College English Book 1 Unit 8

Unit8YouGoYourWay,I’llGoMineContentsBackgroundInformationPre-readingActivitiesOrganizationoftheTextLanguagePointsPost-readingActivitiesUnit8YouGoYourWay,I’llGoMineBackgroundInformation1.WilliamSaroyan(1908-1981)isoneofthemostcolorfulcontemporaryAmericanwriters.Hisworksincludeshortstories,novels,andplays.wasborninFresno,Calif.,thesonofArmenianimmigrants.Asayoungman,hereceivedlittleformaleducationbuthedecidedtomakehimselfawriter.HeusedhisArmenianbackgroundinmanyofhisstoriesabouthisfamilyandneighbors.ThenovelTheHumanComedy,fromwhichourtextistaken,waspublishedin1943.ItisaboutordinarypeopleinasmallCaliforniatowntryingtounderstandandmanage,asfearanddeathtouchtheirlives.2.Mexican-AmericansMexican-AmericansrefereithertonativebornMexicanswhohaveimmigratedtoAmericaandbecomecitizensoftheUnitedStatesortonativebornAmericanswhoseancestorsemigratedfromMexico.ManyMexican-AmericansliveintheSouthwesternStates,theregionwhereourstorytakesplace.UnlikeimmigrantstotheUSfromEuropeancountries,Mexican-Americanshavebeensomewhatslowtobecome“Americanized”asaresultofbeingshutoutsociallyandeconomically.MostMexicansareRomanCatholicsandtheMexicanfamilyisnotedforitsclosenessandemphasisonstrongtiesorbondsamongitsmembers.3.WesternUnionWesternUnion(WesternUnionTelegraphCompany)istheprincipaltelegraphcompanyintheUnitedStates.Atthepresenttime,ontopofdeliverythroughthepostoffice,WesternUnionisintroducingafastservicebytelephoningyouandreadingyouyourtelegrammessage.Ifyouwishtohaveacopyofthetelegram,thelocalWesternUnionofficewillmailittoyou.Forout-goingtelegramsasimilarservicehasbeenintroduced.WhenapersoninmilitaryservicewaskilledduringWorldWarII,theWarDepartment(nowtheDepartmentofDefense)sentatelegramtothemostimmediatefamilymembersnotifyingthemofthedeath.Citizenswithrelativesservinginthearmedforceshopedtheywouldneverhavetoanswertheirdoorbelltofindauniformedtelegrammessenger.Thearrivalofamessengerwouldsurelymeanthelossofapersonnearanddear.Pre-readingIntroductoryRemarksThestoryisoriginallypartofanovel,whichistoacertainextentautobiographical.Theauthor,WilliamSaroyan,workedinaSanFranciscotelegraphofficeatonepointinhislife.Itisnotsurprisingthenthattheeventsdescribedaresorealistic.Thepresentselectiondescribesinallvividnessayoungmanwhosuddenlyfindshimselfinasituationheisnotpreparedtocopewithandawomanwhogivesatthesadnewsofherson’sdeath.Warm-upActivityActoutthestoryinthetextbookaccordingthefollowingscript:(Knockatthedoor.)H:Isthereanybodyinthehouse?(Thedoorisopened.)S:Oh!(studyingHomer’seyes)Youhaveatelegram?Whoisitfor?H:Mrs.RosaSandoval,1129GStreet.AreyouMrs.Sandoval?(Deliveringthetelegram.)S:Please,pleasecomein.IcannotreadEnglish.IamMexican.Ireadonly“LaPrensa’whichcomesfromMexicoCity.(ShepausesamomentbutcontinuesbeforeHomercanspeak.)Youmustopenthetelegramandreadittome.H:Yes,ma’am.(Openingthetelegramwithnervousfingers.)S:Whosentthetelegram–mysonJuanDomingo?H:No,ma’am,thetelegramisfromtheWarDepartment.S:WarDepartment?H:(Mumblingswiftly)Yoursonisdead.Maybeit’samistake.Everybodymakesamistake,Mrs.Sandoval.Maybeitwasn’tyourson.Maybeitwassomebodyelse.ThetelegramsaysitwasJuanDomingo.Butmaybethetelegramiswrong.S:(Pretendingnottohear)Oh,don’tbeafraid.Comeinside,comeinside.Iwillbringyoucandy.(Mrs.Sandovaltakestheboy’sarm,bringshimtothetable,andmakeshimsitdown.)S:Allboyslikecandy.Iwillbringyoucandy.(Homertakesapieceofcandy,putsitintohismouth,andtriestochew.)S:Youwouldnotbringmeabadtelegram.Youareagoodboy–likemylittleJuanitowhenhewasalittleboy.Eatanotherpiece.(Shemakestheboytakeanotherpieceofcandy.)Itisourowncandy,madefromcactus.ImadeitformyJuanitowhenhecamehome,butyoueatit.Youaremyboy,too.(Suddenlyshebeginstosob,holdingherselfinasifweepingwereadisgrace.)H:(Feelingawkward,frustratedandembarrassed,murmuringtohimself)WhatcanIdo?WhatcanIdo?I’monlythemessenger.OrganizationoftheTextLineA:Themessenger(Homer)–deliveredatelegramtoMr.RosaSandoval–feltalittleawkwardwhenseeingtheoldlady–readthetelegramfortheoldlady–feltgreatlysorryforthebadnewsthathebroughtthathersonhasbeendeadinthewar–wantedtocomforttheladybutfeltoutofhisabilityLineB:TheMexicanwoman(Mrs.RosaSandoval)–shockedtoseethemessenger–askedtheyoungmantoreadthetelegramforherbecauseshecouldn'treadEnglish–pretendednottohearwhenthemessengerreadthebadnewsforher–offeredtheyoungmanthecandyandtalkedtohimasifnothinghappened–madethemessengerintheembarrassmentLanguagePointsPara.11.Heknewalmostimmediatelythatsomeonewasinsidethehouse.immediately:atonceE.g.–Reliefworkstartedimmediatelyaftertheearthquake.–Whereareyougoing?Themeetingwillbeginimmediately.2.…hewasmosteagertoseewhothispersonwouldbe…A.most:“Most”hereisawordindicatinganadvanceddegree,meaning“very”.Itisnotasuperlativeofcomparison.E.g.–Shewasmosthappytohelpus.–Samwillbemostdisappointedwhentheyleave.–ProfessorSmithisamostlearnedscholar,Ishouldsay.B.eager:fullofstrongwishE.g.–Soldiersareeagerforanynewsfromhome.–Mr.Youngiseagertosucceedinhisfield.3.…whowasnowtohearofmurderintheworldandtofeelitinherself…A.beto:The“be+infinitive”structureisoftenusedtoexpres