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课件网) Unit 4 Exploring poetry Welcome to the unit Poetry is a significant form of literature. Read the two poems below and discuss the following questions in pairs. 诗歌是一种重要的文学形式。阅读下面的两首诗，并两人一组讨论以下问题。 1 How do you like the two poems 2 What other poems or poets do you know about Reading People with the impression that poetry is difficult to understand often hesitate about reading poetry. The lecture transcript below explains how to better understand and appreciate poems .Before you read the lecture transcript, think about the following questions: Poetry is a combination of “sound” and “sense”. More than any other type of literature, it usually implies a deeper meaning beyond the words on the page. So how to reveal this hidden dimension First, follow your ears. While you may ask “What does it mean ” as you begin reading a poem, it is better to ask “How does it sound ” Even if its true meaning appears to be beyond your grasp, you can always say something about how the poem sounds when you read it aloud. Do you detect a rhythm Are there any repeated words, rhymes or other special effects All of these are good qualities to notice, and they may lead you to a better understanding of the poem in the end Read these lines to feel how they sound Second, approach the poem as if you were an explorer in an unfamiliar landscape .Ask some basic questions about the poem. Who is talking ho is being talked to! What is being described Is there a sense of place Are there other people or objects there As you explore the poem, you will begin to see images in your mind. What are those images, and what happens when they are put together This combination is often complex or even contradictory. As you slowly explore your surroundings, you will start to dig up clues that give you a greater understanding of the poem. Read these lines, pay attention to the image of the caged bird and try to find out what it means. Third, if you are still struggling to interpret the meaning of a poem even with much pains taking effort, just have some patience. You cannot really understand a poem that you have only read once. Sometimes reading a poem can be a lifelong job. So if you do not get it, set the poem aside and come back to it later. As an explorer you will not reach your goal immediately you need to go on a journey to a remote and unknown destination. This may seem difficult at first, but when you finally make your great discovery, your efforts will be rewarded. Poems that are easy to understand are often less interesting than those that constantly reveal deeper and previously unrecognized meanings. Read these lines and try to find out what they mean. Finally, remember that you do not have to fully understand a poem to appreciate it. You might need to abandon logical thinking to discover its true inner beauty. As long as the journey of poetry reading makes you feel something or lets you ... ...
