Hello, everyone.
Welcome to my class.
It's very nice to see you here.
Let me introduce the teaching objectives
of today's lesson.
First, we'll explore the theme of the text.
Secondly, we're expected to further understand
the writing device of comparison and contrast.
Thirdly, we are expected to develop a positive attitude
towards the odyssey years.
Ok, are you ready to get started?
To begin with,
I'd like to ask you a question.
Do you know the different life stages
and which stage you are at now?
I think life can be divided into four stages,
childhood, youth, adulthood and hoariness.
In childhood, we grow up carefree.
In youth we learn.
In adulthood we provide for our families,
and in hoariness we enjoy the end of life.
I am now in the youth stage,
and my main task at present is to study
and prepare well for entering the society.
Yeah, thank you.
You share the four stages with us.
Now let's look at the text to see
how the author defines the life stages.
At the beginning of the Text A,
the author tells us that there are four stages of life:
Childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age.
Similarly, in traditional Chinese culture,
life is also divided into different stages.
The Book of Rites
defines twenty as an age of a young man
entering adulthood.
In The Analects
a man at thirty has planted feet firm upon the ground.
And when he turns forty,
he has no longer suffered from perplexities.
The western and Chinese versions of life stages
have something in common.
On the one hand,
they both state that there are distinct changes
when people move through different phases of life.
On the other hand,
they stress one's 20s as a crucial period
when people become grown-ups
and begin to make some crucial life decisions
such as starting a career and getting married.
Do you think the way of viewing different life stages is changing now?
In our text,
the author points it out in Paragraph 2.
This paragraph serves as a transition.
Nowadays, with the rapid development of economy and society,
a new phase of life came into being: the odyssey years.
This term is originated from the article
written by David Brooks in 2007.
According to him,
the period of odyssey years refers to
"the decade of wandering that frequently occurs
between adolescence and adulthood."
Thus, today's young people face a new stage
before entering adulthood.
You are now at this special stage.
Let's look at the title of this text.
Would you like to read it together?
The journey to the odyssey years.
To better understand this word "journey",
let me give you another example here.
Journey to the West is a classic Chinese mythological novel.
It was written during the Ming Dynasty
based on traditional folktales.
It tells the story of the monk Xuanzang,
one of China's most famous religious heroes,
and his four supernatural disciples,
in search of Buddhist scriptures.
The journey is an adventure
rich with danger and excitement.
They overcome many difficulties,
finally arrive at their destination.
So how do you understand "journey"?
A special life stage full of challenges.
Yes. Thank you very much.
A special life stage or a challenging period of time.
It is a metaphor.
A life stage is compared to a journey.
And the journey is full of adversity and challenges.
So we can say "your journey towards self-discovery and your progress."
Right?
So this text is about a life stage
youngsters have to face and go through.
Then how does the author introduce this new life stage?
Let's move to Para. 3-5.
Here is another question for you.
What is your concept of adulthood?
Adulthood means more responsibilities
and starting a career and getting married.
Yes. Thank you for your sharing.
How does the author present the concept of adulthood
in these three paragraphs?
Ok, let's look at the sentences
to illustrate the different concepts of adulthood
in the past and at present.
I'd like you to browse it together.
Pay attention to the highlighted words.
What impression do these words leave on you?
In traditional concepts of values,
adulthood is defined by certain accomplishments,
becoming financially independent,
getting married, starting a family, etc.
And people are supposed to achieve most of these things
in their 30s.
Nevertheless, with the occurrence of odyssey,
adulthood is more or less delayed.
"Delay" is exactly one of the key words about the odyssey years.
Now I'd like you to locate the information in Paragraph 5.
This time you're expected to find the signal words in one minute.
These words are used to show the contrast
on concepts of adulthood in the past and at present.
Ok, I'm afraid time is up.
Do you know when you were browsing the paragraph,
you were actually applying a skill:
skimming and scanning?
You did it by locating the target information
and leaving out the irrelevant information.
How can you locate the topic information here?
Yeah, by finding the key transitional words.
What are these words?
Yes, in paragraph 5,
the transitional word "but" is used here.
And the word "today" is also a signal word
to show the contrast.
In Paragraph 3, the author uses the word "previous".
These words are the signals to show the contrast.
The life pattern is the point
or the aspect the author uses to develop the essay.
The author shows the differences in the life pattern
between the people in the past and at present.
People in different generations
hold different views towards adulthood.
In order to get deep insight into the text,
let's analyze one more example.
The part from Paragraph 6 to 10
deals with the characteristics of the odyssey years.
Let's focus on Paragraph 6 and 7.
You may also pay attention to those highlighted words.
Because of enormous pressure,
young people react with rebellious behaviors
toward their parents.
They keep a distance from them or even run away from home.
To distract them from their pain and stress,
they escape into computer games and ipods.
On the other hand,
their parents feel more anxious.
They get upset to see
their grown children's lives
moving away from their own expectations
and they don't even detect
a clear direction in their children's lives.
What kind of point or aspect
is compared or contrasted here?
The attitudes of young people and their parents
in the odyssey years.
Yes, thank you. Good.
The author makes the distinctive contrast
on the attitude towards the odyssey years
between young people and parents.
They have different attitudes towards the odyssey years.
How can you locate the contrast here?
Find the transitional word.
Good job. Thank you.
What is it?
Yes, "Likewise" at the beginning of the Paragraph 7.
It is a common word to show the contrast.
Now let's make a short review.
You learned the writing of a comparison and contrast essay
in the last class.
Here I want to remind you of the structure.
We all know that there are two basic patterns
to organize a comparison and contrast writing.
One is subject-by-subject
and the other is point-by-point.
Here, point refers to the aspects
you would like to use to develop your essay,
and subject refers to the two items
or people you want to compare or contrast.
In the Text A,
the author uses the point-by-point pattern.
What's more
in order to write a successful and coherent essay
we may use the transitional word or expression.
What are they in this text?
Let me share some examples.
In Paragraph 4,
the author uses these words:
"equivalent", "different", and "similarly".
In Paragraph 5,
we can see these expressions like
"People who were born prior to ….".
And in Paragraph 7 the word "likewise"
is used to help the contrast.
A clear structure with appropriate transitional words
can make an essay of comparison and contrast
more coherently.
Ok, next let's explore the characteristics of this life phase:
the odyssey years.
As we have mentioned before,
these characteristics include delaying marriage
and spending more years independently
before settling down with a career and family.
In the text, there are more key words
such as "unavoidable", "pressure", "confusion" and "rebellious".
Actually, the odyssey years
are not peculiar to western young people.
Are you familiar with the saying "我太难了".
The slang issued by some young people in China
to express that everything in one's life is too hard to be dealt with.
Such mood consequently leads to some present subcultures
popular among young generation
such as 丧文化
demotivational culture,
a reduced work ethic,
a lack of self-motivation,
and an apathetic demeanor.
"佛系青年" Buddha-like youth:
young people whose attitudes
are having seen everything
and keeping a causal and calm mindset
towards life and career under social pressure,
and for whom it is fine to have something or not.
And "空巢青年" , empty-nest youth.
Young people in their 20s
who are working in cities and living alone in rented apartments
without choosing to get married.
These can be seen as the characteristics
of some Chinese young people in their odyssey years.
According to the text, as college students,
you are at the beginning point of the odyssey years.
The period of the odyssey years
is certainly a very complicated phase of life for young people.
Are you ready for this upcoming period.
What attitude do you have toward this struggling life stage?
Now watch the video.
Choices facing China's youth:
The path less traveled,
Think about the following question
and share your views after class.
A path less travelled and a stable life,
which one will you choose?
Today, young people have the privilege of choice.
They can take their own paths
towards improving society and fulfilling their dreams.
In this video CGTN
(China Global Television Network)
found out more by speaking to these three young people
who have made their own life choices.
They may give us some insights into guidelines
for this new phase.
In order to avoid the troubles and difficulties
as much as possible,
it is necessary to have a clear foresight
and make a life plan,
guiding yourselves to go through the odyssey years
and even the whole life.
As the author mentions in the text,
if you stay strong, be positive, and keep focused,
someday you will look back and wonder
at the vast changes as you passed through the odyssey years.
Now before the end of this class,
let's make a self-assessment
according to this checklist.
Ok, here's an assignment for you.
Write a report on the similarities and differences
between Chinese and American young people
in the odyssey years
by using comparison or contrast.
Talk about your life choice.
Will you take a path less travelled,
or live a stable life?
That's all for today.
Thank you for your participation.