Analytical reading-Part 23

From This Side of Paradise

Francis Scott Fitzgerald

“12

 Univee” housed a dozen miscellaneous question marks. There were three or four inconspicuous and quite startled boys from Lawrenceville, two amateur wild men from a New York private school (Kerry Holiday christened them “the plebeian drunks”), a Jewish youth, also from New York, and, as compensation for Amory, the two Holidays to whom he took an instant fancy.

                The Holidays were rumoured twins, but really the dark-haired one, Kerry, was tall with humorous gray eyes, and a sudden, attractive smile. He became at once the mentor of the house, reaper of ears that grew too high, censor of conceit, vendor of rare satirical humour. Amory spread the table of their future friendship with all his ideas of what college should and did mean. Kerry, not inclined as yet to take things seriously, chided him gently for being curious at this inopportune time about the intricacies of the social system, but liked him and was both interested and amused.

                Burne, fair-headed, silent, and intent, appeared in the house only as a busy apparition, gliding in quietly at night and off again in the early morning to get up his work in the library—he was out for the “Princetonian,” competing furiously against forty others for the coveted first place. In December he came with diphtheria, and someone else won the competition, but, returning to college in February, he dauntlessly went after the prize again. Necessarily, Amory’s acquaintance with him was in the way of three-minute chats, walking to and from lectures, so he failed to penetrate Burne’s one absorbing interest and find what lay beneath.

Notes and comments:

 (n.) paradise

(adj.) paradismal, paradisic, paradisal, paradisian, paradisiac, paradisean = райски

miscellaneous—various = смесен, сборен, разнообразен

(newspaper column) miscellany—“Отвсякъде,” “Разни”

to take a fancy to—имам слабост към

to fancy—1) харесвам; 2) въобразявам си

a fancy dress—костюм за маскен бал/маскарад

a fancy—1) въображение; 2) каприз, хрумване, желание

wild man—ragger—roisterer—reveller—merry-maker = гуляйджия, веселяк

They are rumoured twins. = The rumour has them twins.

He is reported good specialist. = He is reportedly a good specialist.

She is said to be nervous. = They/People say she is nervous.

to attract—привличам

to distract—отвличам, разсейвам

to protract—провлачам, проточвам

to contract—сключвам; съкращавам; прихващам (болест); навличам си

to abstract—отвличам, отделям; резюмирам; извличам

to retract—отдръпвам се; оттеглям се; отменям; отмятам се

to detract—отвличам, разсейвам; забърквам; разстройвам

a sandy-tract—плаж

a tract—пространство, шир; период, време

mechanical traction—механична тяга

live traction—жива тяга

intractable—неподатлив (на обработка, възпитание)

a mentor—наставник, възпитател

a vendor—продавач

a street vendor—a peddler (pedlar)—a hawker—bagman—cheapjack—huckster = амбулантен търговец

“I’ll reap your long ears off.” = “Ще ти отпоря дългите уши.” (Иван Вазов)

to incline—накланям (се); клоня

to recline—облягам се, опирам се

to decline—западам; спускам се

to take thing seriously ¹ to take life easy

to chide—to scold—to reproach—to rebuke—to reprimand = гълча, карам се, хокам

(adj.) intricate—заплетен, объркан, сложен

(n.) intricacy—сложност, заплетеност, обърканост, объркана/заплетена работа

an apparition—a ghost—a spectre—a phantom—a wraith—a spook = призрак, видение

to be out for—заел съм се с

to be in for—предстои ми

She is out to kill. = Тръгнала е да покорява мъжете.

He is out for murder. = Ще го избие на убийство.

If you are arranging a hike, I am in for it! = Ако уреждате екскурзия, там съм и аз!

dauntless—fearless—courageous—valiant—brave—gallant—bold = безстрашен, смел, неустрашим