高级英语Unit-4-Everyday-use-知识点梳理

1、Unit 4 Everyday use for your grandmammaWhat is a plot?If an author writes, The king died and then the queen died, there is no plot for a story. But by writing, The king died and then the queen died of grief, the writer has provided a plot line for a story. A plot is a causal sequence of events, the

2、why for the things that happen in the story. The plot draws the reader into the characters lives and helps the reader understand the choices that the characters make.The Structure of a plotExposition - introduction of the main characters and settingRising Action - one (or more) characters in crisis

3、Climax - point of highest emotion; turning point Falling Action - resolution of characters crisis Denouement (outcome) - “untying of plot treads”; resolution Narration NarratorFirst-person narration; third-person narrationNarrator authorThe titleThe meaning of the title requires the reader to read d

4、eeper within the short story. The phrase “Everyday Use” brings about the question whether or not heritage should be preserved and displayed or integrated into everyday life. “Everyday Use” pertains not only to the quilt, but more so to peoples culture and heritage and how they choose to honor it. Th

5、e themeThe main theme in the story concerns the characters connections to their ancestral roots. Dee Johnson believes that she is affirming her African heritage by changing her name, her mannerisms, and her appearance, even though her family has lived in the United States for several generations. Th

6、e themeMaggie and Mrs. Johnson are confused and intimidated by her new image as “Wangero”. Their own connections to their heritage rest on their memories of their mothers and grandmothers; they prefer to remember them for who they were as individuals, not as members of a particular race. Because of

7、their differing viewpoints, they place different values on some old quilts and other objects in the home. The backgroundBy the 1960s, following the success of civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, some African Americans began to take pride in their heritage as a way of gai

8、ning their esteem, forging a group identity, and creating a platform for greater political power.Known as “black pride” or Black Nationalism, these ideas encouraged many young African Americans to learn about their cultural ancestry, grow their hair into “Afros”, dress in traditional African clothin

9、g, and reject their “slave names”. Cultural nationalismCultural nationalism was founded on the belief that blacks and whites have separate values, histories, intellectual traditions and lifestyles and therefore that in reality, there are two separate Americas. Cultural nationalism was often expresse

10、d a as a conceptual and aesthetic return to the motherland (rarely an actual return), a recognition of the African roots that blacks in America had begun to forget as a result of slavery, biased education and stereotyped representations in the mass media. In his article, Black Cultural Nationalism,

11、HYPERLINK /eng499/people/karenga.html Ron Karenga, one of the strongest voices in favor of cultural nationalism, writes, Let our art remind us of our distaste for the enemy, our love for each other, and our commitment to the revolutionary struggle that will be fought with the rhythmic reality of a p

12、ermanent revolution Cultural nationalism on a visual level was expressed in the same way, by the wearing of brightly colored African clothing, such as dashikis, and the adaptation of the Afro hair style, both symbolic representations of the important relationship between Blacks in America and their

13、African roots. Mama (Ms Johnson)The narrator of the story. She is a middle-aged or older African-American woman living with her younger daughter, Maggie. Although poor, she is strong and independent, and takes great pride in her way of life. She is over weight, and built more like a man than a woman

14、. She has strong hands that are worn from a lifetime of work. MaggieDees sister who was badly burned by a fire when she was young. She has low self-confidence and becomes uncomfortable when Dee is around. Maggie contrasts Dee by showing a special regard for her immediate family. DeeMrs. Johnsons old

15、er daughter. She is attractive, sophisticated, and well-educated. She is also very selfish, bold, and overly confident. When she returns home, she insists her family calls her Wangero because she wants to be a bigger part of her culture. The only reason she wants this is because its suddenly the new

16、 trend. the historical presentThe historical present (sometimes dramatic present) refers to the employment of the present tense when narrating past events. it is used in fiction, for “hot news” (as in headlines), and in everyday conversation. In conversation, it is particularly common with “verbs of

17、 communication” such as tell, write, and say (and in colloquial uses, go).The historical present has the effect of making past events more vivid.P1: the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy wavy: having regular curvesA wavy line has a series of regular curves along it.Here in the text the w

18、ord describes the marks in wavy patterns on the clay ground left by the broom.P1: It is like an extended living room. Extended: enlargedP1: When the hard clay is swept clean A fine-grained, firm earthy material that is plastic when wet and hardens when heated, consisting primarily of hydrated silica

19、tes of aluminum and widely used in making bricks, tiles, and pottery.粘土，泥土P1: the fine sand around the edges lined with tiny, irregular grooves Fine: thin, in small particlesGroove noun a long narrow cut in the surface of sth hard: Cut a groove 3 cm from the top of the piece of wood. 沟、槽 P1: sit and

20、 look up into the elm tree 榆树P2: homely and ashamed of the burn scars Not handsome or beautiful: plain, unattractive. (Never say a woman or a girl is ugly. Say she is plain or homely.)Of a plain and unsophisticated nature: artless, unadorned, unpolished. (homely furniture)Of or relating to the famil

21、y or household: domestic, household. (homely skills) P2: eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe Look at and watch dont suggest the feelings of the person who looks.To eye means to look carefully, suspiciously, or thoughtfully, with fear, doubt, envy, desire, etc.P2: eying her sister with a

22、mixture of envy and awe noun U feelings of respect and slight fear; feelings of being very impressed by sth/sb: awe and respect He speaks of her with awe. be / stand in awe of sb/sth to admire sb/sth and be slightly frightened of them/it: While Diana was in awe of her grandfather, she adored her gra

23、ndmother amazement, wonder P2: She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that no is a word the world never learned to say to her. The world has satisfied her sisters every desire.Her sister has a firm control of life. P3: the child who has made it is confronted To have made

24、 it: if you make it, you are successful in achieving sth. Difficult, or in surviving through a very difficult period.I believe I have the talent to make it.You are brave and courageous. You can make it.P3: the child who has made it is confronted 1 (of problems or a difficult situation) to appear and

25、 need to be dealt with by sb: the economic problems confronting the country 3 to face sb so that they cannot avoid seeing and hearing you, especially in an unfriendly or dangerous situation: This was the first time he had confronted an armed robber. P3: her own mother and father, tottering in weakly

26、 from backstage. 1. usually +adv. / prep. to walk or move with weak unsteady steps, especially because you are drunk or ill/sick; stagger: She managed to totter back to her seat.2 to be weak and seem likely to fall: the tottering walls of the castle outLoud enough so as to be heard. 大声讲！没人能把你怎么样。Spe

27、ak out! Nobody will hurt you. 有人大声喊我的名字。Someone called out my name. 我大声朝他们喊火车开过来了。I shouted out to them that the train was coming.P4: cognate object 同源宾语object of verb with same root:a noun that functions as the object of a verb that is from the same etymological root, as in “to dream a dream” or “t

28、o think a thought”. He flew many flights into the battlefield. To laugh a hearty laugh. To run a race. To die a sudden death. To sleep a sound sleep. To live a miserable life. To think some unkind thought. To kiss a long kiss. To smile an intimate smile. To see the sight (p. 61) P4: on a TV program

29、of this sort of sorts or of a sort Of a mediocre or inferior kind: a constitutional government of a sort. Derogatory tone Of one kind or another: knew many folktales of sorts. adjective+noun+edsoft-seated; blue-eyed; warm-hearted; Left-handed; cold-blooded; big-boned, gray-haired, etcP4: a dark and

30、soft-seated limousine A limousine is a large and very comfortable car, esp. one with a glass screen between the front and back seats. Limousines are usually driven by a chauffeur P4: a smiling, gray, sporty man like Johnny Carson 1 (especially BrE) liking or good at sport: Im not very sporty.2 (of c

31、lothes) bright, attractive and informal; looking suitable for wearing for sports: a sporty cotton top3 (of cars) fast and elegant: a sporty MercedesP4: She pins on my dress FASTEN / JOIN1 to attach sth onto another thing or fasten things together with a pin, etc.: She pinned the badge onto her jacke

32、t. A message had been pinned to the noticeboard. orchidsP4: orchids are tacky flowers 3. Lacking style or good taste; tawdry: tacky clothes.4. Distasteful or offensive; tasteless: a tacky remark.P5: flannel nightgownA soft woven cloth of wool or a blend of wool and cotton or synthetics. 法兰绒：用羊毛、羊毛与棉

33、纱或化纤的混合物织成的一种柔软的布Overalls 工装裤P5: had the meat hung up to chill before nightfall 1 vn usually passive to make sb very cold: They were chilled by the icy wind. 2 when food or a drink chills or when sb chills it, it is made very cold but it does not freeze: v Let the pudding chill for an hour until set

34、.vn This wine is best served chilled. sledge hammer 长把大锤P5: uncooked barley（大麦）pancake barley dough: smoothP5: My hair glistens in the hot bright lights (sth wet/greasy) shine by reflectionP5: Johnny Carson has much to do to keep up with my quick and witty tongue. JC would find it very hard to talk

35、as eloquently and humorously as me. P5: Johnny Carson has much to do to keep up with my quick and witty tongue. Quick: receiving and/or responding with speed and sensitivity; keenWitty: very clever and humorousTongue: power of speakingP7: her thin body enveloped in pink skirt and red blouse envelop

36、somebody/something (in something) (formal) to wrap somebody/ something up or cover them or it completely She was enveloped in a huge white towel. Clouds enveloped the mountain tops. Noun: envelopment BlousesP9: Have you ever seen a lame animal Disabled so that movement, especially walking, is diffic

37、ult or impossible: Lame from the accident, he walked with a cane. A lame wing kept the bird from flying. P9: sidle up to someone who is ignorant enough to be kind of him? Sidle r.1. To move sideways: sidled through the narrow doorway. 2. to walk towards something or someone slowly and quietly, as if

38、 you do not want to be noticed : swindlers who sidle up to tourists.P9: Have you ever seen a lame animal? That is the way my Maggie walks.Maggie walks like a timid, lame animal.Figure of speech: analogy 类比Illustration of an idea by means of a more familiar idea that is similar or parallel to it in s

39、ome significant features, and thus said to be analogous to it. Analogies are often presented in the form of an extended *SIMILE, as in Blakes *APHORISM: As the caterpillar chooses the fairest leaves to lay her eggs on, so the priest lays his curse on the fairest joys. In literary history, an analogu

40、e is another story or plot which is parallel or similar in some way to the story under discussion. Verb: analogize. More examples of analogyMishaps are like knives, that either serve us or cut us, as we grasp them by the blade or the handle.” James Russell Lowell A shoe that fits one person pinches

41、another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases. Carl JungA truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon, and by moonlight.” Robertson Davies Kind of SomebodyOf is used to introduce the d

42、oer of an action described by a preceding adjective.It is kind of you to help me.It was very good of them to wait for us.It is stupid of her to go for long walks alone in this place.It was very rude of them not to answer. P9: chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle Absolute constructionA snap

43、shotP9: chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle a slow walk in which you take small steps and do not lift your feet completely off the ground: The old man walked with a shuffle. There was a shuffle of feet as the room emptied. Chin on chestMaggies scars are symbols of the scars that all Afric

44、an Americans carry as a result of the “fire” of slavery: “branded”.This description of Maggie reminds people of the black heritage for a long time after the Civil War “chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle”.P10: a fuller figure Rounded in shape; plump P10: Maggies arms sticking to me Attach

45、 intransitive and transitive to attach something to something else using a substance, or to become attached to a surface stick to/together I could feel my shirt sticking to my back. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking together.P10: her hair smoking and her dress falling off her in little black pap

46、ery flakes Absolute constructionPapery: Resembling paper, as in thickness or textureFlake: a small thin piece that breaks away easily from something else flakes of snow; chocolate flakesP10: Her eyes seemed stretched open, blazed open by the flames reflected in them. To burn with a bright flame.To s

47、hine brightly.Sweet Gum Tree胶皮糖香树P10: the last dingy gray board of the house adj. (dingier, dingiest) dark and dirty: a dingy room / hotel dingy curtains / clothes dinginess noun U P11: Augusta P11: She washed us in a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didnt necessarily need

48、 to know. 1 (disapproving) imagining or pretending things to be different or more exciting than they really are; fantasy: They live in a world of make-believe.2 imagining that sth is real, or that you are sb else, for example in a childs game: Lets play make-believe, said Sam. P11: She washed us in

49、a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didnt necessarily need to know. She tried to brainwash us with fantasies, and tortured us with a lot of useless knowledge.Wash, river, burn: metaphor P11: Pressed us to her with the serious way she read, to shove us away at just the momen

50、t , like dimwits, we seemed about to understand. Shove: to push sb/sth in a rough way; jostle v The crowd was pushing and shoving to get a better view. vn, usually + adv. / prep. He shoved her down the stairs. P11: Pressed us to her with the serious way she read, to shove us away at just the moment

51、, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand. Dimwit: stupid person, simpletonShe forced us to listen to her with her serious way of reading, but did not bother to explain when we needed clarifications. Did Dee really want to educate her family? P12: Organdy 蝉翼纱P12: High/low-heeled pumps 无带浅口女鞋a sh

52、oe that grips the foot chiefly at the toe and heel especially : a close-fitting womans dress shoe with a moderate to high heel P12: She was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts. Stare down: To cause to waver or give in by or as if by staring She was determined to confront and to over

53、come any difficulty with her effort. P12: Her eyelids would not flicker for minutes at a time. 3 v to move with small quick movements: Her eyelids flickered as she slept. P12: Her eyelids would not flicker for minutes at a time. 1 v (of a light or a flame) to keep going on and off as it shines or bu

54、rns: The lights flickered and went out. the flickering screen of the television2 v + adv. / prep. (of an emotion, a thought, etc.) to be expressed or appear somewhere for a short time: Anger flickered in his eyes. A smile flickered across her face.P13: Dont ask me why: in 1927 colored asked fewer qu

55、estions than they do now. P13: She stumbles along good-naturedly but cant see well. 1 (over / on sth) to hit your foot against sth while you are walking or running and almost fall; trip: I stumbled over a rock.3 (over / through sth) to make a mistake or mistakes and stop while you are speaking, read

56、ing to sb or playing music: In her nervousness she stumbled over her words. I stumbled through the piano piece with difficulty. P13: She stumbles along good-naturedly but cant see well. Maggie is very cheerful when reading to me, but she often makes mistakes because she cannot see the words properly

57、. Compare: but cant read well.P13: who has mossy teeth in an earnest face Moss: 苔藓Mossy: 1: resembling moss; 2: covered with moss or something like moss P13: who has mossy teeth in an earnest face Earnestvery serious and sincere: an earnest young man Despite her earnest efforts, she could not find a

58、 job. P13: I was hooked in the side in 49. Cows are soothing and slow Hook: hitSoothing: calming, comforting P14: Tin RoofP14: Shingle Roof 木瓦A thin oblong piece of material, such as wood or slate, that is laid in overlapping rows to cover the roof or sides of a house or other building.P14: Porthole

59、s in a ship 舷窗P14: rawhide holding the shutters up1 : a whip of untanned hide 2 : untanned cattle skin 生牛皮P14: Shutters百叶窗P14: This house is in a pasture, too land covered with grass that is suitable for feeding animals on: high mountain pastures The cattle were put out to pasture. P14: no matter wh

60、ere we choose to live, she will manage to come see us Did Dees mother and sister have a choice or not?Condescending toneP15: Furtive boys in pink shirts hanging about on washday after school. Furtive: behaving as if you want to keep something secret =secretive: There was something furtive about his