《基础英语》课件 Spring Sowing

1、Unit Two Spring SowingAbout the AuthorLiam OFlaherty (1896-1984) was born in Ireland. He wrote in English and Irish. His main works included the novels The Neighbours Wife, The Black Soul, and The Informer which was made into a film of the same name. He also published some short story collections. T

2、he present text is taken from The Treasury of English Stories edited by Nancy Sullivan and published in New York in 1985.Structure of the TextPart I (Paras 1-3) It introduces the background of the story and the two main characters of the story.Part II (Paras 4-8) After breakfast, the young couple ma

3、de the preparation for their spring sowing.Part III (Paras 9-30) The young couple worked hard and were full of passion to create their common future on the first day of spring sowing.Part IV (Paras 31-35) They finished the work of the first day of the spring sowing successfully and yearned for the f

4、uture.Detailed Discussion of the Text Para 11. the live coals1) Language points: live / laiv /: still burning or glowing; not extinctAlso: a live spark; a live volcanoOutside, cocks were crowing and a white streak was rising from the ground, as it were, and beginning to scatter the darkness. (1) str

5、eak: A streak is a long thin mark, line or band of a different substance or color. Here in the text, this word refers to the ray of early sunlight which was white against the dark sky.(2) as it were: seemingly; in a way; so to speak. E.g. He closed his eyes, trying to relive that happy moment, as it

6、 were.Para 2. and it was hateful leaving a warm bed at such an early hour.hateful: detestable; disgusting; unpleasantMartin, with his brown hair and eyes, his freckled face and his little fair moustache.(1) fair: light in color; blond(2) freckled: a. covered with small light-brown spots on the human

7、 skin有雀斑的；有斑点的 Analysis: The mans fair moustache and freckled face suggest that he is still quite young. and his wife looked hardly more than a girl, . her black hair piled at the rear of her head with a large comb gleaming in the middle of the pile, Spanish fashion.(1) piled at the rear of her head

8、: piled into a mass at the back of her head(2) Spanish fashion: in the way Spanish people do; like SpaniardsPara 3. sleepy and yet on fire with excitement, for it was the first day of their first spring sowing as man and wife.(1) Paraphrase: Although still not fully awake, the young couple was alrea

9、dy greatly excited, because that day was the first day of their first spring planting after they got married.(2) man and wife: husband and wifeon fire: burning with emotion; greatly excited; or passionateAnd each felt the glamour of that day on which they were to open up the earth together and plant

10、 seeds in it.glamour n. 魅力，吸引力：The phony glamour of night clubs soon became stale and boring. 夜总会那种虚假的荣华不久便失去了新意而使人生厌。glamorize v. 使有魅力 glamorous a. 迷人的But somehow the imminence of an event that had been long expected, loved, feared and prepared for made them dejected.1) Paraphrase: The couple had b

11、een looking forward to and preparing for this spring planting for a long time. But now that the day had finally arrived, strangely, they felt somehow a bit sad.Language points: (1) imminence: n. 迫近，临近：The imminence of their exams made the students work even harder.考试即将来临，迫使学生们更加用功了。imminent a. 即将发生的

12、，逼近的(2) dejected: a. affected or marked by low spirit, irritated; in low spirits; depressed; disheartened; sad沮丧的，情绪低落的：Repeated failure had left them feeling very defected. 三番五次失败后，他们情绪非常低落。dejection n. 沮丧；情绪低落Mary, with her shrewd womans mind, thought of as many things as there are in life does a

13、woman think in the first joy and anxiety of her mating.1) Paraphrase: Mary, like all sharp and smart women, thought of many things in life when she got married.2) Language points: (1) shrewd: a. clever; sharp-witted精明的：He was shrewd in business. 他做生意很精明。shrewdness n. 精明(2) to mate: to be joined in m

14、arriagePara 4Martin fell over a basket in the half-darkness of the barn, he swore and said that a man would be better off dead than. 1) Paraphrase: In the barn, it was still very dark as it was very early in the morning. So Martin tripped over a basket. He cursed and said that it would be better for

15、 him to die than (to have to get up at such an early hour and begin the days toil-probably for the rest of his life).2) better off: in a more favorable position or financial circumstances（在某情况下）更好，更满意Martin, she said, let us not begin this day cross with one another.cross: rather angry or irritated;

16、 annoyed; ill-temperedAnd somehow, as they embraced, all their irritation and sleepiness left them. And they stood there embracing until at last Martin pushed her from him with pretended roughness and said: “Come, come, girl, it will be sunset before we begin at this rate.1) Analysis: However, all o

17、f the unhappiness and drowsiness melted away with their hug. They remained in each others arms until finally Martin pushed her away, with pretended roughness, to show that he was now the bread-winner of the family and had serious work to do and therefore must stop this sentimental nonsense, otherwis

18、e they would not be able to get anything done in the whole day.2) at this rate: progressing at this speedPara 5Still, as they walked silently in their rawhide shoes through the little hamlet, there was not a soul about.1) Paraphrase: When they walked silently through the small village, they saw not

19、a single person around them because they were earlier than everybody else.2) Language points: (1) hamlet: a small village (2) soul: Here it means a person, not the spiritual part of a person that some believe to continue to exist after they die. And they both looked back at the little cluster of cab

20、ins that was the center of their world, with throbbing hearts. For the joy of spring had now taken complete hold of them. 1) Paraphrase: Both of them looked back towards their small village, which was the most important place for them because they and their forefathers before them were born and rais

21、ed here. Their hearts were quivering with excitement at that moment, for the coming of spring had already filled their hearts with pleasure.2) Language points: (1) a cluster of cabins: a group of wooden houses very close togethera cluster of:一群;一簇: throbbing: beating rapidly or violently(3) to take

22、complete hold of: to gain complete control or influence over sb; to have great power over sb; to overpower sbPara 9When she was a little distance down the ridge, Martin advanced with his spade to the head, eager to commence.1) Language points: (1) ridge: a line of sth (Here: earth) that rises above

23、a surface(2) to advance: to go forward; to move ahead(3) to the head: to the front(4) to commence: v.to begin; to start开始，着手：The dancing will commence right after the dinner.舞会在晚宴后将立刻开始。串 同族：commencement n. 开始辨 commence / initiate这两个动词都含有“开始”之意。commence 为书面正式用词，语气庄重，特指开始时有正式程序或一定仪式。例：The performance

24、s will commence from 6:30 pm.演出将于晚上6:30开始。initiate 指创始或发起，侧重某过程的第一步，强调起始。例：Each side announced in advance that they expected the other to initiate movement.双方都事先宣布说，希望另一方主动提出行动方案。Para 10“Now in the name of God,” he cried, spitting on his palms, “let us raise the first sod.” 1) in the name of God: us

25、ed to add force to determination2) Paraphrase: (1) spitting on his palms: getting ready to work(2) to raise the first sod: to lift the first piece of soil“Now for Gods sake, girl, keep back!” said Martin gruffly.gruffly: ad. in a cracked voice粗声粗气地，粗哑地：“Sit down,“ said the policeman gruffly. “What i

26、s your name?” in a rough way粗暴地：Although he behaves gruffly he is really very kind-hearted.他虽然行为粗鲁，心地却十分善良。Suppose anybody saw us like this in the field of our spring sowing, what would they take us for but a pair of useless, soft, empty-headed people that would be sure to die of hunger.Paraphrase:

27、If people should see us like this (with your arm round my waist), what would they think of us? They were sure to take us for a pair of good-for-nothings, people who are unable to endure hardships and foolish and, therefore, were sure to die of hunger.2) Language points: (1) to take for: to regard as

28、 把.看作, e.g. Do you take me for a fool? (2) soft: weak or delicate; not strong or vigorous; esp. not able to endure hardship, as because of easy living(3) empty-headed: stupid; silly and ignorant; lacking sense or discretionHis eyes had a wild, eager light in them as if some primeval impulse were bur

29、ning within his brain and driving out every other desire but that of asserting his manhood and of subjugating the earth.1) Paraphrase: (1) His eyes shone and his only desire now was to prove what a strong man he was and how he could conquer the land.(2) to subjugate the earth: to conquer the earth a

30、nd make it produce foodPara 13 . but she drew back at the same time and gazed distantly at the ground.1) to gaze distantly at the ground: to look at the ground as if she were far removed from the present situation; to be absorbed in thought 2) Language points: (1) to draw back: to withdraw; retreat,

31、 e.g. I guess I looked terrible, because my mother drew back when she saw my face. . he turned up the first sod with a crunching sound1) Paraphrase: he dug up the first piece of earth with grass and roots with his spade, making a crunching sound2) Language points: to turn up: to dig upMary sighed an

32、d walked back hurriedly to her seeds with furrowed brows.furrowed brows: deep frownsfurrowed: a. covered with deep wrinkles有皱纹的：His forehead were heavily furrowed. 他的前额布满了皱纹。. to drive out the sudden terror that had seized her at that moment when she saw the fierce, hard look in her husbands eyes th

33、at were unconscious of her presence.1) Paraphrase: (. she began to work hard) in order to get rid of the terror that suddenly seized her when she saw that her husband had suddenly changed from the loving husband she knew into a fierce-looking farmer who did not seem to be aware that his bride was wi

34、th him.She became suddenly afraid of that pitiless, cruel earth, the peasants slave master, that would keep her chained to hard work and poverty all her life until she would sink again into its bosom.1) Paraphrase: (1) She became afraid of the earth because it was going to force her to work like a s

35、lave and force her to struggle against poverty all her life until she died and was buried in it.(2) to sink again into its bosom: to die and be buried in the earth; to return to the earthAnd Martin, absolutely without thought, worked furiously, covering the ridge with block earth, his sharp spade gl

36、eaming white as he whirled it sideways to beat the sods.1) Paraphrase: Martin, on the other hand had no time to waste on idle thoughts. He just concentrated on his work and worked with great energy. He covered the ridge with block earth and beat the sods with shining and sharp spade.2) Language poin

37、ts: (1) furiously: with great energy; fiercely(2) block: a large mass ofPara17 “Yes, isnt it lovely,” said Mary, looking at the black ridges wistfully.wistfully: ad. showing or expressing melancholy yearnings, in a worried manner伤感的；忧愁的 The hurried trip to the village and the trouble of getting the

38、tea ready had robbed her of her appetite.1) Paraphrase: She made the tea ready hurriedly and was so tired that she had lost her appetite.2) Language points: to rob sth./ sb of sth: to deprive sb of sth belonging to that person by an unjust procedure 抢走，抢劫 She had to keep blowing at the turf fire wit

39、h the rim of her skirt, and the smoke nearly blinded her. 1) to blow at the fire: to send out a current of air to the fire2) turf: peat; a soft brown substance like earth that is used for burning instead of coal, especially in IrelandIt overpowered that other feeling of dread that had been with her

40、during the morning.1) Paraphrase: The feeling of joy drove away the feeling of terror that she had had in the morning.2) to overpower: to overcome by superior forcePara 18 Martin ate heartily, reveling in his great thirst and his great hunger, with every pore of his body open to the pure air.1) Para

41、phrase: The heavy work made Martin thirsty and hungry and made him enjoy his lunch and tea more.2) Language points: (1) heartily: with a good appetite(2) revel: to celebrate nosily狂欢revel in sth.: to take much pleasure in; to delight in陶醉于，着迷于(3) pore: one of the small holes in your skin that sweat passes throughPara 19The rasping noise carried a long way