Frightening nature（The Fourth Period）

   saw the barometre stood very low, and the figure on it was the lowest one he
   had ever seen in his life. he knew that the worst was to come yet.
step iii discussion
sc: some sentences in the text are hard to understand for me. can you help me,
     teacher ?
t: i'll be glad to do that. which sentence?
sc: the sentence “the heat was close.”
t: who will explain that to him?
sd: my dictionary says that the word “close” here means “lacking fresh or
   freely moving air”.
t: are there any sentences that you don't understand?
   (teacher collects the sentences and then discusses them with the students.) at
   last, teacher writes explanations to some parts of the sentences on the blackboard.)
bb: explanations to some parts of the sentences:
1. there's some dirty weather knowing about.
   dirty: (of the weather)rough and unpleasant.
2. what's up?
 what's up? =what's up with you? = what's the matter with you?
3. she's done for.
   done for: finished or worn out or very tired or about to die etc.
4. it was the lowest reading he had ever seen.
reading: a figure shown by a measuring instrument.
t: (teacher shows the screen.)look at the screen. there are some useful words and expressions in the text. read the sentences on the screen, paying attention to them and learn them by heart.
  useful words and expressions:
  1. steady: the table isn't steady.
     he is making steady progress in his work.
2. unbelievable: her good luck is unbelievable.
3. on board: the ship had 500 passengers on board.
4. knock about: a storm was knocking about.
  5. all of a sudden: ( = suddenly) all of a sudden the ship struck a rock.   6. live through: he has lived through two wars.                             7. as though(=as if):
     i remember the whole thing as if it happened yesterday.
  8. all at once: all at once we heard a shot and the man fell to the ground.     you don't do two things all at once.
step iv listening and reading aloud
t: now i'll play the tape. when i play it, pay attention to your pronunciation
    and intonation, especially in the dialogue. then read the text aloud. are you clear about that?
ss: yes.
(teacher plays the tape for students to listen. when students read the text,