Contemporary English
Book 3
Lesson 9 A Dill Pickle
I. Language Study
(I) Word Study
1. astound v (usu passive) to overcome sb with surprise or shock; amaze使震惊；使大吃一惊
We were astounded to read yur letter.
astounding adj. amazing 使人震惊的
The figures revealed by the report are astounding.
2. barbarian [bɑ:'beəriən] n, adj (often derog) (person who is) primitive, coarse or cruel野蛮的，粗鲁的或残忍的（人）
barbarian tribes 原始部落
barbaric [bɑ:’bærɪk] adj. (often derog) of or like barbarians, extremely wild, rough, cruel or rude 野蛮人的，野蛮的，极其其粗野的、粗鲁、残忍或残暴的
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barbaric taste野蛮人的趣味
barbarism [‘bɑ:bərizəm] n. state of being uncivilized, ignorant, or rude未开化的、愚昧的或粗野的状态
barbarity [bɑ:’bærɪti:] n. savage cruelty 残酷，残暴
barbarize [‘bɑ:bəraiz] v. make (sb) barbarous使（某人）野蛮；使（某人）粗野
barbarous [‘bɑ:bərəs] unrefined in taste, habits, etc（趣味、习惯等）粗俗的，残暴的
barbarous sounds 粗声粗气的
3. bound v/n. jump or spring; run with jumping movements (in a specified direction) 跳，跃，蹦着跑
He bounded into the room and announced that he was getting married.
The dog cleared (ie jumped over) the gate in one bound
4. exasperate v. to cause great irritation or anger to; infuriate激怒，触怒，惹恼
We were exasperated at/by his ill behavior.
exasperating adj. extremely annoying 使人极恼怒的，使人发火的
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He’s probably the most exasperating man I’ve ever met.
exasperation n.
5. haunt v. (1) (of ghosts)visit (a place) regularly（指鬼魂）经常出没于
A spirit haunts the castle.
(2) be in (a place) very often 常到（某处）
He haunted textile mills, and learned all he could.
(3)return repeatedly to the mind of (sb)经常浮现与（某人）脑际
The memory still haunts me. 那会议仍然萦回在我的脑际。
haunt n. (often pl) place visited frequently by the person or people named (某人)常去之处
This pub is a favorite haunt of artists.
6. infuriate v. make sb extremely angry 使某怒，激怒某人
I was infuriated by / with their constant criticism.
infuriating adj. 使怒的
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7. loathe [ləʊð] v. to feel strong hatred or disgust for 极不喜欢，憎恨，厌恶
to loathe the smell of fried fish厌恶煎鱼的味道
I loathe having to get up so early in the morning!
loathing n. disgust厌恶，憎恨
have a loathing of sth 厌恶某事物
feel intense loathing for sb / sth 对某人或某事物极为反感
loathsome adj. causing to feel disgusted or chocked; repulsive 讨厌的，令人震惊的，令人厌恶的
What a loathsome creature he is! 他是个多么讨厌的家伙！
loath [ləʊθ] (also loth) adj. (pred) loath to do sth. :unwilling; reluctant 不愿意，不情愿
He seemed somewhat loath to depart. 他似乎有不愿意离去之意。
nothing loath: quite willing; eager 很乐意，心甘情愿，巴不得
8. beyond（见材料）:[prep] (1) farther away than; on the far side of 在（或向）……那边，远于，超过
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Our school is just beyond that tall building. 学校就在高楼那边。
There is peak beyond peak. 层峦叠嶂。
The plane fell into a rice paddy a few miles beyond the mountain. 飞机落入离山几英里的水稻田中。
(2) past or outside the limits, reach, or scope of超出，多于，出乎，为……所不能及
Don't swim beyond your depth. 不要到你能力不及的深水区去游泳。
That Swiss watch costs at least 10 thousand dollars. It's way beyond his means. 那块瑞士表至少价值10,000美元，他根本买不起。
The lecture was quite philosophical. It was completely beyond me . 演讲太富哲理性了，完全超出了我的理解范围。
be touched beyond words感动得无法用言语来形容
Translation
the guest staying beyond the hour of welcome呆得过久而不再受欢迎的客人
the beyond来世，不可知的彼岸
He is beyond this kind of thing. 他绝不屑做这种事情。
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beyond recognition beyond description
beyond belief beyond doubt
9. fix
v. (1) to repair/mend; cure
If it is not broken, don't try to fix it.
We are supposed to fix the broken machine.
(2) to put in order; adjust or arrange
Fix your hair.
Marriage is fixed on the 7th, June.
I'll fix the day if you want to meet them.
Let me fix you a cup of tea.
(3) to fasten firmly or make firm, stable; place definitely
He fixed the picture on the wall.
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If you don't fix the lid on properly, the milk will spill out.
Nothing is fixed in the world；everything is relative.
He looked at me with fixed eyes.
10. pare: v. (1)to cut off or trim the outer coating, layer, edge or part of…剥或削某物的皮
to pare an apple 削苹果
(2) to cut the nails of your fingers or toes
to pare one's nails 修剪指甲
(3) pare sth down: to reduce, diminish, decrease gradually (often fol. by down) 大量削减
to pare down expense 削减开支
skin: n. the external covering or integument of an animal body, esp. soft and flexible 皮
v. to remove the skin from
skin a rabbit
skin grapes
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to dust the tables 除去桌上的灰尘 to husk the rice 除大米的稻壳
to shell the peas 剥豆荚 to weed the garden 除去花园内的杂
草
11. peel: v. to strip sth. off the skin, rind, and bark, etc.
The wall was peeling.
Too much heat will make the bark wrinkle and peel.
Sun the nose till it peels.
to peel paint from a car
to peel shrimp/a boiled egg
to peel an apple/a banana / potatoes
12. quake: v. to shake violently from shock or instability (指地)震动，颤动, 哆嗦
He stood there quaking with fear. 他站在那里吓得发抖。
The earth was quaking. 大地在颤抖 。
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（人的）
The boughs quaked at every breath. 树枝在风中摇曳。
Quaking with fear / cold
13. quiver: v. to shake with a slight but rapid motion, close to tremble
quiver with age因年老而颤抖
His voice/fingers quivered uncontrollably. 他的声音/手指不自觉地颤抖。
The blades of grass quiver in the wind. 草叶在风中颤动。
His lips were quivering with emotion. 由于激动他的嘴唇在颤抖。
Leaves quiver in the breeze. 树叶在微风中颤动。
Quivering with rage she slammed the door shut.
14. shake: v. to make lots of quick small movements up and down, or side to side
shake with cold
By that time the building is shaking violently. We could not even stand up.
The house shakes when the train goes by.
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He shakes with emotion.
He was so angry that his whole body shook.
15. shatter: v. (1) to break sth. into pieces, as by a blow 使…突然而剧烈地裂成碎片
An explosion of gunpowder shatters a rock. 火药把岩石炸碎了。
The pot shattered as it hit the floor. 罐子掉在地板上摔得粉碎。
shatter a mirror 打碎镜子
Suddenly the silence was shattered. 寂静突然被打破了。
(fig) What an ear-shattering noise! 这声音能把耳朵震聋！
(2) to damage, as by breaking or crushing; impair or destroy (health, nerves) 粉碎（健康等）
shatter one's health 损害健康
A long illness shattered his health. 一场病把他的身体拖跨了。
(3) to weaken or refute (an idea or opinion) 粉碎（某物）
Our hope was shattered.
我们的希望破灭了.
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shatter faith 动摇信念
shatter one's reputation 毁坏名誉
shatter a plan 破坏计划
(4) to surprise or astonish 使震惊，使震骇
She was shattered by the news of his death. 他去世的消息使她震惊.
16. shiver: v. to tremble mostly because of coldness, fear, or excitement （esp 因寒冷，恐惧，兴奋）颤抖，哆嗦
n. a shaking movement that your body makes when you are cold, frightened, or
excited
The night in the desert was cold. We were all shivering. 沙漠里的夜晚很冷，我们冻得浑身发抖.
She gave a slight shiver. 她微微颤动了一下。
He still had the shivers when he passed the spot where the murder case took place.
走过当年凶杀案事发现场， 他仍然会不寒而栗。
17. shudder: v./n. to tremble with sudden and brief, momentary, convulsive
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movement; more intense shaking, usu. because of fear, cold, horror, disgust, worry, disapproval, etc. It suggests movement less noticeable to on-lookers.
At the sight of the blood-stained knife, she shuddered to screech. 一看到那把沾血的刀，她就尖叫起来。
She shuddered at the sight of snake. 她一看到蛇就惊恐万状。
I shudder to think of tension. 我怕得不敢想压力。
18. tremble: v. It implies slight or quick movement for uneasy or nervous reasons. It does not go with violent movement.
He trembled/shook with anger when he heard that news.
To tell you the truth, I was so frightened that I trembled like a leaf.
The old bridge trembled under the train.
Exercise: Fill in the blanks with tremble, quiver, shiver, shake and shudder.
1. At the sight of his lost son, he trembled/quivered with excitement.
2. He was trembling to open the letter.
3. The night in the desert was cold. We were all shivering/quivering.
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4. News of crime shook my faith in the humanity.
5. Any one familiar with law regulatory enforcement should shudder at the thought of nuclear plants.
19. snap: v.
The door snapped shut behind us. 门啪嗒一声在我们身后关上了。
The lock snapped shut. 锁啪嗒一声合上了。
I snapped at him to sit down. 我厉声命他坐下。
snap off/on a TV set 啪地一声关上/打开电视
His eyes snapped open/shut. 他迅速睁开/闭上眼睛。
He snapped his lighter to see if it needed fuel. 他啪啪地按打火机看是否需要加油。
He snapped his fingers to get the child's attention.他打了个响指以吸引孩子的注意。
20. stretch: v.
The forest stretches for miles. 森林绵延数百英里。
His memory stretches back to his early childhood. 他的记忆回到了童年时代。
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The wool coat stretched when it was washed. 这件羊毛外套在洗的时候拉长了。
He woke, yawned and stretched himself. 他醒了，打着哈欠，伸着懒腰。
He drove fast on a stretch of open field. 他开车在一片开阔的田野上飞驰。
He is having a stretch in jail. 他正在服刑。(stretch n. 服刑期间)
She stretched her neck to see what was going on. 她伸长了脖子看正在发生什么事。
With a sudden stretch, Tom took the younger boy’s cap. 汤姆突然伸出手，抢走了小男孩的帽子。
21. to: ad. in or into a closed position
The police kicked the door to.
The window was blown to.
(II) Phrases and Expressions
1. add up: (1) to amount to collect total 加起来
Add up a column of figures. 把一栏数字加起来。
(2) to seem reasonable or make sense 前后一致，合理
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It has to be true. It all adds up. 这事一定是真的。从各方面都说得通。
The facts just don’t add up. 这些事实根本串不起来。
His story just doesn’t add up --- he must be lying.
add up to: to amount to; signify 相当于……，意为……
He is sick, but his symptoms don't add up to anything recognizable.
他是病了，但是把各种症状综合起来还看不出是什么病。
These clues don’t really add up to very much. (ie. Give us very little information)
2. allow for: include sb / sth in one’s calculations考虑到，顾及，为……留出余地
We must allow for the possibility that they have been involved in the combat.
Allowing for the train being late, we should be back by eleven.
He is old-fashioned but you have to allow for his age.
allow of: permit sth; leave room for sth 容许，容许有可能
evidence allowing of only one conclusion只容引出一种结论的证据
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The stool is tall enough to allow of a baby reaching the bed. 凳子的高度足以让婴儿够到床铺。
Such conduct allows of no excuse. 这种行为不可原谅。
make (an) allowance(s) for: 考虑到, 体谅
We must make allowance for his youth and inexperience.
3. apart from: 除……之外；远离
It is a bit cold in winter, but apart from that, it's quite a pleasant city to live in. Apart from his poor health, he is also hopelessly lazy.
The coachman sat eating apart from us.
4. count in/out: 把……算入/不把……算在内
If you are planning a trip to London, count me in/out.
He counted out ten 5-pound notes.
count on: 依靠，指望，料想
You can count on me for everything in the future.
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5. for all: in spite of all 尽管，虽然
For all our efforts, we still couldn't save his life.
For all his power, he is still the most despised person.
For all you say, I think she’s the best teacher we’ve got.
6. out of proportion (to sth): 与……不成比例/不相称
His story was exaggerated out of proportion.
in proportion to/with: 与……成比例/相称
Price will be raised in proportion.
The size of the furniture should be in proportion to the size of the room.
The figures in the painting are in proportion to the surroundings.
Out of (all) proportion to sth: too large; serious, etc in relation to sth对……来说过大，，过于严重等
7. prick up: 竖起
The spires of churches prick up through the greenery. 教堂的尖顶耸立在绿树丛中。
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His voice pricked up in surprise. 他惊讶得连嗓音都变尖了。
prick (up) the (one's) ears竖起耳朵仔细听
(III) Word Building
Study how these words are formed
prefix+root (press) examples
im — press: (to press in) imprint/imprison
op — press: (to press against) oppose/opposition
de — press: (to press down) decline/debark
com — press: (to press together) communion/compound
re — press: (to press back) reecho/reflux
ex — press: (to press out) exclude/exempt
… on the darkening river… Para.41
darkening: showing the process from not dark — less dark — dark — darker — darkening
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Compare “dark river”
It refers to the color of the river，black or pitch-dark color.
–en: a. 表示人或物原有的某种性质得到加强
blacken fatten loosen weaken moisten brighten darken tighten redden deepen shorten thicken Example \"deepen\"
She laughed and that seemed to deepen her voice.
她笑出了声，这似乎使她的声音显得更深沉。
b. 表示用原名词表示的物质制作的物品或与原物质相像的物品
ashen golden silken woolen earthen waxen oaken wooden
People wear woolen clothing even on hot days.
a rosy, frail girl with bright golden hair
whiten
lessen
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lighten
c. 与表示或描述性质状态的名词或形容词结合构成动词，描述使某物具有特定性质或处于特定状态的活动过程
deaden enlighten enliven hasten hearten
(IV). Grammar
1. Reflective Verb （做练习 P272 6）
The reflective verb is followed by a reflective pronoun.
dress behave express seat enjoy hide improve commit absent pride prepare calm surpass feel overwork help divorce etc.
You are forgetting yourself. （1）太放肆；（2）act unselfishly 忘我，无私
Forget yourself and think of someone else for a change.
We got out of the river and dried ourselves. 晒干
I feel myself overwhelmed with sadness. 感到
She said that our plan was interesting. But she didn’t commit herself. 表态
I avail myself of this opportunity to thank you for your solicitude. 利用
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He swore to avenge himself on the Fascists for their massacre. 向……报仇
If Joe applied himself to his work, he would finish it in time. 全力以赴
2. Reflective Pronoun
It can serve as object, appositive and predicative. It must refer to the same subject as in the main clause.
a. predicate object
He absented himself from class to watch a football game. 逃课
Jaime prides himself on his ability to speak several languages. 自豪
A good teacher never divorces himself from his students. 脱离
b. prepositional object
I have the room to myself. 这间房子归我独用。（单独所有/单独所用）
He's a right to decide for himself. 他有权自己做出决定。（为自己，替自己，自己亲自）
All this is between ourselves. 这是我们之间的秘密。
The accident didn’t happen of itself. 事故不会自行发生。
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Yours isn't a bad idea in itself. 你的主意本身是不错的。（本身，本质上）
Julie conducted the experiment by herself. 朱莉独自做了实验。（独自，在没有外界帮助情况下，自动）
When he heard the news, he was beside himself with joy. 听到这个消息，他欣喜若狂。（因……而发狂）
c. predicative：be + reflective pronoun (身心健康)
I am glad that you are yourself again. 很高兴你恢复健康了。
Laura is not quite herself today. 劳拉今天不太对头。
d. appositive：自己，亲自，本人
They themselves are to blame. (They are to blame themselves.)
It is better to ask Dean himself about it.
II. Warm-up
(I) Dictation
Katherine Mansfield (1888—1923), British short-story writer, was born in Wellington, New Zealand. She is considered one of the greatest(1)__________ of the short-story form.
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At the age of 18 she (2)__________ in London to study music and to (3)__________ herself as a writer. In 1918 she married English literary (4) __________，John Middleton Murry.
Mansfield's middle class (5) __________ provided the setting for many of her stories and mortality—perhaps due to her illness—dominated her writing. Her (6) __________years were burdened with (7)__________, illness, jealousy and(8) __________ —all reflected from her work in the bitter (9)__________ of marital and family relationships of her middle-class characters.
As a New Zealand's most famous writer, she was closely associated with D.H. Lawrence and something of a rival of Virginia Woolf. Her short stories are also notable for their use of (10)＿＿＿＿. Much influenced by Russian writer Anton Chekhov, Mansfield depicted(11)__________ events and (12) __________changes in human behavior.
Key:
(1)masters
(2)settled (3) establish
(4)critic (5)background
(10)
stream
of
(6)creative; (7) loneliness (8) alienation (9) depiction
consciousness
(11) trivial (12) subtle
(II) Poem Appreciation
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Camomile Tea
——by Katherine Mansfield
Outside the sky is light with stars;
There's a hollow roaring from the sea. And, alas! For the little almond flowers,
The wind is shaking the almond tree.
How little I thought, a year ago,
In the horrible cottage upon the Lee
That he and I should be sitting so
And sipping a cup of camomile tea.
Light as feathers the witches fly,
The horn of the moon is plain to see; By a firefly under a jonquil flower
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A goblin toasts a bumble-bee.
We might be fifty, we might be five,
So snug, so compact, so wise are we!
Under the kitchen-table leg
My knee is pressing against his knee.
Our shutters are shut, the fire is low,
The tap is dripping peacefully;
The saucepan shadows on the wall
Are black and round and plain to see.
III. Background Information
(I) Author: Katherine Mansfield（凯瑟琳·曼斯菲尔德）
1888–1923, British author, born in New Zealand
Her original name was Kathleen Beauchamp. She is regarded as one of the masters of the short story. A talented cellist (大提琴演奏家), she did not turn to literature until
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1908. Her Works
In a German Pension (1911), her first published book.
Bliss（《幸福》） (1920) which collected Mansfield's family memoirs and secured her
reputation as a writer.
The Garden Party （《园会》）(1922), her finest work written during the final stages of
her illness which established her as a major writer.
Later volumes of stories include The Dove’s Nest（《鸽巢》） (1923) and Something Childish（《幼稚》） (1924; U.S. ed. The Little Girl, 1924).
Other collections and poems: journal, letters, and scrapbook (edited by her husband) .
Her Adventurous Spirit
Famously, Mansfield remarked \"risk, risk everything\".
It was largely through her adventurous spirit, her eagerness to grasp at experience and to succeed in her work, that she became ensnared in disaster. . . If she was never a saint, she was certainly a martyr, and a heroine in her recklessness, her dedication and her courage.
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Her last words were: \"I love the rain. I want the feeling of it on my face.\"
Her Style
Anton Chekhov: Mansfield's stories, which reveal the influence of Chekhov, are simple in form, luminous and evocative in substance. With delicate plainness they present elusive moments of decision, defeat, and small triumph.
Themes of Mansfield's novels
Themes: different human relationships interacting with each other; social classes and inequality in bourgeois society; the frenzied exhortation to live, which is central to all her writings; the opposition of convention and nature; the elevation of the great artist as the model for living and, by extension; art as a means of being “real\"; the notion that destiny is a function of desiring—to want something strongly enough is to legitimize the means of getting it.
In her most persuasive work, Mansfield found a way of pressing the threads of such a credo into the weave of her fiction.
The story of the rises and falls in Mansfield's popularity is fasci5nating, as it shifts with the major social, political and literary trends. Mansfield's portrayal of social classes and the injustices of bourgeois society had obvious appeal to the Chinese. One of the translators, Tang Baoxin, writes: “With remorseless irony she lays bare the hypocrisy and shallowness of the leisured class and their men of letters.”
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Her Feministic Remarks on Women
\"I'm so keen upon all women having a definite future—are not you? The idea of sitting and waiting for a husband is absolutely revolting and it really is the attitude of a great many girls. . . It rather made me smile to read of your wishing you could create your fate—O how many times I have felt just the same. I just long for power over circumstances.\"
Her Influence on the Short Story
Her influence on the development of the short story as a form of literature was also notable. Among her literary friends were Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf, who considered her overpraised, and D.H. Lawrence.
\"I was jealous of her writing—the only writing I have ever been jealous of.\"
—Virginia Woolf
Her Quotes
Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it is only good for wallowing in...
I always felt that the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing...
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Whenever I prepare for a journey I prepare as though for death. Should I never return, all is in order...
1) Dill Pickle
Cucumber reserved in salty and spicy water with such ingredients as pepper, garlic, dill and vinegar. In Russia, it is eaten with hamburger as an appetizer.
2) Pictures
1. Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, on the banks of the River Thames in southwest London, represents
250 years of landscape and garden history. The site also houses 40 historically significant buildings, including Kew Palace, Queen Charlotte's Cottage, and the Palm House.
Kew Palace was the home of Augusta, Princess of Wales in the 18th century. The Palm House has 10 miles (16 kilometers) of stainless steel glazing bars.
2. Corsica
Corsica, a region of France, was ruled over the centuries by the Carthaginians,
Romans, Vandals, Goths and Saracens. It was eventually sold to France by the Genoese.
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Located in the western Mediterranean, just to the north of Sardinia, it's 160 km (99 miles) southeast of Nice, France, and 82 km (51 miles) west of Tuscany, Italy.
Famous for its independent spirit, rugged beauty, olive oil, wine and citrus fruit, Corsica was the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Corte is the natural boundary between Corsica of North and Corsica of South. It
reigns as a sentry from the top of its rocky peak, over the valleys where the Tavignano and the Restonica have cut from their torrents gorges so beautiful that they are classified as a \"big national place of interest\".
Like a masterpiece that the final touch must sublimate, the gods only could give Corsica, in its extreme south, a unique place of interest. This one takes the look of a white ship which proudly attacks the open sea: Bonifacio !
3. The Volga
The Volga River is the longest river in Europe, about 2,300 miles (3,700 km). It originates at an elevation of only 740 feet (225 m) in the Valday Hills northwest of Moscow, and connects with the Rybnik Reservoir. The river heads east past Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan. From there it turns south past Samara and Volgograd. At Volgograd, it links, through canals, with the Don River and Black Sea. Since the initial elevation is so low, the river flows slowly, and finally enters the Caspian Sea, below sea level in a wide delta near Astrakhan.
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4. The Black Sea
The Black Sea (known as the Euxine Sea in antiquity) is an inland sea between
southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara, and to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.
The most important river entering the Black Sea is the Danube. The Black Sea has an area of 422,000 km² and a maximum depth of 2,210 m.
The Bulgarian coastline of the Black Sea doesn't have many islands. Those that exist are mostly small, uninhabited and covered with algae.
Countries bordering on the Black Sea are Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia.
From this map, we can see that important cities along the coast include: Istanbul, Burgas and so on.
5. Siberia
Siberia is the biggest part of Russia. It occupies two thirds part of Russia. It stretches
from the borderline of Europe in the Ural Mountains to the very East of Russia at the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic Ocean to the borders with China and Mongolia.
Siberia is the land of taiga's and tundra's wilderness, thousands of rivers and lakes.
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Siberia has many big cities with history, intense cultural life, and theaters. The cities
of Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk are famous for their colleges and research institutions.
Baikal is a beautiful lake located in the southeastern part of Siberia. It is the deepest
freshwater lake on the earth and the largest reservoir of fresh surface water.
Irkutsk kept the spirit of a 19th century Russian city. In the center, there are blocks of
traditional wooden buildings with typical carvings.
Krasnoyarsk is located in south-central Siberia on the 6th-longest river in the world,
the Yenesei River.
IV. Text Appreciation
(I) Structure of the Story
Plot of the story: a young woman and a young man who had been lovers once met
again after six years of separation. They sat and reminisced…
Setting of the story: in a restaurant
Protagonists: Vera and her ex-lover (his name was never told)
Theme of the story: about the relationship between lovers: the heroine's sensitivity and the man's insensitivity to others—their feelings, attitudes and inner motivations.
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The man's egoism prevented him from seeing how greatly their lives had diverged in the six years since they parted.
(II) Sentence Analysis
1 He closed his eyes an instant, but opening them his face lit up as though he had struck a match in a dark room. [Para. 2]
closed his eyes: searched his memory
his face lit up as though he had struck a match in a dark room: 一闪而过的兴奋使他脸上露出光彩。
2. He interrupted her, \"Excuse me,\" and tapped on the table for the waitress. \"Please bring some coffee and cream.\" [Para. 9]
Interrupted: He was self-centered, not interested in what Vera said, nor encouraged her to talk about herself.
3. She broke in: \"You've really been to Russia?\" [Para. 26]
Vera was very eager to know about his life in the past six years. It showed she was considerate, and cared about him.
4. He gave a strange half laugh and leaned back in his chair. [Para. 29]
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a strange half laugh: To show him superior to her, indicating that he was quite contented, a little showing off, and proud.
leaned back in his chair: Later he pursued his topic further, not caring about Vera at all. That hurt her very much, but he enjoyed it.
5. As he spoke, so lightly, tapping the end of his cigarette against the ashtray,…[Para. 31]
Without any consideration of Vera, he was very content: It was no big deal.
6. … she felt the strange beast…[Para. 31]
She'd burst with her desire for those were the very places that she had long wanted to go to.
7. She shivered, hearing the boatman's song break out again loud and tragic, and seeing…[Para. 41]
Shivered: She was very sensitive to art and music and she felt excited as the man was describing the beautiful picture.
8. \"You would like almost…\" \"It is so informal, so impulsive, so free.\" [Para. 42]
a picnic by the Black Sea in the evening; champagne; eating and drinking on the grass; a coachman; a dill pickle so right for him; so free, so impulsive
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9. ... I know perfectly what you mean…[Paras. 43 and 44]
Vera could imagine even more than the man described. she was more emotionally involved in painting and therefore enjoyed more than the man.
10. … like mournful lovers. [Para. 45]
mournful lovers: They love each other but feel sad for some reason. The greatest wish for them is to die together, like Romeo and Juliet.
11. Was there just a hint of mockery in his voice? she could not be sure. [Para. 46]
Question 1: How came she had such a feeling that he mocked her by saying \"what a marvelous listener you are\"?
By saying so, the man did mock her. She only kept listening and said nothing. In his mind, she should be full of regret for deciding the end of their love.
Question 2: Was she sure about the mockery later?
Proof 1: It seems such ages ago. Para. 52
It: that particular night
Implication: Although it was only 6 years, it appeared that he had practically
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forgotten everything about their past love. But to Vera, she could even remember the details clearly.
Proof 2: … I had to take such a leap back to that time. Para. 52
Implication:
I had ceased to cherish that memory.
I had forgotten you long ago.
Proof 3: … although at the time that letter nearly finished my life. I found… and I couldn't help laughing as I read it. Para. 52
Implication: To write such a break-up letter was very difficult for Vera. The letter reminded them of the heart-broken feeling and it finished both the man and the woman. But he trivialized the letter, and even mocked the letter, which hurt Vera deeply.
12. Question: What was Vera's response to the man's painful hurt?
She had buttoned her collar again and drawn down her veil. [Para. 53]
Mentioning of the letter hurt her very much, but he was not aware of the hurt. She tried to control herself.
13. Para. Now, she knew he'd been mocking. (Turn to the original novel)
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She now heard a hint of mockery, for he mocked the letter.
14. Question: What made her anger die away? [Paras. 55—58]
He expressed his desire to hold her back.
He was still attractive and sometimes could say beautiful and sweet words.
15. Para. 58
… as though she drank something; the strange beast in her bosom…
Something: sth. needed to enjoy what he said
Strange: her long love and desire for the man
16. Paras. 59—63
By saying \"truly alive\whose marriage was driven by material life. To some extent, the man understood Vera more than anyone else. He was probably the only man who really understood her.
For Vera, after hearing his sweet words, she seemed to regret having rejected the man's marriage proposal and doubted the possibility to change her decision and renew their relationship.
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17. Paras. —65
Apparently he understood himself and Vera as well, both of whom were single and lonely. But Vera was not like him:
She was more lonely than others because what she pursued was a spiritual life and a true lover who could really understand her. Vera kept a lot of space in her heart for the man. She loved him and was fully occupied by him, which he could not understand.
He was lonely because he was too self-centered and egoistic (fatal weakness), and he did not care about her. He really had no corner in his heart for anybody else, even for Vera.
3. After Thought
Interpreting character feelings:
An interpreting effect is created by the difference with regard to what the characters say and what they feel. In a case, the reader has to do a lot of \"reading between the lines\" (interpretation) to decide what is going on and to appreciate the story fully.
The woman:
What she says:
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She hesitated, but of course she meant to \"Yes, I'd like some coffee.\"
What she is feeling:
After all these years I'd love to speak to him.
The man:
What he says:
Really for the moment I didn't know you.
How the reader judges it:
What a hurtful thing to say: He couldn't recognize her after only 6 years.
4. Character Analysis
1) Vera's change
Physical Changes
Six years ago: beautiful, happy
Six years later: poor, less better off, in poor health
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Spiritual Changes
Six years ago: nothing to worry about suppressing her dream and desire, longing, aspiration (together with the man), belonging to the leisure class, well-educated (she used to know a lot of flowers, Para. 13)
Six years later: fragile (ill not so well), fragile but strong-willed (for the fact that she resisted the temptation), too romantic (she focused too much on spiritual life), still well-educated, middle- class, but now in a very difficult situation, sensitive and tolerant (because she was very considerate and sensitive to other's feelings, not willing to hurt others), feminist: a spirit of sacrifice (If she couldn't gain spiritual satisfaction, she would give up.)
Unchanged personality
One point she kept for 6 years: She never told the man why she left him. She wanted the man to feel her desire rather than tell him. That just created such trouble: She wanted this, but the man was insensitive.
2) The man’s change
Change in appearance
Six years ago: young, handsome, good-looking
Six years later: still very sweet, far better looking (material looking, well-dressed,
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admirable clothes)
Change in financial status
Six years ago: poor
Six years later: financially secure (he made money), well-traveled, quite experienced
Change in experience
Six years ago: young, unpractical, out of all proportion to the occasion
Six years later: attractive, experienced, mature, very sophisticated, confident (behaving with an air of man)
Change in career
Six years ago: vague about future and life, dreamy, indecisive. He had not then found his career.
Six years later: successful, having established his reputation
Unchanged personality
self-centered, insensitive, talkative, conceited, inconsiderate
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3) What they have in common:
interest in music, traveling and loneliness (both were lonely)
5. Implication of the Title
1) Questions: When do people eat dill pickles? What's the main function of dill pickles?
Normally, people usually eat them during the meals in order to stir up their appetite.
2) Question: How does a dill pickle taste?
A dill pickle tastes sour, spicy, bitter and sweet.
Implication: It symbolizes the feeling of Vera, a mixture of flavors.
3) Question: After you tasted dill pickles, would you enjoy them a lot?
After you tasted dill pickles, you wouldn't enjoy them very much, because they are not a luxury. They only serve as appetizer. You would not use them as a main course.
Dill pickles are very sour but something about them makes you have to finish them. You rarely ever see a half eaten pickle. The story has a weird conversation between two past lovers who made plans to do things together. They split and the guy accomplished the plans by himself and is telling her about them. She obviously doesn't like him any
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more and shows little interest in his story. She always wanted to go to Russia and now that he has gone there without her she could care less. She is now applying her feelings toward him to Russia. The dill pickle symbolizes the changes she has had like a cucumber changing flavor when it's pickled.
A dill pickle is rather bitter in taste and throughout the whole conversation the reader gets the impression that Vera is sort of bitter towards the man she is talking to. For example, he looks back on all of the fond memories he has had with Vera, but Vera is bitter about something that happened there.
From the woman's perspective:
Here pickle refers to the whole encounter of the woman. Vera's life is very dull. So the meeting serves as an appetizer just as a stone is thrown into the motionless water and stirs up various desires to break the dull life of Vera.
On the whole, a dill pickle appeals to you with attractive colors: greenish jar, red chili. But once you open the jar, one is enough and you won't finish the whole jar, which implies that the meeting will not bring Vera full satisfaction. In the text, Vera is looking forward to the meeting with the man, but it turns out to be no satisfaction at all.
From the man's point of view:
In his life, Vera is just an appetizer, not a main course, meaning she is not a person that the man would like to spend the whole life with. She only makes his dull life a little
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colorful.
6. Discussion
What is your impression of Vera?
What is your impression of her friend?
What do you think accounts for the difference in the perception of Vera's friend?
Do you think you would perceive him differently if you knew his thoughts?
Why do you think he is not given a name?
Do you think he was ever truly in love with Vera?
Was he still in love with her?
Why do you think he carried out the couple's travel plans?
Why do you think she didn't?
Do you think people can ever overcome their isolation from one another?
(III) Sentence Paraphrase
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1. And then, after six years, she saw him again. [Para. 1]
From this very first sentence we can infer that;
a) She had met him before. In fact they must have known each other quite well although the exact nature of their relationship was not clear at this point.
b) For some reason, they had not seen each other for six years.
2. He was peeling an orange. [Para. 1]
to peel an orange: to take off the peel of an orange
c. f. to peel potatoes; to husk the rice; to shell the peas; to weed the garden; to skin a cat; to gut the fish; to dust the tables
peel n outer covering or skin of fruit, vegetables, etc （瓜果蔬菜等的）皮
husk n dry outer covering of certain seeds and fruits, esp grain（某些种子或果实的）外壳，外皮（esp 谷类的）
shell n （坚果，种子，果实，蜗牛，蟹，龟等的）壳
gut n. internal organs of the abdomen 内脏 v. take the guts out of (fish, etc)
to have the guts to do sth. 有胆量做某事
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3. He didn’t know her. She smiled, he frowned. She came towards him. He closed his eyes an instant, but opening them his face lit up as though he had struck a match in a dark room. [Para. 2]
She found it incredible that he didn’t know her. This indicated that they had known each other very well six years ago.
She smiled, he frowned: She smi1ed because she was very glad to see her old friend. He frowned because he could not place her. He could not recall where he had met this woman before.
Why did he close his eyes an instant? (He was searching his memory. )
4. How strange. Really, for a moment I didn’t know you. [Para. 3]
Why do you think the man didn’t recognize Vera? What possible reasons are therein
5. “You’ve changed, You’ve changed very much”, he said, staring at her with that eager, lighted look. “You look so well, I’ve never seen you look so well before.” [Para. 5]
When the man said Vera had changed very much, what do you think he really meant to say? Did Vera really look well? (No, she was not feeling well. She could not bear the cold weather. She shuddered often from the cold, and she was beginning to feel the
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effect of her growing age. Quite likely she was sick at that time. ) Why did he say this then?
6. “Loathe it.” She shuddered. [Para. 8]
to loathe: to hate very much
Notice that it will be usefu1 to know the synonyms of a word which are stronger in meaning, e. g.
to dislike (to loathe); to like (to adore); small (tiny); big (huge, enormous, immense, colossal); possible (probable); sure (positive); to surprise (to stun; to shock); angry (furious); hungry (famished); tired (exhausted); pleased (overjoyed); interesting (fascinating); many (numerous); fine (excellent, superb); poor (destitute); old (ancient)
The list is almost endless. Students are advised to keep their eyes and ears open for these subtle distinctions.
7. Then that’s settled. You were saying the older one grows [Para. 11]
settled: decided; properly dealt with
he took up the orange again: Notice the author’s descriptions of minute detail. Do you think it is a significant detail?
You were saying: an expression used to encourage someone you just interrupted to
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continue to speak. Why did he interrupt her in the first place? (He just did not want to encourage Vera to talk about herself. He wanted to tum the subject back to himself. )
8. But she was thinking how well she remembered that trick of his---the trick of interrupting her---and of how it used to exasperate her six years ago. [Para. 12]
Vera well remembered this trick of hst-the trick of interrupting her.
this trick of his: more emphatic than “his trick”. e. g.
“Look at that son of yours”, the husband shouted at his wife, “he stinks!”. “瞧你那个宝贝儿子”丈夫冲着妻子吼道，“他浑身在发臭。”
I like that car of yours. It looks so beautiful. 我真喜欢你那辆车，真漂亮！
to exasperate: to annoy, to vex, to irritate very much
This is perhaps the first clue that the man and Vera were lovers six years ago, but the author is in no hurry to tell the readers the truth. She continues to keep them in suspense.
9. “The colder!” he echoed her words, laughing too. [Para. 13]
He is totally unaware that he interrupted her. He just repeated what she said. No particular significance. He remembers she used to say that.
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10 a haunting memory [Para. 13]
The man begins to reminisce. What specific scenes does he recall? What do his memories reveal?
11. … serious and infuriated out of all proportion to the occasion. [Para. 14]
out of all proportion to the occasion: completely uncalled-for（adj. 无理由的，不必需的）, totally unnecessary under the circumstances
What had happened that afternoon made him a fool of them both?
What happened that afternoon that made Vera suffer? (He was so childish, trivial, and ridiculous that she felt that he had made a fool of them both. )
12. But now, as he spoke, that memory faded. His was the truer. [Para. 15]
That memory about the ridiculous scene gradually disappeared. After all, it was a wonderful afternoon. His memory was the truer one. They did have a good time on that whole afternoon.
that memory faded: that memory about the ridiculous scene gradually disappeared. After all, it was a wonderful afternoon.
His was the truer: His memory was the truer one. They did have a good time on the whole that afternoon.
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13. Yes, it had been a wonderful afternoon, full of flowers and---warm sunshine. Her thoughts lingered over the last two words. [Para. 16]
Her thoughts lingered over the last two words. Which two words? (warm sunshine) Why? (She wished that she cou1d have some warm sunshine at that moment.)
14. And In the warmth, as it were, another memory unfolded. [Para. 16]
Review “as it were”: as if; as you might say; so to speak
15. He was certainly far better looking now than he had been then, He had lost all that dreamy vagueness and indecision. Now he had the air of a man who has found his place in life. He must have made money, too. His clothes were admirable, and…[Para. 22]
Vera is secretly comparing the man now with what he was six years ago, and her conclusion is the man has changed for the better. He has become better-looking and much richer, and more mature.
dreamy vagueness and indecision: At that time, the man was much younger, full of dreams, very unpractical, very unclear about what he should do with his life.
had the air of a man who…: looked like a man who. . . (air: manner, carriage, bearing)
to find one’s place in life: to find a successful career
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carriage n. (dated) 仪态，举止，姿势 have a very upright carriage
bearing n. a man of soldierly bearing
16. I get them made for me by a little mam in St James’s Street. [Para. 25]
I get these cigarettes specially made for me.
St. James’s Street: name of a street in London where there are fashionable stores.
From the man’s life style we can see that he must have made money.
17. Are you still so fond of perfumes? Ah, when I was in Russia …[Para. 25]
Notice how swiftly the man changed the subject again.
18. She broke in: “You’ve really been to Russia?” [Para. 26]
Vera, on the other hand, is always anxious to know about his life in the past 6 years. It showed that she was considerate, and cared about him.
From the word “really” we can assume that the man has talked about his plan to go to Russia.
19. Isn’t it curious? I have really carried out all those journeys that we planned. [Para. 30]
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Now we know they have actually talked about going on those journeys together. Six years ago, the man fell in 1ove with Vera, and Vera was far from indifferent to him either. In fact, she almost agreed to marry him. What could she have seen in him that made him not without attraction? For one thing, he was young, energetic, most likely good-looking. And he could sometimes say things that were extremely touching to Vera. But there was one more thing that served as a strong bond, and that was their shared interest in traveling.
20. As he spoke, …she felt the strange beast that had slumbered so long within her bosom stir, stretch itself, yawn, prick up its ears, and suddenly bomd to its feet, and fix its longing, hungry stare upon those far away places. [Para. 31]
the strange beast: metaphor: the desire to go to those places
It refers to her long-cherished wish to travel to all those distant and mysterious places. It had been hidden deep in her heart for quite a long time because it was impossible for her to realize it given her financial and health troubles. But now this old wish seemed to be suddenly awakened.
Her strong desire to go to those places held so long in her bosom now awoke. The desire became stronger and stronger. She was burst with her desire.
It may not be far-fetched either if we regard this “strange beast” as symbolic of her buried affections for the man.
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slumber: sleep
21. But what has become of your beautiful piano? [Para. 36]
But what has happened to your beautiful piano?
So she must have played music (including the “Boatman’s Song”) for the man six years ago, another interest they shared.
22. She made a little grimace. “Sold. Ages ago.” [Para. 37]
Why do you think she sold the piano? There seems to be only three possible reasons: One, she lost interest because there was no one to appreciate her music; Two, she had to go from place to place chasing after warm sunshine, and therefore found it impossible to carry the piano with her; Third, she was financially hard up and needed money. Can you think of any other reasons? Which of the three reasons above do you think is the most likely one?
23. He let it go at that. [Para. 40]
He did not pursue the matter, showing once again how self-centered he was. Under normal circumstances, a man would be dying to know what had happened to the woman to force her to part with her beloved piano.
be dying for sth. / to do sth: have a strong desire for sth 极想，渴望
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24. She shivered, hearing the boatman's song break out again loud and tragic and seeing the boat floating on the darkening river with melancholy trees on either side…[Para. 41]
a) Notice how sensitive she was to natural beauty as well as to music and art.
b) “Loud and tragic” is used as part of the complex subject “song”.
shivered: she was very sensitive to art and music and she felt excited as the man was describing the beautiful picture.
25. It’s so informal, so impulsive, so free. [Para. 42]
Informal, impulsive, casual, natural, free, rather than formal, planned, arranged, controlled, staged, affected.
26. And she seemed at that moment to be sitting on the grass beside the mysteriously Black Sea, black as velvet, and rippling against the banks in silent, velvet waves. She saw the little group on the grass, their faces and hands white in the moonlight. [Para. 43]
(1) Notice that although Vera was not there, she was able to imagine the scene more vividly than the man could have done. It shows that although it was the man who was reminiscing, it was Vera who was more emotionally involved.
(2) mysteriously Black Sea: It is not clear why the adverb is used here. If the author
meant to say the black color is mysterious, then she would have to write the word “black” in small letter; on the other hand, if she meant to say the Sea itself is mysterious, then the adjective form would be more appropriate.
(3) 海水黑得像天鹅绒一样，天鹅绒般的海浪微波荡漾，静静地拍打着岸边。
27. Apart from them, with his supper in a cloth on his knees, sat the coachman. “Have a dill pickle”, said he and although she was not certain what a dill pickle was, she saw the greenish glass jar with a red chill like a parrot’s beak. [Para. 43]
(1) apart from: ( Here) some distance away from
Compare with the “apart from” in the following sentence:
Apart from (Besides) these reasons, there is yet another factor.
(2) Once again we are impressed by Vera’s sensitivity to beauty: thc mysteriously Black Sea, the velvet waves, the grassy banks of the river, the white hands and faces in the moonlight, and now the greenish jar and the dill pickle red as a parrot's beak. Dill pickles are tiny cucumbers flavored with the herb dill. They are green. She only imagines it red.
(3) in a cloth: Cloth is usually uncountable unless it refers to a piece of this material for special purpose such as a table cloth or a dish cloth.
28. In the past when they had looked at each other like that they had felt that
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their souls had, as it were, put their arms round each other and dropped into the same sea, content, to be drowned, like mournful lovers. [Para. 45]
(1) What is meant by “1ooking at each other like that”? Like what? How did they feel when they looked at each other like that in the past? How about now?
(2) put their arms round each other: embraced each other
(3) mournful lovers: they loved each other but feel sad for some reason. The greatest wish for them is to die together, like Romeo and Juliet.
29. But now, he said; “what a marvelous listener you are.” [Para. 45]
Exp1ain the use of “But” here. (The man obviously has changed. He does not seem to remember how he used to feel on such occasions.)
30. Was there just a hint of mockery in his voice? [Para. 46]
Vera is not quite sure whether he is seriously showing his appreciation or mocking at her interest in what he was saying. But on her part, she was obviously touched by their past memories.
31. But he did not follow. “What dog? Had you a dog?” [Para. 49]
How come the man has forgotten his own dog? What does this reveal?
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32. He laughed and snapped the cigarette case to. [Para. 51]
What does this little gesture seem to indicate to Vera?
It seems to indicate that as far as the man is concerned, the subject is over.
33. You are not going?... [Para. 52]
a) Why did Vera suddenly begin to button her collar again and draw down her veil? (She was getting ready to leave. ) Why did she suddenly decide to leave? (She was hurt.)
b) How do we know that she was hurt? (Because when she said she was not hurt, she knew she was lying. )
c) What had the man said to hurt her feelings? (The man said “It seems such ages ago” whereas it was only 6 years, showing that he had practically forgotten everything about their past love; The man also said that he had to take such a leap to that time, showing again that he had ceased to cherish that memory. What hurt her most however, was the way he described how he couldn’t help laughing the other day when he read her last letter again, the letter she must have found it very difficult to write six years ago. He practically treated the whole thing as a joke.)
d) What made her anger die away?
34. What I really wanted then… was to be a sort of carpet---for you to walk on so that you need not be hurt by the sharp stones and the mud that you hated so. ...
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Only I did desire, eventually, to tum into a magic carpet and carry you away to all those lands you longed to see. [Para. 57]
a) magic carpet: metaphor: the protection
Magic carpet is an allusion to the story in The Arabian Nights which describes how a magic carpet can carry people wherever they wish to go.
b) Once again we see the other side of the man. He can sometimes say beautiful things.
35. As he spoke she lifted her head as though she drank something; the strange beast in her bosom began to purr …[Para. 58]
as though she drank something; she had just heard something which was so comforting and refreshing that she felt good.
The strange beast in her bosom began to purr: Her long-buried love for the man seemed to wake up again.
36. I felt, that you were more lonely than anybody else in the world, and yet, perhaps, that you were the only person in the world who was really, truly alive. [Para. 59]
It is amazing how the man could have such a penetrating view of Vera. We can only assume that people sometimes do say interesting things without knowing it. Anyway, to
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Vera, what the man just said seemed to show that he was probably the only man who really understood her.
37. Ah, God! What had she done! How had she dared to throw away her happiness like this! This was the only man who had ever understood her. Was it too late? Could it be too late? [Para. 61]
Ah, God! What had she done!: What had she done that she seemed to regret? (What a stupid thing she had done in rejecting the men’s marriage proposal six years ago! By rejecting him she had thrown away her own happiness.)
Was it too late? Could it be too late?: Too late for what? (Was it too late to change my decision and renew our relationship? I wish to God it isn’t too late.)
“Could it be too late?”: Is there the least possibility that it should be too late?
38. “Yes”, she breathed. “Just the same. I am as alone as ever.” [Para. 62]
This would have been the moment for them to decide to renew their relationship if the man had felt the same way because they knew they both were still single.
39. It simply was that we were such egoists, so self-engrossed, so wrapped up in ourselves that we hadn’t a comer in our hearts for anybody else. [Para. 65]
Is this a pretty accurate description of the man himself? Do you think Vera is just like the man? How do you explain Vera’s loneliness?
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Notice that the man is making an important confession he really hasn't a corner in his heart for anybody else. Therefore Vera was right to leave him six years ago, and she is right to leave him now.
V. Exercise
(I) Translate these sentences into Chinese.
He fixed the picture on the wall. 固定
If you don't fix the lid on properly, the milk will spill out. 拧紧
Nothing is fixed in this world; everything is relative. 不变的
We are supposed to fix the broken machine. 修理
Let me fix you a cup of tea. 准备
If you want to meet them, I can fix a day. 安排
The marriage was fixed on the 7th June. 安排
My wool coat stretched when washed. 变长
The forests stretch for hundreds of miles. 绵延
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The cat woke and gave a stretch. 伸懒腰
With a sudden stretch, John took Tom’s cap. 身体伸长，伸出
He spent a long stretch in jail. 监禁
They traveled a hard stretch of road. 一段路
(II) Quiz 2
1. We __ that diet is related to most types of cancer but we don’t have definite proof.
a. assure b. suspend c. ascertain d. suspect
2. Chinese historians have tried to ___ a balance between individuals and social groups, and between the data of history and their significance.
a. produce b. upset c. strike d. tip
3. Anyone breaking the rules will be asked to leave ____.
a. at the spot b. on the spot c. for the spot d. in the spot
4. He ___ his head, wondering how to solve the problem.
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a. scrapped b. screwed c. scraped d. scratched
5. At present there is a ____ of iron and steel and more must be produced.
a. limit b. loss c. poverty d. scarcity
6. The branches could hardly ___ the weight of the fruits.
a. retain b. sustain c. maintain d. remain
7. This watch is ___ to all the other watches on the market.
a. superior b. advantageous c. super d. beneficial
8. Having finished their morning work, the clerks stood up behind their desks, ___ themselves.
a. expanding b. prolonging c. stretching d. extending
9. Tom ___ better than to ask Dick for help.
a. shall know b. shouldn’t know c. has known d. should have known
10. Some people viewed the finding with caution, noting that a cause-and-effect relationship between passive smoking and cancer remains ___.
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a. to be shown b. to have shown c. to have been shown d. being shown
11. John seems a nice person. ___, I don’t trust him.
a. Even though b. Even so c. Therefore d. Though
12. While admitting that this forecast was ___ uncertain, the scientists warned against treating it as a cry wolf.
a. anyhow b. somewhere c. somewhat d. anyway
13. The future of this company is ___ : many of its talented employees are flowing into more profitable net-based businesses.
a. at odds b. in trouble c. in vain d. at stake
14. He will agree to do what you require ___ him.
a. of b. from c. to d. for
15. One of the requirements for a fire is that the material ___ to its burning temperature.
a. is heated b. will be heated c. be heated d. would be heated
16. The ratio of the work done by the machine ___ the work done on it is called the
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efficiency of the machine.
a. against b. with c. to d. for
Keys:
1. d a
2. c 3. b 4. d 5. d 6. b 7. a 8. c 9. d 10.
11.b 12. c 13. d 14. a 15. c 16. c
I. Chekhov’s Style
Chekhov: Representative of Modern Naturalism
Modern critics consider Chekhov one of the masters of the short-story form. He was largely responsible for the modern type of short story that depends for effect on mood and symbolism rather than on plot. His narratives, rather than having a climax and resolution, are a thematic arrangement of impressions and ideas. Using themes relating to the everyday life of the landed gentry and professional middle class, Chekhov portrayed the pathos of life in Russia before the 1905 revolution: the futile, boring, and lonely lives of people unable to communicate with one another.
He developed a new dramatic technique (\"indirect action\"), and he concentrated on subtleties of characterization and interaction between characters rather than on plot and direct action. In a Chekhov play important dramatic events take place offstage.
(Chekhov's) own influence on Western literature has been immense. The author's masterful handling of prose, as well as his sensitivity towards character, mood, and setting, impressed authors as diverse as E. M. Forster and Virginia Woolf. Indeed, his economical use of language and ambivalent style—Chekhov weaves humor with pathos to magnify the inconsequential details of people's lives—helped redefine the short story genre. He also developed a technique of ending stories with what have been termed \"zero endings\"—or anti-climactic conclusions. This technique makes the stories seem more realistic, and often more pathetic, because readers are left to guess what will happen next. However, Chekhov also employs \"surprise endings\" to confound our expectations, and we can never be sure how a tale will end. Consequently, over a hundred years after his works were written, readers still marvel at Chekhov's freshness and originality. Although the author sketches his characters with compassionate good-humor, he never abstains from highlighting their faults, foibles, and human weaknesses. Chekhov's stories are thus deeply humane works of fiction: In detailing life's poignant trivialities, they are unrivalled in their sense of authenticity.
Said by Chekhov
\"All I wanted was to say honestly to people: 'Have a look at yourselves and see how bad and dreary your lives are!' The important thing is that people should realize that, for when they do, they will most certainly create another and better life for themselves. I will not live to see it, but I know that it will be quite different, quite unlike our present life. And so long as this different life does not exist, I shall go on saying to people again and again: 'Please, understand that your life is bad and dreary!'\"
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Chekhov’s Famous Plays
The Sea Gull Uncle Vanya The Three Sisters Cherry Orchard Chekhov’s Influence
Katherine Mansfield (author of \"A Dill Pickle\") was greatly influenced by Anton
Chekhov, sharing his warm humanity and attention to small details of human behavior in her short story \"A Dill Pickle\".
(II) Oral Work
1. Activity
Dramatize the whole story, and pay special attention to the psychological movement of the main character.
2. Group Discussion
Why did women marry at the time when Vera lived?
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How different was Vera from other common women?
Why Vera broke off with her lover six years ago and how did she realize that it was impossible for them to pick up their romantic relationship when they met again?
(III) Writing
Write a short essay of about 160—200 words on the changes Vera found in her former lover when they met again six years later.
IV. Quiz
Translate the sentences.
1. 他用手不耐烦地在桌子上敲击着。
He drummed the table impatiently.
2. 你能不能帮我安排个时间跟他见面。
Can you help me fix a time to meet him?
3. 他在车祸中幸存下来， 但他的车已经摔坏没法修了（完全损坏修不好了）。
He survived the car accident, but his car was damaged beyond repair.
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4.当他们发言的时候，问题的答案就出现了。
Solution to the problem unfolded/emerged as they spoke.
5.展现在他面前的是辉煌的事业。
Brilliant career unfolded before him.
6.在很多方面，孩子可以说是生活在与成人不同的世界里。
In many ways, children live, as it were, in a different world from adults.
7.这些书按规定是不能拿出图书馆的，我们不能放宽规定（我们不能破例） 。
The books are not supposed to be taken out of the library. We cannot stretch the rules.
8.比尔的所作所为让我完全不能理解（匪夷所思）。
What Bill did is totally beyond my comprehension.
9.门砰的一声在我们身后关上了。
The door snapped shut behind us.
V. Assignment
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1. Home reading (Passage B)
2. Ask the students’ to prepare the next unit
loving, lovely, lovable
(1)loving意为“爱慕的；钟情的；深情的。”如：
He gave her a loving kiss.他给了她一个深情的吻。
(2)lovely 意为“可爱的，美丽的；迷人的”。如：
The house has many large rooms and there is a lovely garden.
这幢房子有很多大房间，并有一个惹人喜爱的花园。
（3）lovable 意为“可爱的，惹人爱的”。多形容人或动物。有时可以与lovely互换。如：
She is a lovable child.她是个可爱的孩子。
It is a lovable kitten.它是一只可爱的小猫。
4. Translate (On P 271)
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1) They all stretched their necks to see what was happening.
2) The desert stretches for nearly a hundred miles.
3) Take a break. Go and stretch yourself a bit.
4) In front of her was a beautiful stretch of open land.
5) He simply loves to hear his own voice. Often he talks for hours at a stretch.
6) If you go beyond that limit, the economy will collapse.
7) One glance at the damaged car, and he knew that it was beyond repair.
8) She was then in a terrible fix. She could neither bear him nor leave him.
9) If you still can’t fix it this time, you will have to bear the consequences. (bear v. 负起责任等，肩负)
10)
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