Unit 14 The Wedding Story Words and Expressions综合教程二.docVIP

Unit 14 The Wedding StoryWords and Expressions1. pushover n. sb. who is easy to persuade or influencee.g. They arent the best team in the league, but theyre no pushover, either. I think he will agree hes a pushover.Collocation: be a pushover for e.g. Tony is a pushover for blondes.2. salute vt. greet or address with an expression of respecte.g. The men jumped to their feet and saluted the officer. We salute the flag every day at school.Derivation: salute n.e.g. The officer raised his hand in salute.Synonym: greet3. compatible a. likely to have a good relationship because of being similare.g. The couple separated because they were not compatible.They are very compatible as a couple. Collocation: compatible withDerivation: compatibility n.Synonym: harmonious, well-matchedAntonym: incompatible4. impressionable a. easy to influencee.g. The kids are at an impressionable age.More wholesome programmes are necessary for teenagers as they are at an impressionable age.Derivation: impression n. / vt.Synonym: vulnerable5. set in if something sets in, especially something unpleasant, it begins and seems likely to continue for a long time e.g. Winter seems to be setting in early this year.Further economic decline set in during the 1930s.6. in ones way forming an obstacle to ones movement or actione.g. If you want to study English, we wont stand in your way.A real friend never gets in your way, unless you happen to be on the way down.真正的朋友决不会挡住你的去路，除非你在走下坡路。7. racist n. sb. who does not like or respect people who belong to races that are different from their own and who thinks their race is better than otherse.g. He denied being a racist.He is a racist who refuses to employ blacks.Derivation: racial a. racism n.8. put sb. to shame make sb. feel ashamed of themselves by outdoing theme.g. His cooking puts mine to shame.They are so efficient that they put us to shame.9. decent a. reasonable, propere.g. Its increasingly difficult to find a decent job nowadays.Dont you have a decent suit for tonights party? Derivation: decently ad.Antonym:improper, inappropriate10. go for choose (sth.); favour (sth.)e.g. Children go for brightly colored pictures.Synonym: prefer, selectAntonym: refuse11. prototype n. the first or most typical example of sth.e.g. The prototype of this particular computer was developed by an American engineer in 1975. The company showed the prototype of the new model at the exhibition.Derivation: prototypical a.Collocation: prototype of / forSynonym: originalAntonym: copy12. umpteenth a. used when describing that sth. has happened many timese.g. Ive told this story for the umpteenth times.“Stop worrying,” she told herself for the umpteenth time.13. whisk v. move quickly in an efficient waye.g. I was whisked into hospital with fierce abdominal pains.The police whisked her away in a van.14. for Gods sake used when you are annoyed or impatient with sb.e.g. Why didnt you tell me for Gods sake?For Gods sake, please help me!14. out of hand1) without thought or consideratione.g. They rejected my plans out of hand, which drove me crazy.2) out of control; uncontrollablee.g. Without discipline the children would get completely out of hand.When rates of inflation get out of hand, financial markets often break down.Collocation: get out of hand15. big deal1) the cause (of the confusion or excitement), normally used in the question “Whats the big deal?” meaning “Whats happened?”e.g. Whats the big deal? Its only a birthday, not the end of the world.2) an ironic expression suggesting that sb. or sth. is really not very good, important or impressivee.g. Just forget it. Its not a big deal.Synonym: matter of life and death, major concern16. to begin with1) at firste.g. I didnt break it! It was like that to begin with.The new taxes wont raise much money to begin with, but will in a few years time.2) used to introduce the first of several things you want to saye.g. Well, to begin with, he shouldnt even have been driving my car.To begin with, he is too old for the job.17. cheat on to be unfaithful to your husband, wife, or sexual partner by secretly having sex with someone else e.g. It is not true that all the guys cheat on their wives when they are away.The magazine claims that almost half of Britains women cheat on their partners.18. end up finally be in a particular situation that you did not intend to find yourself ine.g. We ended up having to postpone our decision.Anyone who swims in the river could end up with a nasty stomach upset.He could end up as President.Collocation: end up doing sth. end up with sth. end up as19. open up stop being shy and say what you really think e.g. It takes a long time for him to open up.After a few drinks he began to open up a bit.20. aspire v. have a strong desire or hope to do or have sth.e.g. He lived only to aspire after what was good and great.She aspires to nothing less than the chairmanship of the company.The little boy aspired to be a great writer.Collocation: aspire after / to sth.Derivation： aspiration n.Synonym: aim, be after21. hang out spend time in a particular place or with particular peoplee.g. I dont really know who she hangs out with. He knew all the clubs where he usually hung out.Collocation:hang out with22. effeminate a. behaving like a womane.g. The singer was a slender, graceful, rather effeminate young man.They found European males slightly effeminate.He spoke in an effeminate voice.他讲起话来一副娘娘腔。Derivation: effeminately ad. effeminacy n.23. encounter n. a casual or unexpected meetinge.g. He began training the young musician after a chance encounter at a concert. His first encounter with Wilson was back in 1989.There seemed to be hostile encounters between supporters of rival football teams.Derivation: encounter vt.Collocation: encounter with encounter between24. pathetic a. making one feel sadness or sympathye.g. Most murderers are pathetic creatures who regret their crimes immediately.The academic standards in the school were pathetic.Synonym: pitiable, distressing25. ego n. the opinion that one has about himselfe.g. Richard has the biggest ego of anyone Ive ever met.It was a blow to my ego, and meant I would have to look for a new job.Synonym: self-worth, self-esteem, self-image26. suppress vt. control a feeling so it does not affect onee.g. For ten years Jack had suppressed his love for his brothers wife.Even the grave old gentleman could not suppress a laugh.Synonym:restrain, keep back, hold back, curbAntonym: expressDerivation:suppression n.suppressible a.27. overdose n. too much of a drug taken at one timee.g. Quick, call an ambulance, I think hes taken an overdose.He died by taking an overdose. Derivation: overdose vt.Collocation: overdose of sth.I. Main ideaAt the beginning of this one-act play, the storyteller intends to tell a pleasant, rosy wedding story for children at bedtime, so he / she tells a fairy tale in which everything is perfect and idealized, but far from real life. In the process he / she is interrupted, or “corrected” by the bride and groom from time to time. Such corrections gradually unfold before us the real picture of their relationship. At the couples persistent request, the storyteller then gives a second version of their wedding story, which is true to life, but very pathetic. The absurdity emerges when the storyteller gives his / her wish “I bid you a good night and sweet dreams.” A conventional and well-intentioned fairy tale is thus rejected by reality, and the bedtime story for children turns out to be a gruesome picture of a wedding that is not worth aspiring to at all.II. Structural analysis1. How is the conflict of the play manifested?In this play, the conflict is manifested in the frequent interruptions made by the young couple when the storyteller tells his first version of the wedding story.2. What caused the interruptions?The interruptions are caused by two reasons. One is that his story is contrary to the couples real life experiences. The other has to do with the frequent bickering between the man and the woman.3. Divide the play into parts by completing the table. LinesMain idea1-11These directions for the staging of the play provide basic information on characters, scene and time, all of which have been colored rosy.12-17The storyteller has just finished a story (the end), but is requested to tell another one.18-27The storyteller introduces the other two characters, the bride and the groom, describes their appearances, and adds some details to their perfectness. 28-40It tells the first clash between what the storyteller intends to say and what the young couple have actually experienced, and the reason why the story soundsfar-fetched.41-55The first bickering between the young man and th