Lesson SIX LIFE BEYOND EARTH Time Allocation and Teaching Procedure About 4 sessions(8 class hours)are needed for this unit. 1t session:1 The students presentations 2The teacher's comment on the presentations and brief,additional introduction to the text.3The stock of vocabulary related to astronomy and outerspace.4 The students answer some pre-reading questions to get a brief idea of the main theme of the text. 2nd session:Study of the text The teacher's interpretation of the meaning of some difficult sentences,language points,and rhetorical devices Assignment a.Review the part of the text having already discussed b. Preview the left part of the text c.Consider over some questions on the contents on page 96 3 session:Continuation of the study of the text The teacher continues to interpret the meaning of some difficult sentences and language points of the left part of the text. Assignment a.Review the whole text b.Do the exercises after the text from P96 to P99. 4th session:Allow the students some time to ask questions on the text The students answer some questions after the text Explain some useful words and expressions picked out from the text.Do some explanation on the exercises after the text Assignment a.Supplementary exercises:A.Cloze B.Translation I.Obiectives To help the students develop a scientific attitude towards the possible existence of the alien civilization. To make the students learn some important information about the achievement of our human's exploration into the outerspace. .To make the students understand the difference between the life in our earth and the life beyond the earth discussed in the text. .To help the students understand the humorous language and tone the author uses in presenting his attitudes or opinions .To help the students analyze how sentence structure and grammatical function serve the writing purpose. I.Topics For Presentations (based on pre-class group discussion)
Lesson SIX LIFE BEYOND EARTH Time Allocation and Teaching Procedure About 4 sessions (8 class hours) are needed for this unit. 1 st session: 1 The students presentations 2The teacher’s comment on the presentations and brief, additional introduction to the text. 3The stock of vocabulary related to astronomy and outerspace.4 The students answer some pre-reading questions to get a brief idea of the main theme of the text. 2 nd session: Study of the text The teacher’s interpretation of the meaning of some difficult sentences , language points , and rhetorical devices Assignment a. Review the part of the text having already discussed b. Preview the left part of the text c. Consider over some questions on the contents on page 96 3 rd session: Continuation of the study of the text The teacher continues to interpret the meaning of some difficult sentences and language points of the left part of the text. Assignment a. Review the whole text b.Do the exercises after the text from P96 to P99. 4 th session: Allow the students some time to ask questions on the text The students answer some questions after the text Explain some useful words and expressions picked out from the text. Do some explanation on the exercises after the text Assignment a. Supplementary exercises: A. Cloze B. Translation . I. Objectives ⚫ To help the students develop a scientific attitude towards the possible existence of the alien civilization. ⚫ To make the students learn some important information about the achievement of our human’s exploration into the outerspace. ⚫ To make the students understand the difference between the life in our earth and the life beyond the earth discussed in the text. ⚫ To help the students understand the humorous language and tone the author uses in presenting his attitudes or opinions. ⚫ To help the students analyze how sentence structure and grammatical function serve the writing purpose. . II. Topics For Presentations ( based on pre-class group discussion)
What do you know about the achievement of our human's exploration into the outer space? Why is our human being so interested in the life beyond Earth?Do you believe in the existence of the life beyond Earth?Explain your opinions. What kind of attitudes should we take when we discuss on the possible existence of the alien civilizations?Explain. Comment on the significance of the scientific exploration of the outer space by offering some relative facts. .Division of the Text According to the development of the meaning and the organization of the text,the text can be roughly divided into seven parts: 1.Paras.1.-2 the emergence of life 2.Para.3 (transition)What else is alive out there? 3.Paras.4-10 search for life 4.Paras.11-23 search for intelligence 5.Paras.24-42 Mars 6.Paras.43-45 Dyson's argument 7.Paras.46-52 conclusion IV Teaching points Para.1 1.What do you think of the opening paragraph? The author begins the article by announcing a very important event:"Something astonishing has happened in the universe"Such an announcement would immediately arouse the readers'curiosity. 2.What does the author mean by"life"in this paragraph? Life here meansthat property of plants and animals which makes it possible for them to take in food,get energy from it,grow,adapt themselves to their surroundings.and reproduce their kind. 3.In what way is"different from rock? Life is a living thing while rock is inorganic matter. 4.Life discussed in this paragraph doesn't mean the same thing as the"life"discussed in the following paragraphs Para2
⚫ What do you know about the achievement of our human’s exploration into the outer space? ⚫ Why is our human being so interested in the life beyond Earth? Do you believe in the existence of the life beyond Earth? Explain your opinions. ⚫ What kind of attitudes should we take when we discuss on the possible existe nce of the alien civilizations? Explain. ⚫ Comment on the significance of the scientific exploration of the outer space by offering some relative facts. III. Division of the Text According to the development of the meaning and the organization of the text ,the text can be roughly divided into seven parts: 1. Paras. 1-2 the emergence of life 2. Para. 3 (transition) What else is alive out there? 3. Paras. 4-10 search for life 4. Paras. 11-23 search for intelligence 5. Paras. 24-42 Mars. 6. Paras. 43-45 Dyson’s argument 7. Paras. 46-52 conclusion IV Teaching points Para.1 1. What do you think of the opening paragraph? The author begins the article by announcing a very important event: “ Something astonishing has happened in the universe.” Such an announcement would immediately arouse the readers’ curiosity. 2. What does the author mean by “life” in this paragraph? Life here means “that property of plants and animals which makes it possible for them to take in food, get energy from it, grow, adapt themselves to their surroundings ,and reproduce their kind. 3. In what way is “life” qualitatively different from rock? Life is a living thing while rock is inorganic matter. 4. Life discussed in this paragraph doesn’t mean the same thing as the “life” discussed in the following paragraphs. Para 2
1.Life has a way.and yet.in absolute terms *The grammatical function of"and vet".It introduces a contrast. *Paraphrase this sentence:It is not difficult to determine whether a thing has life or not,but when it comes to give"lifea clear,complete,satisfactory definition,people find it extremely difficult. 2.In at least one instance,life has become profoundly self-aware. What sort of life can become self-aware? Only human life can be conscious of its identity.That is because only human being can think.So here life means human life. Why does the author say"in at least one instance So far we only know of the one particular case of human life.But,maybe there is life elsewhere in the universe.So"at least"is used here. Para.3 1.This is a one-sentence paragraph for emphasis.It serves as a transition,leading to life beyond earth 2.What else is alive out there? Is there anything similar to human life in other parts of the universe?Out there means in space beyond the earth. Para.4 1.There may be.to an answer At the turn of the new millennium of a thousand years one may not find anything which is scientifically unknown to human beings so intriguing and yet so difficult to answer as the issue of extraterrestrial life. 2.With instruments.a single inhabited world With the help of advanced technology such as Hubble Space Telescope scientists have discovered a very large amount of cosmic material and yet they have not discovered any life on any other planet. Para.5 1.the late astronomer.in our galaxy alone. By "technological civilizations",the author may mean civilizations with high technology.Carl Sagan,the astronomer who is now dead,predicted that there are a million societies with advanced technology in our galaxy,without taking into account other galaxies
1. Life has a way . and yet . in absolute terms *The grammatical function of “and yet”: It introduces a contrast. *Paraphrase this sentence: It is not difficult to determine whether a thing has life or not, but when it comes to give “life” a clear, complete, satisfactory definition, people find it extremely difficult. 2. In at least one instance, life has become profoundly self-aware. What sort of life can become self-aware? Only human life can be conscious of its identity. That is because only human being can think. So here life means human life. Why does the author say “in at least one instance”? So far we only know of the one particular case of human life. But, maybe there is life elsewhere in the universe. So “at least” is used here. Para. 3 1. This is a one-sentence paragraph for emphasis. It serves as a transition, leading to life beyond earth. 2. What else is alive out there? Is there anything similar to human life in other parts of the universe?Out there means in space beyond the earth. Para. 4 1. There may be . to an answer. At the turn of the new millennium of a thousand years,one may not find anything which is scientifically unknown to human beings so intriguing and yet so difficult to answer as the issue of extraterrestrial life. 2. With instruments . a single inhabited world With the help of advanced technology such as Hubble Space Telescope scientists have discovered a very large amount of cosmic material and yet they have not discovered any life on any other planet. Para. 5 1. the late astronomer . in our galaxy alone. By “technological civilizations”,the author may mean civilizations with high technology.Carl Sagan,the astronomer who is now dead,predicted that there are a million societies with advanced technology in our galaxy,without taking into account other galaxies
Para.6 1.Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence The fact that we do not have evidence showing there is life beyond Earth does not mean that we can come to the conclusion that there is actually no life beyond Earth. 2.But still .starship So far we do not know firmly and dependably that there exists a single microscopic organism in another world,to say nothing of a starship coming from another world,the universe passing the Earth Para.7 1.What is“plausibility arguments”？ It means reasons offered which appear to be convincing but which may not be tru 2.What is"random ought-to-bes"? It means possible things which are chosen without specific aim 3.We don't know.we don't know. We do not know of this life depends on water in liquid form for existence or if it lives in the water like fish or in the air like birds or under the earth like gophers. Para.8 1.This paragraph serves as a transition,moving from speculation to naming the field of research. 2.What is meant by "the enveloping nebula of uncertainties"? It introduces two ideas:the first is the cloud of gas and dust obscures things;the second is,as a result,it is unclear what has been wrapped up in the cloud of gas and dust,what is inside the enveloping nebula Para.9 1.In the past decade.in bizarre,hostile environments. If organism could thrive in conditions in this world similar to hostile conditions in other planets,then the possibility of the existence of alien life increases Para.10 1.Why is"full-scale invasion"? The author uses this phrase in a humorous way,camparing the full-scale investigation and study of Mars to full-scale invasion.With one scientific instrument after another
Para. 6 1. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence The fact that we do not have evidence showing there is life beyond Earth does not mean that we can come to the conclusion that there is actually no life beyond Earth. 2. But still . starship So far we do not know firmly and dependably that there exists a single microscopic organism in another world,to say nothing of a starship coming from another world,the universe passing the Earth. Para. 7 1. What is “plausibility arguments” ? It means reasons offered which appear to be convincing but which may not be true. 2. What is “random ought-to-bes”? It means possible things which are chosen without specific aim 3. We don’t know . we don’t know . We do not know of this life depends on water in liquid form for existence or if it lives in the water like fish or in the air like birds or under the earth like gophers. Para. 8 1. This paragraph serves as a transition,moving from spe culation to naming the field of research. 2. What is meant by “the enveloping nebula of uncertainties”? It introduces two ideas:the first is the cloud of gas and dust obscures things;the second is ,as a result,it is unclear what has been wrapped up in the cloud of gas and dust,what is inside the enveloping nebula. Para. 9 1. In the past decade . in bizarre,hostile environments. If organism could thrive in conditions in this world similar to hostile conditions in other planets,then the possibility of the existence of alien life increases. Para. 10 1. Why is “full-scale invasion” ? The author uses this phrase in a humorous way,camparing the full-scale investigation and study of Mars to full-scale invasion.With one scientific instrument after another
landing in Mars it is like the landing of an invasion army. 2.Europa is extremely cold.Many signs show there might be an ocean below the surface of the planet. Para.11 1.SETI .each year. So far the scientists have not received any message or detected any signal from a civilization in other parts of the universe 2.The optimists.channel Those who are optimistic think that as time goes on,they will some day get the signal sent out by an alien civilization. Para.12 l.Pay attention to the“if not'”pattern Eg.The breakthrough is many years,if not decades,away. We may well be alone in this galaxy if not in the universe Para.13. 1.the reasons which sustain the search for alien organism:(1)the universe looks to be a place suitable for the existence of life:(2)if that is the case,life will give out signs of its existence and these can be detected 2.life radiates information about itself:Life snds out signals of its existence,the signal being light or heat or electromagnetic waves or other manifestations. Para.14 1.Why would contact with an alien civilization be an epochal and culturally challenging event? It would be epochal,that is to say,it ushers in an entirely new period in human history because that would be the first time for human beings to have direct communication with civilization on another planet in the universe.It would be culturally challenging because alien civilization might be totally different from anything in human history and night be much superior to our civilization. 2.The long process .true cosmic context The long process of regarding this human inhabited world as only one example of the universe humming with life.Originally we regard our world as the only one in the universe which inhabited by intelligent humans,but we need to change our view and
landing in Mars,it is like the landing of an invasion army. 2. Europa is extremely cold.Many signs show there might be an ocean below the surface of the planet. Para. 11 1. SETI . each year. So far ,the scientists have not received any message or detected any signal from a civilization in other parts of the universe. 2. The optimists . channel Those who are optimistic think that as time goes on,they will some day get the signal sent out by an alien civilization. Para. 12 1. Pay attention to the “if not” pattern: Eg. The breakthrough is many years,if not decades,away. We may well be alone in this galaxy if not in the universe. Para. 13. 1. the reasons which sustain the search for alien organism: (1) the universe looks to be a place suitable for the existence of life; (2) if that is the case,life will give out signs of its existence and these can be detected 2. life radiates information about itself: Life sends out signals of its existence,the signal being light or heat or electromagnetic waves or other manifestations. Para. 14 1. Why would contact with an alien civilization be an epochal and culturally challenging event? It would be epochal,that is to say,it ushers in an entirely new period in human history because that would be the first time for human beings to have direct communi cation with civilization on another planet in the universe.It would be culturally challenging because alien civilization might be totally different from anything in human history and night be much superior to our civilization. 2. The long process . true cosmic context. The long process of regarding this human inhabited world as only one example of the universe humming with life.Originally we regard our world as the only one in the universe which inhabited by intelligent humans,but we need to change our view and