Reading 2
南京大厂高级中学 王华媛 刘勇
Teaching aims:
(1) Students are expected to retell the story or talk about the opera and the performance to reinforce their speaking ability.
(2) Get students to learn the language points appearing in the text and grasp them.
Teaching procedures:
Step 1 Revision－Finish the passage according to the text
Turandot, a ________ opera set in ________, was written by an ________ composer called Giacomo Puccini towards the end of his life. He also wrote _________, which is set in ________.
Jane Jones was lucky enough to ________ the first of only eight performances in ________ in Beijing. She wrote a ________ after watching the opera. In her opinion, the performance was ________ and ________. The music and the ________ were two of the key __________ of the opera. Besides, it ________ many Western and Chinese talents. For example, the orchestra was ________ by Zubin Mehta, a famous conductor born in ________. The well-known Chinese ________ Zhang Yimou directed the opera. Some of the world’s greatest opera singers as well as many great Chinese ________, actors and singers were cast.
Step 2 Language points (Learn and use)
1. Last night, I witnessed the first of only eight performances of Giacomo Puccini’s world-famous opera, Turandot, being performed in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. (page 18, lines 1-3)
昨天晚上，我去看了贾科莫·普契尼闻名世界的歌剧《图兰朵》，那是在中国北京紫禁城八场演出的首场。
⑴. Here the word witness is a verb, meaning “to see something happen, for example a crime or an accident, with one’s own eyes”.
你确实目击了发生在我们学校附近的事故了吗？
Did you really witness the accident that happened near our school?
Several journalists witnessed the incident in which eight people were injured.
⑵. Witness can also be used as a noun meaning “a person who sees with his/her own eyes what has happened”.
Mr. Green was asked to act as a witness to the agreement between his two friends.
他告诉警方他是那起事故的目击者。
He told the police that he was a witness to the car accident.
2. Just imagine performing such an opera in the Forbidden City－there could not be a better setting! (page 18, lines 10-11)
There could not be a better setting!的意思是“不可能有比这更好的场景了。”否定词never/ no/ not /nothing等与比较级连用，往往表达最高级含义。
世上没有比那些书更有价值的东西了。
Nothing in the world is more valuable than those books.
=Those books are the most valuable in the world.
He said he had never watched a more exciting game before.
=He said the game was the most exciting one he had ever watched.
3. Instead of a stage curtain, there were decorated panels covered with red and gold, and traditional Chinese drums were used to announce the start of the opera. (page 18, lines 12-13)
覆盖着红色和金色的装饰镶板代替了舞台帷幕，传统的中国鼓敲响，宣告了歌剧的开场。
decorate … with … 用（装饰物）装饰/修饰…… be decorated with
furnish … with… 为（房间或房屋）配备（家具） be furnished with
equip … with … 用（仪器、设备等）装备（工厂、车间、实验室等）be equipped with
Her living-room is furnished with a comfortable new sofa.
The workshop is equipped with many modern machines. (It is a well / fully equipped workshop.)
They always decorate their classroom with balloons and flowers when Christmas comes.
对应名词分别为decoration(装饰，装饰品); furniture(家具); equipment（装备，设备，器材）
4．The story then takes on a classic love triangle featuring Calaf, Turandot, and Liu, whose love for Calaf is unconditional. (page 18, lines 19-20)
故事随后演绎成了发生在卡拉夫、图兰朵和柳儿三人之间的经典三角恋情，其中柳儿对卡拉夫的爱是无条件的。
The verb phrase take on here means “to have/develop a particular character or appearance”. With this meaning, the phrase cannot be used in the passive voice.
The temples take on a golden colour when the sun sinks in the west.
** What does take on mean in each sentence?
A. to start to employ or hire 开始雇佣
B. to have/develop a particular character or appearance 呈现（面貌、特征等）
C. to accept some work or responsibility 承担（工作等）
She is not in good health these days, and cannot take on more work.
Great changes have taken place in the city in the past few decades, and now it has taken on a completely new look.
We’re not taking on any new staff at the moment.
5. She even dares to try and exercise control over her father, the emperor of China, who has promised to allow her to choose her own husband. (page 18, lines 21-23)
她甚至敢于尝试并且真的控制自己的父亲，即中国的皇帝。他曾经允诺女儿由她自己选择丈夫。
What does exercise here mean?
A. to do a physical activity in order to stay healthy and make your body stronger vi. 运动，锻炼
B. to move or use a particular part of your body in order to make it strong vt. 活动（身体某一部位）
C. to allow an animal to walk or run so that it stay healthy vt. 遛（动物）
D. to use one’s power, right, or influence vt. 行使（权力）；运用（权利）；施加（影响）
Do you eat properly and exercise regularly?
Large dogs should be exercised every day.
The doctor said I should exercise my knees every morning.
Since you are a citizen of our country, you should exercise your right to vote.
6. Turandot is desperate to learn his name and threatens and terrifies Liu because she knows his mane. (page 19, lines 27-28)
图兰朵不顾一切地想知道卡拉夫的名字，她威胁恐吓柳儿，因为柳儿知道卡拉夫的名字。
形容词desperate有以下几种含义：“绝望的；孤注一掷的（通常用于名词前）；极需要的/极向往的；非常严重的，危急的（通常用于名词前）”
The missing man’s family are getting increasingly desperate.
In a desperate attempt to escape, he killed the guard.
The couple are desperate for money because they want to buy a house.
The old man is desperate to see his son, who has been away from home for many years.
At that time the country was in a desperate state.
7. An opera company staged the opera in Beijing in the 1990s, but the performance I saw was the first time Turandot was staged inside the Forbidden City. (page 19, lines 37-38)
Here stage is used as a transitive verb with the meaning ‘to perform or arrange sth. for public show; put on’. 举办，上演
Stage can also be used as a noun, meaning ‘a particular point in time during a process’ or ‘the part of a theatre where the actors or musicians perform’.
There’s no point arguing about it at this stage. 阶段，时期
The musicians didn’t take/leave the stage until after ten o’clock. 舞台
You cannot stage the opera without a chorus.
Step 3 Phrases in the text
be decorated with shortly afterwards
fall in love with sb. be drunk with
exercise control over be desperate for sth. / to do sth.
stage the opera transform … into…
Step4 Homework
《创新课时训练》 p24-p26
课件24张PPT。Reading 2
Turandot in Beijing南京市大厂高级中学高二备课组
王华媛 刘勇Step 1 RevisionTurandot, a ___________ opera set in ________, was written by an ________ composer called Giacomo Puccini towards the end of his life. He also wrote _____________, which is set in ________. Jane Jones was lucky enough to ________ the first of only eight performances in __________________
in Beijing. She wrote a ________ after watching the opera. In her opinion, the performance was ________ and ________. world-famous
ChinaItalianMadam ButterflyJapanwitnessthe Forbidden CityreviewsplendidamazingThe music and the ________ were two of the key __________ of the opera. Besides, it ________ many Western and Chinese talents. For example, the orchestra was ________ by Zubin Mehta, a famous conductor born in ________. The well-known Chinese ________ Zhang Yimou directed the opera. Some of the world’s greatest opera singers as well as many great Chinese ________, actors and singers were cast.
settingcomponentscombinedconductedIndiadirectormusiciansStep 2 Language points (Learn and use)1. Last night, I witnessed the first of only eight performances of Giacomo Puccini’s world-famous opera, Turandot, being performed in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. (page 18, lines 1-3)昨天晚上，我去看了贾科莫·普契尼闻名世界的歌剧《图兰朵》，那是在中国北京紫禁城八场演出的首场。Here the word witness is a transitive verb, meaning “to see something happen, for example a crime or an accident, with one’s own eyes”.* 你确实目击了发生在我们学校附近的事故了吗？
*Several journalists witnessed the incident in which eight people were injured. Did you really witness the accident
that happened near our school?Witness can also be used as a noun meaning “a person who sees with his/her own eyes what has happened”.
* Mr. Green was asked to act as a witness to the agreement between his two friends.
* 他告诉警方他是那起事故的目击者。He told the police that he was a witness to the car accident.
2. Just imagine performing such an opera in the Forbidden City－there could not be a better setting!
(page 18, lines 10-11)
There could not be a better setting!的意思是“不可能有比这更好的场景了。”
否定词never/ no/ not /nothing等与比较级连用，往往表达最高级含义。 * 世上没有比那些书更有价值的东西了。
* He said he had never watched a more exciting game before.=Those books are the most valuable in the world.=He said the game was the most exciting one he had ever watched.
Nothing in the world is more valuable than those books.
3. Instead of a stage curtain, there were decorated panels covered with red and gold, and traditional Chinese drums were used to announce the start of the opera. (page 18, lines 12-13) 覆盖着红色和金色的装饰镶板代替了舞台帷幕，传统的中国鼓敲响，宣告了歌剧的开场。
decorate … with … 用（装饰物）装饰/修饰…… be decorated with
furnish … with… 为（房间或房屋）配备（家具） be furnished with
equip … with … 用（仪器、设备等）装备（工厂、车间、实验室等）be equipped with
* Her living-room is furnished with a comfortable new sofa.
* The workshop is equipped with many modern machines. (It is a well / fully equipped workshop.)* They always decorate their classroom with balloons and flowers when Christmas comes.
对应名词分别为decoration(装饰，装饰品); furniture(家具); equipment（装备，设备，器材）
4．The story then takes on a classic love triangle featuring Calaf, Turandot, and Liu, whose love for Calaf is unconditional. (page 18, lines 19-20) 故事随后演绎成了发生在卡拉夫、图兰朵和柳儿三人之间的经典三角恋情，其中柳儿对卡拉夫的爱是无条件的。 The verb phrase take on here means “to have/develop a particular character or appearance”. With this meaning, the phrase cannot be used in the passive voice.What does take on mean in each sentence?
* She is not in good health these days, and cannot take on more work.
* Great changes have taken place in the city in the past few decades, and now it has taken on a completely new look.
* We’re not taking on any new staff at the moment. to accept some work or responsibility 承担（工作等） to have/develop a particular character or appearance 呈现（面貌、特征等） to start to employ or hire 开始雇佣5. She even dares to try and exercise control over her father, the emperor of China, who has promised to allow her to choose her own husband. (page 18, lines 21-23)她甚至敢于尝试并且真的控制自己的父亲，即中国的皇帝。他曾经允诺女儿由她自己选择丈夫。What does exercise here mean? to use one’s power, right, or influence vt. 行使（权力）；运用（权利）；施加（影响） * Do you eat properly and exercise regularly?
* The doctor said I should exercise my knees every morning.
* Large dogs should be exercised every day.
* Since you are a citizen of our country, you should exercise your right to vote.to do a physical activity in order to stay healthy and make your body stronger vi. 运动，锻炼 to move or use a particular part of your body in order to make it strong vt. 活动（身体某一部位）to allow an animal to walk or run so that it stay healthy vt. 遛（动物） 6. Turandot is desperate to learn his name and threatens and terrifies Liu because she knows his mane.
(page 19, lines 27-28)图兰朵不顾一切地想知道卡拉夫的名字，她威胁恐吓柳儿，因为柳儿知道卡拉夫的名字。形容词desperate有以下几种含义：“绝望的；孤注一掷的（通常用于名词前）；极需要的/极向往的；非常严重的，危急的（通常用于名词前）”
* The missing man’s family are getting increasingly desperate.
* In a desperate attempt to escape, he killed the guard.
* The couple are desperate for money because they want to buy a house.
* The old man is desperate to see his son, who has been away from home for many years.
* At that time the country was in a desperate state.7. An opera company staged the opera in Beijing in the 1990s, but the performance I saw was the first time Turandot was staged inside the Forbidden City.
(page 19, lines 37-38)
Here stage is used as a transitive verb with the meaning ‘to perform or arrange sth. for public show; put on’.
举办，上演You cannot stage the opera without a chorus.Stage can also be used as a noun, meaning ‘a particular point in time during a process’ or ‘the part of a theatre where the actors or musicians perform’.
* There’s no point arguing about it at this stage.
* The musicians didn’t take/leave the stage until after ten o’clock. 阶段，时期舞台Step 3 Phrases in the text
be decorated with shortly afterwards
fall in love with sb. be drunk with
exercise control over be desperate for sth. / to do sth.
stage the opera transform … into…Step4 Homework
《创新课时训练》 p24-p26Thank you!
