The Gay Genius 苏东坡传 CH2眉山

图片发自App

1. Vocabulary

1.1 Possessing a high intelligence, severe in temperament, independent in mind, and crotchety in character, Su Shun was not a man easy to get along with.

crotchety /ˈkrɒtʃɪtɪ/

A crotchety person is bad-tempered and easily irritated. 坏脾气的; 易怒的

仿写：

He is a crotchety old man.

1.2 It seems that there was enough ruggedness in this individual to resist coercion and resent the formal education of those times.

rugged /ˈrʌɡɪd/ 

A rugged area of land is uneven and covered with rocks, with few trees or plants. 崎岖多岩的

仿写：

We bumped our way over a rugged mountainous terrain.

If you describe someone's character as rugged, you mean that they are strong and determined, and have the ability to cope with difficult situations. 坚毅的

Ruggedness 名词 坚毅

1.3 He did achieve such a high literary fame, a fame which was by no means totally eclipsed by his brilliant sons.

eclipse /ɪˈklɪps/ 

If one thing is eclipsed by a second thing that is bigger, newer, or more important than it, the first thing is no longer noticed because the second thing gets all the attention. 使黯然失色

仿写：

The programme has been eclipsed by other pressing needs.

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2. Guiding Questions

2.1 The central question that the author answered in this chapter is the birth place and family background of Su Tungpo. Su Tungpo was born in Meishan, a small town in Sichuan. His family is richer than the average middle-class family, owning lands and servants. His grandfather was kind and generous, who was illiterate, but a rather extraordinary personality. Su Tungpo’s farther, Su Shun, is known to this day as the one great scholar who did not seriously begin to study until he was twenty-seven. 

2.2 Sentences

The Min River, coming down from the northwestern mountains of the western aborigines, rushes down in a big and deep torrent and, joining another river coming down from the Omei, makes a straight dash for the Giant Stone Buddha of Loshan, where the river then turns gradually southeast and then east to flow directly into the China Sea.

在敬佩苏东坡的同时，也不得不叹服林语堂的英文写作功底。这一句话，给我们展现一幅栩栩如生的画面。岷江自西北原始部落聚居的山岭上，汹涌澎湃而至，与来自峨眉的另一河流汇合后，直奔乐山大佛，洪流折向东南，然后向东汇入大海。

The river received its name from its color, for it was a deep crystal blue in winter, while in summer the torrents coming down from the mountains turned it into a murky yellow.

这一句描写玻璃江，表颜色词用的非常美妙。玻璃江因其水色而得名，冬季，水色晶莹深蓝；夏季，急流自山峦间奔流而至，水色深黄。

Entering the gate, one faced a green painted screen which shut out the view of the interior from the passers-by.

以前去参观故居时，进入大门后，迎面便是一道墙，还不知道是做什么用的，原来是叫影壁，为的是路过行人不至于看见住宅的内部

The intellectual brilliance of this illiterate old man, which lay dormant in his blood, was to blossom forth in all its power and glory in his son's sons.

前文介绍了苏东坡的祖父，是一位心地善良，慷慨大方，思想开通的长者，虽不识字，但其被掩盖的才华在儿子的儿子身上显现出来。

Su Tungpo's father, Su Shun, was a reticent man, and as far as his political ambitions were concerned, he died disappointed, although his hopes for literary and official honors were realized in the persons of his two sons before he died.

这一句介绍了苏东坡的父亲苏洵，沉默寡言，政治上的抱负难以实现，抑郁终身，不过在去世之前，他的愿望在两个儿子身上实现了。

3. Reflection

今年夏天去四川旅游时，去了成都、峨眉、乐山等地，但很遗憾没有去眉山，以后有机会一定要去眉山，瞻仰一下苏东坡的故居。

He is known to this day as the one great scholar who did not seriously begin to study until he was twenty-seven. This is usually pointed out to young children as an example to prove that with determination and industry, success always awaits a man.

书中的这段话，给我留下很深印象。我们都知道，苏洵少不喜学，二十七岁才发奋读书，成为一个有学问的人。后来的人常举这件事来鼓励年轻人，只要勤勉奋发，终会成功的。

And the fact is, Su Shun had full opportunity to learn to read and write in childhood; it seems that there was enough ruggedness in this individual to resist coercion and resent the formal education of those times.

事实上，苏洵在童年并非没有读书学习机会，而似乎是，苏洵个性强烈，不服管教，必又痛恨那个时代的正式教育方式。我想，有时个性强烈也并非是好事。若因看不惯教育模式或考试制度而放弃学习或罢考，最终耽误的是自己的前程。好在苏洵二十七岁时醒悟过来，开始奋发读书，并在其影响下，两个儿子从小颇为用功，逐渐展露才华，最后父子三人都取得很高的成就。