Hit the Nail on the Head,Alan Warner,Force the nail in to the right place Your criticism really hit the nail on head. In so saying, you hit the right nail on the head. The writer advises that the English students should try to get the words, phrases and sentences completely right for their purposes in the writing.,Pre-reading questions,Title: Hit the Nail on the Head 1. Does the title strike you as a bit unusual? 2. Have you ever heard of this English proverb? What does it mean? 3. Whose jobs involve hitting? 4. Have you ever hit a nail into a box? Whats the correct way of doing it?,Organization of the text,Section 1: Para1-3: Raising the subject: Importance of choosing the right word. Section 2: Para4-10:Explaining the various aspects in the profile of a word Section 3: Para 11: Quality is more important than quantity in learning vocabulary,Organization of the text,Section 1:Para1-3 Raising the subject: Importance of choosing the right word. Para1: Introducing the topic by drawing an analogy between the carpenter hammering a nail and the writer using words. Para2-3: Elaborating on the importance of choosing the right word- It is a process of realizing, defining and clarifying your though.,Section2 (Para4-10) Explaining the various aspects in the profile of a word,Para4-7: Illustrating how words with common roots have different meanings (semantic aspect) Para 8: Illustrating how words with similar meanings may have different associations (connotational aspect) Para 9: Illustrating how words with similar meanings may have stylistic differences. (Stylistic/ situational aspect) Para 10: Pointing out that a general notion may be expressed by a variety of specific words( Variation in expression),Section 3 Conclusion,Para 11 Quality is more important than quantity in learning vocabulary (with an analogy to echo the beginning),Text work and language points,Section 1 Para 1 How does the author introduce the subject? What expository means is used in the first para? Can you explain the difference between “comparison” and “analogy”?,Page 7 Analogy,What is the purpose of drawing an analogy? When is it often used? How is it different from “comparison”?,Eg.,A clumsy man- A skillful carpenter A good writer- A skillful carpenter A writer choosing the right word A carpenter hammering a nail,Para2-3 1. How is para 2 linked to the previous one? What does “this” refer to? 2. Is it easy to find the word that expresses precisely what a writer want to express? Why ? Do you have this problem in writing? 3. Does a big vocabulary guarantee the ability of using the right word? Why? 4. Do you agree with the author that there is a great deal of truth in the seemingly stupid question “ How can I know what I think till I see what I say?,Language points,Line 3: drive something home force (the nail) into the right place; make something unmistakably clear E.g. (1). He slammed the door and drove the bolt home. (2). drive ones point home (3) The person who wins the argument is the one who drives home his points (4) Advertisers keep repeating the names of the product in order to drive the message home.,2. Line 4: hitting it squarely on the head: directly, used both literally and figuratively, examples. The boxer hit his opponent squarely on the jaw We must face the problem squarely,3. Line 7: clean English English which is precise and clear(in contrast with vague, slovenly language) 4. Line 10: scrupulous writers Writers who are very careful, paying attention to details. Scrupulous: painstaking, meticulous(positive, negative),5. Shades of meaning: slight differences in meaning. 6. Some useful sentence patterns (line 13) It is not only a matter of , it is also (line 19) It is hard work+ doing sth (line 23) hesitate doing sth ( also hesitate about doing sth., hesitate to do sth. hesitate at sth.),Section 2(Para4-10) The various aspects in word usage,Part 1: para4-7 The semantic aspect of words 1）human: of, or relating to man e.g. human being; human nature; human rights humane: characterized by kindness, mercy, or compassion e.g. a humane judge/ officer human action= action taken by man humane action= merciful action human killer= person that kills humans human killer= that which kills but causes little pain, esp. instruments for the painless killing of animals. 2) anxiety: associated with worry/ fear eagerness: full of interest or desire 3） singularity(of mind): oddity, peculiarity, sth. that singles a person out from others 思想奇特，古怪 singleness(of mind): holding steadfastly to the purpose in mind, without being drawn aside by less worthy object. 思想转移，坚定,Malapropism (line 38) is the use of word in mistake for one sounding similar, resulting in comic effect, e.g. “allegory” for “alligator”; “delusions” for “allusions”,Language points,1) distinct（line 26） adj. A. different in kind We should keep the two ideas distinct. 将两个概念区别开来 Donkeys and horses are distinct animals. 不同的动物 B. clearly marked, plain a distinct improvement 明显的 a distin