现代大学英语精读1 （第三版）教师用书 Unit 1.pdfVIP

Unit 1 Text A Half a Day Naguib Mahfouz I Introduction 1 Background The author of the story uses a strategy commonly used in fiction writing—the protagonist returns after being absent for a short time to find everything changed beyond recognition. The best example is perhaps “Rip Van Winkle”, a short story by American writer, Washington Irving (1783– 1859). Rip is a simple good-natured man. One fine day he went with his dog to the mountains to hunt squirrels. He drank something a queer old man offered him, and fell fast asleep. When he woke up he found himself an old man and that great changes had occurred in his village during his absence. In the village inn the portrait of King George III had been replaced by one of General Washington. This technique is often used to emphasize rapid changes in society. The setting of the story is not clear, but this is not important as long as what the author tries to get across is something universal. 2 Structure The text can be roughly divided into three parts, which can be subdivided into several sections. I. The narrator’s unwillingness to go to school (paras. 1–7) 1. He was unwilling to go to school, for he thought that school was a punishment. (paras. 1–3) 2. His father told him that school would make useful men out of boys. (paras. 4–7) II. The narrator’s rich variety of experience at school (paras. 8– 16) 1. He soon began to like school because it offered him friendship and love, playing and learning. (paras. 8– 14) 2. He found unpleasant things/challenges/difficulties, too: rivalries, pain and hatred, fighting, and physical punishment. (para. 15) 3. He realized what lay ahead of him: exertion, struggle and perseverance. (para. 16) III. The narrat