《Geronimo Stilton: Cat and Mouse in a Haunted House》英文阅读课堂教案
（续篇：消失的证物、假幽灵与猫女巫）
课时：150分钟
学生水平：B1（中级）
教材：《Geronimo Stilton》系列第三册（Pages 1-34，接续上一节课内容）
一、导入与预测（Predicting）（15分钟）
Teacher says:
“Good morning, class! Last time we ended with Trap revealing that he was the ‘ghost’ who pinched Geronimo’s tail. But Geronimo still believes there is a real ghost. Now let’s look at today’s pages. The first title is ‘THE MYSTERIOUS NAIL’ – what do you think that nail is for? Look at the picture on Page 12 – Geronimo is screaming and someone is grabbing his shoulder. Who is it? Look at Page 11 – there is a figure in armor with a cat head and a missing paw. What do you think that is? Look at Page 20 – Geronimo sees a mummy! Do you think it’s real? And on Page 32 – a cat witch appears! What might happen next? Will anyone believe Geronimo this time?”
预测引导点：
观察标题“THE MYSTERIOUS NAIL”——钉子可能与消失的骷髅有关？Benjamin发现了什么？
观察Page 11插图：穿着盔甲的幽灵，猫头，缺少一只爪子——这是Slicedpaw吗？
观察Page 20插图：木乃伊向Geronimo走来——这是真的还是又一个恶作剧？
观察Page 32插图：猫女巫骑着扫帚——她会做什么？Thea会相信吗？
结合已知：之前Trap假扮过幽灵，但Geronimo看到的穿盔甲的幽灵似乎不同——这次会有真正的超自然现象吗？
二、略读（Skimming）（20分钟）
Teacher says:
“Now, let’s skim the whole section quickly (Pages 1 to 34). You have 8 minutes. Focus on the main ideas, the structure, and how the parts connect. Then answer these questions.”
Skimming Questions（略读问题）：
1.What is the main mystery that runs through this section?
Answer: Geronimo keeps seeing supernatural figures (a ghost in armor, a mummy, a cat witch), but they keep disappearing before anyone else can see them. Meanwhile, physical evidence (a bone, a skeleton, a nail, scratches, white powder, toilet paper) suggests something real is happening, but Thea and Trap don’t believe him. (Throughout)
2.How does Benjamin’s role differ from Thea’s and Trap’s in this section?
Answer: Benjamin believes Geronimo and quietly collects evidence (taking notes, finding the nail, scratches, white powder, toilet paper), while Thea is impatient and only interested in getting a photo for the newspaper, and Trap mocks Geronimo and plays pranks. (Para 3, 15, 18, 22)
3.What happens to the physical evidence that Geronimo saw earlier (the mouse bone and the skeleton)?
Answer: When Geronimo returns to show them, the bone and the skeleton have disappeared, making him look foolish. (Para 1-2)
4.How does Geronimo try to overcome his fear at the end of this section?
Answer: He tries to chant “I am not a scaredy mouse” repeatedly to give himself courage, but when he hears a noise and sees the cat witch, he immediately becomes terrified again. (Para 29-33)
5.What new character appears at the very end of this section?
Answer: A cat witch wearing a cone-shaped hat, a black dress, and pointed shoes, holding a broom. She sings a scary song about turning Geronimo into ratburgers. (Para 30-33)
6.What is the structural pattern the author uses to build suspense in this section?
Answer: Each time Geronimo sees a scary figure (ghost, mummy, witch), he screams for help, Thea comes, but the figure has already vanished, leaving no evidence except small clues that Benjamin notices. This repeats three times. (Throughout)
三、扫读（Scanning – 8道填空题 + 5道判断题）（35分钟）
Teacher says:
“Now let’s scan for specific details. First, complete the 8 fill-in-the-blank questions. Then decide whether the 5 statements are True, False, or Not Given. Remember, the answers may use different words from the text.”
Part A: 填空题（8道）
Instructions: Complete each sentence with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text, using synonyms where appropriate.
1. When Geronimo showed the kitchen pot to Thea and Trap, it was __________.
Answer: empty (Para 2: “the pot was now empty”)
2. Benjamin found a __________ in the upper part of the closet, which could have held something hanging.
Answer: nail (Para 3: “He showed me a nail in the upper part of the closet”)
3. Geronimo compared his sister Thea to a __________ doll that runs on cheese instead of batteries.
Answer: Runaway Ratsy (Para 4: “She's like one of those Runaway Ratsy dolls.”)
4. When Trap pretended to be the ghost again, Geronimo’s whiskers trembled with __________ instead of fear.
Answer: rage (Para 6: “they were trembling with rage!”)
5. In the library, Geronimo found a book titled __________, which contained recipes for cooking a rat.
Answer: One Hundred Easy Ways to Cook a Rat (Para 9: “One Hundred Easy Ways to Cook a Rat”)
6. The ghost that appeared in the library was dressed in __________ and had a cat’s head and a missing paw.
Answer: a suit of metal armor (Para 11: “dressed in a suit of metal armor”)
7. Benjamin found __________ on the floor near the bookshelf after the ghost disappeared.
Answer: a line of white powder (Para 18: “a line of white powder on the floor”)
8. After the mummy disappeared, Benjamin showed Geronimo a piece of __________ stuck on the floor.
Answer: toilet paper (Para 22: “a piece of toilet paper”)
Part B: 判断题（5道）
Instructions: Read each statement. Write T (True) if the statement matches the information in the text, F (False) if it contradicts the text, or NG (Not Given) if the text does not say.
1. Thea immediately believed Geronimo when he said he saw the ghost in armor.
Answer: F (Para 13-14: Thea is impatient and doesn’t believe him; she threatens to tear out his whiskers.)
2. Benjamin took notes several times during the night to record what he observed.
Answer: T (Para 3, 15, 18, 22: Benjamin jotted down notes repeatedly.)
3. The cat witch told Geronimo she wanted to turn him into a cheese sandwich.
Answer: F (Para 32: She sang about turning him into “ratburgers” and using his fur for a hat, not a cheese sandwich.)
4. Geronimo’s uncle Cheesebelly is mentioned as being very thin.
Answer: NG (Para 24-25: Uncle Cheesebelly is described as “chubby,” not thin. The statement says “very thin” – this is false, but the statement as written is “very thin” which contradicts “chubby”? Wait: The text says “chubby uncle Cheesebelly” – so he is fat. The statement says “very thin” – that is false. But careful: The instruction is T/F/NG. The statement “Geronimo’s uncle Cheesebelly is mentioned as being very thin” – the text says “chubby” which means fat, so the statement is false. Actually F is correct. But let me re-read: The statement is “very thin” – text says “chubby” – so False.)
Correct Answer: F (Para 25: “my chubby uncle Cheesebelly” – he is not thin.)
5. The cat witch was holding a broom when Geronimo first saw her.
Answer: T (Para 32: “She held a broom in her paw.”)
四、同义短语替换（Paraphrasing Phrases）（20分钟）
Teacher says:
“I will give you a phrase that is NOT from the text. Your task is to find a phrase in the text that has the SAME or SIMILAR meaning. Work in pairs and write the sentence where you found it.”
教师提供短语→ 学生在文中找同义短语（共20组）：
1.to have a fever → feeling a bit warm (Para 2: “You’re feeling a bit warm, Cousinkins.”)
2.to laugh uncontrollably → collapsed in a fit of giggles (Para 3: “He collapsed in a fit of giggles.”)
3.he thinks he’s very funny → He really cracks himself up (Para 3: “He really cracks himself up.”)
4.write down quickly → jot down some notes (Para 3, 15, 18, 22: “jot down some notes”)
5.very scared → scared out of my fur (Para 4: “being scared out of my fur.”)
6.there’s no way to stop her → There’s no stopping my sister (Para 4: “There’s no stopping my sister once she wants something.”)
7.move your tail → shake your tailfur (Para 4: “shake your tailfur!”)
8.unwillingly → Reluctantly (Para 5: “Reluctantly, I headed for the library.”)
9.you will be in trouble → you’ll be toast (Para 5: “Get lost, or you’ll be toast!”)
10.to say what I really think → squeaking my mind (Para 6: “So much for squeaking my mind.”)
11.to be tricked by something → falling for it (Para 10: “This time I wasn’t falling for it.”)
12.to tell someone off angrily → give my cousin a piece of my mind (Para 10: “ready to give my cousin a piece of my mind.”)
13.very pale → as PALE as a slice of mozzarella (Para 11: “It was as PALE as a slice of mozzarella.”)
14.in her cat-like grip → in its catty clutches (Para 12: “It had me in its catty clutches!”)
15.goodbye, cruel world → Good-bye, cruel world! (Para 12: “Good-bye, cruel world!”)
16.so emotional that I could hardly think → so worked up, I could hardly think (Para 13: “I was so worked up, I could hardly think.”)
17.in a confused state → In a daze (Para 13: “In a daze, I stared back at her.”)
18.extremely angry → beside herself with rage (Para 18: “Thea was beside herself with rage.”)
19.in no time → in no time flat (Para 20: “Thea was beside me in no time flat.”)
20.to keep from crying → to keep from crying my eyes out (Para 24: “I blinked rapidly to keep from crying my eyes out.”)
五、批判性思维讨论（Critical Thinking）（18分钟）
Teacher says:
“Now let’s think deeper about the story. Discuss with your partner and then share your ideas.”
1. Evidence vs. Belief（证据与信任）
“Physical evidence (the nail, scratches, white powder, toilet paper) keeps appearing, but the actual scary figures disappear. Does this mean Geronimo is telling the truth? Why do Thea and Trap refuse to believe him even with these clues? What would you need to see to believe someone who claims to have seen a ghost?”
2. Benjamin’s Role（Benjamin的角色）
“Benjamin is the youngest, but he is the only one who believes Geronimo and collects evidence. What does this tell us about the value of being open-minded? Why do adults (or older mice) sometimes stop believing in things that children are willing to accept?”
3. The Nature of Fear（恐惧的本质）
“Geronimo tries to chant ‘I am not a scaredy mouse’ to make himself brave, but as soon as he sees the cat witch, he loses all his courage. Can fear be overcome just by telling yourself to be brave? What strategies actually help people face their fears?”
4. The Witch’s Song（女巫的歌）
“The cat witch sings: ‘Evil eye and rodent’s pie, in my cauldron prepare to die!’ Why do witches and ghosts in stories often speak in rhymes? Does that make them more or less scary?”
5. Scoop vs. Truth（独家新闻 vs. 真相）
“Thea wants a ‘scoop’ for the newspaper. She says a witch would ‘make a good scoop, too.’ Is it ethical to report on something you haven’t verified? What responsibilities do journalists have to tell the truth?”
6. The Unreliable Narrator（不可靠的叙述者）
“Geronimo is the narrator. He keeps seeing things that disappear. Could it be that he is imagining everything? Why might the author want us to question whether Geronimo is reliable? What clues suggest he might be telling the truth?”
