高二英语选择性必修三Unit1 Reading 1
Preview:
Canada-land of maple trees
Canada is one of the largest countries in the world, second only to Russia, and has always been famous for its fantastic natural scenery. Canada has vast areas of wilderness, from the Arctic north, where average winter temperatures are usually minus 20 degrees centigrade, to the 8, 892-kilometre-long border with the USA to the south, which is the longest border in the world not defended by an army or the police. On the east and west are the shores of two great oceans-the Atlantic and the Pacific.
Within this huge country, there are frozen wastes, vast mountain ranges, huge open fields, countless rivers and endless forests. There are many wild animals in the forest and on the freezing lands in the north, and fish are abundant in the seas and rivers. For those who love natural recreation, it is possible to walk, sail or cross-country ski for hours--- or even days---without meeting another person. Canadians, especially wildlife photographers and hunters, are quite fond of the wilderness, and you will be too.
Beautiful scenery is just one of the treasures Canada has to offer. The vast majority of Canada's population of more than 30 million people lives in urban areas. You will be delighted by Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton-all known around the world for their urban way of life, beautiful architecture and unique culture.
Toronto, the largest city in Canada, ranks among the most multicultural cities in the world. People there have ancestors from Ireland, Portugal, China, Lebanon and Italy as well as from many other places. In the heart of Toronto is the Canadian National Tower, which is often called the CN Tower for short. Rising 553 meters into the sky, it is the third tallest tower in the world.
Montreal, a port in the province of Quebec, is the second largest city in Canada, and also the second largest French-speaking city in the world, Paris being the largest. Quebec, which was first settled by the French, was lost to the British in 1763, but its population is still over 70 per cent French. Because of this, Montreal has a wonderful mix of Old World (European) and New World (North American) architecture and culture. There are old buildings, historic churches, narrow streets and alleys, all alongside glass and steel and concrete skyscrapers towering upwards. As a modern, dynamic city, Montreal has a lively night scene, with many restaurants and clubs, as well as cultural and street festivals to ensure that no visitor is ever bored.
Smaller in size, but just as famous, is the city of Vancouver in the province of British Columbia on the Pacific coast. Vancouver has one of the largest Chinese populations in North America. It also has superb scenery, a beautiful harbor, and all the comforts of modern life and international cuisine, in addition to being close to some very popular ski areas.
Edmonton, a city in British Columbia's nearby province of Alberta, is home to the West Edmonton Mall. The mall is one of the largest indoor shopping centers in the world. It is like an underground city, covering an area of more than 20 acres. The mall consists of eight kilometers of passages, filled with shops, art galleries and even a water park. It attracts over 55,000 customers every day.
Nearer to the Atlantic coast is Niagara Falls. It is perhaps the best-known natural phenomenon in Canada. The waterfalls, the largest of which is shaped like a semicircle, are 670 meters wide and fall 56 meters in an awesome white sheet of water. Millions of travelers from all over the world come here every year.
Canada has a very interesting history. In 1896, gold was discovered in the Klondike frontier area in the north-west of Canada. Approximately one million people left their homes and travelled westwards to seek their fortune in the Gold Rush. Although only a handful of people became successful, many stayed and built settlements in the area, and there are now many museums showing what life was like back then.
Finally, if you visit during the autumn, you can see Canada's national symbol-the maple leaf. There are many maple trees in Canada, and a maple leaf is on the Canadian flag. In autumn, maple leaves turn a beautiful red. The tree itself supplies Canada's most famous food--maple syrup-which goes well with pancakes.
With all of these attractions, you can see why the UN named Canada one of the best countries in the world to live in!

1.Read the article and collect information about Canada:
2.Underline some useful expressions and sentence patterns.
Location: __________________________________________________________
Size: ______________________________________________________________
Population: _________________________________________________________
Language: __________________________________________________________
Canada     Food: _____________________________________________________________
History: ___________________________________________________________
Landscape: _________________________________________________________
Major cities: ________________________________________________________
Places of interest: ____________________________________________________
Symbol: ___________________________________________________________
3.Collect some information about your hometown(location,festivals,food,places of interest...)
Preview
Step1  Share what you have learnt about Canada
Learn and understand
Stop 1.  Read for the outline
Skim the website article to figure out its outline and the main idea of each part.


_______---Para1: Canada is a ________________ country
                                               _________ with __________________
Canada---a land of diversity            --- para2: There is a great diversity______________
                            ______  ---para3: Canada is ___________ diverse.
                                    ---para 4: The country also has a rich diversity of ___
                            _______ ---para 5: Canada is ___________________________
Stop 2.  Read for the details
Read Paragraph 2-4 carefully and answer the following question:
What can reflect the diversity of Canada’s geography, residents and culture? Finish the mind map.
the grand rocky mountains
                              ________________________________________________
geography   ________________________________________________
                              ________________________________________________
                                                      _______________________
Canada’s diversity   residents : 1/5 of the population is ______
                                                      _______________________
                              Vancouver :   ______________________________
culture      _________ :   French food and architecture     
                              _________:   _____________________________

Stop 3.  Summarize for speaking
      Suppose you were an exchange student from Canada, could you briefly introduce the diversity in Canada to your Chinese classmates?

       __________________________________________________
       __________________________________________________
       __________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________
Stop 4. Read for the language
To illustrate his point of view, the author employs some techniques __________________
a.Canada is like a blooming flower, unfolding with breathtaking beauty and richness to win the heart of those who enjoy what it has to offer.
What rhetorical [rɪˈtɒrɪkl] device is used in this sentence?What effect does it achieve?
_________________________________________________________________________
b.Ancient, slowing-moving glaciers hug the land and a huge variety of wildlife wanders the remote forests.
What rhetorical device is used in this sentence? Can you give other examples?
__________________________________________________________________________
Transfer and innovate
Step 1. Canada is a land of diversity and so is China. Share the diversity of your hometown with partners .
What is the diversity of your hometown?
                           _______________     ——————————
                                               ——————————-
the diversity of my hometown  _______________    ——————————
                                              ———————————
                           ______________    ———————————
                                              ______________________
Step 2. Write about Yixing
Writing requirements:
Please write an E-mail to Eric within 100 words, briefly introducing Yixing. The following aspects need to be included:  location ; geography ; typical towns; places of interest and food
Homework
1. Read the article carefully again and underline useful phrases and sentences
2. Polish up your reading, using the writing techniques you have learnt in this lesson.