Born a Crime 20171005 Chapter 4

Words and Expressions

1.bridge n.桥，桥梁  v. To reduce or get rid of the difference between two things.通常会说:bridge a gap

原文: I soon learned the quickest way to bridge the race gap was through language.我很快了解到，缩小种族之间差距的最快的方法是通过文化来完成的。

对比曾经在东北的四年求学，语言这个东西，真的太重要了。哪里听到有人说类似家乡话的语言，我都会很兴奋，很激动的去和别人打招呼，问问是不是老乡。我想，这也是一种文化认同吧。

2.give u a leg up

原文: If you are in South Africa, speaking English is the one thing that can give you a leg up.

释义:To offer you some timely help to improve your situation.

相似表达:do you a fever, lend you a hand.

3. be versed in

原文: As a naughty child, I was well versed in Xhosa threats.

释义: Be good at, be proficient at

造句: He knows he is poorly versed in English, but he still tries to learn it as hard as he can.

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【感想】

1.关于篇章标题Chameleon

在Pre-reading阶段，初见这个标题，我猜测，本章会不会像上一章里面讲shit一样，会不会讲的是生态环境中的Chameleon，然后和作者童年的生活的关系。可是没想到本文却是讲的作者与母亲能说多种语言，来保护自己。讲的语言、文化以及文化认同感、语言认同感。

2.语言的朗朗上口

作者不愧是一个喜剧演员，一个著名节目主持人，在文章的遣词造句上颇有讲究，尤其是讲究押韵，讲究朗朗上口。比如:She believed if you spare the rod, you spoil the child.这里，spare和spoil相对应，rod he child相对应。这样的句子，让文章读起来朗朗上口。