1、Unit 5 Text 1,Straight-A Illiteracy James P. Degnan,Plain English,A game: running dictation team workRules: 1. one student at a time memorize one sentence (no paper or pen) 2. tell other students the sentence and another student write it down 3. try to get it as accurate as possible,Plain English,Pl
2、ain English is a term for communication in English that emphasizes clarity, brevity, and the avoidance of technical language. The goal is to write in a way that is easily understood by the readers: clear and straightforward, appropriate to their reading skills and knowledge. In the UK, Plain English
3、 Campaign has been campaigning since 1979, against jargon and misleading public information. They have helped many government departments and other official organizations with their documents, reports and publications. They believe that everyone should have access to clear and concise information.,P
4、lain English,Here are 5 rules set out by George Orwell for writing English. 1. Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. 2. Never use a long word where a short one will do. 3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. 4. Never use th
5、e passive where you can use the active. 5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English word.,Plain English,If you cant explain it simply, you dont understand it well enough. - Albert EinsteinThe ability to simplify means to eliminate the un
6、necessary so that the necessary may speak. - Hans Hofmann,The title,straight-A illiteracystraight-A illiteracy oxymoron 矛盾修饰法,causal analysis,Effect: the phenomenon of straight-A illiteracy (P1, 2, 3) Cause: the text-books and professional journals that the straight-A illiterates are forced to read
7、during his years of education (P4),Structure,P1 definition of straight-A illiterate (general)deductiveP2, 3 personal experience and observation (specific) a student (P2), many students (P3)inductive P4 the cause (general) evidence: example, quotations,P1,Questions: What is an ordinary illiterate? An
8、d who are straight-A illiterates? Why is a straight-A illiterate more influential? What is the purpose of the writers writing? What do they mean?fuss and botherplightas often as notgive equal time withpublicized counterpart,worry and anxiety, great attention difficult and distressing situation often
9、 give equal attention to the ordinary illiterate who are widely known to the public,P2,Questions: Is it appropriate to compare straight-A illiteracy to a disease? Can you find any special sentence structures in P2? Why does the writer use them?What do they mean?interrogatecross-examinepry and probea
10、rticulatecovetbe at this try mightily,ask questions and try to find out sth.expressing oneself very clearly envy work on this try very hard,P2,repetition 重复 I am I am I amperiodical sentence 圆周句 Finally, with both of us combining our linguistic and imaginative resources, finally, after what seems an
11、other hour, we decode it. cleft sentence 强调句 We decide exactly what it is that Mr. Bright is trying to say, what he really wants to say, which is: “Supply determines demand.”to emphasize how difficult the task is and how long it takes,P3,Questions: Can you give a definition to “Straight-A illiterate
12、” now? Make complete the elliptical sentence “Not our man.” in line32. This is not what our man would say.What do they mean?critical facultiesgibberishprovidentially be protected fromafflictioninexorably,the ability of critical thinking meaningless nonsense luckily be saved from, be free from suffer
13、ing heartlessly, pitilessly,P4,What does writers choice of the word “stuff” (l. 40) reveal?What do they mean?profunditygrapple withbe bulging with barbarousmonstroushomologousisomorphicallotropicdichotomizebifurcate,depth, deepness try hard to deal with, be forced to read be full of meaningless horr
14、ible, long and difficultalikedifferentdivide di-, bi-: two,这些 “神句”，你懂吗？,“神句”理解,Explain why the following sentences are same in meaning. The choice of exogenous variables in relation to multi-colinearity is contingent upon the derivations of certain multiple correlation coefficients. (l. 14) 2. Suppl
15、y determines demand. (l. 21) is contingent upon - is determined by, depends on the choice of exogenous variables in relation to multi-colinearity - demand the derivations of certain multiple correlation coefficients - supply,“神句”理解,Reword the following sentences and make them easier to understand. T
16、hem people down at the shop better stock up on what our customers need, or we aint gonna be in business long. (l. 31)The shop assistants had better have in stock what our customers need, or we wont be in business long. The focus of concentration must rest upon objectives centered around the knowledg
17、e of customer areas so that a sophisticated awareness of those areas can serve as an entrepreneurial filter to screen what is irrelevant to future commitments. (l. 34)We must focus your attention on what your customers need so that we are able to tell what is necessary from what is unnecessary when
18、we replenish your stock.,Exercises,III. Translation 1.,2. 在过去的几十年，我遇到许多像他这样患有“全优文盲症”的大四学生。这种疾病以最优秀的头脑为攻击目标，渐渐破坏他们的思辨能力，是的患者无法觉察自己或他人的写作中那些莫名难解的胡话。这种疾病在高等教育的几年里愈来愈严重，一般在患者得到博士学位时达到晚期。很明显，“全优文盲症”的患者并不是一般的文盲，他绝不会交出一篇满是拼写错误或者标点符号错误的论文，绝不会使用双重否定或irregardless这个词。尽管如此，他依然是个文盲，而且是最差的一种文盲，因为他不会简单、明了地把自己的意思通过
19、写作表达出来。,Grammar 1.,2.,Vocabulary (B) 1. easy-going 2. extraordinary 3. unimportant 4. atypical/unrepresentative 5. shut/closed 6. hinder 7. harm 8. reject/renounce9. self-denying/unselfish 10. ordinary 11. feebleness/weakness 12. small/weak 13. assail/assault/attack 14. save 15. relieved/consoled 16. hollow 17. unite 18. decent/fine 19. provide with 20. reckless/heedless,
