文档介绍：Unit Three Paradise Lost?
New Century English, Book I
郑州铁路职业技术学院
公共课教学部
公共外语教研室
Background Information
Paradise Lost
The original title Paradise Lost refers to the masterpiece of the English poet John Milton (1608-1674)and one of the greatest poems in world literature. It tells the story of Satanis (撒旦)rebellion against God and his expulsion from heaven and the subsequent temptation and expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Garden of Eden. Here the author borrows Milton’s title for his own purpose.
What do you know about rainforests? Would you prefer to clear them away for limited wood and land, or protect them for limitless pleasure and benefits?
Discussion
Some ideas
Air
Buildings
Pollution
Question
How did Columbus think of the rainforest?
Christopher Columbus said that he had never seen anything so beautiful, trees “beautiful and green, different from ours, with flowers and fruits and little birds which sing very sweetly.”
Question
How did Columbus think of the rainforest?
He thought it was most beautiful and quite different from that in Europe, with flowers and fruits, and little birds singing sweetly.
Questions
1. What does the sentence “It remains had to beat.” mean?
2. What does the word “fragile” mean here?
The great navigator’s impression is the first known written description of a rainforest. It remains hard to beat. Rainforests are extraordinarily beautiful, but the beauty is fragile.
Examples:
Being boss of a software firm beats selling insurance.
Simon always beats me at tennis.
beat
defeat or do better than
Examples:
We found him extraordinarily well informed on American affairs.
He spoke in a low voice and was extraordinarily polite.
extraordinarily
beyond what is ordinary