Unit Four The Gee
About the author
E.B. White (1899-1985) was born in Mount Vernon, New York, on July 11, 1899. After rvice as an army private in 1918, he graduated from Cornell University in 1926. He worked as a reporter on the Seattle Times and as an advertising copywriter before joining The New Yorker magazine in 1926, a year after its founding. For 12 years he wrote the editorial essays in the magazine’s “Notes and Comments” and contributed ver ad other pieces. In 1937 he move to a farm in North Brooklyn, Ma., and from this retreat continued writing, including a column “One Man’s Meat” in Harper’s (1938-1943) and freelance pieces for The New Yorker.
White has a facile mind, a penetrating wit, an individual way of looking at things, and yet all without ostentation or affectation.
The technique obrvable in his pro include the concrete image, the striking and yet appr
opriate comparison, the preci word with just the right connotation, the u of familiar words in an unfamiliar fashion, parallelism, the varied length of the ntences and the phrasing within the ntences. White’s crisp, graceful, and highly individual style, as well as his independence of thought made him one of America’s leading essayists.
新居入伙祝福语Idiomatic Expressions
pitch out 清迈市--- get rid of (the object can be something or somebody)
汉平帝I knew they were good eggs and did not like to pitch them out. (para. 3)
You’d better pitch out the old furniture and refurnish your rooms.
The club pitched out two members for failing to pay the money they owed.
We’ll pitch you if you go on hindering our work.
scoop up --- rai sth. in a deep rounded implement (the object be liquid, dust, fillings, shavings, ect.)
钱福We scooped up three goslings and tosd them into a box. (para. 6)
He cupped his hands and scooped up a little water from the stream.
He took a spoon and scooped up a few grains of the gold dust.
The children scooped up the snow with their hands and built a snow man.
He scooped up some soil for analysis.
a bundle of --- full of, a mass of (followed by a countable or an uncountable noun)
I’ve had enough experience with domesticated animals and birds to know that they are a bundle of eccentricities and crotchets. (para. 7)
The firm is a bundle of problems.
His head was a bundle of thoughts.
I’m just a bundle of nerves this morning.
The child is a bundle of mischief.
严肃组织生活>活力康城She is a bundle of fun/energy and industry joy.
lay to rest --- finally remove or allay (the object can be things like tale, rumour, doubt, fear, suspicion, uncertainty)
My fear were laid to rest (para. 8).
An official statement laid to rest the remaining fears about a possible devaluation of the dollar.
His bravery in the war laid to rest his superiors’ suspicion that he might be an enemy agent.
The affair was finally laid to rest years ago. Don’t go and resurrect it again.
什么天什么什么make a mental note --- resolve especially not to forget (followed by “of” or an “that” clau)
I made a mental note that the 3 eggs laid by Apathy were infertile (para.13).
The underground worker made a mental note that his contact in Shanghai had a big black mole above his left eyebrow.
I made a mental note of the saying.
Here is another point that ought to be made a mental note of.
I must make a mental note to buy eggs this afternoon.
through the kind/good offices (of somebody) --- with the help of sb.
During the last week in May, Apathy, having acquired ten eggs through the kind offices of her sister and me, became broody and began to sit. (para. 14)
In the following year he obtained, through the kind offices of a family friend, a post with a publishing firm which he found very congenial.
血铸太平We got the information we needed through the good offices of an American journalist.
Through his kind offices we nt money to them.
look in on (informal) --- call briefly, pay a short visit (followed by a person or place)
On the night before the goslings were due to arrive, I looked in on Apathy. (para. 15)
Be sure to look in on us next time you’re in town.
The doctor looked in on Mary each day when he went by.
I ought to visit the Mediterranean countries and also look in on Trans-Jordan.
stand vigil --- stand and stay awake at night to keep watch (may be followed by over sth or sb.)
Outside, in the barnyard, both ganders stood vigil. (para. 15)
Four solemn armed guards stood vigil over the corp of the assassinated leader.
All night they stood vigil in silence in support of human rights.
slug/slog it out (informal) --- fight until a conclusion is reached.
It was an awesome sight, the two great male birds locked in combat, slugging it out. (para. 16)
