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Module 1
Learn to Talk

In this part, first you are going to listen and practise stating possibilities and intentions. Then you are going to practise listening for some main information about what Van Gogh says about the painter of the future.

Are You Planning to...?

1 Alice and Kent are planning to visit an art museum in New York. They are talking about a painting by an American painter. Listen to the model dialogue and underline the expressions indicating possibilities and intentions.

Alice: Are you planning to go to the museums in the Big Apple? I can hardly wait.

Kent: The Big Apple? What are you talking about?

Alice:“The Big Apple”is the nickname for New York City. You are going to New York with us, aren't you?

Kent:Yes, I am going. I'm especially looking forward to seeing the Museum of Modern Art there.

Alice: Really? Could you tell me what is going on there?

Kent: There is a special show of the twentieth century American painters there.

Alice:I'm very interested in American painters, but I don't quite understand why a painting is so popular or what the painter means to paint in the picture. Take Grant Wood's American Gothic for example.

Kent:That is his famous painting of two farmers. Some art critics think the painting is meant to laugh at the farmers. Others believe that the painting is a depiction (描绘) of the strength of pioneer spirit. When you are in the museum and see the painting in person, it is very likely that you will have your own perspective.

Alice:I wish I could.

T ips of Pragmatics: Stating Possibilities and Intentions

● Different words can show different levels of certainty, e.g.“ probable ”and“ likely ”suggest a stronger tone than“ possible ”, while“ can ”and“ could ”are stronger than“ may ”and“ might ”.

● Different words can show different levels of intention, e.g.“ to want to do ”indicates an eager and more determined intention than“ to wish to do ”or“ would like to do ”.

● Different levels of possibility and intention can convey different social statuses and different attitudes. To say:“ Could you pass me the book ?”is a more euphemistic way than to say:“ Will you pass me the book , please ?”

● Many expressions indicating possibilities can indicate intentions, such as: be going to , can , will , likely , mean , want , etc .

2 Listen to the dialogue again and choose the best answers to complete the following sentences.

(1) Alice is___to visit the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

A. reluctant

B. eager

C. unwilling

D. waiting

(2) There is a special____of American painters of the 20th century in the Museum of Modern Art.

A. collection

B. review

C. exhibition

D. exhibit

(3) Art critics are___about the painting of two farmers by Grant Wood.

A. quarrelling

B. fighting

C. fussing

D. complaining

(4) According to some critics the painting intends to____the spirit of the early American farmers.

A. scorn

B. criticize

C. ridicule

D. portray

(5) Kent believes that when she sees the painting with her own eyes, Alice will probably___.

A. understand why the painting is popular

B. talk about the painting in her own words

C. see the painting in a different angle

D. have her own opinion of the painting

3 Make a dialogue with your partner to express your intentions and say how possible it is to realize them. The expressions in the following box can be a help.

U seful Expressions

Are you sure / certain that...?  Is it possible / probable / likely that...?

I suppose it might...  I am(not)(quite)sure / unsure / certain / uncertain that...

It is probable / possible / impossible / likely / unlikely for sb. to do sth. / that...

It all depends.  I can say for certain that...  I can't promise, but I'll do my best.

I think it is very likely that...  Do you want to...?  It is going to...

I hope / plan / expect / intend / aim / wish to...  I wish I could...

Do you have the intention to...?  I am intent on doing...

I had meant/ expected/ intended/ planned to...

4 Look at the pictures below and tell the class what you want to do, using the expressions given in the brackets.

Model: I am planning to see the sunset with my friends over the weekend.(plan)

(1).________________________________________________(wish)

(2).________________________________________________(probable)

(3).________________________________________________(intend)

(4).________________________________________________(mean)

(5).________________________________________________(be going to)

5 Choose one of the topics below to make a dialogue, using as many expressions as possible to express possibilities and intentions.

(1) The Weather Tomorrow

(2) To Borrow Your Favourite Book from the Library

(3) Go a Long Way to Find a Friend for Money

(4) After Graduation

(5) Delicious Food

The Painter of the Future

B efore You Listen

1 Do you know how to read the following proper names, words and phrases? Try to read them aloud.

Proper Names

Van Gogh  Theo  Claude Monet  Rodin

Words and Phrases

master  drawing  recognisable  aspect

bold  predict  prove  lasting

value  figure painting  landscape  colourist

like  encourage  question  complaint

2 What do you know about the painter Van Gogh? Share your knowledge with a partner.

W hile You Listen

1 Listen carefully and decide whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F).

______(1) Van Gogh thought that to be a geat painter, you first had to learn how to draw.

______(2) Bold use of colour is one of the most recognisable aspects of Van Gogh's paintings.

______(3) Van Gogh thought Claude Monet was good at colour in figure painting.

______(4) Van Gogh predicted that Monet would be the painter of the future.

______(5) Van Gogh believed the painter of the future would be the one who is good at colour.

2 Listen again and fill in the blanks with the missing words.

The famous Dutch painter Van Gogh firmly believed that to be a great painter you had to first master (1)___before adding colour. Over the years, Van Gogh clearly mastered drawing and began to use more colour. In time, one of the most recognisable aspects of Van Gogh's paintings became his bold (2)___of colour.

About a year before his death, Van Gogh predicted that there would be a great“painter of the (3)____”who would know how to use colour like no one else and would become the future of painting. He (4)____this in a letter to his brother Theo in May of 1888:“As for me, I shall go on working, and here and there something of my work will prove of lasting value—but who will there be to (5)_____for figure painting what Claude Monet (6)_____? However, you must feel, (7)_____, that someone like that is on the way—Rodin? He does not use colour—it won't be him.But the (8)_____will be a colourist the like (相类似的人) of which has never yet been seen. But I'm sure (9)_____that it will come (10)____...”

A fter You Listen

Discuss the following questions in groups.

(1) What will be the important element in future paintings according to Van Gogh?

(2) What other elements do you think are important in paintings?

(3) Whose paintings impress you most? Why? ehAgtoC0I5/SpH1CHrF847jUrdNy04lJGntWoj3Z30JSBOud0N1G0S6DRZckYV1z

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