大英2讲义.docx

1、大英2讲义Unit 1 The Dinner Party. Background Information1. India 1) Location and Capital India, officially called Republic of India, is a country in southern Asia, located on the subcontinent of India. It is bounded on the north by Afghanistan, China, Nepal, and Bhutan; on the east by Bangladesh, Myanma

2、r (also known as Burma), and the Bay of Bengal; on the south by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannr (which separates it from Sri Lanka) and the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Arabian Sea and Pakistan. India is divided into 26 states and 7 union territories. New Delhi is the countrys capital

3、and one of its largest cities.2) National Flag The colors of the Indian flag were taken from the flag of the Indian National Congress. Dark orange represents courage and sacrifice. Green represents faith, fertility, and chivalry.White represents truth and peace. The emblem in the center was added up

4、on independence in 1947. It is a Buddhist dharma chakra, or wheel of life, used in India thousands of years ago.3) British Colony In the early 18th century, following the decline of the Mughal Empire, Britain expanded its power in India, where British influence had begun in the early 1600s. In 1935

5、Britain began to relinquish its hold on India and passed legislation providing for autonomous Indian legislative bodies. Executive power remained with the British government, however, until 1947 when the Indian people, under Gandhis leadership, won their struggle for independence and British rule in

6、 Indian ended. 4) Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) - Indian Nationalist LeaderThe campaign of nonviolent civil resistance organized by Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi against British rule in India led to the countrys independence in 1947. A member of the merchant caste, Mohandas K. Gandhi, later

7、called Mahatma (Sanskrit for “great soul”), Gandhi studied law in London, England. As a lawyer and later as a political activist, he effectively fought discrimination with the principles of truth, nonviolence, and courage, which he derived in part from the teachings of Hinduism.5) The Taj Mahal The

8、Taj Mahal, designed as a tomb for the wife of a 17th-century Mughal emperor, was constructed by about 20,000 workers from 1631 to 1653 in a city in northern India. The massive domed structure was constructed in the Indo-Islamic style, using white marble and inlaid gems. At each corner is a minaret (

9、prayer tower), and passages from the Koran, the Muslim holy book, adorn the outside walls. The bodies of the emperor and his wife remain in a vault below the building. 6) The Victoria Memorial The Victoria Memorial was built to commemorate Queen Victorias 25-year reign over India. After the Sepoy Re

10、bellion of 1857, the British government assumed direct control of the country, and in 1876 the British parliament made Victoria the Empress of India. Her reign ended with her death in 1901. 7) Marriage During a Sikh marriage ceremony, the bride and groom in traditional clothing encircle the Sikh Hol

11、y Book four times while chanting wedding hymns. Sikhism, a religion that combines elements of Islam and Hinduism, developed in India during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Today, Sikhs make up more than half the population of Punjab.8) Sacred Cow India has more cattle than any other country

12、in the world. As a central part of Indias agrarian economy, cattle haul carts, plow fields and produce milk for dairy products. Considered sacred by many Hindus, cattle are protected from slaughter in most states and are often allowed to roam free.2. Cobra Cobras, found in some parts of Africa and A

13、sia, are poisonous snakes. Most cobras bite their victims and their bite may cause death within a few hours. The king cobra, the largest of all poisonous snakes, may reach a length of 18 ft (5.5 m) and feeds chiefly on other snakes. When disturbed, it raises its hooded head to get a better view or t

14、o strike. Large individuals may raise themselves to a height of about 1 m (about 4 ft). The Indian cobra is usually 4-5 ft (1.21.6 m) long. The snakes color ranges from yellowish to dark brown. It has a mark like a pair of spectacles on the back of its hood. It preys on rats and is therefore often f

15、ound in houses. The Indian cobra and the Egyptian cobra are often displayed by snake charmers. The cobras appear to respond to the music played by the charmer, but, like all snakes, they are deaf and only follow the movements of the charmer.3. Prejudice Against Women Women have been prejudiced again

16、st for centuries perhaps ever since life on earth. They have long been referred to as “weaker sex” or “fairer sex,” considered naturally weaker than men, squeamish, unable to perform the work that requires muscles or pluck the courage to face up to any crisis. As we know, Plato, Aristotle, Shakespea

17、re, and Confucius all made negative remarks about women. And even today, such a prejudice has not entirely been eliminated and the argument in the text shows how hard long-standing prejudices die.New Words and expressions1. heated: adj. with strong, excited, and often angry feelingsshe had a heated

18、argument with an official 2. unexpected: adj. Not expected or regarded as likely to happenhis death was totally unexpected Mr. Green paid me an unexpected visit. 格林先生出乎意料地前来看我。3. shortly: adv. In a short time; soon; In a few words; briefly Shes going to New York shortly. 她不久将去纽约。they received a lett

19、er shortly outlining the proposals 4. bare: adj. (of a person or part of the body) Not clothed or covered；Only just sufficient The child was bare to the waist. 那孩子打赤膊。All they had were the bare necessities of life. 他们所有的仅仅是生活必需品而已。The little room was almost bare of furniture. (bare of 没有)这个小房间几乎没有什么

20、家具5. spirited: adj. Full of energy, enthusiasm, and determination She put up a spirited defence of her governments policies. 她积极地为她的政府的政策辩护。6. outgrow: v. grow too big for (something) ; leave behind as one matures ; grow faster or taller than outgrow ones clothes 个子长大了衣服穿不下 He has outgrown his credu

21、lity. 他已长大成熟而不再轻信。By the time he was ten, he had outgrown his older brother. 他十岁的时候就已经长得比他哥哥高了7. react: vi. Respond or behave in a particular way in response to something How did she react to the news? 她对这个消息反应如何? 8. contract: vi. decrease in size, number, or range Glass contracts as it cools The he

22、art is a muscle that contracts about seventy times a minute 9. motion: v. direct or command (someone) with a movement of the hand or head The teacher motioned his students to be silent. 老师示意学生不要讲话。He motioned to me to be silent. 他示意我不要做声。10. widen: v. make or become wider The city is widening this s

23、treet. 该城正在拓宽这条街。11. bait: n. food used to entice fish or other animals as preyThe little fish took the bait. 小鱼吞下诱饵。He lured her with the bait of a good job. 他以给一份好差使引诱她12. impulse: n. a sudden strong and unreflective urge or desire to act My uncle bought the house on an impulse. 我叔叔一时冲动买下了那房子。 I u

24、sed to act out of blind impulse when I was young. 我年轻时常凭盲目的冲动行事。13. commotion: n. a state of confused and noisy disturbance Youre making a great commotion about nothing. 你完全是在无理取闹。14. forfeit: v. lose or be deprived of (property or a right or privilege) as a penalty for wrongdoing He has forfeited t

25、he right to be the leader of this nation. 他丧失了作为这个国家领导的权利。15. emerge: v. move out of or away from something and come into viewThe moon emerged from behind a cloud. 月亮从云层后面钻了出来。Nothing emerged from the bilateral talks. 双边会谈没有结果。16. faint: v. grow weak or feeble; declineHer breathing became faint. 她的呼

26、吸变得很弱。 A faint blush came into her cheek. 她的脸上出现了淡淡的红晕。17. crawl: v. (of a person) Move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground; (of an insect or small animal) Move slowly along a surface He watched the baby crawl across the room. 他看着婴儿从房间这边爬到那边。It was rush hour an

27、d we crawled along at 15 miles an hour. 遇上了高峰时间,我们的车子以每小时十五英里的速度缓慢行驶The lawn was crawling with ants. 草坪上爬满了蚂蚁。18. track down: 追查到，追捕到；The policeman has tracked down where the thief was hidden.19. spring up: 涌现，迅速增长So many ideas sprang up in my mind as I thought of it.20. at the sight of 一看见He was di

28、sgusted at the sight of the rotting food.21. feel like 想要I dont feel like drinking beer tonight.22. come to熟知，了解；苏醒；总计Daily she was coming to know him better.日复一日，她开始对他了解地更深入了。Jane knows nothing about geography, but when it comes to chemistry she is an expert.简对地理一窍不通，但谈到化学她却是一个专家。In all, they come

29、to some 300000 Chinese characters.它们总共有30万汉字。23. make for 走向，导致，促进We joined the jostling crowd making for the only exit.我们加入了拥挤的人群，朝唯一的出口走去。Cultural exchanges make for mutual understanding.文化交流有助于相互交流。24. ring out 发出声音，突然想起I heard a shot ring out somewhere.25. light up 照亮，变亮In my past years, friends

30、hip like a light lit up my soul so that there was some glow in my existence.友情在过去的生活里，就像一盏明灯照亮了我的灵魂， 使我的生存有了一点点光彩。. Language points1. I first heard this tale in India, where it is told as if true though any naturalist would know it couldnt be. 1) Why does the author say “though any naturalist would

31、know it couldnt be? ” Because cobras generally eat small animals such as rabbits and mice, a naturalist would tell us that milk is not a favorite food for the cobras.2. A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mo

32、use era and a major who says that they havent. 1) Translate this sentence into Chinese.席间，一位年轻的女士与一位少校展开了激烈的讨论。年轻的女士认为，妇女已经有所进步，不再像过去那样一见到老鼠就吓得跳到椅子上；少校则不以为然。3. And that last ounce is what really counts. 1) Whats the meaning of “what really counts? ”It means “something that is really important”.4. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. 1) Whats the