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Unit Two Culture
Task-based Design for Six Contact Hours
Session
No. Unit Content Involved Focal Points Task-based activities
1. Listen and Talk
Lead in
Passage listening practice
Dialogue Samples
Communicative Tasks
1. The major concerns of
people to culture
2. Key words and
expressions related to
the topic
digital, await, inherently,
inflict, alter, corrupt,
exception, magnify, pose,
fake, compel, misrepresent,
cue, competent, deceive,
likewise, tendency,
undermine, option, offend,
craft, convey, oppose
Expressions and sentences
for talking about cultural
differences
( See Communicative Tasks)
The same as the above.
Making comments on the life
of Shakespeare based on the
pictures given after the
passage.
Role-playing the dialogue
samples.
Doing the communicative
tasks according to the
situation provided.
2. Read and explore
Passage A
Why Digital Culture is
Good for You
Lexical preparation Key words and expressions
await, inherently, inflict,
alter, corrupt, exception,
magnify, pose, fake, compel,
cue, competent, deceive,
likewise, tendency, option,
offend, craft, convey, oppose
along with, be capable of,
take in, blow out, bring out
open up, thanks to
Picking out sentences from
Passage A containing the key
words and expressions in the
left column and making up
new sentences with them.
Session 2
(90-100
minutes)
2. Read and explore
Passage A
Why Digital Culture is
Good for You
Lexical preparation
Reading
Passage understanding on the
basis of the analysis of the
passage structure
1.Analyzing the passage
structure
2. Picking out the words
used for arguing on the 2 / 12
Speaking
Making comments
Writing
Illustrations of importance advantages of digital culture.
3. Finding out the major
arguments of the author in
the passage.
Talking about something
(eg., old buildings) that
reflects traditional culture.
Writing a Short Passage:
Illustrating the importance of
culture in business.
Session 3
(90-100
minutes)
2. Read and Explore
Passage B
Cultural Differences
3. Write and Produce
General Writing
Practical Writing
Reading
Passage understanding
Reading Skills
Distinguishing Fact from
Opinion
Word consolidation
tutor, interpreter, courtesy,
disabuse, embarrass,
potential, distort, accompany,
recommendation, affection,
tolerance, yield, hence
participate in, get down to,
base …on, act on
Description of Functions
and uses
Program for Performance.
Doing fast reading of
Passage B and discussing the
questions in Ex. 12 & 13 in
groups.
Discussing the pictures in
groups.
Making up sentences with
the words on the left column
with the help of the related
sentences in the passage.
Completing the description
by translating the parts given
in Chinese
Write a program for a
performance according to the
Chinese version.
Unit Group project:
Discussing in groups on the findings of cultural differences between Chinese and
American, and reporting the findings of the group members to the class by using PPT
III. Suggested teaching procedures and class activities
Session 1 (90-100 min) 3 / 12
Listen and Talk
1. Lead in
Task1 Listen to the following passage and try to fill the missing words in the blanks.
Step 1 Lead-in questions
1. What do you know about William Shakespeare?
(Born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England as one of the greatest playwright in British history)
2. What do you know about the plays of Shakespeare?
(Tragedies as Romeo and Juliet and comedies as Taming of the Shrewd )
Step2 Background study
The students correct the errors in the short paragraph according to the background knowledge the teachers introduced.
Step 3 Listening practice
The students listen to the passage for three times and fill in the missing words in the blanks.
Teacher: Listen to the passage for three times and fill in the missing words in the blanks.
Step 4 Word study
The teacher lays emphasis on the following words and expressions related to the topic:
Tragedies; typewriter; tape-recorder; television; grandson; ashtray; souvenir
Teacher: Can you pick up the words and expressions related to the topic? What are they?
Task 2 Picture description
The students talk about the pictures provided in the textbook with the words and expressions they have learned from the
listening passage in groups.
Teacher: Work in groups to talk about the pictures with the help of the words and expressions you’ve learned from the
listening passage. Five minutes later you will be expected to do class presentation.
2. Dialogue Samples
Dialogue 1: Inviting a friend to celebrate the dragon boat festival.
Step 1 Lead in questions
1. How can you introduce a Chinese festival to foreigners?
( We celebrate dragon boat festival to remember a famous poet, Qu Yuan on May 5th of Chinese lunar calendar.
Zongzi is the traditional dessert of dragon boat festival)
What other traditional Chinese celebrations can you explain in English?
（Traditional Chinese weddings with kowtows and red gowns）
Step 2 Dialogue Samples study
The students read the first dialogue in pairs and speak out the following sentences for talking about dragon boat festival.
Teacher: Please read the first dialogue in pairs and speak out the sentences for talking about dragon boat festival.
Several minutes later.
Teacher: Can you speak out the sentences you’ve summarized?
Would you like to come to our celebration tomorrow?
It‟s the dragon boat festival, also called „Duanyang‟ or „Duanwu‟ festival.
It‟s to remember the famous poet, Quyuan, an ancient Chinese patriot who lived in the Warring States period.
On hearing the story of Qu Yuan‟s death, his townspeople took to their boats and raced to rescue, but in vain
And then the teacher asks the students to give more examples.
Teacher: Can you give us some more examples?
What‟s the significance behind the festival?
