1 Unit 3 The Impact of Art I. Unit overview Text A in this unit is an expository writing introducing the three planes on which music exists. It does not necessarily mean we listen to music on one or the other mechanically, but with such division, the author hopes to provide a clearer view of the way in which we listen to music. The first plane is the sensuous plane on which we hear music without considering it in any way. On the expressive plane, the second plane, we read different meanings into various pieces of music. The last plane is the one on which we listen to “note themselves,” called the sheerly musical plane. Text B is an extract from a biographical novel about Vincent van Gogh, which offers a portrait of the artist’s struggle against critical discouragement and mental turmoil, allowing us catching a glimpse of his world. The author, Irving Stone, uses his pen as a brush to take down the great artist’s world and help us to better understand the man behind his paintings. Be it an expository essay or an extract from a novel, both texts bring us to a world of arts. II. Teaching plan 按照《指南》规定,综合英语总学时是64课时,每周4课时,每单元上8课时。有的学校每周6课时,每单元12课时。下表按8课时安排,12课时就按比例调整。 Section Input/Exercises Suggested Teaching time Exploring the Topic Ask Ss to answer the two questions in the textbook (In class) 0.5TH Text A Words and Expressions (Pre-class preview) -- Detailed Study of the Text (In class) 2TH Language Focus (In class) 1TH Grammar and Discourse (In class) 1TH Critical Thinking Intellectual Humility (In class) 1TH Text B Words and Expressions (Pre-class preview) -- Independent Learning (Pre-class preview) -- Analytical Reading (In class) 1TH 2 Global Analysis of the Text (In class) 1TH Additional Language Work (After class) -- Guided Writing Prepare and Write the Essay (Pre-class preview) -- Comment on the Essay Task (In class) 0.5TH III. Exploring the topic Teaching Tips 1. The exercises are designed to help the students get ready for the study of the text by familiarizing them with the topic of this unit. Exercise 1 gives four quotes about art, in the hope of giving students some inspiration on the topic of this unit. Exercise 2 encourages the students to share their favorite artwork and exchange their opinions on its impact on their lives. 2. For Exercise 2, please divide the students in groups of 4 or 5 to discuss on the questions. The teacher randomly invites representatives to report to the whole class, and comments on the answers. Key to Exercises 1 Frank Lloyd Wright restates a classical concept of “art as imitation of nature.” It focuses on the fact that art is an aesthetic representation of a form of nature through artistic techniques. Leo Tolstoy tells us that art is much more than a piece of tangible work, but an expression of one’s emotions, also evoking feelings from others. Oscar Wilde proposes that individualism offers the most fertile ground for the creation of art and cultivates the highest potential. According to Zhang Zao, in the pursuit of artistic creation, one needs to draw inspiration from all things in nature and his innermost thoughts. “Inspiration from within” and “inspiration from without” are complementary to each other, having a relationship of unity rather than opposition. 2 Open-ended. Optional Activities: Pair Discussion 1. Have you ever visited an art museum? What art form do you like best, and why? 2. What famous artists do you know? What are they famous for? 3. A life without music would be boring and dull. Why do most of us find music indispensably important in our lives? IV. Text A 3 Background Information Aaron Copland (1900—1990), American composer who achieved a distinctive musical characterization of American themes in an expressive modern style. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as “the Dean of American Composers.” The open, slowly changing harmonies in much of his music are typical of what many people consider to be the sound of American music, evoking the vast American landscape and pioneer spirit. He is best known for the works he wrote in the 1930s and 1940s in a deliberately accessible style often referred to as “populist” and which the composer labeled his “vernacular” style. Works in this vein include the ballets Appalachian Spring, Billy the Kid, and Rodeo, his Fanfare for the Common Man and Third Symphony. In addition to his ballets and orchestral works, he produced music in many other genres, including chamber music, vocal works, opera and film scores. Teaching Tips As to the structure of Text A, the teacher may ask the students to find out its expository structure, with the introduction, body part and conclusion and refer to Exercise 1 in “Analytical Reading” to help them find the theme of the whole text and the sub-topics of each body part. In order to help the students to understand some important details in the text, the teacher may ask the students to do the True or False questions in Exercise 2 and to paraphrase the sentences in Exercise 3 in “Analytical Reading.” The two translation exercises can provide the students an opportunity to summarize and to extend the main idea of Text A, with the theme expressions used. The teacher has two focuses for the exercises: theme expressions and sentence structures. The students are required to use the words, expressions and sentence structures correctly and properly in the context. As for “Critical Thinking,” the teacher should help the students to really understand what “intellectual humility” is and find more examples to illustrate it. When it comes to exercises in “Language Focus,” the students are required to do them independently before class with reference to dictionaries, corpus and other online resources. Then they can share and discuss their answers with their group members or partners in class, asking the teacher for help whenever they can’t solve their disagreement. The teacher will emphasize the common difficulties and solutions at the end of the exercise session. Structure I. We listen to music on three separate planes. (Para. 1) II. The sensuous plane is the plane on which we hear music without considering it in any way. (Paras. 2-5)