语法课讲的是Present Continuous Passive.

寒暄语

Hey, everybody, it is very nice to meet you again. Today we are going to move on to the fourth lesson of this unit and we are going to talk about the present continuous passive.

教学目标

And after this class, you are expected to:‍

1.consolidate the tenses and voices you've learnt in junior high school.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

2.Also, you are expected to understand the structure of the present continuous passive (pcp) and when it should be used.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

3.Moreover, you are supposed to use pcp properly in real-life situations.‍‍‍

These are pages we need today. Page 12 and 13. Got it? If so, let's start our class.‍‍‍‍‍‍

语法复习

First, let's relax and have a look at a short video clip to review the tenses and voices you have learnt in junior high school.‍‍‍‍

So, after watching this clip, has your memory been refreshed about those tenses and voices? If you still have a problem about it, it would be a good chance for you to do some further review after class.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

课文内容

背景介绍

Now let's take a look at today's topic: My work at UNICEF China.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

So the very first question for you, what is UNICEF? Do you know about it? ‍‍‍

Its full name is the United Nations Children's Fund. But it changed this name once. It was originally known as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. And it was created by the United Nations on 11th, December, 1946, to provide emergency food and health care to children and mothers in countries that are being greatly affected by World War II.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

文章阅读

In order to get to know what UNICEF China is doing, why don't we turn to Page 12 and let's read the text first.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

After reading, you need to fill this mind map. Carefully read it. Some information has been given, but you should search for the missing information in the text. You'll have three minutes to finish this task. Let's go.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Time is up. Have you got the answers? Let's see if you have understood the text properly.‍‍‍‍‍

For the first one, the purpose of UNICEF, it is to protect the rights of children and also make sure kids get health care and education. And for the activities of UNICEF China, they are being organized by different UNICEF offices and partner organizations. And for what Li Zhen is doing, he is working in the UNICEF China office in Beijing. And as for his schedule, he is preparing to talk about his team's projects at a big conference in Beijing next week. And also, he will attend a meeting about UNICEF's e-learning project later this afternoon.

While reading the text, I believe you've noticed there are some numbers marked beside sentences. Please take a second look at them and answer these two questions on the next page.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

The first one: Which sentences talk about actions that are happening now or over a period of time?‍‍‍‍‍‍

That means we need to locate some sentences that describe the actions that are taking place and they are in the active voice.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

The second one is which sentences talk about something being done? For this one, we're gonna find some sentences constructed in the passive voice and you have about one minute to do it. Let's go.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Time is up. Have you finished? Let's check the answers altogether. For the sentences that talk about actions happening and in the active voice. They are Number 2, Number 3, Number 6, Number 7, Number 8, Number 10, and Number 11. So the answer to the first question is 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11. 

And for the sentences in the passive voice that talk about something being done, we have Number 1, Number 4, Number 5 and Number 9. So the answer to the second question is 1, 4, 5 and 9. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

For answers to the first question, I bet you have found they have one thing in common, which is their tense and voice. Still remember the name of that? That is pcp.‍

But for the sentences of the next question, they are also in the present continuous tense, but constructed in the passive voice, with the obvious "being" here. So I guess you might have already come up with the name of that. It is pcp.‍‍‍‍‍

As you can infer from the sentences we meet here. It is the structure:‍‍‍‍

subject + am/is/are + being + past participle‍‍‍‍‍‍

Just like the example: A lot of important work is being done by UNICEF and its partners.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Let's start discovering the tense by analyzing simple sentences. Here we have another one: A lot of important work is done by UNICEF and its partners.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Obviously they are not the same, but what is the difference?‍‍‍‍‍‍

Can you have a talk with your deskmate to share your thoughts about it? You can have one minute to do it. Now please go.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Have you figured out the difference and why we shall use pcp?‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

"is being done"  In the case, the action is happening at the time of speaking. However, "is done" emphasizes the fact itself, without pointing out whether the action is ongoing at the moment or not. The simple present form is usually used when we talk about things that often happen.

Besides that, there is another situation where pcp may be employed. Still take this as our example and compare it with another one. This time it is UNICEF and its partners are doing a lot of important work. So this time, passive voice and active voice, right? ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

What's the difference now?

Actually, just as what you have learnt, the biggest difference is that in the passive voice, the doers of the action can be left out, if we don't think it necessary to mention them. However, that's not gonna happen in the active voice. The one that does the action must be mentioned. Otherwise, the sentence would be grammatically wrong. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

So would you please read these four sentences again and think about why the passive voice is used. Don't forget to put them into the context.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

If we put these sentences in the context, it would be a lot easier to figure them out.‍‍‍‍‍

For the first two sentences, they are part of the answer to the questions. What does UNICEF do?‍‍‍‍‍‍

Since we already know the doer of action, which is UNICEF. We just need to focus on the work here. And if you apply these points to the next sentences, it would be much easier to understand them. With the conversation going, we can see they just concentrate on what UNICEF and UNICEF China are doing, so they simply leave out the doers of the action in order to emphasize what is happening here. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

So you should always remember: choose present continuous passive if you want to emphasize what is happening instead of the doer.‍‍‍

Actually, there are plenty of real-life situations where we use pcp. Here are just a few.‍‍‍

Let's say you are in a big electronic store. Several people are looking at products and workers are working around helping them. And one comes to you and says "Good afternoon, are you being helped?" And you answer, "No, not yet, thanks. Can you show me the most popular cell phone?" In the United States in particular, you'll hear the question "Are you being helped?" at busy stores, markets and restaurants. Another situation where this form is used is when something has been sent for repair. Suppose your car breaks down on your way to work, you take it to an autoshop. Then you call you boss and say, "Sorry, my car is being fixed. I will order a taxi to get to work." Now, you get it?

If so, let's have a try. Now take a look at your worksheet. Here we have two conversations. You need to use pcp to complete the dialogues based on the pictures and take one minute to finish them. Now let's do it.‍‍‍‍‍‍

Time is up. What have you filled in the blank?‍‍

Here is my answer to the first one. Jack is being interviewed by the boss of the company.

Here is the second one. Why can't we do the reading in this room? Because it is being painted and decorated.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

After that, now I want you to take out the textbook again and turn to Page 13. Here we have another passage about the UNICEF e-learning project again. Now please complete the passage. Use the present continuous or the present continuous passive of the verbs in brackets. You have two minutes to go.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Now let's check answers. In order to get the right answers, first you need to identify which voice you should use. Like the first one, "they" should be the ones that do the action, which is "work" here, so we use active voice. The answer is "are working". However, in the second one, programmes is the recipient of the verb's action. (也就是动作的接受者) So we'd better choose passive voice. Since we have plural form of "programme"here, the answer should be "are being set up". For the rest of the answers, they are "is working", "is being used", and "are being developed". ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Now we have talked about the structure of pcp, when we should use it?‍‍‍‍‍

I would like you to use it to see whether you have really understood.‍‍‍‍‍‍

Here is the text for you. Think of two sentences using pcp to fill in the blanks to make the passage meaningful. And that should describe your life now. You have one minute to do it.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Have you finished? Let's have a look at one student's answer.‍‍

She says, online teaching is being carried out these days. Unlike what we do in normal school days. "Homework is being collected online." ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Teachers hope that we can develop time management skills during these days. Some of my classmates are really doing so. But I do hope we can get back to school, because "I am always being interrupted by my baby brother during lessons."‍‍‍‍‍‍

After sharing that, I need you to work in groups. Think of three things that are being done in your local area currently. Write them down. You have two minutes to finish this part. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

OK, I would like to share my sentences with you.

The first one: A new primary school is being built now. 

Efforts are being made to help stimulate the economy.‍‍‍‍‍

And some metro lines are being constructed.‍‍‍‍

互动活动‍‍‍‍

I bet you have better sentences. Now guys, please stand up. Yes, stand up! You may walk around the classroom as you like. I hope you can talk with differnt students to share your opinions. You should ask no less than five students and pick at least three examples that you think are the most important. Do not forget to note them down in the worksheet because you shall do a report about your findings to the whole class. And you will finish this part in the class interaction time. 

During that time, please go on sharing your findings with your classmates. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

课后作业‍‍‍‍

For your assignments today, please review the language points we have learned in the class. And also finish Page 5-6 in your workbook.‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

结束语‍

That's so much for my teaching today. In the next period, we're gonna talk about listening and speaking in this unit. ‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

Thank you very much for your time with me. 

See you next time.