Unit 4 Space Exploration

Reading for Writing

【学习目标】

1. Read quickly to get main idea; read carefully to get the detailed information.

2. Learn the characteristics or structures of argumentative essay.

3. Learn to write an argumentative essay.

4. Learn to correct others’ writing.

【学习重难点】

1. Learn the characteristics or structures of argumentative essay.

2. Learn to write an argumentative essay.

【学习过程】

Step 1 Lead in—Small talk

Space exploration has a great many of benefits, but there are also great risks and a large amount of money to spend. So some people support space exploration because they think it has brought a lot of benefits to humans. But on the other hand, some people think there are a lot of questions to to be solved like hunger and diseases, why not spend more money and effort on them? What is your idea and why?

Step 2 While reading—Task 1

1. Find the topic sentence of each paragraph.

Para 1 _____________________________________________

Para 2 _____________________________________________

Para 3 _____________________________________________

Para 4 _____________________________________________

Para 5 _____________________________________________

2. The main idea of the passage is about _______________________________________

Step 3 While reading—Task 2

Read the text and answer the following questions.

Q1: Why are some people against space exploration according to the passage?

Q2: What are the benefits of exploring space?

Q3: What did the picture of Earth from space make people realize?

Q4: What’s the author’s attitude to exploring space?

Step 4 Post reading—summary

Step 5 Before writing—words and phrases

Translate.

①________________________发射卫星

②________________________收集数据

③________________________探索太空

④________________________有很大影响

⑤________________________导致

⑥________________________从中受益

⑦________________________先进的技术

⑧________________________满足要求

⑨________________________改变我们的生活

⑩________________________有限的资源

⑪________________________靠近；接近

⑫________________________提供生活所需

⑬________________________促进技术改进

⑭________________________提供解决问题的办法

Step 6 While writing

最近，你班同学就“太空探索是否值得”这一话题展开了一场讨论。请你根据下表提供的信息，用英语写一篇短文介绍讨论的情况，并谈谈自己的看法。

Step 7 While writing—the outline

Paragraph 1：________________________________________________

Paragraph 2：________________________________________________

Paragraph 3：________________________________________________

Paragraph 4：________________________________________________

Step 8 While writing—words and phrases

①________________________举行热烈的讨论

②________________________值得做

③________________________持有不同的观点

④________________________离……很远

⑤________________________被用来做……

⑥________________________从……受益良多

⑦________________________ n．交际

⑧________________________天气预报

⑨________________________能源短缺

⑩________________________在我看来

Step 9 While writing—make sentences

①用于太空探索的资金可以用来解决地球的饥饿和污染等问题。（过去分词作定语）

②30%的同学认为不值得探索。

③他们认为太空探索离我们及我们的日常生活太遥远并且浪费金钱。

④70%的人认为太空值得探索，因为我们从中受益匪浅。（because）

⑤总有一天，我们可以搬到其他星球去解决人口问题。（by doing）

⑥太空研究将使我们能够找到新的能源来解决地球上的能源短缺问题。（不定式作目的状语）

⑦在我看来，探索太空是值得的。

Step 10 Writing—draft

Step 11 Pair work

Exchange drafts with a partner. Use this checklist to help your partner revise his/ her draft.

√ Does the introduction state the topic?

√ Does the introduction express different opinions about the topic?

√ Does the body give arguments with suitable supporting information?

√ Does the closing express the writer's opinion and end properly?

√ Are there any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors?

Step 12 Homework

Put up your revised draft in the classroom or read it to your class.