Unit 4 Looking good, feeling good
Extended reading: Don't judge a book by its cover
Instructor: Xiao Fen
Learning goals:
By the end of this section, students will be able to:
identify the argument and structure of the article;
locate specific information related to the content;
have a deeper understanding of inner beauty.
Step I: Lead-in
Task 1: Watch a video and answer the questions:
Why don’t people like the toy
What do you think of it
Task 2: Share a picture of Yao Ming and ask students:
Do you want to make friends with him Why
Step II: Pre-reading
Task 1: Comprehend the title “Don’t judge a book by its cover”
= Don’t judge a _______ by his/her appearance
Task 2: Brainstorming
Judging from the title, what type of writing may it belong to
Argumentation Exposition Narration
What do you think will be talked about in the article
beauty
appearance
book
Step III Fast-reading
Listen to the passage and match the right structure
introduction
Causes
Solutions
Conclusion
Step IV Careful-reading
Task 1: Read paragraph 1 and find out the answers.
Who are easy to judge a book by its cover
What is the influence of judging a book by its cover
Task 2: Read paragraphs 2-3 and fill in the blanks.
Task 3: Read paragraphs 4-6 and identify true or false.
We need to follow popular beauty standards blindly.
Remind yourself that you are common is a tip.
It is a bad idea to try to direct your attention away from negative thoughts.
Talking about your feelings with your good friend can help you be confident.
Task 4: Read paragraph 7 and Find the topic sentence.
Step V Group Discussion
Can you find the inner beauty of people around you Try to write down the good qualities of your classmates. Use adjectives to describe him/her, and explain why.
Don't judge a book by its cover
"Don't judge a book by its cover," the old saying goes. Unfortunately, as a teenager, that is often exactly what you do to yourself. Dark thoughts about your physical appearance can hang over you all the time like a rain cloud. Do I look fat in these jeans Do others think I am too short Is everyone laughing at my new hairstyle5 behind my back These thoughts can have a negative effect on people of any shape or size, both male and female, and it is important to guard against the causes behind them.
Standards of beauty in the media can have a big influence on what you think of your physical appearance. Teens who try to copy the looks of their favorite stars are fighting a losing battle—these standards are simply impossible for most of the population to live up to. They will only end up feeling worse about themselves.
Your friends also influence the way you view your physical appearance. If you have friends who are good-looking or have a great fashion sense, it can feel like you are living in their shadow. For children of the digital age, social media makes this problem even worse. Your friends may post a never-ending series of photos online to show off their beautiful dresses or strong bodies, and it becomes easier for you to compare yourself to them. This has proved to have a negative effect on what you think of your physical appearance.
These external influences are always present, but there are certainly ways to deal with them. First of all, be careful not to follow popular beauty standards blindly. They are out of reach for 99% of us, so it is better to just forget about them.
Another tip is to remind yourself that you are unique. Keep in mind that your family and friends love you just the way you are. Talk about your feelings with someone you trust. Hearing how much they value you can help you feel comfortable in your own skin. Focusing on your strengths also helps you build your confidence. Everyone has their own talents——you may be good at painting or playing the piano, so take pride in things you do well instead of worrying about things you cannot change.
Finally, it is a good idea to try to direct your attention away from negative thoughts.
To achieve this, you should do something you enjoy. Read a book you like, or take part in a social activity, like playing a ball game with your friends. These things can help you take your mind off matters that worry you and make you feel good about yourself.
You may often judge yourself by what is on the outside, not on the inside. However, like a book, your contents are much more important than your cover. If you can learn to see the good things about yourself—your individuality, your value to others, your achievements—you will soon begin to love yourself just the way you are.