Unit 4 Extraterrestrials Text A The Watery Place

1. Unit 4 Extraterrestrials Text A The Watery Place • Pre-reading Tasks • Pre-Questions • Comprehension Questions • Language Points • Related Knowledge • Text Structure • Translation

2. Summary: The text is a science fiction, which narrates the unsuccessful visit of two Venusians to the earth and its consequence. The story takes place at an isolated small town named Twin Gulch. The sheriff there was a hot-tempered person, who got especially fidgeted at his tax form. "I ", the deputy of the sheriff, witnessed the landing of a flying saucer and the arrival of two extraterrestrials through the window. The extraterrestrials entered "our" office to visit Cameron and requested that "we" join their organization, only to receive rude refusal and sarcasm from Cameron. They, therefore, vowed not to return for ever. It was too late when "I" told Cameron the truth.

3. Writing Style: This story is a narration. At its beginning, by stating the result, the author created a suspense, thus arousing the interest of the readers. Then the author employs flashback to narrate what has happened in a chronological order as they actually happen. Though the plots have ups and downs, the development of the whole story is clear and the structure orderly, which displays superior skills of the author in discourse. The story is written in the third person, which adds to its trueness and objectivity.

4. What's more, the author skillfully employs language to reveal the personality and image of the characters. Cameron's sentences are short, and full of colloquial and informal words, which reveals that he was careless, hot-tempered and stupid. The sentences spoken by the extraterrestrials are long, and the words they used are formal, refined and precise, which displays their sincere attitudes towards their promise. The depiction of the characters by the author through their language leads to a reasonable end as it is in the story.

5. Answers to questions about Text A, Unit 4 • Line 2, will ever中的ever与前面的no搭配起never的作用。后面——at least, any more，是省略句，应为no extraterrestrials will ever land on Earth any more. • Line 3, I’m not just being a pessimist中being是used to give the reason for sth.的意思，just起强调作用。 • Line 5, All on a account of a ridiculous error=all because of a ridiculous error. • Line 8, …and you’ll have to …这里用一般将来时针对的是读者，指的是读者阅读时——现在。 • Line 15, …let a taxman work on the forms with him,这里with是介词，“和……一起”的意思。 • Line 16, a bitter man, 这里bitter有feeling angry, jealous, and upset because you think you have been treated unfairly.

6. Line 19, was backed up against, back是vt.，词组意为“to provide support or help for sb. or sth.”，against有something touches, hits or rubs a surface的意思。 • Line 21, hit the sack: (old-fashioned, informal) go to bed • Line 22, …real steady…的意思是constantly，real是副词。前面keep on后加n.或doing sth. • Line 25, rocket exhausts这里exhausts是名词 • Line 28 I couldn’t choke or point所在的这一段中所有的句子都是用来表现“I”在那一刻呆住了，什么事情（不管是自主的还是不自主的事情）都做不了了。 • Line 34, They had on black shoes and black hats…这里have…on是“穿……”的意思，因为宾语太长因而将它后置。 • Line 36, five foot ten apiece，“每个都有五英尺十英寸高”，也写作five feet ten • Line 45, All I got’s a wife原句应为all that I got is a wife.

7. Line 54, You could see the light break in on Cameron重点理解其中the light，其意为“（singular, literary）an expression in someone’s eyes that show an emotion or intention。 • Line 55, go much for sth./sb.=like sth./sb. very much • Line 62, the 23rd paragraph, “We would like to have you make (make sb. do sth.) immediate arrangements for (我们之前学习过动词词组arrange for的名词形式，这里后面跟要安排的人物) the important men of your USA, (as you call it是插入语), （这里省略的是前面的important men of your USA）to be brought here (后面跟的是来这里的目的，用for连接)for discussions （discussion的具体内容是leading to your people joining our great organization）.”这一句话比较拗口是因为说话人是”外星人“的缘故。 • Line 70, pushed the chair out from under me介词from后面可以再跟一个介词短语 • Line 73，if they will help这里的help是vi.，这是常用的一句话，“如果他们帮得上忙的话”。 • Line 74, went to pieces…意思是if sb. goes to pieces, he is so upset or nervous that he lose control of himself and cannot do what he should do.

8. Line 76, If you don’t get (the hell,插入语，粗口) out of here. • Line 84-85，to be left alone与前面的you really wish构成一个完整结构。 • Line 85, with great intensity中intensity有the quality of being serious and having very strong feelings or opinions的意思 • Line 85-86, It’s not our way …who do not wish us or it. = It’s not our way…who do not wish us or wish it. • Line 91, …everything they said was so.中so的意思是to be true or correct。 • Line 92, …you see, which Cameron wasn’t,中的which指的是前面listening to them。 • Line 96，…---too late用在此处表示解释说明，破折号表意思转折，用语言的话为but it is too late.。

9. Line 97, for God’s sake有两个意思，1）used when you are telling someone how important it is to do sth. or not to do sth. 2) used to show that you’re angry or annoyed. • Line 100, he being twenty-five pounds…是一个独立主格句。 • Line 113, they talked funny＝they talked in a funny way, 口语中省略了一些。 • Line 119, His eyes got real round“他睁圆了双眼” • Line 122, …the kind anyone could make是前面error的同位语。 • Line 123, Only now…中的only是口语中的连接词，相当于 ‘but’ to give the reason why something is not possible. • Line 125, because he whisper…这里because要联系上一段来理解翻译。 • 关于God，同学们可以通过查字典和平时阅读积累它的搭配用法。

10. Work alone first. What do you look for in an ideal partner? What are your standards in choosing a life companion? From the list below choose EIGHT that you consider to be the most important. Please give your reasons.

11. Good looks A sense of humour Likes children A good listener The same interests Similar intelligence Well-educated Good health Able to cook Ambitious Popular with your friends & family Able to make decisions Has a well-paid job Similar background and religion Patient

12. An Adventure with the ETs It was a shining day. Mary and I were wandering on the beach when we caught sight of a marvelous scene—it seemed that two suns appeared in the sky simultaneously. Then one ‘sun’ moved closed and turned to be a flying saucer. It landed on the beach, softly and quietly, less than one hundred meters from us. Stupid with scare, we stood still, not knowing what to do. When we recovered to wit enough to make a run, it was too late—a hole appeared on the mental giant and three E.T.s came out.

13. “Hello man! Fancy meeting you here!” they called us back. “We are not invaders, but universal travelers. We have covered a distance of 11 light years, from the Big Bear Constellation, to the planet which you call ‘earth’. We find many beautiful things here-you boys and girls, the virous kinds of species, the deep blue ocean, the peculiar phsyognomies, and the like.” “We have kept a distance from you human beings through our observation, in order not to make a disturb. But it is time for us to leave now. We are in great thirst for some memorials. Would you please have a handshake with us, and climb upon the tree and pick us a coconut?”

14. Mary and I were relieved on their sincerity, and we said “yes”. On hearing their introduction, we took an earnest look on them. Their head occupies one of three of their body, with teapot-lardge eyes, but no hair. Their extremity are short and weak, bestrowed with crumbled skins. When I gave out our hands and touched theirs, a sense of joy flew through my body like an electronic shock. It convinced me that they are the emissaries of universal peace. Then I got them several coconuts. They gave a sigh at my reaching high onto the tree, which contributes to my suppose that they are great advanced in technology at the price of degenerated physical capacity. At last they waved goodbye to us, “Longing for your visit!” On these words, the flying saucer took off. Without flames or gas erupted, it soared up and reduced to be like another sun, then cleared away into the sky.

15. Possible new words & expressions: • 1.alien: foreign, unfamiliar, strange. • 2.visitation:(formal)official visit. • 3.galaxy: any of the large systems of stars of outer space.星系 • 4. devastating: very destructive.

16. 5.Andromeda: Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to our own Milky Way Galaxy ,Our Galaxy is thought to look much like Andromeda, Andromeda is frequently referred to as M31.M31 is so distant it takes about two million years for light to reach us from there. 仙女座 6. wimpy: like a weak and timid person. 7.interstellar: between the stars 8.matter: physical substance in general(contrasted with mind or spirit) 9.particle: very small bit or piece of something.微粒，粒子

17. 10.harness: control and use. 11.propulsion: driving something forward or being driven forward. 12. punch: make a hole in something 13.next to: almost

18. The Planets Our solar system has nine planets within it. These planets are : Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto

19. Part II Pre-questions: • 1.Have you ever seen some movies or read some science fictions about ET? If so, tell us about them. • 2.How many planets are there in the Universe? Can you name them? • 3.Do you think there are lives there? And state your reasons.

20. Part III Comprehension questions: • 1.According to the passage, have Aliens ever visited our planet? And list his reasons. • 2.Is it possible for Aliens to visit us? And support yourself . • 3.What obstacles the interstellar space travel?

21. Keys: • 1.There are nine planets in the Universe.They are:Mercury,Venus,Mars, • Jupiter,Saturn,Uranus,Neptune,Pluto and Earth. • 2.The Aliens have never visited our planet.The reasons are in the second paragraph. • 3.It is impossible for Aliens to visit us ,The reasons are in the fourth paragraph. • 4. The answer also lies in the fourth paragraph.

22. Part IV Language points: 1.on account of: (fml) because of • The house is not suitable for an old person on account of all those stairs. • He failed to show up when the time is due on account of his illness. 2. deputy: someone whose job is to help a sheriff in the U.S; the second most important person in a particular organization. • After serious years hard work he was promoted to deputy manager.

23. 3.work up: spend time and effort preparing; produce or develop gradually. Let’s go for a walk to work up an appetite Our plan is to further work up custom for our product. 4.pension: an amount of money paid regularly to someone who can no longer earn money by working. He has been receiving pension for six months.

24. 5.disable: make a person unable to use his/her body properly. The disabled in the army deserve our genuine respect. Nowadays there is a bias against the disabled persons. 6.veteran: person with much or long experience, especially as a soldier. In 1976,many veterans gathered in America, many of whom caught a kind of disease named Legionaire’s disease.

25. 7.complicated: difficult to understand or deal with. The problem is too complicated to understand for a nine-year-old. The new computer is even complicated for an expert to handle. 8.knock off: (informal) stop working, usu, at the end of a day. When do you knock off for supper? I’ll knock off early today cause I have to pick up my son from school.

26. 9.hit the sack: (informal) go to bed. Guys ,time to hit the sack ,lights out! He was worn out today so he hit the sack right after supper. 10.curse real steady: curse, swear, here real steady means “constantly” The tourists who were delayed by the annoying weather cursed it silently.

27. 11.go over: examines the details of; check; study carefully. I hastily went over my lessons the last night and sat for the exam. Let go over the whole process of the accident in detail. 12. column: a series of numbers arranged one after the other; a tall pillar. Fill in the blanks in the left column and then line them with appropriate ones in the right column. The roof of the temple was held up by a row of stone columns

28. 13.rocket: a tube-like device containing material that burns rapidly and propels the tube through the air. American Robert H. Goddard was one of the forest scientists to experiment with rocket propulsion systems 14.bug:cause eyes to stick out ;annoy somebody. The eyes of the monster can bug out when it get surprised. Don’t bug me with silly questions.

29. 15.alike: similar, in the same manner. People, natives and foreigners alike, hope to have a safe and secure living condition. The twins look extremely alike. 16.observation: the act of watching attentively. The injured was put under close observation despite his constant protest. Observation is very important for a chemical student.

30. 17.locality: a particular place ,the position of something. This is the very locality of the accident. 18. isolate: set apart; cut off from others. When I am angry, I find it best to isolate myself from others for a while. The persons who was suspected to have got the disease was isolated from others for the sake of prevention.

31. 19.adopt: take over and use as one’s own; take into one’s family and make legal son or daughter. The old maid adopted a home-less boy as her son. Some immigrants discarded their old customs and adopted American ways. 20.mode: a manner, way or method of doing. Railways are still the most important mode of transport in many less advanced countries. You will have to change your mode of life when you immigrate to another country.

32. 21.appearance:the way that somebody or something looks; an act of coming into sight. • The manager gave every appearance of being a very dedicated employee. • Women’ magazines are full of ideas on how to make the best of one’s appearance.

33. 22.You could see the light break in on Cameron:You could notice Cameron was beginning to understood what they said. 23.go for: be attracted by ;like or prefer • Many young people go for pip music. • What sort of novels do you go for? 24.blink:shut and open the eyes quickly; flash on and off. • Staring for hours at a computer screen dries out the eyes as people blink less.

34. 25.regardless of: without worrying about or taking account of • Each state has two senators, regardless of population. • Regardless of the danger ha might face, he rushed into the burning building to save the people there. 26. nationality: the state of belonging to a particular nation; people who belong to a nation. • Many different nationalities went to the U.S. • Her father in an American. Her father is an Italian. What nationality is she?

35. 27.at one’s service: willing to help somebody. • If you need any help, let me know, I am always at your service. • “Would you fetch my glasses from the kitchen?”“At your service, Madam.” 28.arrangement:plan; preparation (usu. pl, followed by about/for) • The personnel department only called me ,but made no arrangements to see me . • The president does not want any special arrangements for her visit.

36. 29.…but I couldn’t as much as fall down if someone had pushed the chair out from under me: but I was so scared that I could not do anything ,could not even fall down if someone took my chair away. All I could do was sit and stare.30. 30. supreme: greatest in power, rank or degree. • The Supreme Court has the final say in this case. • The king in China enjoyed supreme authority.

37. 31.go to pieces: get so astonished or upset that he lose control of himself. • When she heard her boyfriend was shot ,she really went to pieces. 32. come around:visit someone at their house. • Why did not you come around when you were in Beijing on business? 33. leave…alone: allow one to be by oneself; allow sb.or sth, to remain untouched or unchanged. • It’s useless to talk to her since she is so upset; just leave her alone. • I told you to leave that vase alone---now you’ve broken it .

38. 34.garbage: nonsense; rubbish. • He was talking a lot of garbage about education. • Family members hauled bags of trash out to the garbage can, and ,once or twice a week, collection crews would dump them into garbage truck 35.heave: raise or lift with great effort • The teacher heaved Mary to her feet and took her to the office. • They have to heave the piano onto the stage.

39. 36. wit: (also wits)quick understanding, intelligence • He lacked the wit to respond in time. • Peter had not the wits to realize the danger. 37.make like: (informal)act as if one were; pretend to be (used in the patterns: make like sb./ sth ; make like +clause) • The old man made like a monkey to amuse the children. • Bob made like he wad a fish blowing bubbles.

40. 38.knock down: cause someone to fall to the ground by pushing or hitting them. • The old man died in hospital after being knocked down by a car • The driver was in serious trouble for knocking down a pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing. 39.catchsight of: see for a moment. • I happened to catch sight of John as he was going past our office.

41. 40.fade out: disappear gradually. examples: My daughter’s interest in drawing has now almost completely faded out. • As it was getting colder and colder ,their enthusiasm for doing sports in the morning faded out.

42. Part VRelated Knowledge 1.Scan the whole text and divide it into parts, and sum up the main ideas of each parts. 2.Cultural Notes: (1) Venus:the second major planet in order of distance from the Sun. Also known ass Hesperus, the evening star, or Phosphorus, the morning star, Venus can be the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon and follows a near-circular path some 106million kilometers from the Sun, taking 225 days to complete one orbit.

43. Brief introduction of the author Isaac Asomov (1920~1992): Russian-born American writer and scientists. He was a distinguished bio-chemist, but is more widely known as the author of many works of many works of science fiction, books on science for non-scientists, and essays on a wide variety of subjects. Among his best-known science fiction are I, Robot and the Foundation trilogy.

44. (3) extraterrestrial life: life forms that may have evolved on other planets. There is no hard evidence at present that life exists on the Earth. Most UFOs have been satisfactorily explained as become natural or man-made, and the Viking missions to Mars ere inconclusive in testing for the existence o life in that planet. Nevertheless, searched have been and are being made for signs that life has arisen in other parts of the universe.

45. Certain knowledge either that life is confined to planet Earth or has been found elsewhere would have the profoundest philosophical implications for mankind. (4) the congress: The Congress is one of the three branches of the US federal government, the legislative branch. Congress has two houses, the Senate and the House of Representative. The

46. main job of congress is making laws. Before a new law can be made ,both houses have to pass it, and it must then have the approval of the President. (5) the Supreme Court: The judicial branch is one of the three branched of US federal government and operates the system of law courts. The Supreme Court in Washington.D.C. is the highest court in the US and is very powerful.

47. Comprehension questions: 1.Why is Bart Cameron not approachable by April14? 2. How did the flying saucer land in Earth? 3. What did the two men from space look like? 4. How did the author feel at the sight of the extraterrestrials? 5.How did Bart respond to the arrival of the two strangers? 6.According to the two visitors, why did they choose Twin Gulch as their first contact? 7.What was the main purpose of the extraterrestrials’ trip?

48. 7.What was the main purpose of the extraterrestrials’ trip? 8.What was Bart’s response to the guests’request? 9.what did Bart threaten to do to the two aliens? 10.How did the two men from Venus interpret the sheriff’s threat? Then what did they decide to do? 11.How did the author feel about the guests’ departure? 12.What was “the stupid error” made by Bart?

49. Keys: 1. He is by nature a very impatient man, and before he finished working up his income tax, that is April14, he will be more impatient and thus unapproachable. 2. It looks like a shooting star first, but then the track of light broadened into two things that looked like rocket exhausts and the thing came down without a sound. 3. They look exact like a earthling, re. para12. 4. The author was scared.

50. 5. He was rather reluctant to receive them and he appeared very impatient. re.para14 6. Because it is isolated and peaceful. 7. Let the earthlings join their organization. 8. At first, he thought it was funny and he was sardonic, later he became furious. 9. He claimed that he would put them in jail for ever.