Unit 20 humour Reading Laughing matter

整体感知

Step 1 Presentation

Questions: In what performances do we enjoy humor?

Do you know any famous comedians?

What are they famous for ?

Step 2 Listening & understanding

Let the students listen to the tape more carefully and then do the following exercises .

① Match the following:

Para.1 Chinese crosstalk show

Para.2 clowns

Para.3 comedians

Para.4 and 5 comedies

② What is the topic sentence of each paragraph ?

Ask the students to find out the topic sentence of each paragraph

Step3 Scanning

Read the following sentences and decide if they are true (T) or false (F)

1. Shakespeare’s plays are no longer funny because English has greatly changed. ( )

ns often use words to make people laugh. ( )

dians always use the make-up that clowns use. ( )

show of a comedian is completely different from the players of a comedy. ( )

tradition of crosstalk has existed in China more than 2,000 years. ( )

Step3 Careful reading

There are four laughing matters in the passage. Comedy, Clown, Comedian, Crosstalk, show.

In what ways do they make people laugh? Let the Ss finish the following exercises

Choose the ways they make people laugh .

Comedies make people laugh by_____________ . Clowns make people laugh by_____________.

Comedians make people laugh by____________. Crosstalk make people laugh by____________ .

①ress up a little or act out smallsketches ②Use rhythm and rhythming words

③Use tongue twisters ④body language and their face

⑤acting out a situation -- a sketch ⑥using word play

⑦don’t use any words ⑧use their clothes, make-up and the way they walk, etc.

⑨Cross dressing men or women ⑩Stereotypes of nationalities or people speak with a foreign accent.

Step 4 Deal with the language points.

(The teacher lists them on the blackboard. Ask the students to say the Chinese meanings and give some examples. )

Step5 Enjoy performance

Enjoy a wonderful performance that some students have prepared for. After performing , ask the question, “ In what ways do they make you laugh .

Step6 Summary and Homework