A Fable for Tomorrow

Liu Dan

Unit 15

Background Information

♂ Know what ?

Man and Environment

Introduction

Ecosystem

Deforestation

Pollution

Introduction Although the world is large, man is able to live in

only a small part of it. The atmosphere is only about eleven kilometers thick. The soil that supplies us with food is only about fifteen centimeters thick and man can live on only about one eighth of the world’s surface. In the past two hundred years man has greatly changed his environment. Water has been given to deserts. Roads have been built across deserts and through forests. Cities have grown to an astonishing size. Many scientists think that man may not find life pleasant in the world of the future.

Ecosystem:any closed world in which life exists

Oxygen Cycle

This is the cycle that keeps up our oxygen supply. When we breathe in we use up the oxygen in the air. Carbon dioxide is produced and is breathed out. Trees and plants breathe in the carbon dioxide we produce. They then give out oxygen. So the cycle repeats.

Nitrogen Cycle

A large part of the air consists of nitrogen gas, which joins with other substances to form nitrates. The nitrates are taken in by plants. Animals then eat these plants. Their wastes return some of the nitrogen compounds to the soil. Later bacteria break down these compounds. Simple nitrogen compounds are formed as well as free nitrogen gas. The simple compounds are used up by plants again. The gas returns to the atmosphere.

Deforestation

Deforestation is a global problem, but it is occurring most rapidly in tropical regions of the world. Most forests in other climatic areas have already been affected by human beings. They have been destroyed or preserved or systematically cut and replanted.

Two reasons: one is the mechanization of the logging industry. The second is the world’s hunger for forest products. These jungles are the world’s largest and last reserve of timber. Because the world needs the wood that these forests supply, they will probably be cut.

Pollution

Pollution is a “dirty” word. To pollute means to contaminate—to spoil something by introducing impurities which make it unfit or unclean to use. We see it, smell it, taste it, drink it, and stumble through it. We literally live in and breathe pollution, and, not surprisingly, it is beginning to threaten our health, our happiness, and our very civilization.

Types: air ~ ; water ~ ; soil ~ ; noise ~ , etc.Present Situation: Man are destroying the ecological

balance by deforestation, uncontrolled use of insecticides and fertilizers, the dumping of sewage and chemicals into water. If no actions are taken, the future of the world is frightening.

Teaching Outline

• Pre-reading Questions

• Passage Analysis

￭ Form

￭ Theme and Structure

￭ Language points & Useful expressions

• Class Activities

• Weekly quiz

Pre-reading Questions

1. What does “fable” mean?

2. What can this fable for tomorrow be about?

3. What are the problems relating to the future

most people are concerned about?

Passage Analysis o Form: fable (a brief tale, dealing with fundamental things

in life, often told to teach a moral lesson.)

o Main Theme: to convince the reader of the serious effects of pollution resulting from the massive and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides.

o Structure & the Main Ideas Part I (L1-14) All life in harmony with its surroundings Part II (L15-34) The coming of a strange blight Part III (L35-39) The stricken world silenced by people themselves

harmony• n. (pl. –nies)

[U] agreement (of feeling, interests, opinions, etc)

e.g. There was not much ~ in international affairs during those years.

There was perfect ~ between the two brothers.

His tastes (plans) are in ~ with mine.

They live together in perfect ~ .

[C,U] (instance or example of) pleasing combination of related things

e.g. the beautiful picture of the ~ of sea and sky

~ of colour and a design in a picture

adj. harmonious

pleasingly or satisfactorily arranged; in agre

ement

e.g. a ~ group of building

~ families/neighbours

v.t. & v.i. harmonize (with)

be in harmony or agreement

e.g. ~ nationalism with international amity

The facts stated by different witnesses ~.

Cloud (of) n. mass of things in the air, esp. moving together

e.g. a ~ of arrows (insects, locusts, horsemen, smoke, dust or sand)

Flies by the millions engulfed us in dense ~s. He made his way to the exit in a ~ of secu

rity men.<similar> a rain/shower of arrows (bullets, ashes congratulations or protests)

箭（弹）如雨下；阵阵落尘；一连串 的祝贺；劈头盖脸的一阵抗议

a sea of up-turned faces/flame无数朝上看的脸 / 一片火海

backdrop 

n (= backcloth). painted cloth hung at the back of a stage i

n a theatre, as part of the scenery; background 背景幕，天幕；背景

e.g. Indochina is the ~ of the story.

Their wedding was held in a small village

church which has a backdrop of snow-capped moun

tains.

v.t. provide a backdrop for (backdropped or backdropt)

abundance n. great plenty; quantity that is more than enough ♂in ~ ; an ~ of 充裕，丰富 e.g. food an drink in ~ ; live in ~ 过着丰衣足食的生活

an ~ of grain; Oil flows in ~ . She had an ~ of very dark hair.

→adj. abundant: plentiful e.g. We have ~ proof of his guilt.♂~ in: rich in, well supplied with 富于，富有

→v. abound (in/with): exist, or have in great numbers or quantities e.g. The river ~s in fish./ Fish ~ in the river.

blight

n. (sorts of) plant disease; mildew ； evil influence of obscure origin 挫折，打击；导致毁灭的因素

e.g. a ~ upon one’s hopes 使某人希望落空的因素 a ~ on one’s life 毁掉某人一生的因素

v.t. be a ~ on 使枯萎，破坏，摧残 e.g. Frost ~ed the crops.

The serious illness ~ed the rest of his life.

Distrustfulness ~ed his previous marriage.

  creep v.i.

move slowly, quietly and secretly

蹑手蹑脚地走，缓慢地行进

e.g. The cat crept silently towards the bird.

The thief crept along the corridor at midnight.

(of time, age, etc ) come on gradually

渐渐产生，不知不觉到来

e.g. Old age ~s on us all.

The hours crept by.

A note of irritation crept into her voice.

spell n. a) words used as a charm, supposed to have

magic power 符咒，咒语 ♂ cast/put a ~ on/over s.b. 对某人施符咒 Be under / lay s.b. under a ~ 以符咒镇住 Speak/break the ~ over s.b. 对某人念咒 / 解咒语

b) attraction, fascination, exercised by a person, occupation, etc

e.g. under the ~ of her beauty 为她的美色所吸引 use witchcraft to ~ s.b. 用巫术迷住某人 This place has a ~ and people feel it when they

come here. The explorer’s story held the children under a ~ .

sweepv.t.a) clean or clear away as with a broom; push away e.g. The wind swept the clouds away. 吹散了云

Many bridges were swept away by the floods. 被洪水冲断

The current swept the logs along. 水流冲走了木材。b) pass over or along; move quickly over or with a r

ush 扫过，掠过，席卷 e.g. A huge wave swept over the deck.

A blizzard swept the country.Malaria swept the villages in the valley.

strike v. (illness, trouble, etc) seriously affect or attack s.b.

e.g. He was stricken by a heart disease.

心脏病突发 Drought struck the village. 那个村子遭受旱灾。 The rise in living costs struck the poor people

of the country. 穷人遭殃

The enemy struck the town at dawn. 发起进攻

desert v.t.

a) to leave empty or leave completely 抛弃，舍弃

e.g. We shouldn’t ~ a friend in trouble.

The streets are ~ed at night.

They ~ed their farm for the city.

b) to leave (military service) without permission

逃兵，开小差

→ n. desertion; deserter

• <distinguish> • abandon: to leave completely and for ever; desert;

to give up, esp, without finishing; stop

e.g. ~ one’s wife and children;

~ the search for the lost child• forsake (fml): to desert, leave for ever; give up

completely• quit (infml): to stop (doing sth.) and leave

e.g. ~ one’s job• give up: to stop having or doing

e.g. ~ smoking/one’s ideas

counterpart

 n. person or thing exactly like or closely correspon

ding to another 极相象的人或物；相 对应的人或物；相对物

e.g. Sometimes people mistake a feverish flush as

the ~ of healthy colour.

He is the ~ of his twin brother.

Canada’s PM is the ~ of the U.S. President.

substantialadj. large, considerable 相当可观的；大量的；重大的 e.g. a ~ number of weapons 大量武器

~ profits (wages) 高额利润（工资） have a ~ wait 等候很久 Our soccer team won the game by a ~ margin. 以悬殊比分 Since he returned this term, he has made ~ progress.

Many people demanded that blacks be given a ~ voice in the government. 让黑人在政府中有举足轻重的发言权

→n. substantiality

Useful Expressions 1 in the heart of 2 in harmony with 3 clouds of 4 delight one’s eye 5 raise one’s house 6 sink one’s well 7 come into bloom 8 be lined with 9 creep upon/over10 a substantial number of

Class Activity

Ask the students to draw the two contrasting pictures depicted by the author. Then, let them show their paintings to each other and invite a few students to illustrate their works.

Organize the students to undertake a class-wide discussion about the present pollution situation at their hometown. At the same time, ask the students to propose the measures we can take to prevent further pollution and improve the polluted environment.

Describe a picture of tomorrow you wish to live in.

Text II

The Year 2000

Discuss the different ways of stabilizing the world population

suggested in the text.

Discussion

Useful Words and Expressions

1 cross the threshold or at the threshold of 2 use up 3 on a worldwide scale

4 a matter of life and death 5 at an incredible rate

6 make one’s hair stand on end 7 increase by (percentage)

8 alternatively9 bring birth under control

10 level off

Weekly Quiz

Thanks