Unit 1 Reading

l Have you ever heard of the Guinness Book of World Records? What is it about?

The Guinness Book of World Records is a household book and the global leader in world records. It is the world’s best ever selling copyright book. It is sold in 100 different countries and 37 languages.

l Scan the text and answer the following questions.

1. Who was Sir Hugh Beaver?

2. When was the first edition of the Guinness Book of World Records published?

3. How long was the longest moustache in the world?

4. What Guinness records were set in Urumqi and Hong Kong?

5. Who won the Tour de France in 2003?

1. He was the then director of the Guinness Brewery in 1951, who first had the idea to publish a book which could answer such questions on world records.

2. In 1955 ( by two Englishmen who were hired by the Guinness company).

3. 1.6 meters.

4. Urumqi is the remote city from the sea and the world’s largest jiaozi was make in Hong Kong.

5. Armstrong.

l According to the text, how many new records are sent in to the book each year? Are they all printed? How are they done?

60,000. No, they cannot all be printed. Instead, the editors of the book set down the records and keep track of them in other ways. They are put into different categories.

l What are the categories in the Guinness Book of World Records?

The human body, amazing feats, the natural world, science and technology,arts and the media, modern society, travel and transport, sports and games

l Besides the longest moustache, what records are mentioned in the text?

The oldest person 122 years and 164 days

The longest poisonous snake 5.71 m

Strange records 159.6 km, seconds

The largest square Tian’anmen , 40 hectares

The greatest number of hospitals China

The most remote city Urumqi,2,500 km

The largest jiaozi 480 kg in Hong Kong

The fastest average speed 7

l Who has achieved the most champions at the Tour de France?

Lance Armstrong.

l Why are his records special?

He was diagnosed with cancer but he never gave up and he went on to set the speed record.

l What types of record attempts are not allowed?

Records that are dangerous to the person who is attempting it or to others.

l Why do you think many people are interested in world records?

l Language points

1. then

a. 當時的　adj. The then Premier Zhu Rongji attended the earth summit in Johnnesburg and stressed the need for equality and fairness in the world.

b. at that time adv. I didn’t see the accident because I was reading a newspaper then.

c. Next adv. I hear a loud boom from the subway and then many policemen came.

2. settle

a. make an agreement about sth, deal with sth, arrange sth vt.

1) You should settle your affairs before you leave.

2) It’s time you settled (should settle) your problem with him.

3) We have settled that we will leave next week.

4) The nurse settled the patient by a promise.

b. Make one’s home in place vi.

c. Stay for some time 安靜，安寧，settle down

1） The clouds settled over the mountain tops.

2） Wait until all the villagers settle down.

d. Settle (up) with : pay

e. Settle down to sth

3. send in 將某物寄至某處進行處理

Have you sent your application for the job?

4. set down

a. write down Why don’t you set down your ideas on paper?

b. stop and allow sb to get off The bus stopped and set down an old lady.

( set up, set off, set out, set aside, set about)

5. keep track of

6. stand out

Poems by Du Fu, Li Bai and Wang Wei among others stand out in the halls of glory.

7. as引導的讓步狀語從句

Curious as he was, he dare not step into the cave.

Old man as he was, he began to learn English.

8. fade next to 與……相比而遜色

His shout for help faded next to the noisy machine.

9. diagnose

diagnose sb with sth= diagnose sb as having sth

10. in a row

a. one after another Children stood in a row in front of the teacher’s desk and were ready for the game.

b. In unbroken sequence This is the third day in a row that it stays so high a tempereture.

11. lead to

a. lead sb to do sth The injustice in the city and in the south led Dr King to organize non-violent demonstrations aimed at ending segregation.

b. lead to sth All of the six countries agreed that such an armament race of nuclear booms can only lead to one thing --- war.

12. be out for /to be trying, aiming or hoping to do sth

a. He was not out to change the world, yet he did.

b. Your brother is out for your blood.

c. Liu Xiang was out to win the race but not out for the record.

13. make for

a. move towards The shop made for the open sea.

b. Help to make sth possible The large print makes for easy reading.

Make+prep、pron

Make after sb(追逐，追捕), make at sb（襲擊）, make off（逃走，匆匆離開）, make out （設法活下去，了解，辨認出），make up,

14. apply for

The inventor has to apply to the patent officer for a patent for his new invention.

l Homework

If you want to set a world record, what has to be done to get your record into the Guinness Book? Write down the steps in order.