Unit 2 Part A The Green Banana. Warm-up questionsWarm-up questions Background knowledgeBackground knowledge Outline of the textOutline of the text.

Unit 2

Part A The Green

Banana

Warm-up questions Background knowledge Outline of the text Passage learning Exercise

I Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep mountain road in the interior of Brazil. My ancient jeep was straining up through spectacular countryside when the radiator began to leak, ten miles from the nearest mechanic.

The overheated engine forced me to stop at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a scattering of houses. People gathered to look. Three fine streams of hot water shot from holes in the jacket of the radiator.

"That's easy to fix," a man said. He sent a boy running for some green bananas. He patted me on the shoulder, assuring me everything would work out. "Green bananas," he smiled. Everyone agreed.

Main idea

To have a good result; to succeed

II We exchanged pleasant jokes while I wondered at the ramifications of the green banana. Asking questions would betray my ignorance, so I remarked on the beauty of the stretch of land.

Huge rock formations, like Sugar Loaf in Rio, rose up all around us. "Do you see that tall one right over there?" asked my benefactor, pointing to a particular tall, slender pinnacle of dark rock. "That rock marks the center of the world."

III I looked to see if he were making fun of me, but his face was serious. He in turn inspected me carefully to be sure I grasped the significance of his statement. The occasion demanded some show of recognition on my part.

"The center of the world?" I repeated, trying to convey interest if not complete acceptance. He nodded. "The absolute center. Everyone around here knows it."

Main idea

omission:If (I did) not (convey) complete…

IV At that moment the boy returned with my green bananas. The man sliced one in half and pressed the cut end against the radiator jacket. The banana melted into a glue against the hot metal, plugging the leaks instantly.

Everyone laughed at my astonishment. They refilled my radiator and gave me some extra bananas to take along. An hour later, after one more application of green banana, my radiator and I reached our destination. The local mechanic smiled.

"Who taught you about the green banana?" I named the village. "Did they show you the rock marking the center of the world?" he asked. I assured him they had. "My grandfather came from there," he said. "The exact center. Everyone around here has always known about it."

Main idea

V As a product of American higher education, I had never paid

the slightest attention to the green banana, except to regard it as a fruit whose time had not yet come. Suddenly on that mountain road, its time and my need had converged.

As I received my higher education in America,

But as I reflected on it further, I realized that the green banana had been there all along. Its time reached back to the very origin of the banana. The people in that village had known about it for years. My own time had come in relation to it.

This chance encounter showed me the special genius of those people, and the special potential of the green banana. I had been wondering for some time about those episodes of clarity which educators like to call "learning moments," and knew I had just experienced two of them at once.

Main idea

VI The importance of the rock marking the center of the world took a while to filter through. I had initially doubted their claim, knowing for a fact that the center was located somewhere in New England. After all, my grandfather had come from there.

But gradually I realized they had a valid belief, a universal concept, and I agreed with them. We tend to define the center as that special place where we are known, where we know others, where things mean much to us, and where we ourselves have both identity and meaning: family, school, town, and local region.

Main idea

VII The lesson which gradually filtered through was the simple concept that every place has special meanings for the people in it; every place represents the center of the world.

The number of such centers is incalculable, and no one student or traveler can experience all of them, but once a conscious breakthrough to a second center is made, a life-long perspective and collection can begin.

Main idea

VIII The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. They have been there for ages, ripening slowly, perhaps waiting patiently for people to come along to encounter them.

In fact, a green banana is waiting for all of us who leave our own centers of the world in order to experience other places.

Main idea

Is there a centre of the world in your opinion? Where is it?

Have you ever had any contact with people belonging to another culture? Describe it.

Do you think fruit can be of any other use? Give some examples.

Coco phone

Brazil is a federal republic in

America. Its capital is

South

Brasilia.

Rio de Janeiro

Slum area, Rio de Janeiro

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Showing cable car

Helicopter platform

Statue of Jesus Christ on top of Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Copacabana Beach seen from Sugar Loaf Mountain

Cathedral, Brasilia

Interior Entrance

Parliament Buildings, Brasilia

Modern art sculpture outside the Parliament buildings, Brasilia

Opera House, Manaus, Brazil

Interior

Entrance

Outline The author’s encounter with the

green banana ----leak of his jeep’s radiator ----green bananas used to fix his jeep Talk about the center of the world ----a tall rack in the village regarded as

the center of the world ----the author’s hidden suspicion

Reflections of the author

----two learning moments the author experienced

----Every place represents the center of the world for the people in it

----A conscious breakthrough to a second center can lead to a life-long perspective and collection.

encounter vt. to meet or find oneself faced by n. sudden or unexpected meeting

I encountered many difficulties when I first started this job.

She encountered a friend on the plane.

I had a frightening encounter with a poisonous snake.

strain

n. state of anxiety, tension or exhaustion caused by this;

因有压力而产生的焦虑，紧张或心力交瘁 She is suffering from serious

mental strain \ is under a lot of strain at the moment because her daughter is very ill.

n. force causing this;拉力，张力，应变；

What is the breaking strain of this cable supporting the bridge?

(how much strain would break it?)

桥梁缆索的致断拉力是多少？

v. to make the greatest possible effort, to use all one’s power, energy, etc. (to so sth.); 竭力，全力做某事 I strained my ears to try and hear

what they were saying. (strain one’s voice to shout)

My patience has been strained to the limit.

v. to stretch (sth.) tightly by pulling; to injure or weaken by stretching too much or trying too hard 　拉紧，绷紧；因过度伸展或用力而损伤（身体某部位） strain a rope to breaking point \

until it breaksThe singer had to strain to reach

the high notes. 喊哑嗓子

leakn. a small accidental hole or crack

through which something flows in or out; an escape of liquid, gas, etc. through such a hole

a slow leak in a bicycle tyre smell a gas leak a series of damaging leaks 一系

列危险性泄密事件

v. to allow liquid or gas to get in or out wrongly; to reveal (information)

This boat leaks like a sieve. 漏的象个筛子

The rain is leaking in.Air leaked out of the balloon.Who leaked this to the press? 泄

露给新闻界

leak out: (of information) become known （指情报）泄露，透露

The details were supposed to be secret, but somehow leaked out. 这些细节原属秘密，可是不知怎么给泄露出去了．

scatter

v. to spread widely in all directions (as if) by throwing; to separate or cause (a group) to separate widely

The crowd scattered.The police scattered the crowd.We scatter plates of food around

the room before the party.

(fig) Don’t scatter your money around. 不要到处挥霍

scatter sth. with sth.: cover (a surface, etc.) with sth. by throwing it in different directions 撒在…上

scatter the lawn with grass seed

(The farmers were scattering seed on the fields)

scattering \ scatter n. a small number or amount separated widely (as if) by scattering

a scattering of visitors a scattering of telephone calls

during the day

scattered adj. 分散的，稀疏的 sunshine with scattered showers

晴朗，间有零星阵雨

Compare scatter & sprinkle

When we scatter sth., we throw it in different directions; we can also scatter an area (the ground, a field, etc.) with sth.

scatter seed on the field \ scatter the field with seed

Sprinkle is used with water, sand, salt, etc. and indicates intentional scattering, usually over a small area.

• Sprinkle a little salt on the rice.

• The priest sprinkled holy water on the baby’s forehead. 神父把圣水洒在婴儿的额头上

pat vt. to touch or strike gently and repeatedly with the flat hand or a flat object, often to show friendliness, sympathy

He patted the child on the head.She patted her hair to make sure it

was tidy. pat oneself \ sb. on the back:

congratulate, encourage or praise sb.

n. gentle tap with the open hand or with a flat object; slight sound made by tapping sth. gently

He gave the dog a pat as he walked past.

She gave the child a pat on the head.

a pat on the back (for doing sth.)

She deserves a pat on the back for all the hard work she’s done.

exchange n. the act of giving and receiving in return

Is five apples for five eggs a fair exchange? 　　公平吗？

The exchange of prisoners during the war is unusual. 战时很少交换俘虏

an exchange of glances \ gun-fireHe’s giving her French lessons in

exchange for her teaching him English.

What is the rate of exchange between the dollar and the pound? 　　　美圆和英镑之间的兑换率

She is an exchange teacher \ student. 出国交流教师＼互派留学生　

Exchange : place where people meet for business

stock exchange 　　证券交易所

v. to give and receive in return

They exchanged hostages with each other.

The two men exchanged greetings. exchange blows \ glances

互相殴打＼对视

exchange (angry, etc.) words: quarrel, argue

They exchanged angry words before the meeting but were finally persuaded to agree. 　会议前争吵起来，经劝说重归于好

exchangeable　可交换，更换，兑换的Sale goods in this shop are not ~.

　　　　本店货物售出概不退换

betray 　出卖，泄露；背叛；　　　　无意中显露，表现出；

betray state secretsIn failing to return the money he

betrayed our trust.She said she was sorry, but her

eyes betrayed her secret delight.

betray oneself: show what or who one really is 暴露出本来面目

He had a good disguise, but as soon as he spoke he betrayed himself. 　他伪装的很好，可是一说话就原形毕露

on sb.’s part \ on the part of sb. 　　　　　由某人做出

It was an error on my part. 那是我的过失

The agreement has been kept on my part but not on his. 　　我一直遵守协议，但他不遵守．

for my part: as far as I’m concerned

For my part, I don’t mind where we eat.

in part: to a certain extent; partlyHis success was due in part to luck.

plug n. 塞子，插头Pull (out) the plug and let the water

drain away. 　拔掉塞子，把水放掉He put plugs in his ears because

the noise was too loud. 　耳塞Put the two\three-pin plug in the

socket. 双线＼三线插头插到插座里I’ll have to change the plug on the

hair-drier. 　换吹风机的插头

v. to block, close or fill with a plug

use this wad of cloth to plug the hole 　用一团布堵住洞

He tried to plug the leak in the barrel.

plug away (at sth.): work hard and steadily at sth.

She’s been plugging away at her French lessons for months.

application n. formal request; act of putting sth. to use

I wrote five applications for jobs but didn’t get a single reply.

Have you filled in the application form for a new passport?

The application of new scientific discoveries to industrial processes usually makes jobs easier to do.

the strict application of the law 　　严明执法

The door may need another application of paint.

Lotion for external application only. 只限外用的敷剂

three applications per day 　　　　　　每日敷用三次

converge (of lines, moving objects come towards each other and) meet at a point 　　会于一点，聚集The armies are converging on the

capital city.Parallel lines converge at infinity.Enthusiasts from around the world

converge on (come to) that city for the annual car race.

(fig.) become similar or identical

Our previously opposed views are beginning to converge. 　原来相互对立的观点开始趋于一致

Capitalism and socialism will not eventually converge. 　资本主义和社会主义最终不会合而为一

chance n. (attrib 做定语 ) 机会，运气

a game of chance 靠碰运气的游戏a chance meeting, encounter,

occurrence, etc. 巧遇，偶然相遇，　　偶发事件

genius n. exceptionally great mental or creative ability; person who has this ability

It is rare to find such genius nowadays. 　这样的天才现在很罕见

He is hard-working and able, but no genius. 　勤奋能干，但决非天才

have a genius for languages, making friends, saying the wrong thing 　有…的本事

filter v. to clean, change, etc. by passing through a filter; to move gradually

All drinking water must be filtered. filter in \ out \ through, etc. 渗透，慢慢传开

New ideas are filtering into people’s minds.

The news of defeat started to filter through to everyone in the country.

initial a. of or at the beginning; first

the initial letter of a word in the initial stagesMy initial reaction was to refuse.

n. (usu. pl) initial letter of a name

George Bernard Shaw was well-known by his initials GBS. 　人们对萧伯纳姓名的首字母非常熟悉

Sign your name and initials. 请签上您的姓及名字的首字母

define v. to give the meaning of; to describe exactly; to explain the exact qualities, limits, duties, etc.

Some words are hard to define because they have many different uses.

We define a square as a rectangle with four equal sides.

The power of a judge are defined by law.

When boundaries between countries are not clearly defined by treaty, there is usually trouble.

identity n. who or what a particular person or thing is; sameness; exact likeness

The identity of the murdered woman has not yet been established.

She experienced a loss of identity after giving up her career to get married.

There is no clue to the identity of the thief. 　没有确定窃贼身份的线索

The cheque will be cashed on proof of identity. 这张支票凭身份证件兑现

identity card (ID card)

　　　　身份证

perspective n.

art of drawing 透视法　a perspective drawing 一幅透视画 view, esp. one stretching into the

distance 景，尤指远景get a ~ of the whole valleya personal ~ of the nation’s history

(idm.) in \ out of perspective

a. 位置或比例（不）正确 That tree on the left of the picture

is out of ~. The picture looks strange

because it has no ~; in those days artists didn’t understand ~.

b. （不）夸大，（不）恰当He sees things in their right ~.see the events in the historical ~The company’s results need to be

looked at in their proper ~; our profits have fallen but it’s been a difficult year for our competitors as well.

Par.1 I happened to encounter the green banana in a mountain village because leaks in my jeep’s radiator forced me to stop there.

Par. 2-3 I discovered that the huge rock marked the center of the world to the village people.

Par. 4 People around that village have always known about the green banana and the rock.

Par. 5 A person’s outlook is limited. But sometimes knowledge acquisition can be realized at “the learning moment.”

Par. 6 People tend to define the most familiar to them as the center of the world.

Par. 7 The number of such centers is incalculable. But once you recognized there is a second center, you will have a life-long perspective on it.

Par. 8 If one leaves one’s own center, one will experience many things with special value and meaning at other places.

We exchanged pleasant jokes while I wondered what the green banana had to do with my situation.

Because of the circumstances, I had to show that I understood the importance of his statement.

“The center of the world?” Repeating these words, I tried to give him the impression that even if I didn’t agree completely with him at least I was interested in what he said.

Suddenly on that mountain road, the green banana was at the stage of development which met my need.

There are times when things become clear to a person. Educators call these “learning moments”. For some time prior to this, I had been thinking about them with curiosity. I knew I had just had two of them at the same time.

The number of such centers like these is so great that it cannot be determined. No one can visit them all, but if a person makes a conscious effort and succeeds in knowing a center other than his own, this can be the beginning of a perspective and collection that can last a lifetime.

In fact, we can all learn something new and valuable if we go outside our own centers of the world.

I was ready to discover the use of green bananas.

in relation to : about, concerning

What did you say in relation to what happened yesterday?

In relation to the complaint you have made there is nothing we can do to improve the quality of these people.

Exercise

Write a short composition within 120 words to describe one of your unforgettable experiences, trying to include the following points:

How it happened to you?The lesson you have learned from

the event.