新标准大学英语综合教程3Unit8.docVIP

Unit8 Active reading (1) Language points 1 She was called Katya, a dewy-eyed, sweet girl from Voronezh, who accepted Yakov on his own reckoning. (Para 1) As dew falls in the early morning and symbolizes innocence and newness, the word dewy-eyed means innocent and lacking in experience about life. Reckoning means one’s own view and account. The sentence means that an innocent-looking girl from a less sophisticated city than Moscow was willing to believe Yakov’s own high opinion of himself. 2 On International Women’s Day, Soviet women bask in their menfolk’s love and gratitude. (Para 2) To bask means to relax in the sun. Here it depicts how comfortable and pleasant Soviet women feel on this day. 3 Their husbands, with much cursing and clattering of pans, cook breakfast for the family … (Para 2) The expression with much cursing and clattering of pans means with a lot of swearing and banging about – as they were not used to doing it, they made many mistakes. 4 A Soviet woman’s days are usually taken up with … nipping out of work at lunchtime to buy something for dinner … (Para 3) To nip out means to go out for a very short time probably unofficially. It is a slang and is similar to the expressions pop out and sneak out. 5 Their husbands … by drinking themselves into a stupor with toasts “to our beloved ladies …” (Para 4) Stupor is a state in which you cannot think, speak, see, or hear clearly, usually because you have drunk too much alcohol. Sadly, Russia does have a serious alcoholism problem and early death from overconsumption of vodka is far too common. 6 “I certainly will,” said Yakov, squeezing in between Liza Minelli and Katya and draping an arm around each of them. (Para 10) Yakov fit in between Liza Minelli and Katya although they were sitting close together, and put an arm around each girl. 7 Yuri and Emily arrived and we covered blinis with thick sour cream and red caviar and drank champagne, as families did all over Voronezh. (Para 13) Sour cream is fermente