Unit 4
Astronomy: the science of the stars
教材分析和教材重组
教材分析
本单元的主要内容是边缘科学、地球生命的起源，万有引力、黑洞和太空旅行等天文学知识。通过本单元的学习，培养学生对科学的兴趣，激发学生探究科学的热情。
1. Warming Up部分共有三组问题，第一组问题引导学生讨论边缘科学(Frontier Science)，即以两种或多种学科为基础而发展起来的科学。例如，生物化学是以生物学和化学为基础的边缘科学。第二组问题探讨科学研究的方法。第三组问题让学生思考要成为真正的科学家所必须掌握的技能。
2. Pre-reading部分主要让学生弄清楚什么是科学思想，什么是宗教信仰或文化传统。学生总喜欢听故事或讲故事，在探讨生命的起源的科学道理之前，让学生交流一下有关宇宙的起源的种种传说，既有趣味性，又能调动学生的相关知识，激活学生的思维。
3. Reading部分讲述了地球上生命的起源。水的形成使得地球有别与其他星球，它使得地球上生命的诞生成为可能。科学家认为，地球上的生命首先诞生于水中，上百万年后，陆地上才长出绿色植物，随后出现了陆栖动物和水陆两栖动物。最初的动物靠孵化繁衍后代，后来出现了哺乳动物，人类也随之诞生了。文章最后讲述的现象发人深省：The earth may become too hot for the lives on it.它关系到地球上生命的未来。
4. Comprehending部分通过四个选择填空题检测学生对本文核心问题的理解：地球上生命的起源和延续需要哪些条件?随后通过排序的方式帮助学生弄清本文的行文线索，也就是地球上生命的起源和发展历程。最后提出两个问题，考查学生的深层理解和推断能力。
5. Learning about Language部分首先通过英文解释帮助理解课文中的生词，然后，通过短文填空、词语分类等形式将这些词语用于一个相关的情境中。语法部分也是采用先发现后应用的学习方法。先通过到课文中找句子，让学生认识主语从句，然后，设置一个用手机发短信息的情境，让学生进行简单句与主语从句之间的转换练习。最后设置情境来复习第三单元出现的表语从句。
6. Using Language部分综合训练听说读写的能力。听力部分的内容介绍三位科学巨匠，不仅通过听力填表的形式训练学生捕捉细节的能力，还通过四选一的形式帮助学生找主题思想。在解释对与错的过程中，教师可以适当地介绍一下概括主题的方法。阅读部分是一个科幻小故事，通过“我”和“我的朋友”乘宇宙飞船登月球的经历，介绍了重量、失重和地球引力等科学道理。说和写部分以Visiting the moon为话题，要求学生讨论登月球需要携带的物品和在月球上可能遇到的困难，并要求学生找出克服这些困难的方法。教师可以根据课本上的提示，向学生介绍“先分述后总结”的写作方法。提出问题的解决方案时，要求学生选用适当的“指示”用语。
教材重组
1. 将Warming Up，Pre-reading，Reading与Comprehending整合在一起上一节“阅读课”。
2. 将Learning about Language和Workbook的using words and expressions及using structures整合在一起上一节“语言学习课”。
3. 将Using Language设计为一节包括听说读写在内的“综合技能课（一）”。
4. 将Workbook的READING AND LISTENING和TALKING结合在一起上一节“听说课”。
5. 将Workbook的LISTENING TASK，READING AND WRITING TASK和SPEAKING TASK设计为一节“综合技能课（二）”。
课时分配
1st Period Reading
2nd Period Language study
3rd Period Integrating skills(Ⅰ)
4th Period Listening and Speaking
5th Period Integrating skills(Ⅱ)
Part 1: Teaching Design
(第一部分：教学设计)
Period 1: A sample lesson plan for reading
(HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH)
Aims
To develop the students’ reading ability
To learn something about astronomy
Procedures
I. Warming up by learning vocabulary
Good morning, class! Today, w are going to take Unit 4 Astronomy: the science of the stars. Before we read the text, let’s turn to page 99 and get familiarized with the vocabulary first. Pay attention to the making of the word. Study the prefixes, roots and suffixes in the words.
Astronaut Yang Liwei
II. Pre-reading
1. Looking and saying
Have you ever wondered how the universe began? Well I'm sure you may have many answers to this question, but I have one that perhaps, you may not have heard of yet. I will be giving you my theory on this subject. Now look at the screen and listen to me telling you something exciting.
科学家透露：宇宙可能有两个
我们的宇宙和一个"隐藏的"宇宙共同"镶嵌"在"五维空间"中。在我们的宇宙早期，这两个宇宙发生了一次相撞事故，相撞产生的能量生成了我们宇宙中的物质和能量。
2. Talking and sharing
Do you know how the universe began?
In the 1920s in California, astronomer Edwin Hubble observed distant galaxies using an extremely powerful telescope. He made two mind-boggling(unbelievable) discoveries.
First, Hubble figured out that the Milky Way isn’t the only galaxy. He realized that faint, cloud-like objects in the night sky are actually other galaxies far, far away. The Milky Way is just one of billions of galaxies.
Second, Hubble discovered that the galaxies are constantly moving away from each other. In other words, the universe is expanding. The biggest thing that we know about is getting bigger all the time.
A few years later, Belgian astronomer Georges Lema?tre used Hubble‘s amazing discoveries to suggest an answer to a big astronomy question: “How did the universe begin?”
III. Reading
1. Listening and reading aloud
Now please listen to the recording and then read the text aloud. Pay attention to how the native speaker is reading along and where the pauses are within each sentence. I will play the tape twice and you shall read aloud twice, too.
Reading and underlining
Next you are to read and underline all the useful expressions or collocations in the passage. Copy them into your notebook after class as homework.
Collocations from HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH
a cloud of energetic dust具有能量的尘埃, combine into…合成……, move around the sun环绕太阳运转, become violent变得激烈, the solid surface固体表面, explode loudly猛烈爆炸, in time及时，最终, produce the water vapor产生水蒸汽, make the earth’s atmosphere构成了地球的大气层, cool down冷却, on the surface在表面, be different from…与……不同, go round the sun环绕太阳运转, disappear from…从……消失, stay on…存留在……, show one’s quality显现某人的特性, dissolve harmful gases分解，溶解有害气体, become part of…变成……的一部分, develop life发展生命, grow in the water在水里生长, fill… with…用……来填充……，充满了……, encourage the development of…鼓励……的发展, millions of years later几万年以后, live on land在陆地上生活, live in the sea在海里生存, grow into forests长成森林, produce young生出幼仔, lay eggs下蛋, animals with hands and feet长着手脚的动物, spread all over the earth遍布全世界, develop new methods发展了新的方法, grow food种植, move around迁徙, go by过去，推移, take care of…在意……，照看好……, put…into…把……带入，放入……, prevent…from…防止……做……, escape from… into…从……逃离到……, become hot变热, depend on….依靠，依赖，取决与……, solve a problem解决一个问题
3. Reading and understanding difficult sentences
Skim the text and identify the difficult sentences of each paragraph. You may put your hand up if you have any questions.
4. Reading and transferring information
Read the text again to complete the table below,
HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH
What was the earth like after the “Big Bang”?
Why was the earth different?
How was life developed on earth?
What did small clever animals do?
Reading and translating
As you have read the text times, you can surely put it into Chinese. Wang Hongqin, will you be the first to have a try, of putting the first paragraph into Chinese.
IV. Closing down
Closing down by doing exercises
To end the lesson you are to do the comprehending exercises 2 and 3 on pages 26 and 27.
Closing down by having a discussion—How Did the Universe Begin? There are only three possible answers to this question.
1．It was created by something larger than itself since the first law of thermodynamics(热力学) says that energy cannot be created, only changed.
The universe had to be created by something outside itself, because of the same law. We also know that man could not have created it.
2．It was begun by chance (or accident); or
3．The answer is not sure.
Shown this way, the question is:
Additional Materials
Complete the summary of the story with one word in each blank.
HOW LIFE BEGAN ON THE EARTH
After the “Big Bang” came a 1 of energetic dust, the earth. Dust combined into a ball, moving 2 the sun. The earth became violent. Then it 3 loudly. In time, the water vapor was produced, making the earth’s atmosphere 4 down. Water then appeared on the 5 . The earth was to be different from other planets going round the 6 . Water disappeared from other planets. But it stayed on 7 .
Small plants began developing 8 the water.
Years later green plants came into 9 . The air then was 10 with oxygen.
Millions of years later, small 11 animals were found to be living on the 12 , in the sea. They spread all over the earth, moving 13 the earth, putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which 14 heat from escaping from earth into space.
In the end the earth may become too hot to live 15 .
（Keys: 1. cloud 2. around 3. exploded 4. cool 5. surface 6. sun 7. earth 8. in 9. being 10. filled 11. clever 12. land 13. around 14. prevents 15. upon）
Comprehension questions
What forms the earth’s atmosphere?
A. Carbon dioxide, oxygen. B. Carbon dioxide, oxygen, poisonous gas.
Water vapour, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen.
Water vapour, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and other gases.
Can you tell what is the “special qualities” of the earth according to the passage?
A. The earth goes around the sun. B. The earth was solid shape which was last.
C. There are animals and human beings live on it. D. Water remains on the surface of the earth.
What kind of factor improve the progress of life?
A. Water forms on the earth’s surface. B. Green plants began to appear on land.
The air is full of carbon dioxide. D. Animals began to appear such as insects, amphibians, est.
What is the main idea of this passage?
A. It tells us how does life begin to appear on the earth.
B. It tells us why does green plants grow before animals.
It tells us water plays an important role in the development of life.
D. It tells us carbon dioxide is the reason why living beings will die in the future,
The author infers us that if we want to the life continue on the earth, what should we do?
A. We should produce more carbon dioxide to cause global warming.
B. We should solve the problem of global warming as soon as possible.
C. We should bear less people and think about a new way to grow more crops.
D. We should be worthy of water.
(Key: DDBAB)
Notes to some difficult sentences
1. After the “Big Bang ” the earth was just a cloud of energetic dust.随着“轰隆”一声巨响，地球就成为一个云团，充满着具有能量的尘埃。
Big Bang(big-bang cosmology) 大爆炸宇宙学。
2. It exploded loudly with fire and rock, which were in time to produce the water vapour, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and other gases, which were to make the earth’s atmosphere. 它（地球）巨大的爆炸喷出了烈火与岩石，最终产生了水蒸汽、二氧化碳、氧、氮和其他多种气体，从而形成了地球的大气层。
in time: sooner or later; eventually 迟早；最后。
I’ll see him in time. 总有一天我会遇见他。
in time(for sth/ to do sth) : not late 及时；不迟。
She will be back in time to prepare dinner. 她来得及回来准备晚饭。
in/out of time: in/not in the correct time 合/不合节怕。
The audience clapped in time to the music. 观众合着音乐的节拍拍手。
（sth）be to (do): (something) will definitely happen, or it must happen 不可避免要发生或必须发生。
They said goodbye, little knowing that they were never to meet again. 他们彼此说了再见，几乎不知道再也不可能见面了。
She is to be honored for this great work. 她（一定）会因这部著作而获得荣誉。
Mr. Clark said to his daughter, “You are to be home by 10 o’clock at the latest.” 克拉克先生对他的女儿说：“你必须在10点之前到家。”
3. Nobody knew that it was going to be different from other planets going round the sun. 谁也不知道地球会别于环绕太阳运转的其它行星。
（sb/sth）be different from: not like someone or something else in one or more ways 与……不同。
City life is quite different from country life. 都市生活与乡村生活是非常不同的。
注意：（1）强调different时用very, much, quite, entirely, totally等词。（2）有时，美语口语中用than，英语口语中用to来代替from。
going round the sun 为现在分词短语，作定语，表示一般的动作。例如：
Men breaking the law will be punished.
Men who break the law will be punished. 违法的人要受到处罚。
现在分词短语作定语，也可以表示进行的动作。例如：
Can you see the girl dancing with your boyfriend?
Can you see the girl who is dancing with her boyfriend? 你能看见与男友跳舞的那个姑娘吗？
4. It allowed the earth to dissolve harmful gases, which had become part of the earth’s atmosphere, into the oceans and seas. 它使地球把曾经存在于大气层中的有害气体溶解在海洋里。
allow …to do 允许某人做某事。如：
Her parents won’t allow her to stay out later than 11:00 in the evening. 她父母不允许她晚上在外逗留超过11点。
Please allow me to explain that I did not have any idea about his arrangement. 请允许我解释，我事先不知道他的安排。
但要注意：“准许做某事”应当是allow doing 不是allow to do。如：
They shouldn’t allow parking in this street. It’s too narrow. 他们不应该允许在这条街上停车，街道太窄了。
Walking on the grass is not allowed. 不许踩踏草坪。
5. This encouraged the development of early shellfish and all sorts of fish. 这为早期贝类及其他各种鱼类的发育进一步创造了条件。
encourage 鼓励；促进；怂恿
Father encouraged him to study physics but he prefers maths.父亲鼓励他学物理，但他更喜欢数学。
He encouraged me to learn dancing. 他鼓励我去学跳舞。
名词后缀-ment加在动词之后表示：
1)行为，例如：argument, betterment, development, treatment.
2)结果，例如：arrangement, statement, settlement.
3) 工具，例如：instrument, pavement.
6. They produced young generally by laying eggs. 它们一般是通过孵蛋而繁衍后代的。
by doing 用于说明做某事的手段，方式。如：
I don’t think she can help him by just giving him money. 我认为她光靠给钱是帮不了他的。
He used to make his living by painting. 他以前是靠画画为生。
7.They are putting too much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which prevents heat from escaping from the earth into space.他们把过多的二氧化碳释放到大气层中，这使得地球上的热不能释放到太空中去。
prevent …from doing 阻止某人做某事。如：
His heart trouble did not prevent him (from) going to class the next day. 他的心脏病痛没能阻止他第二天去上课。
Nothing can prevent their plans (from) being carried out. 什么也不能阻止他们的计划得以实施。
8. Whether life will continue on the earth for millions of years to come will depend on whether this problem can be solved. 在未来的数百万年中，生命能否在地球上延续取决于这个问题能否得到解决。
(sth) depend on (sth else): something might only happen or be true if the circumstances are right for it 取决于；决定于。如：
“Will you go fishing this afternoon?” “Well, it all depends on the weather.” “你今天下午去钓鱼吗？” “得看天气。”
for millions of years to come 中不定式to come作定语，与前面的名词之间有逻辑上的主谓关系，例如：
She is the last person to do such a thing. 她是最不像做这种事的人。
【高考链接】
主语从句
一、由what（whatever，whoever）等代词引导的主语从句。
What they are after is money. 他们追求的是金钱。
Whatever was said here must be kept secret. 这里说的话都应当保密。
二、由连词that引导的主语从句。其中that一般不可省略，但若用it作形式主语， that从句后置时，则可省略。为避免头重脚轻，我们倾向用it开头，后接be，seem等。如果句子是疑问形式，就只能用带it的结构。
That money doesn't grow on trees should be obvious.
金钱不能从树上长出来是显而易见的。
It is obvious（that）money doesn't grow on trees .显而易见，金钱是不能从树上长出来的。
Has it been announced when the planes are to take off？飞机什么时候起飞宣布了没有？
注意：
1）选用what还是用that引导主语从句要根据关联词在从句中是否担任成分而定。且what（以及whatever，whoever等）引导的主语从句一般不用it作形式主语。
What he said is true.他说的是真的。（what在其引导的主语从句中作宾语。）
That China is a great socialist country is well known.（=It’s well known that…）众所周知，中国是一个伟大的社会主义国家。（that在其引导的主语从句中不作任何成分，也无词义，只起连接作用。）
2）it引导的强调句与it作形式主语的复合句不可混淆。it引导的强调句是用来对句中某一成分加以强调，其结构为：“It is（或was）+强调部分+that（或who）…”强调句去掉It is（或was）…that（或who）…框架后，剩余部分为一个完整的句子。
It was I that(who) met Mary in the street yesterday.是我昨天在街上遇见了玛丽。(强调主语)
3）常见的用it作形式主语的复合句结构：
*It is+形容词（necessary，strange，important，wonderful，possible，likely，等）+that从句，从句中常用虚拟语气。
It’s necessary that he write something in English.他用英语写点东西是必要的。
It’s strange that she did not go to school yesterday.奇怪的是她昨天没去上学。
*It is+名词（a fact，a pity ，no wonder，good news，等）+that从句
It's a pity that she should have said so.真遗憾她竟然会这么说。
*It is+过去分词（said，reported，decided，unknown等）+that从句
Its said that our English teacher will go abroad next week.据说我们英语老师下周要去出国。
*It +不及物动词（seems，appears，happens， matters等）+that从句
It seems that she is in great need of help.看来她急帮忙。
4）主语为从句时，一般要用单数谓语动词形式；但如果引导的从句作主语、代表复数概念（常可从表语上看出）时，谓语动词则常用复数形式：
What we need is water. 我们需要的是水。
What we need are useful books. 我们需要的是有用的书。
三、由连接代词或连接副词（或if, whether）引导的主语从句。
When they will come hasn't been made public.他们什么时候回来还没有宣布。
Whether I’ll attend the meeting hasn’t been decided.=It hasn’t been decided whether(if) I’ll attend the meeting.我是否参加会议还未决定。
【高考链接】
1 ._____we’ll go camping tomorrow depends on the weather.
A. If B.Whether C.That D.Where
2.______she couldn't understand was____fewer and fewer students showed interest in her lessons.
A .What；why B.That；what C.What；because D.Why；that
3._____ leaves the room last ought to turn off the light.
A.Anyone B.The person C.Whoever D.Who
4.These wild flowers are so special I would do____I can to save them
A.whatever B.that C.which D.whichever
5. It is pretty well understood _____ controls the flow of carbon dioxide in and out the atmosphere today.
A. that B. when C. what D. how
6.___we can’t get seems better than ____we have.
A. What; what B. What; that C. That; that D. That; what
7. _______ team wins on Saturday will go through to the national championships.
A. No matter what B. No matter which C. Whatever D. Whichever
8. ______ makes this shop different is that it offers more personal services.
A. What B. Who C. Whatever D. Whoever
9. After Yang Liwei succeeded in circling the earth, ______ our astronauts desire to do is to walk in space.
A. where B. what C. that D. how
10. ______ in the regulations that you should not tell other people the password of your e-mail account.
A. What is required B. What requires C. It is required D. It requires
【巩固练习】
1．____studies hard will pass the exam.
A. Whoever B. Any student C. Who D. Those who
2.____the workers insisted on was that they ____more pay.
A. That; must be given B. What; be given C. Whether; would be given D. What; should give
3.____he will be sent to Hainan is certain.
A. Why B. Whether C. That D. How
4---You look so worried, what has happened?
----It worries me ____I’ve hurt him.
A. if B. which C .what D. whether
5.____he said at the meeting astonished everybody present.
A. What B. That C .The fact D. The matter
6.Does ____ matter if he can’t finish the job on time?
A .this B. that C .he D. it
7. ____breaks the law should be punished.
A. Anyone B. Whoever C. He D. .Whatever
8. ____I accept the gift or refuse it is none of your business.
A. If B. Whether C. Even if D. When
9. ____said that was wrong.
A. Who B. Whoever C. Anybody D. Everybody
10. _____ is unknown to us all.
A. Where did he get it B. Where he got it
C. That where he got D. Which he got it
11.____has helped to save the drowning girl is worth praising.
A. Who B. The one C. Anyone D. Whoever
12. It worried her a bit ____her shoes were worn out.
A．while B. that C. if D. for
13．I read about it in some book or other，does it matter____it was？
A. Where B. what C. how D. which
14．____ is a fact that English is being accepted as an international language
A. There B. This C. That D. It
15．I found ____strange that she didn't show any interest in it.
A . that B. what C. it D. which
【汉译英】
1. 澳大利亚出产羊毛。
2. 父亲把零钱放进钱包。
3. 他们敏捷的行动阻止了火势蔓延。
4. 你不能永远依赖你的双亲。
5. 我们初次见面到如今已有好多年了。
【答案及解析】
【高考链接】
1. B 因谓语动词depends on，说明go camping这件事尚未确定。主语从句在句首时，不用if，故用whether。
2. A 本句兼考查主语从句与表语从句。
3. C 此题中有两个不是并列的动词谓语，而Anyone和The person不是连接代词，也不是关系代词，所以先排除A和B；又whoever=the person who,故选C.
4. A 本句考查“do what one can（do）”这一句型。用whatever代what语气更强。
5. C what引导主语从句，在从句中做主语，it是形式主语；that引导主语从句时，只起引导作用，不作任何成分。
6. A 主语从句we can’t get后缺宾语，故需用what；而than后分句也缺宾语，仍需用what。
7. D 根据句子结构可知本题考查名词性从句用法，故A、B项排除；whatever与whichever的不同之处在于前者没有范围而后者有范围，而本句中所表达的是在本周六参加比赛的获胜队，是有范围的，故D项正确。
8 A what引导主语从句，在主语从句中作主语。表语从句部分是说明该商店与众不同的具体内容，并未指人，因此排除B、D两项；whatever：anything that … 意为“……的任何事物”，不合句意，故排除。
9. B 根据题干中的…to do is…可知主语从句中缺少主语，而选项中能作主语从句主语的只有what。
10. C 此句中it作形式主语，代替后面的that从句，而且that从句内容与require构成被动关系，故C项正确。
【巩固练习】
1.A 2B. 3C 4D 5A 6D 7B 8 B 9 B 10B 11D 12B 13D 14D 15C
【汉译英】
1. Australia produces wool.
2. The father put the small change into the wallet.
3. Their prompt actions prevented the fire from spreading.
4. You can’t depend on your parents forever.
5. Many years have gone by since we first met.
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