From Eating People Is Wrong
Malcolm Bradbury
| T |
erm had just begun. Professor Treece, Head of the Department of English, sat at his desk, his back to the window, with the cold, clear October light shining icily over his shoulders on the turbulent heaps of papers upon his desk, on the pale young faces of three new students. As the rain rattled against the panes behind him, and the students stared speculatively out at the last leaves falling damply from the trees, Professor Treece spoke sonorously. His comments were academic and solid. To speak in this mode had meant, over the last years, a certain settling down, a certain closing in of interests, a certain assumption of weighty mannerisms. It was not that he had ever been what was called, disparagingly, in the Senior Common Room a “bohemian”, or “a bit of a wild man”; if he had affectations, they were all permissible ones. The matter of it was really that for this appointment he was a very young man. Not too many years behind him were the wet and lonely days of postgraduate research, which persisted for him in the image of walking, with a briefcase full of books, among cold Bloomsbury houses, near the British Museum
Notes and comments:
to rattle-тропам, чукам, тракам, хлопам, трополя, трещя, гърмя, дрънча
to rattle the sabre-дрънкам оръжие, заплашвам с война
death rattle-предсмъртно хъркане
rattle-brain-прен. празноглавец, глупак, празнодумец (to be rattle-brained)
a rattling breeze-чудесен/прекрасен вятър
rattle snake-гърмяща змия
to close in-намалявам, стеснявам (интереси и пр.)
to draw to a close-наближавам края си, завършвам
the close of the season-закриване (край) на сезона
close-down-затваряне на фабрики и пр., спиране на производството
close confinement-строг тъмничен затвор
a close call-syn. almost an accident, disaster or failure; критична ситуация
in close proximity-в непосредствена близост
close coordination-тясно сътрудничество
to shoot at close range-стрелям отблизо/в упор
close resemblance-голяма прилика
close study/examination-внимателно/щателно проучване
to follow close behind-следвам отблизо, вървя по петите на
to keep close to the original-придържам се към оригинала (при превод и пр.)
close to-syn. almost; почти
We didn’t actually hit the other car, but it was a close call. Не се ударихме с другата кола, но се разминахме на косъм.
basic assumption-syn. prerequisite; основно положение, предпоставка
popular assumption-общоразпространено мнение
on the assumption that-в случай, че
disparaging-пренебрежителен, презрителен, непочтителен
disparagement-очерняне, подценяване, пренебрежително отношение
This is not written in disparagement of his work. С тези редове не желая да подценя работата му.
to run wild-раста без контрол/на свобода (за деца)
to lead a wild life-водя разгулен живот
to spread like wildfire-разпространявам се като мълния (за слухове и пр.)
wild disorder-страшен безпорядък
wild with joy-полудял от радост
wild with rage-обезумял от ярост
to be wild/crazy about someone-луд съм по някого, падам си по някого
a wild-goose chase-syn. a foolishly useless enterprise; безнадеждна работа, търсене на нещо несъществуващо
to send someone on a wild-goose chase-пращам някого за зелен хайвер, пращам някого да гони Михаля
Form adjectives from the nouns given below:
eloquence, adolescence, innocence, silence, evidence, transparency, turbulence, reverence, refluence, abhorrence, absence, affluence, antecedence, benevolence, coincidence, competence, concurrence, confidence, consequence, corpulence, correspondence, currency, delinquency, dependence, despondency, diffidence, efficiency, imminence, impatience, imprudence, impudence, indolence, inherence, malevolence, obedience, insolence, occurrence, convenience, eminence, existence, prominence, recurrence, prudence, precedence, consistence
Fill in the blanks with –a or –e in the following sentences:
The children are impati…nt to start.
He had the impud…nce to say that I was telling lies.
He has an inher…nt love of beauty.
Soldiers act in obedi…nce to the orders of their officers.
It requires pati…nce to knit a jumper.
What is your prefer…nce?
He was requestioned in the pres…nce of a large number of people.
Somehow provid…nce preserved him from the fate of the others.
You should make refer…nce to a dictionary.
There wasn’t enough evid…nce to prove him guilty of the crime.
This may arouse resist…nce.
He is a nuis…nce.
Her perform…nce was excell…nt.
The doctor ordered him total abstin…nce.
This afflu…nt society was strange to him.
In spite of her appar…nt indiffer…nce, she gave him the cheap-hotel-sign smile.
No admitt…nce!
He is an old acquaint…nce of mine.
She told him everything in a burst of confid…nce.
He is an ard…nt adher…nt to this idea.
I call this depend…nce upon the circumst…nces.
His accept…nce of the nuis…nce is in accord…nce with his prud…nce.
Memorize the following set expressions:
impudent accusation, obedient boy, to give evidence, in silence, a fair inference, indolent student, at your earliest convenience, a consistent friend, prudent answer, turbulent water, transparent curtains, succulent meat, resplendent Christmas tree, to live in affluence, absences from school, benevolent man, concurrence of ideas, competent knowledge, a man of consequence, current events, corpulent person, turbulent passions, an appliance for opening tins, a convalescent hospital, in accordance with, a clear utterance, an emergency fund, a violent wind, a fearful vengeance, in compliance with your wishes, a look of deep significance, his easy assurance of manner, an efficient secretary
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