Analytical reading-Part 26

G. R. Gissing

From Miss Rodney’s Leisure

V

ery systematically she pursued the purpose of getting Mrs. Turpin “in hand”. The two points at which she first aimed were the keeping clean of her room and the decent preparation of her meals. Never losing temper, never seeming to notice the landlady’s sullen mood, always using a tone of legitimate authority, touched sometimes with humorous compassion, she exacted obedience to her direction, but was well aware that at any moment the burden of a new civilization might prove too heavy for the Turpin family and cause revolt. A week went by; it was again Saturday, and Miss Rodney devoted a part of the morning (there being no school today) to culinary instruction. Mabel and Lily shared the lesson with their mother, but both young ladies wore an air of condescension, and grimaced at Miss Rodney behind her back. The pride of ignorance stiffened her back-bone and curled her lip.

                Miss Rodney’s leisure generally had its task; though as a matter of principle she took daily exercise, her walking or cycling was always an opportunity for thinking something out, and this afternoon, as she sped on wheels some ten miles from Wattleborough, her mind was busy with the problem of Mrs. Turpin’s husband. From her clerical friend of St. Lukees she had learnt that Turpin was at bottom a decent sort of man, rather intelligent, and that it was only during the last year or two that he had taken to passing his evenings at the public-house. Causes for this decline could be suggested. The carpenter had lost his only son, a lad of whom he was very fond; the boy’s death quite broke him down at the time, and perhaps he had begun to drink as a way of forgetting his trouble. Perhaps, too, his foolish, slatternly wife bore part of the blame, for his home had been always comfortless, and such companionship must, in the long run, tell on a man. Reflecting upon this Miss Rodney had an idea, and she took no time in putting it into practice. When Mabel brought in her tea, she asked the girl whether her father was at home.

Notes and comments:

to set a task to oneself—поставям си задача

to pursue a purpose—следвам целта си

to aim at a point—целя се в точка

to reach a goal—достигам цел

to achieve an objective/purpose/aim/end—постигам целта си

to gain/attain an end—постигам целта си

to lose one’s temper-to give in to anger = излизам от кожата си, разсърдвам се, ядосвам се

to keep cool-to keep one’s head level = запазвам спокойствие, хладнокръвен съм, не се вълнувам

to be level-headed-to have a poised, well-balanced character = уравновесен/здравомислещ съм

to be scared out of one’s wits-губя ума и дума от страх

to be scared stiff-вцепенявам се от страх

to be paralyzed with fear-парализиран съм от страх

to be frightened to death-умирам от страх

to lose one’s head-губя разсъдък

to be terror-stricken-бивам обзет от ужас

(adj.) exact-precise, punctual (an exact watch, a punctual man)

(v.) to exact-to demand (an exacting teacher)

exactitude-precision, punctuality

exactly-precisely, to the point

exactions-изисквания

instruction-указания

direction-насока

guidance-напътствие

leadership-ръководство (и прен.)

to share a room with a companion-живея със съквартирант

to have one’s share of something-получавам пая си от нещо

to have shares in a business = to be a shareholder-имам акции в предприятие

to give one’s share to a cause = to give one’s contribution-давам приноса си за

to share one’s grief-съчувствам някому

legitimate authority—законна власт

lawful demands—справедливи/основателни искания

legal action—юрид. съдебен процес, дело

illegitimate son—извънбрачен син

unlawful proceedings—незаконни прояви/постъпки/машинации

illegal possession of arms—незаконно притежаване на оръжия

to curl/purse one’s lip-свивам презрително устни

to hurry-1) (intransitive verb) to be in a hurry; 2) (transitive verb-causative function) to make somebody hurry

to make haste (intransitive)

to speed-sped-sped (transitive & intransitive)

to put up speed (intransitive)

to accelerate (transitive)

to decline/turn down an offer-to reject a proposal-to turn down a suggestion = отхвърлям предложение

to take one’s time—не бързам, не си давам зор, мотая се

to break the news-съобщавам новини

to break a horse-обяздвам кон

to break in a new worker-обучавам работник

a technical breakdown-техническа неизправност, отказ в апаратурата

a nervous breakdown-нервна криза

a border-line mental case-нервноболен на границата на колапс

to break into a house-извършвам кражба с взлом (housebreaker)

to be burglarized-бивам ограбен с взлом

to break through the enemy defenses-пробивам неприятелската отбрана

a breakthrough-неочакван успех, новост, поврат

Try to memorize the following phrases:

the government’s decision, the majority’s platform, my sister’s wedding, the horse’s neck, the farm dog’s bark, the lion’s tail, the tiger’s stripes, Europe’s past, our country’s development, America’s colonial period, London’s fog, our university’s linguistic department, the earth’s interior, the nation’s chief waterways, the school’s history, the hotel’s entrance, a country’s population, the city’s atmosphere, the decade’s events, a day’s work, a week’s holiday, a moment’s thought, the theatre season’s first big event, science’s influence on our society, my life’s aim, the treaty’s ratification, duty’s call, the book’s true importance, the novel’s structure, a word’s function, the car’s performance on the road, the ship’s surgeon, television’s future, the wine’s character

Learn the following phrases:

the ghost of a smile, the City of London, a jewel of a fellow, a devil of a woman, a hell of a noise, a Cerberus of an office boy, a giant of a man, the deuce of a price, a love of a child, a doll of a girl, a flower of a woman, a devil of a hurry