Unit4 A Pioneer for All People (Reading)

Teaching aims

1. Ss appreciate the contribution of Yuan Longping and learn his biography.

2. Ss practice their reading skills and can improve their understanding.

Teaching important and difficult points

1. Guide Ss to understand Dr Yuan’s contribution and biography.

2. How to guide Ss to use reading skills efficiently.

Teaching methods

Skimming, Scanning and Task-based method.

Teaching procedures

Step1 Lead-in

     Show Ss a video about Yuan Longping.

Step2 Fast-reading

     Ss skim the passage and match the main idea of each paragraph.

     Para1                 A. Dr Yuan’s dreams.

     Para2                 B. Dr Yuan’s personality.

     Para3                 C. Dr Yuan’s biography.

     Para4                   D. Dr Yuan’s appearance and his achievement.

Step3 Careful-reading

Activity 1  Ss scan the para.1 and do the following exercise.

Q1: What does Dr Yuan look like?

He has a sunburnt face and arms and a slim, strong body. He is more like a farmer than a scientist.

Q2: What is his achievement?

He grows what is called super hybrid rice, which makes it possible to produce one-third more of the crop in the same fields.

True or False:                                                       

1.Dr Yuan is more a farmer than a scientist.   F

2.Dr Yuan’s kind of rice is the most suitable for Chinese farmland.   T

Activity 2  Ss scan para.2 and put Dr Yuan’s biography in right order.

a. He was born into a poor farmer’s family.                                    

b. He graduated from Southwest  Agriculture College.                                                                                    

c. In 1950, Chinese farmers produced 50 million tons of rice.

d. 200 millon tons of rice was produced by growing his hybrid rice.

e. He searched for a way to increase rice outputs without expanding the area of fields.

f. He helps rid the world of hunger by circulating his knowledge in less developed countries.                     Proper order: a   c   b   e  d  f

Activity 3 Ss scan para.3 and do the multiple choice.

Which of the following description about Dr Yuan’s personality is not true?

A. He is satisfied with his life because he is now rich and famous.

B. He cares little about money and fame.

C. He would rather work than lead a comfortable life.

D. He enjoys a simpler life than most rich and famous people.

Activity 4 Ss scan para.4 and find out his dreams.

     The first dream: Produce a kind of rice that could feed more people. (as big as sorghum, as big as corn, as huge as a peanut) 

The second dream: to export his rice so that it can be grown all over the world.

 Activity 5 Ss review the passage and do Ex.1 on SB P11.

Step4 Discussion

1. What do you think of Dr Yuan from the passage? Why?

    2. If you had the chance to do something to help end hunger in the world, what would you do?

Step5 Homework

   Ss read the passage after class.