大学英语精读第二册第2课内容讲解
导语:大学英语精读是提供大学学习英语的教材。下面YJBYS小编分享一篇当中的英语文章,欢迎阅读!
TEXTA heated discussion about whether men are braver than women is settled in a rather unexpected way.
The Dinner Party
I first heard this tale in India, where is told as if true -- though any naturalist would know it couldn't be. Later someone told me that the story appeared in a magazine shortly before the First World War. That magazine story, and the person who wrote it, I have never been able to track down.
The country is India. A colonial official and his wife are giving a large dinner party. They are seated with their guests -- officers and their wives, and a visiting American naturalist -- in their spacious dining room, which has a bare marble floor, open rafters and wide glass doors opening onto a veranda.
A spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who says that women have outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a major who says that they haven't.
"A woman's reaction in any crisis," the major says, "is to scream. And while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of control than a woman has. And that last ounce is what really counts."
The American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly. She motions to the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers something to him. The boy's eyes widen: he quickly leaves the room.
Of the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
The American comes to with a start. In India, milk in a bowl means only one thing -- bait for a snake. He realizes there must be a cobra in the room. He looks up at the rafters -- the likeliest place -- but they are bare. Three corners of the room are empty, and in the fourth the servants are waiting to serve the next course. There is only one place left -- under the table.
His first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his voice so commanding that it silences everyone.
"I want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count three hundred -- that's five minutes -- and not one of you is to move a muscle. Those who move will forfeit 50 rupees. Ready?"
The 20 people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying " hundred and eighty..." when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda doors safely shut.
"You were right, Major!" the host exclaims. "A man has just shown us an example of perfect self-control."
"Just a minute," the American says, turning to his hostess. "Mrs. Wynnes, how did you know that cobra was in the room?"
A faint smile lights up the woman's face as she replies: "Because it was crawling across my foot."
NEW WORDSheated
a. with strong, excited, and often angry feelings 热烈的;激烈的
unexpected
a. not expected 意外的
naturalist
n. one who makes a special study of plants or animals outdoors 博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者)
shortly
ad. Soon; (in) a little time 不久,马上
colonial]
a. of or related to a colony or colonies 殖民地的
spacious
a. big; having much space 广阔的.;宽阔的
dining
n. 餐厅
bare
a. not covered (with a carpet); empty 不铺地毯的;赤裸的;光秃的
marble
n. 大理石
rafter
n. one of the sloping beams that support 椽
onto
prep. to a position or point on 到...之上; 向...之上
veranda
n. 阳台
spirited
a. full of spirit; lively
outgrow
vt. leave behind, as one grows older or more mature 长大得使...不再适用; 成长得不再要
mouse
n. 鼠
era
n. 时代,年代
major
n. 少校
crisis
n. time of difficulty, danger, etc. 危机
ounce
n. 盎司;少量
argument
n. discussion by persons who disagree; dispute 争论;辩论
hostess
n. 女主人
muscle
n. 肌肉
contract
vi. become shorter or smaller 收缩
contraction
n.
slightly
ad. a little 稍微地
slight
a.
motion
vi. give a signal by moving the hand or head 打手势;点(或摇)头示意
widen
v. make or become wider
bait
n. food used to attract fish, animals, or birds so that they may be caught 诱饵
cobra
n. poisonous snake found in India and Africa 眼镜蛇
likely
a. probable 可能的
impulse
n. sudden wish to do sth. 冲动
commotion
n. noisy confusion or excitement 混乱;骚动
tone
n. quality of voice or music 语气;音调
commanding
a. authoritative 威严的
forfeit
vt. suffer the loss of (sth.) as a punishment (作为惩罚而)失去
rupee
n. monetary unit of India, Pakistan, etc. 卢比
image
n. statue 雕像
emerge
vi. come or appear (from somewhere)
emergence
n.
slam
vt. shut loudly and with force 砰地关上
host
n. man who receives guests 男主人
faint
a. weak, indistinct 微弱的;不明显的
crawl
vi move slowly by pulling the body along the ground 爬行
-
【精华】我的大学英语作文集合六篇
在我们平凡的日常里,大家或多或少都会接触过作文吧,作文是经过人的思想考虑和语言组织,通过文字来表达一个主题意义的记叙方法。那么你有了解过作文吗?下面是小编帮大家整理的我的大学英语作文6篇,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。我的'大学英语作文篇11.myjobisacolleg...
-
大学英语社团活动总结9篇
总结是指对某一阶段的工作、学习或思想中的经验或情况加以总结和概括的书面材料,他能够提升我们的书面表达能力,因此我们要做好归纳,写好总结。你所见过的总结应该是什么样的?以下是小编为大家收集的大学英语社团活动总结,供大家参考借鉴,希望可以帮助到有需要的朋友...
-
大学生英语求职信15篇
时间流逝得如此之快,前方等待着我们的将是新的工作机会和挑战,是时候好好地琢磨一下写求职信的事情了哦。一定要好好重视求职信喔!以下是小编帮大家整理的大学生英语求职信,欢迎阅读,希望大家能够喜欢。大学生英语求职信1____经理:您好!感谢您抽出宝贵时间来阅读我的...
-
大学英语自我介绍集合15篇
初到一个新的环境,时常要进行自我介绍,自我介绍是认识自我的手段。那么什么样的自我介绍才合适呢?以下是小编收集整理的大学英语自我介绍,欢迎大家借鉴与参考,希望对大家有所帮助。大学英语自我介绍1goodmorning,mynameisjack,itisreallyagreathonortohavethisoppor...