Before Reading 

Ⅰ. English Song -- Coming Out of the Dark

ⅰ. Gloria Estefan

Born in Cuba in 1957, raised in Miami, Gloria Estefan is the second generation of the Cuban exile(被放逐者). She wrote this song on March 20, 1990 when she was recovering from a serious road accident that had left her badly injured and near to death.)

ⅱ. Coming Out of the Dark  

Why be afraid if I’m not alone

Though life is never easy the rest in unknown

Up to now for me it’s been hands against stone

Spent each and every moment

Searching for what to believe

Coming out of the dark, I finally see the light now

It’s shinning on me

Coming out of the dark, I know the love that saved me

You’re sharing with me

Starting again is part of the plan

And I’ll be so much stronger holding your hand

Step by step I’ll make it through I know I can

It may not make it easier but I have felt you

Near all the way

Forever, forever I stand on the rock of your love

Forever I’ll stand on the rock

Forever, forever I stand on the rock of your love

Love is all it takes, no matter what we face

ⅲ. Questions about the Song and the Text

1. Consider the title of the song, what does “dark” refer to?

(=“Dark” here may refer to 1) near death

2) loss of consciousness after the car accident

3) slow and painful recovery

4) despair. )

2. How is the song related to the theme of the text?

(=To get over despair after injury is also a form of overcoming obstacles.)

Ⅱ. Warm-up Exercises

ⅰ. Obstacles Overcoming

1. Read four stories of four figures in the history to guess who they are and to see how they overcome their obstacles. 

The story of her is the story of a child who, at the age of 18 months, was suddenly shut off from the world, but who, against overwhelming odds(失败的可能性), waged(发动)a slow, hard, but successful battle to reenter that same world. The inarticulate little deaf and blind girl grew into a highly intelligent and sensitive woman who wrote, spoke, and labored incessantly for the betterment of others.

Helen Keller

2. At the age of five, she became a paraplegic(截瘫患者), but she never lost heart. Although she missed the chance to go to school, she finished all the courses of primary and secondary schools, she learned college English, Japanese, German and Esperanto(世界语) all by herself, and she assiduously(勤勉地) studied university and postgraduate courses for master degree. In 1983, she began to engage in literary creative work.

Zhang Haidi

3. As the 32nd president of the United States, he became president in March 1933 at the depth of the Great Depression, was reelected for an unprecedented three more terms. Despite an attack of poliomyelitis(小儿麻痹症), which paralyzed (使瘫痪)his legs in 1921, he was a charismatic(超凡魅力的) optimist whose confidence helped sustain the American people during the strains of economic crisis and world war.

Franklin Roosevelt

4. --1942  Born in Oxford, England.

--1962  Received a bachelor’s degree in physics and then enrolled as a research student in general relativity at the University of Cambridge.

--1966  Earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of Cambridge.

Stayed at the University of Cambridge to do post-doctoral research.

Diagnosed as having Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)(肌萎缩性脊髓 侧索硬化).

--1979  Appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a post once held by Isaac Newton.

Stephen Hawking )

Group Discussion

A. Discuss in groups the obstacles that you have been faced with in your life.

B. Discuss in groups the ways in which you overcame such difficulties,

C. Discuss in groups the problems that you still have in overcoming these obstacles.

ⅱ. Brainstorming

Imagine that you have received unlimited funds to start your own foundation. Brainstorm:

1. How would you like to start it?

2. Who would benefit from your foundation, and how?

3. What special programs would your foundation offer, and why?

Ⅲ. Background Information

ⅰ. Olympics

Organized and governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Games are the most important international sports event in the world held every four years.   

1. Olympic symbol: five interlocking red, blue, yellow, black, and green circles on a white field—represents the continents of the world joined in friendship

2. Olympic motto: swifter, Higher, Stronger.

3. Olympic Offices: Lausanne, Switzerland.

4. Main events in Olympic history:

--776 B.C.~392 A.D.  Ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia.

--1896~now  Modern Games began.

--1912  Women are allowed to compete in the Games.

--1924  Winter sports has been added to the Games.

--2008  Beijing will host the 29th Olympic Games.

ⅱ. Pole Vault

The pole vault (PV) is an event in track and field where athletes compete to clear the highest possible crossbar(横木)by using a vaulting pole. The basic concept is to convert horizontal energy (the run) into vertical energy (thus clearing a higher bar).

ⅲ. Some Suggestions to Overcome Obstacles

If there weren't obstacles in the past you would have achieved a top score on your study or career. It's the obstacles you have faced all your life that have kept you from living a wellness lifestyle. Overcoming individual obstacles now is what is necessary for success, if you want to feel and be well. Here are some examples.  

1. Get started.

Often, once you begin, you'll find the task is easier than you expect.

2. Break your task into smaller tasks.

Take one big task and break it into smaller tasks. For instance, do part of your assignment each time rather than the entire one.

3.  Work with the time you have.

Don't wait until you have time to do the entire thing. Instead, even if you only have five minutes, get started.

4.  Set small deadlines.

After meeting each deadline, give yourself a reward. For example, play video games when you finish an hour of studying.

4. Set anti-deadlines.

If you don't finish your homework by 8:00, you can't watch your favorite TV program.

5. Eliminate distractions.

Turn off the TV. Don't answer the phone.

7.  Ask for help.

Sometimes, the reason you don't start is because you don't know what to do. If that's the case, ask for help.

8.  Begin now.

What one thing can you do right now that will move you closer to your goal?

Global Reading 

Ⅰ. Questions about the Text

1. What does the text title True Height mean?

(=It has more than one meaning. They are:

1) the new bar heights that Michael cleared one after another.

2) the tremendous obstacles Michael had overcome in attaining his goal.)

2. As the text consists of the main story and a flashback, can you figure out the flashback

(=The flashback is from line 11 to line 35)

Ⅱ. Scanning

1. Scan the text again to find out all the instances where “work” is used as a verb and explain in English the different meaning of “ work”.

(=work: v. 1) (cause to) be active or use effort or power

           * “… want something, work for it.” (LL. 24~25) (L. 35) (L. 84)

         2) be active in the proper way, without failing

* “It wasn’t working.” (L. 5)

         3) exercise

           * “He worked out every other day…” (L. 27)   )

2. Scan the whole text to find out all the words and phrases that are related to sports or stadium. And think about their Chinese equivalents.  

National Junior Olympics   全国少年奥林匹克运动会

personal best            个人最高记录

stand(s)                 看台

final race                赛跑决赛

pole vault event           撑竿跳高项目

track and field competition  田径比赛

gymnast                 体操运动员

body builder              健美运动员

weightlifting              举重

bar                      横杆

inflated landing mat        充气垫

vaulter                   撑竿跳高运动员

finger-tipped push-up       俯卧撑

runway                   跑道

National record            全国记录

pole                     撑竿

take-off                  起跳

set a new world record      刷新一项世界纪录    

Ⅲ. Part Division of the Text

Ⅳ. Further Understanding

For Part 1

   Description

1. Use your own words to draw a picture of the stadium on that day, including the weather, Michael’s appearance and inner feeling, the audience’s response, etc.

2. Use your own words to describe what kind of event the pole vault is.

For Part 2

Questions and Answers

1. From the description of Michael’ parents, what can you learn about his parents? (=Michael’s mother is romantic and passionate, while his father is a hard-core realist.)

2．Brainstorm the various obstacles Michael might face during the hard training.

   (Open-ended.)

3.  What personality traits are attributed to Michael’s success?

   (=He is diligent, perseverant, optimistic, ambitious, etc.)

For Part 3

Chart Completion   

For Part 4

Discussion

1. Why does the author keep the secret about Michael’s blindness until the last sentence?

2. Who would you admire better, a Michael Stone with a sound body or a blind Michael Stone?

Ⅴ. Writing Skills

As the text consists of the main story and a flashback, the narration has to switch from the ongoing competition to earlier events and then return to the ongoing competition. How does the author manage to make these parts in the text flow smoothly?

1. One way is to repeat a key word in the last sentence of a paragraph in the first sentence of the next paragraph, e.g.

It also has the element of flying, and the thought of flying as high as a two-story building is a mere fantasy to anyone watching such an event.

As long as Michael could remember he had always dreamed of flying.

2. Another way is to pick up a key idea from a previous paragraph and repeat it in the sentence introducing the next paragraph, e.g.

All of Michael’s vaults today seemed to be the reward for his hard work.