Unit 4 The Virtual World
Text A A Virtual World
While--reading
I. Warm-up Questions
1. What are the antonyms and synonyms of “virtual world”?
2. What can we do on the Internet?
II. Computer-related Vocabulary
cyber-: cyber-interaction, cybernut, cyberpet
net-: netsurf, nethead, netcast
web-: web page, website
e-: e-card, e-cash, e-business, e-book
III. Discussion
Form groups to discuss The pros and cons of virtual life.
(Pros: Group 1-3; Cons: Group 4-6)
While--reading
I. Part Division of the Text
| Parts | Para(s). | Main Ideas |
| 1 | 1-3 | Description of the author’s virtual life. |
| 2 | 4-10 | Her feeling about the virtual life. |
| 3 | 11-13 | Her effort of returning to the real world and her feeling about the real world. |
Ⅱ. Questions about the Text
1. What is the main idea of Text A?
(=Despite the manynegative effects of virtual life, the author prefers it to real life.)
2. What are the roles of the first paragraphand the last?
(=The first paragraphtells about the consequences of living a virtual life and the last tells aboutthe author's return to it. Together, they show us the dilemma people are in at present : Because of modern technology, we have a choice between a virtual life and real life, but we find both unsatisfactory. The author, however, finally has to choose the latter despite its negative effects.)
3. Word Scanning
Scan Text A to find outvocabulary items related to computer and the Internet.
Ⅲ. Further Understanding
For Part I: Questions and Answers
1. What did the author do three years ago andwhat is she doing now?
2. How does the author manage her daily life?
For Part II: Multiple Choice
Read Part 2carefully and choose ONE best answer to complete the sentence.
1. How does the author feel when she is suddenly confronted with people in the real world?
A) She feels shy.
B) She feels angry.
C) She feels cautious.
D) She feelsoverexcited
2. How does the author behave on line?
A) She is friendly.
B) She is humorous.
C) She is bad-tempered.
D) She is talkative.
3. Why does the author fight her boyfriend on net sometimes?
A) Because they haven’t seen each other for a longtime.
B) Because their typed dialogue lack emotional cuesand she misinterprets it.
C) Because he doesn’t love her any longer.
D) Because he doesn’t send e-mails to herfrequently.
4. What does the author think the daily routine is?
A) Dressing for work.
B) Work with colleagues at the office.
C) Sleeping normal hours.
D) All the above.
For Part III: True or False
1. The author tries toat least get to the gym in order to keep fit. (F)
(=The author tries toat least get to the gym, so that she may set apart the weekend from the rest ofher week.)
2. The author can get used to the real world very well. (F)
(=She finds that sometimes being face to face is too much.)
3. The author can't bear her friend's laughter and the noise in the restaurant. (T)
4. The author can't make a choice between the real world and the virtual one. (F)
(=She finally chooses the virtual world.)
Detailed Reading
Ⅰ. Difficult Sentences
1. (p.5) And once you start replacing real human contact with cyber-interaction, coming back out of the cave can be quite difficult.
1) What does “cyber-interaction” mean?
(=“Cyber-” is a prefix which means “of the computer”.“Cyber-interaction” means the contact with the computer.)
2) What does “cave” here refer to?
(=“Cave” here refers figuratively to the isolated life of the virtual world.)
3) Paraphrase the second part of the sentence.
(=Returning to normal society from the isolated life of the virtual world can be quite a problem.)
2. (P.7) Work moves into the background.
1) What does this sentence mean?
(=It means work becomes less important.)
2) Why does work become less important?
(=Because in my mind’s eye, communicating with the real world has become more important at that time.)
Ⅱ. Words and Expressions
1. (title) virtual: adj.
1) created and existing only in a computer
*I can visit a virtual store and put what Iwant in my basket at the click of a mouse button.
*Some people spend too much time escapingfrom reality into the virtual world conjured up on their computer screens.
2) almost what is stated; infact though not in name
*The officials hear this kind of talk invirtual silence.
*国王处处都受王后的影响，以至于王后成了国家实际上的统治者。
(=The king was so much underthe influence of his wife that she was the virtual ruler of the country.)
2. (P. 1) interpret: v.
1) understand (sth. said, ordered, or done)
*The gift is generally interpreted as abribe.
*She made a gesture, which he chose tointerpret as an invitation.
2) give or provide the meaning of, explain
诗有助于阐述人生的意义。(=Poetry helps to interpret life.)
*The evidence is difficult to interpret.
3) translate what is said in one language into another
(=No one in the tour group spoke Spanishso we had to ask the guide to interpret.)
3. (P. 1) stretch: v. (cause to) become longer, wider, etc. withoutbreaking
*My wool coat stretched when I washed it.
*The child stretched the rubber band to itsfull extent.
*你已经使我忍无可忍了。(=You are stretching my patience tolimit.)
4. (P. 2) submit: vt.
1) give (sth.) to sb. so that it may be formally considered
*I am going to submit an application for thatjob in Microsoft.
*Peter submitted his application to the localgovernment.
2) yield (oneself); agree to obey
*Should a wife submit herself to her husband?
*We should submit ourselves to discipline.
Collocation:
submit oneself to 甘受, 服从
submit to 服从于；把…提交给…
submit willingly 心悦诚服
5. (P. 4) take in:
1) receive, admit
2) include
3) make (clothes) narrower
4) understand
5) deceive
6) see at a glance; see at once
Match the above definitionswith the sentences below.
1. The dress was too big, so I took it in. (=3)
2. I didn’t take in what you were saying. (=4)
3. She took in every detail of the other woman’s clothes. (=6)
4. Do you mean we should get rid of the stale and take in the fresh? (=1)
5.Don’t be taken in by her promises (=5)
6.This is the total cost of the trip, taking in everything. (=2)
Collocation:
take after 仿效，跟随；相象，在相貌、脾气或性格上相似
take apart 拆开
take back 收回（所说的或所写的事）
take down 拿下，放下
take for 把…视作；误认为
take off 脱掉（衣服等）；起飞
take on 从事；开始对付：
take out 取出；弄走
take over 接管
take up 举起；再次开始
6. (P. 10) abuse:
I. n.1) wrong or excessive use
*the abuse of power
*alcohol abuse
2) cruel treatment
*The abuse of the helpless prisoner made him bitter.
*human rights abuses
II. vt.1) put to wrong use; use badly
*He abused his privileges in activitiesoutside his official capacity.
*他辜负了我对他的信任。(=He has abused my confidence in him.)
2) do cruel things to (a person or animal) (=I won’t allow you to abuse that dog.)
*The arrested men have been physically abused.
7. (P. 11) interview:
1. n. 1) meeting at which ajournalist asks sb. questions in order to find out their news
*In an exclusive interview with ourreporter, the film star revealed some of his personal affairs.
*Radio interviews are generally morerelaxed than television ones.
2) formal meeting at which sb.applying for a job is asked questions, as a way of judging how suitable theyare
*I have been asked to go for an interview fora project I applied for at Harvard University.
*She has had a couple of jobinterviews, but no offers.
2. vt. ask questions of (somebody) in an interview
*As a journalist, he interviewed manygovernment officials.
*I will be interviewed next week for thechief Executive’s job.
Collocation:
givean interview to sb. 接见某人
havean interview with sb. 会见某人
jobinterviews （对申请工作者的)口头审查)
After Reading
Ⅰ. Useful Expressions
1. 一周中的最好时光 highlight of the week
2. 投稿 submit articles
3. 有时 at times
4. 对…感到厌恶 feel an aversion to
5. 社交方式 forms of socializing
6. 缺乏自律 a lack of discipline
7. 网络交际 cyber-interaction
8. 面对 be confronted with
9. 穿着得体 be dressed appropriately
10. 广告令…心烦 be jarred by the commercials
11. 工作成了次要的。 Work moves into the background.
12. 坏脾气 bebad-tempered
13. 在此状态下 inthis state
14. 日常事务 daily routine
15. 依赖 rely on
16. 长期失业 long-term unemployment
17. 吸毒 drug abuse
18. 恢复平衡 restore balance
19. 将…与…区分开 set apart…from…
20. 面对面 face to face
21. 找借口 make an excuse
