1、1Comprehending1 Read the passage carfully and answer the following questions.1 What was Wang Kun and Wang Weis idea of a good trip?Their idea was to take a long bike trip.2 Who planned the trip to the Mekong?Wang Wei planned the trip.3 Where is the source of the Mekong and which sea does it enter?Th
2、e source of the river is in Qinhai Province and it enters the South China Sea.4 What can you see when you travel along the Mekong?You can see the source glacier, rapids, hills, valleys, waterfalls and plains.5 What difficulties did Wang Kun and Wang Wei find about their journey?The journey will begi
3、n at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres, where it is hard to breathe and very cold.6 What do you think about Wang Kun and Wang Wei?Wang Kuns character: enthusiastic, critical, sensibleWang Weis character: imaginative, organized, eager, persistent, stubborn, risk-taking2 Look at the following sent
4、ences from the text and explain them in your own words.1 She gave me a determined look the kind that said that she would not change her mind.2She gave me a determined look This sentence means that she has decided to do something and will not change her ideas.2 my sister does not care about details.
5、details are not important to my sister. This means that she concentrates on the broad outline of the trip but not the particulars: where they will stay, what they will take with them, etc.3 It makes wide bends or meanders through low valleys to the plains where rice grows.A meander is a geographical
6、 term to describe the snakelike bends that a river makes as it slows down to flow through valleys to the plains. The sentence means that the Mekong River flows slowly and gently through the valleys and reaches the farming plains.3 An attitude is what a person thinks about something. Write down Wang
7、Weis and Wang Kuns attitude to the trip. Then add your own opinion.Wang Weis attitude Positive to the trip. She wants to organise it as it was her idea.Wang Kuns attitude Less positive to the trip as he wants to organise it and thinks he can do that better than his sister.My attitude It sounds like
8、a wonderful trip and I would love to be able to do a trip like that myself one day.4 Work in pairs. Imagine that you are Wang Kun and Wang Wei. Choose a paragraph from the passage and use the information to help you make up a dialogue.WANG WEI: You know, weve always wanted to do a long bike trip. Wh
9、y dont we go on one after we graduate form college?3WANG KUN: Thats a good idea. .Sample dialogue:WANG WEI: You know, weve always wanted to do a long bike trip. Why dont we go on one after we graduate form college?WANG KUN: Thats a good idea. But where are we going?WANG WEI: What about cycling along
10、 the Mekong River?WANG KUN: It sounds interesting, but how do you want to plan it?WANG WEI: I think we should do it properly. We must find the source of the river and start from there.WANG KUN: Well, the Mekong River begins in Qinghai Province. That means were going to be cycling at an altitude of m
11、ore than 5,000 metres.WANG WEI: Oh, I think thats exciting, dont you?WANG KUN: Remember that the air will be hard to breathe and itll be very cold.WANG WEI: Thats going to meke it an interesting experience.WANG KUN: I wish you werent so stubborn. You dont know where it is but you still insist that y
12、ou know better than anyone else. Now I know that the proper way is always your way, but have you looked at a map yet?WANG WEI: No, I havent. thats just a detail!WANG KUN: OK. I can see by your determined look that you wont change your mind.45 Compare the following sentences with different stresses a
13、nd explain the meaning.EXAMPLE: We were both surprised to learn that half the river is in China.Not only my sister, but also I was surprised ot learn that.We were both surprised to learn that half the river is in China.(means we didnt know this)We were both surprised to learn that half the river is
14、in China.(means we thought that may be more than half was in China)We were both surprised to learn that half the river is in China.(means that we didnt know that half the river is in China)Learning about languageDiscovering useful words and expressions1 Find the correct words or expressions from the
15、 text for each sentence.1 He is so stubborn that no one can persuade him to do anything.2 A determined person always tries to finish the job, no matter how hard it is.3 My grandpa is fond of fishing and sometimes he fishes all day in the river.4 Liu Xiaoding is a good teacher and cares about his stu
16、dents very much.5 I prefer the red dress to the green one because it fits me better.56 The concert went like clockwork because Li Pei had organized it so well.7 I wanted to pay the train fare, but my friend insisted. Finally I gave in.8 She persuaded all of us to cycle to work instead of taking the
17、bus.2 Choose the correct words or phrases to complete the sentences.1 As neither of them would give in, no decision was taken that day.(give in / give up)2 I liked the first flat we saw better because it was larger. (like . better / prefer . to)3 The task was difficult, but Helens determined express
18、ion let me know that she would not give up. (stubborn / determined)4 The list of gifts was very long, and we dont know why, but the most important item, the golden cup, was forgotten. (detail / item)5 “How I wish I could make a journey into space and see the stars up close!” cried Sarah. (journey /
19、travel)6 When he returned from his successful climb of Mount Qomolongma, Andrew finished his travel journal and gave it to the newspaper. (journal / diary)7 She had only one shortcoming: she was very stubborn. (disadvantage / shortcoming)8 The very first time that Joe saw the film “ET” directed by S
20、teven Spielberg, he made up his mind to become a director too.(make up ones 6mind / change ones mind)3 Complete this passage with some of the following words.rapids glacier mountain delta plain valley waterfall bankI really enjoyed my school field trip in geography two months ago. We saw so many bea
21、utiful things: a glacier that flowed like a river of ice through a valley that cut the mountains into two parts. We also discovered a river that was falling off the mountain and became a wonderful waterfall. This was even more exciting to see than the rapids where the water seemed to boil. Later we
22、followed the river to a quieter plain and finally into a delta and the sea.Discovering useful structures1 Look at the questions in the Warming up again. They are in the present continuous tense but they express future actions. Can you find similar sentences from the reading passage?When are you leav
23、ing? Where are you staying?How are you going to . ? How long are you staying in . ?When are you arriving in/at . ? When are you coming back?1 Where are we going?2 When are we leaving and when are we coming back?2 In the following dialogue, a newspaper reporter is interviewing Wang Wei about her plan
24、s for the trip along the Mekong River. However, they 7are not sure about some of the verb tenses. Please complete their conversation.R: Miss Wang, I hear that you are travelling (travel) along the Mekong River. Have you got everything ready?W: Almost.R: So when are you leaving (leave) ?W: Next Monda
25、y.R: How far are you cycling (cycle) each day?W: Its hard to say. If the weather is fine, I think well be able to ride 75 km a day.R: What about the weather in Qinghai Province?W: The weather forecast is not good so we are taking (take) a large parcel of warm clothes with us. R: Where are you stayin
26、g (stay) at night?W: Usually in our tent, but sometimes in the villages along the river bank.R: What happens if you have an accident?W: Dont worry. I had some medical training at my college. Besides, we are taking (take) out insurance to cover any problems.R: Well, it sounds fun. I hope youll have a
27、 pleasant journey. Thank you for your time.3 You have got some plans for the future. Use the present continuous tense to express your future actions. Give as much information as you can.8EXAMPLE: (this evening) Im going out this evening. /Im not doing anything this evening. / I dont know what Im doi
28、ng this evening.1 (tomorrow morning)2 (the day after tomorrow)3 (next Saturday evening)4 (next month)Using LanguageReading and discussing1 Read the passage above and discuss these questions in pairs.1 What items are Wang Kun and Wang Wei carrying with them? What do you think they will have to leave
29、behind in Dali? What should they take instead?Wang Kun and Wang Wei are carrying a tent, a cooker and food, pillows, water bottles. In the mountains they wore long wool coats, caps, gloves and trousers. In the plains they changed into T-shirts and shorts.2 How does Wang Kun feel about the trip now?
30、What do you think changed his mind?He is starting to like / enjoy it. Seeing how beautiful the land is has changed Wang Kuns attitude.2 Imagine that in the morning there is a dialogue between Wang Kun and Wang Wei. What do you think they would say before they leave camp?9Sample dialogue:WK: Oh, up s
31、o early?WW: Early? Its nearly 9 oclock!WK: Oops. (Looks at his watch). I guess youre right.WW: Why were you so tired?WK: Well, I stayed up late last night to watch the stars.WW: Thats nice. They must be pretty.WK: Yes, they were.3 Listen to the tape and mark the rising and falling tone of each sense
32、 group and sentences from “To climb the mountains .” to “. T-shirts and shorts”. Then practise reading it aloud.To climb the mountains was hard work but as we looked around us, we were surprised by the view. We seemed to be able to see for miles. At one point we were so high that we found ourselves
33、cycling throgh clouds. Then we began going down the hills. It was great fun especially as it gradually became much warmer. In the valleys colourful butterflies flew around us and we saw many yaks and sheep eating green grass. At this point we had to change our caps, coats, gloves and trousers for T-
34、shirts and shorts.To climb the mountains was hard work but as we looked around us, we were surprised by the view. | We seemed to be able to see for miles. | At one point we were so high that we found 10ourselves cycling throgh clouds. | Then we began going down the hills. | It was great fun especial
35、ly as it gradually became much warmer. | In the valleys colourful butterflies flew around us and we saw many yaks and sheep eating green grass. | At this point we had to change our caps, coats, gloves and trousers for T-shirts and shorts.Listening and speaking1 Before you listen, read the exercises
36、below and try to predict what the listening is about.2 Listen to the tape and tick the statement which tells the main idea of the dialogue.LISTENING TEXTJOURNEY DOWN THE MEKONGPart 3 CHATTING WITH A GIRLThe next day the travellers see a girl (G) walking along the road. Wang Kun (WK) speaks to her.WK: Hello!G: Hello! Are you travellers?WK: Yes. Were travelling along the Mekong River. Weve been all through China and now were going to follow the river through Laos.G: Im Laotian. The Mekongs our most important river. Did you know
