,ENGLISH FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS,Excuse Notes,Unit One,Excuses, Excuses,Background Information,Text Analysis,Translating Activities,Grammar Activities,Background Information,Frank McCourt was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Irish immigrant parents. Unable to find work in the depths of the Depression, the McCourts returned to Ireland, where they sunk deeper into the poverty McCourt describes so movingly in his memoir, Angelas Ashes.,About the author,Background Information,McCourts father, an alcoholic, was often without work. He drank up what little money he earned and eventually abandoned the family altogether. Three of the seven children died of diseases aggravated by malnutrition and the squalor of their surroundings.,Frank McCourt himself nearly died of typhoid fever when he was ten. Despite the horrors of McCourts childhood, he told his story with humor, brilliant description, and deep compassion for his family, even for the shiftless father who instilled in him a love of language and storytelling.,After quitting school at 13, Frank McCourt alternated between odd jobs and petty crime in an effort to feed himself, his mother, and four surviving brothers and sisters. At 19, he returned to the United States and worked at odd jobs until he was drafted into the United States Army at the onset of the Korean War. McCourt spent the war stationed in Germany and on his return to civilian life was able to pursue a college education on the G.I. Bill.,Background Information,Although he had never attended high school, he was able to persuade the admissions office of New York University to accept him as a student. Although his childhood interest in language and storytelling were fed by creative writing classes and his own constant reading, he did not feel ready to pursue as career as a professional writer. On graduation, he went to work for the New York City Public School system, where he taught for the next 27 years.,After years of teaching creative writing to young people, McCourt determined to write his own life story. Angelas Ashes sold over 4 million copies, has been published in 27 countries and has been translated into 17 languages. It won McCourt the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the ABBY Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Biography.,His second book, Tis, picked up the story of his life where Angelas Ashes left off, with his arrival in America at age 19. It shot to the top of the best-seller lists as soon as it was published. His 2005 memoir, Teacher Man, chronicled his 27-year career in the New York City school system. Like its predecessor, it was an instant bestseller. Frank McCourt died in New York City at the age of 78.,Attila (A.D. 406453), also known as Attila the Hun, was the Emperor of the Huns from 434 until his death in 453. He was leader of the Hunnic Empire which stretched from Germany to the Ural River and from the River Danube to the Baltic Sea During his rule, he was one of the most fearsome of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires enemies: he invaded the Balkans twice and marched,through Gaul (modern France) as far as Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of Chalons. He refrained from attacking either Constantinople or Rome. His story, that the Sword of Attila had come to his hand by miraculous means, was reported by the Roman Priscus,Lee Harvey Oswald (October 18, 1939 November 24, 1963) was, according to three United States government investigations, the assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who was fatally shot on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. An Ex United States Marine who defected to the Soviet Union and later returned, Oswald was arrested on suspicion of killing Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit and later connected to the assassination of President Kennedy.,Oswald denied any responsibility for the murders. Two days later, while being transferred under police custody from the city jail to the county jail, Oswald was shot and mortally wounded by Jack Ruby on live television. In 1964 the Warren Commission concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated President John F. Kennedy single-handedly, a conclusion also reached by prior investigations of the FBI and the Dallas Police Department. In 1979, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) concluded, based largely on outdated acoustic evidence, that Oswald assassinated Kennedy “probably as a result of a conspiracy.”,Julius Rosenberg (May 12, 1918 June 19, 1953) and Ethel Greenglass Rosenberg (September 28, 1915 June 19, 1953) were American communists who were executed in 1953 after having been found guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage. The charges were in relation to the passing of information about the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union. Their execution was the first of civilians, for espionage, in United States history.,Al Capone is Americas best known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city.,Text Analysis,Word Analysis,Sentence Analysis,Phrase Analysis,Text Translation,Keys to Exercises,Text Analysis,Word Analysis,Word Analysis,E.g. 1）Someone stole my credit card and forged my signature. 有人偷了我的信用卡,并假冒我的簽名。 2）a forged passport 偽造的護(hù)照,Forge to make an illegal copy of something in order to deceive:偽造，鑄造,E.g. 1）This ring is genuine gold. 這枚戒指是真金的。 2）All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience. 一切真知都是從直接經(jīng)驗(yàn)發(fā)源的。 3）a genuine signature 親筆簽字 4）a genuine person誠懇的人 5）a genuine breed 純種,2. genuine If something is genuine, it is real and exactly what it appears to be:真的,Word Analysis,E.g. 1) They dispensed new clothes to the children in the orphanage. 他們把新衣服發(fā)給孤兒院的小孩們。 2）Weve allocated a sum of money to education. 我們已經(jīng)撥出了一筆教育經(jīng)費(fèi)。,3. distribute to give something out to several people, or to spread or supply something分發(fā)，發(fā)送,Word Analysis,E.g. 1）You have omitted my name in from the list. 你把我的名字從名單上漏掉了。 2）He omitted to state his reasons. 他未敘述理由。,4. omit to fail to include or do something省略，疏忽,Word Analysis,E.g. a hopeless plight 絕望的境地 be in a sorry pitiable, wretched plight 處境困窘 He is in a sad plight. 他陷入了悲慘的境地。,5. plight an unpleasant condition, especially a serious, sad or difficult one處境，狀態(tài)。,Word Analysis,E.g. 1) I can attest to the absolute truth of his story. 我可以證實(shí)他的話是千真萬確的。 2) The childs good health attests his mothers care. 這孩子健康的身體證實(shí)他母親照料周到。 3)I have said nothing that I am not ready to attest. 我發(fā)誓, 我說的話句句屬實(shí)。 4)The handwriting expert attested to the genuineness of the signature. 筆跡專家作證該簽名無訛。,6. attest to show something or to say or prove that something is true證明。,Word Analysis,Text Analysis,Phrase Analysis,E.g. 1）to glance at ones watch 看一下表 2) She glanced along the road to see if he was coming. 她沿路掃視著，看他是否要來了。 3) He glanced at his watch and then looked at the sky. 他看了看手表,然后又看了看天空。,glance at to give a quick short look 看一下；一瞥；掃視,Phrase Analysis,E.g. turn coins into paper money 把硬幣換成紙幣 Can you turn this article into Chinese? 你能把這篇文章譯成漢語嗎?,2. turn into change into進(jìn)入, (使)變成,Phrase Analysis,E.g. 1) He urged her to rest. 他催促她休息。 2)When my old friend Brian urged me to accept a cigarette, it was more than I could bear. 當(dāng)我的老朋友布賴恩慫恿我接受一支香煙時(shí),我實(shí)在熬不住了。,3. Urge to having a strong wish to do something強(qiáng)烈欲望做某事,Phrase Analysis,Text Analysis,Sentence Analysis,1. I had seen Mikey writing the note at his desk, ,Sentence Analysis,see somebody doing something “看見某人正在做某事” 例: I saw her cleaning the classroom. 我看到她正在掃打教室（強(qiáng)調(diào)正在做某事） I saw him coming towards the school building. 我看見他朝學(xué)校大樓走來. I saw them watching TV. 我看見他們正在看電視.,譯 文,我看見邁克正在寫假條,1. I had seen Mikey writing the note at his desk, .,Sentence Analysis,譯 文,be supposed to do something :意為“應(yīng)該 ”；“被期望”，它可以用來表示勸告、建議、義務(wù)、責(zé)任等， “強(qiáng)調(diào)客觀上 。 例：He is supposed to work hard. 他應(yīng)該努力工作。 Everyone is supposed to wear a seat-belt in the car. 每個(gè)人在汽車?yán)锒紤?yīng)該系安全帶。 Teachers are supposed to treat all the students alike. 老師應(yīng)該對所有的學(xué)生一視同仁。,2. Theyre supposed to be written by parents, ,Sentence Analysis,譯 文,那些假條應(yīng)該是由他們的父母寫才對，,2. Theyre supposed to be written by parents, ,Sentence Analysis,譯 文,sooner or later遲早 E.g. 1) He hasnt got any money, so hes bound to turn up sooner or later. 他沒有錢, 所以, 他必定會(huì)出現(xiàn)的。 2) You should tell her, because shell find out sooner or later. 你還是告訴她吧, 因?yàn)樗t早會(huì)發(fā)覺的. 3)You will leave your parents sooner or later. 你遲早會(huì)離開父母的,3. Sooner or later, I figured, everyone needed an excuse.,Sentence Analysis,譯 文,我捂出，總有一天，人人需要借口。,3. Sooner or later, I figured, everyone needed an excuse.,Sentence Analysis,譯 文,Text Analysis,Text Translation,借口，借口 弗蘭克 麥考特,學(xué)生杜撰了種種假條,我把它們用作一堂課的教案 1我在紐約史坦頓島的拉爾夫麥基職業(yè)學(xué)校教創(chuàng)意寫作已經(jīng)到第三個(gè)年頭了。一天早晨，我的一個(gè)學(xué)生，16歲的米奇，遞過來一張請假條，解釋他缺席的原因。上面寫到： 2“親愛的麥考特先生：米奇的外婆，也就是我媽，今年80歲了。由于咖啡喝多了，從樓梯上掉了下來，所以我得把米奇留在家，照顧他祖母，還有他妹妹，我自己得去碼頭上班。請?jiān)徝灼娴娜毕?，他以后一定?huì)表現(xiàn)好的！又及：他外婆沒事?！蔽矣H眼看到這小子為了不讓我認(rèn)出他的筆跡，用左手寫的這請假條?？墒俏覍Υ耸聸]有言語。,3那段時(shí)間我收到的以父母名義寫的請假條，絕大多數(shù)都是是學(xué)生由自己操刀。自從學(xué)會(huì)寫作那天起，他們就開始編假條了。如果我要是一一追究，那好，簡直一天24小時(shí)都閑不下來。 4我把米奇的假條連同其它幾十份類似的假條塞進(jìn)抽屜。時(shí)逢考試時(shí)段，我決定把我先前讀過的假條在班上念給大家聽。我把它們分成兩摞，第一摞是確實(shí)出自媽媽們之手，第二摞是學(xué)生們以媽媽的名義寫的。第二摞的份數(shù)要多些，而且寫作風(fēng)格各異，有的富于想像，有的富于異想。,5我突然靈機(jī)一動(dòng)。 6這豈不是不可思議，我暗暗想，當(dāng)我要求學(xué)生們寫個(gè)200字的作文時(shí)，他們牢騷滿腹，抱怨寫不出什么。但是寫起請假條來，卻文思泉涌？我收集的那些請假條，真該入選美國假條大全。它們是在歌曲、故事、研究中從未出現(xiàn)過的才智佳作。 7這簡直是美國高中寫作的典范佳作，原創(chuàng),真實(shí),緊迫的，明晰的，簡單，說謊。我讀到： 8我家爐子著火了，順著墻紙燒，消防隊(duì)員來忙了一夜，我們一宿沒睡,9 阿諾德完成了您布置的作業(yè)，昨天乘坐地鐵的時(shí)候，書包被地鐵門夾住，車開走了，所以作業(yè)也沒了。 10他妹妹的狗把他的作業(yè)給吃了，但愿這該死的狗給噎死。 11我們從公寓被趕了出來，那個(gè)可惡的治安官說如果我的兒子一直嚷著要他的筆記本的話，他就把我們?nèi)甲テ饋怼?12杜撰這些借口的作者沒有意識(shí)到誠實(shí)的借口常常乏味，如：皮特遲到了是因?yàn)轸[鐘沒響。,13 一天，我打印了十多份借口假條，把它們發(fā)給我的高年級班。學(xué)生們?nèi)褙炞ⅲ察o地閱讀。 “麥考特先生，是誰寫的？”一男孩問道。 14 “是你們寫的，”我回答?！俺鲇诒Ｗo(hù)作者的目的，我劃掉姓名。這些假條按道理是由父母寫的，不過你們和我都知道真正的作者是誰，對吧，米奇？” 15 “那么我們接下來要做什么？” 16 “這是第一堂學(xué)習(xí)借口假條寫作藝術(shù)-第一次課堂練習(xí)寫作借口假條。你們很幸運(yùn)要拿出你們的佳作，把它變成值得學(xué)習(xí)的主題。”,17 每位學(xué)生面帶笑容。我接著說“你們不必只寫舊鬧鐘的故事。發(fā)揮你們的想象。也許有一天，你的孩子們上學(xué)遲到或缺席或做了搗蛋事，你得為他們編借口。想象一下你有個(gè)15歲大的孩子需要編寫英語成績落后的理由。 我們開始吧。” 18學(xué)生們編撰了種種理由，從一輛16輪大車撞上房子到學(xué)校餐廳造成的嚴(yán)重食物中毒。他們紛紛說：“再寫一個(gè)，再寫一個(gè)。我們可以多寫點(diǎn)嗎？” 19我答道：“你們寫吧.” “我完成了,” “亞當(dāng)給上帝的請假條” “夏娃給上帝的請假條.”這些學(xué)生唰唰唰地寫著,頭都不抬。 20不久，下課鈴聲響起，我第一次看到學(xué)生如此沉浸在寫作中以致要他們的朋友催促著去吃午飯： 呦，勒尼，快點(diǎn)，等會(huì)再做。,21第二天每人都帶來他們寫好的假條，請假人從亞當(dāng)?shù)较耐蓿鼜纳系鄣饺龅?。一名女生為亞?dāng)?shù)恼T惑辯解道：夏娃厭倦了在天堂里整天撒謊，無所事事。也厭倦了上帝干涉他們的生活。 22學(xué)生就亞當(dāng)和夏娃的罪進(jìn)行激烈討論。雖然有些跡象，但是還沒有人對上帝說難聽的話。有學(xué)生說，上帝應(yīng)該對人類第一個(gè)男人和第一個(gè)女人的處境多些理解。 23我讓全班同學(xué)思考任何一個(gè)可能找個(gè)好借口的歷史人物。我把自己的建議寫在了黑板上： 愛娃布勞恩，希特勒的女朋友；朱利葉斯與伊瑟爾羅森伯格，因賣國罪被處死；猶大；阿提拉；奧斯瓦耳德；鋁彭；,24“呦，麥考特先生，你能把老師們也寫上去嗎？” 一學(xué)生問。 25然后，我聽到有人說，“麥考特先生，校長在門口?！?26當(dāng)校長和學(xué)監(jiān)走進(jìn)來時(shí)，我的心直往下沉。他們都沒和我打招呼，徑直走到學(xué)生面前，盯著看學(xué)生的作文。學(xué)監(jiān)拿了一份給校長看。 27學(xué)監(jiān)皺了皺眉頭，校長撅起嘴。當(dāng)他們出去時(shí)，校長要我下課后去找學(xué)監(jiān)。 28我想，又玩完了，等著被炒魷魚吧。校長坐在桌子旁，學(xué)監(jiān)則站著。“請進(jìn)，”學(xué)監(jiān)說?！拔抑幌敫嬖V你，這堂課，這個(gè)話題先不管你到底在做什么簡直太棒了！那些孩子達(dá)到了大學(xué)水平?！?29他轉(zhuǎn)向校長說：“那個(gè)為猶大找借口寫假條的，太棒了。我要和你握握手，” 他邊說邊轉(zhuǎn)向我，“你的檔案里會(huì)增加一封證明你富有活力和想象力的教學(xué)的信。謝謝你?！?30天哪！能得到如此重要人物的贊揚(yáng)。我不知是應(yīng)該在過道上飄舞，還是縱身飛起來？第二天我得意地在教室里哼唱小調(diào)。 31學(xué)生們放聲大笑。他們說：“嘿，學(xué)校每天都應(yīng)該這樣，我們寫借口假條，老師們突然引亢高歌?！?我悟出，總有一天，人人需要借口。如果我們今天唱歌，明天照樣可以唱，為什么不呢？ 高興的時(shí)候哼哼小調(diào)需要借口嗎？,Text Analysis,Keys to Exercises,I. Suggestion: the teacher may divide the students into small groups, and then ask each group to do the exercise and find out the most common ones, for example, patience, understanding, a sense of humor, etc. II. All the sentences share the similarities of being sick. And illness is a common excuse that most students use for their absences.,Keys to Exercises,Part I Warm-up,Reading comprehension I DDABD II (1) creative (2) forged (3) piles (4) genuine (5) excuses (6) talent (7) absorbed (8) lunch (9) praised (10) needed Vocabulary I DBB BACDAC B,Keys to Exercises,II 1. superintendent 2. attest 3. genuine 4. turn into 5. glance at 6. excuse 7. evicted 8. disguise 9. worthy 10. imagination Translation 1.我每天收到以父母名義寫的請假條，很多是學(xué)生自己寫的。自從他們學(xué)會(huì)寫作之日起，就開始編假請假條。如果我要是一一追究，那好，簡直一天24小時(shí)都閑不下來。 2.當(dāng)校長和學(xué)監(jiān)走進(jìn)來時(shí)，我的心直往下沉。他們都沒和我打招呼，徑直走到學(xué)生面前，盯著看學(xué)生的作文。學(xué)監(jiān)拿了一份給校長看。 3.我悟出，總有一天，人人需要借口。如果我們今天唱歌，明天照樣可以唱，為什么不呢？高興的時(shí)候哼哼小調(diào)需要借口嗎？,es 2. is 3. will fall 4. would allow 5. is ringing 6. have 7.will be having 8. were working 9. wrote 10. is going to rain,Grammar Activities,1.世上沒有無緣無故的愛，也沒有無緣無故的恨。 2.事實(shí)勝于雄辯。 3.情人眼里出西施。 4.憑票入內(nèi)！ 5.從崇高到荒謬只有一步之遙。,Translating Activities,