discussion: what’s the personality of the main characters?

Discussion:

What’s the personality of the main characters?

Antonio:

honest; noble-minded 高尚正直

frank; straightforward 坦白直率

warm-hearted 热心为善

full of tenderness 多情尚义

kind 仁 慈

think highly of friendship 重视友谊

Shylock:

greedy 贪得无厌

unfeeling; cold-blooded 冷酷无情

cruel 残酷

mean; miserly 吝啬卑鄙

Portia:showing good sense; reasonable 通情达理

having courage and resourcefulness 有胆略

honest; simple 淳朴

virtuous; worthy 贤淑

optimistic/ hopeful 乐观俏皮

witty/ lively and delightful 乐观俏皮

have a well-thought-of plan 胸有成竹

allow sb. more latitude first to keep a tighter rein on him afterwards 欲擒故纵

language

1.Antonio was liked by everyone because he was always ready to help others.

be always ready to do sth.

= be always willing to do sth. 总是乐于做… I am always ready to accept your advice.

我随时接受你的建议 .

2. At the time of this story, they were all at sea.

at sea

The ship hit an iceberg and buried at sea.

Several ships were lost at sea owing to the hurricane.

all at sea/ completely at sea

He was all at sea when he began his new job.

I am all at sea. I can’t understand that problem.

( 在海上）

（ 茫然不知所措）

by sea / by the sea

How did you go there? By train? No, we went there by sea.

The Turners lived by the sea.

go to sea / go to the sea

Last Sunday, the students in Class Two went to the sea.

“ I want to go to sea when I grow up.” said the boy to his mother.

（经海路）

（在海边）

（去海宾度假或野餐）

（去当水手）

3.Bassanio was in love with Portia.

be in love with

They have been in love with each other for years.

fall in love with

I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful place.

What is he going to do if his daughter falls in love with a poor man?

be in love with 注重状态，可以和表示一段时间的状语连用，而 fall in love with 不可

4. Sadly, he couldn’t ask Portia to marry him.

marry: vt.& vi.

She married very early

marry 不能与 with 连用 , 要用 to

She married a doctor.

She was married to a doctor.

与一段时间的状语连用 , 应用 be married

They have been married for ten years.

= They got married ten years ago.

问现在的婚姻状况 :

Is she married (or single)? T

Has she married? F

When did she get married? T

When did she marry? F

5.The reason for this was that Antonio had many times scolded Shylock publicly for being greedy and cruel.

The reason ( why/ for ….) is/ was that…

The reason for his being late for school is that he was caught in the traffic jam.

The reason why he was driving so fast was that he was late for an important meeting.

That’s the reason why/ for …

That’s because….

publicly: in public

People are against the old political system publicly.

for 表原因，后接名词，代词，动名词 They boy was scolded for being lazy.

Dad scolded me for being rude to you.

He coldn’t speak for sorrow.

Forgive me for keeping you waiting .

Many thanks to you for what you have told me.

blame sb. on sth

He blamed his teacher for his failure.

Don’t blame it on him, but on me.

Don’t blame your mistakes on others.

6. However, Shylock agreed to lend Antonio the money on one condition. In the agreement, Antonio made a promise to allow Shylock to take a pound of his flesh from whatever part of his body if he didn't pay the money back at the end of three months.

on one condition “ 规定一个条件” on condition “ 按 . .. 条件” “条件是…” 后

跟 that-clause 这是一个同位语从句，即所表述的条件的内容。

I’ll come on condition that John is invited, too. ( =only if )

He was allowed to go swimming on condition that he kept near the other boys.

on this condition/ on that condition

The workers agreed to go back on this condition: a pay rise by 15%.

in the agreement

come to an agreement with.= arrive at an agreement with.= make an agreement with. = reach an agreement with.

tear up an agreement with sb.= break an agreement with sb.

make a promise/ keep one’s promise/ break one’s promise

keep one’s word/ break one’s word

flesh & meat

flesh 指人和动物身上的肉，如食用肉，不包括鱼禽类的肉。 Mr. Green is losing flesh.

You should get up early and do some exercise. Otherwise, you will put on flesh.

Have you tasted the flesh of the snake?

meat 指供食用的兽类肉 , 是兽类肉的总称，如 pork, mutton, beef 可统称为 meat 有时也指植物的肉 , the meat of an apple,

7. A letter arrived from Antonio saying that all his ships had been lost at sea and that he would

pay sth. back: return what is owing

He always borrows money from his friends and never pays it back.

be lost: destroyed, killed

The number of people lost at sea reached 32.

be lost: be missing

That the little child was lost made the old grandmother grow older.

8. Then she thought of a clever plan to save Antonio.

think of: have an idea of

Don’t worry, I will think of a way out of the difficulty.

Who thought of such a wonderful idea?

9. She pretended to be a lawyer, and her maid, Nerrissa, dressed herself as a lawyer’s clerk.

pretend: make oneself appear to be sb./ to be doing sth.

The children pretended to be doctors and nurses.

They pretended to be working very hard.

dress up as sb./ dress up for sth.

They all dressed up as PLA man.

They tried to dress him up as a “national hero.

10. Have mercy on Antonio.

have mercy on sb.: show mercy to sb.

have/ take pity on sb.

They had no mercy on their prisoners.

He showed mercy to the defeated enemy.

We were given no mercy.

No mercy was shown to the prisoners.

11. It is useless trying to argue with Shylock.

= There is no advantage in trying to argue with Shylock.

It is no use/ good/ point/ fun/ a waste of time/ a pleasure,etc.+ doing sth.

It’s no use talking without acting.

It’s a lot of fun talking with him.

It was a waste of time persuading him.

there be no use/ good/ point + doing sth.

There is no use talking about it.

12. Pass judgment on me and give Shylock what he wants.

= Give your judgment. Tell us what your legal judgment to see what Shylock should get.

pass ( a ) judgment on sb./sth.

=to form or give an opinion about sb./sth.

He passed (=gave) judgment on the accused man.

Has the court passed judgment on the prisoner?

13. If you offered me six times what you have just offered, I would still take my pound of flesh.

if: even if 引导让步状语从句 , 谓语动词用了虚拟语气 If I am wrong, you are wrong too.

If she is poor, at least she’s honest.

If the sun were to rise in the west, I would not break my word.

A is … times the size ( length, height, width ) of B

This street is four times the length of that one.

Nigeria is three times the size of that Great Britain.

A is … times as big ( long, high, wide) as B

That building is three times as high as our house.

Asia is four times as large as Europe

A is … times bigger ( longer, higher ) than B

The meeting-room is three times bigger than our office.

This city is ten times larger than that one.

三倍以下通常用 double/ twice 来表达两倍 His weight is double what it was ten years ago.

This package is double the weight of that one.

This railway is twice longer than that one.

14. Shylock, how can you hope for mercy yourself when you show none.

hope for: wish; expect hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

Parents have high hopes for their children.

hope for sth, hope to do sth, hope that

wish sb. to do sth, wish to do, expect sb. to do sth, expect to do sth

when: if

I will come when I am needed.

She’ll be here to give you help when necessary.

15. I desire my pound of flesh.

desire: n.& v.

She has a desire to visit Egypt.

We all desire happiness.

What do you desire me to do?

The doctor desires that you should visit him next week.= the doctor desires you to visit him.

desire 作名词后跟同位语从句中用虚拟语气

The people expressed their desire that the war should come to an end soon

16. …but I never knew so young a body with a wise a head.

不定动词 a/an 通常放在形容词前 , 如 a young lady . 但是如形容词前有 so/ too /how 时 , a/an 该放在形容词后面 , 其结构是 so/too/how+adj.+a/an+n (so young a lady) 如果没有不定冠词 , 就不能用这个结构 .

It’s too difficult a book for beginners

how wonderful a plan it would be!

body: person; human being

so young a body= such a young man/ person

17. … Portia… take her seat as judge…

take one’s seat: sit down in one’s place

She bought a magazine and took her seat in the train.

They took their seat at the small round table.

Please be seated.

He then asked me to be seated.

How many guests can be seated at each table?

18. According to the law, Shylock may have a pond of flesh to be cut off by him nearest…

according to

According to the TV, it will be fine today.

I will do it according to your instruction.

We will be paid according to the amount of work we do.

according to 不与 opinion, view 等表示观点的词连用 . in one’s opinion/ view

19. Shylock, take your knife and prepare to do the deed.

do the deed 付诸行动 , 生效 The agreement will do the deed next week.

20. Don’t be sad for me.

feel sad for sb.= feel sorrow at

Everyone in the area felt/ was sad for his death.

21. I will pay him back with all my heart.

with all one’s heart

literally: with the heart while he cut out of my body

metaphorically: whole-heartedly; willingly

22. Let me take you in my arms.

take … in one’s arm

She took the baby in her arms and left the room.