Unit 3 Sea Exploration Period 1 Reading and Thinking 教案-2026-2027学年人教版高中英语选择性必修第四册

Unit 3 Sea Exploration Period 1 Reading and Thinking Reaching out Across the Sea · 海上丝路 人教版高中英语选择性必修第四册 · 高二下学期 一、教材分析 This unit is about Sea Exploration. The Reading and Thinking text is an expository essay titled "Reaching out Across the Sea". It has six paragraphs, tracing the history of Chinese sea exploration from ancient times to the present: early trade and curiosity drove East-West sea exploration; the ancient Silk Road connected China to the Indian Ocean; Zheng He led seven massive fleets in the Ming Dynasty; today's Belt and Road Initiative revisits the ancient maritime routes; and future exploration continues with Arctic research. The text is suitable for teaching timeline-based reading and expository text structure analysis. 二、教学目标 ① Students can organise the five stages of Chinese sea exploration along a timeline and identify the "general-specific-general" structure of the expository text. ② Students can extract key information about Zheng He's voyages and the Belt and Road Initiative from the text. ③ Students can understand the historical continuity between ancient sea exploration and today's BRI, and give their own opinion with text evidence. ④ Students can write a 100-word article connecting Wuhan's river transport to the Maritime Silk Road. 三、教学重难点 【重点1】Organise the five stages of sea exploration along the timeline. 【重点2】Identify the "opening-body-closing" structure of the expository text. 【重点3】Master core vocabulary: negotiate, gesture, initiative, invest, bond, withdraw, in a league of one's own. 【难点1】Understand the historical continuity between ancient sea exploration and today's Belt and Road Initiative. 【难点2】Evaluate the pros and cons of sea exploration dialectically, using Wuhan local examples to support the argument. 四、教学过程 Step 1 Lead-in (5 min) ▶ 对应导入 Present four Wuhan-related pictures on the screen — Wuhan New Port, Yangtze River shipping, China-Europe Railway (Wuhan line), and Wuchang Shipbuilding. Walk students through the matching task. Then project the three discussion questions and have them share ideas with their deskmate. Invite 1-2 pairs to report back. ① Wuhan New Port ( ) A. A freight train carrying goods to Europe ② Yangtze River shipping ( ) B. The largest inland river port in central China ③ China-Europe Railway (Wuhan) ( ) C. Barges and ships moving goods along the Yangtze ④ Wuchang Shipbuilding ( ) D. A major shipbuilding base with a history of over 100 years (1) People call Wuhan "the thoroughfare of nine provinces". In your own words, how does the Yangtze River link Wuhan to the ocean? (2) Suppose goods from Wuhan go by river to Shanghai, then by ship to other countries. Would you say Wuhan is part of the Maritime Silk Road? Why or why not? (3) The article is titled "Reaching out Across the Sea". Before you read, write down two guesses about what this text will talk about. 【设计说明】用武汉身边的长江航运切入，先让学生有个感性认识——内陆城市也跟海上丝路有关。第(2)问留个钩子，后面读后再呼应。 Step 2 Skimming (4 min) ▶ 对应重点2 Set a 3-minute timer. Tell students to read only the first sentence of each paragraph to get the gist — they don't have to understand every word. After the time is up, go through the matching answers together as a whole class. Para. 1 ______ A. Zheng He's seven large fleets and their influence Para. 2 ______ B. The future of sea exploration and China's role Para. 3 ______ C. Trade and curiosity drove early sea exploration from East to West Para. 4 ______ D. The ancient Silk Road and early sea trade routes Paras. 5&6 ______ E. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Belt and Road Initiative 【设计说明】快读抓段落主旨，给后面精读搭个框架。 Step 3 Intensive Reading (16 min) Activity 1 The time line of sea exploration 【对应重点1】 Ask students to read the passage closely and fill in the five-row timeline on their own (4 min). Circulate around the classroom to offer help. Then have them check with their deskmate (2 min). Call on two pairs to present their answers. Time What happened Why it matters In ancient times In the 8th century Ming Dynasty (1405—1433) Today In the future Activity 2 Read between the lines 【对应难点1】 Project the four underlined sentences one by one. Have students form groups of four and talk about the deeper meaning behind each sentence — encourage them to dig beyond the literal level. After 4 minutes, open the floor for class discussion. (1) "To complete the great map of the world was a strong passion for the people of early civilisations." (Para. 1) What were the two main things that pushed ancient people to explore the ocean? (2) "These fleets were a sight to behold and were in a league of their own at that time." (Para. 3) What does "in a league of their own" mean? Why does the author choose this expression? (3) "Although China withdrew from further expeditions after 1433, these land and sea routes remained active channels between other cultures for centuries." (Para. 3) After China stopped sending fleets abroad, did the routes become deserted? What really happened? (4) "The ancient sea routes travelled by Zheng He are being revisited with the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road." (Para. 4) The word "revisited" is not just "visited again". What deeper meaning does it carry here? Activity 3 Vocabulary in context 【对应重点3】 Show the four sentences on the screen, with the target words underlined. Tell students to work out the meanings from context — no dictionaries allowed. Go through the answers together. Stress the importance of context guessing as a reading skill. (1) Merchants from China and many other places met to negotiate trade deals. negotiate = ____________ (2) African royal families sent gifts such as giraffes as gestures of friendship. gesture = ____________ (3) The aim of this initiative is to encourage cooperation and trade. initiative = ____________ (4) China has invested billions in systems and services along these routes. invest = ____________ 【设计说明】精读主战场：活动1时间线梳理（重点1），活动2深层理解（难点1），活动3语境猜词（重点3）。深层含义这块是硬骨头，给足时间讨论。 Step 4 Reading from the Writer's Side (4 min) ▶ 对应难点1 Assign the three discussion questions. Have students talk in pairs for 2 minutes. Then bring the class together to share their thoughts — push them to explain why the other options are wrong. 1. Why did the writer write this text? Pick the best choice and give your reasons. A. To tell the story of European explorers like Columbus. B. To show China's long history of sea exploration and its revival today. C. To compare Ming Dynasty ships with modern ships. D. To criticise China for stopping sea exploration after 1433. 2. The writer says the Belt and Road Initiative will "strengthen the bonds between China and the rest of the world." What does "bonds" mean here? Think of one real example of a "bond" between countries. 3. In Para. 5, the writer talks about Arctic exploration. Why add this topic? How does it connect to the main idea of the whole text? 【设计说明】逼学生说出"为什么不是A"——课文主角不是欧洲探险家。第3题训练学生理解作者选材的用意。 Step 5 Text Structure (4 min) ▶ 对应重点2 Ask students to fill in the structure frame on their own (2 min). Then have them sketch a simple mind map with their deskmate (2 min). Invite one or two students to come up and present their map to the class. This article follows a clear "general-specific-general" pattern. Complete the frame below — write down what each part does. Part 1 (Para. 1) — Opening: ________________________________________ Part 2 (Para. 2) — Ancient times: ________________________________________ Part 3 (Para. 3) — The Ming Dynasty: ________________________________________ Part 4 (Para. 4) — Today: ________________________________________ Part 5 (Paras. 5&6) — Closing: ________________________________________ 【设计说明】说明文结构用"总—分—总"框架，别套记叙文那套。 Step 6 Creative Thinking & Wuhan Connection (12 min) ▶ 对应难点2 Activity 1 Role-play — An interview with Zheng He (5 min) Set up a role-play task. Divide the class into pairs: one plays a Wuhan TV reporter, the other plays Zheng He. Give them 3 minutes to prepare a 5-6 turn dialogue. Then invite one or two pairs to perform in front of the class. The reporter should ask about: • when and why he set sail on his first voyage • what he brought back home, and what he gave to other countries • how his old voyages connect to today's Belt and Road Initiative Activity 2 Write for the school newspaper (7 min) Hand out the writing assignment — a 100-word article for the school newspaper. Have students brainstorm ideas with their partner first (3 min). Then ask them to write the paragraph on their own (4 min). Remind them to include at least three new words learned today. Title: "Wuhan and the Sea — Closer Than You Think" Your article should include: • one fact about Wuhan's water transport (e.g. Wuhan New Port, Yangtze shipping); • a connection between this fact and the Maritime Silk Road or BRI; • your own personal feeling or opinion about this connection. 【设计说明】读后落点回到武汉：让学生用课文里的"海上丝路""一带一路"框架解释身边的长江航运和中欧班列，把宏大主题变成自己能感知的生活现实。 五、家庭作业 1. Read the passage aloud fluently and retell the history of China's sea exploration in your own words (about 100 words). 2. Finish the short paragraph "Wuhan and the Sea — Closer Than You Think" (Activity 2 in class). Use at least three words from this class. 3. Look up one fact about the Belt and Road Initiative that involves a city in Hubei. Be ready to share it in the next class (one minute, in English). 六、板书设计 Unit 3 — Reaching out Across the Sea Opening (Para. 1): • Trade + curiosity → early sea exploration (East before West) Body: • Ancient: Silk Road + Indian Ocean trade (Ceylon) • Ming: Zheng He's 7 fleets (1405—1433) → "in a league of their own" Today: • 21st Century Maritime Silk Road → Belt and Road Initiative • Arctic exploration → climate science + cooperation Future: • New technology → trade + relationships continue ★ 核心问题：How does history shape today's "Belt and Road"?（对应难点1） 参考答案 Step 1: Picture matching: ①—B ②—C ③—A ④—D (1) 学生自由回答。长江从武汉流到上海，在上海入海，所以武汉通过内河跟海洋连起来。 (2) 学生自由回答。可以同意：武汉的货经长江出海，是海上丝路的内陆延伸；也可以说武汉是"江海联运"节点。 (3) 引导到航海历史、中外交流这些方向。 Step 2: Para.1—C Para.2—D Para.3—A Para.4—E Paras.5&6—B Step 3: Activity 1: In ancient times: Merchants traded along the Silk Road and sea routes in the Indian Ocean, centred around Ceylon. Why it matters: Early cultural and economic exchange between East and West began. In the 8th century: Further trading allowed more exploration to the west of China. Recorded in Du Huan's Record of My Travels. Why it matters: The sea routes expanded and went further. Ming Dynasty: Zheng He led seven large fleets from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and east coast of Africa. Why it matters: China showed its naval power and built friendship with other countries. Today: The ancient routes are being revisited through the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, part of the Belt and Road Initiative. Why it matters: Cooperation and trade are strengthened across historic Silk Road areas. In the future: With new technology, trade and relationship-building will continue to drive China to reach out across the sea. Why it matters: China will play an even bigger role in global sea exploration. Activity 2 参考要点: (1) 贸易（trade）和好奇心（curiosity）。古人想知道世界有多大，想做生意赚钱。 (2) "in a league of their own" = 独一档，比同时代所有船队都强。突出郑和船队规模大、技术先进。 (3) 没有荒废。其他国家继续用这些航线做文化交流，持续了好几个世纪。 (4) "revisited" 不只是"重走一遍"，是说古代航线在今天以新的形式被重新激活、重新发挥作用。 Activity 3: (1) negotiate = 谈判、协商 (2) gesture = 姿态、表示 (3) initiative = 倡议、举措 (4) invest = 投资、投入 Step 4: 1. B。作者从古代一路讲到今天，核心就是说中国航海历史悠久，现在一带一路是在复兴这个传统。A不对——文章主角不是欧洲探险家；C不对——没怎么比较船；D不对——作者没批评，只是陈述事实。 2. "bonds" = 纽带、联系。例子：贸易协定、留学生交换、文化年活动、联合科研项目，这些都是国家间的bonds。 3. 作者提北极是为了说明：海洋探索不是历史课，是正在发生的事。中国去北极科考，既体现科技实力，也呼应"人类一直在探索海洋"这个大主题。 Step 5: Part 1 (Para. 1): why humans explore the sea (trade + curiosity) Part 2 (Para. 2): the ancient Silk Road and early sea trade routes Part 3 (Para. 3): Zheng He's seven voyages and their influence Part 4 (Para. 4): the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and BRI Part 5 (Paras. 5&6): future exploration and cooperation Activity 2 思维导图参考：中心 Reaching out Across the Sea，五条主干——① 为什么：trade + curiosity；② 古代：Silk Road + Indian Ocean trade；③ 明朝：Zheng He's 7 fleets；④ 今天：BRI + Maritime Silk Road；⑤ 未来：Arctic + technology。 Step 6: Activity 1 对话参考（学生自由发挥，重点看有没有联系古今和武汉）： Reporter: Welcome, Admiral Zheng. Your first voyage was in 1405. What was your mission? Zheng He: We sailed to show the glory of the Ming Dynasty and build friendship with other kingdoms through trade. Reporter: What did you bring back from Africa? Zheng He: Giraffes, spices and treasures. In return, we gave silk and porcelain. Reporter: Today we have the Belt and Road Initiative, which reconnects your old sea routes. What do you think? Zheng He: It makes me proud. The sea that connected us 600 years ago still connects us today. Activity 2 范文参考： When people think of the Maritime Silk Road, they picture coastal cities like Guangzhou. But Wuhan is closer to the sea than you think. Wuhan New Port is the largest inland river port in central China. Thousands of containers travel down the Yangtze to Shanghai every year, then go to the world. In this way, Wuhan is a quiet but real part of the Belt and Road — not by the sea, but on the river that leads to it. I feel proud that my city quietly connects China to the world. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $