The English Teacher

Sayings Paper


This unit helps students use a portion of their brain that often is not exercised. Ponder the sayings to see what effect they have. It is useful for a class of 16 year olds. 'Sixteen year olds know all things.' This unit demonstrates that there may be some things yet to learn. There are other benefits to this unit. Try the unit to discover them.

Sayings for the Sayings Paper Unit:

1. Man's nature to good is like the tendency of water to flow downward. There are none but have this tendency to do good just as all water flows downward. -Mencius

2. The wise are free from perplexities, the virtuous from anxiety, and the bold from fear. -Anonymous

3. No medicine can procure long life, even to the ministers of the empire; no money can purchase for any man a virtuous posterity. -Anonymous

4. To associate with evil men is like sleeping in the midst of knives and swords; although you have not been wounded, you are constantly afraid. -Anonymous

5. To take to oneself unrighteous wealth is like satisfying one's hunger with putrid food, or one's thirst with poisoned wine. It gives temporary relief, but death always follows it. -Chuang Tzu

6. When a country is well-governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill-governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of. -Confucius

7. No man will confide in one who shows himself as aggressive. And he whom no man confides in will remain solitary and without support. -Leih Tzu

8. A skillful warrior strikes a decisive blow and stops. He does not continue his attack to assert his mastery. He will strike the blow, but be on his guard against being vain and arrogant over his success. He strikes it as a matter of necessity, but not from a wish of mastery. -Anonymous

9. Medicine is for saving life but in the hands of quacks can kill people. Soldiers are for killing people, but in the hands of wise rulers can save people's lives. -Chen Chiju

10. Probably there are none in the world who at first do evil without reluctance; but when they have repeated it once or twice the mind becomes daring; hand and feet become habitual, and the conscience by degrees annihilated. -The Sacred Edict, Exploration of the Laws

These sayings and many more are found in The Wisdom of Kung Fu by Michael Minick. 1974 William Morrow & Co.


Directions for individual students:

1. Write the meanings of four of the ten sayings in the space below it. [When you look up a word in the saying, underline it.]

2. From the four sayings choose one to write further about.

3. Copy the meaning of the one you chose from the typed paper onto a lined piece of paper and support the saying with examples from things in your life or from the world around you. Put the number of the saying [1-10] which you chose on the top of the paper. The paper should be one page or more.

4. Write a rough copy and a final copy. Both should skip lines and be on one side of the paper. The rough draft should be in pencil, but the final draft should be in ink.

5. Staple them together, the sayings on the top and the final draft on the bottom.


If the students do not do well on the unit, don't discourage them with lots of correction and criticism. Instead have them work together in groups on the sayings. As they work together, they can help each other understand them further. When the group unit is over, you might suggest some further meanings.

-GROUP UNIT-

1. Draw one of the ten sayings [cut up into strips]. The students can choose again if they want to try an alternate. There are six groups; so four choices will be left over, and perhaps other groups will choose alternates, leaving their original choices to be drawn again.

2. The group discusses the saying and decides on the meaning of the saying they drew and write the meaning on a lined piece of paper. Then they support the saying with examples from things in their lives or from the world around them [*at least two examples for support]. They put the number of the saying [1-10] which they chose on the top of the paper. The paper should be one page or more.

3. Write a rough copy and type a final copy. Both should skip lines and be on one side of the paper. The rough draft should be in pencil, but the final draft should be typed. The original saying should be typed [single spaced] at the top of the final copy.

4. Then one or two of the group present the saying to the class and give their support for the saying, and ask for further support for the saying. After they have presented the saying, they turn in the final copy to the instructor.


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