Lesson Nine A Dill Pickle
Part One Warm up
I. Dictation
Katherine Mansfield (1888—1923), British short-story writer, was born in Wellington, New Zealand. She is considered one of the greatest masters of the short-story form. At the age of 18 she settled in London to study music and to establish herself as a writer. In 1918 she married English literary critic ，John Middleton Murry. Mansfield's middle class provided the setting for many of her stories and mortality—perhaps due to her illness—dominated her writing. Her background years were burdened with loneliness , illness, jealousy and alienation —all reflected from her work in the bitter depiction of marital and family relationships of her middle-class characters. As a New Zealand's most famous writer, she was closely associated with D.H. Lawrence and something of a rival of Virginia Woolf. Her short stories are also notable for their use of . Much influenced by Russian writer Anton Chekhov, Mansfield depicted events and _____ changes in human behavior.
II. Poem Appreciation
Camomile Tea ——by Katherine Mansfield
Outside the sky is light with stars;
There's a hollow roaring from the sea.
And, alas! for the little almond flowers, The wind is shaking the almond tree.
How little I thought, a year ago,
In the horrible cottage upon the Lee
That he and I should be sitting so
And sipping a cup of camomile tea.
Light as feathers the witches fly,
The horn of the moon is plain to see;
By a firefly under a jonquil flower
A goblin toasts a bumble-bee.
We might be fifty, we might be five,
So snug, so compact, so wise are we!
Under the kitchen-table leg
My knee is pressing against his knee
Our shutters are shut, the fire is low,
The tap is dripping peacefully;
The saucepan shadows on the wall
Are black and round and plain to see.

Part Two Background Information
I. Author Katherine Mansfield
1888–1923, British author, born in New Zealand
Her original name was Kathleen Beauchamp. She is regarded as one of the masters of the short story.
A talented cellist (大提琴演奏家), she did not turn to literature until 1908.
Her Works
In a German Pension (1911), her first published book.
Bliss (1920) which collected Mansfield's family memoirs and secured her reputation as a writer.
The Garden Party (1922), her finest work written during the final stages of her illness which established her as a major writer.
Later volumes of stories include The Dove’s Nest (1923) and Something Childish (1924; U.S. ed. The Little Girl, 1924).
Other collections and poems: journal, letters, and scrapbook (edited by her husband) .
Her Adventurous Spirit
1.Famously, Mansfield remarked "risk, risk everything".
2.It was largely through her adventurous spirit, her eagerness to grasp at experience and to succeed in her work, that she became ensnared in disaster. . . If she was never a saint, she was certainly a martyr, and a heroine in her recklessness, her dedication and her courage.
3.Her last words were: "I love the rain. I want the feeling of it on my face."
Her Style
Mansfield's stories, which reveal the influence of Chekhov, are simple in form, luminous and evocative in substance. With delicate plainness they present elusive moments of decision, defeat, and small triumph
Themes of Mansfield's novels
Themes: different human relationships interacting with each other; social classes and inequality in bourgeois society; the frenzied exhortation to live, which is central to all her writings; the opposition of convention and nature; the elevation of the great artist as the model for living and, by extension; art as a means of being"real"; the notion that destiny is a function of desiring—to want something strongly enough is to legitimise the means of getting it.
In her most persuasive work, Mansfield found a way of pressing the threads of such a credo into the weave of her fiction.
The story of the rises and falls in Mansfield's popularity is fasci5nating, as it shifts with the major social, political and literary trends.
Mansfield's portrayal of social classes and the injustices of bourgeois society had obvious appeal to the Chinese. One of the translators, Tang Baoxin, writes: “With remorseless irony she lays bare the hypocrisy and shallowness of the leisured class and their men of letters.”
Her Feministic Remarks on Women
1."I'm so keen upon all women having a definite future—are not you? The idea of sitting and waiting for a husband is absolutely revolting and it really is the attitude of a great many girls. . . It rather made me smile to read of your wishing you could create your fate—O how many times I have felt just the same. I just long for power over circumstances."
Her Influence on the Short Story
1.Her influence on the development of the short story as a form of literature was also notable. Among her literary friends were Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf, who considered her overpraised, and D.H. Lawrence.
2."I was jealous of her writing—the only writing I have ever been jealous of." —Virginia Woolf
Her Quotes
1.Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it is only good for wallowing in...
2.I always felt that the great high privilege, relief and comfort of friendship was that one had to explain nothing...
3.Whenever I prepare for a journey I prepare as though for death. Should I never return, all is in order...

II. Dill Pickle
Cucumber reserved in salty and spicy water with such ingredients as pepper, garlic, dill and vinegar.
In Russia, it is eaten with hamburger as an appetizer

III. Pictures Kew Gardens
1.Kew Gardens, on the banks of the River Thames in southwest London, represents 250 years of landscape and garden history. The site also houses 40 historically significant buildings, including Kew Palace, Queen Charlotte's Cottage, and the Palm House.
Kew Palace was the home of Augusta, Princess of Wales in the 18th century
The Palm House has 10 miles (16 kilometers) of stainless steel glazing bars.
Corsica
[pic]Corsica, a region of France, was ruled over the centuries by the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Goths and Saracens. It was eventually sold to France by the Genoese.
[pic]Located in the western Mediterranean, just to the north of Sardinia, it's 160 km (99 miles) southeast of Nice, France, and 82 km (51 miles) west of Tuscany, Italy.
[pic]Famous for its independent spirit, rugged beauty, olive oil, wine and citrus fruit, Corsica was the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Corte is the natural boundary between Corsica of North and Corsica of South. It reigns as a sentry from the top of its rocky peak, over the valleys where the Tavignano and the Restonica have cut from their torrents gorges so beautiful that they are classified as a "big national place of interest".
Like a masterpiece that the final touch must sublimate, the gods only could give Corsica, in its extreme south, a unique place of interest. This one takes the look of a white ship which proudly attacks the open sea: Bonifacio !
The Volga
[pic]The Volga River is the longest river in Europe, about 2,300 miles (3,700 km). It originates at an elevation of only 740 feet (225 m) in the Valday Hills northwest of Moscow, and connects with the Rybinsk Reservoir. The river heads east past Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan. From there it turns south past Samara and Volgograd. At Volgograd, it links, through canals, with the Don River and Black Sea. Since the initial elevation is so low, the river flows slowly, and finally enters the Caspian Sea, below sea level in a wide delta near Astrakhan.
In winter the river freezes to a depth of about 6 feet
The Volga River, being the longest in Europe has many cruise boats passing on its ways every day.
The Black Sea
The Black Sea (known as the Euxine Sea in antiquity) is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is connected to the Mediterranean Sea by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara, and to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.
[pic]The most important river entering the Black Sea is the Danube. The Black Sea has an area of 422,000 km² and a maximum depth of 2,210 m.
The Bulgarian coastline of the Black Sea doesn't have many islands. Those that exist are mostly small, uninhabited and covered with algae.
[pic]Countries bordering on the Black Sea are Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia.
[pic]From this map, we can see that important cities along the coast include: Istanbul, Burgas and so on
Siberia
Siberia is the biggest part of Russia. It occupies two thirds part of Russia. It stretches from the borderline of Europe in the Ural Mountains to the very East of Russia at the Pacific Ocean and from the Arctic Ocean to the borders with China and Mongolia.
Siberia is the land of taiga's and tundra's wilderness, thousands of rivers and lakes.
Siberia has many big cities with history, intense cultural life, and theaters. The cities of Tomsk, Irkutsk, and Novosibirsk , the capital of Siberia ,are famous for their colleges and research institutions.
Baikal is a beautiful lake located in the southeastern part of Siberia. It is the deepest freshwater lake on the earth and the largest reservoir of fresh surface water.
Irkutsk kept the spirit of a 19th century Russian city. In the center, there are blocks of traditional wooden buildings with typical carvings.
Krasnoyarsk is located in south-central Siberia on the 6th-longest river in the world, the Yenesei River

Part III Text Appreciation

I.Text Analysis
1.Structure
Plot of the story: a young woman and a young man who had been lovers once met again after six years of separation. They sat and reminisced…
[pic]Setting of the story: in a restaurant
[pic]Protagonists: Vera and her ex-lover (his name was never told)
[pic]Theme of the story: about the relationship between lovers: the heroine's sensitivity and the man's insensitivity to others—their feelings, attitudes and inner motivations. The man's egoism prevented him from seeing how greatly their lives had diverged in the six years since they parted.
2.Sentence Analysis
(Para. 2)He closed his eyes(searched his memory)an instant, but opening them his face lit up as though he had struck a match in a dark room一闪而过的兴奋使他脸上露出光彩。
(Para. 9)He interrupted her, "Excuse me," and tapped on the table for the waitress. "Please bring some coffee and cream
He was self-centered, not interested in what Vera said, nor encouraged her to talk about herself.
(Para. 26)She broke in: "You've really been to Russia?"
Vera was very eager to know about his life in the past six years. It showed she was considerate, and cared about him.
(Para. 29)He gave a strange half laugh
(To show him superior to her, indicating that he was quite contented, a little showing off, and proud.)and leaned back in his chair. (Later he pursued his topic further, not caring about Vera at all. That hurt her very much, but he enjoyed it. )
(Para. 31)As he spoke, so lightly, tapping the end of his cigarette against the ashtray,…
Without any consideration of Vera, he was very content: It was no big deal.
(Para. 31)she felt the strange beast…
She'd burst with her desire for those were the very places that she had long wanted to go to.
(Para. 41)She shivered, hearing the boatman's song break out again loud and tragic, and seeing…
She was very sensitive to art and music and she felt excited as the man was describing the beautiful picture.
(Para. 42)"You would like almost…" "
It is so informal, so impulsive, so free a picnic by the Black Sea in the evening; champagne; eating and drinking on the grass; a coachman; a dill pickle so right for him; so free, so impulsive
(Paras. 43 and 44)I know perfectly what you mean…
Vera could imagine even more than the man described. she was more emotionally involved in painting and therefore enjoyed more than the man
(Para. 45)like mournful lovers.
They love each other but feel sad for some reason. The greatest wish for them is to die together, like Romeo and Juliet
(Para. 46)Was there just a hint of mockery in his voice? she could not be sure.
Question 1: How came she had such a feeling that he mocked her by saying "what a marvelous listener you are"?
By saying so, the man did mock her. She only kept listening and said nothing. In his mind, she should be full of regret for deciding the end of their love.
Question 2: Was she sure about the mockery later?
Proof 1:
(Para. 52)It seems such ages ago. that particular night
Implication: Although it was only 6 years, it appeared that he had practically forgotten everything about their past love. But to Vera, she could even remember the details clearly.
Proof 2:
Para. 52 … I had to take such a leap back to that time.
Implication: 1.I had ceased to cherish that memory. 2.I had forgotten you long ago

Proof 3:
Para. 52 … although at the time that letter nearly finished my life. I found… and I couldn't help laughing as I read it.
Implication: To write such a break-up letter was very difficult for Vera. The letter reminded them of the heart-broken feeling and it finished both the man and the woman. But he trivialized the letter, and even mocked the letter, which hurt Vera deeply.
Question: What was Vera's response to the man's painful hurt?
Para. 53 She had buttoned her collar again and drawn down her veil. Mentioning of the letter hurt her very much, but he was not aware of the hurt. She tried to control herself.
Para. 54 Now, she knew he'd been mocking. (Turn to the original novel)
She now heard a hint of mockery, for he mocked the letter.
Question: What made her anger die away?
Paras. 55—58
He expressed his desire to hold her back.
He was still attractive and sometimes could say beautiful and sweet words.
Para. 58… as though she drank something; (sth. needed to enjoy what he said) the strange( her long love and desire for the man)beast in her bosom…
Paras. 59—63
[pic]By saying "truly alive", he meant that Vera was different from other common women whose marriage was driven by material life. To some extent, the man understood Vera more than anyone else. He was probably the only man who really understood her.
[pic]For Vera, after hearing his sweet words, she seemed to regret having rejected the man's marriage proposal and doubted the possibility to change her decision and renew their relationship.
Paras. 64—65
Apparently he understood himself and Vera as well, both of whom were single and lonely. But Vera was not like him:
She was more lonely than others because what she pursued was a spiritual life and a true lover who could really understand her. Vera kept a lot of space in her heart for the man. She loved him and was fully occupied by him, which he could not understand.
He was lonely because he was too self-centered and egoistic (fatal weakness), and he did not care about her. He really had no corner in his heart for anybody else, even for Vera.
After Thought
Interpreting character feelings:
An interpreting effect is created by the difference with regard to what the characters say and what they feel. In a case, the reader has to do a lot of "reading between the lines" (interpretation) to decide what is going on and to appreciate the story fully
The woman What she says:
She hesitated, but of course she meant to "Yes, I'd like some coffee."
What she is feeling: After all these years I'd love to speak to him.
The man What he says:
Really for the moment I didn't know you.
How the reader judges it:
What a hurtful thing to say: He couldn't recognize her after only 6 years.

1. Character Analysis (Close Reading)
Vera's change
Physical Changes
Six years ago: beautiful, happy
Six years later: poor, less better off, in poor health
Spiritual Changes
Six years ago: nothing to worry about, suppressing her dream and desire, longing, aspiration (together with the man)
Six years later: fragile,(ill not so well) fragile but strong-willed (for the fact that she resisted the temptation) too romantic (she focused too much on spiritual life)
Unchanged personality
Six years ago: belonging to the leisure class well-educated (she used to know a lot of flowers, Para. 13)
Six years later: still well-educated, middle- class, but now in a very difficult situation sensitive and tolerant (because she was very considerate and sensitive to other's feelings, not willing to hurt others) feminist: a spirit of sacrifice (If she couldn't gain spiritual satisfaction, she would give up.)
One point she kept for 6 years
Six years ago Six years later
She never told the man why she left him. She wanted the man to feel her desire rather than tell him. That just created such trouble: She wanted this, but the man was insensitive.
The man's change more changes
Six years ago: young, handsome, good-looking
Six years later: still very sweet, far better looking (material looking, well-dressed, admirable clothes) Change in appearance
Change in financial status: poor----financially secure (he made money), well-traveled, quite experienced
Change in experience:
Six years ago: young, unpractical, out of all proportion to the occasion
Six years later: attractive, experienced, mature, very sophisticated, confident (behaving with an air of man)
Change in career
Six years ago: vague about future and life, dreamy, indecisive.
He had not then found his career
Six years later: successful, having established his reputation
Unchanged personality: self-centered, insensitive, talkative, conceited, inconsiderate
What they have in common: interest in music, traveling and loneliness (both were lonely)

Implication of the Title
Questions:
•When do people eat dill pickles?
•What's the main function of dill pickles?
Normally, people usually eat them during the meals in order to stir up their appetite.
Question: How does a dill pickle taste?
A dill pickle tastes sour, spicy, bitter and sweet.
Implication: It symbolizes the feeling of Vera, a mixture of flavors.
Question: After you tasted dill pickles, would you enjoy them a lot?
After you tasted dill pickles, you wouldn't enjoy them very much, because they are not a luxury. They only serve as appetizer. You would not use them as a main course

Dill Pickles
They are very sour but something about them makes you have to finish them. You rarely ever see a half eaten pickle. The story has a weird conversation between two past lovers who made plans to do things together. They split and the guy accomplished the plans by himself and is telling her about them. She obviously doesn't like him any more and shows little interest in his story. She always wanted to go to Russia and now that he has gone there without her she could care less. She is now applying her feelings toward him to Russia. The dill pickle symbolizes the changes she has had like a cucumber changing flavor when it's pickled.
A dill pickle is rather bitter in taste and throughout the whole conversation the reader gets the impression that Vera is sort of bitter towards the man she is talking to. For example, he looks back on all of the fond memories he has had with Vera, but Vera is bitter about something that happened there.
Implication of the Title
From the woman's perspective
Here pickle refers to the whole encounter of the woman. Vera's life is very dull. So the meeting serves as an appetizer just as a stone is thrown into the motionless water and stirs up various desires to break the dull life of Vera. On the whole, a dill pickle appeals to you with attractive colors: greenish jar, red chili. But once you open the jar, one is enough and you won't finish the whole jar, which implies that the meeting will not bring Vera full satisfaction. In the text, Vera is looking forward to the meeting with the man, but it turns out to be no satisfaction at all.
From the man's point of view:
In his life, Vera is just an appetizer, not a main course, meaning she is not a person that the man would like to spend the whole life with. She only makes his dull life a little colorful
Discussion
What is your impression of Vera?
What is your impression of her friend?
What do you think accounts for the difference in the perception of Vera's friend?
Do you think you would perceive him differently if you knew his thoughts?
Why do you think he is not given a name
Do you think he was ever truly in love with Vera?
Was he still in love with her?
Why do you think he carried out the couple's travel plans?
Why do you think she didn't?
Do you think people can ever overcome their isolation from one another?

II. Writing Technique :
This fictional story is an extremely good example of how a writer can use different literary aspects to bring about an understanding of the character.
Literary aspects: Symbolism Feminism Irony

Genre of the Story: Modernism

Use of images as subtle symbols—evoking emotion in readers' hearts;
Tendency to present human experiences in fragments that readers have to piece together in their own minds;
Use of the techniques of realism and naturalism—subjects previously considered too trivial or too unpleasant for literature;
Attention to the new psychological insights of Freud, Jung, and other pioneer psychologists and the inner workings of characters' minds.
Use of Modernism
In the text, the author tried to present human experience in fragments, the arrangement of which reveals the relationship between Vera and the man.
We readers have to piece together the fragments of the woman's thought. The narration of their past love is not in a common order: Time jumps back and forth.
1. a leap in time to 6 years ago (Paras. 16—21)
The setting of the story: on the lawn
Man: poetic, wonderful, sweet and deeply in love with Vera
Woman: not the same as the man
2.the time jumped back to after they parted (Paras. 43—44) imaginary things about Russia, black sea, red chili, dill pickles, etc time jumped back again to 6 years ago (Paras. 47—48—52)Christmas tree; a dog; the letter
.back to 6 years ago (Para. 57) man's confession

Genre of the Story: Feminism
Feminism, in the novel, is reflected in the author's choice of the topic and the description of fine details, with fine perception and sharp sensibility. Through the portrayal of one character, values and ideas of a novel find its full expression.
The author tried to express her feministic idea
Vera is designed to magnify women's desire for spiritual satisfaction. If she couldn't gain it, she would give up.
Different changes on both of them (6 years ago and 6 years later) that paint a clear contrasting picture;
Detailed observation on the air of the man: Para. 11 "…he took up the orange again.”;
Carefully-chosen nouns and adjectives to describe the settings;
Portrayal of their mannerisms and revelation of enough of their personalities to allow the reader to come to his or her own conclusion: "He must have felt that shock of recognition…"
Examples for Carefully-Chosen Nouns and Adjectives
1.The story begins with "… after six years, she saw him again. He was seated at one of those little bamboo tables decorated with a Japanese vase of paper daffodils."
2.She recognized him immediately by the "special" way he was peeling his orange.
3.She was disappointed by his frown when he looked up at her; she believed that "he didn't know her!"

Writing Devices: Symbolism

Symbolism is an object, sign, or image that is used to stand for something else.
Symbolism can add to the inherent meaning of a variety of texts, from music to movies to novels. It creates an even deeper meaning than found in surface reading.
In following the tendencies of most Modernist writers, everyday objects in this story carry a great deal of significance in piecing together the overall meaning.

The Symbolism Found in "A Dill Pickle"

Symbolism is used to reveal hidden ideas and give a deeper meaning to the novel. Explain the significance and symbolic value of the objects listed below dill pickle—After hearing her friend's story, Vera conjured up a false image of a dill pickle (a red chili like a parrot's beak). This is symbolic of the false impression Vera also formed of her friend. Such misconceptions ensure that a rekindling of their romance will never occur. It is also significant that Vera described the pickle as sour, a word that could also describe the couple's past love affair.
Vera's glove—He looked more like 6 years ago when he did not know how to hold Vera back—he held the wrong thing, for glove was not strong enough to keep her. Now he still did not know how to do it and he tried to clutch the wrong thing, too the strange beast—
•Para. 31: Her strong long-cherished desire to travel to all those distant and mysterious places had been hidden deep in her heart for quite a long time because it was impossible for her to realize it given her financial and health conditions. But now this old wish seemed to be suddenly awakened.
•Para 59: Her long-buried love for the man seemed to wake up again.

Writing Devices: Metaphor

In the text, the use of metaphor always overlaps with that of symbolism.
Another example as mixture of both: carpet—protection for Vera from sharp stones and mud (hardship and difficulties in life)

The Irony in "A Dill Pickle"

"A Dill Pickle" is a wonderful example of a short story with an ironic twist.
The story takes place at a restaurant table and right from the very beginning, readers can see themselves as being merely another patron sitting at the next table, watching and listening to everything that is happening between the two main characters. The author never states what either of the characters—Vera and "he/him" (whose name we never actually learn)—is really thinking. Based on their reactions and movements, the reader could derive things about the characters, their past relationship, and the places that they are at in their lives today.
The author describes and contrasts the very different changes of Vera and the man after 6 years of separation. a poor, green man-----a wealthy man of the upper class a middle-class woman---a poor woman

III. Sentence Paraphrase
Para. 2"She smiled, he frowned."
Antithesis is used here to show a contrast between them, bringing an ironical effect
She smiled because she was very glad to see her old friend.While he frowned because he could not recall where he had met her.
Para. 13 I am still just as ignorant for all your telling me.
----I am still ignorant in spite of your telling me.
Para. 14 serious and infuriated out of all proportion to the occasion. completely uncalled-for, totally unnecessary under the circumstances
----What had happened that afternoon made him a fool of them both.
Para. 15 His was the truer.
That memory about the ridiculous scene gradually disappeared. After all, it was a wonderful afternoon. His memory was the truer one. They did have a good time on that whole afternoon.
Para.31… she felt the strange beast
(metaphor: the desire to go to those places)that had slumbered so long within her bosom stir, stretch itself, yawn, prick up its ears, and suddenly bound to its feet, and fix its longing, hungry stare upon those far away places.
----Her strong desire to go to those places held so long in her bosom now awoke. The desire became stronger and stronger. She was burst with her desire.
Para. 36 But what has become of your beautiful piano?
---But what has happened to your beautiful piano?
Para. 40 He let it go at that.
----He didn't pursue the matter, showing once again how self-centered he was. Under normal circumstance, a man would be dying to know what had happened to the woman to force herself to part with her beloved piano.
Para. 57 Only I did desire, eventually, to turn into a magic carpet (metaphor: the protection) and carry you away…
----Magic carpet is an allusion to the story in The Arabian Nights which describes how a magic carpet can carry people wherever they wish to go.

Part Four Language Study

I.Word Study
1.apart
a. a. separate by a distance b. into parts c. other expressions: to tell apart; to pull apart; to drift apart; to fall apart; to come apart; to grow apart
Examples: (a)The two schools are only a few blocks apart. ⎫ 两个学校相距只有几个街区远
He is now living apart from his family. 他与家人分开居住。
Examples: (b)You need special equipment to take this machine apart. 要拆开这部机器你需要用特殊的设备
The economy has fallen apart. 经济已崩溃。
2.beyond
prep. a. farther away than; on the far side of b. past or outside the limits, reach, or scope of
Examples: (a)
Our school is just beyond that tall building. ⎫学校就在高楼那边。
There is peak beyond peak. 层峦叠嶂。
The plane fell into a rice paddy a few miles beyond the mountain.
飞机落入离山几英里的水稻田中
Examples: (b)
Don't swim beyond your depth.不要到你能力不及的深水区去游泳。
That Swiss watch costs at least 10 thousand dollars. It's way beyond his means.
那块瑞士表至少价值10,000美元，他根本买不起。
The lecture was quite philosophical. It was completely beyond me .
演讲太富哲理性了，完全超出了我的理解范围。
be touched beyond words⎫感动得无法用言语来形容 the guest staying beyond the hour of welcome⎫
呆得过久而不再受欢迎的客人
the beyond来世，不可知的彼岸
He is beyond this kind of thing. 他绝不屑做这种事情。 beyond recognition beyond description beyond belief beyond doubt
3. fix
v. a. to repair/mend; cure b. to put in order; adjust or arrange c. to fasten firmly or make firm, stable; place definitely πIf it is not broken, don't try to fix it. πFix your hair. πHe fixed the picture on the wall. πIf you don't fix the lid on properly, the milk will spill out. πMarriage is fixed on the 7th, June. πI'll fix the day if you want to meet them. πNothing is fixed in the world, everything is relative. πHe looked at me with fixed eyes. πWe are supposed to fix the broken machine. πLet me fix you a cup of tea.
4. pare
v. a. to cut off or trim the outer coating, layer, edge or part of… b. to cut the nails of your fingers or toes c. to reduce, diminish, decrease gradually (often fol. by down) to pare an apple 削苹果 to pare one's nails 修剪指甲 to pare down expense 削减开支
5.peel
v. to strip sth. off the skin, rind, and bark,etc.
Examples: The wall was peeling.
Too much heat will make the bark wrinkle and peel.
Sun the nose till it peels. to peel paint from a car to peel shrimp/a boiled egg to peel an apple/a banana
6.quake
v. to shake violently from shock or instability
Examples: He stood there quaking with fear. 他站在那里吓得发抖。
The earth was quaking. 大地在颤抖 。
The boughs quaked at every breath.树枝在风中摇曳
7. quiver
v. to shake with a slight but rapid motion, close to tremble
Examples: quiver with age⎫因年老而颤抖
His voice/fingers quivered uncontrollably⎫他的声音/手指不自觉地颤抖。
The blades of grass quiver in the wind. ⎫草叶在风中颤动。
His lips were quivering with emotion. ⎫由于激动他的嘴唇在颤抖。
Leaves quiver in the breeze树叶在微风中颤动
8.shake
v. to make lots of quick small movements up and down, or side to side
Examples: shake with cold
By that time the building is shaking violently. We could not even stand up.
The house shakes when the train goes by.
He shakes with emotion.
He was so angry that his whole body shook .
9.shatter
v. a. to break sth. into pieces, as by a blow b. to damage, as by breaking or crushing; impair or destroy (health, nerves) c. to weaken or refute (an idea or opinion) d. to surprise or astonish
Examples:
She was shattered by the news of his death. 他去世的消息使她震惊.
Our hope was shattered 我们的希望破灭了.
A long illness shattered his health. ⎫一场病把他的身体拖跨了。
An explosion of gunpowder shatters a rock. ⎫火药把岩石炸碎了。
Suddenly the silence was shattered. ⎫寂静突然被打破了。 shatter one's reputation, shatter one's health shatter a plan shatter a mirror shatter faith
10.shiver
v. to tremble mostly because of coldness, fear, or excitement
n. a shaking movement that your body makes when you are cold, frightened, or excited
The night in the desert was cold. We were all shivering.
沙漠里的夜晚很冷，我们冻得浑身发抖.
she gave a slight shiver. 她微微颤动了一下
He still had the shivers when he passed the spot where the murder case took place. ⎫走过当年凶杀案事发现场， 他仍然会不寒而栗。
11.shudder
v./n. to tremble with sudden and brief, momentary, convulsive movement; more intense shaking, usu. because of fear, cold, horror, disgust, worry, disapproval, etc. It suggests movement less noticeable to on-lookers.
At the sight of the blood-stained knife, she shuddered to screech.
一看到那把沾血的刀，她就尖叫起来。
She shuddered at the sight of snake. ⎫她一看到蛇就惊恐万状。
I shudder to think of tension 我怕得不敢想压力
12.tremble
v. It implies slight or quick movement for uneasy or nervous reasons. It does not go with violent movement
Examples: He trembled/shook with anger when he heard that news.
To tell you the truth, I was so frightened that I trembled like a leaf.
The old bridge trembled under the train.
Exercise: Fill in the blanks with tremble, quiver, shiver, shake and shudder.
At the sight of his lost son, he ______ with excitement.
He was to open the letter.
The night in the desert was cold. We were all .
News of crime my faith in the humanity.
Anyone familiar with law regulatory enforcement should at the thought of nuclear plants.
13.skin
n. the external covering or integument of an animal body, esp. soft and flexible v. to remove the skin from
Examples: skin a rabbit ,skin grapes ,to peel potatoes, to husk the rice to shell the peas, to weed the garden , to dust the tables
14.snap
v. a. to break with a sudden sharp distinct noise b. to open or close something suddenly c. to say something quickly and angrily or in an annoyed manner (fol. by at) d. to take a photo/ take snapshot e. to make a sharp cracking sound with fingers or teeth or a whip
The door snapped shut behind us. 门啪嗒一声在我们身后关上了。
The lock snapped shut. 锁啪嗒一声合上了
I snapped at him to sit down. ⎫我厉声命他坐下。 snap a suitcase shut/open ⎫啪地关上/打开行李箱 snap off/on a TV set啪地一声关上/打开电视
His eyes snapped open/shut . 他迅速睁开/闭上眼睛。
He snapped his lighter to see if it needed fuel. 他啪啪地按打火机看是否需要加油。
He snapped his fingers to get the child's attention.他打了个响指以吸引孩子的注意。
The ferocious dog was snapping at me. ⎫这条凶猛的狗突然猛咬 我.
15.stretch
v. a. to lengthen, widen b. to spread out fully; extend from one place to another or across a given space or time c. to reach out
The forest stretches for miles. ⎫森林绵延数百英里。
His memory stretches back to his early childhood他的记忆回到了童年时代。
The beggars all stretched out their hands. But he had nothing to give.
乞丐们都伸出了手，但他却没什么可给的。
The wool coat stretched when it was washed. 这件羊毛外套在洗的时候拉长了。
•He woke, yawned and stretched himself.他醒了，打着哈欠，伸着懒腰。
•He drove fast on a stretch of open field. 他开车在一片开阔的田野上飞驰。
•He is having a stretch in jail. 他正在服刑。
•She stretched her neck to see what was going on.
⎫她伸长了脖子看正在发生什么事。
•With a sudden stretch, Tom took the younger boy’s cap.
⎫汤姆突然伸出手，抢走了小男孩的帽子。
16.to ad. in or into a closed position
Examples: The police kicked the door to.
The window was blown to.
II. Phrases and Expressions
1.add up
a.to amount to collect total
b.to seem reasonable or make sense
Examples: Add up a column of figures. (a) 1.把一栏数字加起来。
It has to be true. It all adds up. (b) 这事一定是真的。从各方面都说得通
The facts just don’t add up. (b) 1.这些事实根本串不起来。 add up to to amount to; signify
Example:
He is sick, but his symptoms don't add up to anything recognizable.
他是病了，但是把各种症状综合起来还看不出是什么病。
2.allow for 考虑到，顾及，为……留出余地
Examples:
We must allow for the possibility that they have been involved in the combat.
Allowing for the train being late, we should be back by eleven.
He is old-fashioned but you have to allow for his age. allow of 容许， 容许有可能
Examples:
evidence allowing of only one conclusion1.只容引出一种结论的证据
The stool is tall enough to allow of a baby reaching the bed.
凳子的高度足以让婴儿够到床铺
Such conduct allows of no excuse这种行为不可原谅 make allowance(s) for 考虑到, 体谅
Example: We must make allowance for his youth and inexperience
3.apart from 除…之外；远离
Examples: The coachman sat eating apart from us.
It is a bit cold in winter, but apart from that, it's quite a pleasant city to live in.
Apart from his poor health, he is also hopelessly lazy. count in/out把……算入/不把……算在内
Examples: If you are planning a trip to London, count me in/out.
He counted out ten 5-pound notes count on依靠，指望，料想
Example: You can count on me for everything in the future.
5.for all : in spite of all
Examples:
For all our efforts, we still couldn't save his life.
For all his power, he is still the most despised person.
6.out of proportion:与……不成比例/不相称
Example: His story was exaggerated out of proportion in proportion to/with 与……成比例/相称
Examples: Price will be raised in proportion.
The size of the furniture should be in proportion to the size of the room.
The figures in the painting are in proportion to the surroundings.
7.prick up 竖起
Examples: The spires of churches prick up through the greenery.
教堂的尖顶耸立在绿树丛中。
His voice pricked up in surprise. 他惊讶得连嗓音都变尖了。 prick (up) the (one's) ears竖起耳朵仔细听

III. Word Building prefix+root (press) im — press(to press in), op — press(to press against) de — press(to press down) , com — press(to press together) re — press(to press back), ex — press(to press out)
-en 表示人或物原有的某种性质得到加强 blacken fatten loosen weaken ,moisten brighten whiten darken tighten redden deepen shorten thicken lessen lighten She laughed and that seemed to deepen her voice
她笑出了声，这似乎使她的声音显得更深沉。
-en 表示用原名词表示的物质制作的物品或与原物质相像的物品 ashen golden silken woolen earthen waxen oaken wooden
People wear woolen clothing even on hot days. a rosy, frail girl with bright golden hair
-en与表示或描述性质状态的名词或形容词结合构成动词，描述使某物具有特定性质或处于特定状态的活动过程
deaden enlighten, enliven , hasten hearten

IV. Grammar
1.Reflective Verb
The reflective verb is followed by a reflective pronoun dress behave express seat enjoy hide improve commit absent pride prepare calm surpass feel overwork help divorce etc.
You are forgetting yourself. 太放肆
We got out of the river and dried ourselves. 晒干
I feel myself overwhelmed with sadness. 感到
She said that our plan was interesting. But she didn’t commit herself. 表态
I avail myself of this opportunity to thank you for your solicitude. 利用
He swore to avenge himself on the Fascists for their massacre. 向……报仇利用
If Joe applied himself to his work, he would finish it in time. 全力以赴
2.Reflective Pronoun
It can serve as object, appositive and predicative. It must refer to the same subject as in the main clause
a. predicate object
He absented himself from class to watch a football game. 逃课
Jaime prides himself on his ability to speak several languages. 自豪
A good teacher never divorces himself from his students. 脱离
b. prepositional object
I have the room to myself. ⎫这间房子归我独用。（单独所有/单独所用）
He's a right to decide for himself. 他有权自己做出决定。（为自己，替自己，自己亲自）
All this is between ourselves. 这是我们之间的秘密。
The accident didn’t happen of itself. ⎫事故不会自行发生。
Yours isn't a bad idea in itself. ⎫你的主意本身是不错的。（本身，本质上）
Julie conducted the experiment by herself. ⎫ 朱莉独自做实验。 （独自，在没有外界帮助情况下，自动）
When he heard the news, he was beside himself with joy.⎫听到这个消息， 他欣喜若狂。（因……而发狂）
c. predicative：be + reflective pronoun (身心健康
[pic]I am glad that you are yourself again.很高兴你恢复健康了。
[pic]Laura is not quite herself today.劳拉今天不太对头。
d.appositive：自己，亲自，本人
They themselves are to blame. (They are to blame themselves.)
It is better to ask Dean himself about it.
V. Exercise
1.Translation
He fixed the picture on the wall. 固定
If you don't fix the lid on properly, the milk will spill out. 拧紧
Nothing is fixed in this world; everything is relative. 不变的
We are supposed to fix the broken machine.修理
Let me fix you a cup of tea. 准备
If you want to meet them, I can fix a day. 安排
The marriage was fixed on the 7th June. 安排
My wool coat stretched when washed. 变长
The forests stretch for hundreds of miles. 绵延
The cat woke and gave a stretch. 伸懒腰
With a sudden stretch, John took Tom’s cap. 身体伸长，伸出
He spent a long stretch in jail. 监禁
They traveled a hard stretch of road. 一段路
2. Grammar & Vocabulary
1. We __ that diet is related to most types of cancer but we don’t have definite proof.
a. assure b. suspend c. ascertain d. suspect
2. Chinese historians have tried to ___ a balance between individuals and social groups, and between the data of history and their significance. a. produce b. upset c. strike d. tip
3. Anyone breaking the rules will be asked to leave ____. a. at the spot b. on the spot c. for the spot d. in the spot
4. He ___ his head, wondering how to solve the problem. a. scrapped b. screwed c. scraped d. scratched
5. At present there is a ____ of iron and steel and more must be produced. a. limit b. loss c. poverty d. scarcity
6. The branches could hardly ___ the weight of the fruits. a. retain b. sustain c. maintain d. remain
7. This watch is ___ to all the other watches on the market. a. superior b. advantageous c. super d. beneficial
8. Having finished their morning work, the clerks stood up behind their desks, ___themselves.
a. expanding b. prolonging c. stretching d. extending
9. Tom ___ better than to ask Dick for help.
a. shall know b. shouldn’t know c. has known d. should have known
10. Some people viewed the finding with caution, noting that a cause-and-effect relationship between passive smoking and cancer remains ___. a. to be shown b. to have shown c. to have been shown d. being shown
11. John seems a nice person. ___, I don’t trust him. a. Even though b. Even so c. Therefore d. Though
12. While admitting that this forecast was ___ uncertain, the scientists warned against treating it as a cry wolf. a. anyhow b. somewhere c. somewhat d. anyway
13. The future of this company is ___ : many of its talented employees are flowing into more profitable net-based businesses. a. at odds b. in trouble c. in vain d. at stake
14. He will agree to do what you require ___ him. a. of b. from c. to d. for
15. One of the requirements for a fire is that the material ___ to its burning temperature. a. is heated b. will be heated c. be heated d. would be heated
16. The ratio of the work done by the machine ___ the work done on it is called the efficiency of the machine. a. against b. with c. to d. for