Unit 7 The Monster

by Deems Taylor

Pre-reading questions:

• 1. What is a monster in your mind?

• 2. Do you know anyone who can be called a monster?

Background information:

1. About the text:

This text first appeared as a radio talk, entitled A Monster. Later it was published with the title Of Men and Music in the United States in 1937.

2. About the author:

Deems Taylor, American musician and critic.

http://image-7.verycd.com/54bf9d17f5ccc207a22312a24d745041111565/front.jpg

Richard Wagner• Richard Wagner, German composer, was

born in Leipzig on May 22, 1813 and died in Venice on February 13, 1883. His operas represent the fullest musical and theatrical expression of German Romanticism. His works are hated as much as they are worshipped; but no one denies their greatness. Richard Wagner is undoubtedly one of the leading figures of the 19th century. At his time, he was already a source of debate and controversy. When Wagner died in 1883, over 10,000 books and articles were written about him.

Structural analysis:

• Paragraphs 1-9: the peculiar features of a monster in his appearance and personality

• Paragraph 10: who this monster really is

• Paragraphs 11-13: the justification of all the peculiar behaviors of the monster

Paragraphs 1-9: the peculiar features of a monster in his appearance and personality

Word Study:

1. undersized  adj (usu derog) of less than the usual size 较一般为小的 : undersized portions of food

2. nerve n. a) nerves [pl] (infml) condition in

which one is very nervous, irritable, worried, etc; nervousness 神经紧张 ; 神经质 : suffer from nerves, ie be easily upset, worried, etc * He has nerves of steel, ie a very calm temperament in times of stress, danger, etc. b) [U] boldness; courage 胆量 ; 勇气 : lose/regain one's nerve

3. agony  n [U, C] extreme mental or physical suffering （精神或肉体的）极大痛苦 : The wounded man was in agony. * She was in an agony of indecision.

>agonize  v.( 使 ) 极度痛苦

4. delusion  n 1) [C] false opinion or belief, esp one that may be a symptom of madness 幻想 , 错觉 : be under a delusion/under the delusion that...

2) (idm) delusions of grandeur false belief in one's own importance

> delude  vt. 欺骗

5. grandeur  n [U] greatness; magnificence; impressiveness 伟大 ; 壮观 : the grandeur of the mountains

6. conceit  n [U] excessive pride in oneself or in one's powers, abilities, etc 骄傲 ; 自负 : The conceit of the man -- comparing his own work with Picasso's!

> conceited adj 极其自负的

7. exhaust  v [Tn] a) make (a person or an animal) very tired 使…非常疲倦

b) use (sth) up completely 用尽 , 耗尽 > exhausted adj 极其疲倦的 exhausting  adj 令人疲倦的 : It had

been an exhausting day. exhaustive adj. 彻底的 , 详尽的 , 使枯

竭的

8. conversationalist  n [C] someone who talks about intelligent, amusing, and interesting things 健谈者、交谈者

9. maddening  adj very annoying 使人恼火的，令人气恼的 : maddening delays>maddeningly adv

madden v. 使发疯，使发狂

10. mania  n [C] ~ (for sth) (infml) extreme or abnormal enthusiasm 狂热 ; 癖好 : have a mania for sweets, for collecting things

> maniacal  a. 发狂的，狂热的 monomania n. 偏执狂 nymphomania  n. [ 医 ] 色情狂

11. harangue  n long, loud, serious and usu. angry speech 长篇大论﹑慷慨激昂通常为义愤填膺的演讲 .

> harangue v 对（某人）作慷慨激昂的演讲

harangue sb about sthe.g. He stood on the street corner, haranguing passers-by about the stupidity of the forthcoming war.

12. voluble  adj (fml derog) (a) (of a person) speaking a lot;

talkative （指人）喋喋不休的 , 爱说话的 . (b) (of speech) quick, easy or fluent;

glib （指说话）快的 , 流畅的 : voluble protests, excuses, etc

> volubility n

13. vegetarianism  n [U] the practice of not eating meat or fish 素食主义

>vegetarian n. 素食者 反： carnivore n. 食肉动物

14. pamphlet  n [C] a very thin book with paper covers, that gives information about something 小册子 : a political pamphlet

15. rave  v [I, Ipr] ~ (at/against/about sb/sth) talk wildly or furiously as if in a fever or mad 胡言乱语 ; 说胡话 : The patient began to rave incoherently at the nurses.

>rave n. 胡说 raving adj [attrib] 胡言乱语的 ; 说胡话的 ravings n [pl] 胡话 ; 疯话

16. stricken  adj formal very badly affected by trouble, illness, unhappiness etc 经受或不堪（如疾病﹑悲痛）之苦的 : stricken by poverty/ poverty-stricken drought-stricken

cancer-stricken tragedy-stricken

17. callous  adj cruelly insensitive or unsympathetic 冷酷无情的 ; 无同情心的 : a callous person, attitude, act > callously adv 冷酷无情地 callousness n 冷酷无情

18. shudder  v [I, Ipr, It] ~ (with sth) shiver violently with cold, fear, etc; tremble （因寒冷 ﹑ 恐惧等）发抖 , 战栗 : shudder (with horror) at the sight of blood

> shudder n 发抖 ; 震动

19. grovel  v (derog) (fig) [I, Ipr] ~ (to sb) (for sth) behave with a show of humility or shame 带着谦卑或羞愧的样子行事 : You will just have to grovel to the bank manager for a loan. > groveling adj 过分谦逊的 ; 可鄙的

20. lofty  adj a) [usu attrib] (of thoughts, aims, etc) noble; exalted （指思想﹑目标等）高尚的 : lofty sentiments

b) (derog) seeming to be proud and superior; haughty 骄傲的 ; 傲慢的 : in a lofty manner

> loftily adv loftiness n [U].

21. benefactor  n [C] : someone who gives money for a good purpose 恩人 , 捐助者 : An anonymous benefactor donated $2 million.

>benefaction  n. 捐助 , 善行

22. unscrupulous  adj without moral principles 无道德原则的 ; 不讲道德的 : unscrupulous methods, behavior

> unscrupulously adv. unscrupulousness n [U].

反 : scrupulous  adj. 小心谨慎的 , 细心的

23. infidelity  n [C, U] (fml) (act of) disloyalty or unfaithfulness, esp adultery 背信 ; 不忠实 : willing to forgive her husband's little infidelities >fidelity  n. 忠诚，忠实

24. pull strings/wires (for sb) (infml) use influential friends, indirect

pressure, etc in order to obtain an advantage (for sb) 凭借私人关系﹑间接压力等谋取好处 ; 走後门 : My father pulled a few strings to get me into the Civil Service.

25. arrogant  adj behaving in a proud and superior manner 傲慢的 ; 自大的 : an arrogant tone of voice * It's arrogant of you to assume you'll win every time.

> arrogance n

26. caricature  n [C] picture, description or imitation of sb/sth that exaggerates certain characteristics in order to amuse or ridicule 漫画 ; 夸张的描述或模仿 : draw a caricature of a politician

>caricature v 用漫画表现或夸张描述 caricaturist n. 漫画家

27. burlesque v [Tn] make a burlesque of (sb/sth); parody （以滑稽或夸张手法）模仿嘲弄

>burlesque  n. 滑稽模仿 , 嘲讽性作品 / adj. 滑稽模仿的

Questions:• 1. Does the man’s appearance, described in

the first paragraph, give one any impression of “grandeur”?

• 2. What are the further evidences of the monster’s conceit?

• 3. What is his attitude toward love?

• 4. Why do you think Wagner made so many enemies?

Paragraph 10: who this monster really is

28. testimony n [U,C] written or spoken statement declaring that sth is true, esp one made under oath （书面或口头的）证词 : According to the witness's testimony, you were present when the crime was committed.

Paragraphs 11-13: the justification of all the peculiar behaviors of the monster

29. stupendous  adj amazingly large, impressive, good, etc 极大的 ; 极好的 : a stupendous mistake, achievement

* The opera was quite stupendous!

30. compromise v.  ~ (on/with sth) to reach an agreement in which everyone involved accepts less that what they wanted at first 妥协 : His work-mates demanded that he never compromise with the bosses.

>compromise n. 妥协 , 折衷

31. conceive  v ~ of sth; ~ sth (as sth) form (an idea, a plan, etc) in the mind; imagine sth 想出 ; 构思 : It was then that I conceived the notion of running away.

>conceivable adj 可想到的 ; 可相信的 inconceivable adj 想象不到的

32. torment  n [U, C] severe physical or mental suffering （肉体或精神上的）折磨 , 痛苦 : be in great torment * suffer torment(s) from toothache

> torment v [Tn] 使（某人）备受折磨或痛苦

Questions: What is the writer’s real intention of writing this

article?

What is your final conclusion about Richard Wagner?