UNIT 10 (2A)FRIGHTENING NATURE

1 地位與作用 (Status and function)

本單元的中心話題是“恐怖的自然”。圍繞這一話題討論了臺風、火山等自然災害發生時的現象及帶來的影響。通過各個部分的學習，學生初步了解各種自然災害及對人類帶來的危害，從而增強保護環境和自我保護意識。

“熱身”(Warming up) 通過四張圖片引出自然現象：火山、臺風和彗星及進行科學研究的儀器。通過師生問答形式，學生能描述自然現象并對臺風、火山等自然災害有初步了解。根據圖式理論，將新學知識與學生已有的知識結合起來，能激活學生已有的圖式，有利于新知識的掌握。通過這個階段的語言訓練為以下各部分的學習打下基礎。

“聽力”(Listening) 是一則天氣預報。短文中出現了對各種天氣的描述及美國各部分的氣溫情況。首先是細節題，根據聽力短文指出美國哪些地區有雨及周二各部分的最高溫。學生通過該部分練習來訓練捕捉信息的能力。然后通過問題加深對短文的理解，最后達到能用英語做事的目的。

“口語”(Speaking)由兩部分組成。第一部分是兩人之間的對話，描述臺風來時的情形和心理感受，為第二部分的配對練習打下基礎。第二部分以六幅圖片的內容話題，通過對話的形式來表述情感、焦慮和恐懼，為以后的寫作打下基礎。

“讀前”（Pre-reading）部分先以兩幅圖片來激活學生已有的圖式，對火山的形成有精確的理解。再通過三個問題，學生通過略讀對以下的閱讀材料有個總體的了解。

“閱讀”(Reading)部分描述了“我的叔叔”--Pliny的死亡經過。Pliny不顧個人安危營救朋友，并在旅途中把自己的見聞記錄下來，為后人留下寶貴的研究資料。從Pliny身上學生可以學習樂于助人、勇于奉獻科學研究的精神。

“讀后”(Post-reading)分三部分。第一部分通過brainstorming學生對火山及發生時的情形有更全面的了解。第二部分以尋找問題答案的形式，學生能加深對Pliny個人品質的認識。第三部分針對課文理解，通過填寫表格培養學生的概括能力及描述事件的能力。

“語言學習”(Language study)分詞匯和語法兩部分。通過詞匯練習來鞏固本單元的生詞，并且學生能正確使用現在分詞和過去分詞作表語。本單元的語法是“省略句”，主要包括省略主語、謂語、不定式及多種成分省略；先通過一些例子讓學生自己探究省略的幾種情況；再通過控制性練習掌握如何使用省略句；最后通過理解情景對話達到運用的目的，也就是能用英語辦事。

“學習技能”(Integrating skills) 部分包括讀、寫兩部分，讀為寫做鋪墊。首先通過閱讀學生了解故事情節：“南山”號輪船在駛回福建途中遭遇臺風。更猛烈的大風即將襲來，整艘船危在旦夕…結尾部分給學生留下想象空間。寫作部分是閱讀的延續，學生通過想象描述“南山”號是如何脫險的。通過該部分教學不僅能提高學生的讀寫的語言技能能力，還能培養學生的創新思維能力。

“學習建議”(Tips) 給學生提供間接了解自然災害的方法，從而培養學生自主學習能力。

“復習要點”(Checkpoint) 總結了本單元的語法重點---省略句。再通過一個問題幫助學生概括本單元的重要詞匯。

各部分在練習冊中都有相應的鞏固練習。其中語言技能訓練是課文的延伸和擴展，培養學生的說、讀、寫能力。在訓練三種技能時增強學生探究能力和合作意識。

2.教學目標 (Teaching aims)

根據《普通高中英語新課程標準》（實驗稿）關于總目表的定位及其實現途徑和目標具體描述，結合高二學生實際和教材內容，我們把本單元的教學目標定為：

1、 語言知識 (Knowledge objectives)

單詞：掌握、理解、運用以下生詞 frightening, hurricane, astronomy, uneasy, unpleasant, upset, terrify, erupt, ash, mud, spot

詞組：be scared to death, get into panic, stand on end, use…for… draw one’s attention, at the foot of , no way out, call for, turn back, upon arrival, give impression of, light up, with the kitchen fire still on, more… than…, pick out, spring to life, clean up, leave out, turn round, on board, come on, knock about, all of a sudden, do, done for, all at once, hold out

語法：復習鞏固省略句，并能理解情景對話中的省略句。

2、 語言技能：(Ability objectives)

聽：能聽懂天氣預報，包括對氣候及溫度的描述；能理解描述自然災害的短文。

說：能得體地表達個人的感情、恐懼、焦慮之情及能有邏輯的描述自然災害發生的原因、嚴重后果及災后自救工作。

讀：能理解課文內容和課文結構，在閱讀中運用scanning, skimming, generalization, inference等微技能。

寫：能用流暢準確的語言描述自己經歷的自然災害或從其他媒體上獲得的經歷。

3、 學習策略 (Strategy objectives)

學生能在一定程度上形成自主學習、有效交際和信息處理英語思維能力。

4、 情感策略 (Moral objectives)

學生增強保護環境和自我保護意識；體驗用英語交流的成功與喜悅，以及培養合作精神、互助精神。

課時安排（Teaching arrangement）

Periods 1&2: Warming Up & Reading

Period 3: The 2nd Listening (Listening in the Workbook) Speaking & Talking

Period 4: The 1st Integrating Skills

Period 5: The 1st Listening & The 2nd Integrating Skills

Period 6: Grammar – Ellipsis & Word Study

教學計劃 (Teaching plans)

Periods 1 & 2 Warming-up & Reading

Goals:

1. Learn something about volcano through reading.

2. The students can use what they have learned to describe volcanoes.

3. The students realize that human beings can overcome any hardship.

4. The students will improve the ability to solve problems.

Teaching important points:

1.Try to master the useful new words & expressions in this period.

2.Understand the text well.

Teaching difficult points:

1.How to use the new words & expressions correctly.

2.To understand the reading materials of similar topics.

Teaching aids: a computer, a tape recorder & a projector

Teaching procedures

Step 1 Warming up

Q1: What’s the weather like today?

It’s sunny (rainy, windy, etc).

Q2: Do you often care about the weather?

Yes. / No, sometimes.

Q3: How do you hear about it?

On TV. / Over the radio.

Q4: Have you ever heard of typhoon?

Yes, quite often.

Q5: What words can you think of to describe the typhoon weather?

heavy wind (blow hard) storm (show a picture of stormy weather.)

roaring thunder (also roaring forties: part of the Atlantic Ocean, often very stormy, between latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees south.)

Q6: What will you feel in such kind of weather?

frightened, scared, terrible, happy (Ask the students why they feel happy? ---- Because typhoon will often release the drought. What’s more there is enough water, which can be used to make electricity.)

Q7: What about the hurricane? Have you ever heard about it?

It is something like typhoon.

Q8: What about volcano?

Q9: Look at the picture. Find out as much as you can to describe it.

eg. eruption lava

Q10: How is a volcano formed?

1). Show a video about the eruption of a volcano.

2). Show a picture of the boiling water kettle, which means the eruption of a volcano is something like the boiling water from the kettle. That is, the rocks is very, very hot and melted to gas and liquid. And they try to get out like the steam and boiling water.

Q11: Where is the most possible place that a volcano may erupt?

Near the ocean. eg. Fujiyama mountain in Japan.

Q12: Do you know how a volcano works, if you do, describe it?

Rocks from under the earth becomes hotter and hotter and many things erupted from the

volcano, such as:

Gas: vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulphur, etc.

Solid: bits of rock and volcanic ash, etc.

Liquid: lava.

Step 2 Pre reading

1. Show a picture. Ask the students: What can you see in the picture? (The body of the people, exactly, the body of the people in the town of Pompeii in the southern Italy.----show a picture of the relics of the town of Pompeii.)

2. Show another picture. Ask the students to guess what happened in the town of Pompeii? (A volcano erupted suddenly and after 18 hours all were damaged, including the people, animals, plants and the town itself.)

Step 3 While reading

Task 1 Skim the text and answer the following questions.

Q1: What is described in the following passage?

The eruption of the volcano called Mount Vesuvius.

Q2: When and where did it happen?

On the 24th of August in 79 AD in southern Italy.

Q3: Who is the writer of the letter?

Pliny, the younger.

Task 2 Decide whether the following sentences are true or false.

1. A volcano erupted on the 24th of August in 79 BC in southern Italy. F

2. My uncle planned to save his friend’s wife Rectina. F

3. My uncle went to rescue Pompy after saving Rectina. T

4. The flames came from the homes of farmers who had left in a panic with the kitchen fires still on. F

5. They decided to try the open air instead of staying in the house. T

6. It was night when the volcano erupted. F

Task 4 Scan the text & fill in the following form.

Date On the 24th of August in 79 AD in southern Italy. What happened: The eruption of the volcano called Mount Vesuvius.

First A cloud of unusual size & shape rising from a mountain drew my uncle’s attention and he wanted to see it from closer at hand.

Next After receiving a letter from his friend’s wife Rectina, he changed his mind to save her.

Then In spite of the danger, he turned back to rescue his friend Pompy and help calm down the other people.

Finally My uncle wanted to get out of the danger but failed. He was dead.

Task 5 Arrange the following statements according to the right order.

1. He decided to rescue his friend Pompy.

2. Some people watched an unusual cloud rising from a mountain.

3. Rectina begged him to save her.

4. He ordered a boat made ready.

5. Two slaves helped him stand up and immediately he fell down dead.

6. He bathed and had dinner.

7. A rain of rocks was coming down.

2-4-3-1-6-7-5

Task 6 Read the text again and explain what the words in bold refer to.

it: a cloud of unusual size and shape rising from a mountain

the one: the wind

the other: my uncle’s friend Pompy

their: flames

They: scared people

Language points:

1. draw one’s attention to sth. 吸引某人的注意力

eg. She drew my attention to a mistake in the report.

catch one’s attention; focus one’s attention on; pay attention to; give one’s attention to

2. Ash and bits of rock that were burnt black were falling onto the ship now, darker and more, the closer they went.

3. urge 催促, 極力主張; 強烈要求

eg. The U.S.A urged Iraq to give up.

4. Upon arrival: As soon as he arrived 當…的時候; 一… 就…

5. bath n. 洗澡；浴缸

bathe v. 洗澡

6. He looked more asleep than dead.

eg. The pig looks more lovely than stupid.

eg. The boy looks more stupid than angry.

Step 4 Post reading

Task 1 The uncle of the writer was not afraid of what was happening. How do you know? Give three examples that show he had no fear.

1. He wrote a report about all he observed during his trip.

2. Rescued Pompy, calmed down, bathed and had dinner, sleep, etc.

3. Slept after baths and dinner, told the flames came from the homes of farmers who had left in a panic with the kitchen fires still on.

Task 2 Further understanding

1. How does nature form a danger to people in the world and how can science help reduce that threat?

eg. In the summer, with the arrival of typhoon, a rain of storm and flood will come, which will damage a lot of things, including people, animals, and buildings, etc. The factory will also be closed because of it.

Ask the students to think as many examples as they can.

2. What’s the relation between human beings and nature?

We can’t go against nature. We should live in harmony with the nature.

3. What should we do to protect the environment that we live in?

5R policy.

1. Reduce: Reduce the amount of waste by every possible means.

eg. Show a picture of a tree; explain to the students that we must reduce the amount of trees that we cut down.

2. Reuse: Reuse the useful things before getting rid of them.

eg. Show a picture of a coat; explain to the students that when our coat is not suitable for us to wear, we can give it to our brothers, sisters or give it to the Project Hope.

3. Recycle: Recycle the waste things if possible.

eg. Show a picture of a cola can; explain to the students that after drinking the cola, the cans left can be collected together and melt them to make new cans.

4. Recover: Make use of good parts while getting rid of the bad ones.

eg. Show a picture of a watermelon; explain to the students that if part of the watermelon is rotten, we can cut it out and eat the good parts.

5. Repair: Repair the broken things.

eg. Show a picture of a chair; explain to the students that if one leg of a chair is broken, we can repair it and use it again.

Homework:

1. (in the first period)Find out some sentences you enjoy most, & try to recite them as possible as you can.

2. Refer to the website to know more about the volcano.

Period 3 Listening(Wb) Speaking & Talking

Goals:

1) Understand the listening text in the workbook.

2) The Ss can express emotion, anxiety and fear properly.

3) Know more about typhoon.

Teaching important points:

To master the useful new words and expressions.

Teaching difficult points:

How to use what the students have learned to describe a nature disaster.

Teaching aids: a computer, a projector & a tape recorder

Step1 Revision

Questions: 1 What kinds of disasters does nature give us?

2 What kinds of disasters does man give us?

Step2 Pre-listening

Page 144,Listening. Look at the picture. Discuss Exercise1 with the students.

Step3 Listening

Play the tape for the students to do Exercises2-4. Then ask: What happened in the typhoon Linda talked about?

Step4 Lead-in

Page74,Speaking.Get the students to read the dialogue to find out the answers to the following questions:

1 What happened in the typhoon?

2 What else do you know will happen in a typhoon?

3 What was people’s emotion?

4 What do you think happens in a hurricane, a volcano, an earthquake, SARS and bird flu?

Step5 Speaking

Give the students some pictures. Get them to make a similar dialogue. Tell their partners whether these things or situations frighten them and explain why. Also, talk about people’s emotion in these situations and how they would behave. Get them to make with the help of the useful expressions.

Model:

A: Have you been in a situation that frightens you?

B: Yes. It was last summer. I spent my summer vacation in my hometown, a small village in a mountainous district. One day, I went hiking with my cousin. On our way home, we met a cobra.

A: Were you frightened when you saw it?

B: Very! It made my hair stand on end. My cousin was too frightened to move at that time, too. Because we both saw on TV that the poison of a cobra can kill a person easily.

A: What happened next?

B: Fortunately it didn’t see us. We acted just as the TV programme told us. At last, it went by. The distance between the cobra and us was only three metres or so.

A: How terrible!

Step6 Pre-talking

Ask: What do you need to do when you are trapped in a typhoon?

Get the students to read the dialogue at Page144, Talking between Xiaosong and David to find out what Xiaosong suggests in case of typhoon.

Step7 Talking

Get the students to read the roll cards and make similar dialogues.

Step8 Homework

Make a dialogue with your partner about a disaster. It should include the following:

1) What was it like?

2) What happened?

3) What was people’s emotion and what about yours?

4) What safety measures should be taken?

Period 4 Integrating skills(Sb)

Teaching Aims:

1. Learn the text “typhoon” and master the detailed information in it.

2. Learn useful words and expressions

3. Write a passage about how the story will end.

Teaching important points:

1. To train Ss’ reading skills and writing skills

2. To master the usages of the new words and expression of this period.

Teaching difficult points:

1. To write a passage about terrible weather---- typhoon

2. To understand the difficult words, phrases and sentences

Teaching methods:

1. Fast reading and careful reading: to get the Ss to grasp the detailed information

2. Writing practice: to get the Ss to learn how to describe something terrible

3. Pair work or group work: to get the Ss to be active in class

Teaching Aids:

a computer, a projector, a tape recorder ( if the teacher wants )

Teaching procedures:

Step 1 Teaching Revision

1.Check the homework

2.Retell the story ( if the teacher likes )

3.Review the words and expression for talking about weather.

(This activity aims to review the words and motivate the Ss. In this way, the topic will be turned to typhoon.)

Step 2 Lead in

T: In the last few periods, we deal with a letter about volcano. It is a terrible nature disaster. This summer our hometown also experience a terrible disaster----- typhoon, one called Yunan. It caused great damage, isn’t it? Can you describe it? ( Ss: …. )

T: If it happens in USA, what do people call? (A hurricane )

In fact, a typhoon is the same thing as a hurricane except the place where they form. Before we deal with the detailed information, let’s watch a short video to experience the story wind again and here are two questions for you.

1. What does the hurricane bring in?

2. How long will it usually last?

(Ss watch the video and give the answers. If it is necessary, play it twice.)

Step 3 Pre-reading

T: We know typhoons can cause great damage or even deaths. In order to reduce the loss and protect ourselves, we have to learn more about it. Then what else do you know about the typhoon? Tell us what you know, please! First talk with your partner and then tell the whole class what you have discussed.

( pair work for two minutes and then one or two Ss report )

(This activity is to motivate the Ss to talk in English and cooperate well with each other.)

( Then the teacher introduce the background information )

T: Now, Let’s look at the diagram. We’ll know what is typhoon. Typhoon is a kind of tropical cyclone. It’s the atmospheric whirlpool formed on the warm tropical ocean and the area of low pressure. Winds are produced because the pressure of the air is different in different places. Air flows from a region of high pressure to a region of low pressure, causing a wind. The low pressure center is the eye of the storm. And tropical cyclone is the general name of tropical depression, tropical storm, severe tropical storm and typhoon or hurricane. In USA, people don’t use the name of severe tropical storm and typhoon. Instead, people use the name---- hurricane. All over the world, people name these tropical cyclones according to their strongest speed of wind. Can you guess how fast a typhoon can move? (Show the form to the Ss)

(Look at the form --- tropical cyclone naming conventions )

(Then the teacher shows the map of the world, ask Ss to tell the difference between typhoon and hurricane.)

Step 4 While reading

Fast reading: skim the passage and try to get the general idea of the text. ( Ss answer the main elements of a story: who, when, where, how)

Careful reading: Ss finish two tasks after reading.

Task1.Scan the passage and find the answer to the following questions.

1. Where did the ship meet the typhoon?

2. What was the weather at first?

3. Why did the capital say that it looked as if a typhoon was coming on?

4. Where were they when the full force of the hurricane struck the ship?

5. What should they do in such terrible weather?

6. What does the sentence “ Another one like this, and that’s the last of her” mean?

7. Why did the capital strike a match? What did he see?

Task2. Try to explain the difficult sentence in bold in English.

1. It was fine, for there was no wind and the heat was close.

2. Because he observed the barometer fell steadily and he knew that a terrible storm would come soon.

3. When the hurricane struck the ship with full force, they were all on the bridge.

4. They could only move the ship over the high sea and into the very eye of the wind.

5. It was the lowest reading he had ever seen in his life

(If Ss couldn’t understand the sentences, allow them to discuss with their partner.)

Deal with language points after that.

1. on board = in or on ( a ship, an aircraft or public vehicle)

eg. 1) Have the passengers gone on board yet?

2) 一上船， 我總想吐。

As soon as I’m on board I always feel sick.

2. close adj. = lacking fresh or freely moving air

eg. She noticed that the air was very close.

The atmosphere in a steam- heated building is often close

3. dirty adj. = ( of the weather ) rough and unpleasant

4.knock about = knock around ① “ 漫游, 流浪” ② “ ( 狠 )打”

eg. He has knock about all over Europe.

After he graduated from college, Joe knocked about for a year seeing the country before he went to work in his father’s business.

They say he knocks his children about.

5. all of a sudden = suddenly / unexpectedly

eg. 1)All of a sudden, the tyre burst.

2)他轉過身來但是忽然跌倒了.

He turned around but fell down all of a sudden.

6. do for sb./ sth. “破壞, 使…失敗.”

eg. 1) The spelling mistake in the exam did for him.

2) 若資金不能在十五天內到位，工廠就完了。

The factory will be done for it if capital can’t arrive in fifteen days.

do for “ 設法弄到” 常用于how , what 開頭的疑問句中.

eg. How did you do for food when you were in the desert?

7. as though = as if

eg.1) I remember the whole thing as if it happened yesterday.

2) She felt as if the girl were a member of her own family.

8. all at once =suddenly and unexpectedly/ at the same time.

9. swear v. = promise or declare formally

Step 4 Post- reading

T: We have dealt with the language points of the text and now let's do some exercises.

Task 1. Fill in the blanks with proper words.

Task2. Ss discuss the end of the story in groups and one reported it to the class.

(The Ss can express their own opinions and communicate properly. They can improve their speaking skills and the ability to do things in English.)

Step 5 Discussion

Extended discussion:

T: We know typhoon can cause great damage to our life. How can we reduce the loss? How can we protect ourselves?

( Ss discuss in pairs or in groups and then report what they discuss. )

Suggested answers :

1. Build strong houses;

2. Forecast correctly;

3. Give efficient first aid;

4.Cut up the branches of the trees;

5.Bury the lines under the ground

T : Every coin has two sides, so does the typhoon. Though the typhoon causes damage, it can have good effects. Can you think of some?

good effects:

eg 1. Bring in enough water to release drought

2. Bring in heavy wind which can be used to make electricity.

step 6 Homework

1.Oral homework:

Suppose you are a newspaper reporter and are interviewing the capitain. Make up the dialogue.

Think it over: What questions will the journalist ask?

2. Written homework

Write the end of the passage on your exercise book.

Period 5Listening(Wb) Integrating skills & Writing (Wb)

Teaching aims:

1.The Ss can understand the listening text.

2.The Ss can get the general idea of each paragraph.

3.Through reading, the Ss develop some microskills in reading, such as skimming and scanning. What’s more, they can write a composition of similar topic.

4.The Ss can develop in somewhat the ability of autonomy learning, processing information and thinking in English.

5.The Ss have the sense to protect our environment. They share the experience of learning English and have the sense of success in learning English and cooperation.

Teaching important points:

1.Learn the useful words and expressions in this period.

2.Learn to write about a natural disaster.

Teaching difficult points:

1.Know how to use the words and expressions in this period.

2.Know the structure of writing about a natural disaster.

Teaching aids: a tape- recorder a computer & a projector

Teaching procedures

Stage 1 Listening

1.Read the information about the exercises.

2.Listen to the tape and do Exercises 1,2 & 3.

3.Listen again and finish all the questions in this part.

(If necessary, play the tape again.)

Stage 2 Reading

1.Lead-in

Ask the Ss to describe a kind of weather and what people do in such weather.

Today we’ll read some book descriptions about natural disasters and stories that happened in terrible weather.

2.Pre-tasks

Read through the book descriptions and match them with the following book titles.

1. Volcano & Earthquake

2. Under the Volcano: A Novel

3. Disaster! The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906

4. Volcano & Earthquake

5. The Coming Storm: Extreme Weather and Our Terrifying Future

6. Hidden Big Island of Hawaii: Including the Volcanoes National Park

7. Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938

(This activity aims to improve the Ss’ reading ability of skimming and the Ss can get the general idea of each paragraph.)

3.While-tasks

Ask the Ss to read the descriptions carefully again. Divide the whole class into two parts. Each part deals with one of the following two activities:

1. Which books on the list interest you? Give reasons why you might want to read them.

2. Choose one book from the list which you don’t want to read and explain why you think it won’t interest you.

(This activity is to help the Ss develop the ability of scanning and express their own opinions with their own words.)

4.Post-tasks

Group work.

Imagine your teacher asks you to write an essay about human experiences and how people suffer during natural disasters. Which books would you choose to help you write your essay? What information do you think you could use from them?

Stage 3 Writing

1. Brainstorming

What natural disasters do you know?

2. Writing

Divide the class into six groups. Each group discuss a topic and writes a composition together. After they finish the writing, they should do peer-revision. Then the teacher will post the compositions on the wall. Each composition should contain the following parts:

1.How is the disaster formed?

2.What happens when the disaster comes?

3. What is the damage after the disaster?

4.What do people do after that?

5. What lesson have you learn?

(This step tries to develop the Ss’ cooperative ability and writing ability. The Ss look up information in many different ways.)

Stage 4 Homework

Read more passages about natural disasters. They can refer to some websites.

Period 6 Grammar & Word Study

Goals: 1. Learn and master Grammar: Ellipsis

2. Review the usage of the present participle & past participle.

Teaching Important Points:

1.Learn about Ellipsis of different types.

2.Enable Ss to learn how to choose the present participle & the past participle.

Teaching Difficult Point: How to use Ellipsis to make a sentence brief and clear.

Teaching Aids: a computer & a projector

Procedures:

Step 1: Word Study

1. Check the answer to Exercise 1 at Page 77.

2. The Present participle & the past participle

T: Look at the 2 sentences on the blackboard.

This is a moving story.

The boy is deeply moved by the story.

Can you tell the difference between “moving” & “moved” ?

S: Yes. The present participle “moving” expresses an action that happens around the same time as the main verb with an active meaning while the past participle “moved” expresses an action that is completed with an passive meaning. Am I right?

T: Yes, quite right? Please open your books at Page 78. Look at Ex. 2. Read the sentences and fill in the blanks with the proper forms of the words.

Step 2: Grammar - Ellipsis

T: Look at the 2 sentences on the blackboard.

Upon arrival, my uncle hugged Pompy and (?) tried to give him courage.

Then came a smell of sulphur, and then (?) flames.

Read them and decide which words were left out at each place of the question marks.

S: I think in the 1st sentence the subject “he or my uncle” was left out.

S: In the 2nd sentence I think “came” should be at the place of the question mark.

T: You are right. In modern English there is a tendency to omit or leave out some words in a sentence for the sake of conciseness. The omission is called “Ellipsis”, and a sentence containing such an elliptical sentence. A word or words in a sentence can be omitted only on condition that the omission would not cause the sentence to be understood in more than one way to be unclear meaning or wrong. We must keep in mind that we should not omit words necessary for clearness. Are you clear about that? Now I’d like to some more about “Ellipsis”.

1. 簡單句中的省略

1) 省略主語 祈使句中主語通常省略；其它省略主語多限于少數現成的說法。

(1) (I) Thank you for your help.

(2) (I) See you tomorrow.

(3) (It) Doesn’t matter.

(4) (I) Beg your pardon.

2) 省略主謂或主謂語的一部分

(1) (There is) No smoking .

(2) (Is there) Anything wrong ?

(3) (Will you) Have a smoke ?

(4) What/How (do you think) about a cup of tea ?

(5) Why (do you) not say hello to him ?

3) 省略作賓語的不定式短語，只保留to，但如果該賓語是動詞be或完成時態，則須在之后加上be或have:

(1) –Are you going there? --Yes, I’d like to (go there).

(2) He didn’t give me the chance, though he had promised to (give me the chance).

(3) –Are you an engineer? --No, but I want to be.

(4) –He hasn’t finished the task yet. --Well, he ought to have.

4) 省略表語

(1) –Are you thirsty? --Yes, I am (thirsty).

(2) His brother isn’t lazy, nor is his sister (lazy).

5) 同時省略幾個成分

(1) Let’s meet at the same place as (we met) yesterday.

(2) –-Have you finished your work ?

---(I have) Not (finished my work) yet.

2. 主從復合句中的省略

1) 主句中有一些乘法被省略

(1) ( I’m ) Sorry to hear you are ill.

(2) ( It’s a ) Pity that he missed such a good chance.

2) 主句中有一些乘法被省略

(1) –Is he coming back tonight? --I think so.

(2) –She must be busy now? --If so, she can’t go with us.

(3) –Is she feeling better today? --I’m afraid not.

(4) –Do you think he will attend the meeting? --I guess not.

這種用法常見的有：How so? Why so? Is that so? I hope so. He said so.及I suppose/believe/hope not.

3. 并列句中的省略

兩個并列句中，后一個分句常省略與前一分句中相同的部分。

(1) My father is a doctor and my mother (is) a nurse.

(2) I study at college and my sister (studies) at high school.

(3) When summer comes, the day is getting longer and longer, and the night (is getting) shorter and shorter.

4.其他省略

1) 連詞的that省略

(1) 賓語從句中常省略連詞that，但也有不能省略的情況。

(2) 在定語從句中，that在從句中作賓語時可省略.另外，凡是進行時態和被動語態的定語從句都可省略關系代詞和be 動詞。

2) 在某些狀語從句中，從句的主語與主句的主語一致時，可省去“主語+be”部分

(1) When (he was) still a boy of 10, he had to work day and night.

(2) She tried her best though (she was) rather poor in health.

(3) If (you are) asked you may come in.

(4) If (it is) necessary I’ll explain to you again.

3) 不定式符號to的省略

(1) 并列的不定式可省去后面的 to.

I told him to sit down and wait for a moment.

(2) help 當“幫助”講時，后面的賓語或賓補的不定式符號to可帶可不帶.

I will help (to) do it for you.

I will help you (to) do it.

（3）介詞but前若有動詞do,后面的不定式不帶 to.

The boy did nothing but play.

(4) 某些使役動詞（let, make, have）及感官動詞（see, watch, hear, notice, observe, feel, look at, listen to等）后面作賓語補足語的不定式一定要省去 to, 但在被動語態中須將to 復原。

I saw the boy fall from the tree.

The boy was seen to fall from the tree.

The boss made us work 12 hours a day.

We were made to work 12 hours a day.

(5) 主語從句中有動詞do,后面作表語的不定式的 to可帶可不帶。

All we can do now is (to) wait.

(6) find 當“發現”講時，后面作賓語補足語的不定式符號to可帶可不帶。

We found him (to) work very hard at the experiment.

但如果是不定式 to be，則不能省略。

She found him to be dishonest.

4) 連詞if在部分虛擬條件句中可省略，但后面的語序有變化。

(1) Had they time, they would certainly come and help us.

(2) Were I you, I would do the work better.

(3) Should there be a flood, what should we do?

5) 主句和從句各有一些成分省略。

The sooner (you do it), the better (it will be).

Step 3: Homework

Finish all the exercises about “Ellipsis” in your book.