现代大学英语3-Lesson4课文讲解-WisdomofBearWood.doc

Wisdom of Bear Wood I. Pre-class Work 1. Read the text and listen to the recording. Try to understand as much as possible with the help of the notes, glossary, dictionaries and reference books. Think over the following questions: Introduce one of your best friends to your classmates. Are there things in common that lead to your friendship? Why do we need friendship? What can we get from it? Can you give us some tips to better cultivate friendship? List out the ingredients you think of importance to true friendship. 2. Make up a story with the following elements: Woodland, cottage, an owl, an old lady, a little boy Compare your story with the text. Have you found anything unexpected? II. Introduction to the Text It’s a story about both the beautiful nature and beautiful friendship. It is about “ a wisdom tutored by nature itself, about the seen and unseen, about things that change and things that are changeless, and about the fact that no matter how seemingly different twos souls may be, they possess the potential for that most precious, rare thing---an enduring and rewarding friendship. Why the “seemingly different two soul” become good friends? First, they are both lonely: the boy is lonely because he is in a foreign country with his father; the woman is lonely because she has just lost her dear husband. Second, they have the common interest in nature and knowledge, which is another bond of their friendship. The shortbread the woman keeps supplying for the boy is also one of the reasons. But the real reason for their friendship is the old woman’s selfless interest in the boy. It is often said that true love is in the giving and not in the taking. So is friendship. The woman not only gives the boy good food to eat, she also gives him a new vision of the beautiful nature, the key to the treasury of human knowledge, and above all, her care, concern, love and affection. Does she get anything in return? Yes. Through giving, she cannot help receiving. Although totally