Reading Notes_The Gay Genius_Chapter 4

Part 1 读后感悟

本章是苏的人生中很大转折点！进京赶考，夺得高名。补了一些殿试的细节：头年5月准备秋季的初考，再准备第二年春季的殿试。考试当天，半夜起身，带着简餐冷食，各自关在斗室里，皇宫侍卫看守。考后，试卷还需书记重新抄一遍，把名字抹去，以求公正。考生出考场，判卷官员就立马入宫中闺场，杜绝一切接触。

另外还补了一个细节，就是苏的母亲死前都不知道他们大获成功的好消息。戴孝居然戴了27个月。这是个难得的gap year啊！这时，苏东坡刚刚20出头。且颇受欧阳修的赏识。读到这里，居然明白了第二章所提起的，当回看一个人的一生时，才意识到诸多的人生节点，相互的关联，命运的注定。而所谓 尽全力，和，知天命，到底什么才能引领自己向前呢？也许，我们毕竟无法预见命运，只能推动它，探索它。

Part 2 Sentences

It is not by any means implied that mistakes were not made by parents in arranging their children's marriages, or that a higher percentage of happy marriages ensued; all marriages, however arranged, are a gamble and an adventure upon an uncharted sea.

这里我在学 by any means 的用法，意为“无论如何”。和“in any case"相似。

uncharted sea, 一望无垠，充满未知的海洋。

This threw the old man into consternation.

Here I really like the verb - throw. It describes a situation making the old man very terrified in a sudden, without any expectation or foreseeing. 

On reading Su's letter, somehow I perspired all over with joy.

perspire all over with joy. 似乎也有激动得汗毛都立起来了的感觉！很喜欢这个描写。Kinda like - over the moon! 

Part 3 Words and Expressions

submit- I submit myself to the disgrace. 我把我【置身】在不雅中。

swarm- The streets swarmed with people. 充满。

也有climb的意思。swarm up a pole.

除了动词，也有  a swarm of 形容很多，也可专门形容昆虫的成群。

shudder- my heart shudders. 

每次看到好的动词都感到 perspire all over with joy, like having some little gems.