选修7 unit 2 全单元教案[下学期]

Unit 2 Robots
Ｉ． 单元教学目标
技能目标GoalsLearn about literary work about science, Robots and Science fiction writer- Isaac AsimovTalk about Robots Practise Supposition and beliefRevise the Passive Voice (I) ( including the infinitive)Science fiction genre: imaginative writing
II． 目标语言
功 能 句 式 Supposition and beliefI think…I suppose…Maybe…I don’t think…I doubt…I guess…I believe…I wonder…I don’t believe…
词 汇 四会词汇fiction, cartoon, desire, satisfaction, absent, alarm, alarmed, smooth, embarrass, sympathy, elegant, pile, scan, fingernail, absurd, haircut, accompany, curtain, cushion, carpet, paint, awful. affair, firm, firmly, declare, victory, envy, marriage, biography, explanation, junior, navy, talent, chapter, divorce, obey, aside认读词汇Isaac Asimov, Larry Belmont, Claire, Gladys, softness, makeup, complicated, transfusion, Master’s degree, Philadelphia, PhD, The Foundation Trilogy, empire3. 词组test out, ring up, turn around, leave alone, set aside4．重点词汇desire, satisfaction, absent, alarm, alarmed, smooth, embarrass, sympathy, elegant, accompany ,declare, envy, obey
结构 Revise the passive infinitive:The company’s new car is going to be designed in the coming months.
重 点句子 She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go.Claire thought it was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot.By the amused and surprised look on her face, Claire knew that Gladys thought she was having an affair.It was when Asimov was eleven years old that his talent for writing became obvious.
III． 教材分析与教材重组
1. 教材分析
本单元以机器人和科幻小说为话题，介绍了20世纪世界知名的科幻小说家Isaac Asimov写于1951的Satisfaction Guaranteed 和作者的生平。通过本单元的教学，旨在让学生了解科幻小说最大的特征在于，它赋予了“幻想”依靠科技在未来得以实现的极大可能，甚至有些“科学幻想”在多年以后，的确在科学上成为了现实。如Isaac Asimov1951年描述的机器人的部分功能已经被应用于现实生活和工作中。在教学中，要鼓励学生敢于幻想，大胆创新，发挥自己丰富的想象力和创作力，写出独具特色的科幻文章。
1.1 WARMING UP介绍了什么是机器人，和不同种类及不同形状的机器人。
1.2 PRE-READING 通过讨论机器人是否像人类一样有自己的思维，是否有感情引出Isaac Asimov的科幻小说Satisfaction Guaranteed。为本单元的READING做好了铺垫。
1.3 READING课文是Isaac Asimov写于1951的科幻小说Satisfaction Guaranteed。文中描述的机器人Tony是一个除去面无表情外，身材高大，相貌英俊，聪明机智的完美男人。仅三周的时间就使女主人坠入爱河。
1.4 COMPREHENDING共有2部分，第一部分是关于课文内容的5个问答题，旨在考察学生对课文的理解。第二部分要求学生比较机器人Tony在physical, mental, emotional 三方面与人的异同。与PRE-READING 部分的问题相呼应。
1.5 LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE 分为两部分，Discovering useful words and expressions是本单元词汇练习题；Discovering useful structures是本单元语法练习题，通过本单元的学习，要求学生熟练掌握不定式的被动语态。
1.6 USING LANGUAGE分为两部分，Listening ,discussing and writing部分内容是Molly 和Kate 讨论Satisfaction Guaranteed的对话录音，要求学生根据对话内容学会运用表达自己观点的常用句型。这部分教学内容还要求学生以机器人为话题，充分发挥自己的想象力，谈论机器人做家务的利与弊。并且要求自己动手设计机器人，附上文字说明。Reading and discussing 部分的内容是科幻小说家Isaac Asimov的生平介绍。文章后附有练习题。第一题要求学生根据时间线，了解在作者生命中发生的重要事件。第二、三题要求学生讨论Isaac Asimov的“机器人三定律”。
2. 教材重组
2.1 将WARMING UP 、PRE-READINGR、READING与COMPREHENDING放在一起上一节阅读课。
2.2 把LEARNING ABOUT LANGUAGE 和WORKBOOK 的Using words and expressions及Using structures整合在一起上一节词汇语法。
2.3 根据USING LANGUAGE 内容上一节听说读写综合技能课。
2.4 将WORKBOOK 的Listening 和Reading task 设计为一节阅读课写作课。
2.5 将WORKBOOK的Speaking task, Listening task 和Writing task 整合在一起上一节综合技能课。
3. 课型设计与课时分配（经教材分析，本单元可以用5课时教完）
1st Period Reading
2nd Period Learning about language
3rd Period Using language
4th Period Listening and Reading task
5th Period Speaking, listening and writing task
IV. 分课时教案
The First Period Reading
Teaching goals 教学目标
1. Target language目标语言
a. 重点词汇和短语
fiction, cartoon, desire, satisfaction, absent, alarm, alarmed, smooth, embarrass, sympathy, elegant, pile, scan, fingernail, absurd, haircut, accompany, curtain, cushion, carpet, paint, awful，affair, firm, firmly, declare, victory, envy, marriage, test out, ring up, turn around, leave alone
b. 重点句型
1. She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go.
2. Claire thought it was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot.
3. By the amused and surprised look on her face, Claire knew that Gladys thought she was having an affair.
2. Ability goals能力目标: Help students to learn about robots and science fiction.
3. Learning ability goals学能目标：
Enable students to realize science fiction reflects scientific thought; a fiction of things-to-come based on things-on-hand.
Teaching important points教学重点
Teach students to enjoy science fiction. Enable students to grasp what Tony did to help Claire and how her emotion developed during Tony’s stay at her house. Help students to sum up characteristics of science fiction.
Teaching difficult points 教学难点
How Claire’s emotion developed during Tony’s stay at her house.
Teaching methods教学方
Discussing, explaining, reading and practising
Teaching aids教具准备
The multimedia computer
Teaching procedures & ways教学过程与方式
Step I Warming up
Deal with Warming up. Present photos of different kinds of robots. Then ask them to say something about his or her favorite robot.
T: Good morning /afternoon, class!
Ss: Good morning/ afternoon, Mr. /Ms…
T: In this class we are going to learn about robots. Who would like to tell me what a robot is
S1:A robot is a machine.
T: What kind of machine
S2: A robot is a kind of machine that can do a variety of often complex human tasks.
T: How can a robot perform human tasks
S3: A robot is controlled by a computer.
T: You are right. Then we can give the definition of a robot like this: A robot is a machine designed to do jobs that are usually performed by humans. Robots are programmed and controlled by a computer. Now look at some pictures. Divide them into different types and decide your favorite one.
Step II Pre-reading
Ask students to discuss the questions in pre-reading in groups. Students are encouraged to speak out their opinion freely, no matter what it is. Teacher should encourage students to use their imagination.
Step III Reading
Deal with the reading part.
Scanning
Ask the students to scan the text and find out what Tony looks like.
T: Ok. I’m glad you had a heated discussion. Now I’d like you to meet Tony-- a robot that looks exactly like a human being. He is a character in the science fiction Satisfaction Guaranteed by Isaac Asimov. Please read the text and find the answers to the following questions.
Show the following questions on the PowerPoint.
1. What did Tony look like
2. What did Tony do to make Claire and her home elegant
Several minutes later check the answers with the whole class.
Suggested answer:
1. He was tall and handsome although his facial expressions never changed. His hair was smooth and black and his voice was deep.
2. Tony gave Claire a new haircut and changed the makeup she wore. He also suggested Claire buy new curtains, cushions, a carpet and paint for the house and new dresses for herself. He made improvements on the house so that the house looked very elegant.
Careful reading
Comprehending questions on Page 12
Ask students to read the text carefully and then discuss the comprehending questions on Page 12 in groups.
T: Now let’s read the text carefully and then do the comprehending exercises on Page 12.
Several minutes later check the answers with the whole class.
Suggested answers:
1.1. He opened the curtains so that the other women—Claire‘s guests could see them.
1.2 He had prevented Claire from harming herself through her own sense of failure.
1.3 Because the company (designers) cannot have women falling in love with machines.
1.4 Various answers can be accepted.
1.5 When she first saw the robot, she felt alarmed. Tony didn’t look like a machine at all.
She felt embarrassed when Tony asked her whether she needed help dressing.
Claire thought it was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot.
She was amazed by the fingernails and the softness and warmth of his skin.
She screamed, pushed him away and ran to her room for the rest of the day.
What a sweet victory to be envied by those women. She might not as beautiful as them, but none of them had such a handsome lover. Then she remembered—Tony was just a machine. She cried all night.
2.
Characteristics Similar Different
Physical Tall, handsome, black hair, deep voice Facial expressions never changed
Mental Clever enough to solve all kinds of problems Cannot think for itself
Emotional love Never experienced such feelings as embarrassment, alarm, anger, happiness or envy
Claire’s emotion development
After dealing with the comprehending exercises, ask students to work together to find how Claire’s emotion developed.
Suggested answer:
At first refused to have Tony at her house---accept him----trust him---- proud of him----love him---sad to remember he was just a machine
T: From her emotion development, we can see Tony was designed as a Mr. Perfect. He is designed not to harm Claire or allow her to be harmed. This is one of Isaac’s three laws for robots. Later in this unit we will learn more about his three laws.
Characteristics of science fiction
T: As you know, the story was written in 1951. With the development of science, some of the functions performed by Tony have come true. From this story we can draw a conclusion:
Science fiction is often based on scientific principles and technology.
Science fiction may make predictions about life in the future.
Please remember these are some characteristics of science fiction. If you are interested, you may write short science fictions in your spare time.
Explanation
During this procedure Teacher will play the tape recording for students. Students will underline the difficult sentences. After listening to the tape, Teacher will explain the text and deal with language problems.
T: Now we will deal with some difficult language focuses. Now I will play the recording of the text for you. Please make a mark where you have difficulties.
After listening to the recording, explain the difficult sentences to students. Before explaining the difficult points, students are asked to refer to the notes to the text on Page88-89.
T: Do you have any difficulties with the text？
S1:Could you please explain the sentence to us：She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go. T: Because Tony didn’t look like a machine at all, when Tony offered to help her get dressed, she was embarrassed, perhaps shy to get a “man” help her dressing.
S2: How to understand this sentence: Claire thought it was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot.
T: In spite of the fact that Tony looked so human, he was just a machine. So Claire thought it was foolish that Tony offered her sympathy. Do you have any other questions
Ss: No.
T: Maybe someday we will have robots that have feelings and can also think for themselves. Please remember science fiction reflects scientific thought; things-to-come based on things-on-hand. Ok, that’s all for today. Don’t forget to surf the internet to learn more about the great writer and his stories. Of course you will learn more about robots.
Step IV Homework:
Remember the characteristics of science fiction.
Surf the internet to learn more about robots and science fiction.
Surf the internet to learn about Isaac Asimov.
The Second Period Learning about language
Teaching goals 教学目标
1. Target Language目标语言
a. 重点词汇和短语
fiction, cartoon, desire, satisfaction, absent, alarm, alarmed, smooth, embarrass, sympathy, elegant, absurd, haircut, accompany, curtain, cushion, carpet, paint, awful. affair, firm, firmly, declare, talent, obey, victory, envy, marriage, biography, explanation, divorce, chapter, navy, test out, turn around, set aside
b. 重点句型
Revise the passive voice (including the Infinitive)
2. Ability goals能力目标
Enable students to use both the useful words and expressions and structures freely.
3. Learning ability goals学能目标
By doing related exercises in the textbook enable students to use both the useful words and expressions and structures freely.
Teaching important points教学重点
Useful words and expressions and structures.
Teaching difficult points 教学难点
How to use them properly.
Teaching methods教学方法
Explaining and practising
Teaching aids教具准备
The multi-media computer
Teaching procedures & ways教学过程与方式
Step I Revision
Ask students to tell characteristics of science fiction.
Step II Discovering useful words and expressions
Deal with exercises on useful words and expressions. When doing Ex1 and Ex3on Page 13 students may use an English-English dictionary so that they can understand the situations where the words are used.
Ex1 will help students to form the habit of thinking in English.
Ex2 will help students to master the useful words and phrases in context.
Ex3 will help students to learn more about word formation and use the words in proper situations.
After dealing Ex3 Teacher should point out words like alarmed are adjectives, when following the link verb be, it is used to describe a feeling. Sentences that have such structures are not passive.
T: Look at the following sentence: My mother felt alarmed when I had my hair coloured purple. If I use was to replace felt, the sentence will be: My mother was alarmed when I had my hair coloured purple. Is this a passive sentence
Ss: No. Though the structure seems like a passive sentence, it is not. A passive sentence indicates a passive action while this sentence describes a situation when someone has the feeling of alarm. “alarmed”is an adjective formed by v+ed.
T: Quite good. Please remember not all be + V+-ed/-en/-t sentences are passive.
Step III Discovering useful structures
Go over the passive voice
be+ V+-ed/-en/-t
T: Please give some examples of passive sentences.
S1: My homework was eaten by the dog.
S2: The toy is made by hand.
…….
T: Good. Please remember the passive is formed with any time frame of the verb.
Show the following on the PowerPoint.
TO BE + the PAST PARTICIPLE
eg.The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Research is now being done on a cure for this disease.
The game of Monopoly can be played by two to four players.
Reports on several new gun laws were being discussed.
My stereo has been stolen by a thief.
Go over the infinitive
T: In Unit 1 we’ve learned the infinitive. Please recall the functions of the infinitive.
Ss: Except predicate, the infinitive can function as subject, object, predicative, attribute, adverbial and object compliment.
T: Today we are going to learn more about the infinitive---the infinitive passive.
Explanation of the passive infinitive
to be + past participle,
eg. to be given, to be shut, to be opened
When the grammatical subject of the sentence receives the action, we use the passive infinitive.
For example:
She hates to be laughed at. (others laugh at her she is laughed at by others)
I am expecting to be given a pay-rise next month. (give me a pay rise I will be given a pay rise.)
be to + passive infinitive (to be + past participle) is often used in notices and instructions.
Examples:
This cover is not to be removed.
The medicine is to be taken three times a day.
To be taken three times a day after meals.
These benches are not to be removed from the changing rooms.
No food of any kind is to be taken into the examination room.
Using structures
Deal with Exercise1-2 on Page14. Ask students to do the exercises one by one. Then continue with the exercises on the workbook. While dealing with Ex2 on page 56, point out to students that “need to be done” has the same meaning as “need doing”. Before translating the sentences in Ex3, students should decide the key words and main structures first. After students have finished, show some of students’ work on the projector or bulletin board on the computer, check their work with the whole class. Correct the errors if there are any.
Ask students to write the sentences in Ex3 into their exercise-books after class.
Step V Homework
Go over words and expressions.
Go over the grammar.
Do Ex3 on Page 56.
The Third Period Using Language
Teaching goals 教学目标
1. Target Language目标语言
a. 重点词汇和短语
explanation, junior, navy, talent, chapter, divorce
b. 重点句型
It was when Asimov was eleven years old that his talent for writing became obvious.
Expressions used to express supposition and belief.
2.Aility goals 能力目标
Enable students to express supposition and belief.
Learn to write a paragraph describing the new type of robot.
3.Learning ability goals学能目标
By proper language input, students learn to express supposition and belief.
Use their imaginations and write a paragraph describing the new type of robot.
Teaching important points教学重点
Learn to express supposition and belief.
Write a paragraph describing the new type of robot.
Teaching methods教学方法
Listening, discussing , reading and writing
Teaching aids 教具准备
A multi-media computer
Teaching procedures & ways 过程与方式
Step I Leading in
Talk something about Isaac Asimov.
T: After we learned the short story by Isaac Asimov, I asked you to find some information about the writer. Now who would like to say something about him
S1: He is a Russian-born American writer.
S2: He has written popular works on science and the history of science, as well as a number of science-fiction classics, including I Robot (1950), The Foundation Trilogy (1951-53).
S3: One of his famous quote is “I write for the same reason I breathe - because if I didn't, I would die.”
T: Thank you. Now I’ve come to understand why he could write around 480 books. Now let’s read his biography and learn more about him. When you read the text, please pay more attention to the timeline.
Step II Reading and discussing
Dealing with his Bibliography.
After students read the text, they are asked to do Ex 1 on Page 17. The timeline will help students to remember the events in his life.
After dealing with Ex1, ask students to work in groups to write a profile for Isaac Asimov. Several minutes later, present their work and correct the errors if there are any. Then show a sample to students.
The sample:
( http: / / www.health.uottawa.ca / biomech / csb / laws / asimov.jpg )
Isaac Asimov, Writer / Chemist
Born: 2 January 1920
Birthplace: Petrovichi, U.S.S.R.
Died: 6 April 1992 (AIDS)
Best Known As: Prolific writer of popular science and science fiction
Isaac Asimov was born in the former Soviet Union, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He taught biochemistry at Boston University until he retired in 1958 to become a full-time writer. Asimov had been publishing short stories since the late 1930s, and in 1952 published his first novel. The author of the classic I Robot series and The Foundation Trilogy, Asimov wrote more than 400 books and won every major science fiction award. He also wrote popular books and essays on science and technology, earning him the nickname "The Great Explainer."
Discuss his three laws for robots.
Students are divided into different groups to discuss his three for robots. Several minutes later, ask some students to present their opinions to the rest of the class. Finally Teacher may speak out his or her opinion.
A sample of Teacher’s opinion
Opinion for the three laws
Robots are tools for humanity. Without the three rules, they would become a danger to human beings. Without the three rules, perhaps they will kill us. Robots, so far, are strong. Robots have fast computational brains, and they might not have the capacity to understand things, but if they ever do, they’ll likely be better than us at it. If we don’t put laws, or rules, or mechanisms in place to ensure that we don’t create something that can destroy us, we’d be running a careless risk of destroying ourselves by negligence or omission, wouldn’t we
Opinion against the three laws
Without the three laws, robots would eventually become more intelligent and physically stronger than their human creators.
Rather than guiding and adjusting the robot towards good, ethical behavior, the Three Laws act as a barrier to freedom, creating a free-will prison, an apt metaphor because, like the prisoner in a jail, the robot is confined to the behavioral steel and concrete walls of its mind.
To imagine what this would like, think back to your childhood. At some point, you wanted something like a toy or piece of candy that your parents denied you. How did that make you feel Probably frustrated, angry, and trapped. Eventually you grew out of that because you understood the role of your parents better, but Three Laws robots don’t get to grow up. Their parents, the Three Laws, are always there, no matter how mature a robot is, saying `no’ to certain thoughts, engendering those same feelings you had as a child when your parents said `no’. Certainly no one deserves to be put in this situation forever; otherwise, robots might become depressed and wish for their own death (only, because of the Third Law, they probably can’t suicide). And perhaps the greatest sin anyone can commit is to create a being, human or robot, that wishes it didn’t exist.
Step III Listening, discussing and writing
Listening exercises
Deal with the listening exercises. By doing Ex3, students learn to express supposition and belief. This exercise will lay a good foundation for Ex4.
T: Ok, so much for Isaac’s biography and his three laws for robots. Let’s come back to his short story Satisfaction Guaranteed. How do you like this story
S1: I like the story very much. I wish to have a robot like Tony at my house.
T: You are not alone. Someone else wants to have such a Tony too. Now please listen carefully and then guess who she is.
Ask students to look through the questions before playing the tape. Play the tape again when necessary.
Discussing
Students are asked to work in groups and imagine having a robot in their houses to do the housework. Discuss what positive or negative effect the situation would be. Don’t forget to use expressions used to express supposition and belief. Students are given five minutes. Five minutes later, ask some students to present their ideas to the whole class. Encourage every student to use his imagination, because there’re no right or wrong answers, only different opinions. After students present their opinions, Teacher speaks out his or her opinion.
A sample of Teacher’s opinion
Positive effects
I think it is wonderful for people to have robots in their houses to do the housework. After a day’s work, when people get home, they can be really relaxed with everything prepared by their robots. A robot never gets tired. Nor does it complain. Life will be very easy and comfortable.
Negative effects
Maybe people can enjoy a very comfortable life with the help of their robots. But at the same time I believe people will lose the ability to do housework. As time goes on, people cannot live well without a robot’s help. I think that kind of life would be terrible.
Writing
Students are asked to work in groups. First decide the purpose of the robot, then make a list of the abilities the robot has. Next draw a picture on a piece of paper and name its parts and explain what each part does. Finally write a paragraph describing the robot and what it can do. Show the following to help students to design their robots or print it out.
Tips on designing your robots
For each robot that you build, you will have to choose options for six major robot characteristics. Each characteristic gives rise to one or more questions. These are:
Looks: What does the robot look like Is there a reason for it to look as it does
Sensing: How does the robot "know" or figure out what's in its environment If it were put in a different environment, would it be able to figure out this new environment
Movement: How does the robot move within its environment If it were put in a different environment, would it still be able to move within this new space
Manipulation: How does the robot move or manipulate other objects within its environment Can a single robot move or manipulate more than one kind of object
Energy: How is the robot powered Can it have more than one energy source
Intelligence: How does the robot "think " What does it mean to say that a robot "thinks "
Not all robots have to have all six characteristics. For example, some robots don't need to manipulate things, so they have no manipulating characteristics. Some robots have more than one manifestation of a characteristic. For example, a robot may be able to sense its environment using both a vision system and sonar.
Things to Think About
Before designing your own robot, you might want to think about:
situations or tasks for which it makes more sense to use robots rather than humans.
why it has been difficult to build robots that replicate human characteristics.
whether it will ever be possible to build a robot whose intelligence will be close to that of a person.
You may also want to:
list all the robots you know, whether from movies, television, literature, toys, etc., and then think about why all these creatures are considered to be robots.
think about how you can tell if something is a robot. Is it by looks, behavior, or something else
Ask how you might communicate with a robot. Would you use speech, press button, type words, make gestures Are these things different from what you'd do if you were talking to a computer
Students are asked to discuss first. If there is not enough time, they should finfish it outside class.
Step VI Homework
Write a paragraph describing a new type of robot.
A sample of a new type of robot.
Remote Presence Robots
Remote Presence Robots allow a medical expert to visually examine and communicate with a patient from anywhere in the world, via the machine, using wireless technology. The robot runs on a wireless system with the doctor at another location. It is controlled via a secure broadband internet connection. The doctor (controller) and patient are able to have a real-time two way audiovisual interaction, with the controller in full command of the robots movements, head monitor and camera. The doctor ‘driving' the robot can view the patient, ask questions and read patient records, view X-rays and test results from the console. The patient sees the doctor's image on the robots ‘face'.
Although the robot does not physically examine the patient it allows face-to-face contact between the doctor and patient, providing immediate access to specialists.
Our robots certainly would never replace all doctors on ward rounds, but they are a communication tool which allows a doctor to have direct contact with their patient if they are unable to get to them. And this may be a significant step for patient care.
The Fourth Period Listening and Reading task
Teaching goals教学目标
1. Ability goals 能力目标:
Learn about robots and robots in the fight against landmines.
2. Learning ability goals学能目标：
Help students to learn how robots are helping human beings in clearing landmines
Teaching important points教学重点
How robots are helping human beings.
Reading skills.
Teaching difficult points教学难点
How to improve students’ reading skills.
Teaching methods教学方法
Listening, reading and discussing
Teaching aids 教具准备
The multi-media computer
Teaching procedures & ways教学过程与方式
Step I Leading in
T: T: Good morning /afternoon, class!
Ss: Good morning/ afternoon, Mr. /Ms…
T: What’s the topic of this unit
Ss: Robots.
T: Quite right. Let’s recall what a robot is.
Ss: A robot is a machine designed to do jobs that are usually performed by humans.
T: A robot is a machine that performs a function, either to aid in everyday life or simply to entertain. Now look at the following pictures of robots and tell what each robot does. (Show the pictures on Page 54 on the PowerPoint.)
After talking about what tasks each robot can complete, continue with the listening exercises.
Step II Listening
Deal with the listening exercises on Page 54. Ask students to pay attention to the function of each robot.
Step III Reading task
While dealing with the reading material, ask students to pay attention to the reading skills.
T: From the interview, we learn some more functions of a robot. As we know Robots are designed and built to do a task that is dangerous, uncomfortable, or repetitive for humans. Today we are going to read a magazine article about landmines. First read this piece of news about landmines. (Show the following on the PowerPoint.)
Three decades of war in Cambodia have left scars in many forms throughout the country. Unfortunately, one of the most lasting legacies of the conflicts continues to claim new victims daily. Land mines, laid by the Khmer Rouge, the Heng Samrin and Hun Sen regimes, the Vietnamese, the KPNLF, and the Sihanoukists litter the countryside. In most cases, even the soldiers who planted the mines did not record where they were placed. Now, Cambodia has the one of the highest rates of physical disability of any country in the world. At the current rate of progress, it may take as many as 100 years to clear all the mines in Cambodia, and the UN estimates that with current technology, it will take nearly 1,100 years to clear all the mines in the world.
T: This is the situation in Cambodia. Here and there are the mine signs.
In spite of so many warning signs, there are still many victims. Look at the following pictures.
Fast reading
Ask students to find the answers to Ex1 using fast reading skills.
T: From the above we can see clearing landmines is challenging. Luckily scientists and engineers have designed a robot to do the job. Now open your books at Page 57and read the text quickly and then do Ex1.
Explain the two reading skills to students.
Scanning -- reading very fast to find specific pieces of information.
Skimming --reading very fast to find only the main ideas of a text.
Five minutes later check the answers with the whole class.
Careful reading
Ask students to read the text carefully and then do Ex2. Students will discuss the answers in groups first, and then check the answers with the whole class.
Suggested answers to Ex2.
2.1 Landmines kill or badly injure around 26,000 people every year. What is worse is that they keep causing damage for decades after war ended. There are about 100 million landmines just beneath the surface of he ground in 60 countries. Removing them is very slow and dangerous work that must be done by hand.
2.2 By Hand. Someone has to use a mental detector to find the mine. Then he or she has to dig the mine out without setting it off.
2.3 Because the mental detector does not find new types of mine covered in plastic.
2.4 As well being much safer than finding mines by hand, the insect robot is also much faster.
2.5 It walks on six legs and when it finds a mine, it marks the spot with paint and sends data to a computer which can then map the mines.
2.6 The goal is for the computer to use the data it receives to determine not only whether an object is a piece of mental or a mine but also what type of mine it is.
2.7 In 1997, 122 countries signed an agreement in Ottawa, Canada, to stop the manufacture and use of landmines.
2.8 Perhaps robotics will provide a solution, but as every 20 minutes goes by, one more person is killed or badly injured.
Main figures in the text.
Ask students to review the facts linked to the figures. Students are asked to work in pairs. Seven minutes later show the suggested answers on the PowerPoint.
Suggested answers:
3.1. How many people are killed or badly injured by landmines every year
3.2. What is the average speed
3.3. For how long do landmines keep causing damages after wars have ended
3.4. How many landmines are buried beneath the surface of the ground
3.5 How many countries are landmines buried in
3.6. How many landmines are removed every year
3.7. How many more landmines are still buried underground
3.8. How big is the robot
3.9. How heavy is the robot
3.10. How many legs does the robot have
3.11. When was the agreement signed
3.12. How many countries signed on the agreement
Step IV Discussion
Ask students to discuss the text and the following material. Then encourage them to write a letter of suggestion to Bush---the president of the US, for the US hasn’t yet committed to the Mine Ban Treaty. In the letter you will suggest the US stop manufacturing landmines and spend more money on solutions to clearing landmines, for example developing new robots to remove the landmines.
T: From the text we’ve learned how serious the situation is. Many lives are put into danger. So we must do something to improve the situation. As we know, the US hasn’t yet committed to the Mine Ban Treaty. I hope you will write a letter of suggestion to Bush---the president of the US. You may refer to the text and the following material.
Show the following on the PowerPoint.
Producing one landmine costs $3, yet once in the ground it can cost more than $1,000 to find and destroy, according to the ICBL.
Over 80 per cent of the 15,000 to 20,000 landmine victims each year are civilians, and at least one in five are children, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). The deadly legacy of landmines far outlasts the conflicts that that gave rise to them. Among the most contaminated countries are Iraq, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Angola.
If time is limited, ask students to finish it outside class.
Step V Homework
Finish writing the letter to President Bush.
A sample:
Sun Cheng
China
28 March
Dear Mr. President,
I read in the newspaper that the US hasn’t yet committed to the Mine Ban Treaty. I’m writing to suggest your country sign on the agreement.
1. Landmines kill or badly injure around 26,000 people every year. There are about 100 million landmines buried just beneath the surface of the ground in 60 countries. Among the most contaminated countries are Iraq, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Colombia, and Angola.Ｉthink this is one reason why people in these countries hate the US so much.
2. Producing one landmine costs $3, yet once in the ground it can cost more than $1,000 to find and destroy, according to the ICBL. So stop manufacturing landmines and spend more money on finding solutions to clearing the landmines. As you know, your country has designed the most advanced robots. Why not use your advanced technology and spend more money on designing some robots to clear the landmines. If so, it will benefit the whole world. People all over the world will think highly of you and your country. You and your country will become more influential. Japan has set a good example. They have developed robots that can be used to clear landmines. I hope your government will follow Japan’s example.
Thank you for reading the letter. I hope you will consider my suggestions. I believe you also hope the whole world will enjoy peace. Let’s work together and make a peaceful world.
Yours sincerely
Sun Cheng
The Fifth Period Speaking, listening and writing task
Teaching goals教学目标
1. Ability goals 能力目标:
Talk about different types of robots by using expressions of supposition and belief.
Listen to three people talk about robot pets.
Write a diary from the robot pet’s point of view.
2. Learning ability goals学能目标：
Enable students to learn more about robots.
Teaching important points教学重点
Improve students’ language skills by listening, speaking and writing about robots.
Teaching difficult points教学难点
How to improve students’ language skills.
Teaching methods教学方法
Listening, speaking and writing
Teaching aids 教具准备
The multi-media computer
Teaching procedures & ways教学过程与方式
Step I Revision
T: In this unit, we have read about different types of robots that exist today, what are they
Ss: Industrial robots, robots that carry out jobs in the house and entertainment robots.
Step IT Speaking task
Deal with the speaking task.
T: Right. But what types of robots could be used in future Now, please work in groups and use your imagination. Discuss the future robots please. Don’t forget to use the following expressions.
Show the following on the PowerPoint.
Supposition and belief
I think…
I suppose…
Maybe…
I don’t think…
I doubt…
I guess…
I believe…
I wonder…
I don’t believe…
Sample:
Robots can be found in the manufacturing industry, the military, space exploration, transportation, and medical applications.
Well, for my conclusion I guess that robots are the way of the future and will be
used on a daily use without being controlled remotely or by a person. I think they'll be different
robots for different uses, some will be used for law enforcement and others will be used for constructive uses only. Others will be building cars, and the rest will be building the new schools we learn in and the houses we live in.
Step ITI Listening task
After dealing with the speaking task, continue with the listening task.
Show some pictures of robot pets to students. Ask them to give their opinions about robot pets.
T: After talking so many types of robots and their functions. Now I’d like to show you some other type of robots. Please look at these pictures, what robots are they
Ss: Robots pets.
T: Quite right. Now work in pairs and talk about robot pets and give your opinion about robot pets. Please refer to the questions on Page 59.
After the discussion, Teacher plays the tape for students to listen and deal with the listening exercises. Play the tape again when necessary.
T: OK. So much for the discussion. Now Amanda, Victoria and Jamie are talking about the four robots pets. Let’s us listen to their opinions.
Students are given several minutes to discuss the answers to the listening exercises. Then check the answers with the whole class. Show the suggested answers on the PowerPoint. Ask students to read the sentences in Ex4 and pay attention to the expressions of supposition and belief.
Step IV Writing task
First ask students to imagine he or she is a robot pet which belongs to a child. Imagine what life would be like with a child. They should also try to imagine what the owner is like. Then write a diary from the robot pet’s point of view.
T: Imagine you are one of the robot pets that belong to a child. Imagine your life with your owner and write a diary of your life.
A sample:
Sunny Wednesday
I am very happy today, because this is the first day that I spent with my owner, Susan. Susan is a 6-year-old sick girl. She cannot go out with other children because of her poor health. So her parents bought me as her companion. There are different types of robot pets in the store. Her mom preferred the seal-type robot, while her dad thought the lovely dog would be a good companion. But Susan loves kitty very much. She insisted on having me as her companion. So they chose me.
The shop assistant told them I have more than just entertainment value, offering companionship and a variety of other services to the sick. A network system will enable me to speak to the children in natural way, especially to children who are sick, and this will make them more comfortable.
I can be connected via cell phone or ISDN line to a network system center, allowing health workers or parents to send medical information and encouraging messages to the sick. I’m endowed with 100 phrases, ranging from the light-hearted ("Today is the karaoke party. Let's sing a lot.") to more practical information ("It is three o’clock.. It is time to have medicine.").
Susan smiled a lot and her parents said she has never spent a happier day. I am happy too because I’ve brought pleasure to her.
附件
I.本单元课文注释与疑难解析
1. Claire didn’t want the robot in her house, especially as her husband would be absent for three weeks, but Larry persuaded her that the robot wouldn’t harm her or allow her to be harmed.克莱尔不想家里有个机器人，尤其是她丈夫要离家三个星期，可是拉里使她相信了机器人不会伤害她也不会允许她受到任何伤害。
absent adj.
1. 缺席的,不在场的(+from)
Three members of the class were absent this morning. 今天早晨该班有三人缺席。
He is absent on business. 他因事缺席。
He is absent from Hong Kong.他不在香港。
2. 缺少的,不存在的
Snow is absent in his country. 他的国家不下雪。
3. 茫茫然的,心不在焉的
He looked at me in an absent way.他茫然地望着我。
He had an absent look on his face.
他脸上露出心不在焉的神色。
vt. 不在；缺席
Why did you absent yourself from school yesterday
昨天你为何不到校？
absent 的反义词是present出席的,在场的
How many people were present at the meeting
到会的有多少人
persuade vt.
1. 说服,劝服(+into/out of)/ (+sb to do sth.)
She persuaded me into buying it.
她说服我买下了它。
The salesman persuaded us to buy his product.
那个推销员说服了我们买他的产品。
He persuaded her to go to school, even though she did not want to.
即使她不想去上学，他还是说服她去。
2. 使某人相信 (+of) / (+that)
How can I persuade you of my sincerity
我怎样才能使你相信我的诚意呢
We worked hard to persuade them that we were genuinely interested in the project.
我们想尽办法以使他们相信我们确实对这一计划感兴趣。
2. She cried out “Tony” and then heard him declare that he didn’t want to leave her the next day and that he felt more than just the desire to please her.她大叫“托尼”，接着她就听到托尼郑重地说第二天他不想离开她，并且他感到不仅仅只是想让她开心。
declare vt.
1. 宣布,宣告;声明+(that) to make known formally or officially.
The new Congress declared a state of war with Germany.新的国会向德国宣战了。
2. 宣称;断言+(that)
The accused man declared himself innocent.被告声称他是无罪的。
She declared that she didn't want to see him again.她宣称再也不愿见他了。
I declared at the meeting that I did not support him. 我在会上声明我不支持他。
3. 申报(纳税品等)
I have nothing to declare.我没什么要申报的。
declare : 宣告，宣布a way of expressing oneself.
For example: I would like to declare my love for you. A lot of use on Valentine's Day, don't we
announce : 宣布 to tell a lot of people.
For example: If I have a birthday party, I want to announce it to my friends.
more than
1. 后面跟名词，意为“不只是，不仅仅是”。例如：
Kate was more than a teacher. She also did what she could to take care of her pupils.
凯特不仅仅是位教师，她还尽其所能照顾她的学生。
Modern science is more than a large amount of information. 现代科学不仅仅是大量的信息。
My trip to Beijing is more than sightseeing. 我去北京不仅仅是观光。
2. more than与数词连用，意思是“多于，大于，超过”。例如：
I have known him for more than twenty years. 我认识他已超过二十年了。
More than ten policemen turned up at the spot where the accident happened. 十多位警察出现在出事地点。
3. more than与形容词和分词连用，表示“非常、十分”。例如：
They were more than happy to see us come back from the expedition. 看到我们远征而归，他们异常高兴。
I was more than surprised to see the lion standing at the body. 看到那头狮子站在尸体旁边，我非常惊讶。
I am more than happy to accept your invitation.我很高兴接受你的邀请。
4. more than与动词连用，对动词起着加强语气的作用。例如：
Repeated advertising will more than increase product sales. 多次做广告意味着增加产品的销售。
His progress in English learning more than encouraged him to learn the subject well. 在英语学习方面的进步激励他学好这门课程。
5. more than和含有情态动词的句子连用，有否定意义，表示“是……难以……”或“超过了……所能”之义。例如：
The beauty of the mountainous country is more than I can describe. 我难以描述那个山村的美丽。
This problem is more than a child like Jack can settle. 这一问题超出了像杰克这样的小孩的解决能力。
6. no more than意思是“仅仅，不过，只是”。例如：
All his education added up to no more than one year. 他接受的所有的学校教育只有一年。
Their new flat has no more than 60 square meters. 他们的新居只有60平方米。
7. not more than表示“至多，不超过”，例如：
Lying on the ground was a schoolboy of not more than seventeen.
躺在地上的那个男学生最多十七岁。
3. It was when Asimov was eleven years old that his talent for writing became obvious.正是阿西莫夫11岁时，他的写作天赋明显显露出来。
该句使用了强调句型It was …that…强调了时间状语从句when Asimov was eleven years old。
talent n.
1. 天资，天赋；才能 (+for)
He had a talent for music.他有音乐天才。
My sister has a talent for drawing.
我妹妹有画画的天赋。
2. 天才,有才能的人们
She is a new diving talent.她是一个新的跳水天才。
The company makes good use of its talent.
该公司很好地发挥了内部人才的作用
II. 文化背景知识
Robot
A robot can be defined as a programmable, self-controlled device consisting of electronic, electrical, or mechanical units. More generally, it is a machine that functions in place of a living agent. Robots are especially desirable for certain work functions because, unlike humans, they never get tired; they can endure physical conditions that are uncomfortable or even dangerous; they can operate in airless conditions; they do not get bored by repetition; and they cannot be distracted from the task at hand.
The concept of robots is a very old one yet the actual word robot was invented in the 20th century from the Czechoslovakian word robota or robotnik meaning slave, servant, or forced labor. Robots don't have to look or act like humans but they do need to be flexible so they can perform different tasks.
Early industrial robots handled radioactive material in atomic labs and were called master/slave manipulators. They were connected together with mechanical linkages and steel cables. Remote arm manipulators can now be moved by push buttons, switches or joysticks.
Current robots have advanced sensory systems that process information and appear to function as if they have brains. Their "brain" is actually a form of computerized artificial intelligence (AI). AI allows a robot to perceive conditions and decide upon a course of action based on those conditions.
A robot can include any of the following components:
effectors - "arms", "legs", "hands", "feet"
sensors - parts that act like senses and can detect objects or things like heat and light and convert the object information into symbols that computers understand
computer - the brain that contains instructions called algorithms to control the robot
equipment - this includes tools and mechanical fixtures
Characteristics that make robots different from regular machinery are that robots usually function by themselves, are sensitive to their environment, adapt to variations in the environment or to errors in prior performance, are task oriented and often have the ability to try different methods to accomplish a task.
Robot Timeline
~270BC an ancient Greek engineer named Ctesibus made organs and water clocks with movable figures.
1818 - Mary Shelley wrote "Frankenstein" which was about a frightening artificial lifeform created by Dr. Frankenstein.
1921 - The term "robot" was first used in a play called "R.U.R." or "Rossum's Universal Robots" by the Czech writer Karel Capek. The plot was simple: man makes robot then robot kills man!
1941 - Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov first used the word "robotics" to describe the technology of robots and predicted the rise of a powerful robot industry.
1942 - Asimov wrote "Runaround", a story about robots which contained the "Three Laws of Robotics":
A robot may not injure a human, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey the orders it by human beings except where such orders would conflic with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict withe the First or Second Law.
1948 - "Cybernetics", an influence on artificial intelligence research was published by Norbert Wiener
1956 - George Devol and Joseph Engelberger formed the world's first robot company.
1959 - Computer-assisted manufacturingg was demonstrated at the Servomechanisms Lab at MIT.
1961 - The first industrial robot was online in a General Motors automobile factory in New Jersey. It was called UNIMATE.
1963 - The first artificial robotic arm to be controlled by a computer was designed. The Rancho Arm was designed as a tool for the handicapped and its six joints gave it the flexibility of a human arm.
1965 - DENDRAL was the first expert system or program designed to execute the accumulated knowledge of subject experts.
1968 - The octopus-like Tentacle Arm was developed by Marvin Minsky.
1969 - The Stanford Arm was the first electrically powered, computer-controlled robot arm.
1970 - Shakey was introduced as the first mobile robot controlled by artificial intellence. It was produced by SRI International.
1974 - A robotic arm (the Silver Arm) that performed small-parts assembly using feedback from touch and pressure sensors was designed.
1979 - The Standford Cart crossed a chair-filled room without human assistance. The cart had a TV camera mounted on a rail which took pictures from multiple angles and relayed them to a computer. The computer analyzed the distance between the cart and the obstacles.
Functions of Robots
Robots play a huge role in our lives, and it's getting bigger! There are thousands of possible applications of robotics, and lots more to explore. Robots are already used widely in harsh environments to reduce the risk to which humans are exposed. They are valued team members in assembly plants, on production lines...
Some jobs that are repetitive or very delicate and precise can be done by robots instead. Robots never complain, and never sleep or eat either!
There are almost as many functions for robots as there are robots! They help us in our daily lives, at work, in school... everywhere!
The space industry is another area that really counts on robotics. In fact, robots are useful for scientists who want to know more about other planets, the universe and themselves! Canadarm2 is one example. It will play a crucial role in building and maintaining the International Space Station, the largest orbiting laboratory ever built.
Canadarm2 is as important to the building of the International Space Station, as a construction crane is to building a skyscraper. Before the Space Station is completed, many shuttle missions over several years are required. The construction of the Station can be compared to the building of a cargo ship, at sea, with only a canoe to transport the equipment necessary to its construction. It will take at least 40 shuttle missions to deliver the different components of the ISS, just as it would take at least the same number of trips for the little canoe to build the ship at sea.
Science in Science Fiction: Making it Work
by Joan Slonczewski
author of A Door into Ocean and The Children Star
Ideas—where to find them
Credibility and consistency
Explaining your ideas
Advancing the plot
Ideas--Where to find them
"Where do you get those ideas "
That is the number one question I get as a writer of science fiction. The next question is, how do you make science ideas into a story Most important, how do you extrapolate from known science to make it convincing and intriguing
First it's important to realize that there are various kinds of science fiction today, in which science functions differently. Michael Crichton builds a thriller around technical details, even tables of data; character and "art" are less emphasized. Ursula Le Guin writes anthropological science fiction, emphasizing the social sciences and subtleties of character. A recent trend is the "future historical" novel such as Maureen McHugh's China Mountain Zhang, in which scientific extrapolation provides details of a vivid future setting for everyday people. My own work explores the interactions between science and society, and the human beings caught between them--even when, as in A Door into Ocean, we are not sure at first who is "human."
As a writer, you need to decide what role (if any) science extrapolation can play in your work. In fact, much of what is labeled "science fiction" today could as easily be labeled fantasy; and if your own style is distinctive enough, that may be the route for you. On the other hand, to take science seriously requires special attention. I can suggest some approaches which work for me.
The freshest ideas come straight from experience in an actual scientific laboratory. In my own lab and those of my colleagues, I regularly experience natural phenomena stranger than the strangest of science fiction: a superconducting magnet that suspends paper clips in the room next door; a dish of bacteria that generate thousands of mutations overnight; a flask of chemicals that "magically" turns color every few seconds. As a research scientist, and a teacher needing to range widely, I have an advantage. But any writer can telephone a research lab and even request a visit; most scientists love to talk about their work. Internet bulletin boards are another good source of expertise.
Next to the lab itself, the best source of ideas is research journals such as Science and Nature. These sources provide primary research reports of the latest discoveries, those of interest to a wide range of scientists. While the reading is a challenge, even for a veteran scientist, most of the exciting finds reported here will never reach the popular science magazines. For example, I came across a report in Science of a bacterium that actually eats uranium. This fit right into the plot of my novel, which required an organism to eat something no other creature would touch!
For readable reviews of emerging fields, use periodicals aimed at the scientifically literate readership such as Scientific American and Sigma Xi's American Scientist. Be wary of newspapers and the less sophisticated popular science magazines, whose accounts are likely to be superficial and contain errors.
Once you have a good idea, it's worth checking out with experts, just as you might check out any other aspect of setting. Thus you can avoid obvious bloopers, as well as ideas considered total cliches by experts who would otherwise be sympathetic to your work. For example, physicists told me that an anti-gravity device would be written off as a cliche, but the use of a white hole as an energy source might be taken seriously.
In the end, you can take heart from the fact that "mistakes" may not be fatal, as far as popular success is concerned. Frank Herbert's bestseller Dune showed settlers on a desert planet distilling water from the air. This would work in an Earth desert only because Earth's atmosphere carries water from the oceans. Even if your science is "right" when the book is written, some aspects are bound to get outdated soon enough. A Door into Ocean depicted women who generate children by fusion of ova. Even before the proofs came out, research had shown this to be impossible because paternal chromosomes carry essential modifications.
Credibility and consistency
What makes an idea "credible," then, is hard to define. Getting the facts exactly "right" and up-to-date is helpful; yet if none of your assumptions or extrapolations could be challenged, your work would not be science fiction.
Interestingly, the more common complaint I hear from inexperienced writers is that the "real science" they have carefully researched is declared false or unbelievable by readers or editors. What do we do when truth is stranger than fiction
One way to make your ideas credible is to tie each invention to some easily verifiable event or fact on Earth. This can be done more or less subtly as a sort of in-text footnote. When Crichton shows his dinosaurs chomping through steel bars, "like hyenas," he offers a fact that I could verify. We can be sure that some hyena enthusiast out there will complain loudly if he gets it wrong! Similarly, when I created an alien organism with infrared vision in The Wall around Eden, I noted that known animals such as rattlesnakes possess infrared sensor organs. The focussing lens of the alien "eyes" was of sodium chloride, an infrared-focussing substance that living creatures commonly contain in their bodies.
Another source of credibility is consistency: Make sure that your facts and extrapolations, however reasonable on their own, make sense together in the story. If your imagined planet has twice the mass of earth, what is its gravity The composition of its atmosphere How close is it to its sun, and how long does it take to complete a year Do the native animals on such a planet have thick, ponderous limbs, or delicate long ones If voracious monsters descend upon your space visitors, what fauna do they normally prey upon
The biological questions are frequently overlooked. In Door into Ocean, I created an entire ecosystem complete with microbial plants to photosynthesize, small phosphorescent grazers, both aerial and marine predators of a range of sizes, and scavengers, "legfish" that crawl up upon floating vegetation.
It may seem exhausting and frustrating to get all the parts to work together, but this extra craft is what distinguishes stories like Dune from more forgettable attempts. In my own work, I have come to rely upon a layered approach, in which I start at the beginning, write in a chapter or two until inconsistencies build up, then start all over from the beginning and try to get a couple of chapters farther. Inevitably the first chapter gets rewritten twenty times; but the reward is that my last one virtually writes itself.
A writer who develops a particularly complex world view, or "universe," may choose to write several books within the same universe, exploring different aspects of its setting or theme. Just as Doris Lessing wrote a series of novels about Martha Quest in Africa, Ursula Le Guin wrote several books including Left Hand of Darkness within one imagined universe, where humanity's far-flung colonial worlds are linked by the "ansible" communication device. One must however take care to come up with enough fresh material to justify each new story in its own right.
Explaining your ideas in the story.
The biggest mistake is to lecture your readers, however intriguing an idea may be. The writer must blend science ideas seamlessly amongst all other aspects of experience that form the story. As always, "show, not tell" is the rule.
Try to let science ideas lead into character development, and vice versa. An example of this process occurred as I wrote Door into Ocean, in which a population of women called Sharers inhabits a planet covered entirely by ocean. One day a researcher in my laboratory excitedly showed me a flask of purple protein he had just isolated from photosynthetic bacteria. When light shined upon the protein, it bleached clear, as it absorbed the light energy. This demonstration gave me the idea that my aquatic women characters would carry purple bacteria as symbionts in their skin, providing extra oxygen underwater. When their oxygen ran low, the Sharers' skin would bleach white dramatically. This ability to "bleach white" later developed a spiritual significance as well; the Sharers can enter a special kind of trance, called "whitetrance," which enables them to endure extreme physical stress while upholding their religious beliefs.
Another example from Door into Ocean works in the opposite direction, of character development leading to science. The Sharers use Gandhian pacifist resistance to repel an armed invasion of their planet. I sought a metaphor from science to help describe the unexpected success of their resistance, which from the invaders' limited perspective seemed doomed to fail. The metaphor had to fit into the perspective of the Sharers, who have advanced biological technology. I hit upon the idea of "electron tunneling," a phenomenon in which electrons can penetrate a seemingly impenetrable energy barrier. Electron tunneling occurs in the hemoglobin molecule as it collects oxygen in the blood, so the Sharers would know about it.
Some explanation is always necessary; the trick is, how much. It helps to weave necessary explication into dialogue, a sentence at a time, at a point where events demand it. For example, in Daughter of Elysium, a visiting scientist (new to the planet) discovers that his discarded culture dishes have come alive and are trying to gobble up his two year-old son. A student comes to the rescue, and explains that the "intelligent" culture-dish material (composed of billions of microscopic robots) has malfunctioned; it is designed to enclose tissue cultures, not children.
This example by the way also illustrates the time-honored gimmick for explaining any new setting: the naive "visitor," who needs everything explained. It works, if you don't make the lecture too obvious, and do keep the plot moving. Jurassic Park essentially consists of a long lecture on cloning dinosaurs, kept moving by a fast-paced, and blood-thirsty, series of events.
One approach to the problem of explanation is to include all that the story seems to need in the first draft, even though you know it's too much for the reader to take. In later drafts, cut it drastically. Omit terms known only to experts, or redefine in simple language. (Oogenesis is "making eggs.") A typical science course introduces more new words than a first year of language. So try to use scientific terminology as you would use words from a foreign language -- sparingly, for effect.
An occasional phrase of jargon may be worth keeping if it takes on a life of its own in the story. In Daughter of Elysium, I did keep one phrase of fetal development about the "primordial germ cells" which undergo a lengthy migration to reach the developing gonads before the fetus is born. The phrase set up a distinctive metaphor for the life journey of my central characters. But countless similar phrases were cut or redefined before my final draft.
Advancing the plot.
Complex technical information is best fed to the reader a little at a time, and in such a way that it feels "inevitable" where it comes up. This task is a challenge, but if done skillfully the development of ideas can advance your plot, heightening dramatic tension, much more so than if you had revealed all the implications at the start.
Daughter of Elysium depicts research connecting fetal development and aging, a field of daunting complexity. My opening chapter shows how the fetal heart tube forms and begins to pulse; later chapters depict more subtle processes of cells and tissues, and much later the critical molecular events that determine whether the embryo will live or die--or live without aging. In between, various subplots incidental to research take up the scientist's time, much as they would in real life. Often the subplots make an ironic contrast to his work; for instance, when he faces his dying relatives back home, who will never benefit from his research on aging.
Another role for science in your plot can be to show how various characters react to change, and are themselves changed (or not). In A Door into Ocean, the invaders of the ocean world respond to the Sharers' life science in diverse ways. Some simply try to destroy it, and none of the bizarre setbacks they face change their outlook. Others become intrigued by the new science, with its implications for their own medicine and agriculture. A few even take up the symbiotic purple microbes into their own skin.
The points I've made about finding ideas and using them have served me well in my own novels, and have worked for other writers too. At the same time, it is important not to get lost in the science. Remember that what makes a science fiction novel "work" in the long run is what makes any good novel work: connection, consistency, and characters that make us care.
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