Objectives of Teaching To comprehend the whole story
To lean and master the vocabulary and expressions To learn to paraphrase the difficult sentences To understand the structure of the text
To appreciate the style and rhetoric of the passage. Important and Difficult points The comprehension of the whole story The understanding of certain expressions The appreciation of the writing technique Colloquial, slangy or black English
Cultural difference between nationalities in the US
IV. Character Analysis Dee:
She has held life always in the palm of one hand. \"No\" is a word the world never learned to say to her.
She would always look anyone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature.
She was determined to share down any disaster in her efforts. I. Rhetorical devices: Parallelism:
chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle Metaphor:
She washed us in a river of...burned us... Pressed us ...to shove us away stare down any disaster in her efforts...
Everyday Use for your grandmama -- by Alice Walker
Everyday Use for your grandmama
Alice Walker
I will wait for her in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy yester day afternoon. A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know. It is not just a yard. It is like an extended living room. When the hard clay is swept clean as a floor and the fine sand around the edges lined with tiny, irregular grooves, anyone can come and sit and look up into the elm tree and wait for the breezes that never
come inside the house.
Maggie will be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that \"no\" is a word the world never learned to say to her. You've no doubt seen those TV shows where the child who has \"made it\" is confronted, as a surprise, by her own mother and father, tottering in weakly from backstage. (A Pleasant surprise, of course: What would they do if parent and child came on the show only to curse out and insult each other?) On TV mother and child embrace and smile into each other's face. Sometimes the mother and father weep, the child wraps them in her arms and leans across the table to tell how she would not have made it without their help. I have seen these programs.
Sometimes I dream a dream in which Dee and I are suddenly brought together on a TV program of this sort. Out of a cark and soft-seated limousine I am ushered into a bright room filled with many people. There I meet a smiling, gray, sporty man like Johnny Carson who shakes my hand and tells me what a fine girl I have. Then we are on the stage and Dee is embracing me with tear s in her eyes. She pins on my dress a large orchid, even though she has told me once that she thinks or chides are tacky flowers.
In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man. My fat keeps me hot in zero weather. I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing; I can eat pork liver cooked over the open tire minutes after it comes steaming from the hog. One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between the eyes with a sledge hammer and had the meat hung up to chill be-fore nightfall. But of course all this does not show on television. I am the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pan-cake. My hair glistens in the hot bright lights. Johnny Car – son has much to do to keep up with my quick and witty tongue.
But that is a mistake. I know even before I wake up. Who ever knew a Johnson with a quick tongue? Who can even imagine me looking a strange white man in the eye? It seems to me I have talked to them always with one toot raised in flight, with my head turned in whichever way is farthest from them. Dee, though. She would always look anyone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature.
\"How do I look, Mama?\" Maggie says, showing just enough of her thin body enveloped in pink skirt and red blouse for me to know she's there, almost hidden by the door.
\"Come out into the yard,\" I say.
Have you ever seen a lame animal, perhaps a dog run over by some careless person rich enough to own a car, sidle up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind of him? That is the way my Maggie walks. She has been like this, chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle, ever since the fire that burned the other house to the
ground.
Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicer hair and a fuller figure. She's a woman now, though sometimes I forget. How long ago was it that the other house burned? Ten, twelve years? Sometimes I can still hear the flames and feel Maggie's arms sticking to me, her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black papery flakes. Her eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames reflect-ed in them. And Dee. I see her standing off under the sweet gum tree she used to dig gum out of; a look at concentration on her face as she watched the last dingy gray board of the house tall in toward the red-hot brick chimney. Why don't you do a dance around the ashes? I'd wanted to ask her. She had hated the house that much. I used to think she hated Maggie, too. But that was before we raised the money, the church and me, to send her to Augusta to school. She used to read to us without pity, forcing words, lies, other folks' habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice. She washed us in a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know. Pressed us to her with the serious way she read, to shove us away at just the moment, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand.
Dee wanted nice things. A yellow organdy dress to wear to her graduation from high school; black pumps to match a green suit she'd made from an old suit somebody gave me. She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts. Her eyelids would not flicker for minutes at a time. Often I fought off the temptation to shake her. At sixteen she had a style of her own' and knew what style was. I never had an education myself. After second grade the school was closed down. Don't ask me why. in 1927 colored asked fewer questions than they do now. Sometimes Maggie reads to me. She stumbles along good-naturedly but can't see well. She knows she is not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by. She will marry John Thomas (who has mossy teeth in an earnest face) and then I'll be free to sit here and I guess just sing church songs to myself. Although I never was a good singer. Never could carry a tune. I was always better at a man's job. 1 used to love to milk till I was hooked in the side in '49. Cows are soothing and slow and don't bother you, unless you try to milk them the wrong way.
I have deliberately turned my back on the house. It is three rooms, just like the one that burned, except the roof is tin: they don't make shingle roofs any more. There are no real windows, just some holes cut in the sides, like the portholes in a ship, but not round and not square, with rawhide holding the shutter s up on the outside. This house is in a pasture, too, like the other one. No doubt when Dee sees it she will want to tear it down. She wrote me once that no matter where we \"choose\" to live, she will manage to come see us. But she will never bring her friends. Maggie and I thought about this and Maggie asked me, Mama, when did Dee ever have any friends?\"
She had a few. Furtive boys in pink shirts hanging about on washday after school. Nervous girls who never laughed. Impressed with her they worshiped the well-turned phrase, the cute shape, the scalding humor that erupted like bubbles in
lye. She read to them.
When she was courting Jimmy T she didn't have much time to pay to us, but turned all her faultfinding power on him. He flew to marry a cheap city girl from a family of ignorant flashy people. She hardly had time to recompose herself. When she comes I will meet -- but there they are!
Maggie attempts to make a dash for the house, in her shuffling way, but I stay her with my hand. \"Come back here,\" I say. And she stops and tries to dig a well in the sand with her toe.
It is hard to see them clearly through the strong sun. But even the first glimpse of leg out of the car tells me it is Dee. Her feet were always neat-looking, as it God himself had shaped them with a certain style. From the other side of the car comes a short, stocky man. Hair is all over his head a foot long and hanging from his chin like a kinky mule tail. I hear Maggie suck in her breath. \"Uhnnnh,\" is what it sounds like. Like when you see the wriggling end of a snake just in front of your toot on the road. \"Uhnnnh.\"
Dee next. A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. A dress so loud it hurts my eyes. There are yel-lows and oranges enough to throw back the light of the sun. I feel my whole face warming from the heat waves it throws out. Earrings gold, too, and hanging down to her shoulders. Bracelets dangling and making noises when she moves her arm up to shake the folds of the dress out of her armpits. The dress is loose and flows, and as she walks closer, I like it. I hear Maggie go \"Uhnnnh\" again. It is her sister's hair. It stands straight up like the wool on a sheep. It is black as night and around the edges are two long pigtails that rope about like small lizards disappearing behind her ears.
\"Wa-su-zo-Tean-o!\" she says, coming on in that gliding way the dress makes her move. The short stocky fellow with the hair to his navel is all grinning and he follows up with \"Asalamalakim, my mother and sister!\" He moves to hug Maggie but she falls back, right up against the back of my chair. I feel her trembling there and when I look up I see the perspiration falling off her chin.
\"Don't get up,\" says Dee. Since I am stout it takes something of a push. You can see me trying to move a second or two before I make it. She turns, showing white heels through her sandals, and goes back to the car. Out she peeks next with a Polaroid. She stoops down quickly and lines up picture after picture of me sitting there in front of the house with Maggie cowering behind me. She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included. When a cow comes nibbling around the edge of the yard she snaps it and me and Maggie and the house. Then she puts the Polaroid in the back seat of the car, and comes up and kisses me on the forehead. Meanwhile Asalamalakim is going through motions with Maggie's hand. Maggie's hand is as limp as a fish, and probably as cold, despite the sweat, and she keeps trying to pull it back. It looks like Asalamalakim wants to shake hands but wants to do it fancy. Or maybe he don't know how people shake hands. Anyhow, he soon gives up on Maggie. \"Well,\" I say. \"Dee.\"
\"No, Mama,\" she says. \"Not 'Dee', Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!\" \"What happened to 'Dee'?\" I wanted to know.
\"She's dead,\" Wangero said. \"I couldn't bear it any longer, being named after the people who oppress me.\"
\"You know as well as me you was named after your aunt Dicle,\" I said. Dicie is my sister. She named Dee. We called her \"Big Dee\" after Dee was born. \"But who was she named after?\" asked Wangero. \"I guess after Grandma Dee,\" I said.
\"And who was she named after?\" asked Wangero.
\"Her mother,\" I said, and saw Wangero was getting tired. \"That's about as far back as I can trace it,\" I said.
Though, in fact, I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the branches.
\"Well,\" said Asalamalakim, \"there you are.\" \"Uhnnnh,\" I heard Maggie say.
\"There I was not,\" I said, before 'Dicie' cropped up in our family, so why should I try to trace it that far back?\"
He just stood there grinning, looking down on me like somebody inspecting a Model A car. Every once in a while he and Wangero sent eye signals over my head. \"How do you pronounce this name?\" I asked.
\"You don't have to call me by it if you don't want to,\" said Wangero.
\"Why shouldn't I?\" I asked. \"If that's what you want us to call you, we'll call you. \"
\"I know it might sound awkward at first,\" said Wangero. \"I'll get used to it,\" I said. \"Ream it out again.\"
Well, soon we got the name out of the way. Asalamalakim had a name twice as long and three times as hard. After I tripped over it two or three times he told me to just call him Hakim-a-barber. I wanted to ask him was he a barber, but I didn't really think he was, so I don't ask.
\"You must belong to those beet-cattle peoples down the road,\" I said. They said \"Asalamalakirn\" when they met you too, but they didn't Shake hands. Always too busy feeding the cattle, fixing the fences, putting up salt-lick shelters, throwing down hay. When the white folks poisoned some of the herd the men stayed up all night with rifles in their hands. I walked a mile and a half just to see the sight. Hakim-a-barber said, \"I accept some of their doctrines, but farming and raising cattle is not my style.\" (They didn't tell me, and I didn't ask, whether Wangero (Dee) had really gone and married him.)
We sat down to eat and right away he said he didn't eat collards and pork was unclean. Wangero, though, went on through the chitlins and corn bread, the greens and every-thing else. She talked a blue streak over the sweet potatoes. Everything delighted her. Even the fact that we still used the benches her daddy made for the table when we couldn't afford to buy chairs.
\"Oh, Mama!\" she cried. Then turned to Hakim-a-barber. \"I never knew how lovely these benches are. You can feel the rump prints,\" she said, running her hands
underneath her and along the bench. Then she gave a sigh and her hand closed over Grandma Dee's butter dish. \"That's it!\" she said. \"I knew there was something I wanted to ask you if I could have.\" She jumped up from the table and went over in the corner where the churn stood, the milk in it clabber by now. She looked at the churn and looked at it.
\"This churn top is what I need,\" she said. \"Didn't Uncle Buddy whittle it out of a tree you all used to have?\" \"Yes,\" I said.
\"Uh huh, \" she said happily. \"And I want the dasher,too.\" \"Uncle Buddy whittle that, too?\" asked the barber. Dee (Wangero) looked up at me.
\"Aunt Dee's first husband whittled the dash,\" said Maggie so low you almost couldn't hear her. \"His name was Henry, but they called him Stash.\"
\"Maggie's brain is like an elephants,\" Wanglero said, laughing. \"I can use the churn top as a center piece for the alcove table,”she said, sliding a plate over the churn, \"and I'll think of something artistic to do with the dasher.\"
When she finished wrapping the dasher the handle stuck out. I took it for a moment in my hands. You didn't even have to look close to see where hands pushing the dasher up and down to make butter had left a kind of sink in the wood. In fact, there were a lot of small sinks; you could see where thumbs and fingers had sunk into the wood. It was beautiful light yellow wood, from a tree that grew in the yard where Big Dee and Stash had lived.
After dinner Dee (Wangero) went to the trunk at the foot of my bed and started rifling through it. Maggie hung back in the kitchen over the dishpan. Out came Wangero with two quilts. They had been pieced by Grandma Dee and then Big Dee and me had hung them on the quilt frames on the front porch and quilted them. One was in the Lone Star pattern. The other was Walk Around the Mountain. In both of them were scraps of dresses Grandma Dee had worn fifty and more years ago. Bit sand pieces of Grandpa Jarrell's Paisley shirts. And one teeny faded blue piece, about the size of a penny matchbox, that was from Great Grandpa Ezra's uniform that he wore in the Civil War.
\"Mama,\" Wangero said sweet as a bird. \"Can I have these old quilts?\" I heard something fall in the kitchen, and a minute later the kitchen door slammed.
\"Why don't you take one or two of the others?” 1 asked. \"These old things was just done by me and Big Dee from some tops your grandma pieced before she died.\" \"No,\" said Wangero. \"I don't want those. They are stitched around the borders by machine.\"
\"That'll make them last better,\" I said.
\"That's not the point,\" said Wanglero. \"These are all pieces of dresses Grandma used to wear. She did all this stitching by hand. Imagine!\" She held the quilts securely in her arms, stroking them.
\"Some of the pieces, like those lavender ones, come from old clothes her mother handed down to her,” I said, moving up to touch the quilts. Dee (Wangero)
moved back just enough so that I couldn't reach the quilts. They already belonged to her. \"Imagine!\" she breathed again, clutching them closely to her bosom. \"The truth is,\" I said, \"I promised to give them quilts to Maggie, for when she marries John Thomas.\"
She gasped like a bee had stung her.
\"Maggie can't appreciate these quilts!\" she said. \"She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.\"
\"I reckon she would,\" I said. \"God knows I been savage ’em for long enough with nobody using 'em. I hope she will! ” I didn't want to bring up how I had offered Dee (Wangero) a quilt when she went away to college. Then she had told me they were old-fashioned, out of style.
\"But they're priceless!\" she was saying now, furiously, for she has a temper. \"Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years they'd be in rags. Less than that!\" \"She can always make some more,” I said. \"Maggie knows how to quilt. \" Dee (Wangero) looked at me with hatred. \"You just will not understand. The point is these quilts, these quilts!\"
\"Well,\" I said,, stumped. \"What would you do with them?\"
\"Hang them,\" she said. As it that was the only thing you could do with quilts. Maggie by now was standing in the door. I could almost hear the sound her feet made as they scraped over each other.
\"She can have them, Mama,” she said like somebody used to never winning anything, or having anything reserved for her. \"I can 'member Grandma Dee without the quilts.\"
I looked at her hard. She had filled her bottom lip with checkerberry snuff and it gave her face a kind of dopey, hangdog look. It was Grandma Dee and Big Dee who taught her how to quilt herself. She stood there with her scarred hands hidden in the folds of her skirt. She looked at her sister with something like fear but she wasn't mad at her. This was Maggie's portion. This was the way she knew God to work.
When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet. Just like when I'm in church and the spirit of God touches me and I get happy and shout. I did something I never had done before: hugged Maggie to me, then dragged her on into the room, snatched the quilts out of Miss Wangero's hands and dumped them into Maggie's lap. Maggie just sat there on my bed with her mouth open.
\"Take one or two of the others,\" I said to Dee.
But she turned without a word and went out to Hakim-a-barber.
\"You just don't understand,\" she said, as Maggie and I came out to the car. \"What don't I under stand?\" I wanted to know.
\"Your heritage,\" she said. And then she turned to Maggie, kissed her, and said, \"You ought to try to make some-thing of yourself, too, Maggie. It's really a new day for us. But from the way you and Mama still live you'd never know it.\"
She put on some sunglasses that hid everything above the tip of her nose and her chin.
Maggie smiled; maybe at the sunglasses. But a real mile, not scared. After we watched the car dust settle I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff. And then the two of us sat there just enjoying, until it was time to go in the house and go to bed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTES
1) Alice Walker: born 1944 in Eatonton, Georgia, America and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College. Her books include The Third Life of Grange Copeland ( 1970 ), Meridian ( 1976 ), The Color Purple(1982), etc.
2)\"made it\": to become a success, to succeed, either in specific endeavor or in general
3) Johnny Carson: a man who runs a late night talk show 4)hooked: injured by the horn of the cow being milked
5) Jimmy T: 'T' is the initial of the surname of the boy Dee was courting. 6)\"Wa-su-zo-Tean-o!\": phonetic rendering of an African dialect salutation 7) \"Asalamalakim\": phonetic rendering of a Muslim greeting 8) Polaroid: a camera that produces instant pictures
9) the Civil War: the war between the North and the South in the U. S.(1861-1865) 10) branches: branches or divisions of a family descending from a common ancestor 11) Ream it out again: \"Ream\" is perhaps an African dialect word meaning: \"unfold, display\". Hence the phrase may mean \"repeat\" or \"say it once again\"
12) pork was unclean: Muslims are forbidden by their religion to eat pork because it is considered to be unclean.
13) Chitlins: also chitlings or chitterlings, the small intestines of pigs, used for food, a common dish in Afro-American households
14) rump prints: depressions in the benches made by constant sitting
15) sink: depressions in the wood of the handle left by the thumbs and fingers
Background information
The author wrote quite a number of novels, among them were The Color Purple which won the Pulitzer Prize of Fiction （普利策小说奖） and The American Book Award（美国图书奖）. In 1985, the Color Purple was made into a movie which won great fame .
Everyday Use for your grandmama 课文讲解 /Detailed Study
Everyday Use for Your Grandmama
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Detailed Study of the Text
1. wavy: having regular curves
A wavy line has a series of regular curves along it. The wavy lines are meant to represent water.
Here in the text the word describes the marks in wavy patterns on the clay ground left by the broom.
*image - 1* (此处加一细曲线图)
2. groove: a long narrow path or track made in a surface, esp. to guide the movement of sth.
A groove is a wide, deep line cut into a surface.
The cupboard door slides open along the groove it fits into.
3. homely: simple, not grand, (of people, faces, etc.,) not good-looking, ugly If someone is homely, they are not very attractive to look at; uased in Am.E. 4. awe: Awe is the feeling of respect and amazement that you have when you are faced with sth. wonderful, frightening or completely unknown., wonder The child stared at him in silent awe.
5. confront: to face boldly or threateningly, encounter
If a problem, task, or difficulty confronts you, or you are confronted with it, it iss sth. that you cannot avoid and must deal with
I was confronted with the task of designing and building the new system.
6. totter: to move in an unsteady way from side to side as if about to fall, to walk with weak unsteady steps
The old lady tottered down the stairs.
7. limousine: A limousine is a large and very comfortable car, esp. one with a glass screen between the front and back seats. Limousines are usually driven by a chauffeur [ou] cf:
sedan / saloon is a car with seats for four or more people, a fixed roof, and a boot (the space at the back of the car, covered by a lid, in which you carry things such luggage, shopping or tools) that is separate from the seating part of the car convertible: a car with a soft roof that can be folded down or removed
sports car: a low usu. open car with room for only 2 people for traveling with high power and speed
coupe [‘ku:pei] a car with a fixed roof, a sloping back, two doors and seats for four people
station wagon (Am E) / estate car (Br.E) a car which has a long body with a door at the back end and space behind the back seats
8. gray / grey: used to describe the colour of people’s hair when it changes from its original colour, usu. as they get old and before it becomes white 9. tacky: (Am.E, slang) shabby
10. overalls: are a single piece of clothing that combines trousers and a jacket. Your wear overalls over your clothes in order to protect them from dirt, paint, etc. while you are working
The breast pocket of his overalls was filled with tools. (工装裤) 11. hog:
a. a pig, esp. a fat one for eating b. a male pig that has been castrated c. a dirty person swine: (old & tech) pig
boar [o:]: male pig on a farm that is kept for breeding sow [au]: fully grown female pig
12. sledge hammer: large, heavy hammer for swinging with both hands, a large heavy hammer with a long handle, used for smashing concrete 13. barley: 大麦
14. pancake: a thin, flat circle of cooked batter (糊状物) made of milk, flour and eggs. usu. rolled up or folded and eaten hot with a sweet or savory filling inside 15. sidle: walk as if ready to turn or go the other way
If you sidle somewhere, you walk there uncertainly or cautiously, as if you do not want anyone to notice you
A man sidled up to me and asked if I wanted a ticket for the match.. 16. shuffle: slow dragging walk
If you shuffle, you walk without lifting your feet properly off the ground He slipped on his shoes and shuffled out of the room.
If you shuffle, you move your feet about while standing or move your bottom about while sitting, often because you feel uncomfortable or embarrassed. I was shuffling in my seat. cf:
totter (n.6), sidle(n. 15), shuffle
17. blaze: to burn with a bright flame
A wood fire was blazing, but there was no other light in the room.
n. the sudden sharp shooting up of a flame, a very bright fire The fire burned slowly at first, but soon burst into a blaze.
18. sweet gum tree: a large North American tree of the witch hazel (榛子) family, with alternate maplelike leaves, spiny (多刺的) fruit balls, and flagrant juice
美洲金缕梅, 落叶灌木或小乔木. 原产于北美和亚洲. 其分叉小枝从前用为魔杖, 这寻找地下水, 故俗称魔杖.
19. dingy: dirty and faded
A building or place that is dingy is rather dark and depressing and does not seem to have been well looked after,.
This is the dingiest street of the town.
Clothes, curtains, etc. that are dingy are dirty or faded. 20. raise: to collect together
raise an army / raise enough money for a holiday His wife raised the money by selling her jewellery. We’re trying to raise funds to establish a scholarship. 21. underneath: (so as to go) under (sth..) The letter was pushed underneath the door.
Did you find very much growing underneath the snow?
(Here it suggests a repressive and imposing quality in her voice.)
22. make-believe: a state of pretending or the things which are pretended She lives in a make-believe world / a world of make-believe. Don’t be afraid of monster - the story’s only make-believe. The little girl made believe she was a princess.
23. shove: to push, esp. in a rough or careless way There was a lot of pushing and shoving to get on the bus. Help me to shove this furniture aside.
If you shove sb. or sth., you push them with a quick, rather, violent movement. He dragged her out to the door and shoved her into the street. 24. dimwit: (infml) an ignorant and stupid person dim: faint, not bright wit: intelligence, wisdom
at one’s wit’s end: at the end of one’s tether
25. organdy: (Br. E organdie) very fine transparent muslin (麦斯林纱, 平纹细布) with a stiff finish (最后一层涂饰), very fine rather stiff cotton material used esp. for women’s dresses (蝉翼纱, 玻璃纱)
26. pump: low shoe that grips the foot chiefly at the toe and the heel
27. stare down any disaster in her efforts: face up and defeat any disaster with her efforts
stare down: two people looking at each other persistently until one shifts his eye 28. flicker: to move backwards and forwards unsteadily shadows flickered on the wall flickering eyelids
29. stumble: to stop and /or make mistakes in speaking or reading aloud to catch the foot on the ground while moving along and start to fall She stumble at/over the long word He stumbled and stopped reading. cf:
stammer: to speak or say with pauses and repeated sounds, either habitually or because of excitement, fear, etc. stammerer
stutter: to speak or say with difficulty in producing sounds, esp. habitually holding back the first consonant. stutterer
30. good-naturedly: naturally kind, ready to help, to forgive, not to be angry A person or animal that is good-natured is naturally friendly and does not easily get angry.
a good-natured policeman 31. mossy:
moss: any of several types of a small flat green or yellow flowerless plant that grows in a thick furry mass on wet soil, or on a wet surface 32. hook: to catch with or as if with a hook to hook a fish / a rich husband hooknose
Here: to attack with the horn of the cow
33. soothe: to make less angry, excited or anxious, comfort or calm, to make less painful soothing words soothe one’s feelings
34. shingle: a small thin piece of building material (such as wood) often with one end thicker than the other for laying in overlapping rows as a covering for the roof or sides of building
cf: tile; a flat or curved piece of fired clay, stone, or concrete used esp. for roofs, floors, or walls and often for ornamental work
35. porthole: also port, a small usu. circular window or opening in a ship for light or air
36. shutter: a. one that shuts
b. movable cover (wooden panel or iron plate, hinged, or separate and detachable) for a window or door, to keep out light or burglars. cf: Venetian blinds
The shop front is fitted with rolling shutters.
c. device that opens to admit light through the lens of a camera 37. pasture: land where grass is grown and where cattle feed on it
38. furtive: stealthy, If sb. is furtive, he / she behaves as if he / she wants to keep sth. secret or hidden
They suddenly looked furtive when I got into the room.
I watched him furtively pencil a note and slip it between the pages.
A woman with furtive look sidled up to me and asked furtively whether I had / wanted receipts.
39. hang about: to wait or stay near a place without purpose or activity 40. washday: also washing day, the day when clothes are washed 41. impressed with her: impressed by her manner,
42. well-turned: (of a phrase) carefully formed and pleasantly expressed a well-turned phrase: 恰当的词语
43. cute: delightfully pretty and often small
If you describe sb. as cute you mean that you find them attractive, often in a sexual way
44. scald: to burn with hot liquid
He scalded his tongue on / with the hot coffee scalding: boiling or as hot as boiling
court: If a man courts a woman, he pays a lot of attention to her because he wants to marry her.
45. flashy: over-ornamented, unpleasantly big, bright, etc. and perhaps not of good quality Something that is flashy is so smart, bright and expensive that you find it unpleasant and perhaps vulgar a flashy sports car / cheap flashy clothes 46. recompose:
compose: to make (esp. oneself) calm, quiet, etc. Jean was nervous at first but soon composed herself. 47. kinky: (esp. of hair) having kinks
kink: a backward turn or twist in hair, a rope, chain, pipe, etc. 48. wriggle: to twist from side to side
49. loud: attracting attention by being unpleasantly colourful
50. rope: (of 2 or more mountain climbers) to be fastened together with the same rope
(I think the word here means the plaits or the pigtails are fastened together 51. gliding: to move noiselessly in a smooth, continuous manner, which seems easy and without effort
glider: a plane without an engine
52. something of a(n)... : (infml) rather a(n), a fairly good
You use the expression something of in the following ways. If you say that a person or thing has something of a particular quality, feeling, etc., you mean that they have it to some extent.
If you say that a person is something of an actor, something of a poet, etc., you mean that the person can act, write poetry, etc. to some extent Dr. Mitra, a scholar and something of a philosopher
If you say that a situation is something of a mystery / a surprise, etc., you mean that it is slightly mysterious, slightly surprising
He is something of a book collector / a liar / a musician. I am something of a carpenter myself, you know. make sth. of oneself: be successful
He is a clever boy--- I hope he'll make sth. of himself.
53. peek: (infml) to look at sth. quickly, esp. when one should not They caught him peeking through the hole at what was going on in the room peep: to look at sth. quickly and secretly It’s rude to peep at other people’s work.
He took a peep at the back of the book to find out the answers to the questions.
Peek & Peep are not clearly distinguishable when denoting to see what is concealed, or hidden.
peer: to look very carefully or hard, esp. as if not able to see well She peered through the mist, trying to find the right path. He peered at me over the top of his glasses.
54. stoop: to bend the head and shoulders forwards and down
55. cower: to bend low and draw back as from fear, pain, shame, cold etc. 56. go through motions with Maggie’s hand:
Here “motions” refer to trying to shake hands with Maggie.
If you go through the motions, you say or do sth. that is expected of you without being very sincere or serious about it. Or you pretend to do sth. by making the movements associated with a particular action.
The doctor was sure that the man wasn’t ill, but he went through the motions of examining him.
I can go through the motions of putting imaginary food into my mouth. 57. limp: lacking strength or stiffness
n. a way of walking with one foot dragging unevenly
v. to walk with an uneven step, one foot or leg moving less well than the other 58. There you are: I told you so.
There you are. I knew I was right. That’s what I expected. I knew you couldn’t trace it further back.
There I was not: You are not right.
crop up: arise, happen or appear, unexpectedly
Some difficulties have cropped up at work so I’ll be late coming home tonight. Literally the sentence in the text could possibly understood as follows: I was not there before the name “Dicie” appeared in our family, so why... But “There I was not” is obviously a quick, short cut answer to “there you are”. 59. Model A car: in 1909 Henry Ford mass-produced 15 million Model T cars and thus made automobiles popular in the States. In 1928 the Model T was discontinued and replaced by a new design - the Model A - to meet the needs for growing competition in car manufacturing.
Here he thinks she is quaint, attractive because it is strange and something rather old fashioned
60. ream: sl. say it, spit it
61. out of the way: not blocking space for the forward movement of (Here there must be one misunderstanding either by me or by the editor who explains that as:
We overcame the difficulty and managed to pronounce it at last) I will move the chair out of your way.
He ran through the crowd, pushing people out of his way. Her social life got in the way of her studies.
We got the name out of the way: we finished talking about it, we set the problem aside.
When we got topic A out of the way, we discuss topic B.
62. trip: If you trip over something, you knock your foot against something when you are walking and lose your balance so that you fall or nearly fall. I tripped and fell...
She tripped over a stone...
He put each foot down carefully to avoid tripping up. Here: to make a mistake as in a statement or behaviour
This lawyer always tries to trip witness up by asking confusing questions.
63. salt-lick shelters: shelters where blocks of rock salt were kept for cattle to lick
64. style: The style of a particular person or group is all the general attitudes, likes, dislikes, and ways of behaving that are characteristic of them. Purple is not my style.
Raising cattle is not my style: I am not interested in raising cattle. 65. gone and married: colloq. 66. collard: 宽叶羽衣甘蓝
67. go on through the chitlins etc.
chitlins: also chitlings, chitterlings: the intestines of hogs esp. when -prepared as food
68. greens: green vegetables
69. talk a blue streak: speak very fast and very much
blue streak: sth. that moves very fast, a constant stream of works streak: thin line or band, different from what surrounds it
70. rump: the part of an animal at the back just above the legs. When we eat this part of a cow it is called a rump steak (后腿部的牛排)
(humour) of a human being the part of the body one sits on, bottom
71. her hand closed over the butter dish: A butter dish is a small rectangular container which you can simply put your hand close over 72. if I could have: here if means whether
73. churn: a container in which milk is moved about violently until it becomes butter , Am.E a large metal container in which milk is stored or carried from the farm (搅乳器, 盛奶罐)
74. clabber: (not found in Longman or Collins) curdle --- to form into curds, cause to thicken
75. whittle: to cut (wood) to a smaller size by taking off small thing pieces 76. dasher: a devise having blades for agitating a liquid or semisolid
77. centerpiece: The centerpiece of a set of things that is greatly admired is sth. that you show as the best example of the set
The centerpiece of the modern navy is the nuclear submarine.
78. alcove: an alcove is a small area in a room which is formed by one part of a wall being built further back than the rest of the wall. a partially enclosed extension of a room, often occupied by a bed or by seats, 凹室 (see. Oxford) 79. to do with the dasher: use the dasher to make sth. artistic I’ll do sth. artistic with the dasher
I don’t know what to do with those books, what to use them for, where to put them Someone who is artistic is able to create or appreciate good painting, sculpture. Something that is artistic relates to art or to artists. A design, arrangement, pattern, etc. that is artistic is beautiful or attractive
80. sink: a depression (part of a surface lower than the other parts) in the land surface
(The rain collected in several depressions on the ground.)
81. rifle: to search through and steal everything valuable out of a place The thieves rifled his pockets of all their contents. The burglar rifled the safe.
The bad boy rifled the apple tree.
Here in the text, the word “rifle” means to look thorough to see what to take, and indicates that Dee was trying to find sth. she did not deserve. 82. hung back: be unwilling to act or move
The bridge looked so unsafe that we all hung back in fear. 83. piece: to make by joining pieces together
84. quilt: to sew, stitch in layers with padding in between 85. Lone Star and Walk Around the Mountain pattern 86. scrap: small piece, bit a scrap of paper
Scrap of bread were thrown to the birds.
There was not a scrap of food left, we’ve eaten it all.
87. teeny: teeny weeny: also teensy weensy (used esp. to children) very small 88. top: the most important or worthiest part of anything 89. priceless: of great value
cf: invaluable, priceless, expensive, costly, dear, precious, sumptuous, luxurious valueless: worthless, useless
90. temper: particular state or condition of the mind with regard to anger, an angry, impatient or bad state of mind John is in a temper today.
91. stump: n. the part of a plant, (esp. a tree) remaining attached to the root after the trunk is cut
v. put an unanswerable question to, puzzle, perplex
If something stumps you, you cannot think of any solution or answer for it The question has stumped philosophers since the beginning of time. It’s unusual for Jeremy to be stumped for an answer. You’ve go me stumped there.
92. snuff: tobacco made into powered for breathing into the nose, esp. used in former times
93. dopey: [‘doupi] showing dullness of the mind or feelings caused or as if caused by alcohol or a drug, sleepy and unable to think clearly, stupid
94. hangdog: (of an expression on the face) ashamed, guilty, cowed
95. portion: an individual’s lot, fate, or fortune, destiny, one’s share of good and evil Utter disaster was my portion.
What would be my portion on the day the enemy invaded?
96. heritage: property that descends to an heir, sth. transmitted by or acquired fromEveryday Use for your grandmama 词汇(Vocabulary)
词汇(Vocabulary)
:like，characteristic of，or suggestive of waves波状的；有起伏的 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a long，narrow furrow or hollow cut in a surface with a tool纹(道)；纹槽
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : designating a family(Ulmaceae)of trees growing largely in the N．Temperate Zone[植]榆科的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :be unsteady on one's feet；stagger蹒跚而行
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :any large luxurious sedan，esp. one driven by a chauffeur(配有司机的)高级轿车
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :characteristic of a sport or sporting man运动员似的 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : untidy；neglected；unrefined；vulgar劣等的；破旧的；粗俗的 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:a soft，lightweight，loosely woven woolen cloth with a slightly napped surface法兰绒
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a cereal grass(Hordeum vulgare and related species)with dense，bearded spikes of flowers，each made up of three single—seeded spikelets大麦 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:crippled；disabled；esp. having an injured leg or foot that makes one limp瘸的；残废的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :move sideways，esp. in a shy or stealthy manner(羞怯或偷偷地)侧身行走
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a slow dragging walk拖着脚走
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :thin，light，etc．1ike paper(在厚薄、质地等方面)像纸的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:dirty—colored；not bright or clean；grimy昏暗的，不明亮的；不干净的；无光泽的；弄脏了的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:① n. pretense；feigning假装；虚假②adj. pretended；feigned；sham假装的；虚假的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[slang]a stupid person；simpleton[俚]蠢人，笨蛋，傻子 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : very sheer，crisp cotton fabric used for dresses，curtains，etc．蝉翼纱；玻璃纱(一种细薄的透明布)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :．a low—cut shoe without straps or ties一种浅口无带皮鞋 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :move with a quick，light，wavering motion摇曳，摇动；晃动 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: full of or covered with moss or a mosslike growth生了苔的；多苔的；苔状的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :attack with the horns，as a bull；gore(牛等以角)抵破，抵伤
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:a thin，wedgeshaped piece of wood，slate, etc．1aid with others in a series of overlapping rows as a covering for roofs and the sides of the houses屋顶板；木瓦
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:an opening in a ship's side，as for admitting light and air(船侧采光、通气的)舷窗；舱口
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:done or acting in a stealthy manner，as if to hinder observation；surreptitious；stealthy；sneaky；secret鬼鬼祟祟的，偷偷摸摸的；秘密的 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[Am．colloq．]pretty or attractive，esp. in a delicate or dainty way[美口]漂亮的，俏的，迷人的；逗人喜爱的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :fierce in attacking in words措辞尖锐的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:any strongly alkaline substance，usually sodium or potassium hydroxide，used in cleaning，making soap，etc．碱液
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : restore to composure使恢复镇静
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :heavily built；sturdy；short and thickset矮胖的；结实的 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:full of kinks；tightly curled，esp．of hair(尤指头发)绞缠的；纽结的；弯曲的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :．twist from side to side，either in one place or when moving along蠕动；扭动
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[usu．p1.] an ornament worn on the ear[常用复数]耳环，耳饰 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :an ornamental band or chain worn about the wrist or arm手镯 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :the hollow place under the arm at the shoulder腋下，腋窝 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:any of several types of(usu．)small creatures which are reptiles。with a rough skin，4 legs，and a long tail蜥蜴
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:a small mark or sunken place in the middle of he stomach．1eft when the connection to the mother(the umbilical cord)was cut at birth肚脐 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :hold(someone)tightly in the arms搂抱；紧抱
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :the act or action of sweating出汗；汗
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:glance or look quickly and furtively，esp. through an opening or from behind something(尤指从缝隙或隐蔽处)偷看；窥视
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:[short for Polaroid Land Camera]a portable camera that develops the film negative internally and produces a print within seconds after the process is initiated (Polaroid Land Camera的缩略式)(一种即照即成相片的照相机)波拉罗伊德照相机；“拍立来”照相机
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :bend(the head and shoulders)forwards and down屈身；弯腰 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :take small bites(out of something)；eat(something)with small bites细咬，细食；一点点地咬
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :take a snapshot of抢拍；用快照拍摄
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:1acking or having lost stiffness；flaccid，drooping，wilted，etc．柔软的 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :(used in crop up)arise，happen，or appear，unexpectedly(用于crop up)突然出现；突然发生
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:口．(used in￡rip over)make an awkward mistake in(something such as words)(用于trip over)(在语言上)出差错；卡壳，支吾
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:a number of cattle or other large animals feeding，living，or being driven together牛群；畜群
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a kind of kale(Brassica oleracea acephala) whose coarse leaves are borne in tufts羽衣甘蓝
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:[p1.]the small intestines of pigs，used for food[复](猪等的)小肠(供食用) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :streak [colloq．](used in talk a blue streak)talk much and rapidly[口]连珠炮似地谈话；滔滔不绝地讲话
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[humor](of a human being)the part of the body one sits on[幽]臀部 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :．a container in which milk is moved about violently until it becomes butter搅乳器(用以搅拌牛乳而制成黄油)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :thickly curdled sour milk酸牛奶
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :cut(wood)to a smaller size by taking off small thin pieces削(木头) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a rotating device for whipping cream，as in a churn，etc．(奶油)搅拌器
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :an ornament，a bowl of flowers，etc．for the center of a table放在桌子中央的装饰品(如花瓶等)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a recessed section of a room，as a breakfast nook凹室(如早餐座) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:[geo1．]an area of slightly sunken land，esp. one in which water collects or disappears by evaporation or percolation into the ground渗坑；洼地 、 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :ransack and rob(a place，building etc．)；pillage；plunder抢劫，掠夺(某地)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :a small piece；bit；fragment；shred小片；碎片
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[colloq．]variation of the word “tiny” tiny的口语体
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :shut or allow to shut with force and noise使劲关(门等)；砰地(把门等)关上
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :pale—purple淡紫色的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:[colloq．]puzzle，perplex；baffle[口]使困惑；使茫然不知所措 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :(cause to)rub roughly(使)磨擦
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[Am．]the edible，red，berrylike fruit of the wintergreen[美]平铺白珠树的果实
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :smell；scent气味，气息
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :[colloq．]mentally slow or confused；stupid[口](感觉)迟钝的；迷迷糊糊的，昏昏沉沉的；愚蠢的；呆傻的
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :ashamed and cringing羞愧的
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
短语 (Expressions)
: v．to appear unexpectedly or occasionally意外出现，偶然出现
例： All sorts of difficulties have cropped up at work．在工作中，各种各样的困难意想不到地出现了。
第四课 外婆的日用家当 艾丽斯•沃克尔
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “我会慢慢习惯的，”我说，“你给我再念一遍吧。”
就这样，我们很快就不再提名字发音问题了。阿萨拉马拉吉姆的名字有两倍那么长，三倍那么难念。我试着念了两三次都念错了，于是他就叫我干脆称呼他哈吉姆阿巴波就行了。我本想问他究竟是不是开巴波(理发)店的，但我觉得他不像是个理发师，所以就没有问。 “你一定属于马路那边的那些养牛部族，”我说。那些人见人打招呼也是说“阿萨拉马拉吉姆”，但他们不同人握手。他们总是忙忙碌碌的：喂牲口，修篱笆，扎帐篷，堆草料，等等。当白人毒死了一些牛以后，那些人便彻夜不眠地端着枪戒备。为了一睹这种情景，我走了一英里半的路程。
哈吉姆阿巴波说，“我接受他们的一些观念，但种田和养牛却不是我干的事业。”(他们没有告诉我，我也没开口去问，万杰萝(迪伊)究竟是不是同他结婚了。)
我们开始坐下吃饭，他马上声明他不吃羽衣甘蓝，猪肉也不干净。万杰萝却是猪肠、玉米面包、蔬菜，什么都吃。吃红薯时她更是谈笑风生。一切都令她高兴，就连我们仍在使用着当初她爸爸因为买不起椅子而做的条凳这种事情也令她感兴趣。
“啊，妈妈!”她惊叫道。接着转头向着哈吉姆阿巴波。“我以前还从来不知道这些条凳有这么可爱，在上面还摸得出屁股印迹来，”她一边说着，一边将手伸到屁股下面去摸凳子。接着，她叹了一口气，她的手放在迪伊外婆的黄油碟上捏拢了。“对了!”她说。“我早知道这儿有些我想问您能不能给我的东西。”她离桌起身，走到角落处，那儿放着一个搅乳器，里面的牛奶已结成了酸奶。她看了看搅乳器，又望了望里面的酸奶。
“这个搅乳器的盖子我想要，”她说。“那不是巴迪叔叔用你们原有的一棵树的木头做成的吗?” “是的，”我说。
“啊哈，”她兴高采烈地说。“我还想要那根搅乳棒。” “那也是巴迪叔叔做的吗?”巴波问道。 迪伊(万杰萝)仰头望着我。
“那是迪伊姨妈的第一个丈夫做的，”麦姬用低得几乎听不见的声音说。“他的名字叫亨利，但人们总叫他史大西。”
“麦姬的脑袋像大象一样，”万杰萝说着哈哈大笑。“我可以将这搅乳器盖子放在凹室餐桌中央做装饰品，”她一边拿一个托盘盖在搅乳器上，一边说道。“至于那根搅乳棒，我也会想出一个艺术化的用途的。”
她将搅乳棒包裹起来，把柄还露在外头。我伸手将把柄握了一会儿。不用将眼睛凑近去细看也可以看出搅乳棒把柄上由于长年累月握着搅动而留下的凹陷的握痕。那上面的小槽子很多，你可以分辨出哪儿是拇指压出的印子，哪儿是其他手指压出的印子。搅乳棒的木料取自大迪伊和史大西住过的庭院中长的一棵树，木质呈浅黄色，甚是好看。
晚饭后，迪伊(万杰萝)走到放在我床脚边的衣箱那儿，开始翻找起来。麦姬在厨房里洗碗，故意延挨着不愿早出来。万杰萝忽然从房里抱出两床被子。这两床被子是迪伊外婆用一块块小布片拼起来，然后由迪伊姨妈和我两人在前厅的缝被架上绗缝而成的。其中一床绘的是单星图案，另一床是踏遍群山图案。两床被子上都缝有从迪伊外婆五十多年前穿过的衣服上拆下来的布片，还有杰雷尔爷爷的佩兹利涡旋纹花呢衬衣上拆下来的碎布片，还有一小块褪了色的兰布片，大小只相当于一个小火柴盒，那是从依兹拉曾祖父在南北战争时穿的军服上拆下来的。
“妈妈，”万杰萝用莺声燕语般的甜蜜声调问，“我可不可以把这两床被子拿走?” 我听到厨房里有什么东西掉落地上的声音，紧接着又听见厨房的门砰地关上的声音。 “你何不拿另外一两床呢?”我问道。“这两床还是你外婆去世前用布条拼起来，然后由大迪伊和我两人缝起来的旧被子。” “不，”万杰萝说。“我不要那些被子。那些被子的边线都是机缝的。” “那样还耐用一些，”我说。
“这一点并不重要，”万杰萝说。“这两床被子都是用外婆曾穿过的衣服拆成布片，然后由她靠手工一针一线拼缀而成的。想想看吧!”她生怕别人会抢去似的牢牢抓住被子，一边用手在上面抚摸。
“那上面有些布片，比如那些淡紫色的布片，还是从她妈妈传给她的旧衣服上拆下来的，”我说着便伸手去摸被子。迪伊(万杰萝)往后退缩，让我摸不着被子。那两床被子已经属于她了。 “你看多不简单!”她又低声赞叹了一句，一边把被子紧紧抱在怀里。
“问题是，”我说，“我已说好等麦姬和约翰•托马斯结婚时将那两床被子送给麦姬的。” 她像挨了蜂蜇似的惊叫了一声。
“麦姬可不懂这两床被子的价值!”她说。“她可能会蠢得将它们当成普通被子来使用。” “我也认为她会这样，”我说。“上帝知道这两床被子我留了多久，一直都没有人用它们。我希望她来用!”我不想说出迪伊(万杰萝)上大学时我送给她一床被子的事。她当时对我说那被子老掉牙了，没个样子。
“可那两床被子是无价之宝呀!”她此时这样说着，样子很是生气——她是很爱生气的。“麦姬将会把它们放在床上每天用，那样的话，五年之后，那两床被子就会变成破烂了，还用不了五年!”“破了她会再重新缝，”我说。“麦姬学会了缝被子。”
迪伊(万杰萝)恶狠狠地看着我。“你不懂，关键是这些被子，这两床被子!” “那么说，”我真有点茫然不解，便问道，“你要那两床被子作什么呢?” “把它们挂起来，”她说道。似乎这就是被子所能派上的唯一的用场。 麦姬这时正站在门口，我几乎能听见她的双脚互相摩擦发出的声音。
“让她拿去吧，妈妈，”她说着，就像一个已经习惯于从来也得不到什么，或从来没有什么东西属于她一样。“不要那些被子我也能记得迪伊外婆。”
我紧紧地盯视着她。她的下嘴唇上沾满了黑草莓汁，这使她看起来有一种迟钝而又羞惭的神色。她能自己缝制被子是迪伊外婆和大迪伊教的。她站在那儿，将一双疤痕累累的手藏在裙褶缝里。她怯生生地望着她姐姐，但并没有对她姐姐生气。这就是麦姬的命运，她知道这就是上帝的安排。
我这样看着她时，突然产生了这样一种感觉：似乎头顶上受了什么东西的敲击，其力量白头顶直透脚心。这就像在教堂里受到上帝的神力感动后激动得狂喊乱叫时的那种感觉。于是，我做了一件以前从未做过的事：将麦姬一把搂过来，把她拉进卧房里，然后一把从万杰萝小姐手中夺过被子放到麦姬的大腿上。麦姬就这样坐在我的床上，一副目瞪口呆的样子。 “你拿两床别的被子吧，”我对迪伊说。
但她一声不吭就转身出屋．往哈吉姆阿巴波身边走去。 “你完全不懂，”当我和麦姬来到汽车旁边时，她说。 “我不懂什么?”我问道。
“你的遗产，”她说。随后，她转向麦姬，吻了吻她，说，“麦姬，你也该努力活出个人样儿来啊。现在我们所处的是新时代。但照你和妈妈现在仍过着的这种生活来看，你是绝对体会不到这一点的。”
她戴上一副大太阳镜，把下巴和鼻尖以上的整个面孔全遮住了。
麦姬笑起来了，大概看到太阳镜发笑的吧，但这是真正的喜悦的笑，一点没有害怕的意思。目送汽车远去，车轮扬起的灰尘消失后，我叫麦姬给我舀来一碗草莓汁。然后我们娘儿俩便坐下来细细地品味着，直到天时已晚才进屋就寝。
Everyday Use for your grandmama 课后练习题 EXERCISES 4
EXERCISES 4
I. Give brief answers to the following questions, using your own words as much as possible:
1) In real life what kind of woman is the mother
2) What kind of woman would Dee like her mother to be?
3) How does the mother act when she meets a strange white man? 4) What kind of girl is Maggie?
5) Why do you think colored people asked fewer questions in 1927? 6) Why does the mother say Dee will never bring her friends to visit them? What does this tell about Dee? Give other instances to prove your point.
7) Why did Dee want the quilt so much? 8) Why did Maggie want the quilt?
9) Why did Dee visit her mother and sister?
10) What is the mother's feeling toward Dee? How is it changed in the course of the story?
11) What is implied by the subtitle ' for your grandmama'’?
II. Paraphrase:
1) She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand 2)\"no\" is a word the world never learned to say to her
3) Johnny Carson has much to do to keep up with my quick and witty tongue.
4) It seems to me I have talked to them always with one foot raised in flight
5) She washed us in a river of make-believe
6) Burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know
7) Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by. 8) A dress to the ground, in this hot weather.
9) You can see me trying to move a second or two before I make it. 10) Anyhow, he soon gives up on Maggie.
11) Though, in fact, I probably could have carried it back beyond the Civil War through the branches.
12) Every once in a while he and Wangero sent eye signals over my head.
13) Less than that.
14) This was the way she knew God to work.
III. Translate the following into Chinese:
1) In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands. In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day. I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man. My fat keeps me hot in zero weather. I can work outside all day, breaking ice to get water for washing; I can eat pork liver cooked over the open fire minutes after it comes steaming from the hog. One winter I knocked a bull calf straight in the brain between the eyes with a sledge hammer and had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall. But of course all this does hot show on television. I am the way my daughter would want me to be: a hundred pounds lighter, my skin like an uncooked barley pancake. My hair glistens in the hot bright lights. Johnny Carson has much to do to keep up with my quick and witty tongue.
2) But that is a mistake. I know even before I wake up.Who ever knew a Johnson with a quick tongue? Who can even imagine me looking a strange white man in the eye? It seems to me I have talked to them always with one foot raised in flight, with my head turned in whichever way is farthest from them. Dee, though. She would always look anyone in the eye, Hesitation was no part of her nature.
3) I used to think she hated Maggie, too. But that was be-fore we
raised the money, the church and me, to send her to Augusta to school. She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks'
habits, whole lives upon us two, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice. She washed us in a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know. Pressed us to her with the serious way she read, to shove us away at just the moment, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand.
4) I never had an education myself. After second grade the school was closed down. Don't ask me why: in 1927 colored asked fewer questions than they do now. Sometimes Maggie reads to me. She
stumbles along good-naturedly but can't see well. She knows she is not bright. Like good looks and money, quickness passed her by. She will marry John Thomas (who has mossy teeth in an earnest face) and then I'll be free to sit here and I guess just sing church songs to myself. Although I never was a good singer. Never could carry a tune. I was
always better at a man's job. I used to love to milk till I was hooked in the side in '49. Cows are soothing and slow and don't bother you, unless you try to milk them the wrong way.
IV. Replace the following italicized words with more formal words or expressions:
1) even though she has told me once that she thinks orchids are tacky flowers.
2) like dimwits, w e seem to understand. ( )
3) and hanging from his chin like a kinky mule tail ( )
4) Impressed with her they worshiped her well-turned phrases 5) I heard Maggie go \"Uhnnnh\" again. ( )
6) It looks like Asalamalakim wants to shake hands but want to do it fancy. ( )
7) \"Well,\" said Asalamalakim, \"There you are.\" ( )
8) After I tripped over it two or three times he told me to just call him Hakim-a-barber. ( )
9) \"You must belong to the beef-cattle people down the road,\" I said. ( ) 10) She talked a blue streak over the sweet potatoes. ( )
V. Complete the following elliptical sentences: 1) Dee, though.
2) Never could carry a tune.
3) Like when you see the wriggling end of a snake just in front of your foot on the road.
4) Dee, next. A dress down to the ground, in this hot weather. 5) Earrings gold, too, and hanging down to her shoulders.
6) \"No, Mama,\" she says. \"Not 'Dee, ' Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!” 7) \"Why shouldn't I?\" I asked.
8)Always too busy: feeding the cattle, fixing the fences,putting up salt-lick shelters, throwing down the hay.
9) \"Uncle Buddy whittle that, too?\" asked the barber.
10) \"Imagine!\" she breathed again, clutching them to her bosom.
Ⅵ. The following sentences all contain metaphors or similes. Ex-plain their meaning in plain, non-figurative language.
1) I am the way my daughter would want me to be: ... my skin like an uncooked barley pancake.
2) It seems to me I have talked to them always with one foot raised in
flight.
3) Impressed with her they worshiped her well-turned phrases,the cute shape, the scalding humor that erupted like bubbles in lye.
4) He flew to marry a cheap city girl from a family of ignorant flashy people.
5) And she stops and tries to dig a well in the sand with her toe. 6) \"Maggie's brain is like an elephant's,” Wangero said, laughing.
7) You didn't even have to look close to see where hands pushing the dasher up and down to make butter had left a kind of sink in the wood. 8) \"Mama, \" Wangero said, sweet as a bird. 9) She gasped like a bee had stung her. 10) It's really a new day for us.
VII. Explain how the meaning of the sentences is affected when the italicized words are replaced by the words in brackets. Pay attention to the shades of meaning of the words.
1) It is like an extended living room. (large)
2) She will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs. (helplessly, embarrassed by)
3) Dee and I are suddenly brought together on a TV program of this sort. (like this one)
4) Out of a dark and soft-seated limousine I am ushered into a bright room filled with many people. (car)
5) Furtive boys in pink shirts hanging about on washday after school. (sly)
6) Bracelets dangling and making noises when she moves her arms up to shake the folds of the dress out of her armpits. (hanging)
7) After dinner Dee (Wangero) went to the trunk at the foot of my bed and started rifling through it. (suitcase, searching)
8) \"Imagine!\" she breathed again, clutching them closely to her bosom. (breathed)
VIII. The following are rhetorical questions requiring no answers. Turn them into statements without changing the main ideas.
1) A pleasant surprise, of course: What would they do if parent and child came on the show only to curse out and insult each other? 2) Who ever knew a Johnson with a quick tongue?
3) Who can ever imagine me looking a strange white man in the eye? 4) Why don't you do a dance around the ashes?
5) \"Why don't you take one or two of the others?” I asked.
IX. Choose the appropriate set phrase from the list below for each blank. Make changes where necessary.
to put up to bring up to bring together
to crop up to keep up with to hand down out of style with a style to stick to
by hand to hang to hang about to hang down to hang back to carry back
1) Serious trouble_______ when Martin thought the problem of his college education was solved.
2) The soldiers________ barricades of live wire around the whole area. 3) The work that Group A is doing is too difficult for me. I'm afraid that I won't be able to_________ them.
4) That matter was_______ at the Committee meeting that very afternoon.
5) I'm not sure that John and Mary can be______
6) He noticed several furtive and rough-looking guys_______ the bus stop.
7) Everyone approved of the project but when we asked for volunteers they all ______
8) A colored reproduction of Raphael ____________ on the wall over the fireplace.
9) The waterfall was running down from the high cliff so smoothly that it looked like a piece of silver cloth ________from the sky.
10) These ceremonies have been __________through the centuries, and remain practically unchanged.
11) What surprised me most was the amount of work still done____ 12) You can put that frock away, for it is already_____
13) All the paintings were exquisite. It was obvious that the artist did every one of them______
14) Did the letter arrive or through the post? 15) I've got some glue my fingers.
16) The sound of the seagull me to my childhood holidays to the seaside.
X. The narrator uses a number of images of animals in describing people or things. Point them out and then put them into Chinese.
XI. The narrator says, \"I never had an education myself.\" What are some of the characteristics of her use of language (such as choice of words, sentence structure and grammar) that suit this background of hers?
XII. Translate the following sentences into English, (using the following words or expressions- to look sb. in the eyes, to burn ... to the ground, to match, over, despite, to confront, to recompose, to imagine, to stick to, to trace ... to):
1)一场大火把贫民区三百多座房子夷为平地。
2)只要你为人正直，不怕失去什么，那你对任何人都不会畏惧。 3)尽管发了水灾，今年的农业生产损失并不严重。 4)这件衬衫与裙子的颜色和式样都不相配。 5)咱们一边喝咖啡一边谈这件事吧。
6)我怎么也不能想象你能做出不光彩的事来。 7)他无法想象为什么人们反对他的看法。 8)这位官员在下汽车时碰到两个恐怖分子。 9)只要我们坚持这些原则，我们就会成功。
10)这个消息使她大为震惊，但她很快就镇定了下来。 11）这段引文的来源很难查找到。
12）他们的生活方式可以追溯到一千多年前他们的祖先所开创的古老传统。
XIII. Topic for oral work: Compare the three women in the story.
XIV. Write a short composition on: My Family
习题全解
I .
1)In real life the mother was a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands.
2)Dee like her mother to have a slender figure and a fair skin, glistening hair and a quick and witty tongue.
3)When she meets a strange white man, she always avoids looking him in the eye and is ready to go away.
4)Maggie is an innocent, timid and kind-hearted girl.
5) Because they were more seriously looked down upon by white men at that time, and they were not as awaken as they are today. 6)Because Dee doesn't like her friends to see the poor state her family is in, which she thinks is shameful. This tells us that Dee is somewhat a snob. Another instance to prove this is that she wants nice things.
7)Because it was old and stitched by hand instead of by machine. So that she could use them for decoration showing to the people she was associated with.
8)Maggie wanted the quilt because she could remember her grandma better, who taught her to do needle work.
9)Because she wanted to get some valuable heritages of the family, mainly out of her vanity.
10)At first the mother liked Dee because of her beauty, taste, and education. But with the development of the story, her love was
transferred to a dislike because of Dee's egotism, which was obviously revealed when she insisted on taking the quilts while her sister Maggie gave up keeping it willingly to satisfy her desire.
11)It's implied that the story is written in honor of the grandma mentioned in it and that the ordinary old thing may be something precious for the young. Ⅱ.
1)She thinks that her sister has a firm control of her life. 2)She could always have anything she wanted, and life was extremely generous to her.
3)The popular TV talk show star, Johnny Carson, who is famous for his witty and glib tongue, has to try hard if he wants to catch up with me.
4)It seems to me that I have talked to them always ready to leave as quickly as possible.
5)She imposed on us lots of falsity.
6)imposed on us a lot of knowledge that is totally useless to us 7)She is not bright just as she is neither good-looking rich. 8)Dee wore a very long dress even on such a hot day.
9)You can see me trying to move my body a couple of seconds before I finally manage to push myself up.
10)Soon he knows that won't do for Maggie, so he stops trying to shake hands with Maggie.
11)As I see Dee is getting tired of this, I don't want to go on either. In fact, I could have traced it far back before the Civil War along the branches of the family tree.
12)Now and then he and Dee communicated through eye contact in a secretive way.
13)If Maggie put the old quilts on the bed, they would be in rags less than five years.
14)She knew this was God's arrangement.
Ⅲ. See the translation of the text. IV.
1)inelegant
2)a stupid person/a simpleton 3)tightly curled
4)expressed or worded well/felicitous 5)say (used to describe dialogue)
6)as if shake hands in a fancy and elaborate way 7)I knew you couldn't trace it further back
8)mispronounced, failed to pronounce it correctly
9)people who bred and fatten cattle for meat 10)talked much and rapidly V.
1)Dee, however, is not like me. 2)I could never carry a tune.
3)It was like the reaction you have when you see the wriggling end of a snake just in front of your foot on the road.
4)Dee comes out of the car next. She is wearing a dress long enough to touch the ground, in spite of this hot weather.
5)Her earrings are gold，too，and they are hanging down to her shoulders．
6)\"No，Mama，”she says \"My name is not Dee now，it has changed into Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo!”
7)“Why shouldn't I call you by your new name?'’ 8)Those people were always too busy：…
9)\"Did Uncle Buddy whittle that one, too?” asked the barber． 10)“Imagine that she did all the stitching by hand!” she breathed again，clutching them to her bosom． Ⅵ．
1)…my complexion had a smooth and creamy texture．
2)…uncomfortably and nervously，wanting to get away as soon as possible．
3)…the quick and great humor that would make everybody laugh immediately．
4)He wasted no time in marrying a contemptible city girl from a family of ignorant ostentatious and vulgar people． 5)…move her feet in great discomfort．
6)\"Maggie's brain is very slow，”Wangero said, laughing． 7)…slightly sunken areas．
8)\"Mama，”Wangero said in an extremely sweet voice． 9)She breathed suddenly in painful surprise．
10)For us colored people。this is a new era。and we must seize our opportunities． Ⅶ．
1)extended意为“加长的”、“加大的”；large指空间大，宽敞。
2)hopelessly指没有希望或指望；helpless指没人帮助或保护；ashamed指因为自卑感而感到卑微或尴尬；embarrassed指感到不自在，举止失态。 3)of this sort带有贬义，暗示这种电视节目质量低劣，档次不高；like this one无贬义。
4)limousine是大型豪华轿车，由一专职司机驾驶，有一玻璃板把司机与乘客隔开；car可指各种汽车。
5)furtive 俩。指做事偷偷摸摸，心中有鬼；sly指长于欺骗，玩弄伎俩。 6)dangling意为在空中摇荡；hanging指把东西挂起来。
7)trunk指存放东西或旅行用的大箱子，用木头或别的材料做成；suitcase指放衣服的旅行箱，常由皮革类材料制造。rifling意为抢劫或掠夺(在这里是一种夸张，说明母亲Dee的行为很不满)；search是一个通用的词，不带感情色彩。
8)breathe意思是轻声地说，低语；breathe again是固定词组,意为如释重负，松了一口气。 Ⅷ．
1)A pleasant surprise，of course．This is much better than a
situation in which the parent and child came on the show only to curse out and insult each other．
2)None of the Johnsons had a quick tongue．
3)I could never possibly look a strange white man in the eye. 4)1 know you hated the house and so you are very glad to see the house being burnt down．
5)You may take one or two of the other quilts． Ⅸ．
1)cropped up 2)put up 3)keep up with 4)brought up 5)brought together 6)hanging about 7)hung back 8)hung 9)hanging down 10)handed down 11)by hand 12)out of style 13)with a style 14)by hand 15)stuck to 16)carried back Ⅹ．
1)hog猪 2)bull calf小公牛 3)dog狗 4)cow奶牛 5)mule骡子 6)snake蛇 7)sheep羊 8)lizard蜥蜴 9)fish鱼 lO)cattle牛 Ⅺ．Since she never had an education herself，she tended to use simple words，fragmented sentences and other ungrammatical sentences．To give one example。she used “like” to introduce a clause instead of “as”．
XII．
1)A big fire burned to the ground more than 300 homes in the slum neighborhood.
2)If you are upright and not afraid of losing anything, you will be able to look anyone in the eye.
3) Despite the flood, the losses in agricultural production were not that serious.
4) This blouse doesn't match the color or the style of the skirt.
5)Let's talk about the matter over a cup of coffee. 6)I can't imagine you doing disgraceful things.
7)He couldn't imagine why people were opposed to his suggestions. 8)Stepping off from the car, the official was confronted by two terrorists.
9)As long as we stick to these principles, we will surely be successful.
10)She was shocked at the news, but before long she recomposed herself.
ll)It is very difficult to trace this quotation to its source.
12)Their way of life could be traced to the ancient traditions handed down to them by their ancestors more than one thousand years ago.
XlII. Omitted.
XlV.
My Family
Ours is a big family. My father is a worker who lives in a lo-cal city. Both my oldest uncle and second uncle set up house-keeping in the countryside. My youngest uncle is a teacher and lives far from us. Great changes have taken place in my family since the beginning of the reform and opening policy.
In the late 1970s, our big family had a get-together and discussed the problem of my grandma's residence. Those were hard times. No one took the initiative to live with her. Each family had a skeleton in the cupboard. Oldest uncle had room only e-n0ugh to shelter them from the wind and rain. He had to tighten his belt to keep the family pot boiling. Second uncle had nothing but four bare walls to face and led a dog's life. Youngest uncle was said to be living in a dormitory and couldn't even afford a trip back. My father lived in a bungalow which was a doll's house thing and had to eke out our livelihood. But it was better anyway. My grandma lived on with us.
Such was my family at that time. Each family of the big ex-tended family was in financial straits.
In the early 1990s, my big clan held another family meeting and still my grandma's residence was discussed. But great changes had occurred. Each smaller family was \"fighting\" for the chance to live with grandma. The meeting began in a merry atmosphere. My father started, \"The government has established a system of floor wages and ceiling working hours. We have a steady income and regular leisure time. Besides, we have a well-furnitured apartment. \" Oldest uncle hastened, \"The state has legalized us to be engaged in
household sideline production, so I have set up a small but rather
profitable poultry farm. Moreover, there is more spacious room. \" Second uncle would't fall behind, \"I have contracted to run a large stretch of land and engage many farm hands. I profit a lot from it. I have more leisure time. \" Eventually, as regards the peace in the country-side, my grandma moved to second uncle, youngest uncle took a flight back and told us he had just bought a flat.
That was my family about 10 years later. Each smaller family lived in abundance.
Now, oldest uncle is manager of a large-scale poultry farm and second uncle's farm has been mechanized.
To sum up, the spring wind of the reform and opening policy has led to great changes and my family is well on the way toprosperity.
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