Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Lesson Two

Waiting for the Police

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

B T L EW L

Setting

This story is set in a boarding house where life, especially evening life, is notoriously dull for the odd collection of people who live there.

But one of the guests manages to think of something which does stir up quite a bit of interest.

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Characters

Mrs. Mayton

landlady try to keep everyone talking

Mr. Monty

Smith

keep any ball rolling

Miss Wicks oldest knitting all the time

as polite as pale

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Characters

Bella not particularly smart

Mr. Calthrop

Mr. Penbury have a chilling effect

possess a brain

middle-aged

walk in sleep,

doze all the time

young

lovely

eccentric

intelligent

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Structure

Part I (Paras. 1—11)

Part II (Paras. 12—33)

Part III (Paras. 34—88)

Part IV (Paras. 89—91)

Mr. Penbury direct a general rehearsal of their alibis while waiting for the police.

an idle discussion about where Mr. Wainwright has gone and serving to introduce the characters who live in the boarding-house.

Mr. Penbury announces that Mr. Wainwright is dead.

a suspense ending

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Humor

The author skillfully mixed humorous elements in his story, which help to make the characterization and the plot more vivid and interesting.Read the following examples from the text and try to analyze the humorous effects.

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Humor

She had knitting for seventy years, and looked good for another seventy. (Hyperbole is used to achieve humor)

He was as polite as he was pale. (be polite because of being pale)

Bella was the boarding-house lovely, but no one taken advantage of the fact. (No one is interested in her)

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Humor

“Only one?” I answered “You’re luckier than I am.” (self-mockery to imply a lot people hate him)

She had promised to knit at her funeral. (Is it possible to do sth. at one’s own funeral?)

“But let me suggest that you give the statement to the police with slightly less emphasis.” (the satirical tone to imply that he might no be telling the truth.)

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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conform

deform

misinform

perform

reform

transform

formation

format

form: form: the shape and structure of an objectinform: in 在 内 +form 形状；在心里造成形状就引申为通知……

符合，使一致

变形

告知错误的信息

履行，执行

改革，重新组成

转换，使 变形

形成，构成，编队

格式，形式，版式

……

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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scribe: scribe: from Late Latin “scrĪe” : to write ：写，记下

ascribe

describe

inscribe

prescribe

subscribe

transcribe

归因于，归咎于

描写，记述，形容

记下

指示，规定，开药

订阅，签署

转录

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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erupterupt rupt: from Latin “rumpere” : to break

abrupt

bankrupt

erupt

corrupt

disrupt

interrupt

rupture

突然，陡峭的

破产

喷出，爆发

腐烂，堕落

使中断，使破裂

打断，中断

破裂，裂开

Lesson 2—Waiting for the Police

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Suffix— -mit: Latin suffix: to send 呈交，放开admit: ad-=to 向，对

admit

commit

emit

remit

transmit

允许，接纳

把 ······ 交托给，提交

发出，放射

汇出，传送

传输，传达