Unit 11. Books

UNIT 11: BOOKS Period 4: Writing
Writing a book report
What information do you need to write a report on a book?
WRITING A BOOK REPORT
Title
Type of book
Author
Main theme
Main characters
Setting
The plot of the book
Personal opinion
1.What was your opinion of the book?
2.Where is the book set?
3.Who is the author ?
4.What is the main theme of the story?
5.Who are the main characters?
6.What is the title of the book?
7.What is the plot of the story?
8.What type of book is it?
9.Would you recommend the book to others?
A book report
Introduction
Summary of the book’s content
Conclusion

UNIT 11: BOOKS Period 4: Writing
Below are questions you have to answer when writing a report on a book, but they are jumbled.
Put the questions under the correct headings.

Task 1
OUTLINE OF A BOOK REPORT
6.What is the title of the book ?
3.Who is the author ?
8.What type of book is it ?

2. Where is the book set?/ Where does the story take place ? 4.What is the main theme of the story?
5.Who are the main characters ?
7.What is the plot of the story ?/ What happens to the main characters ?
1.What was your opinion of the book ?
9.Would you recommend the book to others?

General introduction

Summary of the book’s content

Conclusion

UNIT 11: BOOKS Period 4: Writing
Task 2: Build up your outline
Ask and answer about the short story “ Lao Hac” , by Nam Cao, using the following questions.
1.What is the title of the book?
2.Who is the author ?
3.What type of book is it?
4.Where is the book set? [Where does the story take place ?]
5.What is the main theme of the story?[ What is it about ?]
6.Who are the main characters? [ Who is the story mostly about? What’s he/she like?]
7.What is the plot of the story? ?[ What happens to the main characters ?]
8.What was your opinion of the book?

9. Did you find it interesting, moving, dull …?
GENERAL INTRODUCTION:
Title:…………………………………………………….……………………..
Author/ Writer: It was written by…………….
Type: It is considered as a/an……………………….
SUMMARY OF THE CONTENT
Setting: It’s set in ………….
Theme: The story is about....................................................

Main characters: The main character is…………..
Short description of the main character: He is……………

The plot of the story:…………………………
………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………

CONCLUSION
Your opinion: The story has a/ an………… …ending.
I think the story is ...........
Lao Hac
Nam Cao, a famous Vietnamese writer
literary work
A village in Vietnam before 1945
the poverty and miseries of the poor,
especially farmers
Mr Hac
/ She is
an old man/ widower.
His son works far from home. He’s too poor to support
himself . He has to sell his dog for a little money . It doesn’t help him much. He doesn’t want to sell his house and small piece of land. He finds it impossible to suffer such miserable life any more. In the depth of despair, he kills himself.
a poor farmer / has a miserable life………………………….
sad/ unhappy
BUILD UP THE OUTLINE

UNIT 11: BOOKS Period 4: Writing
Task 3:
Write a report on the short story “ LAO HAC” based on the results of Task 2.
SAMPLE WRITING:
I`m a student and I`m very interested in literature. I often spend my free time reading stories, novels… I have just read a short story, considered as a literary work , “Lao Hac”, which was written by Nam Cao, a famous Vietnamese writer.
This story reflects the poverty and miseries of the poor, especially farmers who were attached to their land and village. The main character of the story is Mr Hac, a very poor farmer, whose son lives and works far away from home. He has a dog and it is his only close friend. Like other people at that time, Mr Hac is so poor that he cannot even support himself. Having nothing to eat to survive, he has to sell his only dog for a little money, but it doesn’t help him continue his poor life long. When thinking about his child, he doesn’t want to sell his house nor his small piece of land. He finds it impossible to suffer such miserable life any more. In the depth of despair, he kills himself.
   I think the story is really worth reading. I could felt the suffering and difficulty of the poor in the old days .It helps us understand and sympathize with the poor people in our society at that time.
Read the summary of the story “ The old man and the sea” and write a report on that story.
UNIT 11: BOOKS Period 4: Writing
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA- by Ernest Hemingway
In a small fishing village in Cuba, Santiago, an old, weathered fisherman has just gone 84 days without catching a fish. On the 85th day, he is determined to catch a big, impressive fish. For years, Santiago has been fishing with a young boy named Manolin. Manolin started fishing with the old man when he was only 5 years old. Santiago is like Manolin`s second father, and has taught the young boy everything about fishing. Manolin is extremely loyal to Santiago and makes sure that the old man is always safe, fed and healthy. Manolin`s parents, however, force the boy to leave Santiago and fish on a more lucrative [(a) có lợi] fishing boat.
Manolin does not want to leave Santiago, but must honor his duty to his parents. On the new boat, Manolin catches several fish within the first few days. Santiago, meanwhile, decides to head out on the Gulf Stream alone. He feels the 85th day will be lucky for him. He sets out on his old, rickety [ ọp ẹp] skiff [ thuyền , tàu nhẹ, xuồng nhỏ]. Alone on the water, Santiago sets up his fishing lines with the utmost [cố gắng hết sức] precision [ sự chính xác], a skill that other fisherman lack.
Finally, he feels something heavy tugging [ sự kéo mạnh, sự giật mạnh] at one of his lines. A huge Marlin [ cá maclin] has found Santiago`s bait [ mồi ( lưỡi câu )]and this sets off a very long struggle between the two. The Marlin is so huge [ to lớn] that it drags [ kéo lê] Santiago beyond all other boats and people - he can no longer see land from where the fish drags him. The struggle [ cuộc chiến đấu]takes its toll [thiệt hại] on Santiago. His hands become badly cramped and he is cut and bruised [ thâm tím lại; thâm lại] from the force of the fish.
Santiago and the Marlin become united [ trở thành một] out at sea. They are attached to each other physically, and in Santiago`s case, emotionally. He respects and loves the Marlin and admires its beauty and greatness. He sees the fish as his brother. Despite this, Santiago has to kill it. He feels guilty killing a brother, but after an intense struggle in which the fish drags the skiff around in circles, Santiago harpoons [ đâm (bằng lao móc) ] the very large fish and hangs it on the side of his boat. He feels brave, like his hero Joe DiMaggio, who accomplished great feats [ chiến công] despite obstacles, injuries or adversities.

After enjoying a few moments of pride, a pack of sharks detects [ phát hiện ra] the blood in the water and follow the trail to Santiago`s skiff. Santiago has to fend [ chống đỡ được]off each shark that goes after his prized catch. Each shark takes a huge bite out of the Marlin, but the old man fends them off, himself now bruised, but alive. He sails back to shore with the carcass [ xác ] of his Marlin. He is barely able to walk and slowly staggers [ lảo đảo, loạng choạng] back to his hut, where he falls into bed.
The next morning, the boy finds his mentor [ người thầy thông thái, người cố vấn dày kinh nghiệm] and cries when he looks at Santiago`s bruised hands. He promises he will reject [ bác bỏ] his parents` wishes and vows [ thề, nguyện] to fish with Santiago again.