Unit 3 Chinese Experiences
A nation tells its stories in many ways. We can learn much
about a people by understanding these stories.
As one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China has many
proverbs and fables that point to the range and depth of
Chinese living and lived experiences.
One generation builds the street on which the next will walk.
- Chinese Proverb
GET READY TO READ
What is a proverb? What is a fable?
Do Chinese and English have similar proverbs and fables?
SECTION 1
NEW WORDS,
NEW IDEAS
Chinese Wisdom through Proverbs and Fables
Chinese Proverbs
A proverb is a short sentence that people often quote and that
gives advice or tells us something about human life and
problems in general. As one of the world’s oldest nations with a
continuous, long-standing civilization, China has produced no
end of proverbs that point to the range and depth of Chinese
living and lived experiences.
How delightful it is to have friends visiting us from afar!
有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎!
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once.
百闻不如一见。
Chinese Fables
A fable is a short story that is intended to teach a moral lesson.
Fables have enriched our Chinese language. The morals of these
tales have found their way into the language and are still in use
today.
Chinese fables are full of human feelings. They have a wide
range of themes, reflecting various aspects of human nature,
human relations and social life. Gods, animals and spirits are
commonly described as living things with human qualities and
human feelings.
The Frog in the Shallow Well
井底之蛙
The Old Man and the Mountain
愚公移山
The old Man and the Wolf
东郭先生和狼
In the forest and by the streams,
In our sleep and in our dreams,
In the cities, near and far,
Makes no difference where we are.
We hear them.
The songs of the elders, the stories
they told.
Respect for all, especially the old.
SONG
We Hear Them
Their fables, tales and history
Are told for you, are told for
me.
We hear them.
The old man and the
mountain,
Sai Weng and his horse,
The proverbs speak wisdom.
From my ancestors, of course.
We hear them.
Developing your skills
A. Comprehension check
B. Word power
C. Listening activity
D. Non-stop talk
E. Expressing yourself through writing: What if animals could talk?
F. Learning by doing: skills in action!
SECTION 2
MEANING IN CONTEXT
动词+ing(1)
它是动名词形式的一种。它仍一方面保留着动词的
某些特征,具有动词的某些变化形式,用以表达名词所
不能表达的较为复杂的意念;另一方面动名词在句子的
用法及功能与名词类似。在句子中可以作主语、宾语、
表语、定语。它也可以被副词修饰或者用来支配宾语。
SECTION 3
GRAMMAR IN USE
How delightful it is to have friends visiting us from afar!
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once.
Confucius, having failed to make it to the top in politics, had then
settled down to a life of teaching.
Hoping only to save a life, the old man emptied his bag and placed
the wolf inside, covering the animal gently with his belongings.
动名词的逻辑主语原则上是在动名词前用物主代
词或名词所有格,但在口语中通常用宾格代词或名词普
通格用作动名词的逻辑主语。当动名词用作主语位于
句首时,通常要用名词所有格或物主代词作动名词的逻
辑主语。但是,当动名词的逻辑主语是没有生命的东西
时,通常不用物主代词或名词所有格。
SECTION 4
READING FOR SUCCESS
Read the article “A Loss Sometimes Spells a Gain” .
As you read
What is the moral of this story?
Can you find some English proverb as a title for the story?
AFTER YOU READ
Understand and discuss:
1. What does “If was meant to be, it was meant to be” mean?
2. Do you agree with the message of the reading? Why or why not?
Read the article “Translators Play a Vital Role” .
As you read
Is it easy to interpret or translate?
What does translation involve?
AFTER YOU READ
Understand and discuss:
What does the reading tell us about translation?
What should we do to become a qualified interpreter and/or translator?
Thank You