Conquer your fear

廣東 陳麗芳

Marina was extremely afraid of the darkness.When the lights went out, everything and every shadow appeared to her as the most terrible monsters.Her parents explained to her every day with great patience that these things were not monsters.Marina understood her parents, but she could not stop feeling an awful fear whenever it was dark.

One day her aunt Valerie came to visit.Valerie was an incredible woman.She was famous for her courage, and had been to many journeys of adventure, some of which had been made into books and movies.Marina wanted to conquer her fear of the dark, so she asked her aunt how she became so brave, and whether she had ever been frightened.

“A great many times, Marina,” answered her aunt.“I remember when I was young, I was terribly afraid of the dark.I couldn't stay in the dark for even a moment.” Marina became very excited.How was it possible that someone so courageous could have been afraid of the dark?

“I'll tell you a secret, Marina.It was some blind children who taught me how to be brave.They can't see, so if they had never discovered the secret of how not to be afraid of the dark, they would have been forever frightened.”

“It's true! ” said Marina.“Can you tell me that secret?”

“Of course! The secret is to change your eyes.Since blind children can't see, their hands are their eyes.Close the eyes of your face and open the eyes of your hands like them.Let's make a deal: Tonight, when you go to bed and put out the light, if anything makes you afraid, close your eyes, carefully get out of bed, and use your hands to see what makes you scared.Tell me how you're getting on with the fear tomorrow.” Marina accepted.However, she was rather worried.When her parents took her to bed, she put out the light by herself.After a little while, she felt afraid of one of the shadows in the bedroom again.

Reading Check

閱讀上面的短文，根據所給情節進行續寫，使之構成一個完整的故事。

注意：

1.所續寫短文的詞數應為150左右；

2.續寫部分分為兩段，每段的開頭語已為你寫好。

Paragraph 1:

Following the advice of Aunt Valerie, she closed the eyes of her face and opened the eyes of her hands.

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Paragraph 2:

The next morning, Marina came into the kitchen with a big smile on her face._

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寫作導引

一、語篇研讀

Ⅰ.Sort the elements

Genre 1.Characters Marina, Marina's parents, 2.When & Where when it's getting dark, in the bedroom Beginning Marina 3.the darkness.Plots Development Marina's aunt Valerie came to visit and Marina turned to her for help.Climax Valerie told Marina how to conquer her fear by using 4.as eyes in the darkness.

Ⅱ.Analyze the characters' personalities

Characters Clues Personalities/Feelings Marina Marina's parents Aunt Valerie Marina was extremely afraid of the darkness.When her parents took her to bed, she put out the light by herself.frightened first and becoming 1.________ later Her parents explained to her every day with great patience that these things were not monsters.2.________ and considerate Valerie was an incredible woman.She was famous for her 3.________, and had been to many journeys of adventure, some of which had been made into books and movies.incredible, brave and courageous

Ⅲ.Explore the theme

What is the text about?

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二、語言學習

Ⅰ.Analyze language features

1.which引導非限制性定語從句，which代替前面的先行詞journeys，整個從句起補充說明的作用。

She was famous for her courage, and had been to many journeys of adventure, some of which had been made into books and movies.(Para.2)

2.現在分詞作伴隨狀語，與邏輯主語為主動關系。

Following the advice of Aunt Valerie, she closed the eyes of her face and opened the eyes of her hands.(續寫開頭句)

Ⅱ.Useful expressions

1.be afraid of 害怕

2.can not stop doing sth 不能停止做某事

3.be famous for 因……而出名

4.put out the light 關燈

5.awful 可怕的

6.courageous 勇敢的

7.mysterious 神秘的

8.be scared to death 被嚇得要死

9.feel terrible 感覺害怕

10.can't help trembling 忍不住顫抖

11.be filled with horror 充滿恐懼

12.summon up courage to do 鼓起勇氣去做

三、情節構思

續寫步驟

(一)文章主要講述了瑪麗娜害怕黑暗，向瓦萊麗阿姨尋求幫助的故事。聽完瓦萊麗阿姨的故事和建議，瑪麗娜決定嘗試挑戰自己。瓦萊麗阿姨曾經也非常膽小，但她最終克服了恐懼。 按照這個線索去續寫的話，瑪麗娜是可以成功克服她之前的恐懼的。

(二)根據續寫第一段的段首句，我們可設置以下問題鏈并進行推測：

1.How did Marina feel?

2.Was Marina still feeling frightened or did she become brave enough?

3.What did Marina do to overcome fear?

(三)根據續寫第二段的段首句，我們可設置以下問題鏈并進行推測：

1.Who would be in the kitchen?

2.What would Marina say to the people in the kitchen?