Section one
Step I. Study the new words.
Step II. Reading
Read through the whole text and let them do the following simple questions decide T or F.
1. These ancient alchemists made the first explosives.
2. The ancient Chinese realized that the mixture could be used on something different at once.
3. At first the Chinese used new material to make the fireworks.
4. Bacon got credit for making the black powder because he used his invention.
5. Alfred Nobel left his money for prize after he died.
Read the text more carefully and then find out the following phases:
1. burst into 2. burn down 3. be pleased with 4. over and over
5. look into 6. put one’s mind 7. speed up 8. be connected to
9. stay in shape 10. take in 11. break off 12. so far
Step III. Practice
1. Translate the following phrases, compare verb+ing and verb+ed.
boiling water __________ boiled water ____________
a boring book __________ a bored reader ____________
a closed store __________ the closing time ____________
2. 动词-ed形式接触：找出下列句子的-ed形式，揣摩其用法。
(1) The mixture started to bubble and boil.
(2) They finally designed a weapon that was powerful.
(3) They took a hollowed piece of bamboo and filed it with the powder.
(4) Then they stuffed arrows in it.
(5) One-hundred years later, a man named Berthold Shwarts looked into this black powder.
(6) It could be used to blow stones out of the ground.
Step IV. Grammar: 过去分词作定语、表语
过去分词分为及物动词的过去分词和不及物动词的过去分词；及物动词的过去分词作句子的表语和名词的定语及物动词的过去分词时，强调该动作完成和被动；而不及物动词的过去分词则仅仅强调该动作已经完成，如 fallen leaves（落叶） ,the risen sun（升起的太阳）, frozen milk（冰牛奶）, boiled water（凉开水）等。高考主要考察及物动词的过去分词作句子的表语和定语的用法。
Section Two and Section Three
Step I. Study the new words.
Step II. 难句分析
1. Some ancient Chinese alchemists were mixing some ingredients together to form something（they thought would make them live forever）.
（1）省略了定语从句引导词that。
（2）尽管that在定语从句中并不作宾语，但是由于插入成分they thought的介入，使得做主语的that带有宾语的特征。定语从句可还原为They thought the thing would make them live forever. 其中the thing由that替代，做thought支配的宾语从句的主语。
2. 两个that前一个引导宾语从句，后一个引导定语从句。划横线的短语的句子成分是 状语，修饰动词realized。
Step III. Practice
1. 短语比较
(1) 沸水, 开水
(2) 一本令人厌烦的书, 一个烦透了的读者；
(3) 关门的商店, 关门时间
2. 找出下列句子的-ed形式，指出其用法。
(1) The mixture started to bubble and boil.
(2) They finally designed a weapon that was powerful.
(3) They took a hollowed piece of bamboo and filed it with the powder.
(4) Then they stuffed arrows in it .
(5) One-hundred years later, a man named Berthold Shwarts looked into this black powder.
(6) It could be used to blow stones out of the ground.
Step IV. Grammar: 语法难点
1. 表能力 can 和 could可与be able to 互换。can只用于现在式和过去式（could）; be able to可以用于各种时态。例如：They will be able to tell you the news soon. 他很快就能告诉你消息了。但是下列情况只用be able to：
a. 位于助动词后。b. 情态动词后。c. 表示过去某时刻动作时。 d. 用于句首表示条件。
e. 表示成功地做了某事时，用was/were able to，不能用could。
例如：He was able to flee Europe before the war broke out. = He managed to flee Europe before the war broke out.他在战争爆发之前逃离欧洲。
注意：could有时不表示过去时态:
a．提出委婉的请求，（注意在回答中不可用could）。例如：
- Could I have the television on? 我能看电视吗？
- Yes, you can. / No, you can't. 可以/不可以。
b．在否定句、疑问句中表示推测或怀疑。例如：
He couldn’t be a bad man. 他不大可能是坏人。
2. 表示请求、许可 may 比较正式, can 较口语化,二者可通用, could还可表示较有礼貌的请求, might 最有礼貌。
3. 表示推测, 可能性 可用may，can，must。may 只能用在肯定句和否定句, might的可能性要比may小；can 只能用于否定句和疑问句, could的语气比can 更加不肯定,可能性更小。 must可能性最大，翻译成“一定”。may not 表示“可能不”；can’t表示“不可能”，语气很强。
4. 表示责任义务，或提出自己的建议 “应该”用should，ought to（语气比should强）， “必须”用must （强调主观因素）或have to (强调客观因素)
Exercises:
用适当的情态动词填空
1. You _______ work harder if you want to succeed.
2. ____ I have some more tea?
3. Where _____ it be? It ______ be in your desk.
4. Who _____ it be? It _______ not be the headmaster for he is now attending a meeting.
5. I ______ read English very fluently.
6. He __________ swim across the channel when was only 12.
7. It ______ rain at any moment.
8. Listen! It _____ be Mother back. Let’s hurry up.
9. -What should I do?
-I think you ________ read more books about your study.
10. It _____ not be him, but I am not sure.