Unit 3 Message of the Land Contemporary College English Book I.

Unit 3 Message of the Land

Contemporary College EnglishBook I

Contents

Warm-up1

Background Information2

Text Appreciation3

Language Study4

Extension5

Try to match the nickname and its corresponding country

Warm-up1

Lesson 3-Message of the Land

Land of the Rising Sun

Land of the Rose

Land of the Shamrock

Land of Golden Fleece

Land of Thistle

Land of the Stars and Stripes

Scotland

Japan

U.S.A

Ireland

England

Australia


Try to figure out the “Land” idioms

1. land fit for heroes (to live in)

—a country, nation that can reward those who have fought in its defence with good conditions of life and work as civilians

功臣们可安居乐业之地


2. land flowing with milk and honey/land of milk and honey

—a place in which life would be pleasant, with plenty of food and chances of success and happiness

流奶与蜜的地方（喻：丰饶之国；富饶之

地）


3. land/house of Bondage（束缚、奴役）埃及；现指艰苦的境地

—Egypt: also any place or condition of great hardship or oppression


4. land of promise/promised land/land

of covenant（契约）

—any state of future happiness

未来的幸福境界；乐

土；福地；希望之乡


5. land of the living

—the place of living men; this present existence

人世；现世

About the Author: Pira Sudham

Background Information2

He is considered Thailand's leading

English language writer, who was nominated for the 1990 Nobel Prize for Literature. His literary works are concerned with social-economic-political changes occurring in Thailand. Widely read and highly acclaimed (praised), his books have given an expedient (practical) voice to the poor and the voiceless.

Where is Thailand ?

Lesson 3 - Message of the Land

Bangkok

To be continued on the next page.

Bangkok, population 8,538,610 (1990), is the capital and largest city of Thailand. The city is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River ( 湄南河 ), near the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok is one of the fastest-growing, most economically dynamic and socially progressive cities in Southeast Asia. Although the major infrastructure （基础设施） is not well developed, it is also considered as one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Buddhism is Thailand‘s main religion. 94% of Thai

people are Buddhist. The city contains many Buddhist temples (known in Thai as Wats), among the best known being Wat Pho （卧佛寺） and Wat Arun（黎明寺） .

Lesson 3 - Message of the Land

Monks in Thailand Monks are more suited to reach enlightenment because they follow a strict way of life far from material attachment. Their life is based on 227 monastic rules and 5 major precepts （戒律） , i.e. no sex, no lies, no robbery, no alcohol, no killing.

In a temple, some men have been monks for decades but there are also some men who became monk only a short time ago. They do it in order to bring merit to their parents ("THAM BUN"). A boy is not a man if he hasn't been a monk once in his life. Even the King of Thailand Rama 9 had been a monk for one month. In old days this period was three months. Now it can be only a few weeks or a few days.


Text Appreciation3

Style of the text

Style: essay (in a very broad sense)

or interview

The interviewees: a farmer and his wife(note: Since the World War II it has become popular for writers to interview people, record what they say and, after some, not too much, editing, publish these people’s stories in book form.)


Features of colloquial language

1. straightforward language

2. short and simple sentences

3. small and easy words


Structure of the text

Part I the wife’s speech

(paras. 1—3)

(paras. 4—7)

Part II the farmer’s speech

(paras. 8—11)

The wife tells us briefly about her family and how all her children left.

This part focuses on the changes that she finds she can’t adjust to.

The farmer tells about what he thinks are the root of all evils and what joys he finds in life and farming.


Changes in family

Changes in the village

The wife’scomplaints

Thefarmer’scomplaints

None of the children will come back to inherit the land.

• Greed, anger, and lust are the root of all evils.• No young man will care what message the land gives.

the loss of traditional values and the way of life

All four children went away.

Children wear jeans instead.

no barter, but cash no pay-free help plastic things instead only the old on the land no practice of the old customs no respect for the old


My husband moved into our houses as is the way with us in Esarn. (1)

(When we got married) my husband came to live in our house. It was the tradition here in Esarn that the bridegroom should come to live with the bride’s family.

“As” introduces a defining relative clause and functions as its subject, representing

what is stated in the main clause.


Examples:

1. As is often the case, the boy was late for class. (as—subject of the clause)

2. As was only to be expected, the election was very close.

(as—subject of the clause)


The rest, two boys and two girls, went away as soon as we could afford to buy jeans for them.

Our other children—two boys and two girls—left as soon as we had the money to buy them jeans.

to have enough money to buy or to doappositive of

“the rest”

the remaining people; the others


It’s easier for my husband. He has ears which

don’t hear, a mouth which doesn’t speak, and

eyes that don’t see. (2)

News about my children’s problems doesn’t make my husband as sad as me. He doesn’t bother about what is happening around us and to our children. He never says anything about them.

parallel structure is used here


He has always been patient and silent, minding his own life. (2)

present participle phrase as adverbial

take care of; attend to

He’s always been patient and talks little. He

just does his duty and carries on his life.

Sickness comes and goes, and we get back on our feet again.

to exist or happen somewhere for a short time and then go away.

to be/ become in a healthy condition after an illness or injury

Example:

The doctor says she’d be back on her feet again in a couple of days.

Words and Expressions:

forefather infancy pierce

now and then a bag of bones mind one’s own

barter for spring up occur to

Language Study4


1. forefather

n. (usu. pl.) the people, especially men,

who were part of your family a long

time ago in the past

Synonyms: ancestor forerunner


2. infancy

n. a. early childhood

Examples:

1. In the past, many children died in infancy because of

the bad medical conditions.

2. The family came to England in his infancy.


v. a. to make a small hole with a sharp point b. (of cold, pain, sound) to force a way into c. to force a way through something

Examples:

She had her ears pierced in order to be able to

wear earrings.

Her shrieks pierced the silence.

Her memories sometimes pierced her heart.

Our forces pierced through the enemy’s lines.

6. pierce


now and again; occasionally

Examples:Now and then we heard shots in the woods.He loses his temper now and then, but not often.I hear from him every now and then.

1. now and then


a bag of bones

a very thin person

Example:

After her illness, she became a bag of bones.


to take care of one’s…

Examples:

1. Will you mind my bag while I buy my ticket?

2. I was minding my own work when he rushed in.

2. mind one’s own…



4. barter… for

to exchange (goods, property, etc.) for other goods, etc. without using money

Examples:1. I had to barter with the locals for food. 2. In the local market, meat and vegetables are bartered for electrical goods.3. The prisoners tried to barter with the guards for their freedom.


to appear, develop, grow, etc. quickly or suddenly

Examples: New houses were springing up all over the

town. Dozens of websites have sprung up to provide

information for travelers. New dot-com companies are springing up all

the time.

5. spring up



if an idea or thought occurs to you, it suddenly comes into your mind Examples:

I suppose it didn't occur to you to phone the

police.

It never seems to occur to my children to

contact me.

It had never occurred to him that he might

be falling in love with her.

9. occur to

Extension5

Group performance:

Imagine the farmer and his wife and their four children get a family reunion during the New Year, what would they talk about the changes in their village?

Thank You!

Unit 3 Message of the Land Contemporary College English Book I.

Documents

land land

land changes

land bangkok

rose land

land flowing

land structure

land fit

land idioms