied under comforts of civilized life , and lived an extremely ascetic lifestyle. Later on the captured by pirates and sold into slavery in Crete to Xeniades, who was so impressed by the philosopher that he made him the teacher of his children . He is said to have died of old age in the same year as Alexander the Great in 323 BC.
3. Text analysis:
Part One (para.1-10) Description of Diogenes as a beggar, a philosopher and a missionary, his
lifestyle and doctrine: Cynicism.
Part Two (para.11-12) Description of Alexander the Conqueror, who was the greatest man of the
time .
Part Three(para.13-17) The dramatic encounter of the two , revealing that only these two men
were the real free man in the world .
4. Language points:
Words and expressions
1)to scratch each other’s backs : 互相挠背（串通一气做互相有利的不正当的事情）．
2)to do business with that country : 和那个国家做生意．
3)publish or perish : 不出版，就完蛋。

（西方学界口号）．
4)to found a new religion : 建立一个新的宗教
5)to convert RMB into foreign currency : 将人民币换成外币
6)to seek the truth : 寻找真理
7)to discard the old traditions : 抛掉旧的传统
8)to satirize human vanity : 讽刺人的虚荣
9)to inhabit that island : 在那岛上住人
10)to neglect one’s duty : 玩忽职守
11)to escape the consequences : 逃避后果
12)to erase it from one’s memory : 从记忆中消除
13)to take command : 负责指挥
14)to block one’s way : 挡路
15)to ruin one’s reputation : 毁掉名誉
Grammatical structure
(1) Not only do we want it now ;we don’t even want to be kept waiting for it .
A phrase of negative form or meaning occurs at the beginning of a sentence/clause.
(2) Robert never forgot that blessed Christmas. Nither did his father.
An elliptical sentence begins with so,or nor, or neither
(3) Only after much persuasion did Lao Liu agree to be our coach.
A sentence begins with only when followed by an expression of manner, place ,time, or reason
(4) At the head of the parade marched the guards of honor.
A sentence / clause begins with an adverbial of place or position
5. Post-reading discussions:
(1) If the world were to follow Diogenes , what would be the result ?
(2)What does the brief dialogue mean to you ? Why did Diogenes say that Alexander was blocking the sunlight? Did Alexander know what he mean ? Why did Alexander say that if he were not Alexander, he should be Diogenes ? Did the two have anything in common ?。