Unit_1_Waking_up_from_the_American_dream

Unit1WakingUpfromtheAmericanDream教学建议：1.本章重点：有关社会地位提升的表达法。2.本章难点：学习讨论“美国梦”的今昔对比。3.课时安排：精读4学时。☆Pre-readingActivities☆PassageExploration☆Post-readingActivitiesUnit1WakingUpfromtheAmericanDreamPre-readingQuestions1.Whatdoyouknowaboutthe“AmericanDream”?2.Doyouthinkchildrenfromthebottomquarterofthesocioeconomicscalecanmoveuptothetopquarterwhentheygrowup?Whyorwhynot?BackgroundInformation☆AmericanDream☆Wal-Mart☆FederalReserveBank☆PizzaHutAmericanDreamTheAmericanDreamistheconceptwidelyheldintheUnitedStatesofAmerica,thatthroughhardwork,courageanddeterminationonecanachieveprosperity(oftenassociatedwiththeProtestantworkethic).ThesewerethevaluesoftheoriginalpioneerswhocrossedtheAmericanplainswhenNorthernEuropeansfirstcametoAmerica.WhattheAmericandreamhasbecomeisaquestionunderconstantdiscussion.HistoryoftheAmericanDreamTheoriginoftheAmericandreamstemsfromthedepartureingovernmentandeconomicsfromthemodelsoftheOldWorld.Thisallowedunprecedentedfreedom,especiallythepossibilityofdramaticupwardsocialmobility.Additionally,fromtheRevolutionaryWarwellintothelaterhalfofthenineteenthcentury,manyofAmerica'sphysicalresourceswereunclaimedandoftenundiscovered,allowingthepossibilityofcomingacrossafortunethroughrelativelylittle,butluckyinvestmentinlandorindustry.ThedevelopmentoftheIndustrialRevolutiondefinedthemineralandlandwealthwhichwasthereinabundance,contrarytotheenvironmentalrichessuchashugeherdsofbisonanddiversityofforests,fortheoriginalNativeAmericans.HistoryoftheAmericanDreamManyearlyAmericansprospectorsheadedwestoftheRockyMountainstobuyacresofcheaplandinhopesoffindingdepositsofgold.TheAmericandreamwasadrivingfactornotonlyintheGoldRushofthemidtolate1800s,butalsointhewavesofimmigrationthroughoutthatcenturyandthefollowing.HistoryoftheAmericanDreamImpoverishedwesternEuropeansescapingtheIrishpotatofaminesinIreland,theHighlandclearancesinScotlandandtheaftermathofNapoleonintherestofEuropecametoAmericatoescapeapoorqualityoflifeathome.TheywantedtoembracethepromiseoffinancialsecurityandconstitutionalfreedomtheyhadheardexistedsowidelyintheUnitedStates.AmericanDreamTodayInthe20thcentury,theAmericandreamhaditschallenges.TheDepressioncausedwidespreadhardshipduringtheTwentiesandThirties,andwasalmostareverseofthedreamforthosedirectlyaffected.Racialinstabilitydidnotdisappear,andinsomepartsofthecountryracialviolencewasalmostcommonplace.TherewasconcernabouttheundemocraticcampaignknownasMcCarthyismcarriedonagainstsuspectedCommunists.SincetheendofWorldWarII,youngAmericanfamilieshavesoughttoliveinrelativebourgeoiscomfortinthesuburbsthattheybuiltup.ThiswasaidedasavisionbytheapparentwinningoftheColdWar.Wal-MartWal-Mart:Wal-MartStores,Inc.wasfoundedbySamWalton,alegendofAmericanretailindustry,inArkansasin1962.After44yearsofgrowth,ithasbecometheworld’slargestprivateemployerandretailer.Thecompanyemploysover1.8millionassociatesworldwideandoperatesmorethan6,600unitsin15countries.Wal-Martservesmorethan176millioncustomersworldwideperweek.FederalReserveBankFederalReserveBank:TheFederalReserveisthecentralbankoftheUnitedStates.Itsuniquestructureincludesafederalgovernmentagency,theBoardofGovernors,inWashington,D.C.,and12regionalReserveBanks.PizzaHutThefirstPizzaHutrestaurantopensinWichita,Kansas,startedbytwocollege-agedbrotherswhoborrowed$600fromtheirmother.PizzaHut,Inc.,adivisionofTriconGlobalRestaurants,Inc.,hasmorethan7,200unitsintheU.S.and3,000unitsinmorethan86othercountries.TextStudyingStructureofthetextLanguagepointsStructureAnalysisI.[P1-2]Manyworkersaretrappedinlow-incomeandoftendead-endjobsbecauseAmericancompaniesadoptWal-Mart-likestrategiestocontrollaborcosts.II.[P3-6]ResearchshowsthatAmericaisnolongerahighlymobilesociety.III.[P7-10]Today,upwardmobilityisdeterminedbyacollegedegreewhichisattainablemostlybythosefromwealthyfamilies,butoutofreachforthosefromlow-incomefamilies.IV.[P11]MeasuresaretobetakentorestoreAmericanmobility.LanguagePoints☆WordsandExpressions☆ExplanationofdifficultsentencesWordsandExpressionsattemptto:makeastartatdoingsomething,trytodosomethingExamples★Theprisonersattemptedtoescape.★Theenemyattemptedtoputuparesistancebutitwastoolate.WordsandExpressionsboom:n.suddenincreaseintrade;suddengrowthandprosperityv.increasesuddenlyExamples★The1990switnessedaboomineconomyinthatcountry.★Stocksmayboomtoday,butdroptomorrow.WordsandExpressionsshift…to:transfer,changepositionordirectionExample★Don’tattempttoshifttheresponsibilitytosomeoneelse.★HewasshiftedtoapostinNewYorkCity.WordsandExpressionstheranksof:thelargegroupofExample★Manyfarmersleftthecountrysideandswelledtheranksoftheunskilledlaborersinthecities.WordsandExpressionsdot-commillionaires:thosewhorisetomillionairesbyrunningwebsitesExample★Nowadays,thedot-commillionairesareworshipedbysomeyoungmen.WordsandExpressionsedge:n.advantageExamples★have(get,gain,hold)anedgeoversb★You’llincreaseyouredgeoverotherapplicantsbyanticipatingquestionstheinterviewersmightraise.WordsandExpressionspulldown:earn(money);destroyordemolish;(ofillness,etc)weaken;lowerthespiritsofExamples★Hepulleddown$5,000bydoingpart-tim