Before Reading >> Love Song

“My Heart Will Go On” (视频略)

Do you have a favorite love song? What is its name? Who is the singer? Can you sing it or hum the tune?

Before Reading >> Saint Valentine’s Day

I. St. Valentine’s Story

New Words in the Story

priest牧师                                                                                 Claudius 克劳迪亚斯                                 ceremony 典礼，仪式

jailer看守监狱的人，狱卒             Rome 罗马                                                                       volunteer 自愿

behead斩首，砍…的头

St. Valentine’s Story

Valentine was a priest living in Rome during the third century. At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. He wanted to have a big army and expected men to volunteer to join. However many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. This made Claudius very angry. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius banned marriage even engagement from his empire. But Valentine would keep on performing marriage ceremonies secretly. He was caught by the soldiers at a wedding, and was thrown into prison and beheaded.

Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his jailer when he was in prison. Before he was taken to his death on February 14, 269 A.D., he signed a farewell message to her, “Love from your Valentine.” That note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine’s Day.

Questions and Answers

1. When did Valentine live?

(He was living during the third century.)

2. What was Valentine?

(He was a priest.)

3. What did he do to help young lovers?

(He kept performing marriage ceremonies secretly for the young lovers in spite of Claudius’s ban.)

4. When was he killed?

(He was killed on February 14, 269 A.D..)

5. Is there any day like Saint Valentine’s Day inChina?

(The seventh day of the seventh lunar month is the Chinese Lovers’ Day. The most popular story mentioned in connection with this festival is that of “the Cowherd and the Weaving Girl”.)

II. Valentine Traditions

- In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. “Wear your heart on your sleeve” now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

- If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

- InWales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant “You unlock my heart!”

III. Birds and Love

Europeans also believe that Feb. 14th is the day when birds begin to choose their mates. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and numerous other poets mention the tradition in their works. In accordance with the tradition, it is believed that a young girl will be able to tell what type of man she will marry based upon the first bird that she sees on Valentine’s Day.

-        If a young girl sees a blackbird, she will marry a clergyman or priest.

-        If a young girl sees a robin redbreast, she will marry a sailor or nautical man.

-        If a young girl sees a goldfinch (or any yellow bird), she will marry a rich man.

-        If a young girl sees a sparrow, she will marry a farmer or country gentleman.

-        If a young girl sees a bluebird, she will marry a happy man.

-        If a young girl sees a crossbill, she will marry an argumentative man.

-        If a young girl sees a dove, she will marry a good man.

-        If a young girl sees a woodpecker, she will have no husband.

Before Reading >> Public Libraries in theU.S.

Public libraries in theU.S.are free to the public. One can get a library card at a local library by filling in a form and showing the librarian a valid ID and something to prove one lives in the neighborhood (e.g., a used and stamped envelope with one’s name as the addressee (收信人), one’s phone bill, gas bill, etc.). Besides borrowing books, people go to libraries to borrow videotapes, use the computers there, and attend book readings by authors and other cultural events. Libraries are regarded as community centers.

Before Reading >> Pictures of New York and Florida

(图略)

Before Reading >> Group Discussion

Do you think that cyber love is believable and reliable? Why or why not?

Global Reading >> Part Division of the Text

Global Reading >> Further Understanding

I. For Part 1 Questions and Answers

Read Part 1 carefully and answer the following questions.

1. What do you think is the reason that John Blanchard came to the Grand Central Station?

(To meet somebody not seen before.)

2. Who do you think he was waiting for?

(His lover or girlfriend.)

3. Why did he straighten his uniform?

(To make himself more attractive.)

II. For Part 2 Sentence Completion

Read Part 2 carefully and supply the missing information.

1. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind.

2. With time and effort he located her address.

3. I’d always be haunted by the feeling that you had been taking a chance on just my beauty, which would disgust me.

4. She was a girl he had never seen, yet whose written words had been with him and sustained him unfailingly.

III. For Part 3 Multiple Choice

Read Part 3 carefully and choose the best answer for each question.

1. Who was coming toward Blanchard? _______. (B)

A. A middle-aged woman                            B. A young beautiful lady

C. A worn-out soldier                                            D. A lively and naive pupil

2. The young lady was dressed in ________. (D)

A. the red suit                                                                   B. the yellow suit

C. the blue suit                                                                 D. the green suit

3. How old was the “supposed” Hollis Maynell? ________. (C)

A. Over 20                                                                                   B. Over 30

C. Over 40                                                                                   D. Over 50

4. While he spoke Blanchard felt choked by the bitterness of his __________. (A)

A. disappointment                                                         B. happiness

C. excitement                                                                   D. enjoyment

5. Why did Miss Maynell ask the middle-aged woman to act as her? __________. (D)

A. It was a joke                                                                 B. It was a sense of humor

C. It was April Fool’s Day                            D. It was some kind of test

IV. For Part 4 Questions and Answers

Read Part 4 carefully and answer the following questions.

1. What did Miss Maynell want to find out through the test?

(The true nature of a heart.)

2. How do you understand Houssaye’s remark “tell me whom you love, and I will tell you who you are”?

(I can judge you by the person you love. And the saying is equal to a Chinese proverb: 物以类聚，人以群分。)

Global Reading >> True or False

Decide whether the following statements are true or false. Write “T” for true and “F” for false.

1. John Blanchard and Miss Maynell had known each other for more than 12 months. (T)

2. After writing a letter introducing himself, John never corresponded with Miss Hollis Maynell again. (F)

(During the next year the two grew to know each other through mail.)

3. The real reason that Miss Hollis refused to give him her photograph is that she was not pretty. (F)

(She wanted to give him a test to see if he really loved her.)