Unit 2 Tales of True Love
[Text] WWII Love Letters Telling of Romance and Tragedy
一. 单元学习目标
了解：熟悉关于真爱的主题
理解：课文“二战情书：浪漫悲情”、阅读文章“蝴蝶恋人”的内容。
掌握：运用本单元的语言点和表达法谈论有关爱情的话题；信件的格式；如何写信。
应用：用英文讲述爱情的故事。
二. 学习任务
1. Lead-in Video and Discussion
Watch the video and finish the following questions for discussion.
2. Text Study
(1) Vocabulary: (课本P38-40页的词汇表）
(a) Listen to the new words and expressions
romance /rəʊˈmæns/ n. 爱情，浪漫
tragedy /ˈtrædʒɪdɪ/ n. 悲剧
exchange /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/ v. give to and receive from one another 交换
bring oneself to do sth. force oneself to do sth. 强迫或促使自己做某事
retire /rɪˈtaɪə/ v. 退休
retired a. no longer active in one’s work or profession 退休的
correspondence /ˌkɒrɪˈspɒndəns/ n. communication by exchange of letters; letters exchanged 通信，往来书信
overwhelm /ˌəʊvəˈwelm/ vt. overcome completely in mind or feeling 压倒，使难以承受
dominate /ˈdɒmɪneɪt/ v. be in control 控制，支配
toddler n. 幼儿；学步孩童
darling /ˈdɑːlɪŋ/ n.（用作称呼）亲爱的，宝贝
of late in the recent past 近来，最近
continually /kənˈtɪnjuəlɪ/ ad. without stopping 不停地；频繁地
long /lɒŋ/ vi. 渴望，极想
long for want very much 渴望，盼望
by the day every day 一天天地
realization /ˌriəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/ n. coming to understand sth. clearly and distinctly 认识，领会
growth /ɡrəʊθ/ n. the process of growing 生长，成长
invasion /ɪnˈveɪʒən/ n. 入侵；侵犯
assault /əˈsɔːlt/ n. a sudden violent attack 攻击；袭击
someday /ˈsʌmdeɪ/ ad. at some unspecified time in the future 有朝一日；某天
will /wɪl/ n. 希望；意愿
bow v. 鞠躬；弯腰
bow to give in to 屈从，顺从
quarterback /ˈkwɔːtəbæk/ n. （美式足球）（指挥进攻的）四分卫
unflinchingly /ʌnˈflɪntʃɪŋli/ ad. 不畏缩地，毫不畏惧地
bloom /bluːm/ vi. produce or yield flowers 开花；绽放
sympathize /ˈsɪmpəθaɪz/ v. 同情，怜悯
sympathize with feel sorry for 同情，怜悯
count up calculate the total of 加起来，算出…总数
undergo /ˌʌndəˈɡəʊ/ (underwent /ˌʌndəˈwent/, undergone /ˌʌndəˈɡɒn/) vt. go or live through 经受，遭受
hardship /ˈhɑːdʃɪp/ n. a state of misofrtune or affliction 艰难；困苦
compensate /ˈkɒmpənseɪt/ v. 弥补，补偿
compensate for make up for 弥补，补偿损失
endure /ɪnˈdjʊə/ v. put up with (sth. or sb. unpleasant) 忍耐；忍受
separation /ˌsepəˈreɪʃən/ n. the act of pulling apart or the state of being pulled apart 分离，分居
constantly /ˈkɒnstəntli/ ad. continually, persistently 时常地，持续不断地
on hand present and easily available 在场，在附近
impressive /ɪmˈpresɪv/ a. making a strong or vivid impression 令人印象深刻的，引人注目的
bet /bet/ vt. predict (a certain outcome) 敢说，有把握说
postpone /pəʊstˈpəʊn/ vt. delay to a later time 延期；延迟
enjoyment /ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/ n. 享受；享乐；令人愉快的事物
react vi. 反应，作出反应
react to show a response to (sth.) 对…作出反应
lonesome /ˈləʊnsəm/ a. 寂寞的；孤独的
adore /əˈdɔː/ vt. love intensely 热爱，深爱
gaze /ɡeɪz/ vi. 凝视，注视
gaze upon look steadily and intently at 凝视，望着
sentimental /ˌsentɪˈmentəl/ a. 伤感的；多愁善感的
fill … with （使）充满；使满怀（某种情感等）
inescapable /ˌɪnɪˈskeɪpəbəl/ a. 不可避免的；无法逃避的
(b) Language Focus
(2) Text: (P38-40).
Read and listen to the Text.
WWII Love Letters Telling of Romance and Tragedy
Michael E. Ruane
1 It was not until three years after her mother died in 1990 that DeRonda Elliott opened the suitcase containing the letters her parents exchanged during World War II.
2 Despite her mother's urging, she had never been able to bring herself to read them. It was her parents' private story. Her father, Frank, had been killed on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and afterward her mother seldom spoke of him.
3 When Elliott, a retired nurse from Durham, N.C., finally examined the correspondence in 1993, she was overwhelmed.
4 Frank M. Elliott, 23, who had left Georgetown University to join the Army in 1943, wrote from England. Pauline "Polly" Elliott, 24, wrote from their home in New Castle, Pa. Their daughter, DeRonda "Dee," was a toddler.
5 (31 days to D-Day)
May 6, 1944
Dearest Darling,
All day I have been fighting the feeling which has been dominating me of late. I keep continually thinking of home and longing for home in the worst way. All your letters of how beautiful my daughter is becoming by the day. The realization that I am missing all these months and years of her formative growth is actually gnawing at my heart. ...
I love you, Frank
6 (28 days to D-Day)
May 9, 1944
Dearest,
The invasion, I read, is a topic of daily conjecture among the people at home and I guess you are a bit worried. Well, sweetheart, don't worry, please. It is possible I may be a member in the assault but no more possible than that I may someday die. It is God's will darling, to which we must all bow. In prep school we had a quarterback who always ended his pre-game prayers with the addition of the phrase, "Not my will God, but Thine" and so it is sweetheart and so it must always be — we must trust our God unflinchingly, unquestioningly.
I love'em all but Polly best of all —
Frank
7 (17 days to D-Day)
May 20, 1944
Darling,
Dad sent a fellow today to fix up our yard and he really did a super job — it looks nice. All the spring flowers are beginning to bloom now and the sight of them just increases my longing for you. ... Sometimes I sympathize with myself by counting up the months since I've seen you — and because they are too many — nearly eight now — I feel very, very sorry for myself. ... Really dear, I try not to feel sorry for me, you are the one who is undergoing all the hardship. I have Dee who in herself is enough to compensate for anything. Without her, I don't see how I would endure this separation. Yet constantly, darling, all of me longs for you. It can't be much longer now, sweetheart.
I love you, Polly
8 (10 days to D-Day)
May 27, 1944
Hi Darling,
... Darn it darling, I would certainly like to be on hand when Dee goes to see her first movie. Take her to Youngstown, Pittsburgh or Cleveland to one of those theatres with a long impressive lobby with candy counters and attractive posters. I'll bet she will love it. Don't postpone her enjoyment till I come home, but let me know how she reacts to all the glamour of Hollywood's productions. ...
Frank
9 (9 days to D-Day)
May 28, 1944
Darling —
Here it is Sunday again — Sunday night. I think this is the most lonely time of the whole week for me. I am so darn lonesome for you, Frank darling. Oh I’m not the only one and I know it — there are millions just like me, wishing with all the strength of their hearts and minds for the return of peace and loved ones. — Dee is sleeping on this Sunday night, and the radio is playing old and beautiful music — and I am thinking of the Sunday nights to come when you will be listening to such music with me.
I adore you, Polly
10 (1 day to D-Day)
June 5, 1944
Darling,
... This is a beautiful summer evening, darling. I am sitting at the kitchen table from which place by merely lifting my head and looking out the window I can gaze upon a truly silvery, full moon. It's beautiful, dear, and it has succeeded in making me very sentimental. The sight of that shining moon up there — the moon that shines on you, too — fills me with romance. The darned old moon keeps shining for us, darling — and even as it now increases that inescapable loneliness, it also increases my confidence in the future. I truly love you ...
Polly
11 (D-Day)
June 6, 1944
Frank M. Elliott was killed.
Culture Notes
D-Day: The day of the Normandy landings, which refers to the landing operation on June 6, 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II. The operation began the liberation of German-occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control, and contributed to the Allied victory on the Western Front. 诺曼底登陆日，即1944年6月6日，诺曼底战役打响之日。这是第二次世界大战中盟军在欧洲西线战场发起的一场大规模攻势。诺曼底战役是目前为止世界上最大的一次海上登陆作战，近三百万士兵渡过英吉利海峡前往法国诺曼底。诺曼底登陆的成功预示着纳粹德国即将覆灭。
课文译文
(3) Vocabulary Exercises
