Unit 4 Journey across a Vast Land
Reading and Thinking
Learning objectives
In this class, you will
1. read about a rail journey across Canada;
2. find out information about Canada’s geography, climate,
and culture;
3. express your opinions about long rail trips.
Travel far enough, you meet yourself.
—David Mitchell
Warm-up
• What does travelling mean to you?
ü Travelling allows me to meet people of different cultures,
with diverse traditions and distinctive lifestyles.
ü Travelling broadens my mind and lightens up the sparks
within myself.
ü Travelling creates everlasting memories.
ü …
Warm-up
Warm-up
The photo is of a Canadian
Pacific Railway Train going
through Banff National Park,
Canada in winter.
• Look at the picture and answer the question.
When and where may this photo be taken?
Warm-up
• Answer these questions.
1. What do you know about rail journeys?
2. What do you think you will see if you go on a rail
journey across Canada?
Warm-up
• Answer these questions.
1. What do you know about rail journeys?
Rail journeys used to take a long time—people often
took them because they were cheaper than flying.
However, now with high speed rail, they are much
shorter, but also more expensive.
Warm-up
• Answer these questions.
2. What do you think you will see if you go on a rail
journey across Canada?
I would expect to see beautiful mountains and lots of
pretty sceneries.
• Look at the picture and the title.
What do you expect to read?
Prediction
v TRUE NORTH
v THE HEART OF CANADA
• Look at the picture and the title.
What do you expect to read?
Prediction
rail journey? scenery?
geography? climate?
Canada?
Reading for main ideas
• Read the article and find out the following information.
ü Who?
ü Where?
ü How long?
Reading for main ideas
Paragraph 1:
Li Daiyu and her cousin Liu Qian went to Canada to visit
their cousins in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. Rather than
travel by commercial airline all the way, they decided to fly to
Vancouver and then take the train. For both of them, the
thought of crossing the whole country by rail was exciting.
Reading for main ideas
Paragraph 6:
After another day on the train, eventually they were back
in an urban area, the city of Winnipeg. From there, they
travelled through the night, and woke up in Ontario—a land of
forests and lakes. … It was not until 9:30 a.m. that they finally
reached the capital of Ontario, Toronto. All in all, their trip
from Vancouver to Toronto had taken a duration of four days.
Reading for details
1
2
3
4
5-7
1. Go through the passage and find out all the places they
visited and the means of transportation they took.
Reading for details
1
2
3
China-Vancouver
Vancouver (bay)
Vancouver (forest)
by air
by boat
on foot
1. Go through the passage and find out all the places they
visited and the means of transportation they took.
4
5-7
Reading for details
1. Go through the passage and find out all the places they
visited and the means of transportation they took.
Vancouver—Lake Louise
Lake Louise—Jasper
Jasper—Edmonton—Canadian Prairie—
Winnipeg—Ontario—Lake Huron—Toronto
by train, by taxi
by coach
by train
Reading for details
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Reading for details
Place Information
often rains; a harbour; beautiful mountains
looking out over the city; a forest just a
short distance away
Vancouver
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Reading for details
Place Information
blue water of Lake Louise; spectacular
mountain peaks and forests; different
creatures such as deer, mountain goats,
grizzly bears, and eagles
the
Canadian
Rockies
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Reading for details
Place Information
centre of Canada’s huge oil and gas industry;
cold in winter, with daily temperatures
averaging -10℃; home to one of the largest
shopping malls in North America
Edmonton
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Reading for details
Place Information
an open country; two wheat-growing
provinces; a bunch of farms that covered a
very large area
the
Canadian
Prairie
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Reading for details
Place Information
a land of forests, lakes, and rolling hills;
four Great Lakes on its southern border;
capital is Toronto
Ontario
2. Get specific information about the places they visited.
Mind mapping
China Vancouver Lake
Louise
The great
Canadian Prairie Edmonton Jasper
Winnipeg Ontario Toronto
commercial
airline
Mind mapping
China Vancouver
Purpose: visit their cousins
Mood: excited
Spent: two days
The first day
Weather: rained
Activities:
took a boat to the bay;
visited an island
The next day Weather: clear; mild
Activities:
saw the mountains;
took a hike
coach
Mind mapping
Lake
Louise Jasper
Time: the next morning;
the night
Activities: arose early; saw
the mountains and forests
Activities: looked at the
scenery; saw mountain
peaks and forests; saw
creatures
train
taxi
train
train
Mind mapping
Edmonton The great
Canadian
Prairie
Features: provincial capital of
Alberta; centre of Canada’s oil and
gas drilling industry; cold in winter;
home to many shopping malls
Activities: saw an open
country; went through two
wheat-growing provinces
train
train
Mind mapping
Winnipeg
Time: another day
Feature: urban area
Time: night
Features: a land of forests and lakes;
rolling hills; bushes and maple trees;
frost on the ground
trainOntario Toronto
Time: the next morning
Activities: saw Lake Huron
commercial
airline
Talking about the journey
China Vancouver Lake
Louise
The great
Canadian Prairie Edmonton Jasper
Winnipeg Ontario Toronto
train
taxi
coach
traintrain
train train train
Finding out the structure
v Travel Journal
How does the writer develop the article?
In the order of time.
Use discourse markers to show relationships
Discourse markers are also known as “linking words”.
They are used to show relationships between ideas.
Relationships can range from adding something (e.g., also,
besides, additionally), to showing contrast (e.g., however,
on the other hand), to explaining a reason (e.g., because,
since), or to showing a result (e.g., therefore, as a result).
Without discourse markers, the connections between
sentences and paragraphs would be less obvious.
Learning about discourse markers
Review: using connectors
Unit 2 Bridging Cultures
Book 4 Unit 5 Working the land
1. Add more information:
…, but also… ; …, and …as well; In addition, …;Moreover…
2. Explain or support a point:
For example, …; For instance, …
3. State a conclusion: Therefore, …; Hence...
4. Say something that contrasts with what has just been said:
…, but…; …, however, …; nevertheless...
5. Sequencing: In turn, …
6. Emphasizing: In fact, …
Review: using signposts
• Read the article and underline the discourse markers.
pp. 38-39
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 1:
Li Daiyu and her cousin Liu Qian went to Canada to visit
their cousins in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. Rather than
travel by commercial airline all the way, they decided to fly to
Vancouver and then take the train. For both of them, the
thought of crossing the whole country by rail was exciting.
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 2:
Before starting out, they spent a couple of days in
Vancouver, seeing the sights. During their first day, as is
typical of Vancouver, it rained. Despite the weather, they were
able to take a boat ride out into the bay, and later visit an
island that had wonderful shops selling crafts and antiques.
The next day was clear and mild, and they were pleased to …
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 2:
… see the beautiful mountains looking out over the city. Later,
they took a pleasant hike in a forest just a short distance away.
delighted
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 3:
The next morning, the two girls arose early to take the
train to Lake Louise, passing through the Canadian Rockies.
Seen from the train window, the mountains and forests of
Canada looked massive. When the train arrived at the station,
they took a taxi to Lake Louise, where the blue water literally
took their breath away with its exceptional beauty. They spent
the night, and then took a coach bound north through …
set off
actually truetravelling towards
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 3:
… the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. Looking at the beautiful
scenery, … they both agreed that it was the most awesome
journey they had ever taken. In addition to seeing spectacular
mountain peaks and forests, one highlight of their trip was
being able to see many different creatures, including deer,
mountain goats, and even a grizzly bear and an eagle.
extremely impressive
the most important, interesting, or enjoyable part
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 4:
From Jasper, they caught the train towards Toronto. One of
the train’s first stops was in Edmonton, the provincial capital
of Alberta, the centre of Canada’s huge oil and gas drilling
industry. Edmonton is freezing cold in winter, with daily
temperatures averaging -10℃. Since it can be too cold to go
outdoors, Edmonton is home to many shopping malls. In fact,
one of the largest shopping malls in North America is in
Edmonton.
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 5:
From Edmonton, the train headed southeast across the
great Canadian Prairie. At school, Daiyu and Liu Qian had
learnt the Canada’s population is only slightly over thirty-
seven million. However, they did not anticipate seeing such
an open country, and were truly amazed. They went through
two wheat-growing provinces, where they saw a bunch of
farms that covered a very large area.
expect something that will happen
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 6:
After another day on the train, eventually they were back
in an urban area, the city of Winnipeg. From there, they
travelled through the night, and woke up in Ontario—a land of
forests and lakes. The train thundered on, through the rolling
hills. The bushes and maple trees outside their windows were
red, gold, and orange, and there was frost on the ground,
confirming that autumn had arrived in Canada. …
霜
Learning about discourse markers
Paragraph 6:
… Night came again, and the train turned south towards
Toronto. When they woke up the next morning and pulled
back the curtain, they could see the wide stretch of Lake
Huron—one of the four Great Lakes on Ontario’s southern
border. It was not until 9:30 a.m. that they finally reached the
capital of Ontario, Toronto. All in all, their trip from
Vancouver to Toronto had taken a duration of four days.
窗帘
the length of time
Learning about discourse markers
then, despite, later, when, since,
however, in fact, eventually, finally,
rather than, before, after, all in all,
in addition to …
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
A. to add something
B. to show contrast
C. to explain a reason
D. to show an end point in time
E. to show time
F. to emphasise
G. to describe the order of events
Learning about discourse markers
Rather than
Rather than travel by commercial airline all
the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and
then take the train. (Paragraph 1)
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
to show contrast
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Since it can be too cold to go outdoors,
Edmonton is home to many shopping malls.
(Paragraph 4)
to explain a reason
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Learning about discourse markers
to show time
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Learning about discourse markers
to add something
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Since it can be too cold to go outdoors,
Edmonton is home to many shopping malls.
In fact, one of the largest shopping malls in
North America is in Edmonton. (Paragraph 4)
to emphasise
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
Learning about discourse markers
to describe the order of events
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
After another day on the train, eventually they
were back in an urban area, the city of
Winnipeg. (Paragraph 6)
to show an end point in time
Learning about discourse markers
• Read the article again. Match each of these discourse
markers with the correct purpose.
1. however
2. since
3. when
4. in addition to
5. in fact
6. later
7. eventually
A. to add something
B. to show contrast
C. to explain a reason
D. to show an end point in time
E. to show time
F. to emphasise
G. to describe the order of events
B
C
E
A
F
G
D
Learning about discourse markers
Learning about discourse markers
Adding moreover, too
Contrast while, by contrast
Reason as, because
Result consequently, accordingly
Emphasis indeed, above all
Learning about discourse markers
Order of events first, second, next
Time as soon as, meanwhile
Giving examples for example, such as
Comparing similarly, likewise
Concluding to conclude, in summary
Further thinking
• Read the text again, and then answer these questions.
1. Would you be interested in taking the same trip as Li Daiyu
and Liu Qian? Why or why not?
2. How is rail journey different from other forms of travel,
such as by plane or car?
Further thinking
• Read the text again, and then answer these questions.
1. Would you be interested in taking the same trip as Li Daiyu
and Liu Qian? Why or why not?
I would love to take such a journey. It seems so wonderful
and relaxing, and I would get to see so many beautiful sites.
Further thinking
• Read the text again, and then answer these questions.
2. How is rail journey different from other forms of travel,
such as by plane or car?
*A rail journey is different from a car journey in that with a
car journey, if you see something interesting, you can stop
and take a look.
Further thinking
• Read the text again, and then answer these questions.
2. How is rail journey different from other forms of travel,
such as by plane or car?
*A journey by plane will get you to your destination much
faster than a trip by train or car. However, usually you cannot
see so many interesting things from a plane window, and a
plane gives much less space and fewer opportunities to get up
and walk around than on a train.
Homework
1. Read aloud the text.
2. Collect more information about the cities mentioned in the
passage. Pick one that impresses you the most and make a
three-minute presentation about the city.