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2011年度河南省高等学校精品课程《高级英语》(A New English Course, Book 5)
Unit Five
Why Nothing works
Lecturer: Wang Yan
Copyright: Henan University of Technology 2012
Teaching Outline
I. Teaching Objectives
II. Background Information
III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking
IV. Text Structure
V. Discourse Analysis
VI. Theme-related Reading and Translating
VII. Theme-related Writing
I. Teaching Objectives
1
[ Thematic Concern ]
The philosophical concern on man-thing
relationship
2
3
[ Linguistic Competence ]
The use of examples to support one’s view
[ Stylistic Appreciation ]
Exposition through examplification
4
[ Encyclopedic Knowledge ]
The throw-away culture
II. Background Information
1. About the author:
Marvin Harris (August 18, 1927 – October 25, 2001) was an American
anthropologist. A prolific writer, he was highly influential in the
development of cultural materialism. In his work he combined Karl Marx's
emphasis on the forces of production with Thomas Malthus's insights on
the impact of demographic factors on other parts of the sociocultural
system. Labeling demographic and production factors as infrastructure,
Harris posited these factors as key in determining a society's social
structure and culture. After the publication of The Rise of Anthropological
Theory in 1968, Harris helped focus the interest of anthropologists in
cultural-ecological relationships for the rest of his career. Many of his
publications gained wide circulation among lay readers.
II. Background Information
1. About the author:
While Harris' contributions to anthropology are widely respected, it has been said that Other
anthropologists and observers had almost as many opinions about Dr. Harris as he had about
why people behave as they do. Smithsonian magazine called him 'one of the most
controversial anthropologists alive.' The Washington Post described him as 'a storm center in
his field', and the Los Angeles Times accused him of 'overgeneralized assumptions'.
II. Background Information
2.Pomo Indians and their basketry:
In the rage for things Indian that gripped the United
States at the turn of the century -- when the
Indians themselves had been all but wiped out -Pomo baskets were on many a collector's list.
Considered among the world's most beautifully
wrought, they were produced by the Pomo
Indians of northern California from painstakingly
prepared roots and shoots. In subtle geometric
designs, they ranged in size from feast bowls
that could feed a tribal gathering to miniatures
so tiny they could be mistaken for seeds.
II. Background Information
2. TV in the U.S.:
For ages, baskets had been the Pomo's all-purpose
containers, but by the end of the 19th century life in
America had so changed as to make their use obsolete.
Still, new white settlers in the Pomo territory admired the
strength of their design and craftsmanship, and by 1890
word had spread throughout the country of the Pomo
prowess at basketry. A market began to develop, fostered
by agents, dealers and missionaries, for baskets made as
art objects. Wealthy collectors caught the fever. ''Get me
some lovely baskets,'' wrote one, Patty Stuart Jewett, to a
pioneering Pasadena dealer, Grace Nicholson. Like many
basket lovers, Mrs. Jewett developed a basket nook in her
home for their display.
II. Background Information
3. Eskimo skin boat:
The umiak, umialak, umiaq, umiac, oomiac or
oomiak is a type of boat used by Eskimo people,
both Yupik and Inuit, and was originally found in all
coastal areas from Siberia to Greenland. First arising
in Thule times, it has traditionally been used in
summer to move people and possessions to
seasonal hunting grounds and for hunting whales and
walrus. Although the umiak was usually propelled by
oars (women) or paddles (men), sails, sometimes
made from seal intestines, were also used, and in the
20th century, outboard motors.
II. Background Information
4. Murphy’s Law:
Edward A. Murphy, Jr. was one of the engineers
on the rocket-sled experiments that were done
by the U.S. Air Force in 1949 to test human
acceleration tolerances (USAF project MX981).
One experiment involved a set of 16
accelerometers mounted to different parts of the
subject's body. There were two ways each
sensor could be glued to its mount, and
somebody methodically installed all 16 the
wrong way around. Murphy then made the
original form of his pronouncement, which the
test subject (Major John Paul Stapp) quoted at a
news conference a few days later.
III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking
1. Video: Bill Gates CES Speech
III. Warming-up: Listening and Speaking
2. Speaking and Discussing:
Q1: How do people try to forestall Murphy’s
Law in making goods?
Q2: Why does the author say nothing
works?
IV. Text Structure
I. Presenting the Topic(1-2)
II. Elaboration (3-4)
IV. Conclusion (4)
I. It introduces the topic by stating the Murphy’s Law and
its function in producing goods
II. The close relationship between the producer and customers guarantee the
highest degree ho reliability and durability in goods.
III. In modern times, the various stages involved in production and
distribution lead to the shoddy goods problem.
IV. Text Structure
For
what reason does
Harris think that people
nowadays honor the label
“handmade”?
IV. Text Structure

What is your personal view on the cause of shoddy goods? What
can we do to improve this problems?
IV. Text Structure

What measures do you
think can we take to crack
down the current food
quality problem constantly
detected in china?
V. Discourse Analysis
1. Exposition through examples:
Para.1
What is illustrated or exemplified–Quality-control gadgets and sampling are subject to Murphy’s Law.
Illustrations and examples provided–Quality-control instruments need maintenance; gauges go out of
order; X rays and laser beams need adjustment.
Para.3
(1) What is illustrated or exemplified–Quality is not dependent on technology alone.
Illustrations and examples provided–Pomo Indian basket and Eskimo skin boat
(2) What is illustrated or exemplified–Producers and consumers were either one and the same
individual or close kin that guaranteed the highest degree of reliability and durability.
Illustrations and examples provided–Men made their own spears, bows and arrows, and projectile
points; women wove their own baskets and … or fiber.
V. Discourse Analysis
2. Causal chain:
(3) What is illustrated or exemplified–crafts specialties
adopted by different members of the band or village
Illustrations and examples provided–pottery-making,
basket-weaving, canoe-building.
Para.5
What is illustrated or exemplified–various stages
involved in production and distribution in a modern
society
Illustrations and examples provided–management, the
worker on the factory floor, the office help, the
salespeople
VI. Theme-related Reading and Translating Exercises
The throw-away society is a human society strongly
influenced by consumerism. The term describes a critical
view of over-consumption and excessive production of
short-lived or disposable items.
VII. Theme-related Writing Exercises
In its August 1, 1955 issue, pp 43ff, Life magazine
published an article titled "Throwaway Living". This
article has been cited as the source that first used the
term "throw-away society".
Topic: Can you explore the reasons that
why we become a throw-away society?
Thank you!