Unit 2 Looking into the Future Using Language 教案-2026-2027学年人教版高中英语选择性必修第一册

Selective Compulsory Book 1 Unit 2 Period 4 Using Language

Should We Fight New Technology? (Argumentative Reading and Writing)

Teaching Objectives

1. To help students figure out how a magazine opinion column is organised and what makes its language persuasive.

2. To train students to recognise how a writer raises questions, brings in evidence and puts forward a personal view.

3. To lead students through the general steps of argumentative writing.

4. To enable students to produce a short opinion essay that weighs both sides of future science and technology.

Key and Difficult Points

Key points:

1. The overall shape of an argumentative passage: the issue, the two sides and the writer's final judgement.

2. The linking expressions that signal the job of each paragraph.

Difficult points:

1. Picking the right linking words when one moves from the advantages to the disadvantages.

2. Backing up each point with a clear topic sentence and enough supporting details.

Classroom Exploration

Part Ⅰ　Lead-in

Activity 1　Open the lesson with the question behind this unit: should we welcome the changes new technology brings, or say no to them? Talk about the two questions below.

(1) Where do you stand on new technology in general?

(2) Which phone apps or digital gadgets have you tried recently — do they keep you focused, or do they steal your attention?

Teacher walks round the room, invites two or three students to give their views, and writes the key words on the board.

Activity 2　Before reading, look at the headline “SHOULD WE FIGHT NEW TECHNOLOGY?” and guess:

(1) What points is the author likely to argue for or against?

(2) What kind of writing is this — a story, a news report or an opinion piece?

Part Ⅱ　Read for the main information

Activity 1　Now read the passage. Then mark each of the following statements T (true) or F (false).

(1) A driver lost his or her life in a car accident mentioned in the passage.

(2) The Amish turn down modern technology simply because they choose a poorer life.

(3) Computer programmes that track the weather have stopped many disasters from happening.

(4) Large online communities built through social media open doors to new chances.

(5) The writer depends on a health monitor to work out how much exercise to take.

Activity 2　Go through the text again and answer the questions.

(1) In which paragraphs does the writer: bring up the problem, state his or her own judgement, list the good sides, and list the bad sides?

(2) What made the author pick this subject to write about?

Part Ⅲ　Read for details

Activity 1　Return to each paragraph and circle the linking expressions the writer uses there.

Paragraph 1:

Paragraph 2:

Paragraph 3:

Paragraph 4:

Activity 2　Discuss with your partner how these linking expressions point to the purpose of their own paragraph.

Part Ⅳ　Read for the structure and language features

Activity 1　Copy out the job of each paragraph and its linking expressions.

Paragraph 1: opens the debate — linking expressions: hence, nevertheless.

Paragraph 2: weighs up the bad sides — linking expression: on the one hand.

Paragraph 3: weighs up the good sides — linking expressions: on the other hand, for example, moreover.

Paragraph 4: speaks for the writer's own stance — linking expressions: personally, nevertheless.

Activity 2　Skim Paragraphs 2 to 4 once more. For each paragraph, write down its topic sentence and the facts the author uses to support it.

Paragraph 2 — topic sentence: “There are many different groups of people around the world who live happily in the absence of new technology.” Support: the simple life they choose to lead; the Amish's better quality of life without technology.

Paragraph 3 — topic sentence: “New technology has provided people everywhere with many benefits over the years.” Support: weather-tracking programmes that save lives; the Internet connecting people far apart; social media creating new chances.

Paragraph 4 — topic sentence: “I have benefited quite a lot from technological advances.” Support: the career the writer found online; the health monitor guiding daily exercise; the writer's positive attitude to change.

Part Ⅴ　Practice

Task: you are now going to write your own argumentative essay on a technology-related topic.

Activity 1　Settle on your topic. The given topic is: should we welcome robots, or keep them at a distance?

Activity 2　Brainstorm both sides of the question.

(1) The advantages:

(2) The disadvantages:

(3) Sketch out your plan:

Opening paragraph:

Middle paragraph:

Ending paragraph:

Activity 3　First check your own draft with the list below. Then swap drafts with a partner and use the same list to give feedback.

— Is the writer's own position clear from the very start?