unit 1 festivals around the world(grammar and useful structures)
teaching aims
1. to discover and learn to use some useful words and expressions.
2. get the students to study the use of modal verbs.
difficult points
how to use proper modal verbs according to the concrete and authentic situations.
important points
the meaning and correct use of each pair of modal verbs: can and could, may and might, will and would, shall and should, must and can’t
step 1 warming up
as we know, the XX olympics is coming.
show two pictures: liuxiang and yaoming
say something about them using modal verbs.
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step 2 lead-in
t: look at the picture, the man is carrying a pile of books. so he can carry heavy books. he wants to enter the room, but he couldn’t open the door by himself. so he is making a request to ask for help from the woman by saying “could you open the door, please?”
(the teacher writes the three sentences on the blackboard. 1.so he can carry heavy books. 2. he couldn’t open the door by himself. 3. could you open the door, please?)
t: look at the three modal verbs in each sentence and try to get their meanings.
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step 3 explanation
1. can and could
1)表示能力(ability),指有能力做某事,意为“能够”。例如:
注意:表示现在,将来“能够”可用be able to 替换。表示过去“能够”并成功了只能用was/ were able to, 不能用could。例如
my grandma is over eighty, but she can/ is able to read without glasses.
we can/ will be able to talk about the matter later.
i talked with her for a long time, and at last i was able to make her believe me.(不能用could)
2)表示请求(request)或允许(permission)。意为“可否”、“可以”。 could 比can 更有礼貌,在此不是can的过去式。
can you wait a moment please?
liz, can you do me a favor?
excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?
i wonder if you could help me. (request)
---- could i use your phone?
----yes, of course. you can.
do you think i could borrow your bike. (permission)
3)表示可能性(possibility)
a. can 表示泛指的“可能”, 并非说话者主观认为的可能性,即并非说话者的主观猜测。
accident can happen to any drunken driver
b.表示说话者主观猜测,只能用与否定句或疑问句中。例如:
it can’t be my father. he is now in england.
----can it rain tomorrow?
----no, it can’t.
2. may and might
1) 表示可能性(possibility),用于对现在,过去或将来的推测,暗示不确定。might 不是may的过去式,它所表示的可能性比may 小,含较多的怀疑。
1) find all the sentences with modal verbs and explain the meaning.
1. other celebrations were held when hunters could catch animals.
2. they lit fires and made music because they thought these festivals would bring a year of plenty.
3.…or satisfy and please the ancestors, who could return either to help or to do harm.
4. in japan the festival is called obon, when people should go to clean the graves and light incense in memory of their ancestors.
5. on this important feast day, people might eat food in the shape of skulls, and cakes with “bones” on them.
6. it is now a children’s festival, when they can go to their neighbours’ homes and ask for sweets.
7. if they are not given anything, the children might play a trick.
8. some people might win awards for their animals, flowers, fruit and vegetables,…
9. at the spring festival in china, people…and may give children lucky money in red paper.
10. they might include parades, dancing in the streets day and night.
2) complete the following sentences with proper modal verbs.
a) you’ve been working all day. you ______ be very tired.
b) (the door bell rings)i wonder who that is, it________ be lisa. she’s still in the library at this time.
c) it is a long time since we met last time. you ________ come and see us more often.
d) i haven’t; decided where i’m going for my holidays. i ______ go to australia.
e) my father’s birthday is coming. what ________ i get him
f) why don’t you try on this dress? it__________ look nice on you.
g) “who was the man talking with your teacher?” “i’m not sure. it ___________ be her brother.
h) i don’t know when the guests ___________ be here. they __________ arrive at any time.
(must, can’t, should, may, shall, will, might, will, could)
3) finish the dialogue using modal verbs on p6
1. a: wouldyou like to go to a special event with us on saturday?
b: yes, i’d like to go with you on saturday2. a: couldxiao feng find the origin of easter from that book?
b: no, he couldn’t find it.3. a: may i go with my friend to the harvest festival?
b: yes, you may go ( with your friends )4. a: if i want to be a doctor should i study science?