不衹閲讀|第一期·1Pride and Prejudice

Posted 2021-04-29 不衹閲讀

Pride&Prejudice

Introduction

Pride and Prejudice

one of the most popular novels in English Literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and paved the way for many archetypes that abound in modern literature

A love story between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy 

The protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, learns the error of making hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential. 

The comedy of the writing lies in the depiction of manners, education, marriage, and money during the British Regency* period.

*tip:

The Regency (1795-1837) in Great Britain was a period when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent. On the death of George III in 1820, the Prince Regent became George IV. It ended in 1837 when Queen Victoria succeeded William IV. Jane Austen major works were published in this period.

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Section 1 The following passage is excerpt from the beginning of Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Bingley, a wealthy man from North England, was about to settle in Netherfield Park. Mrs. Bennet, a mother of five daughters, heard of the news and started a conversation with her husband Mr. Bennet.  

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be, on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixedin the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. 

‘My dear Mr Bennet,’ said his lady to him one day, ‘have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?’ 

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. 

‘But it is,’ returned she; ‘for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.’ 

Mr. Bennet made no answer. 

‘Do not you want to know who has taken it?’ cried his wife impatiently. 

‘You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.’ 

This was invitation enough. 

‘Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.’ 

‘What is his name?’
‘Bingley.’
‘Is he married or single?’
‘Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!’
‘How so? how can it affect them?’
‘My dear Mr. Bennet,’ replied his wife, ‘how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.’ 

‘Is that his design in settling here?’ 

‘Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.’ 

‘I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley might like you the best of the party.’ 

字数：387

 Vocabulary

1. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be: 即便这样男子的感受、观点很少为人所知。

2. so well fixed: 根深蒂固

3. the rightful property: 理所应当的财产

4. Michaelmas: 米迦勒节，纪念天使长米迦勒的节日。西方教会定于9月29日，东正教会定于11月8日。其日期恰逢西欧许多地区秋收季节，节日纪念活动十分隆重。

5. tiresome: 无聊的

6. handsome: 形容女子端庄健美

Questions:

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. a man and people's opinion about him

B. a discussion about marriage between a couple

C. a lady who admired a young man of large fortune

D. the dismay future of some ladies

 

2. Over the course of the passage, the author mainly shifts from a

A. a general description of a phenomenon to a specific discussion

B. a general statement of a father to the disagreement of his wife

C. a discussion between a couple to a special meeting of their daughters

D. a tale of a handsome young man to the difficult situation

3. As used in the last paragraph, "handsome" most nearly means

A. handy

B. considerable

C. agreeable

D. good-looking

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