高级英语第二册期末复习资料.doc

精品教育L 3 Pub Talk and the Kings EnglishAbout the Title1) What is Kings English?The Kings English-this term is generally regarded by most people as referring to standard /correct English as to grammar and pronunciation. i.e. good English which everyone should try to imitate. When the ruling monarch (mnk) is a queen, it is called “the Queens English”.2) How do you think of the title?The title of this piece is not very aptly chosen. It misleads the readers into thinking that the writer is going to demonstrate some intrinsic (本质的，内在的) or linguistic relationship between pub talk and the kings English. Whereas the writer, in reality, is just discussing on what makes good conversation. He feels that bar conversation in the pub has a charm of its own. A better title would be “The Art of Good Conversation” or “The Charms of Conversation”.1. Conversation is the most human activities: More than any other human activities, conversation helps to promote an agreeable, pleasant and informal relationship among people.2. And it is an activity only of humans: And conversation is an activity which is found only among human beings. (Animals and birds are not capable of conversation.)3. However intricate name of conversation: No matter how complicated the manner in which animals make known their intentions to each other, they do not go in for any activity which might rightly be called conversation.4. The charm of conversation or just glow: Conversation does not need a special topic to start a conversation. Anything may start a good conversation. And once started no one knows how or where it will end. Thats why conversation is delightful and charming. (Here a mixed metaphor is used)*meanders or leaps: (like a stream) flow placidly and aimlessly or flow swiftly and joyously onwards*sparkles or just glows: (like fire) to burn steadily without flame or to burn brightly throwing off sparks5. The enemy good conversation sth to say: Good conversation is generally spoilt by people who think they have a lot of important things to say.6. Conversation is not for making a point: Conversation is not for persuading others to accept our ideas or point of view.7. There is no winning in conversation: In a conversation one doesnt try to prove oneself right and the others wrong. We may argue but we neednt try to convince others that they are wrong and we are right.8. In fact, the best conversationaliststo lose: In fact, a person who really enjoys and is skilled at conversation will not argue to win or force others to accept his point of views.9. They are ready to let it go: They are ready to give up the opportunity to tell one of their best anecdotes because the conversation has moved on to other subjects.10. Perhaps it is because of its own: Perhaps it is because I have spent so much of my time in English pubs that I think bar conversation has a special charm.11. Bar friends are not others lives: People who meet each other for a drink in the bar of a pub are not intimate friends for they are not deeply absorbed in each others lives.12.The fact that their marriages not a concern: It is not a matter of interest or importance if their marriages are breaking up, or their love affairs have been broken or they are just in a bad temper or grouchy (不高兴的) for the day.*on the rock: to be in a condition of ruin metaphor comparing a marriage to a ship wretched on the rocks*get up on the wrong side of the bed: (idiomatic expression) be in a bad temper for the day13. They are like musketeers and feelings: Bar friends, like the three musketeers in Dumas novel, do not probe into each others lives nor do they try to find out the inmost thoughts and feelings of their drinking companions. *musketeers:allusion from Dumas the senior14. the conversation move desultorily there was a focus: The conversation moved along aimlessly without a focal subject. They talked about the most common things and also made some remarks about the planet Jupiter. Then suddenly a magical transformation took place and there was a focal subject to talk about.15. The glow of the conversation burst into flames: The conversation became spirited (生机勃勃的) and exciting. metaphor Conversation is compared to a fire.16. That would settle it: By looking up reference books one could settle the right or wrong of an argument.17. it could still go ignorantly on：The conversation could go on without anyone knowing who was right or wrong.18. It was an Australian whodescendants of convicts: When the speaker explained that the definition was given to her by an Australian, her listeners immediately made some sharp replies, saying it was not surprising to hear Australians talk such nonsense because they were descendents of convicts.(descendents of convicts: implying that the Australians are crude, uneducated people.)19. We had traveled in five minutes to Australia: Though they were in an English pub, they were soon talking about Australia and the Australians. (在五分钟内，大家便像到澳大利亚游览了一趟。)20. Of course, there would bein such a society: Of course, in Australia where the people are descendents of convicts, hence belonging to the low classes, there will be resistance to the use of the Kings English, a language used by the upper class.21. Look at the language barrierNorman conquerors: The Norman rulers, kings and nobles, spoke French at court and the conquered Saxons peasants spoke English and refused to learn the French of their masters, hence they had difficulty communicating with each other.22. The conversation was on wings: metaphor The conversation soon became spirited (生机勃勃的) and exciting.23. Even if our menusNorman English: In English restaurants, esp. in high-class restaurants, the names of the dishes on the menus are quite often in French. This is done out of snobbery because in western countries people consider French food to be the best. But even if they wrote their menus in English, they would have to use many words derived from French words or words which were first introduced into English by the Norman ruler.24. What all this tells us Norman conquest: After the Norman conquest, the Norman kings and nobles used French and tried to impose this language on the conquered English who persisted in using their own language. This resulted in a widening of the class gap in the culture of England.25. The Saxon peasants who tilledNorman tables: The poor Saxon peasants could not afford the meat the Norman conquerors ate. Hence the names of meat, derived from French, reflect the class difference at that time.26. As we listen today the Saxon peasant：When we listen to the merits and demerits of bilingual education, we should try to think as the Saxon peasants did when two languages were being used in England.*bilingual education: using two languages in teaching*into the shoes: to think as if one were another person换位思考 (The original expression is “ to be in anothers shoes”, meaning to be in anothers position.)eg. Im glad Im not in his shoes just now.27. The New ruling classhis own language: The new ruling class by using French instead of English made it difficult for the English to accept or absorb the culture of the rules.28. There must have beenHereward the Wake: The English must have felt greatly humiliated when they were forced to listen to and use a foreign language and to accept a foreign culture. So they took up arms against this cultural humiliation. The leader is Hereward the Wake.29. “The Kings Englishbecome French: If the term “the Kings English” had existed at that time, its meaning would be different for the king spoke French and not English.30. And here in America heirs to it: The reference of “it” is unclear. Therefore the sentence may either mean (1) The English we speak and write in America today also shows the French influence of that time. We have inherited this French influence on the English language; or (2) In America today we are facing the same problem that existed in England 900 years ago, the problem of having two languages (English and Spanish in some parts of the U.S.) existing side by side.31. “Strange Newesletters”: archaic（a:keiik 古代的）spelling. It should read: “Strange News of the Intercepting Certain Letters.” （截获信函奇闻）32. “thou clipst the Kings English”: Middle English (中古英语). It should read: “you clip (修剪；简化) the Kings English”.33. That would bein general use: That (if the phrase is in Shakespeare) would prove that the term “the Kings English” was in general use at that time.34. Mistress Quickly: a character (the servant) in Shakespeares play The Merry Wives of Windsor which is said to have been written at the request of Queen Elizabeth.35. “here will beKings English”: There will be a great trying (考验) of ones patience and plentiful misuse of the Kings English. abusing: It is used in two senses:1)take unfair advantage of (不公平地利用) ones patience 2)improper or incorrect use of language (the Kings English)Gods patience: No matter how patient you are, you wont be able to bear him, because he will even try Gods patience. God is more patient than any human being.36. it rings true: It sounds true. It gives people the impression that Mistress Quickly s statement is true.37. After five centuriesthe conqueror: After 500 years of development, after struggling and contending with the French of the Norman rulers, English succeeded in absorbing the French elements. English survived and became once more the universal language of England.the conquered conquering the conqueror: This is true in both senses. The Norman rulers and the French language they used were both absorbed by the English.38. English had come royally into its own: The English language received proper recognition and was used by the king once e into its own: receive what properly belongs to one, esp acclaim or recognition (获得应得的) eg. With the success of the Model T Ford, the automobile industry came into its own. 随着T型福特汽车的成功，汽车工业受到了应得的重视。39. There wasproud of: The English of this period (Shakespeares time), whether called the Kings (or Queens) English, was something Englishmen could be proud of.40. The Elizabethans of the earth: The Elizabethan writers spread the English language far and wide. simile To spread the English language is compared to the blowing of a dandelion clock. 41. “The Kings English”racial discrimination: The use of “the Kings English” was no longer a form of racial discrimination. The use of English was no longer restricted to a certain race or class. (After the Norman conquest the king and nobles used French and the oppressed Saxon peasants used English. Now, English is used both by the king and common people in England.)42. The phrase has alwayslower classes: The phrase, the Kings English, has always been used disparagingly (disrespectfully) and jokingly by the lower classes. The working people very often make fun of the proper and formal language of the educated people.43. will lose controlordinary folk: Dr. Caius may lose control of himself and use the strong language (强硬措辞) that ordinary people would use in such circumstances. (The language of the ordinary people is more vigorous, direct and straightforward. The educated people would speak euphemistically or in a roundabout way.)44. If the Kings Englishshould be spoken: The educated people insist that one must use the Kings English, i.e. speak English as it should be spoken. But the working people, members of the so-called lower classes mock and jeer at the people by replying in non-standard English that one should speak “English as it should be spoke.” (The deliberate poor grammar used here reflects the desire of the lower classes to strip (剥去) the language of any pretence, to keep it from being used in snobbish way.)45. The rebellion againststill there: There still exists in the working people, as in the early Saxon peasants, a spirit of opposition to the cultural authority of the ruling class.46. There is alwaysthings for us: There exists a kind of danger. That is words will become concrete things. / There is always a great danger that we might forget that words are only symbols and take them for things they are supposed to represent. (For example, the word “dog” is a symbol representing a kind of animal. We mustnt regard the word “dog” as being the animal itself.) *Carlyle: a Scottish essayist and historian 47. the Kings English, likerepresentation of reality: The term “the Kings English” or the Anglo-French used by the Norman rulers only represent the language used by the ruling class (or the king). It represents the language used by a certain class.48. it should not be laidchange from below: People should not be ordered to speak the Kings English and they should be allowed to introduce changes into the language.*lay down an edict: to issue an order or decree (by an official authority)*made immune: exempt from or protected against (something harmful)49. The Kings English is a modelan ultimatum: The Kings English sets up an excellent standard for us to imitate for we can gain a lot of useful knowledge or information by studying it, but people shouldnt be forced to accept it.50. I have an unendingwith dictionaries: Ive always had an intense and eager interest in dictionaries. metaphor his eager interest in dictionaries compared to having a love affair. 51. So we may returnbeginning: The writer realizes he has been digressing from his subject, so he comes back to his central theme - conversation.52. Even with the most educatedin conversation: Even the most educated and literate people use non-standard, informal, colloquial English in their conversation. (Even the most educated and literate people do not use standard, formal English all the time in their conversation.)*the Kings English slips and slides: metaphor to slide on a slippery surface, to lose footing, hence to make a mistake, fall into error 53. punctuates his words: insert (插入) punctuation marks in his speech to emphasize what he is saying54. “the sinister corridor of our age”: In our age people are traveling along a sinister road doing all kinds of evil things. metaphor comparing the things we do, and the road we travel in this age to a corridor. 55. We sit up at the in the image: We become suddenly alert and interested because the phrase is so vivid and the image created by the metaphor in ones mind is powerful and even frightening. *sit up: (colloquial) to become suddenly alert56. we would be justified in asking him to leave: If E.M. Forster in an ordinary conversation used this kind of formal literary language we would have every right to ask him to leave our house. (He would be behaving in a very improper manner.)57. Other people may celebrate 18th century Paris: Other people m