Unit 5

City Life

本单元围绕 5A Global Cities：先学会读城市排名图，再找出一座 global city 的五类力量， 判断“powerful city”和“good place to live”是不是一回事。写作部分按照新主题，探索中国故事与传统如何进入今天的生活。

词汇帮助：在页面中选中英文单词或词组（如 potential），即可查看英英释义。

开始学习

Step 1

先进入 global city 情境

用地图、城市生活视频和两城对比进入主题。每看一个资源，只需带走一个可回答的问题。

Interactive MapLocate

MapMaker: Cities of the World

在地图上找 Beijing、London 和 New York。它们位于哪些国家和大洲？哪两座城市相距最远？

打开 National Geographic 地图
BBC VideoCity Life

Living in a City or Megacity

看完回答：What is one opportunity and one challenge of living in a very large city?

打开 BBC 资源
BBC VideoCompare

London and Tokyo

找出一个 similarity 和一个 difference：交通、住宅、工作或休闲生活有什么相同与不同？

打开两城对比

Warm Up (Prediction)

What makes a city important to the world?

A city may be important because it connects countries through business, people, information, culture, and politics.

Which information would you put in a city ranking?

I would include jobs, schools, transport, safety, green spaces, culture, and international connections. Different choices can produce different rankings.

Before reading, which Chinese city might become more powerful? Why?

Answers can vary. For example, Shenzhen may become more powerful because it attracts technology companies and talented people from many places.

Step 2

精读 5A Global Cities

文章用文字解释五个 factors，用 2018 年的 stacked bar chart 排名，再按地区预测 future leaders。读图时要同时看 title、legend、bar length 和 source。

先解码课本图表

BusinessPeopleMediaEntertainmentPolitics

2018 年前四名依次是 New York, London, Paris, Tokyo；图表来源是 A.T. Kearney。总条越长，综合得分越高；每段颜色表示一个 category。

  1. New York
  2. London
  3. Paris
  4. Tokyo
  5. Hong Kong
  6. Los Angeles
  7. Singapore
  8. Chicago
  9. Beijing
  10. Brussels
  11. Washington, D.C.
  12. Seoul

Main Idea

What is the reading mainly about?

It explains how the Global Cities Index measures powerful cities and which cities its creators predicted would grow in influence.

What five areas does the index measure?

It measures business, people, media, entertainment, and politics.

Why are New York, London, and Paris at the top?

According to the article, they are strong across all five areas rather than in only one area.

Visual Information

What does each colored section of a bar show?

Each section shows a city’s score in one category. Together, the five sections make the city’s total score.

Which special strengths does the text identify for Beijing and Los Angeles?

Beijing’s strength is business, while Los Angeles’s strength is people.

Why must a reader check the chart’s date and source?

The date tells us when the ranking was made, and the source tells us who chose the method and collected the information. A 2018 chart should not be treated as today’s ranking.

Fact Hunting & Logic

Which Asian cities does the article describe as future leaders?

It names Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Mumbai, and New Delhi. The first four are in China, and the last two are in India.

Why may South American cities become more powerful?

The article says the middle class is growing and life for many people is improving.

What role may Middle Eastern cities play?

Cities such as Istanbul, Cairo, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi may gain influence in international politics and business, especially by connecting East and West.

Structure & Key Words

How is the reading organized?

Paragraph A defines five measures and introduces the chart. Paragraph B interprets city strengths. Paragraph C predicts growth by region. Paragraph D ends with a broad conclusion about urban power.

Explain index, potential, and urban in this reading.

An index is a system or list used to compare things. Potential is the ability to develop or succeed. Urban means related to a city or town.

What is the difference between a fact and a prediction here?

The 2018 order reports the index’s past results. Statements about which cities will grow describe predictions, so they may or may not come true.

Step 3

质疑与评估：谁定义了“great”?

教师用书给 5A 的 critical thinking 标签是 Ranking Cities。真正的思考不只选第一名，还要检查排名标准。

Ranking CitiesEvaluating CriteriaReading Data Carefully

Question the Index

Does “powerful” always mean “a good place for children to live”?

No. A city can be powerful in business or politics but still have expensive homes, pollution, traffic, or too few safe green spaces.

What important factors are missing from the five categories?

Possible missing factors include safety, clean air, housing cost, public transport, health care, equality, and access to nature.

Would every person give the five areas the same importance?

No. A student may value schools and parks, while a company may value business access. Changing the weight of each area could change the ranking.

Make Your Judgment

Which city would you rank first, and what evidence would you need?

Answers will vary. A strong answer names clear criteria and asks for current evidence, such as transport data, air quality, school access, and cultural opportunities.

Can the article prove its future predictions?

No. Predictions are reasonable guesses based on information available at the time. We need newer data to see which ones became true.

How could you make a child-friendly city index?

I would choose four or five measures, such as safe travel, learning, play, nature, and affordability, then use the same evidence and scoring rule for every city.

Step 4

5A 文章思维导图

先遮住文章，顺着“question → measures → chart → prediction → conclusion”复述。

mindmap root((Global Cities)) "Central Question" "What makes a city great?" "Five Measures" "Business" "People" "Media" "Entertainment" "Politics" "2018 Chart" "New York" "London" "Paris" "Tokyo" "Different cities have different strengths" "Future Leaders" "Asia: business growth" "South America: growing middle class" "Middle East: politics and business" "Conclusion" "More people live in urban areas" "Global cities may become more powerful" "Read Critically" "Check date and source" "Predictions are not facts"
Can you retell the reading in five sentences?

The Global Cities Index asks what makes a city powerful. It compares business, people, media, entertainment, and politics. Its 2018 chart placed New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo at the top. The article also predicted growth in cities across Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Because rankings depend on dates and chosen measures, readers should examine them carefully.

Step 5

Writing Prep：古老故事怎样走进现代生活？

选择一个中国故事、神话或传统习惯，研究它的 origin、今天的具体行为，再找另一个文化做一个小而清楚的对比。

LegendNian

The Story of Nian

研究问题：What frightened Nian? Which modern Spring Festival customs match those details?

CBeebies 故事图文来源
Daily HabitChopsticks

Chopsticks at the Table

研究问题：How did chopsticks begin? How do they shape sharing food or table manners today? Compare them with forks and knives.

Spurlock Museum 资料
Living TraditionTea

Chinese Tea Practices

研究问题：When do people serve tea today, and what social meaning does it carry? Compare it with British afternoon tea or another drink custom.

UNESCO 资料与视频
Research Notes：写前至少回答哪五个问题？
  • What tradition, story, or habit will I choose?
  • Is it a historical fact, a legend, or a modern custom?
  • What is its origin story?
  • What do people actually do today?
  • What does another culture do in the same situation, and why might it be different?
  • What feeling or value does the tradition keep alive?
怎样避免把 legend 写成 historical fact？

Use careful phrases such as “According to the legend …”, “People once believed …”, or “One traditional story says …”. Then use present-tense evidence for modern behavior.

Step 6

Writing：文化故事与今天的生活

Writing Prompt (80–120 words)

Write about China. Choose one historical story, myth, legend, or traditional habit. Explain how it shapes modern Chinese life or behavior, and make a simple comparison with another country or culture.

  1. Introduction: Name the tradition or story.
  2. The Origin: Explain where it came from.
  3. Modern Lifestyle: Give specific things people do today.
  4. Cultural Comparison: Explain what children or families in another culture do and why it is different.
  5. Conclusion: Say what feeling or value this tradition brings.

Sentence Starters

One tradition that still shapes life in China is …

According to the legend, … / Long ago, people …

That is why … / As a result, Chinese families now …

In contrast, … / While Chinese children …, children in …

To me, this tradition …

according tothereforeas a resultstilltodaywhilehoweverin contrastinsteadbecause

Reference Essay 109 words

In China, the legend of Nian still shapes Spring Festival today. Long ago, people believed that a fierce monster called Nian came to villages at the end of each year. They learned that it feared red, bright lights, and loud sounds. Therefore, many Chinese families now hang red decorations, wear red clothes, and enjoy fireworks where they are allowed. These customs bring wishes for safety and good luck. In the United States, families often count down, watch a ball drop, and make resolutions instead. Their celebration focuses more on a new beginning than frightening away a monster. I feel this legend keeps Chinese history alive in modern family life.

范文怎样对应五段 scaffold？
  1. legend of Nian introduces the topic.
  2. Long ago … tells the origin.
  3. Therefore … now … connects origin to modern actions.
  4. In the United States … instead makes one focused comparison.
  5. I feel … gives a personal conclusion.