(共23张PPT)
Video Time
Unit 1
Science fiction
By the end of this period, you will be able to:
1. learn something about crop circles by watching the video;
2. develop critical thinking by discussing some questions after
watching the video.
1. What are they
Crop circles
2. What did you know about them What do you want to know about them
Crop circle, large geometric(几何图形的) pattern of flattened crops, most often found in fields in southern England. Crop circles are said by some who have studied them to be messages from intelligent extraterrestrial (地球外的) life, but many have been proved to be the work of humans.
Mysterious Crop Circles
This video examines a strange phenomenon that has taken place in the English countryside for many decades. From time to time, crop circle patterns have appeared, with people debating for years their possible causes and meanings.
Look at the photos from the video and discuss the questions in groups.
Before you watch
1. What do you think these patterns represent
I don’t think these patterns represent anything. They just look like nice designs.
2. Who or what do you think made these patterns and how
I think they were made by people as a practical joke.
Answer these questions.
1. Who do some people think the circles are made by
2. Why did Mr Presley decide to find out more about the circles
3. Where were other types of circles found
4. Why do Matthew and his team like making crop circles
5. What does Matthew think some people use the crop circles for
While you watch
Check your answers.
1. Who do some people think the circles are made by
Some people suggest that different cultures may have constructed them as ways of communicating with aliens. Others say that ancient peoples must have created them to please the gods.
2. Why did Mr Presley decide to find out more about the circles
He loves puzzles.
3. Where were other types of circles found
In a forest near Vancouver, a body of water while the area around it remains frozen.
4. Why do Matthew and his team like making crop circles
Because they think that crop circle design is actually a creative art done by human beings, and the teams sometimes challenge each other to amaze the public by showing what they can do in an evening.
5. What does Matthew think some people use the crop circles for
He thinks that some people are using the circles to push their own unusual theories.
Read together
Narrator: The beautiful rolling countryside of England has a long history but in recent years there’s been a strange phenomenon here, one which people all over the world have been studying with great interest: crop circles. These strange and mysterious circles have many people, even some scientists, asking who or what could have made them. Since the beginning of time, human beings have created signs such as unusual constructions or animals carved into the hillsides. Some people suggest that different cultures may have constructed them as ways of communicating with aliens. Others say that ancient peoples must have created them to please the gods. Did people create these crop circles or are they messages made by aliens from outer space The question has been the cause of much debate.
Reg Presley: I walked into the first crop circle in 1990, and I thought “Mm”. And I love puzzles. And what I did was...said, right, I’m going to try and find out what this puzzle is all about. I think probably 95% of them are man-made, but there’s one particularly here, just over on a hill, Milk Hill, it’s so enormous that you can't even see the other side of the crop formation.
Narrator: Presley then explains that the formation is over a kilometre wide. He feels that people couldn’t have made such an enormous circle without other people knowing about it. He also points out that these formations appear all over the world. He tells of a circle in a forest near Vancouver, Canada. In it, only the top two metres of the trees were bent and shaped in a circle. Remarkably the trees were not broken suddenly and quickly, but bent over, without breaking when they were arranged. Presley has also heard of ice circles in which a circle of ice is missing from a body of water while the area around it remains frozen. For Presley a connection between these mysterious circles almost certainly exists. But to a young Englishman named Matthew, they're not all that mysterious.
Matthew: Yeah, a lot of circles have been appearing in this area. It’s a lovely landscape and the fields are just very clean and open like a canvas.
Narrator: In the area near Matthew's home many crop circles have recently appeared. While he will not admit to making any of these, Matthew has offered to demonstrate exactly how crop circles are made.
Matthew: Well, if there are aliens out there doing it, they’re using stomper boards and these little markers because, I mean, there’s things there like combing effects, in which people are going round and round the same area flattening it down. That wouldn’t be there with aliens I’m sure.
Narrator: In fact, Matthew thinks aliens would more likely use a faster, instantaneous technique, something obviously real to everyone, even him. Matthew's never seen this kind of evidence. The only crop circles he's seen are undoubtedly made by humans. As Matthew and his team begin the long evening task of making a crop circle, he talks about some of the beliefs regarding them. He explains how people imagine seeing extra-terrestrials, strange balls of light or UFOs when they see a crop circle. Matthew however claims that crop circle design is actually a creative art done by human beings. He also explains that teams sometimes challenge each other to amaze the public by showing what they can do in an evening.
Matthew: It is a bit like a military operation. You’ve got to get in, do the job, get out. Not get caught. You know it’s SAS I suppose: Who dares wins. I’m a little bit worried about some of the beliefs I hear going around. Some of the stuff is a bit apocalyptic.
Narrator: At times Matthew is disturbed by some of the beliefs about crop circles. He thinks that some people are using the circles to push their own unusual theories. In his years of making crop circles, Matthew’s never seen any evidence that aliens made them. In his opinion, crop circles are definitely not signs of intelligent life in outer space, but perhaps opinions like Matthew’s are a sign of one kind of intelligent life: intelligent life on Earth.
1. Do you believe crop circles are all made by humans or by aliens What do you think the crop circles represent
I think they are made by humans. I just have trouble believing that aliens would travel millions of kilometres through space just to leave circles on the ground. In my opinion, these circles only represent human being’s interests about attracting others’ attention, including aliens.
After you watch
2. What kind of crop circle would you create Discuss and decide on its appearance and meaning. Draw it on a large sheet of paper. Then present it to the rest of the class.
I would make a crop circle of the comic character Monkey King, because it looks like it would be a challenge and because it would be fun to confuse people who thought all crop circles are made by aliens.
Do you think the Mysterious Crop Circles are made by human or by aliens Write your opinion.
Homework