The Gay Genius |Chapter 19阅读笔记

《苏东坡传》

1. 中文感悟

看到了苏东坡被提拔很舒心，有能力有才华又关心百姓疾苦的人终于得到了应有的重用。

2. guiding task

Q: What was Su Tungpo's life like after he was promoted by the Empress?

A: Su Tungpo moved to the capital and rose from the seventh rank to the fourth rank in a short period and ended with the third rank. His brother and friends also got promoted. Su and his family enjoyed the life in the capital and he then was at the height of fame.

interesting sentence:

As a matter of fact, there is not very much difference in actual happiness between living in a luxurious life and a simple one.

On happiness, different people may have all kinds of different opinions, but usually there is no much difference between living in a luxurious life and a simple one. Living in a luxurious, people can have high-standard material enjoyment, but may have other worries while living in a simple life people may have more worries in economy but can also have little happiness. Hence, no matter we are rich or poor, we can still have our own happiness. The point is how we treat our life.

3. 词汇学习

The family began now to enjoy the new life of the capital, a far cry from the farm at Huangchow.

a far cry

大不相同；遥远的距离；悬殊

eg: Our life in the big city is a far cry from theirs in the poor mountain village.

Su Tungpo preferred to give dinners at home, and restaurants competed in catering for home dinners.

cater      v.

to provide food and drinks for a special event 提供饮食，承办酒席

eg: Who will cater for the wedding?

He was famished, and thought of a way to get some bread to eat.

famished    adj.

If you are famished, you are very hungry. 极饥饿的 [非正式] [usu v-link ADJ]

eg: Could you give me something to eat? Anything you can get now. I'm famished.

... and whilehe did not seem exactly cut out for a premier, it was generally admitted that as a personality he towered head and shoulders above the entire officialdom.

head and shoulders above              adv.

远远超出；大大胜过

eg: In writing, Mike is head and shoulders above the others in his class.

The scholar's face beamed with pride.

beam      v.

If you say that someone is beaming, you mean that they have a big smile on their face because they are happy, pleased, or proud about something. 绽开笑容 [书面]

eg: He always beams with satisfaction.