【单词】
discuss [dɪˈskʌs] v.讨论，谈论
thinker [ˈθɪŋkə] n.思想家
wise [waɪz] adj.有判断力的，明智的
review [rɪˈvju:] n.评论（文章）
influence [ˈɪnfluəns] v.影响，作用于
sense [sens] n.道理，意义，合理性
make sense 有意义
by the way 顺便地；附带说说
suppose [səˈpəʊz] v.猜想，推测，相信，认为
well-known ['wel'nəʊn] adj.众所周知的，著名的
adventure [ədˈventʃə] n.冒险（经历）
get into trouble使自己或他人陷入困扰之境
run away 逃跑；逃脱
escape [ɪˈskeɪp] v.逃离，逃脱
cave [keɪv] n.洞穴
dead [ded] adj.死的，去世的
for a time 一度
neighbour ['neɪbə] n.邻居
funeral [ˈfju:nərəl] n.葬礼
surprised [səˈpraɪzd] adj.惊奇的，惊讶的
alive [əˈlaɪv] adj.活着的
southern [ˈsʌðən] adj.南方的
state [steɪt] n.州，邦
pay for 支付
action [ˈækʃn] n.举止，行为，情节
everyday [ˈevrideɪ] adj.日常的，普通的
dialogue ['daɪəlɒɡ] n.对话
【课文】
Unit 1
Activity 1
Presenter: Hello, today our guests will each introduce an important person from their countries, and we’ll discuss why they’re famous.
Chinese person: Confucius was a great teacher and thinker in ancient China. He lived over 2,000 years ago and he is well-known in many countries.
British person: William Shakespeare was English and wrote plays and poems. Although he died about 400 years ago, his plays are still seen, and his poems are still read by many people.
American person: Mark Twain was an American writer. His works are studied in schools. His stories are set in the south of the US over 100 years ago, and readers still enjoy them very much.
Activity 3
Mr Jackson: Hello, Betty. What's up?
Betty: I want to join an Internet group to discuss great books by great writers.
Mr Jackson: So,who are your great writers?
Betty: Well, maybe Confucius and Shakespeare.
Mr Jackson: Really? I accept that they're great because their works are still read by many people today. But I think I'd describe Confucius more as a teacher and thinker than a writer. He was a very wise man. What do you have to do for the discussion?
Betty: Well, each of us reads a favourite book and writes a review for the discussion.
Mr Jackson: I see. We're still influenced by Confucius's ideas, and Shakespeare's plays also make a lot of sense to us today. People have always read, and will always read great books. By the way, what do you think of Mark Twain, the great American writer in the nineteenth century?
Betty: He was important, but I suppose he isn't as well-know as Confucius or Shakespeare.
Mr Jackson: No, but his books are still popular, and one of his books is my favourite, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
Betty: Great! Why don't you join in the discussion and tell us about it?
Unit 2
Activity 2
A book review of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
One of my favourite great books is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain. The story is set in the town of St Petersburg, Missouri, in the US, in the nineteenth century. It tells some exciting stories about a boy who has many adventures.
Tom, the hero of the book, lives with his aunt Polly. He is a lively and clever boy. He does not like people telling him what to do, so he always gets into trouble. He and his best friend, Huck Finn, run away to an island in the middle of the Mississippi River. Tom has more trouble because a bad man named Injun Joe is looking for him. Later, Tom escapes from a cave with another friend, Becky. He also finds Injun Joe's treasure box and takes it away.
My favourite part of the book is when Tom and Huck start their adventures on the island in the Mississippi River. At first, they are happy. But when they hear that everyone thinks they are dead, they feel very sorry, so they come back home. They hide and watch for a time when they see their family and neighbors coming to their funeral in the church. Then, Tom and Huck suddenly appear. Everyone is surprised to see them at first, but very pleased to find that they are alive.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a great book. It is more than an adventure story. Mark Twain wrote it in 1876. It describes people's lives in the southern states of America at that time. It tells how young people grow, how people love each other and how bad people pay for their actions. It is written in everyday English, and the dialogues sound especially real. Today, it is still read and loved by people all over the world, and it is thought to be one of the greatest American stories.
Unit 3
Activity 6
Betty: This is a good book, Daming. It’s called The Arabian Nights. Have you read it?
Daming: Yes, but I didn’t like it. The king is told a different story each night, but I thought it was quite long and boring.
Betty: Oh, really? I loved it. What about this one? It’s about a house with something strange in it.
Daming: Oh, no. I didn’t like that.
Betty: Oh, really? Well, what about this story? It looks exciting. It’s about a boat trip on a river.
Daming: Yes, that book is wonderful. I read it last week.
Betty: Here’s another one. Oh, look, it’s got a baby duck and a baby pig on the front. They’re so sweet!
Daming: That book is only for babies, Betty! I don’t want to read baby picture books!
Betty: You’re right. Well, how about this one about China? It looks interesting.
Daming: I agree. I read that and I liked it. It’s got some great photos.
Betty: And have you read this? It looks very interesting.
Daming: Yes, I have. And I really enjoyed it. The writer visits different places and interviews the people there. They talk about how their lives have changed. You should read it.
Betty: I think I will!