1、2011-Simon-GDUBSUnit 4 Sentence base Unit Objectivesknow how to choose an appropriate subject and where to put it;use voices effectivelySentence Base The sentence base, which is like the trunk of a tree, consists of at least one subject and one verb.SubjectThe catching of fish provides enjoyment for

2、 polar bears.Polar bears like to catch fish.What is a good subject then? a good subject is usually a concrete or personal noun instead of an abstract word ,because a concrete or personal noun can raise the readers interest in what he/she is going to read .Part II FocusSubjectWe should be aware of no

3、minalization and use of abstract nouns as subjects and try to use them cautiously. Learn to use human and specific nouns as subjects.Classroom activities P. 44 1. 1). Freedom. 2). A reluctance to work steadily - Because she was reluctant to work steadily, she was unprepared for the presentation on M

4、onday. 3). The horror of the movie - I was so frightened by the movie that I did not sleep for three nights.4). A great deal of learning - I learned a great deal in my chemistry class.5). The intelligence necessary to understand this concept - Few people are intelligent enough to understand this con

5、cept.6). The embarrassment - I was too embarrassed to speak.The beginning and the end of a sentence are its strong points where the writer may put significant words to impress the readerPosition of the subjectBy reputation a dreary experience, but this time proving to be educational and even mildly

6、enjoyable, language training came to an end.Language training, by reputation a dreary experience, finally came to an end; in all, it proved to be educational and even mildly enjoyable. In the center of the painting stands a lady in white.A lady in white stands in the center of the painting.Classroom

7、 activities on P.46 1. 1). Rod missed the fun of college by making chemistry his sole activity and participating in no other extracurricular activities. 2). Cayenne is used freely by Mexican cooks because it adds spice to their sauces and provides color as well.3). The neighborhood was terrorized by

8、 the dog which barked up the wrong tree and de-fended an enormous territory not his own. 4). Patty began apartment hunting by paging through the classified ads and making large circles here and there.Classroom activities P. 462. Like a bird that seeketh its mothers nest; And a mother she was, and is

9、, to me . -Brian Waller Procter, The Sea“ To emphasize a mother Down in a green and shady bed A modest violet grew; Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, As if to hide from view. - James Taylor, The Violet“ To emphasize down in a green and shady bed” and achieve the rhyme A treacherous fellow is the

10、 Shark. He never makes the least remark. - Alfred Douglas, The Shark“ To emphasize a treacherous fellow and to achieve the rhymeOnce a subject is chosen, the next step is to decide the voice. When should we use the passive or active voice? What are their distinctive features? VoiceVoiceGenerally spe

11、aking, the active voice is more vigorous and lays more emphasis on the predicate while the passive voice is ,as its name suggests ,“passive” and emphasizes the agent (though sometimes omitting it ).The selection of voices should also be decided by the context Part II FocusVoiceto use the active voic

12、e more often and give up the misconception that the passive voice is more sophisticated than the active one. Of course there are certain occasions on which the passive voice is preferred, but we should know what these situations are so as to use it more effectively. Choosing the active voiceThrough

13、her studies of child rearing, personality, and culture, world fame was achieved by Margaret Mead.Through her studies of child rearing, personality, and culture, Margaret Mead achieved world fame. Classroom activities P. 471). The luxury liner rammed into the huge iceberg.2). Ferrari ran a good race.

14、3). The amateur archaeologist discovered some objects of art. (The original sentence em-phasizes the agent, the. amateur archaeologist, while this sentence stresses the fact that this amateur archaeologist discovered some objects of art. )Part II Focus4). Before I set my world record, I was a great

15、fan of The Guinness Book of World Records and read each new edition from cover to cover.5). For a while I had been secretly desiring to be in that book myself - to astonish others just as I had been astonished.6). Readers will always appreciate classics like Middlemarch.7). An English critic in the

16、nineteenth century asked the question Who ever reads an American book?Choosing the passive voiceThe book about motorcycles was misplaced among books about cosmetics.In 1850, no trace of the glacier was found.When the agent is either unknown or unimportant, we use the passive voice.A mission to help

17、thousands of starving local people was organized by Father Robert I. Charlesbois, a 48-year-old Catholic priest from Gary, Indiana, with 12 years of experience working in disaster-stricken areas. When the agent is followed by a long modifier, we use the passive voice to avoid suspension of the verb.

18、 On August 13, 1927, while driving on the Promenade des Anglais at Nice, Isadora Duncan met her death. She was strangled by her colored shawl, which became tangled in the wheel of the automobile. The passive voice is also used to keep the focus of two sentences. Classroom activities P. 481). The sal

19、esman had traveled on the road many times, but he had never before noticed the old house.2). The tourists had a safe trip because all the dangers were carefully explained by the guide. 3). The mother bird, which brought a worm to feed its young, flew directly into the nest.4). (This sentence is effective. )5). If you can learn how to use a thesaurus, you will find it quite useful.WritingA longer notice has to be clear, concise and comple