现代大学英语第三册Diogenes Alexnder.pptVIP

Lesson Ten Diogenes and Alexander  Para 1 lunatic: an insane or mad person; sb who is extremely foolish or reckless(鲁莽的，不顾后果的). lunatic asylum 疯人院 Origin of “lunatic”: insanity was once believed to be controlled by the moon and its phases. Lunatic literally means “moonstruck”（发狂的、月光照到的）, subject to the changes of the moon, and comes from the Latin word Luna, moon. lunar calendar; solar calendar Cf.: bare/empty/hollow/vacant (P. 303) bearded Cf: look like/ look after / take after He had …done his business like a dog at the roadside,…: This is an instance of euphemism. It means that he had emptied his bowels（内脏，尤指人的肠） or passed water like a dog at the roadside. More examples: A. The doctor instructs that I need to have a stool test. B. The doctor asked me if I had had any movement. C. They do not yet have the drainage system（排水系统） to dispose of human waste. D. Chinese peasants used to depend on night-soil for fertilizer. at dawn / at dusk /at dark Scratch: v. n. The dog is scratching at the door. scratch an itch (a mosquito bite) the scratch of a match / pen 刮擦声 start from scratch 从头开始 Handful: “-ful” here is used as a noun suffix. E.g. a few mouthfuls, a spoonful of honey; a glassful of beer Wooden cup: leaden/ woolen/earthen/golden/ashen… Everybody knew him, or knew of him: “to know somebody” means you are quite familiar with the person whereas “to know of sb” means you have been told or you have read or heard about this person. Cf.: Stroll / roam / wander / ramble Sharp questions … sharper answers (P304) a mischievous pebble: this is an example of transferred epithet. It means a pebble from a mischievous person. “Amazed silence” (in Para 17) is another instance. More examples are: A. The plowman homeward plods（沉重缓慢地走） his weary way. B. We spent an anxious night/sleepless night. C. He closed his busy life at the age of seventy. D. I cannot forget the happy days of my childhood. Scant thanks: not enough B