Unit3ThePolitician.docx

1、Unit3ThePoliticianIII. The PoliticianAbout the authorMenchen - Mencken, H (enry) L (ouis), 1880 1956, American author; b. Baltimore. He was a journalist, notably on Baltimores Sun papers (1906 56). He and George Jean NATNAN edited the Smart Set (1914 23) and started (1924) the American Mercury, whic

2、h Mencken alone edited (1925 33). His ascorbic critical essays, aimed mainly at the complacent bourgeoisie, were collected in Prejudices (6 vol., 1919 27). He also wrote many other critical and autobiographical works. In philology, he compiled the monumental The American Language (1919; 4th ed., 193

3、6; supplements).Mencken was a central figure in American intellectual life during the 1920s. He launched the most cutting attacks of any writer against Americas middle class culture. He invented the word booboisie, combining the two words bourgeoisie and booby (an awkward, foolish person). In causti

4、c (hurtful; intentionally unkind) witty essays, he derided the institutions which supported the middle class. He enjoyed controversy and tried to arouse his antagonists with his direct, devastating attacks. He hated narrow-minded religion and commercialism, and he did not support democracy because h

5、e considered the masses too ignorant and greedy to exercise it wisely, declaring that Americans were the most timorous, sniveling, poltroonish i.e. cowardly , ignominious mob of serfs and goose-steppers ever gathered under one flag ”. He jeered at the churches, business and the government.Menckens e

6、ssays were received with delight or horror, depending on the readers point of view, he was also highly respected for his literary criticism and he exerted a powerful influence on American literature.Mencken was also a leading scholar in the field of language. His monumental book The American Languag

7、e is considered an outstanding work of philosophy. In it, he examined the development of the English language in America, contrasting English and American expressions and usages, explaining the origins of many American idioms, and tracing the influence of immigrant languages on American English. He

8、made a large contribution to the study of language and particularly encouraged scholarly study of the American branch of English.Mencken wrote with verse, gusto and exaggeration. His exuberant, extravagant use of the language was so amusing and startling that even his most violently critical essays

9、became acceptable to his readers. He employed a huge vocabulary and liked to insert unusual or unexpected words, for surprise or comic effect, into otherwise normal sentences. Although his style is occasionally difficult to read, Mencken is still considered one of the best and liveliest essayists of

10、 this century._About the textdamn - blame or strongly criticize No matter what decision you make, youre damned if you do and damned if you dont (= criticized whatever you decide). The inquiry into the disaster damns the company for its lack of safety precautions.up hill and down dale - datedeverywhe

11、re Where have you been? Weve been searching up hill and down dale for you.rogue - dateda dishonest or immoral person He was known as being a bit of a rogue who had left his wife and run off with his secretary.(A rogue is also a person who jokes and behaves in a way which you do not approve of but wh

12、om you do not want to criticize because you like them too much: What an old rogue you are, she said, blushing. A rogues gallery is a collection of photographs of criminals kept by the police: (fig.) He occupies a prominent position in the rogues gallery of the financial world.)vagabond - old use or

13、literary a person who has no home and usually no job, and who travels from place to place, esp. in the past, one who was thought to be of low worth A series of laws in 16th century England specified how idle vagabonds were to be dealt with.fraud - a person who is not that they are claimed He told pe

14、ople that he was a serious and well-known musician, but he was a fraud really.scoundrel - dated or humorousa person, esp. a man, who treats other people very badly and has no moral principles Hes an absolute scoundrel he took out antique vase to get it valued and we havent seen him since. Every man

15、over forty is a scoundrel.George Bernard Shaw in Maxims for Revolutionists, 1903I often expect too much of them. - I often require them to so too much (because I believe its their duty to do this or that).look to - expect (somebody) to do (something); hope (that someone will do something) We should

16、look to the economists for advice on how to overcome inflation. He always looks to others to structure everything for him. that is too large an order - thats a too big request.enchant - have a magic effect on (someone or something); fill (someone) with a feeling of great delight To me, Central Park

17、has an atmosphere of mystery, as if it were enchanted with fairies. Her charisma managed to enchant the audience.the intellectually underprivileged - those who lack intelligence and their own mind, and are consequently easy to be enchanted (the common American People)crooner - a singer, esp. a man,

18、who sings slow love songstake on - (something) develop/assume a new appearance or quality His voice took on a new note of uncertainty. The word profession is taking on a new meaning.austere - plain and without decoration The room with its white walls is bare, austere and beautiful. She has an auster

19、e elegance in her plain grey and black clothes.respectability - kind of social acceptance because of having a good character or appearance or behaving in a way that is approved of The country has restored its diplomatic relations with its neighbours in an attempt to gain international respectability

20、.Her ideas gained respectability when they were taken up by a well-known member of the councilThe company operates out of modern offices and expensive hotel suites to create an air of respectability.identical - be exactly the same, or very similar My son has got three identical school uniforms. The

21、interests of the two parties may not the identical, but they do overlap considerably.statecraft - the skill of governing a countryadamantine - very solid (like adamant)integrity - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that one refuses to change No one doubted that the presid

22、ent was a man of the highest integrity.(People often refer to someones artistic/professional integrity or their integrity as a writer, doctor, etc., meaning their high artistic standard or standards of doing their job and their determination not to lower them: Keen to preserve his integrity as a doc

23、tor, he refused several lucrative Hollywood offers.)a glamor girl - a girl who is attractive, fashionable, pretty, admirable, and, above all, sexualdipsomaniac - a person who has an uncontrollable need to drink alcoholbut by turning him loose on the stump - but by letting him be at large and campaig

24、n for the election of their own willenterprising - good at thinking of and doing new and difficult things The business was started by a couple of enterprising young women. That was very enterprising of you, Jack.hooey - informalnonsenseboob - (also booby) a silly or stupid person old-fashioneddisqui

25、et - make (someone) feel anxious; worry Her unpredictability disquiets me. The sons criticism greatly disquieted the mother. The intensity of his anger disquieted them.indistinguishable - impossible to judge as being different when compared to another similar thing These foreigners are so good that

26、they are more or less indistinguishable from the originals. Which of these indistinguishable candidates are you voting for?larval - immaturetaps a more human keg - says something more human/reasonable/appealing to the general publichallelujah - the word is used to express praise, joy, thanks, etc. a

27、nd when the returns came in the candidate is on his way to the White House - The consequence of talking nonsense to the voters was that the statesman was winning the presidency election.Darwinian - A person who does not believe in God. Instead, he believes in the theory of biological evolution devel

28、oped by Charles Darwin and others, stating that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individuals ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. ironical here Id trust with my diamonds, my daughter or my liberty - Diamo

29、nds, daughter and liberty belong to different notions, and they are never put under the same catalogue. The forced analogy makes one feel that ironic and humorous. The latter part of the sentence reinforces the effect.itch for/to do sth. - want to do something very much and as soon as possible By fo

30、ur oclock I was itching for the meeting to end. I itched to tell her what I had heard.incumbent - a person who officially holds a particular post at a particular time and I testify freely that - The word testify is a formal word. Its meaning is to make a solemn statement: He testified his faith in C

31、hristianity openly. And a serious person will not testify freely.sound - solid; down-to-earth sound scholarship/education a sound beginning for further study and quite as honest as any American can be without being clapped into a madhouse - If any other American is as honest as him, they would be considered crazy and immediately sent to a madhouse. (A statesman is an exception, and the reason is that he is a statesman.)prodigy - a person with an unusual great natural ability for something such as music or mathematics, which shows itself at an early age The 16-yea