Unit Seven Animal World
Ⅰ. Teaching Aims
1. Language Learning: to have a good command of pronunciation and
practical use of new words and phrases.
2. Ability training: to master the writing and translation skill— stages in the argument and ellipsis & supplement.
3. Morality development: to make the students realize the rapid declines in the numbers of amphibian species and the importance of taking care of the ecosystems.
Ⅱ. Key Points
1. Explain the important new words and phrases in the text. 2. The main idea and structure of the text.
Ⅲ. Difficult Points
1. Understand the meaning of difficult sentences. 2. Enable students to master the translation skill.
Ⅳ. Teaching methods and aids
1. presentation, task-based approach, situational teaching, discussion, group study, role-play. 2. audio-visual material.
V. Teaching Procedures and time allotment
Periods 1—2: Discuss warm-up questions, go through Passage A, do comprehension exercises of the text.
Periods 3—4: Detailed study of Passage A and do language-related tasks. Periods 5—6: Finish Passage A and all exercises. Periods 7—8: Listening Comprehension
The First Two Periods
Ⅰ. Teaching Aims
1. Be acquainted with all the new words and phrases.
2. Go through the text and grasp the main idea and background information of the text.
Ⅱ. Key Points
1. All the new words and phrases (P146-147).
2. The main idea and structure of the text.
Ⅲ. Difficult Points
All the new words and phrases.
Ⅳ. Teaching methods
presentation, task-based approach, discussion, group study, role-play V. Teaching Procedures
1. Discuss some warm-up questions about the text:
1) The animal is an indispensable part of the nature. In what way should human beings treat animals? Give some suggestions.
2) Many people keep pets and treat them as family members. What animals are suitable to be kept as pets? Do you keep pets? Why or why not?
3) Do you know some animals can do great help to human being? What are they?
red-eyed tree frog : red-eyed tree frog can block infection by HIV. ) 2. Divide the students into small groups to describe the dog in the picture on page 144 using the words and phrases given below. Key words: cute, sleepy, obedient, good companion. Reference:
(Suggested answers: guide dog: a guide dog can guide the blind person;
The sleepy dog is very cute. Dog has always been the most obedient animal. If someone ask you who man’s good companion is, the answer is definitely the dog.
3. Allow students 10 minutes to go over the text and obtain a global understanding of the text. Then discuss the main idea and structure of the text.
Structure of the text:
Part One (Para.1): Scientists hope that further research on the skin of red-eyed tree frogs could produce a detergent to protect against AIDS. Part Two (Para.2-5): The problems and effects associated with How could the chemical on the skin of red-eyed frogs work to protect against HIV and AIDS?
Part Three (Para.6-8): Scientists hoped to develop a cream which would be intended to target infected cells and protect humans against AIDS. Part Four (Para.9-10): Scientists are worried about the fact that some amphibians including red-eyed tree frogs are at the risk of dying out. 4. Discussing some background information of the text. 1) AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk.
This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion,
contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.
AIDS is now a pandemic. In 2007, it was estimated that 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and that AIDS killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children. Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, retarding economic growth and destroying human capital.
Genetic research indicates that HIV originated in west-central Africa during the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified in the early 1980s.
Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries. Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS pandemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programmes in attempts to slow the spread of the virus. 2) Red-eyed tree frogs
Red-eyed tree frogs, as their name states, have bold red eyes with vertically narrowed noses, a vibrant green body with yellow and blue striped sides, and orange toes.
There is a great deal of regional variation in flank and thigh coloration. Although it has been suggested that A. callidryas’ bright colors function as aposematic or sexual signals, neither of these hypotheses have been
confirmed. Males range from 2 to 2 1/2 inches, while female range from 2 1/2 to 3 inches on average.
Young frogs are typically brown in color and turn greener as they mature, although adult frogs can change their color slightly depending on mood and environment. Red-eyed tree frogs have soft, fragile skin on their belly, and the skin on their back is thicker and rougher.
Their predators include spiders, snakes, bats, and birds. The red-eyed tree frog has three eyelids and sticky pads on its toes. Phyllomedusid tree frogs are arboreal animals, meaning they spend a majority of their life in trees, which also makes them great jumpers and gives it its nickname the “monkey frog”.
Red-eyed tree frogs are not poisonous and rely on camouflage to protect themselves. During the day, they remain motionless, cover their blue sides with their back legs, tuck their bright feet under their belly, and shut their red eyes. Thus, they appear almost completely green, and well hidden among the foliage.
Red-eyed tree frogs are carnivorous and eat crickets, moths, flies, and other insects, and have been known to eat other small frogs. For froglets, fruit flies and pinhead crickets are the meals of choice. 3) American Foundation for AIDS Research
American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) is dedicated to the support of AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment, education and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.
AmfAR’s annual Cinema Against AIDS gala has been an important and successful fund-raising event for the Foundation since 1993, generating more than $22 million for essential AIDS research. Past events have been hosted by Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, and Sir