高级英语（第三版）第一册第十三棵 No signposts in the sea

LessonThirteenNoSignpostsintheSeaVictoriaMarySackville-WestTeachingObjectivesTolearntoreadbetweenthelinesToappreciatetheliterarytextTolearnwordsandexpressionsTheAuthor:VictoriaMarySackville-West(1892-1962)anEnglishpoetandnovelist,amemberoftheBloomsburygroup,aninformalgroupofliteraryandartisticfriends,aclosefriendofVirginiaWoolf.HerpoemsincludeTheLand(1926),Solitude(1938),TheGarden(1946),AllPassionSpent(1931).Herpoetryistraditionalinform,reminiscentoftheworkoftheEnglishnaturepoetsoftheageofromanticism.Aprolificwriter,theauthorof15novels,aswellasbiographiesandtravelbooks.SynopsisoftheTextEdmundCarrisatseainmorewaysthanone.Aneminentjournalistandself-mademan,hehasrecentlydiscoveredthathehasonlyashorttimetolive.LeavinghisjobonaFleetStreetpaper,hetakesapassageonacruiseshipwhereheknowsthatLaura,abeautifulandintelligentwidowwhomhesecretlyadmires,willbeafellowpassenger.ExhilaratedbythedistantvistaofexoticislandsandhisconversationswithLaura,Edmundfindshimselfrethinkingallhisvalues.Avoyageonmanylevels,thoselongpurposelessdaysatseafindEdumndrelinquishingthepastashediscoversthejoysandthepainofaloveheissimultaneouslydeterminedtoconceal.ThemeoftheTextThispieceofwritingpresentshowthemaincharacterEdmundCarrtransformsfromahardmaterialisttoaliberatedbeingfreefromallhisformerfrailtiesonhisseavoyagewithhissecretliveLaura.StructureoftheTextPartI:Paras.1-2Itservesasanintroductiontothesettingandallthethreecharactersandtheirrelationshipofthestory:EdmundCarr,LauraandColonelDalrymple.PartII:Paras.3-33ThispartemphasizesCarr’scompletetransformationfromhisformervaluesabouttheworldtohispresentones.ThenarratorCarrsetsouttoreviewhissurprisechangeinhisattitudetowardlifeandother[people–hebeginstolikewhatheusedtodespise.Heisanewconverttonaturalbeauty.Hehasfoundwhatisrealhappiness,beautyanpeacewithLauraonthisseavoyage.PartIII:para.34Thispartfunctionsasasummaryofhiswholejourneyatsea.Itisnotonlyaphysicaljourney,butalsoalife-changingjourney,aspiritualjourneytothemaincharacter.DetailedStudyoftheTextIhaveneverhadmuchofaneyefornoticingtheclothesofwomen:Ihaveneverpaidmuchattentiontonorhaveeverhadakeenappreciationoftheclothesofwomen.haveaneyefor:tohavetheabilitytosee,judgeandunderstandclearly;tohaveakeenappreciationof2.shewearssoftrichcolours:Metonymy.Thewordcoloursstandsforclothesofthesecolours.richcolours:deep,intensecolourssuchasdarkred,olivegreenandmidnightblue.Thewordrichconveysvariousmeaningswhenappliedtomodifydifferentobjects,e.g.arichbanquet(luxurious,sumptuous)richwine(fullofstrengthandflavor)richsoil(fertile,yieldinginabundance)arichmine(producinginabundance)arichprize(worthmuch,valuable)3.Iventuredtosay…:Iexpressedmyopinion,expectinghertolaughatme.venture:toexpress(anopinion)attheriskofcriticism,objection,denial4.beguileourselves:passourtimepleasantly,whileawayourtimebeguile:tocause(time)topasswithoutbeingnoticed5.whoisnottoooffensivelyanEmpire-builder:InCarr’seyes,Empire-buildersareallaggressivepeoplecausingoffenceanddisgust.Butthisone(amilitaryofficersenttothecolonies)isnotsobad.6.heusedtoreadme:Metonymy.Mestandsforbooksorarticleswrittenbyme.Examples:IlikeShakespeare.(Shakespeare’sworks)IfindSaulBellowverydifficulttounderstand.(bookswrittenbySaulBellow)7.Heisbynomeansstupidorill-informed:Heisnotatallstupidorignorant.Inthecompoundadjectiveill-informed,illmeansbadly,imperfectly,wrongly,improperly,e.g.ill-advised,ill-bred,ill-considered,ill-defined,ill-founded,ill-mannered,ill-treatment,etc.8.justaboutasfartotheRightasanybodycouldgo:justaboutasconservativeasanybodycouldbe;extremelyconservativepolitically9.trynottoteasehimbyputtingforwardviewswhichwouldonlybringapuzzlelooktohisface:CarrknewifheputforwardsomeliberalviewstheconservativeColonelwouldlookpuzzled.SoherefrainedfromdoingsobecausepersonallyheliketheColonelanddidn’twanttomakefunofhim.10.Iobservewithamusementhowtotallytheconcernsoftheworld…totheextentofaboreddistaste:IwasoncesocompletelyabsorbedintheimportantaffairsoftheworldthatIdevotedallmyattention,timeandenergytothemandonlyoccasionallydidIallowmyselfalittlerestbyreadingpoetryorlisteningtomusic.Yetnowtheseworldproblemsnolongerholdanyinterestforme.ActuallyIdislikethemandtheyboremenow.IfeelquiteamusedasIwatchhowthisdramaticchangeinperspectiveistakingplace.totheexclusionof:soastokeepout,bar,leaveout,excludingExamples:Alleditorialswereaboutthegeneralelectiontotheexclusionofallothertopics.HewasadvisedtostudyEnglishliteraturetotheexclusionofallothersubjects.totheextentofaboreddistaste:tosuchanextentordegreethattheygivemeaboreddistaste11.someinstinctimpelsmegluttonouslytocramthesethelastweeksofmylifewiththegentlerthingsIneverhadtimefor:PerhapsbecauseIknowmydaysarenumbered,Iamimpelledbyinstincttoenjoymyselftothefullwithmorerefined,pleasantandsofterthings(ascomparedwithwritingpoliticalleadersandsoon)whichIneverhadtimetoenjoyinthepast.gluttonouslytocram:eatinglikeaglutton,toomuchandgreedily;greedilyfillinghislifewiththegentlerthings12.releasingsomesuppressedinclinationwhichinfactwasalwayslatent:allowingmylikingsandwishestoshowthemselves,settingfreemylikingsandwishes,whichhadalwaysexistedbuthadbeenignoredandsuppressedinclination:liking,wishExamples:Shehasnoinclinationtobeanactress.Youmustthinkofourfeelingsinsteadoffollowingyourowninclinations.13.OrmaybeLaura’sunwittinginfluencehascalleditout:OrmaybemysuppressedinclinationhasbeenbroughtoutunderLaura’sunconscious(orunintentional)influence.14.DismissiveasPharisee,Iregardedasmoonlingsallthosewhoselifewaslivedonalesspracticalplane:IwasaspuritanicalasaPhariseeandIviewedwithcontemptallthosewholivedalesspracticallifethanmyownandregardedthemasimpracticalinhabitantsonthemoon.plane:alevelofexistence15.Protestsaboutdamageto‘naturalbeauty’frozemewithcontempt:Iwasnotmovedbytheprotestsaboutdamageto‘naturalbeauty’andIviewedthemwithgreatcontempt.Believinginpracticalityandmaterialism,Carrdisagreedwiththosewhoprotestedthatindustrializationhadspoiledthenaturalbeautyoftheworld.freeze:tomakeorkeepmotionless,orstiff,unabletoshowone’sfeelingse.g.Hefrozethelittlegirlswithhissterngaze.Weallfrozeatthesightofthesnake.16.sparenoregretsfor…;feelnoregretsatallforspare:refrainfrom,omit,avoidusingorusefrugally17.alakedammedintohydraulicuse:Adamisbuiltonalakeinordertomakeuseofitswaterpower.18.Ahardmaterialismwasmycreed,acceptedasalawofprogress:Ifirmlybelievedinuncompromisingmaterialismwhichinmyopinionrepresentedthelawofhumanprogress.19.anyascriptionofdisinterestedmotivesarousednotonlymysuspicionbutmyscorn:Whenpeopleimputedunselfishmotivestotheiractions.Isuspectedthemandviewedthemwithcontempt.Inotonlydisbelievedpeoplewhentheysaidtheydidthingsoutofunselfishmotives,Ialsoheldthemcontempt.20.AndnowseehowIstand,assentimentalandsensitive,asanyoldmaiddoingwater-coloursofsunsets:JustimaginehowIhavechangednow.HereIstand,sentimentalandsensitive,likeanoldunmarriedwomanpaintingawater-colourpictureofsunset.21.anyascriptionofdisinterestedmotivesarousednotonlymysuspicionbutmyscorn:Whenpeopleimputedunselfishmotivestotheiractions.Isuspectedthemandviewedthemwithcontempt.Inotonlydisbelievedpeoplewhentheysaidtheydidthingsoutofunselfishmotives,Ialsoheldthemcontempt.22.AndnowseehowIstand,assentimentalandsensitive,asanyoldmaiddoingwater-coloursofsunsets:JustimaginehowIhavechangednow.HereIstand,sentimentalandsensitive,likeanoldunmarriedwomanpaintingawater-colourpictureofsunset.23.sufferingfromcalf-loveintothebargain:moreoverexperiencingthepainofpuppylovecalf-love:immaturelovethatadolescentboysandgirlsmayfeelforeachother;puppylove.ThenarratorusesthiswordprobablytoimplythathehadnevertrulybeeninlovebeforehemetLaura.intothebargain:inaddition,moreover24.IwantmyfillofbeautybeforeIgo:BeforeIdie,Iwanttoenjoybeautytomyheart’scontent;toenjoyasmuchasIcan.fill:allthatisneededtosatisfy,e.g.eatanddrinkone’sfill25.Therearenosignpostsinthesea:Theimplicationisthere’snothingtoguideone’smindonthesea;there’snothingtostopone’simagination.26.Theyoungmoonliesonherbacktonightasisherhabitinthetropics,andas,Ithink,issuitableifnotseemlyforavirgin:Personification.Themoonwhichhasjustrisenliesonherback,whichisherhabitinthetropics,andIthinkthewaytheyoungmoonliesissuitableifnotropicsforavirgin.Herethenarratorpersonifiesthemoon,describingitasabeautifulvirgin.seemly:suitable,proper,fitting,asregardedbyconventionalstandardsofconductorgoodtaste27.Notastarbutmightnotshootdown:Everysinglestarmightcomedownquickly.but:adv.usedforemphasis28.dispersedtobed:wenttobedintheirowncabins29.Icreepupagaintothedeserteddeckandslipintotheswimmingpoolandfloat…avisionoftheworldinspiredfromOlympus:Icomeupstealthilyagaintotheemptydeckandslipintotheswimmingpoolandletmyselffloatinthewaterfreely.AtthismomentIamnotamiddle-agedjournalistthatpeoplebelievemetobespendingaholidayonanocean-goingliner.Ihavenowbecomealiberatedperson,bathedinmagicwaters,andIfeelIamlikeEndymion,ayoungandstrongyouthwhohasagodforhisfatherandgiftedwiththepowertoseetheworldgivenbygodsatOlympus.mythologicalwaters:magicwaters,thatappearinmythology,suchastheLethe,theriverofforgetfulnesswhosewaterproducedlossofmemoryinthosewhodrankofit;Herethenarratorusesthisallusionbecausehefeelshehasbecomeincapableofenvy,ambition,malice,etc.whilefloatingintheswimmingpool,asifthepoolhadchangedhimcompletelybyamiraclejustlikemythologicalwaters.30.Iunderstandthemeaningofpantheism:Iunderstandwhypeopleworshipmanyobjectsastheirgods.Thenarratorimpliesmanispassingandtransient,whileNature,theobjectiveworld,islasting.pantheism:thedoctrinethatGodisnotpersonality(asinChristianity)butthatalllaws,forces,manifestations,etc,oftheself-existinguniverseareGod.31.discarded…allusualfrailties:gotridofallmoralweaknessesusuallyfoundinaperson,suchasenvy,malice,etc.32.scoreoffmyneighbor:defeatmyneighborincompetitions;gainsomeadvantageovermyneighborcf.keepupwiththeJoneses33.enjoythispurification:enjoythepurificationofthesoul–thestateofbeingfreefromallthosemoralweaknesses34.thecleanvoluptuousnessofthewarmbreezeonmyskin:transferredepithet;thesensualdelight,pleasureproducedbythecleanwarmbreezebrushingagainstmyskin.thecoolsupportofthewater:anotherinstanceoftransferredepithet;thesupportofthecoolwater36.rippledwithlittlewhiteponies:Whiteponies(smallhorses)areametaphorreferringtothesprayofbreakingwaves.37.whentheskysurelyseemsblackerandthestarsmoregoldenbecausetheairhereisinfinitelycleanerthanathome(inEngland):Theairisnotpolluted,andthereisnofogonthesea.38.sometimestheseuntaughtscribblershaveawayofputtingthings:Sometimestheseuneducatedpeoplewhowritecarelesslyknowhowtodescribethings,expressideas.39.itmaybeprecipitousbluffsofgreylimestonerisingsheeroutofthesea:Thecoastmaybehigh,steepcliffsofgreylimestone,risingperpendicularlyoutofthesea.40.bleachedandbarren:Alliteration.bleached:white,colorlessbarren:notproducingcropsorfruit;havinglittleornovegetatione.g.barrensoil,barrenhills41.forbidding:lookingdangerous,threateningordisagreeable42.Thesecoastsremindmeofpeople,eithertheyareforbiddingor…alltheyhavetogiveataglance:Analogy.Theauthorcomparesthesheersteepcliffstoforbidding,unapproachablepeople,andthebarrenopensandybeachtopeoplewhohavenothingtoreveal.43.withrangesofmountainssoaringbehindthem,fullofpossibilities,peakstobescaledbythemostdaring:Behindthesterncliffs,risinghighintotheskyarerangesofmountainsandpeakswhichonlythemostdaringpeopleclimb.Theremountainsmayhaveallkindsofbeautifulthingshiddeninthem,thingsthatcannotbeseenfromoutside.Forinstance,onemayfindsomestrangespeciesofplantsoranimalsthere.44.growunravishedamongtheircragsandvalleys:growunharmedamongtherockycragsordeepinthevalleys.Thewordunravishedisusedfiguratively.ravish:totakeorcarryawaybyforce;torape(awoman)45.SodoIletmyimaginationplayovertherecessesofLaura’scharacter:InthesamewayIletmyselffreelyimaginewhattheinnermostpartofLaura’scharacterpresents.46.soaustereintheforegroundbutnurturingwhattreasuresoftenderness.likedelicateflowers,forthediscoveryoftheventuresome:(Shelooks)sosevereoutwardly,butinwardlysheisfulloftenderness---tendernesslikedelicateflowerswaitingforthedaringtodiscover.Thisisanotherinstanceofanalogy.TheauthoriscomparingthecliffstoLaura.Bothlooksternatfirstglance.Behindthecliffstherearemountainsandpeakswhosecragsandvalleyspresentmysteriousthings.AndLaura,seriousthoughshemaylook,hasadeepreserveandprofoundfeelingsoftendernessintherecessesofhercharacter.Themysteriouspeaksaretobescaledbythemostdaring.SimilarlyonlythecourageouscandiscoverthesecretsintheinnermostplaceofLaura’sheart.47.agreatpurplemountainoverhungbyagreatpurplecloud:Therewasabigpurplecloudoveralargepurplemountain.48.Haunted:Thespotmustbehaunted,thatis,frequentedbyghosts.49.hegetsrelievedeverysooften:Veryoftensomebodyelsewouldreplacehimsothathewouldbesetfreefromthepostandtakearest.50.Ifinditrefreshingtothinktherearestillafewoddfishleftintheworld:IfeelcomfortablewhenIthinkthattherearestillafewstrangeandstupidpeopleleftintheworld(whoarewillingtodothejobspeopleusuallyhatedoing).fish:(colloquial)personthoughtofaslikeafishinbeingeasilyluredbybait;personlackingintelligenceoremotion51.thereisatouchofroughpoetryabouthim:Thereisatraceofsimplepoeticqualityinhischaracter.52.hasusedhiseyesandkepthisearsopen:hasobservedcarefullyandlearntmuchfromwhathehasheard53.knowingthelatitudewecanpermitourselves:knowinghowfarwecanallowourselvestogo;knowinghowmuchfreedomofconductwecanallowourselvestohave.Herethewordlatitude,usedfiguratively,meansfreedomofopinion,conduct,action,etc.54.Thus,andnofarther,canIfollowLaura:Likethealbatross,IshouldknowhowfarIcannotfollowLaurafartherthanthat.WhathemeansisthatthereisalimittohisrelationshipwithLaura,andthatheshouldnotallowhimselftogobeyondthatlimit.Thisrevealsthenarrator’sfeelingtornbetweenloveofLauraandhisself-acknowledgementthatsheisunattainableforhim.55.thereisquitealotoflorestoredawayintheColonel’sotherwisenotveryinterestingmind:ThereisquitealotofknowledgestoredawayintheColonel’smind,whichisnotinterestingexceptforthat.lore:knowledgeorwisdom,especiallyofanunscientifickind,aboutacertainsubject,e.g.acountryman’sweatherlore56.Ipreferhavinghertomyself:Ipreferbeingwithhealonewithoutthepresenceofathirdparty.57.itisseldomthatweespysomuchasanothership:Weseldomcatchsightofevenanothership.58.toseethelastofthemonsterwhichbearsusintoandoutofsight:toseenomorethegreat,strange-lookingshipwhichcarriesusintoandoutoftherangeoftheirsight59.Ourwakeclosesupandwemightneverhavebeen:Whenthetrackleftinthewaterbyourmovingshipdisappears,theseaispeacefulandquietagain,asifwehadneverbeenthere.Cf.inthewakeof:closebehind,asaresultof60.asmallmanageabledomaininalargeunmanageableworld:Antithesis.domain:territoryunderonegovernmentorruler.61.butofsuchincommunicativequirksistheprivatemindmadeup:Inversion.Thenormalordershouldbe:theprivatemindismadeupofsuchincommunicativequirks.Thesecretmindismadeupofthesepeculiartraitsthataresecretive,reserved,andthatonefinddifficulttotellothers62.tofindmyimaginationalwaystruingtowardstheidyllic:tofindmyimaginationalwaysleadingmetoinventthelifeontheislandsaspleasing,simpleandpicturesque63.ThisisthenewEdmundCarrwithavengeance:ThisisthenewEdmundCarr(thenarratorhimself),whohaschangedexcessivelyortoanunusualextent.withavengeance:toahighdegree,excessively,e.g.awindblowingwithavengeance64.ashebeacheshiscraft:ashegroundshisboatonthebeach65.Hiswoman:hiswife66.shetakeshiscatchfromhim:Shetakesthefishhehascaughtfromhim.67.steeplyhumpedagainstthefaintreflectedmoonlight:intheshapeofasteeparchunderthedimmoonlightreflectedbythesea.68.thehumpsrecededintothedarkness:Thesteeplyhumpedislandsmovedbackward(asourshipmovedforward).recede:thetide/hishair/earlymemory/etc.recedes69.Sopeacefulandsecret;soself-contained:Ellipticalwith“Thetwovillagesare”omitted.70.lepercolony:anisolatedsettlementoflepers.Thelepersareisolatedtopreventthespreadingofthedisease.71.penalsettlement:anisolatedcommunityofconvicts72.watchingforthegreenflash:watchforbecausethegreenflashdoesnotappeareverytimethesunsets.Theyhavetowatchwaitforittocome.Itissaidthatonlyundercertainconditionsdoesthegreenlightcome---theskymustbeclearwithgoodvisibility;humidityoftheairshouldlow;theremustbenocloudourmistinthesky.Thegreenlightappearsonthelandonlywherethelineofhorizonisstraightwithoutanybuildingsorforests.Veryrarelycanthisstreakofgreenlightbeseenattheinstantthesunrisesabovethehorizon.73.sinkstoisdailydoom:goesdowntowhereitisdestinedtogoeveryday74.thewinepinkwidthofwatermergingintolawnsofaquamarine:thewideexpanseofwinepinkwatermixingwithstripsofbluish-greenwater.Thewholephraseisanominativeabsoluteconstruction.Thewordlawnsisusedmetaphorically,meaningwidestripsofbluish-greenwater.75.theskyatenderpaletteofpinkandblue:againnominativeabsoluteconstruction.Apaletteisaboardonwhichanartistmixeshispaints.Hereitisametaphor,meaningtheskyislikeapaletteofsoftpinkandbluecolours.Theadjectivetenderisatransferredepithet,whichactuallymodifiespinkandblue76.Youdidalwaysloseyourselfinthepleasureofwords:Youwerealwaysabsorbedbythepleasureofwords.Youalwaysenjoyedplayingwithwordssomuchthatyounoticednothingelse.Exampleswithtoloseoneselfin:Helosthimselfinthebookanddidn’tnoticethemanwhohadcomein.TheTrojanslostthemselvesintheircelebration,forgettingallabouttheirenemy.77.Saygreenasjealousyandbedonewithit:Isuggestyousaythelightisgreenasjealousyandthenwewillfinishthisgameonwords.greenasjealousy:cf.greenwithenvy,veryjealous.NowLauraisjokingaboutEdmundCarr’sloveofwords.78.intothefulltorridglareofanopenspace:intothehot,dazzlingbrightnessofaspacewithoutanycovering79.snatchitaway,burnt:takemyhandawayquickly,feelingveryhot.Allthesedetailsgiveninthisparagraphshowthechangeinhenarrator’sperspective.80.Iwouldneverhavebelievedinthesimpleblissofbeing,dayafterday,atsea:IfIhadnottakenthistripbyboat,Iwouldneverhavebelievedinthesimplebutgreatjoyofthiskindoflife—alifespentatseadayafterday.81.Ishouldlikethisemptyexistencetobeprolongedbeyondcalculation:Iwishthisidlevoyagewithoutanyworryorsufferingcouldgoonforever.emptyexistence:anidlelifewithnopracticalproblemsoftheworldtodisturbortroubleaperson82.ThePacificalonedwarfsallthecontinentsputtogether:ThePacificOceanaloneismuchlargerthanallthecontinentscombined.83.IshedallthatIhaveeverbeen:Ithrowoffallthequalities,likes,dislikesandeverythingelsethatIhavehadbefore.TextAppreciation--intheformofajournal--first–personpointofview--descriptionsoftheseascapesetsidebysidewiththewriter’scomments,musingsandmeditationsonlife--WritingskillsLexically,thewritermakesuseofmanydescriptiveadjectives,wordsandphrasesofcolortodescribethesceneryonthesea;Syntactically,loosesentencesarewidelyused,placingthemainideabeforeallsupplementaryinformation,creatinganaturalandorderlypresentation.Rhetorically,theauthorappliesagreatdealofrhetoricaldevicessuchasalliteration,metaphor,allusion,antithesis,transferredepithet,metonymy,personification,etc.,whichmakesthenoveltakeonalyricalandpoetictouch.