Detailed Reading

I. Difficult Sentences

1. “Johnsy” was familiar for Joanna.
Paraphrase the sentence.
(=“Johnsy” was a pet name for Joanna.)

2. They had met at a cafe on Eighth Street and found their tastes in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves so much in tune that the joint studio resulted.
What are “chicory salad” and “bishop sleeves”?
(=The pictures show what “chicory salad” and “bishop sleeves” are.)
Why did the joint studio come into being?
(=Because the two girls have so many things in common.)

3. In November a cold, unseen stranger, whom the doctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the district, touching one here and there with his icy fingers. Johnsy was among his victims.
What kind of rhetorical method is used here?
(=Personification.)
What does “touching one here and there with his icy fingers” mean?
(=It means the illness spread quickly from one to another.)
What does “victims” mean here?
(=The “victims” were those who had got the illness.)

4. “I will do all that science can accomplish. But whenever my patient begins to count the carriages in her funeral procession I subtract 50 per cent from the curative power of medicines.”
Translate the sentence into Chinese.
(=“只要是科学能做到的，我会尽一切努力的。可是，但凡病人开始计算她出殡的行列里有几辆马车的时候，我就要把医药的疗效减去一半。”)
What can you infer from the sentence?
(=Johnsy was seriously ill. The doctor held out little hope for her because she seemed to lose the will to hang on to life.)

5. I’ll not be gone a minute.
What is the meaning of the sentence?
(=I will be back in a few minutes.)

6. For the rest he was a fierce little old man, who mocked terribly at softness in any one, and who regarded himself as guard dog to the two young artists in the studio above.
Judging from the phrase “mocked terribly at softness in any one”, what kind of person was Mr. Behrman?
(=Mr. Behrman was a kind of person who laughed greatly at anyone who showed weakness in front of him.)
How is the characteristic of Mr. Behrman illustrated in the following text?
(=When hearing of Johnsy’s fancy, and how Sue feared Johnsy would, light and fragile as a leaf herself, float away, Mr. Behrman, “with his red eyes plainly streaming, shouted his contempt for such foolish imaginings”.)

7. But, Lo! After the beating rain and fierce wind that had endured through the night, there yet stood out against the brick wall one ivy leaf.
What does “endure” mean?
(=It means “continue”.)
What is the function of “that had endured through the night”?
(=It is an attributive clause used to modify “the beating rain and fierce wind”.)
What is the subject of the whole sentence?
(=The subject is “one ivy leaf ”. The main sentence is in inversion due to the fronting (前置) of “there”.)

8. “Even chances,” …
What does “even” here mean?
[=It means “(of amounts, distances, values) equal”.]
Paraphrase the sentence.
(=She has equal chances for survival and death.)

II. Words & Expressions

in tune:  harmonious(ly) (often followed by with)

- 他的想法与我的一样。

(=His ideas were in tune with mine.)

- The price of gold coins fluctuates (波动) in tune with that of commodities.

Collocation： 

out of tune with …  与…不和谐

change one’s tune  改变看法、做法等 

joint: adj.  held or done by two or more persons together

- She had taken the money out of the joint account she had with her husband.

- There are a number of different forms of business ownership, such as partnerships, corporations and joint ventures.

stalk: v.  (of an evil force) move through (a place) in a threatening way; move quietly and cautiously in order to get near

- Fear stalks every dark stairwell and walkway.

- 那片水域有追寻猎物的鲨鱼出没。

(=There are sharks stalking their prey in those waters.)

here and there:  in various places

- We went here and there looking for berries.

- 这地区土地贫瘠，只是间或有一小块肥沃的地方。

(=The country is barren, with here and there a fertile spot.)

victim: n.  person, animal, etc. suffering death, injury or loss

- Four people were killed in the explosion, but the police have not yet named the victims.

- Thousands were victims of the plague in the Middle Ages.

scarcely: adv.  not quite; almost not

- She scarcely speaks a word of English.

- 他一进房间电话铃就响了。

(=Scarcely had he entered the room when the phone rang.)

CF: scarcely, barely & hardly

这三个词都是副词，都有“几乎不、刚好”之意。

scarcely 含有“不太够”的意思，强调不能令人满意。例如： 

- There were scarcely a hundred people present.

(=出席的人数还不足一百。)

- He is so uneducated that he can scarcely write his name.

(=他太没文化了，连自己的名字都写不大出来。)

barely 含有“仅仅够、一点不多”的意思，强调没有多余。例如：

- He eats barely enough.

(=他刚刚吃饱。)

- We barely succeeded.

(=我们勉强成功。)

hardly 表示接近最低限度，差不多没有多余，而且强调困难。例如：

- We could hardly endure the winter here.

(=我们简直忍受不了这里冬天的寒冷。)

- I could hardly speak for tears.

(=我哭得几乎说不出话来。)

subtract: vt.  take (a number, quantity) away from a larger number or quantity

- When total taxes are subtracted from personal income, the remainder is called disposable income.

- Students were given a lot of practice in writing, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.

merry: adj.  happy; cheerful; bright and gay

- Peter and Mary were strolling about among the merry crowd enjoying Christmas Eve in Time Square.

- We had a merry time at the party.

- The more the merrier, the fewer the better fare.

(=人越多越快乐, 人越少吃得越香。)

Collocation：

as merry as a cricket/lark 非常快活

make merry    尽情欢乐；欢宴作乐 

make merry over/of/about 嘲弄；挖苦 

- He is making merry over the boy who has no shoes.

backward:

1. adv. with the back or end first

- The helicopter can travel forward, backward, or sideways.

- Radar tests indicated Venus was actually rotating backward, compared to our planet.

2. adj. late in development

- 这个国家的一些落后地区还没有电力。

(=Some backward parts of the country do not have any electricity.)

- Because of his long illness, Tom is backward in his studies.

Collocation：

backward and forward   来来回回；反复地

bend/fall/lean over backward  竭尽全力 

- They leaned over backward to make her feel at home.

know sth. backward   对某事物熟谙到倒背如流的地步

bare: adj.  without covering, clothing, or decoration

- In giving first aid to an electric-shock victim, a caregiver must not touch the victim with bare hands.

- Soil held in place by plant roots is less likely to blow or wash away than bare soil.

CF: bare, naked & nude

这几个词都是形容词，都有“赤裸的”之意。

bare 指裸露的，含有无衣服、无保护或无装饰之意。例如： 

- It’s cold outside, but he went out with his head bare.

(=外面很冷，但他还是光着头出去了。)

- The hills were bare of vegetation.

(=小山上一点花草树木都没有。)

naked 指没有通常所应有的遮盖物。例如： 

- This mad man always walked around naked.

(=这位精神病患者经常光着身子到处跑。)

- The fallacy has been exposed in its naked absurdity.

(=这谬论的荒诞无稽已经赤裸裸地袒露了出来。)

nude 主要指人体裸露，也可指房间无装饰或光秃秃的。例如：

- This model is posing in the nude for an artist.

(=模特赤裸着身体，为艺术家摆好姿势。)

- He is living in a single nude room.

(=他住在一间光秃秃的单人房里。)

dreary: adj.  dull; gloomy; causing low spirits

- Addressing envelopes all the time is dreary work.

- 外贸前景暗淡。

(=Foreign trade prospects are dreary.)

in a whisper:  in a low voice

- He bent down and addressed her in a whisper.

- She said it in a whisper, so I couldn’t hear.

nonsense: n.  foolish talk, ideas, behavior

- Currently, the Web contains everything from nonsense to up-to-the-minute news about the US presidency or US stock quotes from Wall Street.

- 我从来没有听说过这种蠢话。

(=I have never heard such nonsense!)

turn loose:  allow (sth.) to be free of control

- He turned the horse loose in the field.

- The World Bank makes grants to developing countries but it doesn’t just turn the money loose.

(=世界银行拨款给发展中国家，但并不任其随意使用。)

look the part:  have an appearance for a particular job, role, or position

- If he wasn’t actually a thief he certainly looked the part.

- Despite looking the part, Michael was not an artist at all.

masterpiece: n.  a piece of work, esp. art, which is the best of its type or the best a person has done

- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered Mark Twain’s masterpiece.

- 第九交响曲是贝多芬最杰出的作品。

(=The Ninth Symphony was Beethoven’s masterpiece.)

to excess:  to an extreme degree

- His father never smoked or drank to excess.

- Don’t carry your grief to excess.

Pattern: in excess of 超过 

- Never spend in excess of your income.

for the rest:  as regards other matters

- The working conditions in my new job are excellent, but for the rest, I am not impressed.

- 在其他方面，我再也没有注意到什么了。

(=For the rest, I could not notice anything more.)

Collocation：

as to the rest   至于其他方面 

and all the rest of it 以及其他等等

- He is young and handsome and well-educated and all the rest of it.

fierce: adj.

1. violent and angry

- a fierce looking man

- It was estimated that the fierce storm killed at least several thousand people and left more than one million without homes.

2. intense; strong

- While Apple enjoyed brighter sales, competitors in the IBM PC world fought a fierce battle for market share.

- 由于失业人数众多，寻找工作的竞争十分激烈。

(=Because there is so much unemployment, the competition for jobs is very fierce.)

mock:

1. v. ridicule; make fun of

Pattern: mock (at) sb./sth.

- He made all the other boys laugh by mocking the way the teacher spoke and walked.

- The student did his best, and the teacher was wrong to mock at his effort.

2. adj. not real or true; like (in appearance, taste, etc.) something real

- The army training exercises ended with a mock battle.

- Before each debate, he is expected to engage in mock debate.

fancy:

1. n.

1) sth. imagined; unfounded opinion or belief

- Children usually have a lively fancy.

- I think he will come, but it’s only a fancy of mine.

2) liking formed without the help of reason

- I have taken a fancy to that silly hat.

- 她停下来细看那件引起她兴趣的展览品。

(=She stopped to examine the exhibit that struck her fancy.)

2. vt. 

1) form a picture of; imagine

- Fancy her having a fool like that for a husband!

- Can you fancy yourself on the moon?

2) have a liking for; wish for

- I fancy something sweet to eat.

- I had a suspicion that they fancied each other.

3. vi. form a picture of sth.; imagine

- 想象一下！ 

(=Just fancy!)

4. adj. ornamental or brightly colored; not ordinary

- fancy cakes

- That pattern is too fancy for me.

stream:

1. v.

1) produce a continuous flow of liquid

- His eyes were streaming with tears from the coughing.

- The little child’s nose is streaming because of the cold.

2) move in a continuous flow; pour out

- Blood streamed down his nose.

- They streamed out of the movie theater.

2. n. natural flow of water, usu. smaller than a river; a long and almost continuous series of events, people, objects, etc.

- cross a stream

- a stream of people going into the house

- 他没有反社会舆论潮流的勇气。

(=He doesn’t have the courage to go against the stream of public opinion.)

persistent: adj.  continuing; occurring again and again

- The persistent growth of the EU countries has been remarkable.

- Neither high prices nor high wages could explain persistent depression and mass unemployment.

mingle: v.  mix (followed by with)

Pattern: mingle with; be mingled with

- Laughter mingled with the music, and appreciative comments.

- Her excitement was mingled with a slight feeling of fear.

- 空气中的香水味和汗臭味混杂在一起。

(=The smell of perfume and perspiration mingled in the air.)

stand out:  be easily seen above or among others

- The trip to Africa stood out in my memory.

- These writers stood out above the rest.

Collocation：

stand by   支持

stand for  代表

stand on   坚持

stand well with … 与…相处得好

wear away:

1. (of time) pass gradually

- The day wore away, and we still couldn’t find a solution to the problem.

- The fullness of spring has not yet worn quite away.

2. (cause to) become thin or damaged by constant use

- The pattern on the handle had completely worn away.

- 滴水正不断地磨损着这石头。

(=The dripping of the water is wearing away the stone.)

Collocation：

wear down 磨损 

wear off  磨损掉

wear out  穿破

cling to:  hold tight to

- The frightened child clung to her mother.

- She wore a silk dress that clung to her figure.

sin: n.  offence against God, religion or good morals

- In Christian theology, the first sin was committed by Adam.

- The man confessed his sin to the priest.

CF: sin, crime & evil

这几个词都可用作名词，都有“犯罪、罪恶”之意。

sin 意为罪恶，尤指违背宗教和道德原则的恶行。例如：

- Hester did not confess her sins to the priest.

(=海斯特没有向神父认罪忏悔。)

- Lying, stealing, dishonesty, and cruelty are sins.

(=说谎、偷窃、不诚实和残酷都是罪恶。)

crime 多指刑事上的犯罪，也可指缺德。例如： 

- The police prevent and detect crime.

(=警察的职责是防范和侦察犯罪活动。)

- It’s a crime that he bullies his children that way.

(=像他那样威吓自己的孩子真是缺德。)

evil 意为邪恶、不善。例如：

- to do evil

(=做坏事)

- to return good for evil

(=以德报怨 )

acute: adj.

1. (of diseases) coming quickly to the critical stage

- She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis (阑尾炎).

- His disease is not acute but chronic.

2. severe

- Food shortages in some African countries are becoming acute.

- 他在这份报道上对记者的怀疑特别厉害。

(=His distrust of reporters was particularly acute on this story.)

3. (of the mind or the senses) able to notice small differences, esp. of meaning or sound; working very well; sharp

- an acute thinker

- Dogs have an acute sense of smell.

CF: acute, critical & crucial

这三个词都是形容词，都有“严重的、紧急的”之意。

acute通常指情况恶化而处在了危机或紧急状态之中。例如：

- There was an acute lack of food.

(=食物严重缺乏。)

- The problem is at its most acute in major cities.

（=这个问题在大城市里尤为尖锐。）

critical 意为严重的、关键性的、危急的，与 crucial 一样都可指转折关头，但该词比 crucial 表现出更大的严重性，经常暗示某种情况略有变化就会导致深远的影响。例如：

- I didn’t realize the unemployment problem here was all that critical.

(=我没有意识到这里的失业问题竟如此严重。)

- Another minute’s lack of oxygen could be critical.

(=再缺一分钟氧气就危险了。)

crucial 意为至关重要的、决定性的、紧要关头的，指紧急情况或危机的转折关头，强调为了取得满意的结果，某事绝对有必要发生。例如：

- Speed is crucial to our success.

(=速度是我们成功的关键。)

- They are carrying out the crucial part of the experiment.

(=他们在进行试验的决定性部分。)

flutter:

1. v. (cause to) move about in a quick, irregular way

- The bird fluttered its wings wildly but it could not get off the ground.

- The butterfly fluttered into the room.

- 他激动得心怦怦跳。

(=His heart fluttered with excitement.)

2. n. fluttering movement

- There was a flutter of wings among the trees.

- Her new book on violence caused a flutter.

After Reading >> Useful Expressions

各处    here and there

一成的可能性  one chance in ten

画板    drawing board

吹着轻快的口哨  whistle a merry tune

倒着数     count backward

几乎以耳语般的声音 in almost a whisper

听说    hear of

病好，康复   get well

十有八九   ten to one

厌烦    be tired of

撇开一切   turn loose one’s hold on everything

看上去很像   look the part

无节制地喝…   drink … to excess

至于其他   for the rest

大肆嘲笑   mock terribly at

凝视着    peer/stare at

倒置的水壶   an upturned kettle

显眼，突出   stand out

（时间）流逝  wear away

紧紧抱住   cling to

脱离危险    be out of danger

湿透    be wet through

After Reading >> Sentence Translation

1. I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.

(=我只想撇开一切，飘然而去，就像那边一片可怜的疲倦的叶子。)

2. The day wore away, and even through the twilight they could see the lone ivy leaf clinging to its stem against the wall.

(=白天慢慢过去了，即便在暮色黄昏之中，他们仍能看到那片孤零零的常青藤叶子，贴着砖墙，紧附着梗茎。)

3. When the elderly man regained consciousness now and again, the man repeatedly called for his son.

(=老人偶尔苏醒过来时，总是反复呼唤他的儿子。)

4. She started to offer words of sympathy, but the Marine cut her short.

(=她开始说一些深表同情的话，海军士兵却打断了她。)

5. 我会尽一切努力，只要是科学能做到的。

(=I will do all that science can accomplish.)

6. 萧瑟秋风吹落了枝叶，藤上几乎光秃秃的。

(=The cold breath of autumn had blown away its leaves, leaving it almost bare.)

7. 两人面面相觑，哑然无语。

(=They looked at each other for a moment without speaking.)

8. 当我察觉他已是病入膏肓，分辨不出我是否就是他的儿子时，我猜想他真的需要我。

(=When I realized he was too sick to tell whether or not I was his son, I figured he really needed me.)

After Reading >> Word Formation

What do you call the people who perform or create these arts?

sculpture   sculptor/sculptress

dance    dancer

poetry    poet/poetess

drama/acting   dramatist/actor/actress

painting    painter/artist

music    musician

fashion design   fashion designer

movie making   movie maker/director

short stories   (short story) writer/author

novels    novelist

photography   photographer

cartoons/animation cartoonist/animator