Unit 1 Festivals around the World（Grammar and Useful Structures）
unit 1 festivals around the world（grammar and useful structures）
teaching aims
1. to discover and learn to use some useful words and expressions.
2. get the students to study the use of modal verbs.
difficult points
how to use proper modal verbs according to the concrete and authentic situations.
important points
the meaning and correct use of each pair of modal verbs: can and could, may and might, will and would, shall and should, must and can’t
step 1 warming up
as we know, the olympics is coming.
show two pictures: liuxiang and yaoming
say something about them using modal verbs.
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step 2 lead-in
t: look at the picture, the man is carrying a pile of books. so he can carry heavy books. he wants to enter the room, but he couldn’t open the door by himself. so he is making a request to ask for help from the woman by saying “could you open the door, please?”
(the teacher writes the three sentences on the blackboard. 1.so he can carry heavy books. 2. he couldn’t open the door by himself. 3. could you open the door, please?)
t: look at the three modal verbs in each sentence and try to get their meanings.
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step 3 explanation
1. can and could
1)表示能力（ability），指有能力做某事，意为“能够”。例如：
注意：表示现在，将来“能够”可用be able to 替换。表示过去“能够”并成功了只能用was/ were able to, 不能用could。例如
my grandma is over eighty, but she can/ is able to read without glasses.
we can/ will be able to talk about the matter later.
i talked with her for a long time, and at last i was able to make her believe me.(不能用could)
2)表示请求（request）或允许（permission）。意为“可否”、“可以”。 could 比can 更有礼貌，在此不是can的过去式。
can you wait a moment please?
liz, can you do me a favor?
excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?
i wonder if you could help me. (request)
---- could i use your phone?
----yes, of course. you can.
do you think i could borrow your bike. (permission)
3)表示可能性（possibility）
a. can 表示泛指的“可能”， 并非说话者主观认为的可能性，即并非说话者的主观猜测。
accident can happen to any drunken driver
b.表示说话者主观猜测，只能用与否定句或疑问句中。例如：
it can’t be my father. he is now in england.
----can it rain tomorrow?
----no, it can’t.
2. may and might
1） 表示可能性（possibility）,用于对现在，过去或将来的推测，暗示不确定。might 不是may的过去式，它所表示的可能性比may 小，含较多的怀疑。
