The kindness of Strangers

1. Lesson 12 The kindness of Strangers Book 1 Mike Mclntyre

2. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Tennessee Williams Tennessee Williams (1911-83) One of America’s greatest playwrights, and certainly the greatest ever from the South, Tennessee Williams wrote fiction and motion picture screenplays, but he is acclaimed primarily for his twenty-five full-length plays—nearly all of which are set in the South, but which at their best rise above regionalism to approach universal themes.

3. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • A Streetcar Named Desire Main Themes (I) Fantasy/Illusion: Blanche dwells in illusion; fantasy is her primary means of self-defense. Her deceits do not carry any trace of malice; rather, they come from her weakness and inability to confront the truth head-on. She tells things not as they are, but as they ought to be. For her, fantasy has a liberating magic that protects her from the tragedies she has had to endure. Unfortunately, this defense is frail and will be shattered by Stanley. In the end, Stanley and Stella will also resort to a kind of illusion: Stella will force herself to believe that Blanche's accusations against Stanley are false.

4. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • A Streetcar Named Desire Main Themes (II) Desire: Closely related to the theme above, desire is the central theme of the play. Blanche seeks to deny it, although we learn later in the play that desire is one of her driving motivations; her desires have caused her to be driven out of town. Desire, and not intellectual or spiritual intimacy, is the heart of Stella's and Stanley's relationship. Desire is Blanche's undoing, because she cannot find a healthy way of dealing with it: she is always either trying to suppress it or pursuing it with abandon.

5. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • A Streetcar Named Desire Main Themes (III) Loneliness: The companion theme to desire; between these two extremes, Blanche is lost. She desperately seeks companionship and protection in the arms of strangers. Towards the end of the play she says “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers” in her desperate effort to find meaning in life. she has never recovered from her tragic and consuming love for her first husband. Blanche is in need of a defender. But in New Orleans, she will find instead the predatory and merciless Stanley.

6. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 1.addict (II) • n.a. one who is addicted, as to narcotics • b. a devoted believer or follower • Example: • We are all addicts of Communist.

7. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 2.attentive Word formations • adj.a. giving care or attention; watchful • b. expressing affectionate interest through • close observation and gallant gestures • Examples: • In class, some students are very attentive, and some are not. • He played the attentive suitor, complete with roses . n.attentiveness

8. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 3.amaze • vt. to shock or surprise someone • Examples: • Her knowledge amazes me. • Visitors were amazed at the achievements in • the car manufacture of the city during the • past decade. • I was amazed by the news of George‘s • sudden death.

9. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 4.compassionate (I) Word formations n. compassionateness adj.feeling or showing compassion v. to pity • Examples (making a comparison): • a humane physician • We should compassionate toward disadvantaged people. • The government released the prisoner for humanitarian reasons. • He is merciful to the repentant. Translation

10. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 4.compassionate (II) 一位人道的医生； 对残疾人有同情心； 出于人道主义原因释放囚犯； 仁慈地对待悔悟者

11. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 5.conquer • v.to win over or take over • Examples: • The Roman Empire conquers most of Europe • and south of Africa. • scientists battling to conquer disease; a • singer who conquered the operatic world • I finally conquered my fear of heights.

12. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Word Study 6.intrigue • n. a secret or underhand scheme; a plot • v.a. to engage in secret or underhand • schemes; plot • b. to arouse the interest or curiosity of • Examples: • The general intrigued with the enemy to overthrow the government. • Hibernation has long intrigued biologists. • The notice intrigued many students.

13. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Phrases and Expressions 1. (as) a matter of course （作为）理所当然的事；（按照）常规 • (as) a regular habit or usual procedure • Examples: • I check my email every morning as a matter of course. • They helped the old man clean his house as a matter of course.

14. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Phrases and Expressions 2. be in need • bein acondition of poverty or misfortune • Examples: • The family is in dire need. • The hungry children were in need of food. • He is in great need.

15. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Phrases and Expressions 3.be scheduled for (to do) • be included in a schedule; be arranged to do • Examples: • The sale is scheduled for tomorrow. • She is scheduled to give a speech tonight. • He had been scheduled to arrive in Beijing the next week.

16. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Phrases and Expressions 4.have one’s thumb out Chinese • tothumb a lift; hitch-hike • Example: • He stood beside the road and had his • thumb out. 竖起拇指要求搭便车

17. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 1 I never even lifted my foot off the accelerator. (Para. 2 ) the part of a car that can make the car go faster when you press it The author was really shocked—how he could have been so indifferent, so unfeeling and so unsympathetic.

18. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 2 … through the land of the almighty dollar. (Para. 5) the country in which money has much power as God, here refering to the United States.

19. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 3 … when it seemed to run contrary to their own best interests. (Para. 7) to run against; to run contrary an adverb … when it seemed to be in a way that is opposite to their best interests. /… when it seemed to be exactly what they should not have done for their own safety.

20. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 4 … a trucker pulled over, locking his brakes so hard he skidded on the grass shoulder. ( Para. 9 ) truck-driver putting (slamming in/applying) his brakes to slide sideways and become out of control

21. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 5 • But I hate to see… (Para. 9) • The proper translation would be: 我真不愿见到… … • Examples: • I hate to disturb you , but could you take a • look at my computer? • I really hate to ask my parents for money.

22. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 6 The executive director… handed me a brochure for a local campground. (Para. 12) can be translated as 执行董事，常务经理，主管人员，etc. a thin book giving information or advertising sth. (AmE) an area where people can camp that often provides water, gas, food and other services. It is estimated that there are more than 16,000 such campgrounds in the United States.

23. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 7 • Now we’re talking… (Para. 12) • This is used when you think someone’s suggestion is a very good idea. • More examples: • ----I suggest we first get hamburger and • then a big ice-cream. • ----Now we (you) are talking! Let’s go. • b) ----Let’s call it a day. We can work all day. • ----Now we (you) are talking.

24. Lesson 12 - The Kindness of Strangers • Sentence Paraphrase 8 …. “mountain stay-at-home people” who rarely entertained in their house. ( Para. 13) people who stay at home all the time and do not like to do exciting things Other examples: the next-to-last step/a wait-and-see policy/ a take-it-leave-it attitude/a get-rich-quick dream Compound word