The Richer, the Poorer

Introduction to the Text 1. Comparison and Contrast A good example of comparison and

contrast: it concentrates on the differences of the two sisters’ different lifestyles and experiences from childhood to old age.

The climax is their reunion in old age, when they, for the first time, seem to share similar opinions on life.

Introduction to the Text

2. Point of View From Lottie’s point of view. Lottie: all work and no play make a

satisfactory life in one’s old age. Bess: Eat, drink and be merry for

tomorrow we die.

Discussion 1. What is so called “moonlight goddess” in the

modern society? What’s their opinion and behavior toward life and work?

2. Do you remember Walt Disney’s animated movie named “the ants and grasshopper”, which one do you like ---- the ants or the happy grasshopper?

3. Whom do you agree with ---- Lottie’s life experience or Bess’ happy but poor life? Why? For them who is richer and who is poorer?

4. What is work for ---- earn money/ house/ bank account/ for your old age/ for your parents and children?

Or for spend money/ enjoy life? 5. One of my friends once saw a car accident and an

innocent person died. She was shocked by the scene and felt great pity for the young victim. Then after her work she bought something beautiful and expensive she dreamed but never spent for. She also had a good meal in a decent café. What’s your comment on her unusual act?

1.ambition: desire for advancement or distinction, or for specific attainment

be full of ambition ambitious: adj. full of ambition eg: He is ambitious of success in life. 2.clarity: clearness clarify: make or become clearer to see or easier to

understand =(refine simplify explain) eg: Can you clarify the situation? clarification: n.

3.conscience: moral sense of right and wrong a clear conscience 无愧于心 search one’s conscience 扪心自问　自我反

省 stir the conscience 唤起．．的良心 upon my conscience 凭良心说 on one’s conscience: causing one feelings of

guilt conscientious: adj. =(righteous faithful

responsible cautious)

4.contrast: n. (to) difference so revealed, thing or person having noticeably different qualities

v. (with) set in opposition to reveal contrast compare and contrast 比较　对比 In/by contrast （一般用于句子开头） in contrast to/with 与．．相比　与．．相反 5.dismal: causing or showing gloom; miserable =(gloomy depressing) dismal weather The news was as dismal as ever. 这消息还是叫人提不起精神 A dismal performance in the election 在选举中差劲的表现

6. embrace: n. the act of holding sb. Close to you as a sign of love

v. hold closely in the arms as a sign of affection =(accept adopt include grasp comprise etc.) eg: She embraced her son before leaving. embrace an offer, opportunity The term ‘mankind’ embraces men, women and

children. 人类一词包括男人，女人和儿童 7.emerge: come up or out into view ; become known or

recognized =(appear arise) antonym :submerge 　 n. emergence eg: The moon emerged from behind the clouds. No new evidence emerged during the enquiry. emerge into 在…里出现　

8.enhance: increase (the good qualities of sb/sth); make (sb/sth) look better

=(boost improve enrich) eg: enhance the status, reputation, position of sb. Those clothes do nothing to enhance her appearance. 9.fantasy: [u] imagination when completely unrelated

to reality =fancy eg: live in a fantasy world [c] product of the imagination; wild or unrealistic

notion eg: Stop looking for a perfect job, it’s just a fantasy.

fantastic: adj. wild and strange; impossible to carry out, not practical ;[ 口］ excellent very large extraordinary =fantastical

eg: fantastic dreams/stories fantastic proposal She is a fantastic swimmer. Their wedding cost a fantastic amount of money. fantasticate: vt. 10.frugal: careful and thrifty with money and food ; of life in

which such care is shown 生活俭朴的； costing little small in quantity

eg: a frugal housekeeper They lived a very frugal existence, avoiding all luxuries. a frugal meal of bread and cheese frugally: adv. frugality: n.

11.grieve: cause great sorrow to sb. feel a deep sorrow because of loss

eg: Your mother is grieved by your refusal to return home.

Their daughter died over a year ago, but they are still grieved.

grieve for/ over /about sb(sth) 因（失去）感到悲痛 grieve at/over/about sth （对某事）感到后悔 grievous: adj. causing suffer; (of sth bad) severe or

serious eg: grievous news/ losses/

wrongs/pain/wounds/fault/crime

12.indulge: allow oneself to have what he likes or wants; to satisfy; allow sb to enjoy the pleasure of sth

eg: They indulge their child too much; it’s bad for his character.

Will you indulge my curiosity and tell me how much it cost?

indulge in a long hot bath indulgent: adj. inclined to indulge eg: indulgent

parents indulgence: n. state of being allowed whatever one

wants ;hobby 13.miserly:1)like a miser; mean or selfish 2)barely

adequate eg: miserly habits miserly allowance/share/portion miser: n.

14.threadbare: 1)(of clothes )worn thin; shabby 2)too often used or too well known to be effective

eg: a threadbare carpet/coat a threadbare joke/argument/plot 15.wistful: full of or expressing sad or vague

longing( 尤指过去的或不可得的事物 ) =sorrowful/ desirous eg: wistful eye a wistful mood wistfully: adv. signing wistfully 发愁的叹息

16.freshman =fresher 　 sophomore junior senior graduate

Gypsy The Gypsies, or

Romani, first appeared in Western Europe in the early 15th century. Linguistic evidence points to several group migrations from the Indian subcontinent, the first possibly around 390BC.

Gypsy Most Gypsies lived in

tents, though travelling vans were adopted by some from the mid nineteenth century.

Gypsy’s occupations The following occupations were commonly practised by

Gypsies, who provided goods and services to local communities in the course of their travels. The terms dealer and general dealer were frequently used by Gypsies from the late 19th century, but the terms were also used to describe other traders and shopkeepers.

hawker, licensed hawker, pedlar basket maker, mat maker, beehive maker, brush maker, chair

bottomer, sieve bottomer tinker, tinman, razor grinder, knife grinder dealer, general dealer, marine store dealer, wardrobe dealer peg maker, umbrella mender, chimney sweep, horse dealer

Phrases

1.Lottie had a bank account that had never grown lean.

=Lottie always had quite a sum of money deposited in the bank.

lean (adj.) :small in amount or quality; meagre

2.She looked after babies, she ran errands for the old.

=She earned some money by babysitting and making short trips for the old people.

go on/run errands for sb : to go somewhere for other people to take a message , to buy sth. To deliver goods, etc.

Eg: When I was a child, I liked to run errands for my parents.

3.When the dimes began to add up to dollars, she lost her taste for sweets.

=when her saving grew considerably, she was too old to want candy any more.

add up to : to amount to; to lead to a particular result Eg: These numbers add up to 100. add (sth.) up : calculate the total of (two or more

numbers or amounts) Eg: Add up all the money I owe you. add to sth : increase sth. Eg: The bad weather add to our difficulties. add …to… (idiom) 1)add fuel to flames 2)add insult to injury

4.Bess grieved because she had no child, not having sense enough to know she was better off without them.

=Bess felt sorry that she had no children. She was not sensible and practical enough to know that with children, their conditions would have been worse still.

be better off : to have more money ==be wealthy/rich

be badly off 5.The years, after forty, began to race. =after one reach forty, one grew old rapidly. 6.Lottie, trapped by the blood tie,…… blood tie :family relationship

7.When she was through the room looked so fresh and ….

be through (with sth./sb.) : to finish; to have no further relationship

Eg: I’m through with all the painting. We hope you are through with drugs. 8.She knew she would have redo that room, too, and

went about doing it eagerly. go about sth./doing sth : to start working on sth. Eg :How should we go about planting these trees? He went about improving his pronunciation.

9.You’ve too much catching up to do waste a minute of a waking hour feeling sorry for yourself.

=You’ve got to do too many things to make up for what you’ve missed in life, so you shouldn’t waste a minute on self-pity.

waste sth. (in) doing sth./on sth.: to use more of sth. than necessary or useful

Eg: You’ve just wasting your time trying to talk him out of the idea.

She never wasted her money on fancy clothes. waking hours: the hours when you are not sleeping

10.I know I’m too old to kick up my heels,…. kick up one’s heels: to be relaxed and enjoy

oneself; to die Eg: He plans to kick up his heels and go on a

trip to Europe when he finishes his book. He kicked up his heels by a sudden shoot. kick one’s heel: to have nothing to do while

waiting for sb./sth. Eg: we’re just kicking our heels until the next

semester begins.

Vocabulary Exercises 1. The teacher wishes to speak to you ____

your being late for the class. A. with regard to B. with regard of C. with regards to with regards of 2. The doctor ____ quickly what had been

wrong with the man’s leg. A. detailed B. detected C. determined

D. detract

Vocabulary Exercises 3. The doctor gave him an injection to ____ his

pain. A. free B. ease C. move D. decrease 4. In the clothing museum, no one is allowed to try

on the ____ on exhibition. A. customs B. customers C. costumes D.

custom 5. Don’t worry about your daughter any more, she is

out of danger and ___ a good nurse. A. charged with B. in charge of C. responsible

for D. in the charge of

Vocabulary Exercises 6. Very few experts can ____ with completely

new solutions to the world’s economic problems.

A. come to B. come up C. come across D. come by

7. Much as he is rich, Dr. Smith has bought an ____ seat on the ship.

A. economical B. economic C. economy D. economics

Vocabulary Exercises 8. Today, housework has been made much

easier by household ____. A. facilities B. appliances C.

instruments D. equipment

Keys: ABBCD BCB