怎麼講大學英語課文

A. 大學英語課文該怎麼講給學生聽,作為一名新大學老師求助！

英語要學好，注意，是學「好」，主要不是靠上課，有時甚至可以基本忽略上課的內作用。原因第一是個人容努力占最大比重，第二就是大部分老師上的是混日子的課，對學生幫助很少，味同嚼蠟。
你不錯啊，因為你確實在考慮怎麼去講「有意思」的課。很好的開始。

要講好一堂課，作為老師，也是學無止境。
作為良好開始的基礎：大學英語的話，知識點肯定要講一講的。課文內容不需要翻譯給學生。但是要講解其中的精妙處。然後設置一些課堂討論，然後在學了一陣以後可以請同學朗讀某一個精彩段落之類。
至於其他的，等上面的內容做好了，再改進。

你可以參考一下新東方講新概念的視頻。有很多課很精彩的。如果你要成為一個優秀的老師，可以學習借鑒一下。還可以去參加新東方專門培訓老師的課程。

B. 如何進行有效的大學英語閱讀教學

提高閱讀能力是我國 大學英語 教學的主要目的下面我跟大家介紹一下如何進行有效的 大學英語 閱讀教學吧，有興趣的朋友一起來看一下啊!

摘要: 提高閱讀能力是我國大學英語教學的主要目的。學生只有具有較強的閱讀能力,才能以英語為工具獲得所需的專業信息。如何進行有效的閱讀教學,使學生“具有較強的閱讀能力”一直是廣大師生普遍關注的問題。本文試圖從任務教學法的理論著手,探討如何搞好閱讀前的准備階段、閱讀階段和讀後階段這些教學環節。

關鍵詞: 任務教學法; 大學英語; 閱讀教學

一、傳統的閱讀教學模式及其不足

傳統的閱讀教學一般採用語法翻譯教學法,而且往往遵循如下模式:1•要求學生通過查生詞、聽課文錄音來預習新課。2•讓學生閱讀課文以檢查語音語調,通過提問來檢查學生對課文的理解。3•教師解釋並舉例詳細講解生詞及規定的語法內容,在講授語音、翻譯、同義詞辨異和語言現象時,還伴有操練和練習。4•做課後的練習,總結概括、復述課文內容等。

一般認為傳統語法翻譯教學法有著如下的不足,即:1•過於重視語言知識的傳播,忽視語言技能的培養。2•誇大了語法和母語在外語學習中的作用;3•教學過程比較機械,脫離實際意義;4•只重視筆語,不重視口語。用這種方法進行閱讀教學必然難以承擔培養現代社會所要求的聽說讀寫譯全面發展的外語人才的重擔。因此,研究人員提出了許多很有見地的教學方法,其中包括任務教學法。

二、任務教學法概要

(一)語言理論

任務教學法是在交際法的基礎上發展起來的一套教學方法。它是根據蘇聯心理語言學家Vygostky的語言和學習理論而提出來的。Vygostky強調學習的社會性以及教師和學習者對促進個體學習的重要作用。他認為,文化知識的獲得首先是人們相互作用的結果,然後轉變為自己的知識。

(二)特點

任務教學法強調通過師生共同完成語言任務,使外語學習者自然地習得語言,促進外語學習的進步。它一方面注重教會學生如何在完成一系列任務中提高交際語言能力,指導學生達到交際目標。另一方面,它注重探索知識體系本身的功能,特別是探索學習及運用語言之道。

(三)任務的含義

關於任務的定義,各家的說法不一。Willis(1996)認為:任務就是活動。學習者以交際為目的,通過使用目標語來達到某個結果(Tasks are always activities where target language is used bythe learnerfor a communicative purpose in order to achieve an outcome.)[3],而Nunan(1989)更明確地指出:任務就是在課堂上使用目的語做的一件事。它涉及到對語言的理解、操作、運用和學生之間的互動。學生的注意力主要集中在意義的表達上,而不是在形式上(A task is a piece of classroom work which involves the learners in comprehending,manipulating,procing or interpreting in the target language while their attention is particularly focused on meaning rather than form)[4]。這些定義雖然表達各異,但都強調語言學習是在解決交際問題的過程中達到的,都強調交際的真實性和互動性,是真正的以學生為主的。任務完成的結果是評估任務是否成功的標志。

(四)Willis的任務實施模式

Willis將任務的實施分為三個階段,即:准備階段(Pre-task),任務實施階段(Task Cycle)和語言焦點(Language focus)。不同階段的側重點均有所不同。准備階段主要是起著熱身的作用,包括任務的導入,真實的材料提供。在任務實施階段,學生之間,教師與學生之間採取不同的交互方式,各自扮演不同的角色。任務實施階段又由三個部分組成:任務(Task),設計(Planning)和匯報(Report)。語言焦點階段包括語言分析和語言練習,活動的重點將從語言意義轉向語言形式上。

三、任務教學法在大學 英語閱讀 教學的運用

Sperter和Wilson認為,語言交際是一種有目的、有意圖的活動,其目的在於傳達交際者的意圖。語言交際活動涉及信息意圖和交際意圖。信息意圖指交際者向交際對象表達或進一步表達一組信息的意圖,相當於話語的字面意義。交際意圖指的是交際對象和交際者互明交際者有傳遞信息意圖的意圖。它指的是話語背後的意思。在語言交際過程中,交際對象首先由理解交際者的信息意圖,再透過信息意圖去捕捉交際者的交際意圖。另外,接受美學認為,一部作品的完成,離不開讀者對此作品的接受、理解、評價和補充。因此,我們認為,語篇的理解不僅僅涉及到讀者與作者之間的交際,而且也應包括讀者與讀者之間的以語篇作為平台的交際活動。從這個意義上看,任務教學法在大學英語閱讀教學的運用完全是可能的。

下面以《大學英語》第二冊第四單元Lady Hermits Who Are Down But Not Qut(以下簡稱Lady)為例具體說明任務教學法在大學英語閱讀教學的運用。

(一)閱讀前階段

在閱讀前階段,教師的作用主要在於布置任務,激發學生的閱讀興趣,明白閱讀的要求和目的及要達到的結果。對於Lady一文,閱讀的目的是了解“購物袋女士”的生活及心理狀態,分析這一社會現象產生的原因,了解大都市人情的冷漠和社會工作者的職責。

1•激活圖式,為閱讀打好基礎

圖式理論認為,讀者的背景知識直接影響對文章內容理解的程度。因此,在明確閱讀任務之後,教師應有目的地組織讀前的准備活動,幫助學生激活他們頭腦中已有的與閱讀任務有關的圖式,包括語言圖式、內容圖式,結構圖式等。如教師課前介紹或者組織學生討論有關美國社會問題、美國夢及其價值觀念等話題,為即將開始的閱讀打好基礎。

2•學生以小組為單位,圍繞著題目對課文內容進行預測

此項活動的目的在於通過比較自己思維成果和作家的思維成果,找出差異,幫助學生如何具體運用英語,培養他們的分析和創造技能。鑒於中國學生的英語表達能力有限,教師應隨時在語言方面提供幫助,他們也應學會從別的組員那裡得到幫助。

(二)閱讀階段

閱讀的目的在於獲得信息,而獲得信息的基礎是對語篇的理解,即弄懂原文。

對於一個語篇的理解至少同時涉及四種不同意義的理解:概念意義(conceptual meaning),命題意義(propositional meaning),語境意義(contextual meaning),語用意義(pragmatic meaning)。在閱讀階段,我們所關心的是語篇的意義,而不是語篇的形式。

在閱讀階段,教師的作用在這個階段扮演的角色是協調員、指導員和監督員。學生成為閱讀活動的主體。他們是作者—讀者和讀者—讀者交際活動中不可缺少的一方,既是被評論者,又是評論者,既是被反饋者,又是反饋者。

C. 如何利用好大學英語課本提高英語水平

大學里如何提高英語水平，之前身邊好多人都用這個方法，努力的話提升就快，不努力提升就慢，自己慢慢學吧。首先要找一本權威單詞書，得單詞者得天下，要每天都堅持背單詞。蓋大樓需要基礎，學好英語的前提是有很大的單詞量。
買本語法書，個人推薦張道真的實用英語語法。找同行學習，練習。你想學習就找和你有共同興趣的人去練習英語口語要比浪費時間和有限的教育資源 有意義多了。如果有了基礎，就看英文原著。如果基礎較差可以看簡單的《君主論》，《傲慢與偏見》《動物庄園》等等，基礎好的可以看有內涵的《1984》，《老人與海》，《野性的呼喚》等等。當然要看個人的喜好選擇讀那種類型的，商業類的，政治類的，戰爭類的等等。

D. 你們大學英語老師是怎樣給你們上課的

我們大學英語老師，先是講課文，教完課文之後會給我們放英語電影，一邊放電影一邊教我們學習英語。

E. 大學英語課如何教學

切實轉變教師在大學英語課堂教學中的角色

要切實提高學生的素質,使學生具有較強的英語語言能力和實際應用水平,教師就要徹底放棄那種以我為主,一個人說了算的落後觀念,從課程設置、教學方法、時間安排以及角色關系等方面進行徹底變革,將學生放在英語教學的中心位置,作為教學活動的主體。強調課堂教學以學生為中心,並不意味抹煞教師的作用,學生在課堂上想怎樣學就怎樣學,學生自己組織課堂活動,而是強調教師在更多地了解學生個體知識結構和需求後設計出最適合學生的課堂教學活動,通過課堂交流使更多的學生積極地參與其中。

Mehan認為,「教師應首先是很好的課堂教學組織者、監督者和評估者」。

[2]組織者而非單純的講授者,教師就應本著教授語言技能而非灌輸語言知識的原則,最大限度地增加學生語言實踐機會,參與課堂教學活動。教師的組織作用主要表現在教師課前收集課堂教學實踐活動的資料,課中結合本班學生的語言水平和

需求安排合適的課堂教學活動。教師還是評估者,他們不僅僅能夠指出學生的錯誤並幫助糾正錯誤,而且能夠對學生的表現做出評價。

2.培養學生自主學習能力

「自主學習」(learner autonomy)是在對傳統教學方法的反思與探索中發展而來的。自主學習在教學過程中突出學生的主體作用,使課程設置、教材編纂、課堂活動、教師決策等一系列因素朝著適應學生個體差異和個體需要的方向發展,自主學習能力的培養並非否定語言知識傳授的重要性。但長期以來,教學普遍是「以教為中心」、「以課本為中心」,教師只是「授人以魚」,而不「教人以漁」,結果扼殺了學生學習的積極性和創造性。要改變這種局面,教師在課堂教學設計和編排上應盡可能從智力上和情景上體現學生的水平,應為學生提供一個場所,創造一種氛圍,提供一種方法,讓學生充分發揮自己的想像力和創造力,自主地去學習。例如,在大學英語精讀教學中應該盡可能加大學生自學的比例,讓學生在自學過程中發現問題,教師採取解答問題的形式處理課文。這樣既可以減少學生對教師的依賴性,又可以增強學生動腦分析和解決問題的能力。此外,教師還可根據需要,推薦和指導使用一些難度適中的課外自學材料。

1. 聽力理解能力:能夠基本聽懂來自英語國家人士的談話和講座,能聽懂題材熟悉、篇幅較長的國內英語廣播或電視節目,語速為每分鍾150詞左右。能基本聽懂外國專家用英語講授的專業課程。能掌握其中心大意,抓住要點。

F. 大學英語老師請進——關於一篇課文的試講

這就是新視野里來的一自篇課文，當過幾年大學老師，雖然辭職了，但還是有發言權的。
就把評委全當成學生就OK了，唱獨角戲。應該是全程要求說英語的。注意20分鍾內你要把你最精彩的最拿手的都表現出來。注意設計和安排。如何導入，活動安排，問題設計。
20分鍾如果就是講一新課，只能是導入故事，吸引住學生，或者安排生詞學習（這個是最老套的，不建議講這個），根據你個人興趣和愛好，設計。

G. 全新版大學英語綜合教程第一冊Unit1課文講解

全新版大學英語綜合教程第一冊Unit1課文講解

導語：約翰·列儂出生於英國利物浦，是英國搖滾樂隊“披頭士”成員，下面是一篇講述他的成長經歷的英語課文，歡迎大家閱讀。

Part I Pre-reading Task

Listen to the recording two or three times and then think over the following questions:

1. Do you know who John Lennon was?

2. Have you ever heard the song before?

3. What does Lennon think of growing up? Is it easy or full of adventures?

4. Can you guess what the texts in this unit are going to be about?

The following words in the recording may be new to you:

monster

n. 怪物

prayer

n. 祈禱

Part II

Text

When we are writing we are often told to keep our readers in mind, to shape what we say to fit their tastes and interests. But there is one reader in particular who should not be forgotten. Can you guess who? Russell Baker surprised himself and everyone else when he discovered the answer.

WRITING FOR MYSELF

Russell Baker

The idea of becoming a writer had come to me off and on since my childhood in Belleville, but it wasn't until my third year in high school that the possibility took hold. Until then I'd been bored by everything associated with English courses. I found English grammar ll and difficult. I hated the assignments to turn out long, lifeless paragraphs that were agony for teachers to read and for me to write.

When our class was assigned to Mr. Fleagle for third-year English I anticipated another cheerless year in that most tedious of subjects. Mr. Fleagle had a reputation among students for llness and inability to inspire. He was said to be very formal, rigid and hopelessly out of date. To me he looked to be sixty or seventy and excessively prim. He wore primly severe eyeglasses, his wavy hair was primly cut and primly combed. He wore prim suits with neckties set primly against the collar buttons of his white shirts. He had a primly pointed jaw, a primly straight nose, and a prim manner of speaking that was so correct, so gentlemanly, that he seemed a comic antique.

I prepared for an unfruitful year with Mr. Fleagle and for a long time was not disappointed. Late in the year we tackled the informal essay. Mr. Fleagle distributed a homework sheet offering us a choice of topics. None was quite so simple-minded as "What I Did on My Summer Vacation," but most seemed to be almost as ll. I took the list home and did nothing until the night before the essay was e. Lying on the sofa, I finally faced up to the unwelcome task, took the list out of my notebook, and scanned it. The topic on which my eye stopped was "The Art of Eating Spaghetti."

This title proced an extraordinary sequence of mental images. Vivid memories came flooding back of a night in Belleville when all of us were seated around the supper table — Uncle Allen, my mother, Uncle Charlie, Doris, Uncle Hal — and Aunt Pat served spaghetti for supper. Spaghetti was still a little known foreign dish in those days. Neither Doris nor I had ever eaten spaghetti, and none of the alts had enough experience to be good at it. All the good humor of Uncle Allen's house reawoke in my mind as I recalled the laughing arguments we had that night about the socially respectable method for moving spaghetti from plate to mouth.

Suddenly I wanted to write about that, about the warmth and good feeling of it, but I wanted to put it down simply for my own joy, not for Mr. Fleagle. It was a moment I wanted to recapture and hold for myself. I wanted to relive the pleasure of that evening. To write it as I wanted, however, would violate all the rules of formal composition I'd learned in school, and Mr. Fleagle would surely give it a failing grade. Never mind. I would write something else for Mr. Fleagle after I had written this thing for myself.

When I finished it the night was half gone and there was no time left to compose a proper, respectable essay for Mr. Fleagle. There was no choice next morning but to turn in my tale of the Belleville supper. Two days passed before Mr. Fleagle returned the graded papers, and he returned everyone's but mine. I was preparing myself for a command to report to Mr. Fleagle immediately after school for discipline when I saw him lift my paper from his desk and knock for the class's attention.

"Now, boys," he said. "I want to read you an essay. This is titled, 'The Art of Eating Spaghetti.'"

And he started to read. My words! He was reading my words out loud to the entire class. What's more, the entire class was listening. Listening attentively. Then somebody laughed, then the entire class was laughing, and not in contempt and ridicule, but with open-hearted enjoyment. Even Mr. Fleagle stopped two or three times to hold back a small prim smile.

I did my best to avoid showing pleasure, but what I was feeling was pure delight at this demonstration that my words had the power to make people laugh. In the eleventh grade, at the eleventh hour as it were, I had discovered a calling. It was the happiest moment of my entire school career. When Mr. Fleagle finished he put the final seal on my happiness by saying, "Now that, boys, is an essay, don't you see. It's — don't you see — it's of the very essence of the essay, don't you see. Congratulations, Mr. Baker."

New Words and Expressions

off and on

from time to time; sometimes 斷斷續續地;有時

possibility

n. 可能(性)

take hold

become established 生根，確立

bore

vt. make (sb.) become tired and lose interest 使(人)厭煩

associate

vt. join or connect together; bring in the mind 使聯系起來;使聯想

assignment

n. a piece of work that is given to a particular person(分配的)工作，任務，作業

turn out

proce 編寫;生產，製造

agony▲

n. very great pain or suffering of mind or body (身心的)極度痛苦

assign

vt. give as a share or ty 分配，分派

anticipate

vt. expect 預期，期望

tedious

a. boring and lasting for a long time 乏味的;冗長的

reputation

n. 名聲;名譽

inability

n. lack of power, skill or ability 無能，無力

inspire

vt. fill (sb.) with confidence, eagerness, etc. 激勵，鼓舞

formal

a. (too) serious and careful in manner and behavior; based on correct or accepted rules 刻板的，拘謹的;正式的，正規的

rigid

a. (often disapproving) fixed in behavior, views or methods; strict 一成不變的;嚴格的

hopelessly

ad. very much; without hope 十分，極度;絕望地

excessively

ad. 過分地

out of date

old-fashioned 過時的

prim

a. (usu. disapproving) (of a person) too formal or correct in behavior and showing a dislike of anything rude; neat 古板的，拘謹的;循規蹈矩的;整潔的

primly ad.

severe

a. completely plain; causing very great pain, difficulty, worry, etc. 樸素的;嚴重的.，劇烈的

necktie

n. tie 領帶

jaw

n. 頜，顎

comic▲

a. 滑稽的;喜劇的

n. 連環漫畫(冊)

antique

n. 古物，古玩

tackle

vt. try to deal with 處理，應付

essay

n. 散文，小品文;論說文

distribute

vt. divide and give out among people, places, etc. 分發，分配，分送

finally

ad. at last 最終，終於

face up to

be brave enough to accept or deal with 勇敢地接受或對付

scan

v. look through quickly 瀏覽，粗略地看

spaghetti

n. 義大利式細面條

title

n. a name given to a book, film, etc. 標題，題目

vt. give a name to 給…加標題，加題目於

extraordinary

a. very unusual or strange 不同尋常的;奇特的

sequence

n. 一連串相關的事物;次序，順序

image

n. a picture formed in the mind 形象;印象;(圖)像

alt

n. a fully grown person or animal 成年人;成年動物

humor

n. 心情;幽默，詼諧

recall

vt. bring back to the mind; remember 回想起，回憶起

argument

n. 論據，論點;爭論

respectable

a. (of behavior, appearance, etc.) socially acceptable 可敬的;體面的;文雅的

put down

write down 寫下

recapture

vt. (lit) bring back into the mind; experience again 再現;再次經歷

relive

vt. experience again, esp. in one's imagination 再體驗，重溫

violate

vt. act against 違背，違反

compose

vt. write or create (music, poetry, etc.) 創作

turn in

hand in (work that one has done) 交(作業)

command

n.,v.命令，指令

discipline

n. punishment; order kept (among school-children, soldiers, etc.) 懲罰，處分;紀律

what's more

in addition, more importantly 而且，此外;更有甚者

contempt▲

n. 輕視，輕蔑

ridicule

n. making or being made fun of 嘲笑，嘲弄;被戲弄

open-hearted

a. sincere, frank 誠摯的

hold back

prevent the expression of (feelings, tears, etc.) 控制(感情、眼淚等)

avoid

vt. keep or get away from 避免

demonstration

n. act of showing or proving sth. 表明;證明

career

n. 生涯，事業;職業

seal

n. 印，圖章

essence▲

n. the most important quality of a thing 本質;精髓

congratulation

n. (usu. pl) expression of joy for sb.'s success, luck, etc. 祝賀，恭喜

Proper Names

Russell Baker

拉賽爾·貝克

Belleville

貝爾維爾(美國地名)

Fleagle

弗利格爾(姓氏)

Allen

艾倫(男子名)

Charlie

查理(男子名)

Doris

多麗絲(女子名)

Hal

哈爾(男子名，Henry, Harold的昵稱)

Pat

帕特(女子名，Patricia的昵稱)

;

H. 大學英語的試講怎麼辦

講課最重要的是完整性.無論時間長短,在試講的時候,一定要講一個完整的內容.雖然說試講時下面沒有學生,但你可以把他們當作學生來看待.千萬不要害怕,只有你收放自如,下面的領導和老師們才會覺得你確實像一個老師.因為作為一名老師,首先最重要的是要有自信心,如果連自己都說服不了自己又怎麼去說服別人呢.其次上課的時候,一定要注意溝通,互動.因為講課不僅是一個講的過程,也是學生學習的過程,要讓他們覺得是自己主動在學,而不是你在拚命的灌輸.那樣的話,即使你准備了很多知識點,也會讓他們覺得很被動.所以,在互動方面,我覺得你可以事先准備一些與所講知識相關的,但又讓學生覺得感趣的話題.如果是你自己選內容的話,希望選一些比較有趣的課文.我今天講的FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE.就是比喻啦,我就事先引導學生想一些漢語中的比喻.其次,因為漢語中的成語很多都是比喻性的,所以我選了一些英語中的IDIOM(其實就是漢語成語譯成的英語),然後讓他們猜一下這些英語的PHARASES 在漢語中用成語怎麼說.然後讓他們解釋一下這些成語的本意是什麼.
第三,講課文的時候要注重文章的整體性,不能專注於詞彙或是語法.要有重點,難點的講,切不可眉毛鬍子一把抓.最後,要對課文的理念進行升華.(其實最後一點,我也有一點困惑,怎麼升華呢?那就得看你自己的悟性啦.其實課文的升華,對於學生來說是無所謂的事情.但是,如果是老師們坐在下面聽的話,你有課文的升華,他們就會覺得很好,上了一個境界.其實我覺得就是講一些大道理.比如說講HELEN KELLER,我們有的老師就講到了生命如何如何,要如何如何生活,如此類推.但是別的老師都覺得好有深度.所以你試講的時候升華一些是應該的)

I. 新視野大學英語三第五單元課文分為幾部分,分別講什麼

分三部分講，第一部分：people's attitude towards their work determines every thing.第二部分：people differ in personal satisfaction they derive from their work 第三部分：in modern times，workers and laborers spend their time in different ways

J. 大學英語精讀第三冊第二課內容講解

大學英語精讀第三冊第二課內容講解

導語：大學英語精讀是不少大學選用的英語教材，下面是一篇大學英語精讀當中的'英語課文，歡迎學習。

Text

Aunt Bettie is faced with a difficult decision. A wounded Union soldier is found hiding in a farmhouse near her home. She has to decide whether to help him or let him be captured. What will she choose to do?

The Woman Who Would Not Tell

Janice Keyser Lester

"I never did hate the Yankees. All that hated was the war.……"

That's how my great-aunt Bettie began her story. I heard it many times as a child, whenever my family visited Aunt Bettie in the old house in Berryville, Virginia. Aunt Bettie was almost 80 years old then. But I could picture her as she was in the story she told me —— barely 20, pretty, with bright blue eyes.

Bettie Van Metre had good reason to hate the Civil War. One of her brother was killed at Gettysburg, another taken prisoner. Then her young husband, James, a Confederate officer, was captured and sent to an unknown prison camp somewhere.

One hot day in late September Dick Runner, a former slave, came to Bettie with a strange report. He had been checking a farmhouse half a mile away from the Van Metre home, a farmhouse he thought was empty. But inside, he heard low groans. Following them to the attic, he found a wounded Union soldier, with a rifle at his side.

When Aunt Bettie told me about her first sight of the bearded man in the stained blue uniform, she always used the same words. "It was like walking into a nightmare: those awful bandages, that dreadful smell. That's what war is really like, child: no bugles and banners. Just pain and filth, futility and death."

To Bettie Van Metre this man was not an enemy but rather a suffering human being. She gave him water and tried to clean his terrible wounds. Then she went out into the cool air and leaned against the house, trying not to be sick as she thought of what she had seen —— that smashed right hand, that missing left leg.

The man's papers Bettie found in the attic established his identity: Lt. Henry Bedell, Company D, 11th Vermont Volunteers, 30 year old. She knew that she should report the presence of this Union officer to the Confederate army. But she also knew that she would not do it. This is how she explained it to me: "I kept wondering if he had a wife somewhere, waiting, and hoping, and not knowing —— just as I was. It seemed to me that the only thing that mattered was to get her husband back to her."

Slowly, patiently, skillfully, James Van Metre's wife fanned the spark of life that flickered in Henry Bedell. Of drugs or medicines she had almost none. And she was not willing to take any from the few supplies at the Confederate hospital. But she did the best she could with what she had.

As his strength returned, Bedell told Bettie about his wife and children in Westfield, Vermont. And BedelL listened as she told him about her brothers and about James. "I knew his wife must be praying for him," Aunt Bettie would say to me, "just as I was praying for James. It was strange how close I felt to her."

The October nights in the valley grew cold. The infection in Bedell's wounds flared up. With Dick and his wife, Jennie, helping, she moved the Union officer at night, to a bed in a hidden loft above the warm kitchen of her own home.

But the next day, Bedell had a high fever. Knowing that she must get help or he would die, she went to her long-time friend and family doctor. Graham Osborne.

Dr. Osborne examined Bedell, then shook his head. There was little hope, he said, unless proper medicine could be found.

"All right, then," Bettie said. "I'll get it from the Yankees at Harpers Ferry."

The doctor told her she was mad. The Union headquarters were almost 20 miles away. Even if she reached them, the Yankees would never believe her story.

"I'll take proof," Bettie said. She went to the loft and came back with a blood-stained paper bearing the official War Department seal. "This is a record of his last promotion," she said. "When I show it, they'll have to believe me."

She made the doctor writer out list of the medical items he needed. Early the next morning she set off.

For five hours she drove, stopping only to rest her horse. The sun was almost down when she finally stood before the commanding officer at Harpers Ferry.

Gen. John D. Stevenson listened, but did not believe her. "Madam," he said, "Bedell's death was reported to us."

"He's alive," Bettie insisted. "But he won't be much longer unless he has the medicines on that list."

"Well," the general said finally, "I'm not going to risk the lives of a patrol just to find out." He turned to a junior officer. "See that Mrs. Van Metre gets the supplies." He brushed aside Bettie's thanks. "You're a brave woman," he said, "whether you're telling the truth or not."

With the medicines that Bettie carried to Berryville, Dr. Osborne brought Bedell through the crisis. Ten days later Bedell was hobbling on a pair of crutches that Dick had made for him. "I can't go on putting you in danger," Bedell told Bettie. "I'm strong enough to travel now. I'd lie to go back as soon as possible."

So it was arranged that Mr. Sam, one of Bettie's neighbors and friends, should go and help Bettie deliver Bedeel to Union headquarters at Harpers Ferry in his wagon.

They hitched Bettie's mare alongside Mr. Sam's mule. Bedell lay down in an old box filled with hay, his rifle and crutches beside him.

It was a long, slow journey that almost ended in disaster. Only an hour from the Union lines, two horsemen suddenly appeared. One pointed a pistol, demanding money while the other pulled Mr. Sam from the wagon. Shocked, Bettie sat still. Then a rifle shot cracked out, and the man with the pistol fell to the ground dead. A second shot, and the man went sprawling. It was Bedell shooting! Bettie watched him lower the rifle and brush the hay out of his hair. "Come on, Mr. Sam," he said. "Let's keep moving."

At Harpers Ferry, the soldiers stared in surprise at the old farmer and the girl. They were even more amazed when the Union officer with the missing leg rose from his hay-filled box.

Bedell was sent to Washington. There he told his story to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Stanton wrote a letter of thanks to Bettie and-signed an order to free James Van Metre from prison. But first James had to be found. It was arranged for Bedell to go with Bettie as she searched for her husband.

Records showed that a James Van Metre had been sent to a prison camp in Ohio. But when the ragged prisoners were paraded before Bettie, James was not there. A second prison was checked, with the same result. Bettie Van Metre fought back a chilling fear that her husband was dead.

Then at Fort Delaware, near the end of the line of prisoners a tall man stepped out and stumbled into Bettie's arms. Bettie held him, tears streaming down her face. And Henry Bedell, standing by on his crutches, wept, too.

NEW WORDS

tell

v. act as an informer 告發

Yankee

n. (in the Civil War) a native of any of the northern states; a citizen of the U.S. 北方佬;美國佬

great-aunt

n. an aunt of one's father or mother; sister of one's grandfather or grandmother

civil

a. 國內的; 民間的

Confederate

a. of or belonging to the Confederacy 南部邦聯的

capture

vt. make a prisoner of; seize 俘虜;奪得

unknown

a. whose name, nature, or origin is not known

former

a. of an earlier period 以前的

farmhouse

n. the main house on a farm, where a farmer lives

groan

n. a sound made in a deep voice that expresses suffering, grief or disapproval 呻吟(聲)

attic

n. the space just under the roof of a house, esp. that made into a low small room 閣樓

Union, the

n. those states that supported the Federal government of the U.S. ring the Civil War; the U.S.A. (美國南北戰爭期間的)聯邦政府;美國

a. of or having to do with the Union

rifle

n. 步槍

awful

a. terrible; very bad

bandage

n. a narrow long piece of material, esp. cloth, for binding a wound or injury 綳帶

dreadful

a. very unpleasant or shocking; terrible

bugle

n. a musical wind instrument usually made of brass, used chiefly for military signals 軍號，喇叭

filth

n. disgusting dirt 污穢

futility

n. uselessness

futile a.

lean

vi. support or rest oneself in a bent position 靠，倚

establish

vt. find out or make certain of (a fact, answer, etc.), prove 確立，證實

identity

n. who or what a particular person or thing is 身份

identical

a. 同一的;完全相同的確良

Lt.

abbr. lieutenant 陸軍中尉

company

n. 連

volunteer

n. person who joins the army, navy, or air force of his own free will 志願兵

presence

n. being present in a place

skillfully

ad. in a skillful manner 靈巧地，嫻熟地

skillful

a. having or showing skill

fan

vt. 扇，扇動;激起

spark

n. 火花

flicker

vi. burn unsteadily; shine with an unsteady light

drug

n. a medicine or substance used for medical purposes

supply

n. (pl.) the food, equipment, etc. necessary for an army, expedition or the like 補給品

pray

vi. 祈禱

valley

n. a stretch of land between hills or mountains; the land through which a stated river or great river system flows 山谷;流域

infection

n. 感染;傳染

infect vt.

flare

vi. burn with a bright, unsteady flame (火焰)閃耀

loft

n. a room under the roof of a building, attic 閣樓

ferry

n. 渡口;渡船

headquarters

n. (used with a sing. or pl. v. ) the place from which the chief of a police force or the commanding officer of an army sends out orders 司令部

proof

n. evidence showing that sth. is true 證據

bear

vt. show; have

seal

n. 印，圖章

item

n. a single thing among a set, esp. included in a list 條;項

commanding

a. having command; in charge

commanding officer

指揮官

command

vt. 指揮

Gen.

abbr. general 將軍

madam

n. respectful form of address to a woman (whether married or unmarried)夫人，太太，女士，小姐

risk

vt. endanger; take the chance of

patrol

n. a small group of soldiers, vehicles, etc. sent out to search for the enemy, or to protect a place from the enemy 巡邏隊

junior

a. younger or lower in rank than another

hobble

vi. walk awkwardly; limp 跛行;蹣跚

crutch

n. support used under the arm to help a lame person to walk 拐杖

wagon

n. four-wheeled vehicle for carrying goods, pulled by horses or oxen 四輪運貨馬(牛)車

hitch

vt. fasten with a hook, ring, rope, etc. 鉤住，拴住，套住

mare

n. female horse or donkey

alongside

prep. close to; along the side of

mule

n. an animal that has a donkey and a horse as parents 騾

disaster

n. a great or sudden misfortune; terrible accident

line

n. a row of defence works, esp. that nearest the enemy 戰線，防線

horseman

n. a person who rides a horse, esp. one who is skilled

pistol

crack

v. (cause to) make a sudden explosive sound (使)發出爆裂聲

sprawl

vi. lie or sit with hands and feet spread out, esp. ungracefully

lower

vt. move or let down in height 放下;放低

secretary

vt. an official who takes charge of a governmental department; an employee in an office, who is in charge of correspondence, records, making appointments, etc. 部長，大臣;秘書

ragged

a. (of a person ) dressed in old torn clothes; (of clothes) old an torn 衣衫襤褸的;破舊的

parade

vt. cause to walk in an informal procession for the purpose of being looked at; cause to march in procession 使列隊行進

n. 遊行;檢閱

chill

v. (cause to) have a feeling of cold as from fear; (cause to ) become cold, esp. without freezing (使)感到冷;(使)冷

fort

n. 要塞，堡壘

stumble

vi. walk or move in an unsteady way; strike the foot against sth. and almost fall

stream

vi. flow fast and strongly; pour out

PHRASES & EXPRESSIONS

take prisoner

capture and hold as a prisoner, esp. as a prisoner of war 俘虜

flare up

break out or intensify suddenly or violently; burst into bright flame or rage 突發;加劇;突然發光;突然發怒

write out

write in full, write (sth. formal)

brush aside

disregard, ignore 不理;漠視

bring through

save (sb.) from (an illness, etc.)

PROPER NAMES

Berryville

貝里維爾(美國地名)

Virginia

弗吉尼亞(美國州名)

Bettie Van Metre

貝蒂.范.米特

the Civil War

(美國)南北戰爭

Gettysburg

葛底斯堡(美國城市)

Dick Runner

迪克.朗納

Henry Bedell

亨利.貝德爾

Vermont

佛蒙特(美國州名)

Westfield

韋斯菲爾德(美國地名)

Jennie

詹妮(女子名)

Graham Osborne 格雷厄姆.奧斯本

Harpers Ferry

哈珀斯渡口(美國地名)

Stevenson

史蒂文森(姓氏)

Secretary of War(old use)

(美國)陸軍部長

Edwin M. Stanton

埃德溫.M.斯坦頓

Ohio

俄亥俄(美國州名)

Fort Delaware

特拉華堡(美國地名)

;