Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/11/content_2309932.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you know anything about "Paradise Lost" or its characters--God and Satan, Adam, and Eve?
2. Milton knew a lot of languages: Latin, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Old English, in addition to English. How do you think this helped make him "a brilliant ... master of English letters"?
3. Becky says, "Education ain't what it used to be." Do you think it was better in the old days, or now? Why do you think so?
John Donne
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/10/content_2308582.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you agree that "No man is an island"?
2. Donne's "Meditation XVII," like a lot of literature, is about death. Why do you think this is such a popular topic for writers?
3. Are you surprised to learn that a minister wrote poems about love and sex? Why or why not?
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/10/content_2308582.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you agree that "No man is an island"?
2. Donne's "Meditation XVII," like a lot of literature, is about death. Why do you think this is such a popular topic for writers?
3. Are you surprised to learn that a minister wrote poems about love and sex? Why or why not?
Great Essays
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/06/content_2304467.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you enjoy reading--or writing--essays? Why, or why not?
2. Are you familiar with Montaigne or Bacon? If "yes," talk about them; if "no," look them up.
3. Why do you think the great essayists mentioned kept the titles of their works so simple?
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/06/content_2304467.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you enjoy reading--or writing--essays? Why, or why not?
2. Are you familiar with Montaigne or Bacon? If "yes," talk about them; if "no," look them up.
3. Why do you think the great essayists mentioned kept the titles of their works so simple?
Classic Chinese Novels II
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/04/content_2301932.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you know anything about Xuanzang, the monk who really went to India? Find out about him, if you can.
2. "Journey to the West" is a fictional book based on an historical event. Can you think of other examples of this sort of book (or film)?
3. Ming mentions that "The Dream of the Red Chamber," along with other books, is extremely complicated. Why do you think readers in another time enjoyed that sort of story?
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/04/content_2301932.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Do you know anything about Xuanzang, the monk who really went to India? Find out about him, if you can.
2. "Journey to the West" is a fictional book based on an historical event. Can you think of other examples of this sort of book (or film)?
3. Ming mentions that "The Dream of the Red Chamber," along with other books, is extremely complicated. Why do you think readers in another time enjoyed that sort of story?
Classic Chinese Novels I
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/03/content_2299793.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Are there other works in your culture that have inspired art, music, films, and TV shows, as these great works have in China?
2. The heroes in "The Water Margin" are good guys--but outlaws. Mark mentions "Robin Hood" as being similar. Can you think of other stories in your culture where "bad guys" are "good guys"?
3. In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," the three friends swear to support each other in a peach grove. What is the importance of loyalty in your culture?
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-12/03/content_2299793.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Are there other works in your culture that have inspired art, music, films, and TV shows, as these great works have in China?
2. The heroes in "The Water Margin" are good guys--but outlaws. Mark mentions "Robin Hood" as being similar. Can you think of other stories in your culture where "bad guys" are "good guys"?
3. In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," the three friends swear to support each other in a peach grove. What is the importance of loyalty in your culture?
Don Quixote
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-11/29/content_2295406.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Have you read Don Quixote, or anything about him? Or have you seen a movie about him? Talk about the character.
2. Do you think a man like him is noble? Or just crazy?
3. What's a "foil"? Can you think of any stories that use a foil to show more about the main character? Talk about one.
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-11/29/content_2295406.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. Have you read Don Quixote, or anything about him? Or have you seen a movie about him? Talk about the character.
2. Do you think a man like him is noble? Or just crazy?
3. What's a "foil"? Can you think of any stories that use a foil to show more about the main character? Talk about one.
Machiavelli
Lesson from the Shenzhen Daily:
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-11/27/content_2293178.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. What do you think of the quotes from Machiavelli in this lesson? Talk about each one.
2. Why do you think some people in history admired Machiavelli?
3. Do you think it's possible that "Machiavelli was writing satire"? Or do you think he meant everything he wrote? Why do you think so?
http://szdaily.sznews.com/html/2012-11/27/content_2293178.htm
Practice the conversation; study the vocabulary; then discuss the questions with a friend in English.
Questions:
1. What do you think of the quotes from Machiavelli in this lesson? Talk about each one.
2. Why do you think some people in history admired Machiavelli?
3. Do you think it's possible that "Machiavelli was writing satire"? Or do you think he meant everything he wrote? Why do you think so?