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New Horizon College English Book 陈超Unit 4 Section A Five Famous Symbols of American CulturePart One: Objectives 1. To learn and talk about five symbols of the United States; 2. To develop a story by time sequence; 3. To hold a press conference on the Statue of liberty; 4. To explore the famous symbols in Chinese culturePart Two: Warming up1. These symbols stand for The Eiffel Towel FranceThe Pyramids EgyptThe Opera House Australia Pantheon GreeceBig Ben EnglandRed Square Russia The Leaning Tower Italy Beijing Opera China2. Other American SymbolsThe White HouseHollywood MovieThe statue of LibertyMcDonalds, KFCBarbieCountry MusicUncle SamCoca-colaNBA3. Chinese SymbolsChinese Musical InstrumentsKongfuConfuciusDragonPotteryQi-paoChinese SilkChinese MedicineThe Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑)CalligraphyThe Imperial Palace4. Which can be a tribute to an event of historical significance? 1)The Statue of Liberty was designed to celebrate US victory in the war of independence, as a tribute to the desire of US people for liberty and freedom. 2) The Monument of the Peoples Heroes was dedicated to the lives given for the founding of New China, as a token of the Chinese peoples resolve to abolish the exploiting system. 3) Peking Opera, though characteristic of Chinese peoples quest for excellence in music and art, it does not meet our given criterion for cultural symbols. 4) NBA (short for the National Basketball Association) is not in line with our criterion here despite the fact that it has already been descriptive of the American culture and popular all over the world.5. Which can be descriptive of peoples inspiration? American Gothic, Compass, and Barbie Doll all shine with peoples inspiration. American Gothic is a painting of inspiration from the Gothic window of an old farmhouse, but the faces in it make it peculiar to American spirits. The compass is an instrument of inspiration from earth induction, which in turn glows with the Chinese wisdom. And Barbie Doll is the outcome of inspiration from a German doll, but now the refashioned doll has become the queen of all dolls.The White House and the Imperial Palace in Beijing may be descriptive of architectural styles peculiar to American and Chinese cultures respectively, but it is their special residents that make them typical of both cultures. The White House is a building where every American president in office lives, naturally it stands for the American government, similarly The Forbidden City was once a place where every emperor of Qing Dynasty lived.6. What can serve as a typical witness to tragedies in history of one culture? Some cultural symbols serve to remind a nation of her tragedies in history. When it comes to Yuanming Yuan, for instance, we tend to think of Eight-Power Allied Forces and the scars they made on China. Buffalo Nickel bears witness to two tragedies in US historythe destruction of the buffalo herds and the destruction of the American Indians. As for the Great Wall, most of us believe it reflects the inspiration and industriousness of our ancestors, but in view of its purpose, some also regard it as a witness to our nations self-seclusion and vulnerability. 7. Which of the following can be seen as a product of times? It is said that times produce their heroes. If so, the greatness of Abraham Lincoln lies in his epoch that gave full play to his talents in abolishing slavery and bringing states into a unity, which in turn proved him to be a symbol of justice and democracy. Uncle Sam was born into the era of American Revolution to liberate America from Britain, thus turning him into a figure of trust, strength, and patriotism. Lei Feng is a hero of times in our culture. In effect, Lei Feng was a mirror of the age when the Chinese people were full of enthusiasm for socialist construction as well as gratitude for their liberty. But the concept of times and heroes has no bearing on the birth of Confucius. Instead, he was such a great philosopher that his school of thought has had great effect on our pattern of seeing things. 8. Why does the guide in the video see the Statue of Liberty as the most enduring symbol of the American culture? “Its as American as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie” is commonly used to express that something owes its invention to the United States. But, while very few would dispute baseballs origin, the claim to hot dogs and apple pie can be argued at length. Here are five more inventions and symbols that are definitely American: the Statue of Liberty, which, though given as a gift from the French, has always symbolized the concept of freedom; the Barbie doll, which has become the queen of all toys; American Gothic, a portrait showing a farmer and his wife; the Buffalo nickel, a tribute to the buffalo and the Native American people who were killed and displaced to make room for European expansion; and finally, the image of Uncle Sam, which represents American resolve, strength, and patriotism. The Statue of Liberty stands not only for the most important event in the US history, the War of Independence, but also for the nations quest for the spirit of liberty, as the Declaration of Independence goes, “ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. That is why the statue is ranked as the first symbol of the American culture. 9.Is it necessary to conduct the patriotic education among the youth of today? Much to our distress, these years have seen a gross neglect of patriotic education in our society, as a result of more and more weight being attached to the economic effects or the material gains. According to some official reports, many of the national heroes in the Chinese history have given way to pop stars in young peoples minds. In view of the above, there is a great need to inculcate patriotism in the youth of today. Through patriotic education, young people will know more about the glorious history of our nation, thus building up their sense of pride as Chinese. Moreover, young people will cherish todays hard-earned life and draw on more of their potentials to make tomorrows life better for the sake of our nation. Part Three: Related Information1. The Statue of Liberty:The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, unveiled on 28 October 1886 at Liberty Island in New York Harbor as a welcome to all visitors, immigrants, and returning Americans. 2. Uncle Sam: Historians arent completely certain how the character “Uncle Sam” was created, or who he was named after. The prevailing theory is that Uncle Sam was named after Samuel Wilson. Wilson was born in Arlington, Mass., on September 13, 1766. His childhood home was in Mason, New Hampshire. In 1789, he and his brother Ebenezer walked to Troy, New York. During the War of 1812, Wilson was in the business of slaughtering and packing meat. He provided large shipments of meat to the U.S. Army, in barrels that were stamped with the initials “US”. Supposedly, someone who saw the “US” stamp suggestedperhaps as a jokethat the initials stood for “Uncle Sam” Wilson. The suggestion that the meat shipments came from “Uncle Sam” led to the idea that Uncle Sam symbolized the federal government. Samuel Wilson died in 1854. His grave is in theOakwood Cemetery in Troy.3. American Gothic: American Gothic depicts a farmer and his spinster daughter posing before their house, whose gabled window and tracery, in the American Gothic style, inspired the paintings title. In fact, the models were the painters sister and their dentist. Wood was accused of creating in this work a satire on the intolerance and rigidity that the insular nature of rural life can produce; he denied the accusation. American Gothic is an image that epitomizes the Puritan ethic and virtues that he believed dignified the Midwestern character.4. Political cartoons: Virtually every newspaper in the US, and many other countries, publishes at least one political cartoon on its editorial page. These cartoons satirize events reported in the newspaper. Often, they include caricatures, or funny drawings, of politicians, such as the president. For example, Uncle Sam, the representation of the United States, appears frequently in political cartoons.5. Country Music: Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. It has roots in traditional folk music, Celtic music, blues, gospel music, hokum, and old-time music and evolved rapidly in the 1920s. The term country music began to be used in the 1940s when the earlier term hillbilly music was deemed to be degrading, and the term was widely embraced in the 1970s, while country and western has declined in use since that time, except in the United Kingdom, where it is still commonly used.6. White House: The White House is the official home and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Built between 1792 and 1800 of white- painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style, it has been the executive residence of every U.S. President since John Adams. When Thomas Jefferson moved into the home in 1801, he, with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe expanded the building outward, creating two colonnades which were meant to conceal stables and storage.7. McDonalds: McDonalds is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. McDonalds primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes and desserts. More recently, it also began to offer salads, wraps and fruit. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort and the absence of hard plastic chairs and tables.8. The Buffalo Nickel: The Buffalo nickel is a five-cent coin in the US that bears “truly American” symbols on it, i.e. buffalo and native Indians. It was designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser and its first production began in 1913. 9. The Central Park Zoo: The Central Park Zoo, located in New York Citys Central Park at 64th Street and Fifth Avenue, features two separate areas: the wildlife center and the petting zoo. One of the most visited events at the zoo is sea lion feedings which take place in the Central Park several times per day. Part Four: Text UnderstandingI. Idea CatchingThe Birth of the TextCriterion I: A tribute to something significant in history, like the Statue of Liberty.Criterion II: Descriptive of Americans inspiration, like the Barbie Doll and American Gothic.Criterion III: A witness to tragedies in the American history, like the Buffalo Nickel.Criterion IV: A special product of times in history, like Uncle Sam.II. Structure Analysis1. What is the text mainly about? The text is about five famous symbols of American culture, telling readers these information: who, in what time, designed these symbols, what made them come up with such idea. The passage is about five famous symbols of American culture, telling readers their historical backgrounds, origins and relevant stories. 2. How is the text organized? The writer organized the overall structure of the passage by listing, which means that the text falls into five parts. For each part, the writer centers on one specific symbol, dealing with it from different aspects such as who created it, how he created it, when, and how the symbol was accepted, etc. Now lets see the block diagram below: Part I Main idea: To celebrate US independence and the France-America alliance, a French artist created the Statue of Liberty, with his wifes arm and his mothers face as models for his creation. Devices for developing it: Time SequenceTime markers: In the mid-1870s, At the same time, in 1876, That same year, In 1886. Characteristics: the description of an event resulting from the combination of two events occurring at the same time. (Refer to Para. 1) Part II Main idea: Barbie originated from a German doll and an American girl, Barbara, whose parents made Barbie popular. Barbara and her brother Ken, the human models of Barbie and her boyfriend, had different opinions on the doll. Devices for developing it: Time Sequence: (Refer to Para. 5) Characteristics: the description of a result from two events occurring at different space. Part III Main idea: Inspired by the Gothic window of an old farmhouse, Grant Wood produced American Gothic. It was the faces of his dentist and sister in the painting that captured the worlds attention. Devices for developing it: Time Sequence: (Refer to Para. 9) Characteristics: the description of a result from observing a static object. Part IV Main idea: Contrary to the tradition, the image of a buffalo and three actual American Indians were used on two sides of the coin, the Buffalo Nickel, by a famed artist James Earle Fraser. Devices for developing it: Time Sequence and Contrast : The device “contrast” is used in this part to show the significance (refer to Para. 12) and the uniqueness (refer to Para. 13) of the coin. Part V Main idea: When Sam Wilson was providing meat to the army in a war, some explained the initial letters “US” as Uncle Sam. It became popular later because of a character in political cartoons. An artist created its portrait in army recruiting posters. Devices for developing it: Time Sequence: (Refer to Para. 15-17)Time markers: during the American Revolution (1775-1783), when Sam Wilson was 23 years old, during a later war in 1812, after the war, during World Wars I and II 1. The Statue of Liberty Time: Mid-1870sDesigner: French artist Frederic Auguste BartholdiModel: His wifes arm and his mothers face History: Celebrating US independence and the France-America alliance2. BarbieTime: 1959Designer: Elliot and Ruth HandlerModel: Daughter Barbara History: After watching her daughter play with paper dolls, Ruth had the idea.3. American GothicTime: August of 1930Designer: Grant WoodModels: His sister and his dentistHistory: Grant Wood was visiting the town of Eldon in the southern part of Iowa when he came upon the farmhouse.What did the serious-looking face and a pitchfork imply? (a pitchfork) Serious-looking face: the solemn pride of American farmers; hardworking and diligent.The pitchfork: haying in the 19th century; masculinity（男子气概）; the devil and farming; to echo the repeated lines of the Gothic Window. 4. Buffalo NickelTime: From 1913 to 1938 Designer: FraserModel: An aging buffalo from Now York Citys Central Park ZooHistory: It honored a pair of connected tragedies from the settlement of the American frontier the destruction of the buffalo herds and the American Indians .5. Uncle SamTime: After 1913 to 1938 Model: Sam WilsonDesigner: James Montgomery FlaggHistory: Happening to get the name “Uncle Sam”, Uncle Sam soon replaced Brother Jonathan as Americans most popular symbol.Part Five: Notes To The Text New words and expressions1. to work on an enormous project 设计一个大项目 全世界的科学家正在致力于揭开SARS之谜。 Scientists around the world are working hard on the mystery of SARS. 2. to be in love with sb. 爱上某人（强调状态） 那些热爱生活的人都乐于去爱人或者被人爱。 Those in love with life are ready to give or receive love. * 一见钟情（强调动作） fall in love at first sight3. to approve of 赞成 如果我的计划得不到委员会的批准，我的功夫就都白费了。 If my plan isnt approved of by the Committee, all my work will come to nothing. 4. (the Statue of Liberty) to be dedicated on an island in Upper New York Bay (自由女神像)在纽约湾北部落成 那些为国家和人民献身的人将永远活在我们心中。 Those who have dedicated their lives to their country and people will live in our memory for ever. 5. to come up with an idea 想到一个主意 幸福是什么？对这个问题人们有各种各样的答案。 What is happiness? People have come up with various answers to this question.6. to refashion the doll into 把这个娃娃改造成 这条河流荒芜的两岸已经被改造成一个当地居民休闲娱乐的场所。 The deserted banks of the river have been refashioned into a place for the local residents to take rest and leisure.7. the most famousfigure on the planet 世界上最著名的人物 世界上最高的山峰珠穆朗玛峰已经被人类多次登顶。 The Everest, the highest mountain on the planet, has been topped by human beings for many times. 8. to rise to fame 成名 面对困难不能打退堂鼓，而要接受挑战。 Faced with any difficulty, one should never choose to beat a retreat (撤退, 放弃), but rise to the challenge.9. to capture the worlds attention 令世界瞩目 哈里波特的故事一进入中国就引起了孩子们极大的兴趣。 When introduced into China, the story of Harry Potter immediately captured childrens interest. 10. to stand alongside （站）在旁边 我非常喜欢这个女孩，以至于只要和她站在一起我就感到紧张。 So strong was my love for the girl that whenever I stood alongside her I felt nervous. 11. there was no doubt (that) 毫无疑问 毫无疑问，计算机科学正在全方位改变我们的生活。 There is no doubt that computer science is changing our life in all dimensions. 12. to pose for the portrait 摆好姿势 这位影星人气极旺，经常很合作地摆姿势和影迷合影。 The film star is very popular and she often cooperatively poses for a photograph with her fans. 13. the fame she gained from 带给她名誉 在过去20年中，中国积极参与各种国际事务，赢得了尊重，结交了朋友。 From its active involvement in various international affairs, China has gained much respect and many friends in the past 20 years. 14. to save her from a very boring life 使她摆脱了一种乏味的生活 这起事件进一步证实，诚实不仅让他保住了饭碗，还得到了晋升。 This incident confirmed that his honesty not only saved him from being dismissed, but got him a promotion as well. 15. to go against tradition 反传统而行 任何有悖自然规律的事情都会遭到大自然的严厉惩罚。 Anything that goes against the law of nature will receive severe punishment from it. 16. to liberatefrom 把 从 中解放出来 二十世纪六、七十年代的女权运动在一定程度上把妇女从家庭中解放了出来。 The Womens Movement in 1960s and 70s has liberated them from kitchen and housework to a certain degree. 17. to earn a reputation for being honest and hard working 因为人诚实、工作勤奋而赢得声誉 吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。 He who has endured the hardest lot(n.份额;命运) can earn himself the best chance to rise above all others. 18. to sign a contract with sb. 与某人签订一份合同 婚姻是男女之间签订的一份合约，双方都必须忠实地履行它。 Marriage is a contract signed between a man and a woman, which must be faithfully fulfilled. 19. to be short for 是的缩写 SARS是“重症急性呼吸道综合症”的缩写，但是乐观者把它解释成“微笑，并保持微笑”。 SARS is short for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, but optimists interpret it as Smile And Remain Smile.20. to evolve from 从 进化而来 2008年奥运会会徽中的人型来自于汉字“京”，指“北京”。 The human figure in the Emblem of 2008 Olympic Games evolved from the Chinese character “Jing”(京), referring to Beijing.21. It is said/reported 据说/据报道 据说，埃及的金字塔是外星人建造的。 It is said that the pyramids in Egypt were constructed by ET.22. there was no/some doubt , 毫无疑问/不确定，有疑问 她是否适合该工作有些疑问。 Theres some doubt about her suitability for the job.23. According to one story/legend/survey 传说 / 据调查 他是那种按照自己的原则行事的人。 He is the one who acts according to his principles.24. co-founder n. (L19) someone who works with you as a beginnerco-author 合著者co-pilot 合作驾驶者co-ordinate 使协调 co-exist 共存co-habitation 共同居住co-operate 合作25. inspire v. (L39) give sb. a feeling of wanting and being able to do sth. good这部书的灵感源于一个真实的人。The book was inspired by a real person.inspire = in (向内) + spire (呼气) 激励，赋予灵感perspire = per(每一处) + spire 流汗conspire合谋 = con (一起) + spire 合谋r
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