1Unit 10 The TransactionTeaching PointsBy the end of this unit, students are supposed to1) grasp the authors purpose of writing and make clear the structure of the whole passage through an intensive reading of Text I The Transaction.2) comprehend the topic sentences in Text I thoroughly and be able to paraphrase them.3) get a list of new words and structures and use them freely in conversation and writing.4) be aware of the cross-cultural differences of foodTopics for discussion1) Do you often read fiction? And have you ever wondered how fiction is written?2) Have you ever attempted to write fiction or non-fiction or poetry? Where do you think the insurmountable difficulty rests?3) What do you think are the essential qualities that make a successful writer?Cultural Background The Importance of DialogueMany philosophers and writers would like to express their philosophic ideas through the form of dialogue. And one important theorist making great contribution in clarifying the function of dialogic thinking is Mikhail Bakhtin. 1) Self-other relationship “other” plays a key role in understanding:In order to understand, it is immensely important for the person who understands to be located outside the object of his or her creative understanding in time, in space, in culture. Mikhail Bakhtin (from New York Review of Books, June 10, 1993)2) Polyphony (many voices) single voice is not the carrier of truth:Truth is a number of mutually addressed, albeit contradictory and logically inconsistent, statements. Truth needs a multitude of carrying voices.2Text IThe TransactionWilliam ZinsserGlobal ReadingI. Text AnalysisThe text opens with two writers answering students questions about how to write in dialogue, showing sharp contrasts from various aspects. By summarizing different methods in writing, the text later on points out that even with diversity and differentiation, the common ground of any writing is the same. Many renowned philosophers and writers such as Plato and Oscar Wilde expressed their philosophic ideas in the form of dialogue where different aspects of truth were better presented. Through dialogue between people on an equal footing, we get the revelation that different, sometimes even seemingly contradictory elements, can co-exist so harmoniously within the range of one truth. Human beings have an inclination to look at the world from a self-centered perspective, and it will result in an illusion far from truth. Therefore, it is important for one to try his best to train his mind from an early time in his life to tolerate other peoples opinions of the world because such different understanding of life helps one better pursue the truth.II. Structural Analysis1) In terms of organization, the article clearly falls into two main parts:The first part (Paragraphs 1-17) is devoted to answers given by two writers to the students questions.The second part (Paragraphs 18-22) is a generalization of the essence of writing.2) In order to deliver the sharp differences in the answers of the two writers in the first 3part, the author uses Short paragraphs and the repetition of “he said ” and “Then I said ” The rhetorical trick of contraste.g. “The words just flowed. It was easy.” (Paragraph 3) vs. “It was hard and lonely, and the words seldom just flowed.” (Paragraph 4) Advantage of such rhetoric technique: some knowledge of different and even conflicting ideas helps one to gain greater thinking power and acquire a broader vision.3) The diversity of the writing methods in the second part is expressed by the parallel use of “some ” and “others ”e.g. Some people write by day, others by night. Some people need silence, others turn on the radio. (Paragraph 18)4) The transition paragraph from the specific examples to general discussion of the topic is Paragraph 17; The shift from the diversity to the commonality shared by all writers is realized with two words “But all” in the beginning of Paragraph 19.Detailed Reading Questions1. Do you think the process of the activity is within the expectation of both the speakers and the audience? (Paragraphs 1-17)No. Due to the differences in the background of the two speakers, different views towards the topic of writing are somewhat anticipated. But the fact that their opinions should be so conflicting to each other is a surprise to both the speakers and the audience.2. What would be the possible response of the students as suggested by the writer? (Paragraph17)The students might have a broader glimpse of the writing process. They would realize that there might be totally different writers and methods of writing and the most effective method of writing is the one that helps the writer to say what he wants to say.3. What does the writer mean when he says that all of the writers are “vulnerable and tense”? (Paragraph 19)“Vulnerable” refers to the quality of being sensitive to all the stimulus in life, and “tense” refers to the sharp awareness of expressing