Unit6Streets full of heroesUnit overviewUnit key featuresOrganizing suggestionsPassage 1 is an account of the 9/11 Passage1terrorist attack in New York. It is Last man down: the taken from a best-selling book by a • Passage 1 may need more time as fireman’s storysenior fireman who only just survived its style may be unfamiliar and the attack. The style is dramatic and challenging to Ss. Passage 2informal in order to catch the thoughts • Passage 2 may demand more Eleanor Roosevelt: First of those involved in the frightening background information but is Lady of the Worldevents. Passage 2 is from a magazine more straightforward.tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt, once the First Lady of the United States. (a) Predicting(b) Understanding writer’s style(c) Using quotations• Use Passage 1 for skills (a) and (b).• Use Passage 2 for skill (c).• Help Ss to relate the two different styles to their purposes: recreating dramatic events and paying tribute to someone.Use speaking activities to: • brainstorm ideas• practise descriptionReading skillsSpeaking skillsDescribing charactersWriting skills and tasks• Creating a dramatic styleAsk Ss to keep informal notes as they • Using a rhetorical question to express work through the unit, listing heroes of discontentdifferent types as they come to mind, • Having sensitivity to gender issuesnoting useful quotations on heroism, • Guided writing: Using quotationsand keeping a track of their ideas. This • Unit task: Writing a nomination for will help them as they approach the an unsung herolater more demanding tasks.• Understanding that the way we express Ask Ss to imagine the passages written or encode content affects its meaningin different styles• Comparing concepts across culturesThis is a look at how the concept of hero has changed in the West over the centuries.• Ask Ss to compare old, modern, local, literary and film / comic book heroes.• Make Ss reflect on heroism.Cognitive skillsReading across culturesHeroes in Western literature3zw6.indd 1952010.1.25 1:13:01 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroesTeaching suggestions and answer keysStarting pointTeaching tipsThe opening discussion and poem introduce the idea that heroes do not have to be exceptionally important historical figures; we are all capable of being heroes in the right circumstances. Teaching stepsTell Ss to begin their definition “A hero is someone who …” They will need to try to bridge any contradictions in their ideas on this complex topic.1 Check (¸) the statements you agree with. Heroes are people who: √ 1 show great courage when it is most needed soldiers who surprise people with their bravery√ 2 have the courage of their own opinions those who fight social ills, such as slavery√ 3 put the safety of other people before their own various types of rescuers√ 4 put the interests of their country before their own patriots / soldiers dying for their cause√ 5 are not interested in being rewarded for their actions the anonymous hero who leaves the scene after rescuing others√ 6 always do their duty people who day after day, like nurses, perform a service for others√ 7 have personal qualities which are superior to those of most people great leaders√ 8 are usually just ordinary human beings mothers, fathers, the disabled etc Now work in pairs. Check your answers and work out your own definition of hero. A hero is someone who selflessly endures hardship, in the short or long term, for a good cause.2 Work in pairs and read the poem. Who are we and they? Teaching tipsTo understand the poem Ss need to know that the poet was commissioned to write some verses to be put as public art on the exterior walls of a new hall of residence for students. A few words are placed under each window so that anyone passing the building can read the poems as they walk along. 1963zw6.indd 1962010.1.25 1:13:06 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6This particular poem is spoken by the words themselves (we mere words). As they look down on the street they see many people passing (they). Some are just walking along while others are working. They are an ordinary mix of people, some of whom are more respectable than others (saints). But the words know that all these people have the potential (possibilities) to be great. Some may be artists of different types (romantics); some may struggle to improve life through social and political means (freedom fighters) and others through their ideas (intellectuals). The poem recognizes the heroism in everyone and thus tries to inspire us to be great.Active reading (1) 1 Work in pairs and discuss the questions. 1 How many emergency services can you think of? Fire / ambulance / police / coast guard services.2 What different skills do emergency workers need? Specific skills, speed, medical knowledge, decisiveness, courage, reliability etc.3 What’s the main job of a firefighter? Putting out fires.4 What else may they have to do in an emergency? Rescue people caught up in emergencies and give emergency medical aid.5 What personal qualities are important in an emergency? Ability to take decisions, calm, speed, efficiency.2 Look at the title, the date and the first line of the passage. What do you think It in the first line refers to? The 9/11 terrorist attack on the New York World Trade Center towers. Now read the extract from the book Last Man Down and check your answer.Teaching tips• If Ss read through the passage before the class, its dramatic power might be brought out by Ss taking it in turn to read one sentence at a time. Ss will, however, need to follow one another quickly and read their sentences with some feeling. For example, Dead solid still will only be effective if read fairly slowly with heavy stresses. • Alternatively, this could be attempted after a closer look at the passage’s meaning and style.• T will need to decide when to read the Postscript. As it clarifies much in the passage, it is probably best to be read at the same time unless T wants Ss to put the situation together with fewer clues.1973zw6.indd 1972010.1.25 1:13:06 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroesLast man down: the fireman’s storyLanguage points 1 Last man down: the fireman’s story (Title) The expression last man down, similar to last man standing, refers to the survivor or winner. The last man down from the tower before it collapsed would be one of the bravest. 2 There were about two dozen of us by the bank of elevators ... (Para 2) A bank of elevators means a set of lifts. 3 Some had their turnout coats off, or tied around their waists. (Para 2) Turnout coats are the uniform firefighters wear when they turn out for a fire. 4 Others were raring to go. (Para 2) The expression raring to go is an old form of rearing up, and means being eager to go like a horse. 5 All of us were taking a beat to catch our breaths, and our bearings, figure out what the hell was going on. (Para 2) To take a beat means to rest for a moment. A bearing is an exact compass reading measured in degrees. To take your bearings is to find where you are. Here it means both physically and mentally. 6 We’d been at this thing, hard, for almost an hour, some a little bit less, and we were nowhere close to done. (Para 2) To be at this thing is a slang expression which means to work on this mission. The expression nowhere close to done means someone is far from completing their work. 7 Of course, we had no idea what there was left to do, but we hadn’t made a dent. (Para 2) A dent is a mark on a piece of metal as when you bump your car. To make a dent in something is to have an effect on it (imagine beating a piece of hard steel and not making any mark on it). To make a dent here means to achieve something. The firefighters had hardly begun their work. 8 As if we could see clear through the ceiling tiles for an easy answer. (Para 3) Looking up for the source of the noise was only useful if you could see through the floors above, but it still remained an instinctive reaction. 9 The building was shaking like in an earthquake, like an amusement park thrill ride gone berserk … (Para 3) The word berserk was originally about ancient Viking warriors who worshipped a bear god (ber). They would go into a terrible rage or madness when fighting. It now means utterly and dangerously crazy.10 The way it coursed right through me. (Para 3) To course means to run or flow somewhere quickly. The noise and vibration have a strong physical effect on the writer.11 I thought about my wife and my kids, but only fleetingly and not in any kind of life-flashing-before-my-eyes sort of way. (Para 4) Life flashing before my eyes is a claim made by someone who has near-death experiences, as in an accident, of seeing a slow motion version of the most important events in their lives. Researchers say it may be the reaction of the brain to trauma.1983zw6.indd 1982010.1.25 1:13:06 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 612 Or, “We’ll all meet at the big one.” (Para 4) After any fire, the fighters use the expression the big one to minimize that fire and suggest there will always be a bigger one coming. It is a brave act of understatement. 13 I never knew how it started, or when I’d picked up on it myself, but it was part of our shorthand. (Para 4) To pick up on it means to learn it and start using it. It is a slang expression. Shorthand is a system of writing used for taking down fast speech. It uses symbols for common words and can only be understood by people who learn it. Firemen have their own spoken shorthand (as do most professions). To an outsider, the big one would not mean much, but as the writer explains it was rich in meaning to him and his colleagues.14 I fumbled for some fix on the situation, thinking maybe if I understood what was happening I could steel myself against it. (Para 5) Some fix is a slang term which means a way of understanding. To steel oneself against something means to prepare oneself to do something unpleasant.15 A battalion commander for the New York Fire Department, he was on the scene of the disaster … (Para 6) The Fire Department is divided up into battalions of up to 200 consisting of a number of companies of about 30 firefighters.Reading and understanding 3 Choose the best summary of the extract. 2 I n this dramatic personal account, firefighter Richard Picciotto recalls what he was doing and thinking, just before the north tower of the World Trade Center collapsed on 11 September 2001. 4 Answer the questions. 1 Where was Richard Picciotto at 9:59 am on 11 September 2001? He was on the 35th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center. 2 Who was with him? About two dozen firefighters.3 What was everybody trying to do? They were resting and trying to work out what was going on.4 How long had they been in the building? Nearly an hour.5 What did they do when the noise started? They stood still.6 What was happening to the building? It was falling down.7 What did Picciotto start thinking about when he heard the noise? He started thinking about his family, job and the bagels in the kitchen.1993zw6.indd 1992010.1.25 1:13:07 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes8 Did Picciotto have the impression things were happening quickly or slowly? To him, it seems things were happening slowly while in truth they weren’t.9 How did Picciotto get out of the tower? He climbed through the rubble and led his men to safety.10 How many firefighters lost their lives? Altogether 343 firefighters.11 Why did Picciotto write Last Man Down? He wrote it as a tribute to his colleagues.Dealing with unfamiliar words 5 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 to make a fire stop burning (extinguish)the total number of people who have been killed or hurt (toll)an extremely difficult or frightening situation (nightmare)a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die (tragedy)as much as possible (utmost)impressive actions that prove someone is very brave (heroism)happening in a confused way and without any order or organization (chaotic)6 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 5. For a firefighter arriving on the scene of a fire the first few minutes are usually the most (1) chaotic. He has to (2) extinguish the fire, he also needs to find out if human lives are in danger. When people are trapped inside a building he must act swiftly to prevent (3) tragedy, or, – in the (4) nightmare scenario – to keep the death (5) toll to a minimum. Actions like these require the (6) utmost degree of (7) heroism. 7 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. 1 2 3 4 5 6 He’s a very honest, fair and well-behaved sort of person. (decent)I’d like to express my thanks for everything you’ve done for me. (gratitude)There was a group of cows standing in the corner of the field. (herd)There have been very big increases in food prices over the last few months. (massive)All the people should leave the building immediately when the alarm sounds. (evacuate)She has displayed all the qualities needed for being a leader in her job. (leadership)8 Answer the questions about the words and expressions. 1 If you are raring to go, are you eager to (a) leave, or (b) start an activity? 2 If you get your bearings, do you (a) lose your way, or (b) find out where you are? 3 If you are nowhere close to done, do you (a) still have a lot more work to do to finish the job, or (b) still feel strong and ready to work? 4 If you haven’t made a dent in something, have you (a) made good progress, or (b) hardly begun the job? 5 Is a racket (a) a loud and unpleasant noise, or (b) a low musical sound? 2003zw6.indd 2002010.1.25 1:13:07 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 66 If something goes berserk, is it (a) quiet and well-behaved, or (b) out of control? 7 Does whatever the hell it was suggest that the writer (a) knew exactly what the noise was, or (b) didn’t know what the noise was? 8 If something is part of the shorthand, can you (a) easily understand it, or (b) not understand it? 9 If you are fumbling for a fix, are you (a) trying to understand something, or (b) trying to stay where you are? Reading and interpreting Teaching tipsTo encourage Ss to think carefully about the style, T collects views from them on what creates the drama of the passage. T asks Ss to name favourite effective sentences. Ss will then be prepared to consider the suggestions given in the book. 9 Look at the sentences from the passage and answer the questions. 1 Some guys were sweating like pigs. Why? Because they felt hot and exhausted. They had been engaged in heavy physical activities.2 … we all froze. What does this mean? It means we stayed completely still.3 Every possible worst-case scenario, and a few more besides. What was the firefighter imagining? He was imagining an extremely big fire or explosion.4 I thought about my wife and my kids, but only fleetingly and not in any kind of life-flashing-before-my-eyes sort of way. So does he look back over his whole life in a single second? No, he just thought about his family very quickly.5 “I’ll see you at the big one.” What is the big one, and why don’t firefighters call it by its name? They minimize the fire which has just happenned and imagine the ultimate fire. The expression is one common to firefighters, so they know what they are referring to.6 All of these thoughts were landing in my brain in a kind of flashpoint … What are these thoughts, and how do they contrast with the situation in the north tower? What do they tell us about Picciotto? The thoughts are about Picciotto’s family, job, the bagels, firefighters’ customs, his colleagues, the things his life consists of, his values, his bravery and yet his ordinariness.10 Work in pairs and answer the questions. 1 What has been omitted in the elliptical sentence Dead solid still? The complete sentence might be we stood dead solid still.2 Which different things does the writer compare the noise of the falling building to? It was like an earthquake, an amusement park thrill ride, a thousand runaway trains, a herd of wild beasts, and the thunder of a rockslide. 3 How many sentences begin with I thought? Four. I thought about my wife and kids ... I thought about the job ... I thought about the bagels ... I thought how we firemen ...2013zw6.indd 2012010.1.25 1:13:08 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes4 What other examples of repetition can you find in the passage? Repetition of like for describing the sound of the building collapsing. 5 How many similes can you find in the passage? Six: sweating like pigs; shaking like in an earthquake; like an amusement park thrill ride gone berserk; like a thousand runaway trains speeding towards me; like a herd of wild beasts; like the thunder of a rockslide ...6 Which are the most effective? I like the simile like a thousand runaway trains speeding towards me, because it really suggests the power of the forces the writer feels approaching him.7 What makes the passage most memorable? The figurative language. The rush of similes and metaphors creates mood through association (earthquakes, berserk warriors, wild animals) and gives a sense of confusion and many things happening at once. The ellipsis gives the impression of events speeding by. There is no time even to use full grammatical forms. Repetitions are similar to the way the brain reacts to extreme stress. Some thoughts seem to get stuck and occur again and again.8 How would a newspaper account have been different? It would be more factual and less emotional. Newspaper reporters do not use similes and avoid repetition. A story of a flood in a newspaper would say soberly that the river burst its banks, flooded a certain area of land and caused x-amount of damage to crops and left y-number of people homeless. A descriptive piece might compare the river to a dragon rising in fury and try to express the sound of the water as it poured over dikes built to hold it in. A journalist chooses words for precise meaning whereas a descriptive writer wants effects.Developing critical thinking 11 Work in pairs and discuss the questions. 1 Picciotto says he and his men were “just doing their job”. Do you agree? • Yes, firefighters must extinguish fires and rescue victims. • No, they were going beyond it by staying so long and risking their lives.2 Do you think his book is the best possible tribute to the firefighters who died? It is certainly a way of remembering what they suffered. We think probably the best would be looking after their families for them.3 What do you think the long-term effects of doing a heroic job like this are? It must be very stressful always looking forward to the next big one.4 Do you think that extraordinary events like 9/11 can make ordinary people into heroes? Yes. We also saw many examples of that during the Sichuan earthquake when many ordinary people did heroic things.2023zw6.indd 2022010.1.25 1:13:08 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Talking point 1 Work in pairs. Look at the most dangerous jobs in the US and discuss the questions. 1 Are you surprised by any of the jobs in this list? If so, which ones, and why? I did not think farm workers were at risk very much. Most farm animals are gentle. Maybe the tools and equipment are dangerous. There must be even more crime than I thought in America if being a cashier is so bad!2 Which are the most dangerous jobs you can think of? Mining is dangerous. The press often tell of horrible accidents.3 Do you think people who do high risk jobs should be paid more? It does seem fair, but if we go by supply and demand and special skills I suppose security guards are not going to be well-paid. Plenty of people are able to do such work.2 Work in pairs and match the people with what they are famous for.1 Stephen Hawking (g) award-winning scientist2 Barack Obama (h) US president3 Kylie Minogue (e) Australian pop singer4 Angelina Jolie (c) actress and UN envoy5 Bruce Lee (f) film star and martial arts expert6 David Beckham (i) British footballer7 Oprah Winfrey (d) journalist and humanitarian8 Stephen Spielberg (a) American film director9 J. K. Rowling (b) writer of Harry Potter books3 Work in pairs and discuss the questions.1 Which of the people in the list do you think are heroes? • Stephen Hawking and Bruce Lee appeal to me. • I nominate David Beckham and Oprah Winfrey.2 What qualities do they have to make them heroes? • I admire Stephen Hawking as a great scientist. I think his ideas on black holes are enough to make 2033zw6.indd 2032010.1.25 1:13:08 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroeshim a hero of the mind, but when you add that he is badly disabled, his achievement becomes absolutely amazing. I suppose Bruce Lee is more a hero for the effect he had. He made people overseas sit up and notice the Chinese. He was also very dedicated to his art and did some fantastic feats.I can see your point. I chose Beckham because football is so popular round the world and he is such a • great player. He is a hero in his fan’s eyes. I have been reading about Oprah Winfrey and it seems she has really affected the lives of millions with her programmes discussing every topic and offering help to all sorts of people. That seems a great contribution.3 What is the difference between a hero, a celebrity and a role model? • A hero is someone we really admire for their good achievements. • A celebrity is simply well-known. For some reason they interest people. Their achievements may not be so great – they may just make one good album and be a celebrity for a few months only, or they may just be rich and glamorous. • Role models are good like heroes, but they are not so superhuman. In one way Stephen Hawking can be a role model. He does not let obstacles get in his way and handles his difficulties well, but we cannot copy him in being a genius. A role model is someone closer to ourselves. A kind caring teacher is more like a role model.4 Do you see heroism in yourself? Yes, when I killed that cockroach in class! But seriously, no. I don’t think there is anything heroic about me.5 Which kinds of qualities would you like to develop yourself in order to make you a hero one day? Determination and preseverance. Heroes have an aim and they keep on going for it until they achieve it. I need to have clearer targets in my life and not to give up so easily. I would like to become less selfish too.Active reading (2) 1 Work in pairs and choose the best answer to the question. What should be the role of the wife of a country’s president? (a) To keep a low public profile. Yes, her relationship to her husband is a private matter.(b) To take an active role in public life supporting the president. Yes, they are a team and she can support him in his stressful work. (c) To express her own beliefs, even if different from her husband’s. Probably no, that is confusing to people. She should wait until he has retired and not risk embarrassing him or the country.(d) To use her position to help other people. Yes, that would set a good example to others. Now read the passage from Life magazine and decide which description best fits Eleanor Roosevelt.Teaching tipsThe passage offers a hero who contrasts with the brave firefighters. This time we read about a woman of power and privilege who still wanted to devote herself to the causes she believed in. 2043zw6.indd 2042010.1.25 1:13:09 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Teaching stepsSs may not have thought much about the role of the spouses of political leaders. They may have limited knowledge of the Roosevelts and the history of that period in the West. T needs to consider how to ensure Ss have enough background information. There are some possible approaches:• read the passage and let Ss ask questions• give a brief introductory lecture• give a short quiz and pass on information when giving the answers• ask Ss to prepare for the lesson by researching Eleanor Roosevelt or her husband Franklin D. Roosevelt; check their work by asking for short presentations on what they found Eleanor Roosevelt: First Lady of the WorldCulture pointsLife is a very successful American weekly news magazine running from 1936 to 1972, famous for its photojournalism. Life magazine ceased publication largely because its costs outstripped revenues. It reappeared in special issues and then, from 1978 to 2000, as a monthly.First Lady is the title given to the wife of the US president and now applied to women in similar positions in many other countries. In America the First Lady is well-known and acts as a hostess for her husband. For example, Mrs Kennedy brought glamour to the White House; Mrs Reagan stood for traditional values and concerned herself with charity work and good causes; Mrs Clinton took a far more political role. In the UK the prime minister’s wife has not been at all prominent probably because the PM is not head of state and royalty presides at important functions. Mrs Blair was a successful lawyer and was busy with her own career. As more women become leaders, husbands have to find a role. Mrs Thatcher’s husband tried to keep out of the limelight. The wives of Japanese royalty are severely restricted in what they may do or say and are said to be very unhappy with their silent role. In countries where leaders are limited to a certain number of years in power, their wives sometimes replace them, eg Eva Peron and more recent South American examples. Occasionally wives who take on charity work come to outshine their husbands – the Princess Diana of Wales. Junior League of New York belongs to the Association of Junior Leagues International which is a non-profit organization of 292 Junior Leagues in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Junior Leagues are educational and charitable women’s organizations aimed at improving their communities through volunteerism and building their members’ civic leadership skills through training. According to its mission, “The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.”The House refers to the man of the house, the head of the family, but also in this case head of the White House.President Truman (1884–1972) was the 33rd President succeeding Roosevelt on his death in office. He made the decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan in August of 1945, finally ending World War II.Hall of Heroes is a place where there is a collection of names of people who are distinguished in a field, often sport.2053zw6.indd 2052010.1.25 1:13:09 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroesLanguage points1 “Suddenly,” she wrote in her syndicated column, “I saw on the sidewalk a figure of a man.” (Para 1) A syndicated column is a regular newspaper article sold to newspapers all around the country.2 “I felt certain that somewhere along the line she would stub her toe,” said Perkins, thinking of Washington’s fishbowl atmosphere. (Para 3) To stub her toe means to do damage to herself or get hurt. In a fishbowl atmosphere, everyone can see what is happening in the fishbowl. The sentence means Perkins was sure sooner or later she would get into trouble and be criticized.3 I don’t know how she did it. What to lay it to? (Para 3) The expression what to lay it to means “how can one explain it?”.4 … “that a crippled man, victim of a cruel affliction, was able for more than ten years to ride the storms of peace and war at the summit of the US …” (Para 3) A man in a wheelchair with a terrible disease could lead his country well both during the Great Depression and World War.5 “Most people who have played second violin all their lives never have an opportunity to play first violin,” remarked Perkins. (Para 4) People who play second violin are those who do not lead or give solos and who are always of lesser importance. To play first violin means to be the leader and take the initiative.6 “Now, if you want to know what I think about Mrs Roosevelt, she is tuh-riffic! …” (Para 5) The word tuh-riffic means terrific. It is pronounced with a strong regional accent.7 On a trip to India ... introduced to the Indian Parliament by Pandit Nehru as “a representative of resurgent humanity”. (Para 6) The expression resurgent humanity refers to recovering from the horrors of the first half of the 20th century. A representative of resurgent humanity refers to an example of the most admirable and progressive type of person.Reading and understanding 2 Choose the best way to complete the sentences. 1 2 Eleanor Roosevelt became a volunteer (c). (a) when she met her husband (b) when her husband became President of the US (c) as a young woman (d) when she saw a homeless man in the street When she became the wife of the president (c). (a) she gave up her job (b) she began to write for a newspaper (c) she reinvented the role of First Lady (d) she found it difficult to reconcile family life and public affairs 2063zw6.indd 2062010.1.25 1:13:09 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 63 4 5 6 When she held her first press conference (a)(a) she didn’t allow men to attend (b) she pushed her husband in on a wheelchair (c) she made speeches (d) her involvement in politics shocked people . While Roosevelt was president, Eleanor (c). (a) stayed a full-time wife and mother (b) made a lot of people angry (c) defended the rights of women and Afro-Americans (d) became the host of a television programme After her husband died she (c). (a) retired from public life (b) became the only female delegate to the United Nations (c) helped implement the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (d) started writing for a newspaper In the last years of her life she (b). (a) went to live in India (b) continued to promote the rights of women (c) was given a new task by President Kennedy (d) gave up her interest in politics Dealing with unfamiliar words 3 Match the words in the box with their definitions. 1 someone who is chosen to represent a group of other people at a meeting (delegate)2 to believe that something is the cause of someone or something else (ascribe)3 a newspaper or television reporter, especially one who deals with a particular subject or area (correspondent)4 a very high level of skill or ability (genius)5 to control someone or something, often in a negative way, because you have more power or influence (dominate)6 used about a feeling or thought you do not realize you have (unconscious)7 to watch something in order to check that it works in the way that it should (oversee)4 Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the words in Activity 3. Eleanor Roosevelt showed her (1) genius for getting the support of other (2) delegates in the UN Assembly. She was a great speaker who knew how to (3) oversee important meetings without being seen to (4) dominate them. She was also a talented (5) correspondent and she wrote a daily column for many years. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s success as president was (6) ascribed by many to her support and wonderful character. She became involved in politics because of her sense of right and wrong and an (7) unconscious need to help people. 2073zw6.indd 2072010.1.25 1:13:10 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes5 Replace the underlined words with the correct form of the words in the box. He has been unable to use his legs since birth. (crippled)We need to call a meeting for world leaders about this issue. (summit)The first thing I read in the newspaper is the regular section about the arts. (column)Our class visit to the United Nations was a wonderful experience. (marvelous)It’s important to try to influence politicians about the need to improve transport facilities in our area. 1 2 3 4 5 (lobby)6 How many millions of people live in the very poor areas of Mumbai? (slums)6 Answer the questions about the words and expressions. 1 In a fishbowl atmosphere, are you (a) likely, or (b) unlikely to see what everyone is doing? 2 Is a mishap a (a) positive, or (b) negative experience? 3 If you have a humane attitude, are you (a) kind and caring, or (b) cruel and uncaring? 4 If you win over someone to your cause, do you (a) defeat them, or (b) persuade them to join you? 5 Does an affliction make your life (a) easy, or (b) difficult? 6 If you ride the storm, do you (a) survive it, or (b) fall victim to it? 7 Is a superlative performance (a) very good, or (b) just good? 8 If a politician has a throng of admirers, are there (a) many people, or (b) a few who like them?9 If you are on a par with someone, are you in (a) the same position, or (b) different positions? Reading and interpreting 7 Look at the quotations from the passage and identify the speaker. 1 “I saw on the sidewalk a figure of a man ... very thin and very poor-looking” … Eleanor Roosevelt.2 “If my husband … is a suffragist, I probably must be too.” Eleanor Roosevelt.3 “I was very alarmed when she began making speeches.” Madame Frances Perkins, FDR’s Secretary of Labor and a longtime friend of Mrs Roosevelt’s.4 “Now, if you want to know what I think about Mrs Roosevelt, she is tuh-riffic! ...” An unnamed Republican.5 “ … I hope she keeps right on going the way she has.” Eleanor Roosevelt’s daughter Anna Roosevelt.6 “ … The debt we owe to President Roosevelt is owed also to her.” Winston Churchill.7 “She said things that made people angry.” Frances Perkins.8 “Why is it that in this country we have not managed to put them into higher positions of power?” Eleanor Roosevelt.2083zw6.indd 2082010.1.25 1:13:10 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 68 Work in pairs and answer the questions. 1 Why does the writer use so many quotations? It is part of the style of this kind of tribute, making it livelier and more factual and allowing the hero to speak for herself.2 Which of them shed most light on the personality of Eleanor Roosevelt? Eleanor Roosevelt once spoke with young women about the challenges they face, “If a man fails it would simply be said, ‘It’s so bad that so and so failed.’ But if a woman fails they will say, ‘So you see, a woman is incapable of holding jobs.’ Women have to run on a par with men.” It shows her intelligence, manner of speaking and determination.3 Which of them shed most light on her public role? Eleanor Roosevelt wrote in her syndicated column, “I saw on the sidewalk a figure of a man.” The man was homeless, “very thin and very poor-looking” … “how many human rights that poor man had”. It shows the issue she was concerned about and how she presented it to the public.4 What is the writer’s main purpose in the passage? To explain why Eleanor Roosevelt deserves to be in the Hall of Heroes.5 How does the use of quotations support the writer’s purpose? They show the magazine’s views on Mrs Roosevelt were widely shared.Developing critical thinking 9 Work in pairs and discuss the questions. 1 Why is the title of the passage “First Lady of the World”? It reflects her international role, famous as a great president’s wife and then prominent in the United Nations. She worked hard to stand up for anyone who was oppressed. She was particularly concerned about the rights of women (which makes the title even more apt). She helped create the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and championed the rights of workers and African-Americans. Her travels and determination to express her views made her famous around the world.2 What do you think was Eleanor Roosevelt’s greatest achievement? There are a number of possibilities. Her husband was one of the most important political figures of the 20th century and he probably could not have achieved so much without the help of his wife. Her work helped establish the United Nations and she had a positive impact on the human rights situation around the world through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which she helped create. Thirdly, she spoke up for the rights of women whose gaining of equality with men in most major countries was one of the great advances of the 20th century. 3 What (if anything) do you think was heroic about her life? She used her power and influence to do good. She could have just had a pleasant life looking after her own private concerns. Despite criticism, she was not afraid to speak up for what she believed to be right. Taking up the cause of African-Americans was especially brave in those days.4 Is it easier to be a hero if you are a man or a woman? That depends on your definition of heroism. It has long been easier for men to be heroes in the traditional sense of winning battles and changing the world as they have dominated the more active jobs 2093zw6.indd 2092010.1.25 1:13:10 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroesand the most powerful positions. Female heroism has been quieter, but that is changing and now women go into space, join armies, fight disease, lead campaigns to improve the world and govern countries.5 Who was the greater hero: Richard Picciotto or Eleanor Roosevelt? Why? • Eleanor Roosevelt, because she had the bigger effect on the world. Her work in the Untied States and the UN changed the lives of millions of people. Her role in advancing the rights of women has had an enormous worldwide effect. • Richard Picciotto, because he did the most heroic thing of all – he unhesitatingly risked his life to save the lives of others. He did not run away; he made no excuses. He did his job as well as he could, saving many people from being crushed under the falling towers.Talking pointWork in pairs and choose your own hero from history. Teaching stepsTell Ss to brainstorm and choose a hero from the past. If they have difficulty, remind them of military • heroes, explorers, scientists, philanthropists and so on. For variety you might allow some to choose from fiction.• Each pair then need to do some research and put together a presentation following the guidelines given.• They then need to think of a way to deliver it in an interesting way, using both their voices. They should check the pronunciation of words new to them in the talk. Example:Marie Curie was a scientist, a brilliant physicist, who did some of the first research into radioactive substances and their medical use. She was born in Poland in 1867, but left it for political reasons and settled in France where she lived from 1891 till her death in 1934. Madam Curie and her husband had to risk their health to conduct their experiments in very difficult circumstances. They first discovered two new substances, polonium and radium. She won two Nobel Prizes, one for Physics in 1903 and another for Chemistry in 1911. She greatly improved the standing of women in science, and her work has benefited anyone who has ever received radiation treatment for cancer. Her reputation continues to grow as all the evidence showed she was a very sincere, kind and selfless person. Einstein said Marie Curie was the only famous person he knew who had not been corrupted by her fame. We can all learn from her the beauty of a life devoted to finding ways to improve the lives of others and to expand the boundaries of human knowledge in useful ways. Language in use word formation: gender-inclusive language 1 Look at the sentences from the passages and answer the questions. Last man down: The fireman’s story We were firefighters, mostly, and we were in various stages of exhaustion. 2103zw6.indd 2102010.1.25 1:13:11 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Please join Life magazine as we honor the power and humanity of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt by inducting her into the Hall of Heroes. 1 What meaning do fireman and firefighter share? Someone whose job is to fight fires.2 What extra meaning is included in the word fireman? The person is male.3 Does the word heroes refer to men, women, or both? Both.2 Replace the underlined words with gender-inclusive language. 1 Miss Read was the headmistress at school, and I was very fond of her. (headteacher)2 Mother Teresa and Eleanor Roosevelt are two great heroines of our time. (heroes)3 There were a lot of policemen standing at the entrance to the factory. (police officers)4 More than three hundred firemen died in the fire. (firefighters)5 We’ll ask one of our salesgirls to come and help you. (salespersons)Why is it that …? 3 Rewrite the sentences using Why is it that ...? 1 I don’t know why we haven’t been able to solve the problem of slums in this town. Why is it that we haven’t been able to solve the problem of slums in this town?2 I don’t know why we are not able to organize fair elections in this part of the world. Why is it that in this part of the world we are not able to organize fair elections?3 I don’t know why they never employ qualified people in this hotel. Why is it that in this hotel they never employ qualified people?4 I don’t know why the system of welfare is still not working properly in this country. Why is it that in this country the system of welfare is still not working properly?5 I don’t know why you always find such an easy answer to all the questions I ask. Why is it that you always find such an easy answer to all the questions I ask?adj. + though it + be 4 Rewrite the sentences using adj. + though it + be. 1 My time in the United States was short, but it was interesting. My time in the United States, short though it was, was interesting. 2 The scenes of destruction were terrible, but not surprising. The scenes of destruction, terrible though they were, were not surprising. 3 The rescue operation cost a lot of money, but it was successful. The rescue operation, costly though it was, was successful.3zw6.indd 2112112010.1.25 1:13:11 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes4 The lesson he gave was extremely interesting, but it was soon forgotten. The lesson he gave, interesting though it was, was soon forgotten.5 Mother Teresa may have been old, but she was extremely active. Mother Teresa, old though she may have been, was extremely active. 6 His actions may have been unconscious, but they have had very serious consequences. His actions, unconscious though they may have been, have had very serious consequences.collocations 5 Complete the sentences with the correct form of suitable expressions from the collocation box. Sometimes more than one collocation is possible. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 My grandfather died suddenly after a massive heart attack. There was a column of smoke in the sky for days after 9/11. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a daily / newspaper column for nearly 30 years. The stress began to take a toll on their marriage. The final death toll might be much higher than the police at first thought. How many newspaper columns have been written about the heroes of the last century? Do you have to pay a toll to drive on the motorway? Your idea was brilliant – a stroke of genius! My hero is my English teacher. He has a genius for helping us understand Shakespeare. When she died she left a massive amount of money to charity. 6 Translate the paragraphs into Chinese. 1 I thought how we firemen were always saying to each other, “I’ll see you at the big one.” Or, “We’ll all meet at the big one.” I never knew how it started, or when I’d picked up on it myself, but it was part of our shorthand. Meaning, no matter how big this fire is, there’ll be another one bigger, somewhere down the road. We’ll make it through this one, and we’ll make it through that one, too. I always said it, at big fires, and I always heard it back, and here I was, thinking I would never say or hear these words again, because there would never be another fire as big as this. This was the big one we had all talked about, all our lives, and if I hadn’t known this before – just before these chilling moments – this sick, black noise now confirmed it. (☞ 这段话由许多短句构成，要注意短句间语气的连接。像at big fires，all our lives等词语应该调整语序。)我想起我们消防员平常总互相打趣说：“在大火中见吧。”或者是“我们肯定会在大火中碰面的。”我不知道这种说法是怎么来的，或者我自己是从什么时候开始说起这种话来的，但这就是我们的暗语。意思是不管这场火有多大，以后在别处还会有比这更大的。我们能安然无恙地度过这场火，也会安然无恙地度过下一场火。遇到一场大火时，我总是这么说，也总听别人这么说，可现在，我呆在这儿，想着自己再也不会说这样的话了，也不会再听到别人这么说了，因为再也不会有比这更大的火了。这会是我们大家一辈子都在说的那场大火，如果以前——就在这一个个令人胆战心惊的瞬间之前——我没有认识到这一点的话，现在这浑厚的、不祥的响声印证了这一点。2 Named as the first chairman of the UN Human Rights Commission, Roosevelt oversaw the two-year process of drafting and securing passage of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Additionally, her clashes with representatives of the Soviet Union led one Republican to lean forward in his chair and state – he wouldn’t allow his name to be used for fear of being labeled as a Democratic supporter – “Now, if you want to know what I think about Mrs Roosevelt, she is tuh-riffic! Mrs Roosevelt is unique in her 2123zw6.indd 2122010.1.25 1:13:11 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6capacity to create an understanding of our position in the minds of the delegates of other countries. Her performance is so superlative that it is rather unexpected to be asked to evaluate her in ordinary terms.”作为联合国人权委员会的首任主席，罗斯福监督了《世界人权宣言》历时两年的起草和通过的全过程。此外,她和苏联代表的交锋让一位共和党人从椅子上朝前探过身来，说出了下面一番话——因为怕被当成是民主党的支持者，他不愿意透露自己的姓名——“如果你想知道我对罗斯福夫人的看法，那我会说她真是了不起!罗斯福夫人有一种独特的能力，能让其他国家的代表清楚地了解我们的立场。要用平常的语言来评价她高超的外交手腕，一时间还真不知道该怎么说。”7 Translate the paragraphs into English.1 人们很不理解为什么他一份工作干了30年，大多数人到了他这个年纪至少已经换了四五份工作了。也许对他来说，为了获得更高的薪水或是寻求体验新事物的刺激而换工作毫无意义。在他看来，唯一重要的事是稳定。(stick with; point; thrill) People are quite puzzled about the fact that he has stuck with the same job for 30 years when most people of his age have changed at least four or five jobs. Maybe for him there is no point in changing jobs for a higher pay or for the thrill of experiencing something new. The only thing that matters, in his point of view, is stability. 2 协会中的大多数会员认为应该竭力游说政府，确保这项计划获得批准。至关重要的是要把决策者中的一些反对者争取过来。虽然这会很难，但是他们下定决心要作最大的努力。 (lobby; win over; adj. + though it + be; utmost) Most members of the association believe that they need to lobby as hard as possible to make sure that the plan will be approved by the government. It’s essential to win over some of the naysayers among the policy makers. Tough though it will be, they have made up their mind to make utmost efforts.Reading across cultures Heroes in Western literatureCulture pointsIn Greek mythology it was Prometheus, a Titan or giant, who stole fire for humans. The gods punished him for this crime by having him chained to a mountain summit with an eagle eating his ever-regrowing liver once a day.The tragic hero is an important human whose good point is also his weak point and leads to his ruin and death.Romantic period is generally reckoned to be in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This was a period of great ferment, politically and intellectually. In this period, science and art flourished and developed, artists like Beethoven, Shelley, Keats and the Brontë sisters were among the most famous.Harry Potter is the hero of seven novels by J. K. Rowling, a British writer.The Lord of the Rings is the fantasy masterpiece of J. R. R. Tolkien, and was largely inspired by the legends of Northern Europe.1 Read the passage and answer the questions. 1 Where does the word hero come from? It is from Greek.2133zw6.indd 2132010.1.25 1:13:12 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes2 What did it originally mean? It originally means “demigod” which refers to someone with one parent being a god and the other a human being.3 In mythology, what did heroes do? They changed the world by discovery, invention or trickery.4 How did Aristotle define the tragic hero? Tragic heroes are “only human”.5 What secondary definition does the word hero have today? Its secondary definition is “the main character of a book”.6 What is an “anti-hero”? A hero who has shown unconventional characteristics.7 Which type of hero is it easiest for people to identify with? The more human or weaker ones.8 How do real-life heroes contrast with the heroes of the imagination? Real-life heroes are unsung heroes whose stories never get told and whose actions may not involve saving the world.2 Work in pairs and discuss the questions. 1 Who are the best-known heroes in Chinese literature and mythology? The Monkey King; the 108 heroes of the Water Margin; Hua Mulan etc.2 What typical qualities do they have? The strength of character, determination or moral values.3 Who are the best-known real-life heroes, and what did they do? Yue Fei, Sun Yat-sen etc.Yue Fei was one of China’s greatest generals and patriotic heroes. He lived in the Song dynasty and • prevented the aggression of another ethnic group and was able to recover and secure some of the occupied territory. Yue Fei has always been extolled for his patriotism. • Sun Yat-sen was widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese nationalism. He erected the Three Principles of the People as the ideological basis for his nationalist revolution which advocated the end of imperial rule and the promotion of nationalism, democracy and people’s livelihood. 4 How are heroes remembered in China? People in China remembered heroes by monuments, books, films etc. We may also know stories of heroes when we enjoy Beijing opera as there are many well-known pieces of Beijing opera which are about the heroes in Chinese history. For example, we have the pieces The Battle of Red Cliff and The Ruse of Empty City, which extolled the intelligence and courage of Zhuge Liang, a hero in the Three Kingdoms Period.5 Are women as likely as men to be considered heroes? Women who devoted themselves to their husbands and sons were certainly regarded as heroes and honoured, but the ones remembered in the public sphere were until recently almost all men.2143zw6.indd 2142010.1.25 1:13:12 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 66 How universal is the concept of hero? The mainline heroes like brave soldiers, loyal followers, Robin Hood types and so on seem universal, but there are some types of hero who are more tied to particular cultures. Suicide, for example, can be heroic in some countries in East Asia but is not possible for a Western hero. Guided writing Using quotations 1 Look at the quotations and decide on the reasons for using them. 1 Booker claims that “the true hero, if he is to succeed, must be fully a man”. But we can find many examples when the opposite seems to be true. To present someone else’s idea which we want to contradict. 2 In the epic poem Beowulf Grendel is a rather special monster. As Seamus Heaney neatly puts it, he “has a wonderful inevitability about him and a unique glamour”. To draw attention to a particularly elegant phrase or well-expressed idea.3 Tolkien’s hobbits are, to say the least, unlikely heroes in the traditional sense. In the words of Sarah McIntire, they seem “unfit to participate, let alone share the lead in adventures as equals of famously heroic figures like elves, dwarves, and wizards”. To support a claim we have just made.2 Link the speakers with the quotations using the expressions. 1 Doris Lessing: “What is a hero without love for mankind?” In the words of Doris Lessing, “What is a hero without love for mankind?”2 Bob Dylan: “A hero is someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.” According to Bob Dylan, “A hero is someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.”3 Henry Miller: “The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts.” Henry Miller suggested that “The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts.”4 Mark Twain: “If everybody was satisfied with himself there would be no heroes.” Mark Twain pointed out, “If everybody was satisfied with himself there would be no heroes.” 3 Choose one of the quotations from Activity 2. Write a short paragraph using the quotation. Discontent can have a positive effect on us, making us seek to improve the world and ourselves. It gives us that extra push to expect more from ourselves and do something remarkable. As Henry Miller suggested, “The ordinary man is involved in action, the hero acts.” 4 Write a short passage about heroes in the Chinese tradition. You can write about mythology, literature, or real life. Include quotations where you can. The wandering knight is a character who can be found throughout Chinese history and literature. Sima Qian included many of them in his works. As he said in the introduction to that part of his work, “The 2153zw6.indd 2152010.1.25 1:13:12 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes acts of the knights were not always according to rule, but they were always sincere, meant what they said, did what they set out to do and kept their promise. They hurried to help those in need without concern for their own safety. They did not boast about their skill and did not like to hear their virtues praised.” This gives us the most important points about the wandering knights. They are honest, skilled and outsiders. They rely on their inner resources and spend time meditating and developing their minds. They are deeply loyal to their friends, but do not remain with them. In the words of a Chinese film critic, when commenting on Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, “Friends meet and part like stars on different tracks, brightening each other but never emotionally reliant on each other.” The spirit of the wandering knights is also expressed clearly in a poem by Jia Dao:For a decade, I have been shining my sword;Its icy edge has never been tested.Here I hold it. Behold and sayIf there is anyone here suffering injustice.UNIT TASK Writing a nomination for an unsung hero 3 Write your nomination. Give reasons why the person should be remembered or rewarded, and make a suggestion about the best way to do this.Example:We wish to nominate Ms Gao of Flat 15c, Shanghai House, as an unsung hero who deserves public recognition for her lifetime of cheerful service to others. Ms Gao has been our neighbour for many years and her story is well-known, though there are many details which are naturally unknown and private.BackgroundMs Gao came from a poor background and has had an unlucky hard life. Her husband died many years ago leaving Ms Gao with her mother and son. The mother is a difficult old lady who for many years has been suffering from slowly advancing Alzheimer’s disease, becoming increasingly confused and liable to get lost. The son is physically handicapped and needs a great deal of care and attention. Ms Gao has to support them and do many small jobs. Her main source of income, however, is sewing work. Somehow for years she has earned enough to keep the family together and comfortable. There cannot be a moment of her day when she is not caring for the mother and son or working. This itself deserves great praise, but there is more to it than that. Ms Gao is always cheerful, and smiling. No one ever hears her complain. She is a very kind person and the first in the building to comfort the upset or offer to help others in time of trouble. Many people in her position would have dark days of despair, but not the heroic Ms Gao.Proposed actionMs Gao would hate too much praise or attention. In the light of this, we suggest arranging an informal dinner and inviting her only a day before without giving too many details. At the dinner a short speech of praise and appreciation would be made and then a new sewing machine would be presented. A practical gift would mean far more to her than anything more glamorous.Thank you all for your attention.2163zw6.indd 2162010.1.25 1:13:13 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Translation of the passagesActive reading (1)最后撤出的人：消防员的故事3zw6.indd 2172001年9月11日上午9时59分它似乎是从天而降。在世贸中心北塔35层的一组电梯旁，当时大约有20多个人。我们中绝大多数是消防员，个个都差不多精疲力竭了。有的人大汗淋漓，有的脱掉了他们的消防战斗服，或是把它们扎在腰间。有好几个人大口地喘着粗气。其他人迫不及待地想要离开这儿。我们所有的人都停了下来，想喘口气，清醒一下头脑，搞明白到底出了什么事。我们已经在这儿拼命战斗了差不多一个小时了，有些人时间稍微短一点儿，可我们根本看不见哪里是尽头。当然，我们也不知道自己还能干点儿什么，没有一点儿进展。接着传来一阵巨大的响声，整个大楼开始颤动起来，我们都愣住了。站在那儿一动不动。不管本来要做什么，现在都只能等一下了。可要等什么呢？我们不知道，但是还得等。或许我们不用等，可是问题不在这儿。问题是大家都站在那儿一动不动。所有的人中间没有一个人动，只是有人抬头看了看天花板，想搞清楚这巨大的声响到底是从哪儿传来的。好像我们都能透过天花板，很容易就找到答案似的。没有人开口说话。即便是有时间思考，我们也没有时间把思维转变成语言。不管怎么说，我还有时间思考，有太多时间去想了，我思绪万千。我想到了每一个可能发生的最糟糕的情况，还有一些别的事情。大楼在剧烈摇晃着，像地震了似的，也像是游乐园里惊耸狂奔的过山车，可真正让我胆颤心惊的是这巨大的轰隆声。这声音实在是太大了。好像直接从我的身体中飞快地穿了过去。我真想不出来是什么东西会发出如此大的响声。好像一千辆失控了的火车朝我疾速驶来。好像一群狂奔着的野兽。又好像是山崩时发出的巨大轰鸣声。太难用语言来形容了，但不管这该死的声音是什么，此刻它传得越来越快，声音越来越大，离我们越来越近，而我被困在其中，没有办法逃脱。真是奇怪，这种时候你应该是没有时间思考的，可是你满脑子都在想着那些事。我想到了老婆和孩子，只是在脑海里一闪而过，并不是把自己的人生都回顾了一番那样。我想到了工作，我离当上副队长只有一步之遥了。我想到了放在消防队厨柜上的面包圈。我想起我们消防员平常总互相打趣说：”或者是“我们肯定会在大火中碰面的。”我不知道这种说法是怎么来的，或者我自己是从什么时候开始说起这种话来的，但这就是我们的暗语。意思是不管这场火有多大，以后在别处还会有比这更大的。我们能安然无恙地度过这场火，也会安然无恙地度过下一场火。遇到一场大火时，我总是这么说，也总听别人这么说，可现在，我呆在这儿，想着自己再也不会说这样的话了，也不会再听到别人这么说了，因为再也不会有比这更大的火了。这会是我们大家一辈子都在说的那场大火，如果以前——就在这一个个令人胆战心惊的瞬间之前——我没有认识到这一点的话，现在这浑厚的、不祥的响声印证了这一点。我琢磨着有什么办法能改变我们的处境。我想如果搞明白了现在发生了什么事，也许我就能应对了。所有这些思绪在我脑子里一个连着一个地闪现，想完一个又是另一个，一时间都堆积在我的脑子里。每个想法都是那么完整，好像我有足够的时间一个个地付诸行动似的，而事实上我根本没有时间。后 评2001年9月11日，在世贸中心遭到恐怖分子袭击而倒塌时，理查德·皮乔托（也被称作“皮奇”）正在世贸中心的北塔里。作为纽约消防局的一名中队长，他在袭击发生后的几分钟之内就赶到了现2172010.1.25 1:13:14 PM“在大火中见吧。Unit 6 Streets full of heroes场，带领七名消防队员进入北塔，解救受困人员，扑灭四处蔓延的大火。北塔是世贸双塔中最先受到攻击的。17分钟后南塔也遭到了袭击。而南塔第一个倒塌，时间是9点59分。当时皮乔托正在北塔里，沿着楼梯往上跑，因为电梯根本工作不了了。这时他下达了撤退的命令。到达12层时，他看到了50个人被压在废墟底下，他们有的受了重伤动弹不了，有的惊慌失措。皮乔托和他的部下扶着他们往下走。到第七层时，北塔塌了，他被埋在几千吨的瓦砾之下。过了四个小时，他终于醒了过来，领着他的部下到达安全的地方。皮乔托是袭击中幸存下来的最高级别的消防员。纽约消防局局长、第一副局长以及救援队队长全部都以身殉职了。整个事件中共有343名消防队员献出了生命，超过3,000名平民丧生。皮乔托在他的《最后撤出的人》一书中讲述了他的经历。他用一种扣人心弦的第一人称的方式向读者描述了被认为是美国历史上最黑暗的日子、也是世人皆知的9/11那天，人们所经历的恶梦般的恐惧和混乱，当然这也是人道主义精神和英雄主义精神展现得最淋漓尽致的一天。此书于2002年一出版就立即成为一本畅销书，作者抱着一颗感恩的心写了这本书，并欲以此书向那些品德高尚、值得信赖，并献出了生命的战友们致敬。当然，这本书也展示了他的领导才能。正如他所说的，“人们都称我们为英雄，其实我们只是在干我们的本职工作。”Active reading (2)埃莉诺·罗斯福 ——世界的第一夫人亲爱的读者们：你们好！就在1948年这个星期的某一天，正当埃莉诺·罗斯福从位于纽约华盛顿广场的公寓步行前往第八大道时，她停下了脚步。“突然间,”她在自己的联合专栏中写道,“我在人行道上看到一个男人的身影。”他是个无家可归的人，“瘦骨嶙峋，看起来十分穷困”，这种景象对城里人来说并不少见,但很少有人会像她那样为了这样的一件事情向全国民众写了一封公开信，在信中她问道：“这个穷人到底享有多少人权呢”年轻的时候，罗斯福夫人就为红十字会和纽约青少年联盟等组织做志愿者——她出身上流社会，心地善良。但是在当时那个以男性为主导的时代和国家里，她也仅仅是一个女人。1911年，当被问到她是否支持给予妇女选举权时，她回答说：“如果我丈夫（当时还是纽约州的一名参议员）是妇女选举权的支持者，那我也许必须支持给予妇女选举权。”但是随着富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福的仕途越来越顺利，她也越来越关注妇女问题、劳工问题、青年人问题和人权问题。而1932年，她和罗斯福入主白宫后，埃莉诺开始大显身手了。在接下来的12年中，罗斯福夫人重新定义了“第一夫人”这个角色。“刚开始时，连我自己都吃了一惊，”罗斯福政府的劳工部长、罗斯福夫人的长期挚友弗朗西斯·珀金斯1952年对《时代》周刊的一名记者这样说道。“她刚开始发表演讲时，我十分惊讶。”罗斯福夫人是第一位召开新闻发布会的第一夫人（她只允许女记者参加）；而且，因为罗斯福离不开轮椅，他把埃莉诺当成了自己的双腿、双眼和耳朵，因此她十分积极地参与罗斯福新政，以至于让很多人都感到震惊。“我那时候觉得总有一天她会受挫的，”珀金斯说，因为在华盛顿，你的一举一动都在别人的注视之下。“但是她的确没出2183zw6.indd 2182010.1.25 1:13:14 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6什么岔子。我不知道她是怎么做到的。这应该归功于什么呢？我想这是因为她用意真诚，心地单纯，从未想要去伤害别人。”一开始有人把这些品质归结于她的天真，但是随着时间的推移，罗斯福夫人仁慈而无私的性情使她争取到了众多反对者的支持。在白宫，她是妇女权利和黑人权利的头号倡导者；从1935年到1962年她去世，她创立的报纸联合专栏《我的一天》一直都是她活动的平台。与此同时，埃莉诺还是六个孩子的母亲。她的女儿安娜说：“我们觉得如果你有这么浓厚的兴趣，又精力充沛，还有她那样聪明的头脑，你一定不要气馁。我希望她能像现在这样一直不停地做下去。”另外，她还是一位贤妻，要照顾一个无法站立的丈夫。温斯顿·丘吉尔在1948年曾说过：“一个双腿残疾、恶疾缠身的人能够领导美国十多年，经受住战争年代和和平时期的风雨磨难。这个奇迹我们同时也要归功于罗斯福夫人，罗斯福总统的伟大功勋中有她的一半。”第一夫人的角色，无论多么英勇，对她来说只能算是小试身手。虽然她曾经凭借她在白宫的地位去四处游说，但是掌握大权的毕竟还是总统。此外，正如珀金斯说过的那样，“她也说了一些得罪人的话。”1945年，她丈夫去世之后，罗斯福夫人似乎已经准备要退隐，离开公众的视野。她对媒体说：“一切都结束了。”但那年的晚些时候，杜鲁门总统邀请埃莉诺出任美国驻联合国代表。她接受了使命，继续努力工作，并且永远改变了女性在美国和全世界所扮演的角色。“绝大多数一辈子当副手的人从来没有机会当一把手，”珀金斯说，“罗斯福夫人有机会当一把手，而且表现得极为出色。” 第一届联合国大会的17位女性代表和顾问都把罗斯福夫人视为领袖，而她也不负众望，很快就成为全世界最卓越的人权领袖。作为联合国人权委员会的首任主席，罗斯福监督了《世界人权宣言》历时两年的起草和通过的全过程。此外，她和苏联代表的交锋让一位共和党人从椅子上朝前探过身来，说出了下面一番话——因为怕被当成是民主党的支持者，他不愿意透露自己的姓名——“如果你想知道我对罗斯福夫人的看法，那我会说她真是了不起！罗斯福夫人有一种独特的能力，能让其他国家的代表清楚地了解我们的立场。要用平常的语言来评价她高超的外交手腕，一时间还真不知道该怎么说。”1952年，当她从联合国代表的位置上卸任时，罗斯福夫人已经是“世界的第一夫人”了。同年去印度访问时，她受到了大批崇拜者的欢迎，潘迪特·尼赫鲁向议会介绍她时，说她是“重获新生的人性的杰出代表”。她去了印度的各大城市，造访了贫民窟，期间她经常和年轻妇女们探讨女性所面临的挑战。她说：“如果一个男人失败了，人们只会说：‘某某失败了，真是令人遗憾。’但是如果一个女人失败了，他们会说：“你看，女人就是干不成什么事。’女人不应该比男人逊色。安娜·埃莉诺·罗斯福从来不满足于同男人并驾齐驱，她要当那个领跑的人。即使到了77岁的高龄，她的风头依然不减当年。1961年，她受肯尼迪总统的任命，再次出任联合国代表，同时她还主持着自己的一档电视节目《人类的前途》。在一期节目中，她对肯尼迪总统说：“很多女性都对一个问题感兴趣，那就是为什么在我们这个国家女性没有能够在政府中担任更高级别的职务呢？”《生活》杂志已经把安娜·埃莉诺·罗斯福列入英雄殿堂，愿您同我们一起来缅怀她非凡的才智和人性的光辉。Reading across cultures 西方文学中的英雄每个文化都有自己的英雄。最早的英雄朦胧出现在神话中，本领介于人类和具备超人类力量与认识的神灵之间。那个时候的英雄既非凡人，也非神灵，而“英雄”这个词来自古希腊语，在希腊语中的意思是“半神”，指的是那些父母中一方是神灵，另一方是凡人的人。在那些最古老的神话中，英2193zw6.indd 2192010.1.25 1:13:15 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes2203zw6.indd 220雄常常是通过自己的发现、创造或者是谋略——比如发现了火，或者是诱骗神把火种给了人类，从而改变了世界的面貌。但是在西方文化中，尤其是西方文学中，英雄之所以成为英雄，传统意义上是因为他们勇敢、无私，能够在绝境或是险境中应付自如。但他们毕竟是凡人，不是超人，也正因为这一点，我们才会对他们产生认同感；两千多年前，希腊哲学家亚里士多德在定义“悲剧英雄”时就已经作出了这样的阐释。此后，英雄历险的故事就成了无数戏剧和小说的题材；事实上，如今“英雄”这个词其中的一个含义就是“书中的主要人物”。在较近的时间里，尤其是浪漫主义时期以来，许多英雄都有一些非传统的特征，这些特征使得他们成了“反英雄”，比如《呼啸山庄》中脾气暴躁的希斯克里夫，《第22条军规》中的那个不愿意执行飞行任务的飞行员尤索林。我们当然能够理解这些角色背后的动机，但是我们心目中真正的英雄还是那些与邪恶做斗争的替天行道的人。英雄不分高矮胖瘦。哈里·波特是个有点书呆子气的学童，而《指环王》中的两位主要英雄体型上相差更远。阿拉贡高大、强壮、英勇无畏，而弗罗多体型矮小、胆小怕事。但是对绝大多数人来说，更能让我们产生认同感，让我们倾注更多同情的却是弗罗多这个矮人，而不是阿拉贡。当然，《指环王》描述的是远古的神话，让我们回忆起有记载以来最古老的故事。我们可能都会认为，现实生活是不一样的，现实生活中有些无名英雄，没有人传颂他们的故事，他们也没做出拯救世界这样惊天动地的事情，却是最值得我们去崇拜和尊敬的。但是电影、漫画和电子游戏中那些身陷绝境，与邪恶作斗争，并最终战胜邪恶的传奇英雄们还是深深地吸引着我们。 2010.1.25 1:13:16 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Further teacher developmentMetaphorA metaphor is a figure of speech which connects two different things and areas of experience in some way.The thing being talked about is the tenor or target, and the thing which is used to help express it is the vehicle or source.An exampleShe replied in a cold voice. The speaker’s mood or tone is the tenor or target, and the low temperature the vehicle or source.Moods cannot be measured with thermometers, so this is non-literal or figurative use of language, a metaphor. In winter the cold is unpleasant and can be a threat to life. It discourages us from going out and is contrasted with warm fires. The point of the sentence, then, is that the tone of voice is unpleasant and discouraging. Conceptual metaphorSome scholars argue that all language is metaphorical. Certainly, metaphor is part of the structure of our thought and the way we express it. Think of time. We conceptualize it as a path or journey. The past lies behind us and the future ahead. (Behind and ahead of course are metaphors coming from the shape of our bodies.) We have prospects and try to foresee what is coming. The path can also be seen as light or dark. The distant past is dim as is the far future, but we can hope the prospects we mentioned are bright. Of more recent date, we have started conceptualizing time as a commodity, something we can spend, save and waste. Time is money.Height it seems is better than depth, or perhaps it is above which is better than below. We rise in our careers, but our fortunes can sink or we can move lower or fall.Moving forward is preferred to moving backward. We like to advance and progress and fear falling behind or regressing. Effects on thoughtThe metaphors we choose or find chosen for us in our language can lead us to think in certain ways. Scholars have studied how metaphors can affect attitudes. In politics, rulers have often talked of society as a family. The emperor is the father of the people and like a parent has the right to punish in order to improve his family’s behaviour. Of course, equally a father has a duty to provide for and love his children. The state is often a body. The Romans developed this metaphor into the theory that the governing class was the stomach and the brain which led and needed feeding by the hands and the feet, the workers of the state. We can also consider how if the state is a body, some new ideas can be seen as infections from outside. They are unhealthy. They can lead to rottenness. The only way to deal with them is to cut them out or even cut an entire limb off for the good of the body. 2213zw6.indd 2212010.1.25 1:13:16 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroesDead, dying and lively metaphorsSome metaphors are so deep in language that we hardly notice them. As in the case of cold above, where we say the word has two meanings. Though even here as we use the phrase a cold voice, some sense of chill and ice surely flash across our minds.Metaphors like this are sometimes referred to as dead ones. Metaphors which have simply been overused but are still noticeable are the ones to avoid. They are dying metaphors which are a part of the family of clichés. Examples are always changing but current ones might include open door, financial meltdown, synergy, key to success, team play, green, cutting edge and a host more. Living or lively metaphors still give us a sense of added insight: I feel trapped in my job; he jumped with a golden parachute; he loaded down with sorrows; she flared with anger and so on. Novel or original metaphors are ones you are not aware of having come across before: He searched through his brain for the first aid file and clicked on it to see what to do next.Metaphor and cohesionUsing one family of metaphors can help hold text together. An article on a problem could follow up a medical line of thinking and include terms like feverish, symptoms, emergency treatment, urgent surgery, terminal, anaesthetized etc. When metaphors are changed too quickly mixed metaphors occur: It wasn’t the brightest idea to serve up (light to food); she was fishing for a compliment and struck lucky (fishing to mining).Metaphors in Active reading (2)• with a big heart (bodily heart = sympathy and kindness)• career grew (career as a plant)• rewriting the definition (dictionary writing)• stub her toe (bodily accident)• fishbowl atmosphere (home furnishing)• simplicity of heart (bodily heart)• her platform (theatre and political speech-making)• energetic mind (bodily quality)• storms of peace and war (weather)• summit of the US (geographic feature)• debt we owe (finance)• lobby (building layout)• story is over (storytelling)• played second violin (music)• set the pace (running, sports)2223zw6.indd 2222010.1.25 1:13:17 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Photocopiable worksheet: MetaphorMetaphors are non-literal uses of language, explaining one thing in terms of another. She threw herself into her work. Of course, she did not physically do so, but the idea of the energy of her action adds meaning.The stock market crashed. It is not a vehicle, but the sense of drama and the risk of injury and damage is well-conveyed.This organization needs pruning. It is not a plant but the idea of cutting off something so that the plant can then grow far more strongly allows the speaker to express a lot in one word. Pruning is a beneficial action; firing people is not.You need to let some fresh air into your life. The image of flinging open windows and breathing in fresh air deeply is more inspiring (a very apt metaphor) than a phrase like do something new.Metaphors reflect and influence the way we look at a topic. In this rather exaggerated paragraph, education is seen as horticulture or farming.We sent James to kindergarten for teachers to plant the seeds of knowledge and morality in his young mind. At primary school his teacher further tended him and their efforts bore good fruit. Honesty and decency were deeply rooted in his character. We were delighted when he harvested a whole set of top grades at the end of his secondary education. At university he continued to blossom. By his thirties he was a fully mature human being. Extra terms we could have used: put out shoots / flowered / flourished / field / dug deep / nip in the bud / cultivated / late bloomer.1 Write sentences using the metaphors as required.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a metaphor of education as a buildinga metaphor of a student as an empty containera metaphor of learning as wara metaphor of learning as stone-dressing / masonryseeing a company as an armyseeing a company as a sports teamseeing a city as a body 2 Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words in the box.competition lag part prize rocky scene star stretch tight behind in his work. He must try harder.1 He’s to get into that university is.2 Remember how fierce the before the exam.3 Don’t relax now when we are entering the final 2233zw6.indd 2232010.1.25 1:13:17 PMUnit 6 Streets full of heroes4 Work hard and then you’ll carry off the .5 I don’t want to be an extra – I want to be the .6 Play your to the full and enjoy your life.7 The next of my life was not so happy.8 I didn’t want to annoy either of them. I was really walking a -rope.9 It won’t be easy – a road lies ahead.3 Identify where the metaphors come from. Put D for disease, M for medical or S for ships.1 There were disturbing undercurrents in the meeting.2 No trouble at all – it was all plain sailing.3 Don’t worry – I am allergic to advertising!4 Don’t start stirring up trouble.5 If you are all set, we will start.6 No, I don’t think it’s a good idea – I think it’s a recipe for disaster.7 There has been a rash of bankruptcies in the industry.8 His laughter was infectious and soon everyone joined in.9 He’s pulled out and left us high and dry.10 There’s been an outbreak of discontent all across the company.11 I think this company needs to go under the knife.2243zw6.indd 2242010.1.25 1:13:17 PMStreets full of heroes Unit 6Photocopiable worksheet: Metaphor (Answer sheet)11 His foundations seem weak. Now we will build on what we learned last week.2 Let me fill you with learning.3 Understanding the concepts was a real battle for her. Her target was to be the best. Let me show you how to attack these questions.4 He will leave the school a polished person.We remove their rough edges. We aim to shape them into successful and confident people.5 We will all march together towards success. Go out there with a fighting spirit and get orders. Never surrender – fight for sales.6 If we all keep our eye on the ball, we can do wonders. Make sure you support your fellow team members to the full.7 It’s a kill or be killed world out there. Survival of the fittest must be your motto.21 lagging 2 competition 3 stretch 4 prizes 5 star6 part 7 scene 8 tight 9 rocky 31 S 2 S 3 M 4 S 5 S6 M 7 D 8 D 9 S 10 D 3zw6.indd 225M2252010.1.25 1:13:17 PM11