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Lesson5TheSecretLifeofWalterMittyJamesThurberI.Pre-readingTasks1.1Lead-inQuestions:1).Doyouhaveanysecretsthatcansharewithus?2).Howmanypeoplespentsometimedaydreaminginthepast2days?Howmanydaydreamedaboutarelationship?Howmanydaydreamedaboutsomekindofcompetition?Howmanydaydreamedthattheywerethestarofsomething?WalterMitty,是美国作家JamesThurber在短篇小说TheSecretLifeofWalterMitty中所创造的一个人物。这位主角是个典型的凡夫俗子，可是有一点与众不同，那就是他随时随地可以脱离现实、沈浸于英雄式的幻想中。它指的就是那些整天幻想的人。这篇小说刊出后引起很大的反响。心理医生甚至以WalterMitty's来称呼这种英雄式的幻想症。这个角色可以视为西洋版的阿Q。Thurber的另一篇短篇小说TheCatbirdSeat也成了英文辞汇，代表“极有利的位置”，如公司总裁的宝座就是众人称羡的catbirdseat。《梦里乾坤》(台)PosterappreciationJamesThurber(1894-1961)USnovelist,humorist,cartoonist;Heisnotedforhiswhimsicalwritings,cartoons.Hisconcise,wittyprosespannedabreadthofgenres,includingautobiography,fiction,children'sfantasy,andmoderncommentary,andtwoofhisshortstories,TheCatbirdSeatandTheSecretLifeofWalterMittyareamongthebest-knownclassicsofAmericanliterature.JamesThurberMainWorksIsSexNecessary?TheOwlintheAtticandOtherPerplexitiesTheSealintheBedroomandOtherPredicaments,1932MyLifeandHardTimesTheMiddle-AgedManontheFlyingTrapeze,1935LetYourMindAlone!andOtherMoreOrLessInspirationalPieces,1937TheUnicornintheGardenII.While-readingTasks•2.1Phrases•CoalstoNewcastle,bringMitfordandmeuphereforatertiary.（关公门前耍大刀，在你面前献丑了。）•Theattendantvaultedintothecar,backeditupwithinsolentskill.(以手撑物跃过……)•I’llhavemyrightarminsling;theywon’tgrinatmethen.(悬吊起来；嘲笑)•Hehadgotthemwoundaroundtheaxles.(缠绕到……周围)•Theyslippedawhitegownonhim;…(迅速把……穿在某人身上)•jammedonthebrakes.(猛踩刹车)•…“ThecannonadinghasgotthewindupinyoungRaleigh,sir,”(使某人紧张)•Therewasarendingofwoodandsplintersflewthroughtheroom.(撕裂的碎片)•Hepouredanotherbrandyandtosseditoff.(把……一饮而尽)•We’rehavingthedevil’sowntimewithMcMillan,…(关于…棘手的问题)2.2LongandDifficultSentences•1、WalterMittydroveontowardWaterburyinsilence,theroaringoftheSN202throughtheworststormintwentyyearsofNavyflyingfadingintheremote,intimateairwaysofhismind.•2、Then,withthatfaint,fleetingsmileplayingabouthislips,hefacedthefiringsquad;erectandmotionless,proudanddisdainful,theUndefeated,inscrutabletothelast.•WalterMitty一言不发，静静地驾车驶向Waterbury，SN202引擎在这场海军飞机飞行史上20年以来最猛烈的风暴中咆哮着，咆哮声在他的脑海中渐渐淡去……•伴随着香烟带给他的片刻飘忽和晕眩，他觉得自己仿佛面临着枪决。他嘴唇上闪过一丝微笑，笔直地一动不动地站着，带着自豪与不屑的神情，不可战胜的WalterMitty直到最后还是那么神秘莫测。III.Post-readingQuestions1.Dividethestoryandgivethemainideaofeachstory.Notewhattriggersadaydreaminthestoryandwhatendsit.2.Whyisthisarticlenamed“secretlife”?3.Inthefirstpart,whydidMittytakeofftheglove?Andhowdoesthishelptocharacterization?4.Whatisthefunctionof“pocketa-pocketa”?5.Whatarethethemesandmoralsofthepassage?Answer1:FiveStoriesThefirstisasapilotofaU.S.Navyflyingboatinastorm,thenheisamagnificentsurgeonperformingaone-of-a-kindsurgery,thenasacoolassassintestifyinginacourtroom,andthenasaRoyalAirForce(RAF)pilotvolunteeringforadaring,secretsuicidemissiontobombanammunitiondump.Asthestoryends,Mittyimagineshimselffacingafiringsquad,inscrutabletothelast.StructureoftheTextPartOneNavyhydroplaneP42.para1-P43.Para1PartTwosurgeryP43.Para2-P45.Para2PartThreeCourtroomSceneP45.Para3-P46.Para1PartFourAirForcePilotP46.Para2-P47.Para2PartFiveFiringSquadThelastPara.TriggersLINKS空白表含答案表Answer3:CharactersMrs.Mitty:Walter'sdominatingwife.Shenagshimtobuygaloshes,toputonhisgloves,andtodrivemoreslowly.WhensheasksWalterwhyhedidnotputonhisovershoesbeforeleavingthestore,herespondswithirritation:Iwasthinking,...doesiteveroccurtoyouthatIamsometimesthinking?ButwhileMrs.Mittymayappearoverlycontrollingandcondescending,Walterisincompetentandrefusestoshoulderadultresponsibility.Mrs.MittyisWalter'slinktoreality;shepreventsaccidentsandhelpsWalteravoidlosinghisgraspofeverydaylife.CharactersWalterMitty:ahenpeckedhusbandwithextravagantdaydreams:heimagineshimselfasaheroicpilotinwartime,aworld-famoussurgeon,andasoldierwhocanfaceafiringsquadwithoutfear.Answer5:ThemesSuccessandFailureThestorydepictsamanwhoseextremelymundanelifeisconstantlyinterruptedbythecharacter'sescapistfantasies.WhereasthefantasyMittyisnotscaredofanything,therealoneprotestsfeebly,ifatall,atdemandsthathebehavecautiously.Similarly,theadmirationbestowedonMittyinthefantasiescontrastswithmuchlesspleasantinteractionswithrealpeople.Facingthefiringsquadwithcourageandindifferenceisawinofsorts--quietcompetenceandcourageasimaginedbyMittyasmoreimportantthanwinning.Answer6:ThenameWalterMittyandthederivativewordMittyesquehaveenteredtheEnglishlanguage,denotinganineffectualpersonwhospendsmoretimeinheroicdaydreamsthanpayingattentiontotherealworld.3.2TrueorFalse1)Mittywasancommanderofafly.2)Mittydidthedreamsallbecauseofhiswife.3)WalterMittysaid‘Puppybiscuit’tohimselfonthewayhewenttoanA.&P..4)CaptainMittyhasbeenkilledbythefiringsquadinMitty’sdream.3.3Translation•1、Thecrew,bendingtotheirvarioustasksinthehuge,hurtlingeight-engineNavyhydroplane,lookedateachotherandgrinned.•机组人员相视而笑，仍旧在这架巨大的高速飞行着的8引擎海军水上飞机上继续埋头干着各自的活。•2、Withoutrisingfromhischair,letthemanhaveitonthepointofthechin.•Mitty都没有从椅子上站起来，就给了他下巴一拳。IV.ReadingforPleasureJamesThurberFamousQuotationsAllmenshouldstrivetolearnbeforetheyd