Unit 7

Text I

On Not Answering the Telephone

Objectives:

• 1. How to deal with argumentative essay

• 2. Exaggeration• 3. Reversal of the reader’s

expectations• 4. Striking comparison• 5. Vocabulary and structures

Teaching Tasks and Process

• I. Pre-reading questions

The author

• William Plomer (1903-1973) • South African

• works include ----• novels, short stories, poems and biograp

hies, • best known for his short stories

Pre-reading Questions

• Does the title of the text strike you as usual? Would you be inclined not to answer a phone call at any time?

• Does the title tell you what kind of writing the passage is, a narrative or an argument?

• What do you think is the writer’s intention in writing this article? Is he commenting on some people’s unwillingness to answer the telephone or is he himself giving some reasons for not answering the phone?

• Can you imagine some of the things the writer might mention in his article?

The Main Idea

• The writer states his reason for not having a telephone.

Language points:As soon as I know, I’ll ring you

up. • I’ll ring you up. --- • I’ll give you a ring. • I’ll (tele)phone you. • I’ll give you a call. • I’ll call you (up).

…, he is taking too much for granted

• He is too sure of himself about my owning a telephone.

• He was heartbroken when he failed in the contest as he had taken his success for granted.

• We take it for granted that young people today must all learn to use a computer.

Because I think it is a pest and a time-waster.

• pest --- nuisance • The basic meaning of pest is “any

destructive or troublesome insects or small animals, such as flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches and mice”.

• time-waster n. --- something that wastes you time.

When you do get into the box, you are half asphyxiated by stale,

unventilated air…

• asphyxiate: v. fml. to (cause to) be unable to breathe air; esp. to die or kill someone in this way; feeling ill because there is too little air; choked; suffocate

• unventilated• (air) not moving in and out freely

… flavored with cheap face-powder and chain-smoking;…

• …filled with the odour of women’s low quality face-powder and that of men’s cigarettes….

“Ill news travels apace.”

• Bad news has wings. • Bad news travels quickly. • Ill news flies fast.

• The truth will out.--- The truth will become publicly known. This is a proverb, and out is an intransitive verb.

… a successful book so often reprinted as to make any author

envious… • so…as to + infinitive --- so…that + clause • • Robert and Kate were so clever in steering t

he conversation as to have the old man easily tricked.

• The hitch-hiker was so careful about his clothing as to attract immediate attention.

It serves you right.

• It’s your own fault. • You deserve it!

…, or from some reporter bent on questioning you

about …• (be) bent on questioning you :• (be) determined to question you.

• She is bent on becoming a good pianist.

• He is bent on making journalism his career.

Is there any conclusion to be drawn from my obstinacy and

wilfulness,…• obstinacy and wilfulness: stubbornness and

pig-headedness

• obstinate: adj. • 1). refusing to change one’s opinion or

behavior, in spite of argument or persuasion:

• She’s so obstinate---she won’t let anyone help her. / an obstinate child

• 2). difficult to deal with, control, or defeat an obstinate cough (hard to cure) / obstinate resistance

• Willful (BrE) / willful (AmE) adj. • 1). derog showing a strong unreasona

ble determination to do what one wants, in spite of other people: a willful child / willful disregard of our advice

• 2). (esp. of something bad) done on purpose: willful neglect / murder

Comments on the Text

• Argumentative essay

• 1. Introduction. The first paragraph • 2. The body. Paras.2-6 • 3. Conclusion. The last paragraph

• 1. exaggeration • 2. reversal of the reader’s

expectations, and • 3. striking comparison.

Questions

• 1. What does the writer mean by saying that “he is taking too much for granted”?

• 2. What does “the impossible” here refer to?(Para.1)

• 3. What does the writer mean by “unnecessary suspense and anxiety”? (Para.2)

• 4. What does it in “Ah, it will all be the same…” refer to? (Para.3)

• 5. What can be categorized as “dreadful necessity”?(Para.6)

• 6. What does the end of the text suggest to you?

What kind of person do you think the writer is?

• eccentric • He doesn’t seem to like to associate hims

elf with others, but he likes to live in peace and quiet away from the hectic life.

Text II

How to Cope with Your Telephone

Questions

• 1. When will one feel that one’s telephone is not a nice number?

• 2. Why do some people make early calls?

• 3. Who are most disturbed by persistent callers?

• 4. What information can a phone directory provide?

• 5. How does the Post Office monitor a person’s call? What must the telephone subscriber do to get this service?

• 6. Is it convenient for a telephone subscriber to go ex-directory? Would you like to go ex-directory if you had a phone at home?

Discussion/Exercises

• Role-play

• A Wrong-numbered Call

Interaction Activities

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Having a Phone at Home

Advantages:

• 1. It’s convenient.• 2. It’s comparatively easy and quick to get in

touch with someone.• 3. It saves time.• 4. You can keep informed about anything or

get an important message at any time.• 5. It is necessary to have a telephone at least

for out-going calls in case of emergency.• 6. You can talk to your friend, have a meeting,

order anything you like, make business calls to anywhere or even settle an account.

Disadvantages

• 1. You’re often disturbed in the middle of doing something.

• 2. You may get calls from people you’ve never met.

• 3. It wastes a lot of your time.• 4. You will be plagued by some idle chatterbox

or some reporter and you will get obscene or early morning calls.

• 5. You tend to spend more money when: (a) your telephone goes wrong. (b) you get the Post Office to monitor your calls.

• 6. You will be threatened by some idle joker or be fooled on 1st April.

Assignments

• Exercise on the Work Book