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Love Story (novel)

Harvard University

Before Reading Global Reading Detailed Reading After Reading

Love Story (song)

1. Background Information

Erich Segal

3. Warm-up Questions

Radcliffe College

2. Elements of Fiction

Love Story is a 1970 romance novel by American writer Erich Segal. A film based on the novel was also released in 1970, and is considered one of the most romantic of all time by the American Film Institute. Love Story became the top selling work of fiction for all of 1970 in the United States, and was translated into more than 20 languages. A sequel, Oliver’s Story, was published in 1977.


Love Story (novel)

Introduction


The novel tells the story of Oliver Barrett IV, who comes from a long line of wealthy and well-respected Harvard University graduates. Partly to break the traditional Ivy League mold, the Harvard student meets and falls in love with Jennifer, a working-class, quick-witted Radcliffe College student. Upon graduation from college, the two decide to marry against the wishes of Oliver’s father, who thereupon severs ties with his son.

Without his father’s financial support, the couple struggles to pay Oliver’s way through Harvard Law School with Jennifer working as a private school teacher. Graduating third in his class, Oliver takes a position at a respectable New York law firm.

With Oliver’s new income, the pair of 24-year-olds decide to have a child. After failing to conceive, they consult a medical specialist, who, after repeated tests, informs Oliver that Jennifer is ill and will soon die.

Plot


As instructed by his doctor, Oliver attempts to live a “normal life” without telling Jennifer of her condition. Jennifer nevertheless discovers her ailment after confronting her doctor about her recent illness. With their days together numbered, Jennifer begins costly cancer therapy, and Oliver soon becomes unable to afford the hospital expenses. Desperate, he seeks financial relief from his father.

When Mr. Barrett realizes that Jennifer is ill and that his son borrowed the money for her, he immediately sets out for New York. By the time he reaches the hospital, Jennifer is dead. Mr. Barrett apologizes to his son, who replies with something Jennifer once told him: “Love means not ever having to say you’re sorry.”


Love Story (song)

Love Story is a popular song published in 1970, with music by Francis Lai and lyrics by Carl Sigman. The song was introduced in the movie Love Story. The song has been covered many times. Andy Williams recorded the biggest hit version.


Love Story

Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a love can be? The sweet love story that is older than the sea. The simple truth about the love she brings to me. Where do I start?

With her first hello, she gave a meaning to this empty world of mine. There’ll never be another love, another time. She came into my life and made the living fine. She fills my heart.

She fills my heart with very special things. With angel’s souls, with wild imaginings.


She fills my soul with so much love. That anywhere I go, I’m never lonely. With her along, who could be lonely? I reach for her hand. It’s always there.

How long does it last? Can love be measured by the hours in a day? I have no answers now, but this much I can say. I know I’ll need her till the stars all burn away and she’ll be there.

How long does it last? Can love be measured by the hours in a day? I have no answers now, but this much I can say. I know I’ll need her till the stars all burn away and she’ll be there.

Erich Segal


Erich Segal, born in 1937, is a contemporary American novelist and professor of literature at Yale. Love Story is his first novel, which came out in 1970 and immediately earned him great fame. He was hailed as the “first important new writer of the 1970s”. Since then he has published a number of successful novels including Fairy Tales (1973), Oliver’s Story (1977), Man, Woman and Child (1980), and The Class (1985).


Harvard University

Harvard Yard Harvard Stadium Memorial Church

Statue of John Harvard Harvard University Presidents 1829-1862


Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

Harvard University

Motto Veritas (“Truth”)

Established September, 1636


Academic term Semester

Endowment U.S. $29.2 billion

President Catharine Drew Gilpin Faust

Staff 2,497 non-medical, 10,674 medical

Undergraduates 6,715

Postgraduates 12,424

Campus Urban, 380 acres

Mascot John Harvard

Colors Crimson

Nickname Crimson

Radcliffe College was a women’s liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. It began to merge with Harvard in 1977, a process which finished in 1999. Radcliffe’s campus now functions as a research institute within Harvard, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.


Radcliffe College


Elements of Fiction

Plot

Setting

Characters

Theme

Point of View

Style

Plot is the carefully planned sequence of events in a story. It begins with the presentation of a situation that needs to be solved. As the characters act and react, the plot moves to its solution.


Plot


Setting

Setting is the environment in which the characters live and move. It includes the place where the story happens and the period of history in which it occurs. Not only does the setting serve as a location for events, it is also a force that impels certain actions.


Characters

Characters are the persons who initiate or go through the events of the plot. Their qualities emerge and your understanding of them develops as the story progresses. Sometimes a character is individual; sometimes a character is universal, representing a basic human type.


Theme

Theme refers to the deeper meaning underlying the surface of the story. And the key to understanding it is experience — experience in living and experience in reading fiction. The former deepens your insight into your fellow human beings while the latter increases your ability to detect what clues to look for and how to interpret them.


Point of View

Point of view refers to the position from which the writer views his or her subjects. There are two common points of view in telling stories.

1. Third-person narration. Most writers use the third-person narration, that is, he, she, or they in telling the story. In the epilogue of The Gadfly, the story is narrated from the point of view of Gemma.

2. First-person narration. Sometimes stories like Love Story are told by the first-person narrator “I”. The narration, as a result, is limited to the observations, feelings, and behavior of this character. In Love Story, for instance, all the actions are seen through the eyes of “I” — Oliver Barrett IV.


Style

Style refers mainly to the way in which a writer uses language. It is determined by word choice, sentence structure and variety, imagery, and arrangement.


Warm-up Questions

1. Suppose you are about to marry someone you love but your parents object strongly to your marriage, how will you react?2. If you have wronged your spouse terribly or the other way round, what will you do?3. If your spouse has hostility towards his or her parents for some reason or other, would you choose to leave them alone or do something to bring about a reconciliation between them? Why?


1. Text Analysis

For Part 1

For Part 2

Citing Evidence

True or False

Questions and Answers

2. Part Division of the Text

For Parts 3~4

3. Further Understanding


Text Analysis

Theme Genuine love among the contemporary youth.

Fill in the blanks with the information from the text.

Love Story (Chapter 13)

SettingThe story takes place in the 1960s in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Harvard University and Radcliffe College are located.

Characters Oliver, Jennifer and Mr. Barrett, Oliver’s father.

Point of View First-person narration.

Style Simple and lucid ( 明晰的 ).


Part Division of the Text

Main IdeasParts

1

2

Paragraphs

1-20

21-59Jennifer passes on to Mr. Barrett a made-up “message”, which makes Oliver very angry.

Jennifer and Oliver receive an invitation from Oliver’s parents, to which the couple reacts differently.

3 60-73 Oliver searches everywhere for Jennifer, but in vain.

4 74-90 Oliver finds Jennifer in front of their house.

3. Jennifer tries to persuade Oliver to accept the invitation because she thinks he will be regretful if he does not. T


True or False

1. Oliver’s father sends a letter of invitation to Oliver and Jennifer.

2. Jennifer takes the letter as a sign of reconciliation, but Oliver does not. T ( )

F( )

It is Oliver’s mother who has addressed the envelope.

( )


4. Oliver does not accept the invitation because he hates his father.

5. Oliver has evidence that his son will not resent him.

F( )

Because he is so proud and competitive that he thinks he hates his father.

F( )

He knows his son will not resent him, but he cannot produce any evidence.


Questions and Answers

1. Jennifer insists that a reply (preferably a positive one) be made to the invitation. What reasons does she give?

She says that in her life she has never deliberately hurt anyone and she does not think she can this time.

2. What is Oliver doing while Jennifer tries to persuade him? Does he change his mind?

3. What does Jennifer actually do in reply to the invitation? Does she immediately tell Mr. Barrett that they would not come to the birthday party?

She makes a phone call to Mr. Barrett, but she does not immediately tell him that they would not come to the birthday party.

He is immersed in Percival’s appeal to the Supreme Court, and he does not change his mind.


4. How does Oliver feel when he hears his wife say “we’re terribly sorry, sir, (that we won’t be able to come)”?

He is angry because he does not want his father to think that he is sorry.

5. What does Jennifer beg her husband to do? Why?

6. Is Oliver moved? Does he do what he is asked to?

Oliver is not moved, and he says that he will never talk to him.

She begs him to talk to his father because she does not want to hurt him.

7. At the end of the telephone conversation, Jennifer passes on to Mr. Barrett a made-up “message”. What does Oliver react to this?

He is so angry that he hurls the phone across the room.


Citing Evidence

1. Cite evidence from the text to support that Oliver feels regretful for what he does and his search for Jennifer is panicked and anxious.

Evidence 1: Oliver searches everywhere for Jennifer, including Law School library, Harkness Commons, the lounge, the cafeteria, Agassiz Hall, Paine Hall, and Harvard Square.Evidence 2: When he is searching the library, his glance is so tense and his face so fierce that he is disturbing the whole place.Evidence 3: He is running everywhere, his legs trying to catch up with the pace of his heart.Evidence 4: He is cold, but he is numb more with fright.


2. Cite evidence from the text to support that Jennifer is not angry with Oliver.

Evidence 1: Jennifer goes back home by herself, and as she forgets her key, she waits on the top step.Evidence 2: When Oliver says that he is sorry, she says that love means not ever having to say you’re sorry.


Oliver Barrett IV, a Harvard student from a wealthy WASP family, fell in love with Jennifer, a Radcliffe music major, daughter of a pastry chef of Italian descent. Jennifer returned his love. The two of them started talking about marriage, thinking they were made for each other. A banker and a squeamish parent, Oliver Barrett III refused to give his blessing to the proposed alliance. Oliver and Jennifer thereupon went ahead on their own, contented with their “love in a cottage.”

We join the novel in Chapter 13, three years after Oliver married Jennifer regardless of his father’s fierce opposition. One day, they received an invitation from Oliver’s parents to the old man’s sixtieth birthday party. Jennifer preferred accepting the invitation, regarding it as a good opportunity for a reconciliation between father and son. But Oliver wouldn’t give it a thought. Thus the two of them had a violent quarrel ...


CHAPTER 13Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Barrett III

request the pleasure of your companyat a dinner in celebration of

Mr. Barrett’s sixtieth birthdaySaturday, the sixth of March

at seven o’clockDover House, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Love StoryErich Segal

R. S. V. P.


“Well?” asked Jennifer.“Do you even have to ask?” I replied. I was in the midst of abstracting The

State v. Percival, a very important precedent in criminal law. Jenny was sort of waving the invitation to bug me.

“I think it’s about time, Oliver,” she said.“For what?” “For you know very well what,” she answered. “Does he have to crawl here on

his hands and knees?”I kept working as she worked me over.“Ollie — he’s reaching out to you!”“Bullshit, Jenny. My mother addressed the envelope.”“I thought you said you didn’t look at it!” she sort of yelled.


Okay, so I did glance at it earlier. Maybe it had slipped my mind. I was, after all, in the midst of abstracting The State v. Percival, and in the virtual shadow of exams. The point was she should have stopped haranguing me.

“Ollie, think,” she said, her tone kind of pleading now. “Sixty goddamn years old. Nothing says he’ll still be around when you’re finally ready for the reconciliation.”

I informed Jenny in the simplest possible terms that there would never be a reconciliation and would she please let me continue my studying. She sat down quietly, squeezing herself onto a corner of the sofa where I had my feet. Although she didn’t make a sound, I quickly became aware that she was looking at me very hard. I glanced up.

“Someday,” she said, “when you’re being bugged by Oliver V —”


“He won’t be called Oliver, be sure of that!” I snapped at her. She didn’t raise her voice, though she usually did when I did.

“Listen, Ol, even if we name him Bozo the Clown that kid’s still going to resent you because you were a big Harvard athlete. And by the time he’s a freshman, you’ll probably be in the Supreme Court!”

“Your father loves you too, Oliver. He loves you just the way you’ll love Bozo. But you Barretts are so damn proud and competitive, you’ll go through life thinking you hate each other.”

I told her that our son would definitely not resent me. She then inquired how I could be so certain of that. I couldn’t produce evidence. I mean, I simply knew our son would not resent me, I couldn’t say precisely why. Jenny then remarked:


“If it weren’t for you,” I said jokingly.“Yes,” she said.“The case is closed,” I said, being, after all, the husband and head of

household. My eyes returned to The State v. Percival and Jenny got up. But then she remembered.

“There’s still the matter of the RSVP.”I said that a Radcliffe music major could probably compose a nice little

negative RSVP without professional guidance.“Listen, Oliver,” she said, “I’ve probably lied or cheated in my life. But I’ve

never deliberately hurt anyone. I don’t think I could.”Really, at that moment she was only hurting me, so I asked her politely to

handle the RSVP in whatever manner she wished, as long as the essence of the message was that we wouldn’t show unless hell froze over. I returned once again to The State v. Percival.

“What’s the number?” I heard her say very softly. She was at the telephone.


“Can’t you just write a note?”“In a minute I’ll lose my nerve. What’s the number?” I told her and was instantly immersed in Percival’s appeal to the Supreme Co

urt. I was not listening to Jenny. That is, I tried not to. She was in the same room, after all.

“Oh — good evening, sir,” I heard her say.She had her hand over the mouthpiece.“Ollie, does it have to be negative?”The nod of my head indicated that it had to be, the wave of my hand indicated

that she should hurry up.“I’m terribly sorry,” she said into the phone. “I mean, we’re terribly sorry, sir ...”We’re! Did she have to involve me in this? And why can’t she get to the point a

nd hang up?“Oliver!”She had her hand on the mouthpiece again and was talking very loud.


“He’s wounded, Oliver! Can you just sit there and let your father bleed?”Had she not been in such an emotional state, I could have explained once again

that stones do not bleed. But she was very upset. And it was upsetting me too.“Oliver,” she pleaded, “could you just say a word?”To him? She must be going out of her mind!“I mean, like just maybe ‘hello’?”She was offering the phone to me. And trying not to cry.“I will never talk to him. Ever,” I said with perfect calm.And now she was crying. Nothing audible, but tears pouring down her face. And

then she — she begged.“For me, Oliver. I’ve never asked you for anything. Please.”Three of us. Three of us just standing (I somehow imagined my father being

there as well) waiting for something. What? For me?I couldn’t do it.


Didn’t Jenny understand she was asking the impossible? That I would have done absolutely anything else? As I looked at the floor, shaking my head in adamant refusal and extreme discomfort, Jenny addressed me with a kind of whispered fury I had never heard from her:

“You are a heartless bastard,” she said. And then she ended the telephone conversation with my father saying:

“Mr. Barrett, Oliver does want you to know that in his own special way ...”

She paused for breath. She had been sobbing, so it wasn’t easy. I was much too astonished to do anything but await the end of my alleged “message.”

“Oliver loves you very much,” she said, and hung up very quickly.


There is no rational explanation for my actions in the next split second. I must never be forgiven for what I did.

I ripped the phone from her hand, then from the socket — and hurled it across the room.

“God damn you, Jenny! Why don’t you get the hell out of my life!”I stood still, panting like the animal I had suddenly become. Jesus Christ! What

the hell had happened to me? I turned to look at Jen.But she was gone.I mean absolutely gone, because I didn’t even hear footsteps on the stairs.

Christ, she must have dashed out the instant I grabbed the phone. Even her coat and scarf were still there. The pain of not knowing what to do was exceeded only by that of knowing what I had done.

I searched everywhere.


In the Law School library, I prowled the rows of grinding students, looking and looking. Up and back, at least half a dozen times. Though I didn’t utter a sound, I knew my glance was so intense, my face so fierce, I was disturbing the whole place. Who cares?

But Jenny wasn’t there.Then all through Harkness Commons, the lounge, the

cafeteria. Then a wild sprint to look around Agassiz Hall at Radcliffe. Not there, either. I was running everywhere now, my legs trying to catch up with the pace of my heart.

Paine Hall? (Ironic goddamn name!) Downstairs are piano practice rooms. I know Jenny. When she’s angry, she pounds the keyboard. Right? But how about when she’s scared to death?

It’s crazy walking down the corridor, practice rooms on either side. The sounds of Mozart and Bartók, Bach and Brahms filter out from the doors and blend into this weird infernal sound.

Jenny’s got to be here! Instinct made me stop at a door where I heard the pounding (angry?) sound of

a Chopin prelude. I paused for a second. The playing was lousy — stops and starts and many mistakes. At one pause I heard a girl’s voice mutter, “Shit!” It had to be Jenny. I flung open the door.

A Radcliffe girl was at the piano. She looked up. An ugly, big-shouldered hippie Radcliffe girl, annoyed at my invasion.

“What’s the matter, man?” she asked. “Sorry,” I replied, and closed the door again. Then I tried Harvard Square. Nothing. Where would Jenny have gone?



I just stood there, lost in the darkness of Harvard Square, not knowing where to go or what to do next. A colored guy approached me and inquired if I was in need of a fix. I kind of absently replied, “No, thank you, sir.”

I wasn’t running now. I mean, what was the rush to return to the empty house? It was very late — almost 1 A.M. — and I was numb — more with fright than

with the cold (although it wasn’t warm, believe me). From several yards off, I thought I saw someone sitting on the top of the steps. This had to be my eyes playing tricks, because the figure was motionless.

But it was Jenny.She was sitting on the top step.I was too tired to panic, too relieved to speak. Inwardly I hoped she had some

blunt instrument with which to hit me.“Jen?”“Ollie?”


We both spoke so quietly, it was impossible to take an emotional reading.“I forgot my key,” Jenny said.I stood there at the bottom of the steps, afraid to ask how long she had been

sitting, knowing only that I had wronged her terribly.“Jenny, I’m sorry —”“Stop!” she cut off my apology, then said very quietly, “Love means not ever

having to say you’re sorry.”

I climbed up the stairs to where she was sitting.“I’d like to go to sleep. Okay?” she said.“Okay.”We walked up to our apartment. As we undressed, she

looked at me reassuringly.“I meant what I said, Oliver.”And that was all.


Translate the sentence into Chinese.

我正忙于摘录刑法上一起非常重要的判例 ——“珀西瓦尔公诉案”的要点。

I was in the midst of abstracting The State v. Percival, a very important precedent in criminal law.


Paraphrase the sentence.

Does he have to come here and beg for forgiveness?

“Does he have to crawl here on his hands and knees?”


What does Oliver V refer to?

“when you’re being bugged by Oliver V — ”

Oliver V refers to Oliver’s future son. Because Oliver’s full name is Oliver Barrett IV, Jennifer calls their future son Oliver V.


What does the sentence mean?

even if we name him Bozo the Clown that kid’s still going to resent you because you were a big Harvard athlete.

No matter what the kid’s name is, he is still going to resent Oliver because of his excellence.



so I asked her politely to handle the RSVP in whatever manner she wished, as long as the essence of the message was that we wouldn’t show unless hell froze over.

于是我客客气气地请她全权处理“请赐回示”的事儿，随她用什么方式都行，只要回示的实质是：除非地狱封冻，我们决不赴宴。


Paraphrase the sentence.

Had she not been in such an emotional state, I could have explained once again that stones do not bleed.

If she had not been in such an emotional state, I could have explained again that he was so stubborn that he would not be hurt just as stones do not bleed.


Why is Oliver so astonished? What is he waiting for?

I was much too astonished to do anything but await the end of my alleged “message.”

Oliver is astonished because he has not expected Jennifer to make up a message for him. At the moment he can do nothing but wait for what Jennifer is going to say.



A colored guy approached me and inquired if I was in need of a fix.

一个黑人走到我跟前，问我要不要“来一针”。


What can we infer from the sentence?

It was very late — almost 1 A.M. — and I was numb — more with fright than with the cold (although it wasn’t warm, believe me).

It is very late, but Oliver has not found Jennifer. He is so frightened and anxious that he is numb. He even does not feel cold.


What is the function of the sentence?

“Love means not ever having to say you’re sorry.”

This is a famous line in Love Story, and appears several times in the novel. It demonstrates pure and simple love between Oliver and Jennifer, and the love between Oliver and his father. The Chinese translation is “ 爱永远不必说抱歉” .


in celebration of: in order to celebrate

a reception in celebration of the fund’s 70th anniversary

We will have a party in celebration of my mother’s sixtieth birthday.

Collocation:

anniversary celebrations 周年庆典birthday celebrations 生日庆典


reach out (to): show people that you are interested in them and want to listen to them

I didn’t like his gift, but I realized at the same time that he was reaching out to me.

So far, his administration has failed to reach out to Republicans.

到目前为止，他的政府还没向共和党表示任何的兴趣。

Collocation:

reach a decision / a conclusion / an agreement 作出决定 /作出结论 /达成一致reach for 伸手拿reach the point / level / stage 达到某点 /水平 /阶段


yell: vi. [also yell out] shout or say something very loudly, especially because you are frightened, angry, or excited

I yelled out, “Here I am!”

Clare yelled in pain as she fell.

Collocation:

yell at ……向吼yell at somebody to do something 大声叫某人干某事yell (out) in surprise / pain 惊讶 /痛苦得喊出来


CF: yell, cry, shout & scream这些动词的共同含义是“喊”或“叫”。

多指求援、鼓励时的呼叫。也可指因外界因素刺激而发出尖厉声音。一般指因恐惧、痛苦、惊奇等而喊叫。指有意识地高声喊叫，常用于提出警告、发命令或唤起注意等。指因恐惧、快乐或痛苦而发出尖叫声。

yellcryshoutscream

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the words above. Change the form where necessary.

1. There’s no need to ! I can hear you!

2. It was painful, and made me aloud.

3. “Help me!” she hysterically.

4. After the first few shots, people started .

yelled_____screaming_________

shout_____cry___


virtual: adj. 1) very nearly a particular thing

Car ownership is a virtual necessity when you live in the country.

Finding a cheap place to rent is a virtual impossibility in this area.

2) made, done, seen, etc. on the Internet or on a computer, rather than in the real world

virtual worlds

虚拟世界

The website allows you to take a virtual tour of the art gallery.


reconciliation: n. a situation in which two people, countries, etc. become friendly with each other again after quarrelling

Her ex-husband had always hoped for a reconciliation.

The meeting failed to achieve a reconciliation between the two groups.

NB: 通常的搭配是 reconciliation between / with

The party brought his reconciliation with his brother.

聚会使他和他的兄弟和解了。


squeeze: v.1) try to make something fit into a space that is too small, or try to get into such a space

Five of us squeezed into the back seat.

We could probably squeeze in a few more people.

2) press something firmly together with your fingers or hand

She smiled as he squeezed her hand.

3) get liquid from something by pressing it

Squeeze the oranges.

Squeeze a bit of lemon juice onto the fish.


supreme: adj. having the highest position of power, importance, or influence

the Supreme Court

Supreme Allied Commander is the title given to the most senior commander of some multinational organizations.


deliberately: adv. done in a way that is intended or planned

He was deliberately trying to upset her.

NB: 同义词有 on purpose， intentionally 。


essence: n. the most basic and important quality of something

She seems the very essence of kindness.

The essence of Arsenal’s style of football is speed.

In essence his lecture was very simple.

他的讲座本质上很简单。


lose one’s nerve: suddenly become so nervous that you cannot do what you intended to

Jensen would’ve won if he hadn’t lost his nerve.

Collocation:

the nerve to do something ……干的勇气hold / keep one’s nerve 在困境中保持勇气get on one’s nerves 使某人很恼火


be immersed in: be deeply absorbed in

She was far too immersed in her studies.

Immerse your foot in ice-cold water to reduce the swelling.

NB: immerse的其他用法有：1) immerse … in … …… ……把完全浸在

2) immerse oneself in … ……投身于

He left school at 16 and immersed himself in the Labor Party.

他 16 岁离开学校，投身于劳动党。


come / get to the point: talk about the important thing; reach the central question or fact

I wish you’d get to the point.

I’ll come straight to the point.

我直接进入重点。

Collocation:

a point of view 观点；着眼点at the point of ……接近；将近的时候in the point of ……关于，就而言make a point 证明论点off the point 不切题，离题to the point 中肯；扼要to the point of ……达到程度


go out of one’s mind: become mentally ill or very worried, bored, etc.

Nicole looked at him as if he’d gone out of his mind.

He must have been out of his mind to employ her.

NB: 近义词有 lose one’s mind， be out of one’s mind 。


await: vt. wait for

A terrible surprise awaited them at Mr. Smith’s house.

Several men are awaiting trial for robbery.

CF: await & wait这两个动词均含“等，等待”之意。

正式用词，及物动词，通常指不断等待，多含耐心意味。例如：

普通用词，强调静候于某处，直到等候或期待的人或事物的到来，通常用作不及物动词，与 for 连用。例如：

await

wait

I await your answer.我期待你的答复。

Hurry up! A lot of people are waiting for you.

快一点！很多人在等你。


allege: vt. say that something is true or that someone has done something wrong, although it has not been proved

The prosecution alleged that the man had been responsible for an act of terrorism.

It was alleged that the policeman had accepted bribes.

据称，警察接受了贿赂。

NB: 常用的句型有： it is alleged that … allege that … be alleged to be / do something

alleged: adj. what someone says has happened or is true, although it has not been proved

被断言的、所谓的犯罪 / 事实 / 事件an alleged crime / fact / incident


rational: adj. able to reason; based on reason

Parents need to be fully informed so they can make a rational decision.

I’m sure there’s a rational explanation for all this.

NB: 反义词是 irrational 。


exceed: vt.1) be more than a particular number or amount

Working hours must not exceed 42 hours a week.

His performance exceeded our expectations.

他的表现超出了我们的预料。

2) go beyond what rules or laws say you are allowed to do

He was fined for exceeding the speed limit.

The police had exceeded their authority.


fierce: adj. 1) angry or ready to attack, and looking very frightening

fierce guard dogs

She turned round, looking fierce.

2) done with a lot of energy and strong feelings, and sometimes violent

There was fierce fighting in the city.

These people take fierce pride in their independence.

3) very strong and often angry

fierce heat

4) much colder, hotter, etc. than usual

fierce weather

When the fierce wind blows then the numerous holes are filled; when it stops then the numerous holes are empty.


ironic: adj.1) using words that are the opposite of what you really mean, often in a joking way

ironic comments

When I told Lucy I loved her book, she thought I was being ironic.

2) unusual or amusing because something strange happens or the opposite of what is expected happens or is true

Your car was stolen at the police station! How ironic!

It’s ironic that her husband smoked for thirty years, and yet she’s the one who died of lung cancer.


filter: v. 1) pass slowly in a specific direction

Moonlight filtered in through the frosted window.

The familiar notes of Beethoven’s Für Elise filtered from the bar.

The ozone layer filters harmful UV rays from the sun.

水槽中的水不断地被过滤。The water in the tank is constantly filtered.

2) remove unwanted substances from water, air, etc. by passing it through a special substance or piece of equipment

filter out

The pump filters out mud.

Net users can filter out unwanted emails with software.


blend:1) vi. mix together thoroughly

The old house blends in perfectly with the countryside.

两者的声音结合得多么完美。

How well the voices of the two blend.

2) vt. thoroughly mix together soft or liquid substances to form a single smooth substance

Blend the sugar, eggs, and flour.

3) v. combine different things in a way that produces an effective or pleasant result, or to become combined in this way

a story that blends fact and legend

Leave the sauce for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend together.


instinct: n. an ability or way of behaving that a person or an animal possesses

Animals have a natural instinct for survival.

Birds build nests by instinct.

His first instinct was to rush back to Isobel.


mutter: v.1) speak in a low voice, especially because you are annoyed about something, or you do not want people to hear you

Elsie muttered something I couldn’t catch and walked off.

What are you two muttering about?

2) complain about something or express doubts about it, but without saying clearly and openly what you think

Some senators muttered darkly about the threat to national security.

CF: mutter, murmur & whisper这些动词均有“低语”之意。

多指别人不易听到的低语。通常指人、微风或小溪等的低沉、柔和或连续的声音。通常指耳语、窃窃私语。

muttermurmur

whisper


1. The wind through the trees.

2. “I never want to come here again,” he to himself.

3. You don’t have to . No one can hear us.


muttered________

murmured_________

whisper_______


invasion: n.1) when the army of one country enters another country by force, in order to take control of it

the invasion of Normandy

The book is about the invasion of the country in the twentieth century.

2) the arrival in a place of a lot of people or things, often where they are not wanted

Breaking into other people’s house is considered as an invasion of privacy.


CF: invasion, attack & aggression 这些名词均有“进攻、侵略”之意。

多指具体的侵入或侵犯别国领土，也可用来指抽象事件。普通用词，含义广，指事先不发警告，主动地向对方发起武力进攻或对言论等进行抨击。词义宽泛，既可指武装入侵别国领土，又可指文化、经济等方面的侵略。强调敌意行动和征服的企图。

invasion

attack

aggression

1. There have been several on foreigners recently.

2. Television violence can encourage in children.

3. The new century sees the of American movies in China.


aggression__________

invasion_______

attacks______


(be) in need of:1) need help, advice, money, etc., because you are in a difficult situation

This project is in urgent need of funding.

他无家可归，迫切需要帮助。

He is homeless and in desperate need of help.

2) need to be cleaned, repaired, or given attention to in some way

The church was in great need of repair.


fright: n. sudden, intense fear

He was shaking with fright.

The child cried out in fright.

当意识到自己欠了多少钱时，我极度恐惧。

I got an awful fright when I realized how much money I owed.

CF: fright, fear, horror & terror这些名词均含“恐惧、惧怕、惊恐”之意。

通常指一阵突然的、令人震惊的短暂恐惧，有时含夸张意味。普通用词，强调指面临危险或灾祸时内心所引起的恐惧心情。强调指因看到令人讨厌或危险的东西或情景而引起的厌恶情绪、极度恐惧心情或战栗的动作。指极大的恐惧和惊骇，语气最强。

frightfearhorror

terror


1. There are that share prices could decrease still further.

2. There was a look of sheer on his face.

3. The animal took and ran away.

4. Dense smoke surrounded them, adding to the of the situation.


horror_____

fright_____

fears_____

terror_____


1. Useful Expressions

2. Listening Comprehension

3. Picture Talking

4. Blank Filling

5. Writing Practice

6. Proverbs and Quotations

1. 庆贺

2. 主动向……伸出手（表示兴趣、友好）

3. 写信封

4. 被……忽略

5. 挤进沙发的一角

6. 最高法院

7. 出示证据

8. 失去勇气

in celebration of

reach out to …

address the envelope

slip one’s mind

squeeze oneself onto a corner of the sofa

the Supreme Court

produce evidence

lose one’s nerve

Useful Expressions


9. 沉浸在……

10. 把手盖在话筒上

be immersed in …

have one’s hand over / on the mouthpiece


13. 失去理智

14. 在接下来的一刹那

15. 冲出去

go out of one’s mind

in the next split second

dash out

16. 发出声音 utter a sound

17. 害怕得要死

18. 迷失在哈佛广场的黑暗中

19. 需要……

be scared to death

be lost in the darkness of Harvard Square

be in need of …

20. 打断道歉 cut off one’s apology

12. 挂电话 hang up

11. 说重要的事情 get to the point

Listening Comprehension


In this section, you will hear a short passage. At the end of the passage, you will hear some questions. After you hear a question, you must choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D).

Directions:

A) By sending their beloved rings.

B) By sending their beloved sleeves.

C) By wearing the names of their beloved on their rings.

D) By wearing the names of their beloved on their sleeves.

KEY

1.


A) On the seventh day of the second lunar month.

B) On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

C) On the fourteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

D) On the fourteenth day of the second lunar month.

KEY

2.

A) They send chocolates.

B) They send flowers.

C) They look at the stars of Niu Lang and Zhi Nϋ in the evening.

D) They look at the moon in the evening.

KEY

3.


A) She was the daughter of the Goddess of Heaven.

B) She was the daughter of God.

C) She was the mother of the Goddess of Heaven.

D) She was the mother of God.

KEY

4.

A) On the morning of February 14th.

B) On the morning of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

C) On the night of February 14th.

D) On the night of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

KEY

5.


February is the month for love. In days gone by, people celebrated Valentine’s Day (February 14th) by wearing the names of their beloved on their sleeves. Today, we exchange Valentine’s Day cards. And flowers and chocolates are popular gifts.

Of course, things are a little different in China. Although it is not as popular, the Chinese also have a day for love. Qi Qiao Jie is also called Chinese Valentine’s Day. It falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. People in love celebrate by looking at the stars of Niu Lang and Zhi Nϋ in the evening. They believe Niu Lang and Zhi Nϋ were husband and wife. Zhi Nϋ was the seventh daughter of the Goddess of Heaven. She fell in love with Niu Lang and married him. Her mother was very angry with her and ordered her to return to heaven. Niu Lang and Zhi Nϋ were separated by the Milky Way, and allowed to reunite only on this special night of the year.


Questions 1 to 5 are based on the passage you have just heard.1. How did people spend Valentine’s Day in the past?2. When is Chinese Valentine’s Day?3. How do people celebrate Chinese Valentine’s Day?4. Who was Zhi Nϋ?5. When were Niu Lang and Zhi Nϋ allowed to reunite?


Picture Talking


Blank Filling

In this section, there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank. Read the passage through carefully before making your choices. Change the forms when necessary. You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.

Directions:


virtual

forgive

pointOliver and Jennifer received an from Oliver’s parents to the old

man’s sixtieth birthday party. Jennifer preferred accepting it, regarding it as a good opportunity for a between father and son. But Oliver wouldn’t give it a thought. He told Jennifer that it was impossible for him to out to his father and asked her to get straight to the when calling his father, while Jennifer made an message instead. Oliver was outrageous and did something that made Jennifer out of the house. Oliver searched everywhere for Jennifer but in . Finally, when he went back home in , he found Jennifer sitting in front of the house, and already him for what he had done.

reconciliation___________

invitation________

virtually_______

alleged______

reach_____ point_____

desperation__________

dash_____vain____

forgiving________

invite

rational

instinct

dash

desperation

reconciliation

vain

nerve

allege

reach

exceed

await


Writing Practice — Writing Invitations

1. A Brief Introduction

2. Homework


A Brief Introduction

Guidelines for writing invitations:

State the occasion, date, time, and place. Include addresses and a map if necessary. Mention if refreshments will be served. List any charges that may apply. Include a telephone number for RSVPs. If there is a dress code, state the preferred dress in the lower left-hand corner of the card. Express that you are looking forward to seeing the person. Do not use abbreviations and do not use contractions (don’t; we’ll) except for name titles, such as Mr., Mrs., etc. If dinner will be served, state two separate times: the time people can start arriving and the time dinner will be served. If you do not want gifts, briefly state that gifts are not wanted or needed. Explain that their presence is the only gift you need. Make sure you send your invitations out with ample advance notice.


Samples

Formal Invitation

Business Invitation

Personal Invitation


Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Rasool cordially invite you to a reception celebrating the engagement of

Mary Jane Rasool and Robert Yates to be held on Sunday, the sixth of June

at six o’clock Pierre’s Cafe

800 23rd Street NW Washington, DC

RSVP Semi-Formal Dress (202) 555-6908

Formal Invitation


Business Invitation

Longman’s Transportation Services cordially invites you to the

15th Annual Employees Appreciation Picnic.

The whole family is welcome! 12:00 am to 8:00 pm

Saturday, May 22, 1999 South Redding Creek Park

Redding, Maryland Food, drink, games, and

entertainment will be provided.


Personal Invitation

You are invited to Michael Carison’s 10th birthday!

Date: Saturday, June 12, 1999 Time: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm

Where: 345 Eastern Avenue Lodi, Washington

Call Tonia at (307) 555-1234 to RSVP


Homework

In this part, you are supposed to write an invitation to invite your friends to attend your graduation ceremony.

Directions:


Proverbs and Quotations

1. Love asks faith, and faith asks firmness.

爱情要求忠诚，而忠诚要求坚贞。

2. How shall I do to love? Believe. How shall I do to believe? Love.

怎样对待爱情？要相信。怎样才能相信？要有爱情。

3. Love can turn the cottage into a golden palace.

爱情可使茅屋成为金碧辉煌的宫殿。


5. Every man is a poet when he is in love. — Plato, ancient Greek philosopher

情人眼里出西施。

每个恋爱中的人都是诗人。—— 古希腊哲学家柏拉图

4. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

6. First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity. — George Bernard Shaw, British playwright

初恋就是一点点笨拙外加许许多多好奇。—— 英国剧作家乔治•伯纳德•肖

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