English Intensive Reading 吉林大学远程教育学院    
Introduction
Text
Language Points
Grammar
 
  Lesson 8   Language Points  ( Page 5)
   
         
   
draft: (v.)
call up for service. It is used in a humorous way here
征召，招募；起草，作……的草图
作者用该词来形容这为妇女让自己的孩子服侍贵宾。
Compare the following words:
draft, drawing, outline, sketch
这几个词都是名词，都有“图”、“图画”之意。
draft 与其他词相比，多指“草稿”、“草图”，有时可指“汇票”，做动词时为“起草”之意。
1. This is preliminary draft of my speech, but what do you think of it?
这仅仅是我演讲的草稿你认为怎么样？
2. He’s now revising the first draft of his essay.
他正在修改他那篇文章的草稿。
drawing 意思是“绘图”、“绘画”、“素描”、以线条表现为主的画像。
1. This is a good drawing. 这是一幅好画。
2. It is a drawing in water colour. 这是一幅山水画。
outline 意思是“轮廓”、“外形”、“要点”。
1. She could see only the outline of the trees in the dim light.
朦胧中她只看见树木的轮廓。
2. He just introduced the outline of his essay.
他只是介绍了他的论文的要点。
sketch 意思是“草图”、“略图”、“速写”仅描绘物体主要
特征的，粗略的，不完整的图画，长作为后来加工绘制图画的基础。
1. He drew a sketch before making a painting.
作画前他先画了一张草图。
2. It is a sketch of that building.
这是那栋建筑物的草图。
…with the studies concentration of a tightrope walker, brought in a large roast turkey.
Meaning: The boy was nervous and self-conscious and moved around with great care just like a tightrope walker.
当时她儿子全神贯注地，小心翼翼地端进来一只肥大的烤火鸡。
studied concentration: 全神贯注，小心翼翼
tightrope walker: 走钢丝者
deplatter
A word invented by the author by adding a prefix de to the root word platter, meaning to cause something fall off the dish.
从盘子中打掉。
（在西方国家中，19世纪和20世纪初建的房子里，厨房和饭厅的门都装有旋转的合叶，人们端东西时不必用手推便可以出入。所以当那个男孩用胳膊肘推开门时，他由于过分紧张而忘记反弹回来的门，结果火鸡被打落在地。）
The boy stood rooted; guests stared at their plates.
Meaning: The boy stood absolutely still by the unexpected incident, and the guests were put into an embarrassment.
孩子惊呆了，客人们都愣愣地望着他们的盘子。
The boy stood rooted; guests stared at their plates.
Meaning: The boy stood absolutely still by the unexpected incident, and the guests were put into an embarrassment.
孩子惊呆了，客人们都愣愣地望着他们的盘子。