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Paul Sparks,
Sino-Canadian International College, Guangxi University, Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas
for Semester 2 Reading Lessons...
Lesson Objectives: To
understand how proverbs are used when reading.
Proverbs: A
"proverb" is a short, traditional saying in general use. It
usually expresses some obvious truth or familiar experience. Here are some
proverbs that are well known in English, though some of them come from other
languages.
The best things in life are free.
We don't have to pay for the things that are really valuable, like love,
friendship, good health etc.
A stitch in time saves
nine.
Repair something as soon as it is damaged. That's a small repair job. If
not, you will have a much bigger and more expensive repair job later.
Still waters run deep.
Some rivers have rough surfaces with waves. That's usually because the
water is shallow and there are rocks near the surface. But deep rivers
have no rocks near the surface and the water is smooth and still.
"Still waters run deep" means that people who are calm and
tranquil on the outside, often have a strong, "deep"
personality.
You can't take it with
you when you die.
When we die we leave everything on earth. We don't take anything with us.
Even the richest people cannot take their money with them after death.
This proverb reminds us that some material things are not really so
valuable as we think.
Don't cross your
bridges before you come to them.
Don't worry about problems before they arrive.
Soon learnt, soon
forgotten.
Something that is easy to learn is easy to forget.
Even a worm will turn.
Everybody will revolt if driven too far. Even the lowest of people, or
animals, will revolt and hit back at some stage. Even a worm, the simplest
of animals, will defend itself.
It was the last straw
that broke the camel's back.
There is a limit to everything. We can load the camel with lots of straw,
but finally it will be too much and the camel's back will break. And it is
only a single straw that breaks its back - the last straw.
The way to a man's
heart is through his stomach.
Many women have won a man's love by cooking delicious meals for him. They
fed his stomach and found love in his heart.
Where there's a will
there's a way.
If we have the determination to do something, we can always find the path
or method to do it.
Marry in haste, and
repent at leisure.
If we get married quickly, without thinking carefully, we may be sorry
later. And we will have plenty of time to be sorry.
You can't tell a book
by its cover.
We need to read a book to know if it's good or bad. We cannot know what
it's like just by looking at the front or back cover. This proverb is
applied to everything, not only books.
No news is good news.
This is like the proverb "Bad news travels fast." If we are
waiting for news about someone, it's probably good if we hear nothing
because "bad news" would arrive quickly.
Bad news travels fast.
"Bad news" means news about "bad" things like
accidents, death, illness etc. People tend to tell this type of news
quickly. But "good news" (passing an exam, winning some money,
getting a job etc) travels more slowly.
Live and let live.
This proverb suggest that we should not interfere in other people's
business. We should live our own lives and let others live their lives.
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