Unit 1 · p.15 Family Matters

Today we're watching TV. Well, listening to it. Look at the "What's on" box. It's a soap opera called People Next Door. Who watches soap operas at home? Or who's got a grandma who does?

My grandma watches a Chinese family drama every night at seven thirty. She'll get angry if anyone talks.

"She'll get angry", I see last lesson's will is still alive. Good. Now the photo. How are these two related?

Judging by their body language, they're probably a couple. They're arguing in a kitchen, and that looks like home.

Could they be brother and sister?

Possibly, but the way he's leaning towards her looks more like a husband who wants to explain something.

Nice reading of body language. How does he look?

He looks frustrated, as if he's said the same thing a hundred times.

She looks very boring. She doesn't want to listen.

I see what you mean, but "boring" means she makes other people bored. If she's the one who's tired of it, she's "bored", or even better, "fed up".

She seems fed up, which suggests they've had this argument before.

Now read the listing. "Things have not been easy between Emma and Jack recently, especially since the accident." What could the accident have changed?

Maybe someone in the family got hurt, so Emma is worried about her family all the time.

Interesting theory. And "Jack's hoping that an evening out with friends will lighten things up". So what's the mood at home like?

Heavy. Tense. They need to relax.

So, prediction time. In pairs, make notes on three things: how they're related, what they're talking about, and how they feel and why.

巡视，鼓励学生推测并展开；把几个预测写在黑板上，听完回来对照。

Let's hear some. What do you think they're talking about?

I think Jack's annoyed because Emma spends too much time with her family since the accident.

Big claim. Let's see if you're right.

Exercise 9. Listen once, just to check your predictions. Don't write anything yet.

播放音频 1.02（第一遍）。

So, how close were you?

Quite close! They're husband and wife, and Emma's been on the phone to her sister for almost an hour.

Were they talking about the accident?

No, the accident wasn't mentioned at all. It was about being late.

Good, so that prediction was wrong, and that's fine. What's the most surprising piece of information?

That they've only just got married!

Exactly. Newlyweds, and already this. Exercise 10. Read statements 1 to 6 first. Which are facts, which are feelings?

1 to 5 are facts. 6 is a feeling: what Jack feels.

Before we listen: "exaggerating". If I say "I've told you a million times", am I exaggerating?

Yes, you're making it bigger than it really is.

播放音频 1.02（第二遍）。弱的班级每个答案后暂停。

Number 1: Emma's talking to her mum.

False. She's talking to her sister, Joss.

Number 2: fifteen minutes late.

True. They were meeting at seven thirty, and Jack says it's seven forty-five.

Number 3: Emma's brother is younger.

True. Jack says "your little brother".

Number 4: Jack's an only child.

True. Emma says "I'm sorry you haven't got any brothers or sisters".

Number 5: Emma phones her sister every day.

True, because Jack says she phones every single day.

You heard Jack correctly. But is Jack a reliable witness right now? What does Emma reply?

She says "I don't phone my sister every day either", and that he's just exaggerating because he's in a bad mood. So it's false.

Exactly. Never confuse what a character says with what's true. Number 6?

True. He feels her family phone her too often. "At any moment there's going to be a phone call from your sister or your mother."

So why does Jack exaggerate? What's going on inside him?

He feels left out. He says "it's never you and me together".

Exercise 11. Whose side are you on? Pairs, two minutes. And be fair to both of them.

学生两人讨论 2 分钟后，全班分享，让学生解释理由。

I can see why Jack feels annoyed. They're late, and she didn't even notice the time. But he goes too far when he says "I'm tired of this family".

Strong phrase, "tired of this family". Is he attacking Emma, or her family?

Her family. That's why she gets defensive.

I think Jack is a little selfish, because he is only child, he doesn't understand the family.

Careful, you've fallen into the stereotype we spent two lessons questioning! And grammar: AN only child. Is there any evidence in the scene that he's selfish because he's an only child?

No, actually. That's what Emma suggests, but he says "that's got nothing to do with it".

So who brought up the only-child idea?

Emma. "I'm sorry you haven't got any brothers or sisters." It sounds kind, but it's actually a bit of an attack.

Why does it make him angrier?

Because it means "you can't understand because something's missing in you". It's a bit patronising.

"Patronising", excellent word. Now Emma. To be fair to her…?

To be fair to her, she apologises at least twice. She says she completely forgot and lost track of the time.

And where does she go too far?

At the end, when the phone rings again, she answers it, even though she's just promised to go out.

She always answer the phone when the family call.

That's the habit we're judging, so give it the full complaining power. Always plus -ing.

She's always answering the phone whenever her family call!

Now, the big question. What's the fight REALLY about? Listen to what Jack says just before the phone rings.

"It's never you and me together. We've only just got married." So it's not about the phone call. It's about feeling like he's not the priority.

That's it. The phone call is the surface. Underneath, it's: am I important to you? That's true of so many family arguments: the topic is small, the feeling is big.

Exercise 12. Six sentences from the scene. Emma or Jack? From memory first.

a is Jack, "I'm tired of this family".

b, "Why do you have to talk to each other all the time?"

Jack again.

c, "I don't understand. I'm sorry we're going to be late but…"

Emma. She's apologising.

d, e and f?

All Jack. "I don't want to go anymore", "Tell me it isn't someone in your family", and "That can wait, can't it?"

So five out of six are Jack's. What does that tell us?

He's the one who's driving the argument. Emma's mostly defending herself.

Now let's sound like them. Say it with the right intonation, and be emotive! Sentence a, after me. "I'm TIRED of this family. I'm tired of ALWAYS waiting…"

每句停顿，全班跟读，再请个别学生表演。

I'm tired of wait while you talk to your sister.

The emotion was perfect, I felt it. One small thing: after "of" we need the -ing form. Tired of WAITING. And don't drop "always", it's the most annoyed word in the sentence.

I'm tired of always waiting while you talk to your sister!

Notice "always" again. Tired of always doing something: that's another way of complaining about a habit. Now f: "That can wait, can't it?" Does Jack really want an answer?

No. He's being sarcastic. The tone goes down at the end.

Exactly, falling tone: it's not a question, it's an accusation. Say it.

That can WAIT, CAN'T it?

Ooh, cold. Now d. "I don't want to go anymore. I really don't." Why does he repeat it?

To show he really means it. He's not just in a mood, he's decided.

Good. That's the bridge to the next exercise: each of these sentences uses a technique.

Exercise 13. Five techniques for making language more emotional. Match them with a to f. Some get two.

两人一组 2 分钟。

Technique 1, question tags.

f. "That can wait, can't it?"

2, repetition.

a, "I'm tired of… I'm tired of…", and d, "I don't want to go anymore. I really don't."

3, rhetorical questions.

b. "Why do you have to talk to each other all the time?" He doesn't want an answer.

Compare: "You talk to each other all the time." Versus: "Why do you HAVE to talk to each other all the time?" What does the question add?

It sounds like he can't believe it. Like it's ridiculous.

Exactly, a rhetorical question invites the other person to feel stupid. Use with care. 4, the emphatic auxiliary.

d. "I really don't." The "don't" is stressed.

And there's a better example in the audio, from Emma. When Jack says "If I say anything, it's 'But it's my sister!'", what does she answer?

"But it IS my sister."

Why "IS" instead of "it's"?

Because she's insisting. Like, "yes, it really is, and that matters".

So I can say: I do really love my sister.

Right idea, wrong order. The emphatic auxiliary goes right before the main verb, after "really". I really DO love my sister.

I really do love my sister. Even when she's always borrowing my clothes.

Ha, I love the "always" there. 5: phrases like "tell me", "I don't understand", "you can't be serious", "you must be joking".

c, "I don't understand", and e, "Tell me it isn't someone in your family!"

So: 1f, 2 a and d, 3b, 4d, 5 c and e. Now in pairs, one more example of each, about your own family.

学生两人写 5 个例子，再全班分享。

Question tag: "You've eaten my snacks again, haven't you?"

Rhetorical question: "How many times do I have to tell you to knock?"

You must joke! You took my charger again?

I can hear the outrage, love it. But it's a fixed phrase: you must BE joking.

You must be joking! You've taken my charger again?

Pronunciation, page 120, Unit 1. Six emotions: angry, cheerful, disappointed, enthusiastic, puzzled and sympathetic. Letters A, C, D, E, P, S.

Before we listen, read sentences 0 to 5 and guess from the words alone. Sentence 0 is done for you: "She can be mean to me, but she's still my sister." Why cheerful?

Because she's saying something nice in the end. She still loves her sister.

Right. Now guess the rest. Pencil only, because the tune might surprise you.

学生先凭字面猜 1 分钟，然后播放 1.03，听一遍填 A/C/D/E/P/S。

Let's check. Number 1: "But you haven't got a ticket – how did you get in?"

P, puzzled. The voice goes up at the end, like a real question.

Number 2: "The homework was difficult, so I'll give you an extra week."

C? It's good news, so cheerful.

Good news, yes, but listen to the voice. Is the teacher excited, or kind and soft, because the student had a hard time?

Soft and kind. So it's S, sympathetic.

Number 3: "My cousin was going to phone but I still haven't heard from her."

D, disappointed. The voice is low and flat, it doesn't go anywhere.

Numbers 4 and 5. "I need to move out, Mum. I want to be independent!" and "I'm your best friend, Clara. Why didn't you tell me?"

4 is enthusiastic, E. Big jumps in the voice. And 5 is angry. "Why didn't you tell ME?"

So 4 is E and 5 is A. But wait. Sentence 1 and sentence 5 are both questions. Why does one sound puzzled and the other angry?

Puzzled goes up at the end. Angry goes down, hard, and it's louder on "me".

Exactly. A real question rises. An angry "question" isn't asking for information, it's an attack, so it falls. 和 Jack 那句 "can't it?" 一个道理。

再放一遍 1.03，每句停顿，全班跟读。

Now you. Repeat line 5 with the angry tune.

I'm your best friend, Clara. Why didn't you tell me? That felt very dramatic.

Drama is the point. Now say the same line, but disappointed.

I'm your best friend, Clara. Why didn't you tell me? Is that disappointed?

Almost. It's flat, but too fast. Disappointed is slower and lower, like your energy is draining away.

I'm your best friend, Clara… why didn't you tell me? Oh, that's so sad.

Same words, different story. Angry Clara gets a fight. Disappointed Clara gets an apology. Which one would make you say sorry faster?

Disappointed. Angry makes me defensive, but disappointed makes me feel guilty.

Remember that when you write Emma and Jack's next lines. The tune decides how the fight goes.

Exercise 14. First, remind yourselves: how did the scene end?

The phone rang again, and it was Simon, her brother. Emma answered it, and Jack walked out.

Exactly. Last words: "Jack? Jack! Where are you going?" Now you write the next eight lines. Pairs. And use emotive language. I want to see all five techniques if possible.

巡视，帮忙找词，确保学生用了情绪化表达；然后给时间排练。

One question before you write: what does each character want in this moment?

Emma wants Jack to come back but she doesn't want to admit she was wrong. Jack wants proof that he's important.

That's real drama. Now write.

Why you always make a big deal from small things?

Great rhetorical question, and a classic Chinese learner's structure. Two fixes: a question needs "do", and the phrase is "a big deal OUT OF something".

Why do you always make such a big deal out of small things?

And that sounds like Emma. Let's hear a pair. Act it, don't read it.

Simon, I'll call you back. Jack! Jack, wait! You're not actually leaving, are you?

Why not? You're busy, aren't you? You're always busy when it's your family.

That's not fair. I hung up. I DID hang up, look!

This time. Tell me, Emma, when was the last time we had one evening, one single evening, without your phone?

Stop there for a second. Audience: which techniques did you hear?

Question tags, "are you" and "aren't you". The emphatic "I DID hang up". "Tell me". And repetition: "one evening, one single evening".

Four out of five in four lines. And the intonation?

"I DID hang up" sounded really desperate. Very good.

Finish your scenes, one more pair performs, and then a vote: does this marriage survive the evening?

THINK values: relationships. Emma and Jack have one person they're close to, and one they're struggling with. Let's look at our own lives. Check: if you have a lot in common with someone, what does it mean?

You share interests or opinions. You're similar.

I have many common with my best friend.

Very natural in Chinese, 有很多共同点. In English it's a fixed phrase: have a lot in common WITH someone.

I have a lot in common with my best friend. We both hate mornings.

Exercise 15. Eight prompts. Notes are fine, or full sentences if you're quick. For each one, an example that proves your choice.

根据时间可以只写笔记，也可以写完整句子。

Who's someone you can tell anything to?

My older sister. Last year I told her I wanted to quit piano, and she helped me tell my parents.

And who doesn't know you at all?

My grandad. He still thinks I'm eight. He'll ask me about cartoons I stopped watching years ago.

"He'll ask", habitual will, perfect. Exercise 16. Choose one person from 2, 4, 6 or 8, the difficult relationships. Tell your partner. Your partner suggests ways to improve it.

Some useful language: "Have you thought about…?", "It might be a good idea to…".

I suggest you to ask your grandad to teach you something.

A very kind idea. But "suggest" doesn't take "you to". Either "I suggest asking him", or "Have you thought about asking him…?"

Have you thought about asking your grandad to teach you something he's good at? Like chess or calligraphy.

Actually, that's a good idea. He used to be a chess teacher. I'd definitely try that.

And what about an idea you wouldn't try?

My partner said I should call him every day. Honestly, that'd be like Emma and her sister!

Ha! So even good relationships need a limit. That brings us neatly back to our question.

Exit ticket. What's the fight really about? Three or four sentences, one quotation from the scene, and one emotive technique of your own.

写 3 分钟，同桌交换检查。

On the surface, they're fighting about a phone call. But the real issue is what Jack says at the end: "It's never you and me together." He's tired of always coming second. So it isn't about the phone at all, is it?

A question tag at the end, nice touch. Partner check: anything to fix?

She wrote "Jack is tired of always come second".

What's missing after "of"?

The -ing. Tired of always coming second.

Homework: write six sentences about your family and friends using the prompts from Exercise 15. Five true, one false. Next lesson your partner has to guess the false one.

Today: you predicted, listened, and caught a character exaggerating.

You learned five ways to make language emotional, and that the tune matters as much as the words. And you found out that most family fights are about something bigger than the topic. Next time: what other people online think about being an only child.