Analytical reading-Part 4

S.O.S.

by Agatha Christie

H

e was by nature peculiarly susceptible to atmosphere, and by deliberate training he had increased his own natural gift. When he had at last reached the cottage and rapped at the door, he was conscious of an excitement, a quickening of interest, as though all his faculties had suddenly been sharpened.

            The murmur of voices within had been plainly audible to him. Upon his knock there came a sudden silence, then the sound of a chair being pushed back along the floor. In another minute the door was flung open by a boy of about fifteen. Cleveland could look straight over his shoulder upon the scene within.

            It reminded him of an interior by some Dutch master. A round table spread for a meal, a family party sitting round it, one or two flickering candles and the firelight’s glow over all. The father, a big man, sat one side of the table, a little grey woman with a frightened face sat opposite him. Facing the door, looking straight at Cleveland, was a girl. Her startled eyes looked straight into his, her hand with a cup in it was arrested half-way to her lips.

            She was, Cleveland saw at once, a beautiful girl of an extremely uncommon type. Her hair, red gold, stood out round her face like a mist, her eyes, very far apart, were a pure grey. She had the mouth and chin of an early Italian Madonna.

            There was a moment’s dead silence. Then Cleveland stepped into the room and explained his predicament. He brought his trite story to a close, and there was another pause harder to understand. At last, as though with an effort, the father rose.

Lexical analysis:

to rap¾to knock, to tap (at/on a door, etc.)

Dutch bargain¾сделка, която е изгодна само за едната страна

Dutch clock¾часовник с кукувица

Dutch comfort (consolation)¾слабо утешение (cold comfort, poor consolation)

Dutch concert¾шум, гюрултия, нестройно пеене

Dutch courage¾пиянска храброст, бабаитлък

Dutch feast¾гуляй, на който домакинът първи се напива (to go Dutch¾to have every participant pay his or her own expenses)

Dutch treat¾гуляй, на който всеки си плаща

double Dutch¾неразбран говор, безсмислици

halfway to London¾на половината път за Лондон

We are halfway there.¾На половината/Насред път сме.

to meet somewhere halfway¾посрещам някого на половината път

halfway house¾хан или гостилница на средата на пътя между две селища

half-wit¾малоумен/слабоумен/тъпоумен човек, идиот

half-truth¾полуистина; непълна истина; изявление, което премълчава съществени факти

a good half of¾поне половината от

more than half of the time¾разг. повечето време

One can see with half an eye.¾Очевидно е.

Half a loaf of bread is better than none.¾Човек трябва да се задоволява с каквото му дават.

I am half inclined to agree with you.¾Почти (доста) съм склонен да се съглася с теб.

I was half afraid you would not come.¾Започнах да се страхувам, че няма да дойдеш.

to stand out¾изпъквам, издавам се напред, излизам напред

to stand out against a background¾изпъквам на фон

dead silence¾гробна тишина

dead loss¾чиста загуба

dead secret¾дълбока тайна

dead sleep¾мъртвешки сън

dead hours¾потайна доба (in the dead of night¾в потайна доба, в глухите часове на нощта)

dead drunk¾мъртвопиян

dead tired¾капнал от умора

dead and gone¾отдавна минал, излязъл от употреба

dead to reason¾глух за всякакви съвети

dead to the world¾умрял за света

dead season¾мъртъв сезон

in the dead of winter¾посред зима

dead fingers¾измръзнали пръсти

dead fire/volcano¾изгаснал огън/вулкан

predicament¾затруднение, недоумение (syn crisis, difficulty, dilemma, embarrassment, mess, quandary)

We’re in a fine predicament!¾Добре се наредихме!

I’m in the same predicament.¾И аз съм в същото положение.

a trite subject¾предъвкана/изтъркана тема

as grave as a judge¾със сериозен вид

grave news¾обезпокоителни новини

a grave responsibility¾голяма отговорност

a grave situation¾сериозно положение

intent gaze¾вторачен/втренчен поглед