Lesson 9
Mark
Twain ---
Mirror of
America
I.
Aims and Demands:
a. Objective of teaching
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To comprehend the whole text
To lean and master the vocabulary and
expressions
To learn to paraphrase the difficult sentences
To understand the structure of the text
To appreciate the style and rhetoric of the
passage.
b. Difficult and Important Points
Rhetorical devices , some words and
expressions ,as well as some sentences
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How do you understand the title?
"Mirror" here is used figuratively, which means a
person who gives a true representation or description
of the country. Generally, all literary giants in human
history are also great historians, thinkers, and
philosophers in a sense. Their works often reveal
more truth than many political essays put together.
Mark Twain was one of these giants, and his life and
works are a mirror of America of his time.
Questions for Text Understanding
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1. What is a biography?
2. If you were asked to write a biography of
sb., how are you going to arrange all the
material available. What is the general way
of writing a biography?
3. What kind of language do you expect to
encounter and why?
4. What is the author's appraisal of Mark
Twain?
5. Who was Mark Twain ? What had
he been before he became an author?
And where did his pen name come
from?
 6. Say something about the historical
background of Mark Twain's time.
 7. How many stages do you think the
author divide Mark Twain's life into?
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II. Background Information:
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1. National Geographic Magazine, with a
circulation of more than 10 million copies
annually, is the third biggest only next to
TV Guide and Reader's Digest (more
than 16 million ). It is a monthly journal
run by the National Geographic Society
based in Washington DC, a non-profit
scientific and educational organization.
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2. Mark Twain (1835-1910)
Mark Twain works are enjoyed worldwide. His real name
was Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he was born the
30th of November 1835, in the village of Florida, Monroe
County, Missouri. After his father's death in 1847, Twain
was apprenticed to a printer and wrote for his brother's
newspaper. Later, Twain worked as a licensed Mississippi
riverboat pilot, adopting his name from the call ('Mark
twain!' - meaning by the mark of two fathoms) used
when sounding river shallows. After the Civil War
brought an end to the steamboat traffic, Clemens moved
to Virginia City. On February 3, 1863, 'Mark Twain' was
born when he signed a humorous travel account with his
new name.
His Life Experience
In 1864 Twain went to San Francisco to work as a reporter. He
traveled in France and Italy and his experiences were
recorded in 1869 in THE INNOCENTS ABROAD, which
brought him wide popularity, and made fun at both American
and European prejudices and manners.
In 1870 he married Olivia Langdon. Together they relocated
to Hartford a year later. Meanwhile, Twain continued to
lecture in the United States and England. Between 1876 and
1884 he published several masterpieces, including Tom
Sawyer, the Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi,
and Huckleberry Finn.
In the 1890s Twain lost most of his earnings in financial
speculations and in the downhill of his own publishing firm.
The death of his wife and his second daughter brought a
sense of gloom in the author's later years, which is seen in
writings and his autobiography. Twain died on April 21, 1910.
3. A biography is, by definition, an account
of someone's life that has been written by
someone else. Or a written history of
someone's life.
 Generally, a biography is about sb. who
enjoys certain reputation, who has acquired
certain fame by his / her success in certain
area. The protagonist can be a positive or
negative character.
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4. The American Civil War
The American Civil War was a four-year armed conflict
between northern and southern sections of the United
State. The fighting began April 12,1861, and lasted until
May 1865. The North and the South had disagreed with
each other on many issues.
The war went on for 4 bitter years, with ups and downs
on both sides. The turning point of the war is the Battle
of Gettysburg. Finally the Confederate army had to
surrender, ending the war in 1865. As a result of the way,
slavery was abolished and the Union was preserved.
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5.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Plot Overview
An imaginative and mischievous boy named Tom Sawyer lives with
his Aunt Polly and his half-brother, Sid, in the Mississippi River town
of St. Petersburg, Missouri. After playing hooky from school on
Friday and dirtying his clothes in a fight, Tom is made to whitewash
the fence as punishment on Saturday. At first, Tom is disappointed
by having to forfeit his day off. However, he soon cleverly persuades
his friends to trade him small treasures for the privilege of doing his
work. He trades these treasures for tickets given out in Sunday
school for memorizing Bible verses and uses the tickets to claim a
Bible as a prize. He loses much of his glory, however, when, in
response to a question to show off his knowledge, he incorrectly
answers that the first two disciples were David and Goliath.
Tom falls in love with Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town, and persuades her to
get “engaged” to him. Their romance collapses when she learns that Tom
has been engaged before—to a girl named Amy Lawrence. Shortly after
being shunned by Becky, Tom accompanies Huckleberry Finn, the son of the
town drunk, to the graveyard at night to try out a “cure” for warts. At the
graveyard, they witness the murder of young Dr. Robinson by the Native
American “half-breed” Injun Joe Scared, Tom and Huck run away and swear
a blood oath not to tell anyone what they have seen. Injun Joe blames his
companion, Muff Potter, a hapless drunk, for the crime. Potter is wrongfully
arrested, and Tom’s anxiety and guilt begin to grow.
Tom, Huck, and Tom’s friend Joe Harper run away to an island to become
pirates. While frolicking around and enjoying their newfound freedom, the
boys become aware that the community is sounding the river for their
bodies. Tom sneaks back home one night to observe the commotion. After
a brief moment of remorse at the suffering of his loved ones, Tom is struck
by the idea of appearing at his funeral and surprising everyone. He
persuades Joe and Huck to do the same. Their return is met with great
rejoicing, and they become the envy and admiration of all their friends.
Back in school, Tom gets himself back in Becky’s favor after he nobly accepts the blame
for a book that she has ripped. Soon Muff Potter’s trial begins, and Tom, overcome by
guilt, testifies against Injun Joe. Potter is acquitted, but Injun Joe flees the courtroom
through a window.
Summer arrives, and Tom and Huck go hunting for buried treasure in a haunted house.
After venturing upstairs they hear a noise below. Peering through holes in the floor,
they see Injun Joe enter the house disguised as a deaf and mute Spaniard. He and
his companion, an unkempt man, plan to bury some stolen treasure of their own.
From their hiding spot, Tom and Huck wriggle with delight at the prospect of digging
it up. By an amazing coincidence, Injun Joe and his partner find a buried box of gold
themselves. When they see Tom and Huck’s tools, they become suspicious that
someone is sharing their hiding place and carry the gold off instead of reburying it.
Huck begins to shadow Injun Joe every night, watching for an opportunity to nab the
gold. Meanwhile, Tom goes on a picnic to McDougal’s Cave with Becky and their
classmates. That same night, Huck sees Injun Joe and his partner making off with a
box. He follows and overhears their plans to attack the Widow Douglas, a kind
resident of St. Petersburg. By running to fetch help, Huck forestalls the violence and
becomes an anonymous hero.
Tom and Becky get lost in the cave, and their absence is not discovered
until the following morning. The men of the town begin to search
for them, but to no avail. Tom and Becky run out of food and
candles and begin to weaken. The horror of the situation increases
when Tom, looking for a way out of the cave, happens upon Injun
Joe, who is using the cave as a hideout. Eventually, just as the
searchers are giving up, Tom finds a way out. The town celebrates,
and Becky’s father, Judge Thatcher, locks up the cave. Injun Joe,
trapped inside, starves to death.
A week later, Tom takes Huck to the cave and they find the box of
gold, the proceeds of which are invested for them. The Widow
Douglas adopts Huck, and, when Huck attempts to escape civilized
life, Tom promises him that if he returns to the widow, he can join
Tom’s robber band. Reluctantly, Huck agrees.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the
Mark Twain’s picaresque, Huck Finn,
fleeing his terrifying father, and Jim, an
escaped slave, as they travel down the
Mississippi in search of freedom,
encountering no end of colorful characters
along the way.
6. Gilded Age
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By 1870, not only the role of women was being challenged.
Industrialists, corporations, utilities, bankers, and brokers were
increasingly viewed as an enemy by the working class, whose wages
had stagnated使停滞 while men who were already millionaires got
richer. Failed land deals, speculation, and corruption were prevalent.
Many workers went from being independent tradesmen to being
wage laborers concentrated in large factories. Millions of immigrants
swelled the population of U.S. cities and began to compete for jobs.
Labor unions were born to represent these angry and beleaguered
(troubled) workers.
Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner captured some of this
turmoil in a book on which they collaborated, The Gilded Age, a tale
of corruption and failed land deals and a loss of innocence. The
book's title was often used to describe this period.
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一代作家与幽默作家马克．吐温写了一本名为镀金时代的小说，嘲讽
华盛顿特区与当时的许多领导人物
工业的成长与移民潮成为美国历史上在这个时期的特征。钢铁的生产
量急遽增加，而西部资源，例如木材、金子、银子，也因为要改善交
通系统而需求量大增。铁路的发展，让西部丰富的资源得以源源不断
运到东部。当时对钢铁与石油也有很大的需求。工业化的结果，让许
多人创造了相当大的财富，例如约翰．洛克菲勒 (John D. Rockfeller)
因为石油致富、安德鲁．卡内基 (Andrew Carnegie) 因为钢铁而致富
等。因为这些人靠着买低卖高的手段，赚取大量财富，所以他们都被
称为是「强盗大亨」 (Robber Baron) 。之所以把这个时代称为镀金
时代 (Gilded Age) ，是因为有许多人在这个时期里成为巨富，也因为
富有，而过着金色的生活。
7. Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848 to 1859)
The Gold Rush was one of the most significant events in
California history. It brought people from all over the
United States and the world in search for gold.
15. Writing Style:
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The immense use of figures of speech
achieves a special effect in this text. For
example, metaphor, metonymy, antithesis,
alliteration, personification, euphemism,
parallelism, hyperbole are seen
everywhere in the text for different effects.
III. Structural Analysis
 Part 1: (the first para.)
 Introduction
 Part 2: (para.2-19)
 Section 1. (para.2-3)
 the setting, background knowledge
Structural Analysis
 Section 2. (para4-6)
 early years of life on the Mississippi and
as a Confederate guerrilla
 Section 3. (para.7-13)
 On his way to success
 Section 4. (para.14-19)
 Comments on his best works.
Structural Analysis
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Part 3: (para.20-22)
 Personal tragedy and conclusion.
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Par.1
1. Paraphrase the first sentence.
2. Identify and explain the metaphor in the first sentence.
3. What is the implication of the two adjectives "eternal"
and "endless"?
4.Why was Twain said to be adventurous, patriotic,
romantic, and humorous?
5.what did the author mean by " I found another
Twain..."?
6.Identify and explain the metaphor in the last sentence.
IV. Detailed study of the text:
1. Mirror of America:
 A mirror reflects or reveals the truth of
something or somebody.
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Detailed study of the text:
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2. Most Americans remember
Mark Twain as the father...
 Father: metaphor.
 Endless: hyperbole.
 The whole sentence: parallelism.
Detailed study of the text:
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Mark Twain is famous to most Americans
as the creator of Huck Finn and Tom
Sawyer. Huck's sailing / travel on the river
was so light-hearted, carefree and
peaceful that it made his boyhood seem to
be infinite, while Tom's independent mind
and his exciting and dangerous activities
made the summer seem everlasting.
Detailed study of the text:
3. idyllic: [i / ai] a simple happy
period of life, often in the country
 an idyllic setting, holiday, marriage
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Detailed study of the text:
 4. cruise: A cruise is a holiday during
which you travel on a ship and visit
lots of places. When it is used as a
verb, it means to move at a constant
speed that is comfortable and
unhurried.
Detailed study of the text:
 He
was on a world cruise.
 They spent the summer cruising in the
Greek islands.
 The taxi cruised off down the Chang'an
Avenue.
 cruise missile
 cruiser: a large fast warship.
Detailed study of the text:
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5. every bit as…as: infml, just as…as,
quite as…as
 He is every bit as clever as you are.
 I'm every bit as sorry about it as you.
Detailed study of the text:
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6. cynical: A cynical person
believes that all men are selfish. He
sees little or no good in anything
and shows this by making unkind
and unfair remarks about people
and things.
Detailed study of the text:
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cynic: n. a person who believes that
people do not do things for good,
sincere or noble reasons, but only for
their own advantage
 a cynical remark, attitude, smile
 They've grown rather cynical about
democracy, ie no longer believe that
it is an honest system.
Detailed study of the text:
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7. deal, dealt: to give , to give out, to
strike, to distribute
 Who deals the cards next?
 to deal sb. a blow
Detailed study of the text:
 8. obsess: to worry continuously and
unnecessarily.
 If sth. obsesses you or if you are obsessed
with it or by it, you keep thinking about it
over a long period of time, and find it
difficult to think about anything else.
 She is obsessed by the desire to become a
great actress.
Detailed study of the text:
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9. frailty: a weakness of character or
behaviour.
 One of the frailties of human nature is
laziness.
 That chair looks too frail to take a
man's weight.
 There is only a frail chance that he
will pass the examination.
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Par.2
1.Give a brief account of Twain's
experience before he became a writer.
2.How did he adopt his pen name?
3.Why can we say Twain is still a popular
writer?
Detailed study of the text:
 10. tramp: a person who has no home or
permanent job and very little money.
There's a tramp at the door begging
for food.
Detailed study of the text:
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11. pilot: a person who with special
knowledge of a particular stretch of
water, esp. the entrance of a harbour,
and who is trained and specially
employed to go on board and guide
ships that use it.
Detailed study of the text:
 12. prospector: a person who examines
the land in order to find gold, oil, etc.
Detailed study of the text:
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13. starry: full of stars in the sky, indicating
sparkling, glowing, and flashing.
starry-eyed: full of unreasonable or silly hopes.
If you are starry-eyed, you are so full of
dreams or hopes or idealistic thoughts that you
do not see how things really are.
 We were all starry-eyed about visiting
London.
Detailed study of the text:
14. acid-tongued: If sb. is acidtongued, he makes unkind or critical
remarks.
 15. range: to travel without any
definite plan or destination
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Detailed study of the text:
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16. digest:
If you digest information, you think
about it, understand it, and remember
it.
 The report contains too much to
digest at one reading.
 He reads rapidly but does not digest
very much.
Detailed study of the text:
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adopt: to take and use as one's own
 The
US government decided to adopt a
hard line towards terrorism.
 Having
no children of their own they
decided to adopt an orphan / dog.
 adopt
a name, a custom, an idea, a
style of dress
Detailed study of the text:
cf:
 adept: ~ (in sth); ~ (at/in doing sth)
 He's an adept in carpentry.
 adapt: make sth suitable for a new use,
situation, etc.
 This novel has been adapted for TV
from the Russian original.
 Our eyes slowly adapted to the dark.
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Detailed study of the text:
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signal: a sign, gesture, sound, etc. that
conveys a message
 a signal made with a red flag
 She flashed the torch as a signal.
 They signaled their discontent by
refusing to vote.
 This is an event signaling a change in
public opinion.
Detailed study of the text:
18. navigable: deep and wide enough to
allow ships to travel
 19. popularity: the quality of being well
liked, favoured, or admired
 20. attest: to show to be true, to give
proof of, to declare solemnly
 Historic documents and ancient
tombstones all attest to the fact that
this is a historic battlefield.
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Par.3
1.Where was the main channel of
transportation in his childhood?
2. What does "major commerce" refer to?
3.What do you know about "Westward
expansion"?
Detailed study of the text:
21. artery: blood vessel that carries
blood from the heart to the rest of
the body
 vein: any of the tubes carrying blood
from all parts of the body to the
heart
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Detailed study of the text:
22. keel: a long bar along the bottom of
a boat or ship from which the whole
frame of the boat or ship is built up.
 23. raft: floating platform made from
large pieces of wood, oil-drums, etc,
that are tied together. Also rubber raft.
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Detailed study of the text:
24. commerce: the buying and
selling of goods, trade. Here
commodities.
 25. lumber: tree trunks, logs or
planks, timber
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Detailed study of the text:
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26. delta country: Delta is the 4th
letter of the Greek alphabet, which
is shaped like a triangle. Therefore
anything in the shape of a delta,
esp. a deposit of sand and soil
formed at the mouth of some rivers
is called a delta.
Detailed study of the text:
27. molasses: a thick dark to light
brown syrup that is separated from
raw sugar
 cf: syrup: a thick sticky solution of
sugar and water, often flavoured
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Detailed study of the text:
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28. westward expansion:
 The massacre of the native Indians
 The 1803 Louisiana Purchase from
Napoleon's France.
 The 1845 Texas Annexation
 Also the California Gold Rush in
1848
Detailed study of the text:
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29. basin:
 the Yellow River Basin
 The basin made up 3/4 of the
populated area of the US of that time.
Detailed study of the text:
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30. drain: to cause to become gradually
dry or empty
Boil the vegetable for 2 minutes and then
drain the water.
 brain drain
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Par.4
1.Paraphrase the second sentence. Explain the
metaphorical meaning of " cast of characters"
and " cosmos".
2.What kind of stories did he hear on the
steamboats?
3.what does it mean by "medicine show"?
4.Paraphrase the last sentence and identify the
figure of speech used in it.
Detailed study of the text:
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31. cub: the young of various types of meat-eating
wild animals, such as lion, bear
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32. cast of characters: the cast of a play or a film
consists of all the people who act in it
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33. cosmos: the whole universe considered as an
ordered system.
Detailed study of the text:
 34. feud: long-lasting and bitter quarrel
or dispute between two people or groups
 the feud between Romeo's family and
Juliet's
 35. piracy: robbery of ships on the high
seas
 pirate: a robber on the high seas
 copy right piracy
Detailed study of the text:
36. lynch: (esp. of a crowd of people) to
attack and put to death, esp. by hanging, a
person thought to be guilty of a crime
without a lawful trial
 37. slum: an area of a city where living
conditions are very bad and where all the
houses are overcrowded and need to be
repaired.
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Detailed study of the text:
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38. soak up: to draw in by or as if by
suction or absorption
 The soil soaked up a huge volume of
water very rapidly.
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Par.5
1.What did "the main current" and "flotsam"
refer to?
2.What did he learn on steamboats? What effect
did this experience have on his
writing?
3.Paraphrase " of the difference between what
they claim to be and what they really are".
Detailed study of the text:
 39. teem with
 If a place teems with animals or people,
it is very crowded and the animals or
people are moving around a lot.
 The water teems with fish and shrimps.
 His mind teems with plans.
Detailed study of the text:
 40. humanity: human beings in general
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41. flotsam: rubbish, wreckage such as
bits of wood, plastic, and other waste
materials that is floating on the sea,
parts of a wrecked ship or its cargo
found floating in the sea
Detailed study of the text:
 42. hustler: a person who tries to earn
money or gain an advantage from any
situation they are in, often by using
dishonest or illegal method.
 This
market teems with hustlers.
 (US sl) prostitute
Detailed study of the text:
 43. thug: a person who is very violent and
rough, esp. a criminal , hooligan or villain
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44. keen: a. sharp
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b. (with the 5 senses, the mind) good,
strong, quick at understanding
 My hearing is not as keen as it used to
be.
 He has a keen brain.
Detailed study of the text:
 45. perception: natural understanding
 extra sensory perception
 perceive: realize, notice, see or hear sth.
esp. when it is not obvious to other people
 Just as a good artist must have good
perception of colour, a good musician
must have good perception of sound.
 Alcohol reduces your perception of pain.
Detailed study of the text:
 46. trade: job, esp. one needing special skill
with the hands
 I am a fisherman by trade.
 They work in the cotton / tourist /
shoemaking / jewellery trade.
 trade union
Detailed study of the text:
 47. acknowledge: recognize the fact, agree to
the truth.
 If you acknowledge a fact or situation, you
accept or admit that it is true or that it
exists.
 This is a fact even our enemies abroad
have to acknowledge.
 He is an acknowledged expert on antiqueexamination.
Detailed study of the text:
 express thanks for sth.
 His services to the country were never
officially acknowledged.
 acknowledgement:
 We are sending you some money in
acknowledgement of your valuable
help.
 If you quote somebody’s theory, you
must send him your acknowledgement.
Detailed study of the text:
 48. acquaint: cause to know personally,
make familiar with,
 You must acquainted yourself with your
new duties.
 be acquainted with
 I have heard about your friend but I am
not acquainted with him.
Detailed study of the text:
 make acquaintance of sb. / make sb's
acquaintance
 Where did you make his acquaintance?
 Very pleased to have made your
acquaintance.
 nodding acquaintance / bowing
acquaintance
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Par.6
1. Why did Twain leave the river country?
2.Explain " dry up the demand for...".
3.why did he quit the guerrillas?
4.Identify the figure of speech in the
sentence " who diligently avoided contact
with the enemy".
Detailed study of the text:
49. motley: having or composed of many
different or clashing elements
 a motley crowd / crew, ie a group of
many different types of people
 band: a group of people joined together
for a common purpose (derog.)
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Par.7
1.Explain the metaphorical meaning in
"succumbed to the epidemic of gold and silver
fever".
2.What is the figurative meaning in "flirted with"?
3.Why did he fail as a prospector?
4.What is the implied meaning of " to literature's
enduring gratitude"?
Detailed study of the text:
 50. succumb: a. (fml) stop resisting
(temptation, illness, attack, etc)
 He finally succumbed to the temptation to
have another cigarette / drink.
 The city succumbed after only a short
offence.
 Several children have measles（麻疹）,
and the others are bound to succumb to it.
b. to die (because of)
Detailed study of the text:
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51. epidemic: the occurrence of a disease
which affects a very large number of people
living in an area and which spreads quickly
to other people
 an influenza epidemic
 Football hooliganism is now reaching
epidemic proportions.
Detailed study of the text:
 52. flirt
 a. If you flirt with someone, you behave as
if you are sexually attracted to them, in a
not very serious way.
 Don't take her seriously, she is only
flirting with you.
 She flirts with every man in the office.
Detailed study of the text:
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b. If you flirt with the idea of doing or
having sth. , you consider doing or having
it, without making any definite plans.
 We
flirted with the idea of going abroad
but decided against it.
Detailed study of the text:
 53. rebuff: refuse unkindly and
contemptuously

cf: refuse
 The
 He
 He
friendly dog was rebuffed by a kick.
refused / rebuffed the suggestion.
can't refuse (vi.) / *rebuff (vt.) if you
ask politely.
Detailed study of the text:
 54. broke: adj. sl. complete without
money, penniless, bankrupt
 55. endure: continue to exist without any
loss in quality or importance
 His fame will endure eternally.
 enduring memories / peace
 His influence was the most enduring of
all.



Par.8
1.Parpphrase the second sentence. And
identify the figure in " his pen would prove
mightier than his pickax".
2.What is the metaphorical meaning of
"hotbed"?
Detailed study of the text:




56. mining strike: sudden discovery of mine
strike: sudden discovery of oil, gold,etc.
 a lucky strike: fortunate discovery
57. hone: n. a stone used to sharpen knives
and tools.
v. to sharpen
 to hone one's wit
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Par.9
1.Explain the metaphorical meaning of "honed" and
"muscles" in the first sentence.
2.why did he have to leave San Francisco?
3.Who did his satirical articles attack?
4.Paraphrase " His descriptions of the rough country
settlers... on the West Coast".
5.What was Twain's opinion about the people in the
West? Why?
6.Explain " for getting up astonishing enterprises and
rushing them through with a magnificent...smiles as
usual".
7.Paraphrase " Well, that's California all over.".
Detailed study of the text:

58. scathing: (of speech or writing)
bitterly cruel in judgement, sharp and
hurtful; cutting, scornful
 She
 his
could be...scathing in her criticism.
scathing rejection of violence
Detailed study of the text:
 59. column: a. one of two or more vertical
sections of printed material on a page
 Each page of this dictionary has two
columns of text.
 b. part of a newspaper or regularly dealing
with a particular subject or written by the
same writer
 the fashion / financial column
Detailed study of the text:

columnist: journalist who regularly writes
an article commenting on politics, current
events, etc. for a newspaper or magazine
a
political columnist
Detailed study of the text:
 60. ring familiarly in modern world
accustomed to trend setting on the West
Coast:
 produce a familiar impression on people in
modern world. People in the modern world
(people in the settled United States, people
on the East coast and along the Mississippi
River) are now used to following the ways
of doing things of the West Coast.
Detailed study of the text:

be accustomed to: be in the habit of, be used
to, be familiar with
 He is accustomed to working hard.
 You will soon get accustomed to that kind
of thing.
 He was not accustomed to LEAVE home
during the winter.
Detailed study of the text:
Notice:
 a. Be accustomed to can be followed by a
verb.
 He was not accustomed to leave home
during the winter.
 He is not accustomed to work under such
noisy condition.

Detailed study of the text:
 b. “Accustomed” can be used as an
attribute
 He sat in his accustomed chair.
 her accustomed smile
 his accustomed attitude of optimism
 c. accustom oneself
 He has to accustom himself to the cold
weather.
Detailed study of the text:
 61. trend: a general direction or course of
development, fashion, tendency
 Today's trend is toward less formal
clothing.
 Young women are always interested in
the trends of fashion.
Detailed study of the text:
 If someone sets a trend, they do
something that becomes accepted or
fashionable, and that is copied by a lot of
other people.
 trendy: very fashionable and modern
 He was into jazz long before it became
trendy.
Detailed study of the text:
 62. get up: arrange or perform
 If you get something up, you organize
something such as a public event, esp. with
very little preparation.
 Who is going to get up the concert?
 The students got up a countrywide
campaign in support of the nuclear
disarmament.
Detailed study of the text:
 63. astound: to shock with surprise

64. enterprise: a plan, business, task,
something daring and difficult

65. rush through: to complete (a job)
hastily
 We
will try to rush your order through
before Saturday.
Detailed study of the text:
 66.
dash: a combination of bravery
and style, enthusiasm and courage
 She conducted the orchestra with a
great deal of fire and dash.
 other meanings:
 100-meter dash
 The dash is longer than the hyphen.


Detailed study of the text:
67. reck: (neg. or inter. only) care or mind
They recked little of the danger.
reckless
 Someone who is reckless shows a complete lack
of care about danger or about the results of
their actions.
 Many young motorcyclists are very reckless.

Detailed study of the text:
 68. consequence: result, outcome
 The rise in lung cancers is a
consequence of cigarette smoking.
 The consequence of the flood is still
under estimation.
 Some films may have / produce bad
consequences.
Detailed study of the text:

cf:
 The results of the research are to be
published soon.
 The result of the match was 1 - 0.
 The consequence of the war is doubtful.
（后果)
 The outcome of the war is doubtful. （结
局）
Detailed study of the text:

consequence: (fml) importance
 Someone or sth. that is of consequence
is important or valuable.
 He may be a man of consequence in his
own country, but he’s nobody here.
Detailed study of the text:

69. all over: in every respect, thoroughly
 She
is her mother all over.
 That
sounds like my sister all over.


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Par.10-11
1.What is the main idea of these two
paragraphs?
2.Which work brought Twain national
fame?
3.How do you understand " the wild
humorist"?
Detailed study of the text:
 It
was these pioneers that brought
California a reputation.
 California
was made famous for
organizing surprising businesses
 and
developing them with great bravery
and courage, without caring cost or result.
Detailed study of the text:
 And California keeps this fame until now.
When she makes plans for a new surprise,
the dull, solemn, dignified people in other
parts of the States smile as usual and say:
“Well, that's typical of California, that's
just California style.”
Detailed study of the text:
 70. notations: a brief note jotted down, as to
remind one of something
 The Duchess found the notation left by
the Duke.
 71. genius: (pl. geniuses) exceptionally great
mental or creative ability
 a man of genius
 Einstein was a mathematical genius.
Detailed study of the text:
 72. celebrated: well-known, famous
 a celebrated actress, writer, pianist, etc.
 Burgundy is celebrated for its fine
wines.
 celebrity: famous person
 celebrities of stage and screen
Detailed study of the text:
 73. slope: an area of rising or falling
ground
 mountain slopes
 the slope of a roof
 The field slopes (away) to the east.
 Does your handwriting slope forwards
or backwards?

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Par.12
1.Explain " take a distinctly American look
at the Old World"
2.What does the Holy Land refer to?
3. Why was the journey by Quaker City
called "a milestone"?
4.What task did Twain get as a reporter?
5. What is " glowing travelogue"?
Detailed study of the text:
 74. distinct: easily heard, seen, or
understood
 The footprints are quite distinct; they
must be fresh.
 ~ (from sth) different in kind
 Although they look similar, these plants
are actually quite distinct.
 Mozart's style is quite distinct from
Haydn's.
Detailed study of the text:
 75. sort: type, kind
 He's the sort of person I really dislike.
 What sort of paint are you using?
 of a sort / of sorts: (infml. derog.) of a poor
or inferior type
 They served coffee of a sort.
 It was a meal of sorts, but nobody enjoyed
it.



Detailed study of the text:
76. -logue: (also) –log: comb. form
a. forming ns: talk or speech
 dialogue
 monologue
b. = -logist,
 ideologue (ideologist) 思想家
 Sinologue Sinologist, 汉学家
Detailed study of the text:
 77. sore: (of a part of the body) hurting
when touched, painful; aching
a
sore knee, throat, etc
 My
leg is still very sore.
 She
feels sore about not being invited to
the party.
 Your
financial help is sorely needed.

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
Par.13.
1. What was his impression about the king of
Turkey?
2.What was his attitude towards revered artists
and art treasures?
3.what did he do about the Holy Land in his
reports?
4.Identify the figure in the sentence" America
laughed with him".
5.How was The Innocents Abroad received by
Americans? Why?
Detailed study of the text:
 78. unimpressed:
 If you are unimpressed by sb. or sth, you
do not think they are very good, or worth
your attention.
 impress: ~ sb (with sth) have a favourable
effect on sb
 We were most impressed with / by your
efficiency.
Detailed study of the text:




79. debunk: (infml) to point out the truth about
(over-praised people, ideas, etc).
 If you debunk an idea or belief, you show
that it is false or not important.
 debunk fashionable opinions
bunk: sl. nonsense
 Don't talk bunk!
de: to remove from
debunk: to remove the nonsense
Detailed study of the text:

80. revered: (fml) to give great respect
and admiration to
 He
was a revered figure with a great
national reputation.
 They
revered him.
Detailed study of the text:
 81. version: a form of sth in which certain
details are different or have been changed
from the previous forms
 Did you read the short or full version of
the book?
 There have been several translations of
the Bible, including the Authorized
Version and the Revised Version.
Detailed study of the text:
 82. innocent: simple, not able to recognize
evil
 An innocent is a person who is
inexperienced and ignorant about the
more complex, evil or unpleasant aspects
of life.
 He was a financial genius but a political
innocent.
 One is innocent before found guilty.




Par.14, 15
1.How did Tom Sawyer come into being?
2. How is the book evaluated?
3.Paraphrase " Tom's mischievous daring,
ingenuity, and the sweet innocence of his
affection for Becky ".
Detailed study of the text:

83. earnest: determined and serious,
perhaps too serious
 Are
 It
you joking or in earnest?
soon began to snow in real earnest.
Detailed study of the text:
 84. classic: having the highest quality; of
the first or highest class or rank
 cf:
 classical: being in accordance with
ancient Greek or Roman models in
literature or art（古典）
 classical music as opposed to popular,
jazz, or folk music.
Detailed study of the text:
 四书（大学，中庸，论语，孟子）: The Four
Books (The Great Learning, The Doctrine
of Mean, The Analects of Confucius and
Mencius)
 五经（诗经，书经，易经，礼记，春秋）: The
Five Classics (The Book of Songs, The
Book of History, The Book of Changes,
The Book of Rites, and The Spring and
Autumn Annals)
Detailed study of the text:
85. shape: outer form or appearance
 He's a devil in human shape.
 She's in good shape after months of
training.
 shape: give a shape or form
 to shape the wet clay on a potter’s wheel
 to shape the sand into a castle

Detailed study of the text:
 86. mischievous: eager to have fun, esp.
by playing harmless tricks
 cf:
 naughty: behaving badly & disobediently
 A mischievous child is often naughty
but does not do any real harm.
 He was called in before the principal
for his mischievous deeds.
Detailed study of the text:
87. ingenuity: cleverness in arranging things
 The
boy showed ingenuity when solving
the difficult maths problem.



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Par.16
1. How is Par.16 linked with Par. 15 ?
2.How did he establish his literary position?
3.From this paragraph, how would you
comment on Twain's language style in
Huckleberry Finn?
Detailed study of the text:

88. puritan: (usu. derog.) person who is
extremely strict in morals and who tends
to regard pleasure as sinful

89. flight: (distance covered in) a journey

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Par.17, 18
1.Explain "swept the nation", " was given a life
of its own".
2.What is the significance of this book?
3.Paraphrase" presents a moving panorama for
exploration of American society".
4.How was the book important for Twain?
5.Explain "Twain found the ultimate expression...
for success."

Detailed study of the text:
90. panorama:
 a. a complete view of a wide stretch of land
 b. continuously changing view or scene
 c. a thorough representation in words or
picture
 This book gives a panorama of life in
Shenzhen.
Detailed study of the text:
 91. pace: speed, esp. of walking or running
 She
slowed down her pace so I could keep
up with her.
 He
gave up his job in advertising because
he couldn't stand the pace, ie found the
pressure of work too great.
 Are
wages keeping pace with inflation?
Detailed study of the text:
92. energy-sapping
 sap: gradually weaken sb/sth by taking
away
 I was sapped by months of hospital
treatment.
 She's been sapped of her optimism.
 Stop sapping her confidence!

Detailed study of the text:

93. clamour: a continuous strong demand
or complaint
 The government has made a decision in
defiance of the public clamour.
 The public are clamouring for a change
of government.
 The baby clamoured to be fed.




Par.19, 20
1.What did Twain think was missing in
American ambition?
2. What did he hope American people
would do?
3.What are Twain's personal tragedies?
How might these tragedies influence his
personality and writing?
Detailed study of the text:

94. edge: sharp cutting part of a knife
 a knife with a sharp edge
 renew our edges: to remodel, re-sharpen
our edges, to recharge the battery
Detailed study of the text:

95. haunt: to visit, appearing in a strange
form
 The old house is said to be haunted by a
headless ghost.
 A spirit haunts the castle.
 The memory still haunts me.
Detailed study of the text:

96. -itis: disease or inflammation
 bronchitis
 appendicitis
 hepatitis




Par.21
1. Paraphrase the first sentence and
identify the figure used in it.
2. Explain "Now the gloves came off with
biting satire."
3.In his book The Mysterious Stranger,
what ideas did he express?
Detailed study of the text:
 97. Bitterness fed on the man who…
 Bitterness exhausted, used up all the
energy of the man…
 98. pad: to make more comfortable by
filling with soft material
a
jacket with padded shoulders
 He
padded the seat of the chair with
some foamed plastics.
Detailed study of the text:
 99. Now the gloves came off with biting
satire
 the gloves are off: ready for a fight
 biting: causing a smarting pain
 a biting wind
 satire: ridicule or irony or sarcasm that is
used to show how foolish or wicked some
people's behaviour or ideas are.
Detailed study of the text:


Now Mark Twain threw away the pretended
softness and gentleness he used to adopt and
became outspoken, bitter and sarcastic.
100. illusion: the condition of seeing things
wrongly
 The magician made us think he cut a woman
in half, but it was an illusion.
 Perfect happiness is an illusion.
Detailed study of the text:

101. vanish: to disappear, go out of sight
 The thin mysterious woman passenger
vanished.
 As soon as you put the dog-skin plaster
on, your pain will vanish.





Par.22
1. When did his own illusion come to an
end?
2.What figure is used in " on men's final
release from earthly struggles"?
3.Identify the figures used in Twain's
words in this paragraph.
4. Explain " lament them a day and forget
them forever".
Detailed study of the text:
 102. crumble: be broken into very small
pieces
 crumble one's bread
 Their marriage is crumbling.
 103. lament:
 If you lament sth., you express your
sadness, regret or disappointment about it.
 They lamented the death of their mother.
 His examination results were lamentable.
V. Rhetorical Devices
 1. Metaphor
 Mark Twain --- Mirror of America
 saw clearly ahead a black wall of night...
 main artery of transportation in the young
nation's heart
 the vast basin drained three-quarters of the
settled United States
 All would resurface in his books...that he
soaked up...

2. Hyperbole
 ...cruise through eternal boyhood
and ...endless summer of freedom...
 The cast of characters…--- a cosmos.

3. Personification
 life dealt him profound personal
tragedies...
 the river had acquainted him with ...
 ...to literature's enduring gratitude...
 Bitterness fed on the man...
 America laughed with him.

4. Antithesis
 ...between what people claim to be and
what they really are...
 ...took unholy verbal shots at the Holy
Land...
 ...a world which will lament them a day
and forget them forever
5. Euphemism
 ...men's final release from earthly struggle
 Alliteration
 ...the slow, sleepy, sluggish-brained sloths
stayed at home
 ...with a dash and daring...
 ...a recklessness of cost or consequences...

6. Metonymy
 ...his pen would prove mightier than his
pickaxe
 7. Synecdoche
 Keelboats,...carried
the first major
commerce.
