Unit SixWhy Are We Addicted to Soaps?教学目的（teaching objective）：Master the key words and structures. be able to explain why soap operas is so popular and the key to its success. Discuss what soap opera can provide for the common audience. Exchange personal opinions on soap operas.教学内容、课时安排及方法设计（content，classes and method）教学重点（key points）：教学难点（teaching difficulties）：1.常用句型的讲解：定语从句，让步状语从句，独立组格结构2.词组的应用：center around, base on, think of… as, set free, refer to, cut short, compare with, according to, a range of, no more than, whatever, succeed in doing 教学过程（teaching procedures）：（含板书设计）Lead In Activity; Study of Words and Phrases; Study of the Text; Study of Grammar; Study of Reading Skills; Study of Practical Reading and WritingThe 1st and 2nd PeriodsStep I Lead-in1.Ask the students to look at the pictures on Page 81 in the textbook and discuss inpairs why some people are addicted to TV serials. And then ask some pairs to give their opinions on soap opera after learning the new words.2.Ask the students to consider all sides of the issue when it comes to soap opera andsome students can talk about their favorites from their own points of view or personal experience.Step II New Words Presentation1.Read the new words one by one and correct the pronunciation.2.Explain some usage of words and phrases and the methods of learning new wordssuch as word building. (用举例、派生、比较、解释、词性变化等方法讲解)1) addict：vt. depend on as a habit使沉溺to addict oneself to沉溺于be addicted ton. a drug addict吸毒上瘾的人a work addict对工作入迷的人2) attract vt. awaken ones interest or pleasure in吸引e.g. Like attracts like.物以类聚I was deeply attracted by his performance.我被他的表演深深吸引了.3) behavior n. the way a person actse.g. His good behavior deserves praise.他的良好行为值得表扬.Tom won a prize for good behavior at school..4) capture vt. make interested or excited. 引起(注意); 迷住e.g. Her silvery voice captured the attention of the listenersTheir daring escape has captured the imagination of the whole country.5) critical adj. crucial, decisive决定性的; 关键的e.g. The next two weeks will be critical for the experiment.A rescue team came at the critical moment.在关键时刻一支救援队赶到了.Million of people learned the critical decision on TV.成千上万的人是从电视上了解这个决议的.6) deliberately: on purpose 有意地e.g. Human facial expressions can be deliberately controlled and modified.He deliberately stopped in the middle of the sentence.7) concentrate(on) vt. focus all ones attentione.g. It is so noisy outside that I can’t concentrate on my term paper.外面太嘈杂了，我都不能集中精力做期末试卷了。

Doctors are aiming to concentrate more on the prevention of SARS than on its cure.8) constantly adv. frequently, continuously 经常地；不断地e.g. It rained constantly all week.She was constantly complaining about the public transport.The company is constantly advertising its products.9) episode n. each of the parts of a serial story.（连续剧）一集；（作品）一段情节e.g. In the final episode we will find out who was the murder.在最后一集我们将得知谁是凶手。

10) incident n. an event that is either unpleasant or unusual 小事件；（剧本等的）插曲；枝节；事件；事变e.g. There was a strange incident in the library this morning.That was one of the strangest incidents in my life.这是我一生当中遇到的最奇怪的事情之一。

3.Ask the students to read the new words.Step III Practice and Consolidation1.Read and translate the sentences on Page 85.2.Do exercise on Page 86.3.Discuss background information.• soap operaA serial on television or radio that deals with the lives of a group of characters, especially in a melodramatic or sentimental way from the fact that they were originally often sponsored by soap manufacturing companies.• Topic-related words or phrases:comedy: a drama of light and amusing character and typically with a happy ending; the genre of dramatic literature dealing with the comic or with the serious in a light or satirical manner.tragedy: dramatic genre that presents the heroic or moral struggle of an individual, culminating in his or her ultimate defeat. While serious drama and comedy are found in nearly every culture and time period, tragic plays appear chiefly in societies that maintain a fixed hierarchy of political and religious beliefs. Only when spectators share with the playwright a particular social vision and system of class-based values can they empathize with the fall of the protagonist (central character) from an elevated position into bleak despair or annihilation.4.Ask the students to answer the questions of Lead-inStep IV Homework1.Do Exercise2.Preview the textThe 3rd and 4th PeriodsStep I Lead-in1.read the new words2.When I say a word or expression you’ve learned before, respond with the new onein this text.Step II Text PresentationStudy the text in detail:Directions:1) Listen to the tape recording or ask students to read the text2) Explain the text paragraph by paragraph.3) Language Points and useful phrases of the textParagraph 1The soap opera has succeeded in capturing the imagination of the entire world. Questions:﹡Do critics agree on the value of soaps and what are their opinions?(No, they don't agree with each other. Some speak low while some speak high of the value of soaps.)﹡What do some critics mean by saying soaps are “no more than mindless entertainment”?(They think soaps are not thought provoking and don't require viewers' active involvement in understanding them.)﹡What do some critics mean by saying that soaps show society as it really is? (They believe that soap operas reflect the true aspects and general reality of our society.)﹡What's the general viewers' reaction to TV serials?(They are very much keen on TV serials.)﹡What has soap opera succeeded in doing?(It has succeeded in attracting millions of audience all over the world.)1.…t he fact remains that millions of people tune in eagerly to their favorite serial every day.•tune in (to): set (a radio or television) to receive broadcasts from a particular station Example:We always tune in to Channel 8 to watch the 10 o'clock news.•serial: a written or broadcast story appearing in parts at fixed times Example:Watching TV serials is her favorite pastime.•The soap opera has succeeded in capturing the imagination of the entire world. capture: make interested or excitedExamples:Her silvery voice captured the attention of the listeners.Their daring escape has captured the imagination of the whole country. Paragraph 2Questions:﹡What is this paragraph mainly about?(It begins to deal with the reasons why soaps are so popular.)﹡What is the most important reason for soap operas' success?(They are mostly about the daily life of ordinary people, which can easily arouse the resonance of the audience.)﹡In what way does soap opera more interesting than real life if it's only a reflection of that?(It's more dramatic and more complicated, usually with several story lines running at the same time.)﹡What are the stories of soap operas usually based on?(They are usually based on problems within personal relationships and family life.) •However, soap operas are much more dramatic than real life.dramatic: of drama or the study of dramaExamples:• A short sentence after a series of long sentences can have a dramatic effect. •What do you think caused the dramatic changes in the international situation? •…so the viewers can easily identify with the feelings and opinions of the characters.identify with: understand the feelings and ideasExamples:•Reading this biography, we can identify with the main character.•His argument was so convincing that everyone identified with his opinion.Paragraph 3Questions:﹡What may be the result when the audience identify with the feelings and opinions of the characters?(They even view the TV characters as their real friends and develop fond emotions toward them.)﹡What may audience do to show their liking for certain characters?(They may imitate the characters' style of dress, hair or even their ways of doing things.)﹡What will the audience do if their loved ones are unfairly treated?(They take it as true and may react very strongly to such affairs.)﹡Why did the viewers start a national campaign and what might be the result? (They loved the woman so much that they couldn't stand to see her sent to prison. The campaign might greatly influence the scriptwriter, hence to some extent influence the development of the opera.)•…and sometimes copy their styles of dress and behavior .behavior: the way a person actsExamples:•His good behavior deserves praise.•Tom won a prize for good behavior at school.•If a favorite character is unfairly treated, this usually provokes strong reactions . •provoke: cause, give rise toExamples:•The prospect of increased prices has already provoked worries.•His indifference provoked me to shout at him.•reaction: responseExamples:•What was your reaction to the new policy?•Photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions trees use to make their food. •…and viewers started a national cam paign to have her set free .set free: releaseExamples:•Tom opened the cage and set the bird free.•Shortly after the war he was set free.Paragraph 4Questions:﹡What is another reason for soap operas' success given by the author?(They offer easy entertainment.)﹡Why is the easy entertainment so popular with the audience?(It's very easy for the viewers to follow the story and they don't have to fix hard on it and when they have to miss it for some time, they still can easily catch up very soon.) ﹡How can the viewers catch up the story after missing it for some time?(They can catch up by watching one or two episodes, which constantly refer back to the previous events.)﹡Why do the story lines develop very slowly in soap operas?(This is in order to cater to most of the audience's watching habit that they cannot concentrate on the opera all the time.)• Viewers don't have to concentrate very hard to follow the story. concentrate: focus all one's attentionExamples:•It's so noisy outside that I can't concentrate on my term paper.•The local government is concentrating on improving its efficiency. •They only need to watch one or two episodes to catch up again. episode: one event in a chain of eventsExample:In the final episode we will find out who was the murderer.•This is because the script constantly refers back to past events… constantly: frequently, continuouslyExamples:•It rained constantly all week.•She was constantly complaining about the public transport.•The company is constantly advertising its products.Paragraph 5Questions:﹡What is another reason for soap operas' success given by the author? (The use of th e “cliff-hanger” ending technique.)﹡What is “cliff-hanger” technique?(This technique cuts short every episode at a critical point.)﹡Why does this technique guarantee large audience tune in continuously? (People psychologically tend to watch a complete story and wouldn't let part of an event hanging, thus they would surely continue with the opera simply to find out what to happen next.)•This means that each episode always ends at a critical point of the story. critical: crucial, decisiveExamples:•The next two weeks will be critical for the experiment.• A rescue team came at the critical moment.•Millions of people learned the critical decision on TV.• A dramatic incident such as an argument is deliberately cut short by the closing title sequence.•incident: event; happeningExamples:•There was a strange incident in the library this morning.•That was one of the strangest incidents in my life.•deliberately: on purposeExamples:•human facial expressions can be deliberately controlled and modified.•He deliberately stopped in the middle of the sentence.•cut short: bring something to an end suddenly and before the proper time Examples:•The football game was cut short by the shower.•The chairman will cut a speaker short if he talks too long.Paragraph 6Questions:﹡What can viewers do in between episodes?(They can talk about and guess what will happen in the next episode.)﹡Does the speculation among friends increase or decrease viewers' interest in watching the soaps?(The speculation even increases their interest in keeping up with the soaps for this provides a by-entertainment of watching the soaps.)﹡What do viewers talk about while gossiping about the soaps?(They not only predict the coming plot but also analyze the characters and compare their own lives with the characters'.)•…viewers can speculate with their friends about the direction that the plot may take. speculate: guess about what might happenExamples:•The philosopher speculated about time and space.•I began to speculate on my future when I failed in the entrance examination. •As well as trying to predict what is going to happen, they like to analyze the behaviour and motives of the characters, and compare with their own lives.1) predict: make a statement about the futureExamples:•It's hard to predict the outcome of the general election.•Experts predict that sea level will rise by up to three feet over the next fifty years.2) analyze: examine in detail the structure ofExample:Specialists will analyze the situation and suggest solutions.3) motive: reason for actionExamples:•He said he could not kill a living thing except for the motive of hunger.•He invented the story out of selfish motives.Paragraph 7Questions:﹡Do soaps fans agree that soaps are simply mindless entertainment? What do they think?(No. They think soaps are not only good entertainment but also food for thought.) ﹡What kind of thought can soaps provoke?(They provoke viewers to think bout a range of issues and problems of everyday life and relationships.)Step III Practice and Consolidation1. Ask the students to give the summary of this text, asking following questions. •What is the author's attitude towards soap operas?(In spite of the arguments among the critics, he basically believes that soaps provide an easy yet necessary means of entertainment for the ordinary people.)•Why on earth are we addicted to soaps?(Soaps provide easy entertainment for and arouse resonance of ordinary people by reflecting their everyday life on the screen in a more dramatic way.)•Why is it important for soaps to develop stories around a small community or a big family?(That is easy for viewers to put their own feet in the characters'shoes and identify with the feelings and destinies of the characters.)•Can viewers play an active role in the story development of a soap opera? How? (Yes, they can. In many cases the viewers reaction or preference may well influence the scriptwriters' directing of the story.)•Why does the slow development of story lines become an advantage of soaps? (Because most of the audience can not keep up every episode regularly and they also want to keep up with the story at the same time. The slow development of story lines exactly satisfies this necessity.)•What do soap fans say as to their gossip about the soaps?(They say they enjoy gossiping about the soap as much as they enjoy watching the actual program. In gossiping, they discuss the direction that the plot takes, analyze thebehaviors of the characters and even compare their lives with their own. Above all, they are allowed to think deeply about some social issues dealt with in the soaps.)2. Summary of the Read-In PassageSoaps are very popular in spite of endless arguments about its value. Since soaps are about the daily activities of ordinary people, and usually center around a small community or a large family, some viewers even take the TV characters as real friends and family. As well as offering easy entertainment, soaps also use a technique called “cliff-hanger” ending, which adds to attract large audiences. According to the fans, soaps are both good entertainment and “food for thought”.Step IV HomeworkDo Exercises on Page 86-88Make preparations for grammarThe 5th and 6th PeriodsStep I Exercises1. Do Exercises on Page 86-882. Paraphrasing of Difficult Sentences in the Read-In PassageTitle: Why Are We Addicted to Soaps?Paraphrasing: Why can't we stop from watching soaps?Lines 9-11: “The soap opera has succeeded in capturing the imagination of the entire world.”Paraphrasing: The Soap opera is successful in attracting audiences in the whole world. Lines 34-36: “If a favorite character is unfairly treated, this usua lly provokes strong reactions.”Paraphrasing: If a role in a soap opera is wrongly treated, it will make the viewers very angry.Lines 55-57: “A dramatic incident such as an argument is deliberately cut short by the closing title sequence.”Paraphrasing: At the end of each episode, an exciting incident like an argument suddenly stops as planned.Lines 61-63: “In between episodes, viewers can speculate with their friends about the direction that the plot may take.”Paraphrasing: When one episode finishes, the audiences will guess among themselves what is going to happen in the next.Lines 65-66: “Some viewers say they enjoy gossiping about the soap as much as theyenjoy watching the actual program.”Paraphrasing: A few audiences acknowledge that they equally enjoy chatting about the soap and watching the actual episodes.Step II GrammarDo Exercises on Page 89 to review PronounStep III Reading SkillHow to expand your vocabularyStep IV Read MoreCheck the answers and ask the students to translate the key word of each passage Step V Homework1.Do Workbook2.Preview Practical reading and Practical writing3.Prepare for a dictionThe 7th and 8th PeriodsStep I Lead-inReview the words.Step II Practical Reading and Practical WritingReading about places to stay Writing memoStep III WorkbookCheck the answersStep IV ReviewHave diction。