Unit 1

The Temptation of a Respectable Woman

Background Information:

Meaning of love Though love is a variety of feelings and involves a

variety of things, the varieties themselves can be meaningfully explained and described, and they can be explained and described simply in terms of everyday experience rather than in scientific jargon or theory. The following show people’s understanding of true love: love is a

Part V (Para. 22-24): Before the year ended, Mrs. Baroda proposed, from the bo

ttom of her heart, to have Gouvernail visit them again. For she had overcome everything, including the temptation.

Background Information:

feeling or kind of attraction; love represents a magnetic attraction between two people; love is a feeling of high emotional affiliation which sends a person’s ego to dizzying heights. Besides, love has more to do with companionship and compatibility: love is the physical and mental compatibility of two people; love is the end result of a mature union of two compatible personalities.

Text Structure Analysis:

Part One(Para.1): Mrs. Baroda was unhappy to know that Gouvern

ail, her husband’s friend, would come to stay on their plantation.

Part II (Para. 2-10): Mrs. Baroda felt puzzled about Gouvernail’s quiet

personality and disappointed at being unable to penetrate his silence.

.

Part III (Para. 11-20): One night Gouvernail came to sit beside Mrs. Baro

da and talked about his past and present. His talk and voice was so great an appeal to her that she desired to touch him. But, she withstood the temptation and chose to stay away from her house.

Part IV (Para. 21): Despite her husband’s strong desire for Gouvernail’s an

other visit, Mrs. Baroda was bitterly opposed to it, which implies her further struggle against the temptation.

Part V (Para. 22-24): Before the year ended, Mrs. Baroda proposed, from the bo

ttom of her heart, to have Gouvernail visit them again. For she had overcome everything, including the temptation.

At first, Mrs. Baroda didn’t like her husband’s friend, Gouvernail, whom she found far from a man of wit but a dull man hard to read. One night, however, a conversation between them opened up and revealed his true personality, which proved to be a strong temptation to her, a respectable woman. But in the end, she withstood and overcame that temptation.

Summary of the Text

only to find that penetrate no better than for the most part for my part nuisance count on/upon the last thing run down in no sense melt upright sensible yield to propose

Words and Expressions

Explanation this sentence involves an infinitive as adverbial to express sth. (usu.unpleasant) happens unexpectedly

The solider went home on leave ， only to find his father died.

They lifted the stone ， only to drop it on their own feet.

1. L

1. She left her husband and his guest ，… only to find that Gouvernail hardly noticed her absence(para.2,line 4)

2. penetrate: vt understand or discover sth .difficult or hidden. ; go into or through sth. (para2)

I could not penetrate the mystery . 我不能洞察这个秘密。

These fine particles penetrate deep into the lungs. 这些细小的微粒会进入肺部。

3. no better than : used as an adverb before comparatives, means “ not at all “(para2 )

The result of exam is no better than the last time. 这次考试成绩并不比上次好。

No more…. than : He is no more a worker than a teacher. 他既不是工人也不是老师

4. for the most part2: in general; mostly (para) For the most part, he is honest. 总的来说，他是诚实的。

The people of this town are, for the most part, quiet and well-behaved.

这个镇上的人大多温文尔雅，彬彬有礼。

5. for my part: : personally, as for me (Para3)

For my part, I’m quite satisfied with the arrangement.

对我来说，我对这一安排相当满意。 For my part, I think he is innocent. 在我看来，我认为他是无辜的。

6. nuisance : usu. Sing. a thing, person or situation that is annoying (Para3)

The noise was so loud that it was a nuisance to the neighbors.

噪音太大，妨害四邻。

He’s always making a nuisance of himself. 他总是招人讨厌。

7. count on/upon: expect with confidence; rely on (Para7)

We’re counting on winning this contract. 我们希望能争取到这个合同。

I’m counting on you to help me. 我正指望你来帮我。

8. the last thing : the least desirable thing (Para7 )

The last thing we need is to have the Police involved.

我们非常不情愿警察参与进来。

The boy is too noisy that he is the last to the old lady.

这个小男孩太吵了，老太太最不希望看到他。

9. run down : decline in physical condition;

weaken in mind or vigor (Para9) His health ran down to a dangerous level. 他的健康

状况到了危险的状况。

The heavy work. almost ran her down. 繁重的工作几乎把她累垮了。

cf: run out (of) run after, run into We have run out of water. He is keen to run after money and fame.

10. in no sense : not at all (Para15) In no sense the issue be said to be resolved. 这事根本没有解决。

His mind was in no sense brilliant. 他一点也不聪明。

11. melt: v slowly go away or disappear; (feelings ，etc) become softer or less strong (para15)

The sun melted the fog. 日出雾散。

He only has to look at her ， and she melts. 他必须看着她，她变得温顺起来。

12. upright: honest and responsible and moral(para19)

The young man was upright in his business. 这个年轻人做生意很正直。

The guards stood upright at the gate. 卫兵笔直地站立在门前。

13. sensible: reasonable (para 10) sensitive: easily upset

It was sensible of her to cancel the trip. 她取消了这次旅行是很理智的。

Sex education and birth control are sensitive issues for the movement.

性教育和计划生育是该运动中的敏感问题。

14. yield to: allow oneself to be overcome , stop opposing (Para19)

We will never yield to force. 我们绝不向暴力屈服。

Plenty of mysteries have lasted for centuries and finally yielded to explanation.

许多持续了数百年的谜最终得到了破解。

15. propose: suggest a plan; ask sb to marry one (Para22)

The government proposed changes to the voting system.

政府提出对选举体制进行修改。

He proposed to her on bended knees. 他跪下来向她求婚。

Questions for discussion

Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.

1. Discuss the true meaning of LOVE in groups, with Section C as references.

2. Discuss what you’ll behave if you dislike your partner’s friend to stay at your home.

Writing: Meditations Derived from an Occurrence

1. 简述某一故事 / 事故 / 经历 2. 分析其意义 / 原因 / 影响 3. 提出合理的建议

Model

1) The story/accident/occurrence took place one day when… 2) As…, … so… that...

3) But… in time to… 4) The enlightenment/insight gleaned from t

he occurrence— … —holds much significance for our reality ( 意义分析 ). 5) With an ever-surging wave of change, as we all know, our life is now being exposed to more… than ever. 6 ） Although…, for example, you still…7) Much evidence shows that many of us,

Model

dazzled with…, tend to…, only to…8) So the best way out of such a dilemma is…

9) To achieve that/make it, however, there is much that must be done about… 10) The first thing of the first is…( 建议 I) 11) Then all there is left with us is… ( 建议 II) 12) As long as…, nothing will distract us away from…( 结论句 )

Model

( 附加 ) 4) The lesson learned from the accident is so distressing, but the most pressing for us now is to get to its root. ( 原因分析 ) 5) The primary cause for it, in my opinion, is… 6) Another cause rests with…7) And above all, … 8) So the best way to prevent such a tragedy is…

Writing exercise

Meditations on Mrs. Baroda’s Story 1) Brief Mrs. Baroda’s story. 2 ） Analyze its significance. 3 ） How to tackle temptation?