上外全新版大学英语综合教程讲义-book4-unit8_Travel

College English (New edition) Unit 8 1 Unit 8 Travel

Text A In the Jungle

Learning Objectives:

1. understand the main idea and the structure of the text

2. appreciate the fluid and sensual writing style

3. grasp the key language points and grammatical structure of the text

4. conduct a series of reading listening and writing activities related to the theme of this unit First period

I. Discussion(15mins):

1. Do you like traveling? Tell me one of the most impressive places you have visited.

2. If you have enough time and money, where is your favorite place to visit? Why?

3. What are some distinctive features of an out -of -the –way, inaccessible place such as jungle,

desert, or remote mountainous areas? ( unspoiled, unpolluted, primitive)

4. Why would such a place appeal to many people today?

The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.

_________ Samuel Johnson

(enlarge the knowledge, enjoy the grand sceneries, landscape, landmark, travel around the world, historical interest, pasture, garden architecture, beautiful mountains and clear rivers, inviting views, relaxed, artifact, handicraft, fresh air)

In my opinion, one of the pleasant things in the world is going a journey. The soul of journey is liberty, perfectly liberty to think, feel, just as one please. We go a journey chiefly to be free from obstacles, inconvenience, stress, to leave ourselves behind. With the development of the society, more and more people live in urban area. While they are enjoying the convenience of the modern technology and the economy, they are also suffering from all kinds of disadvantages of the city, such as pollutions, traffic jam and the information explosion. Besides, they have to be faced with some pressures from study, work, family ect. So people sometimes really want to find a way to be away from the bustling city, and be back of the nature. In this way, they can appreciate the beauty of the nature; understand the true meaning of the spiritual world. And they can fully relax; their soul can be purified. So more and more people choose travel during the holidays. Some people choose to go to the tranquil, beautiful and mysterious places, such as the old forest, the isolated islands and the jungle. In this text we will appreciate the beautiful sceneries of the Napo River the author showed to us.

II Background information(15mins)

1. Amazon is a world of trees and water in the middle of South America. It ’s the world ’s mightiest river, running through the world ’s largest tropical rainforest.

Most trips to the Amazon are based on either a boat or a lodge. If you fancy traveling by boat, many organized trips incorporate traveling on the main river with side trips on smaller tributaries, either in motorboat or in canoes. If you prefer exploring the rainforest on foot, you can usually find some local people who are ready to guide you through certain parts of it despite all kinds of difficulties. If you want a little more adventure, the upper Amazon flows off the Andes, creating ideal opportunities for rafting through rarely visited area.

While the overwhelming beauty of the Amazon lies in its perse and complex nature, it is also a place where plants are king, inserts come a close second, and animals hide to survive. With a good guide you will see many birds and some mammals, including monkeys but only if you are

College English (New edition) Unit 8

very lucky will you see a jaguar.

2. Ecuador: republic in northwestern South America, bounded by Colombia on the north, by Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean on the west. The country also includes the Galapagos Islands (Colon Archipelago) in the Pacific, about 965 km (about 600 mi) west of the mainland. Ecuador straddles the equator (Ecuador is the Spanish word for "equator") and has an area of 272,045 sq km (105,037 sq mi). Quito is the country's capital.

Ecuador has a perse population composed of people of European, Native American, and African descent. The majority are mestizos, inpiduals of mixed European and Native American ancestry. Most of the Native Americans live in poverty in the highlands region, where a small elite of European descent controls most of the land and wealth.

Ecuador was a Spanish colony until 1822, when independence forces won a decisive victory over Spain. Ecuador has had a democratically elected government since 1979, but historically the government has alternated between civilian rule and military dictatorship. Most political conflicts involved squabbles among groups within the upper classes who controlled the nation's wealth.

3. Andes: the principal mountains of South America and one of the greatest mountain systems of the world. The Andes include some of the world's highest peaks. More than 50 of them soar higher than 6,100 m (20,000 ft) above sea level. Only the Himalayas of south central Asia are higher. The lofty plateaus and high mountain valleys of the Andes contain some of the highest permanent human settlements in the world. The Andes are the longest system of high mountain ranges on earth. They extend for more than 8000 km (5000 mi) in a narrow belt along the western edge of the South American continent, from the coast of the Caribbean Sea in the north to the island of Tierra del Fuego in the extreme south. Along almost its entire length, the Andes rise abruptly from the Pacific coast. The mountains reach into seven countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

4. Napo River: Napo is an important river due its size and the main transportation for many inhabitants but also because of its history. Francisco Orellana arrived at its shore from Quito in the 16th century and n …… 此处隐藏：16681字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……