Unit 10Reading

Under the Volcano

When nature gets angry, what disaster does nature give us?

droughtdrought

sandstormsandstorm

typhoontyphoon

tornadotornado 龙卷风

tsunamitsunami 海啸

Volcano erupts!Volcano erupts! 火山喷发

gas

liquid

solid

Lava( 熔岩 )

vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrogen( 氮 ),sulphur( 硫磺 ), etc.

bits of rock and volcanic ash, etc.

Do you know how a volcano works?

Vesuvius volcano

About 2,000 years ago, a volcano in About 2,000 years ago, a volcano in

Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy

eruptederupted and and buriedburied （（埋葬） 埋葬） two two

small towns, Pompei(small towns, Pompei( 庞贝 )and and

Herculaneum(Herculaneum( 赫库兰尼姆 ) under under

meters of hot ash and mud.meters of hot ash and mud.

VesuviusVesuvius

PompeiPompei

Where is Vesuvius located?

On the eastern shore of the Bay of Napoli那不勒斯 ( 意大利西南部港市 ).

Pompeii 庞贝

Pompeii 庞贝

Pompeii 庞贝

If you want to know more about what happened during this natural disaster, you can find the fact from this letter.

Listening ＆ Reading

Under the Volcano

What? When?

Where?

Who?

The end?

1.What is described in the following passage?

2.When and where did it happen?

The eruption of the volcano called Mount Vesuvius.

On the 24th of August in 79 AD in southern Italy.

3.Who is the writer of the letter?

4.What is the end of the story?

Pliny, the younger.

The writer’s uncle died the next day after the eruption of the volcano.

The purpose of writing the letter.

When and where the disaster happened.

What Pliny’s uncle did when the volcano erupted.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Conclusion of the letter.

(para.2) :

(para.1) :

(para.3-6) :

(para.7):Part 4

Main idea

Decide whether the following sentences are true or false.

1. A volcano erupted on the 24th of August in 79 BC in southern Italy.

2. My uncle planned to save his friend’s wife Rectina.

3. My uncle went to rescue Pompy after saving Rectina.

4. The flames came from the homes of farmers who had left in a panic with the kitchen fires still on.

5. They decided to try the open air instead of staying in the house.

6. It was night when the volcano erupted.

F

F

T

F

T

F

Careful Reading

1.Why does the writer write this letter?Because he writes it to tell the death of his uncle to Tacitus who is writing a history book.

Para.1Para.1

2. From the text, we can learn that Tacitus____.

A. was a history writer

B. worked for the local police

C. was a close friend of Pliny

D. did research into volcanoes and earthquakes

Para1. I hope you can use it for the history book that you are writing.( 推断题 )

1. Who first paid attention to a cloud of unusual size and shape?

A. Tacitus. B. Young Pliny’s mother.

C. Young Pliny. D. Uncle Pliny.

Para.2Para.2

The sight of it awoke the scientist in my uncle to go and see it from closer at hand.

2.Explain what the word underline refer to:

a cloud of unusual size and shape

Scientific spirits

No, they didn’t.

3. In the beginning, did they know it n was Mount Vesuvius? Why?

Because the writer wrote, “we couldn’t tell which one, but we later learnt that it was Mount Vesuvius.”

Para.3Para.3

By boat.

1. How did his uncle decide to go to see n the sight?

From his friend’s wife Rectina.3. Where was Rectina’s house?

At the foot of Vesuvius.

2. From whom was the letter which the N author’s uncle brought?

4.The writer didn’t think his uncle was afraid on the trip to Vesuvius because______.

A. he had to rescue his friend’s wife Rectina

B. he hurried to a place from which others were b fleeing

C. He had a good knowledge of how to survive a n volcano eruption

D.he was calm enough to write a report about = = what he observed Para. 3 last sentence

1. Why did he pause for a moment?

Because he wondered whether to turn back as the captain urged him.

Yes, he did, and then he wanted to rescue his friend Pompy.

2. Did he successfully rescue his friend’s n wife Rectina? What did he do then?

Para.4Para.4

• He had to wait for a good wind, blowing the other way than the one that carried…

the good wind

Pompy

flames

scared people

• In order to help the other calm down, he…• Their light scared people but my uncle…

• They discussed what to do:…

Para.5Para.51. Explain what the words underline refer to:

2. Pompy didn’t get away because_____ .

A.He had to wait for a good wind

B.there was no way out except by boat

C.he was too scared to take any action

D.he wanted to join Pliny in observing the

eruptionPara5. He had to wait for a good wind, blowing the other way than the one that carried my uncle right in.( 细节题 )

3. How did Uncle Pliny do to make Pompy calm down?

A. He gave Pompy hug and courage. B. He bathed and had dinner. C. After dinner, he wanted to sleep. D. After he hugged Pompy, he stayed there and bathed, had dinner and even wanted to sleep there.

To protect against the shower of rocks.

2.When was his uncle found dead?_____. A. On August 24th B. On August 25th

C. On August 26th D. On August 27th

Para.6Para.61.Why did they tie pillows on top of their n heads?

Para.7Para.71.What does the writer mean at the end of

this letter?

A. It is no easy task to be a history writer

B. He reminds Tacitus of his uncle’s braveryC. He is sorry that he can’t tell Tacitus more n about the eruption

D. He leaves it for Tacitus to decide which n b b parts are important for his history book

1. He decided to rescue his friend Pompy.2. Some people watched an unusual cloud rising from a mountain.3. Rectina begged him to save her.4. He ordered a boat made ready.5. Two slaves helped him stand up and

immediately he fell down dead.6. He bathed and had dinner. 7. A rain of rocks was coming down.

2 4 3 1 6 7 5

Read the passage carefully again, put the following sentences in a proper order:

Retell the story according to the action of Young Pliny’s uncle.

What happened

The eruption of the volcano called Mount Vesuvius.

On the 24th of August in 79 AD in southern Italy.Pliny’s mother drew their attention to a strange cloud rising from a mountain.He decided to go and see it from closer at hand.

Pliny’s uncle sailed to rescue his friend’s wife.

Pliny’s uncle went to help his friend Pompy.Pliny’s uncle died in the disaster.

Then

Next

First

Date

Finally

Practice

earthquakeearthquake

Telling a story

Tell your experience,what happened first, next, then and finally. You may begin your story like this: On the 26th of November in 2005, I …

3.Refer to the following websites to know more about volcano.

http://www.fsyz.com.cn/yanjiu/gta http://www.cpus.gov.cn/zlg/huoshan

1.Go over the “Reading” and find out the useful expressions in it.

Homework

2. Find out some sentences you enjoy most, & try to recite them as possible as you can.

Thank you for Thank you for your your attention.attention.

What can we learn from Pliny? Give facts in the letter.

a. Bravery In face of volcano eruption, Pliny

decided to see it from closer at hand.b. Kindness

He changed his mind to save Rectina b who was in danger.

A lofty heart should face disaster but not escape it, for the former shows the lofty will, while the latter the timid heart.

一颗高尚的心应当承受而不是逃避灾难，因为承受灾难显示了意志的高尚，而逃避显示了内心的怯懦。 — 阿雷蒂诺