Activity five: Background information input

T: In this passage you will come across some places you are not familiar with. These places may hinder your understanding of the text. Now please turn to page 100 and find the Chinese names of these places.

Let the Ss check the Chinese names of these places each other.

Step III While-reading

Activity one: Get familiar with the content

T: Read the passage for the first time. Then complete the chart on page 8 (activity 3) about the Viking's three major discoveries.

Let the Ss read the passage and check important information about the three major events of Vikings' voyages. Then let them complete the chart. Check students' answers about the Viking's three voyages.

Let the Ss get familiar with the content of the text through the practice.

T: Read the passage again and answer the following questions.

The Ss read the text carefully and check detail information about the text.

Questions:

1. Why did Eric the Red leave Iceland?

2. Who was Biarni looking for when he was blown to an unknown land?

3. Who planned the journey to Newfoundland?

4. Where did we know about Eric the Red and Leif's deeds?

5. Why is it very important to know the record of Viking's voyages to America?

6. Compared with Columbus, who was earlier to reach America?

Possible answers:

1. Because he had committed a murder.

2. Biarni set sail from Iceland in search of his father, who was in Eric's party.

3. Eric the Red's son Leif planned the trip and discussed it with Biarni.

4. We know about Eric the Red and his son's stories through stories which were written down centuries later in Norway and Iceland.

5. Because they are the first records we have of Europeans' sailing to America.

6. Viking's voyages were earlier than Columbus's.