(课件网) UNIT 5 POEMS Reading and Thinking Reading and Thinking Appreciate different forms of English poems Lead in Before you read，discuss the questions with your partner. 1.Compared with other forms of literature such as the novel，drama，and the short story，what are the characteristics of poetry 2.Why do you think people write poems KEYS: 1 Compared to other forms of literature，poetry tends to be shorter though a poem can be very long. Words are used differently，not in sentences and paragraphs like in novels，but lines and stanzas. Often grammar and punctuation are ignored or used differently. Poetry is more emotional，and the possibilities are much more open than in prose. 2 I think people write poetry to express deep thoughts and emotions in a concise way that can be more directly communicated with another person，the reader. Read the text and complete the table on page 51. Activity 1 Poetry comprehension Poems paint pictures with words through the use of figures of speech and metaphors，so to understand a poem fully，you have to imagine in your mind the picture the poem is painting. Further，the sounds，rhythm，and rhymes in a poem give it a musical quality. Poems often have to be read aloud，and with feeling， to be really understood and enjoyed. A FEW SIMPLE FORMS OF ENGLISH POEMS Text There are various reasons why people compose poetry. Some poems tell a story or describe a certain image in the reader’s mind. Others try to convey certain feelings such as joy and sorrow. The distinctive characteristics of poetry often include economical use of words，descriptive and vivid language，integrated imagery，literary devices such as similes and metaphors，and arrangement of words，lines，rhymes，and rhythm. Poets use many different forms of poetry to express themselves. Now we will look at a few of the simpler forms. Some of the first poems a young child learns in English are nursery rhymes. They are usually the traditional poems or folk songs. The language of these rhymes，like Poem A，is to the point but has a storyline. Many children enjoy nursery rhymes because they rhyme，have a strong rhythm，and often repeat the same words. The poems may not make sense and even seem contradictory，but they are easy to learn and recite. By playing with the words in nursery rhymes，children learn about language. A Hush，little baby，don’t say a word， Papa’s gonna buy you a mockingbird. If that mockingbird won’t sing， Papa’s gonna buy you a diamond ring. If that diamond ring turns to brass， Papa’s gonna buy you a looking glass. If that looking-glass gets broke， Papa’s gonna buy you a billy goat. If that billy goat won’t pull， Papa’s gonna buy you a cart and bull. One of the simplest kinds of poem is the“list poem”，which contains a list of things，people，ideas，or descriptions that develop a particular theme. List poems have a flexible line length and repeated phrases which give bot ... ...
