Wilkie Collins:

Wilkie Collins was born into an artist’s family in 1842 and died in 1889.

In his lifetime, he wrote 25 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays, and more than 100 non-fiction pieces. Wilkie Collins was a close friend of Charles Dickens. His first novel, a historical work called Anatonia or The Fall of Rome, was published in 1850.At that time, Collins was one of the best known, best loved, and, for a time, best paid of Victorian fiction writers. Now Collins is also being given critical and popular attention. Needless to say, he was a superstar of Victorian fiction. Here are some of his works: The Frozen Deep,The Haunted Hotel, I Say No, Law and the Lady, My Lady’s Money, the New Magdalen, No Name, A Rogue’s Life, The Two Destinies, and The Woman in White. His novel The Moonstone is considered as the first detective story in the history of England.

Words and Expressions:

詞型變化：

informal

formal

consider

consideration

considerate

considerable

considering

coincide

coincidence

elegant adj. (相貌或儀態)優雅；文雅的；高雅的

elegantly adv. He always dresses elegantly. 他總是穿的很講究。

elegance n. (u) 優雅

bachelor n. 未婚男子， 獲學士學位的人

master n. 主人，獲碩士學位的人

doctor n. 醫生，獲博士學位的人

assist v. 幫助，援助 assist sb. with/in sth. assist sb. (in) doing sth.

assistance n. (u) 幫助，援助，幫忙

assistant n. (c) 助手，助理

enquire

enquiry

guilty adj.

guilt n. (u) 罪，罪行

suspicion n.

suspicious adj.

assume v.

assumption n.

cancel v.

cancellation n.

1. curse:

vi & vt. 1)詛咒某人/某物（at sth./sb.）

He cursed (at) his bad fortune.

他詛咒自己運氣不好。

2) 念咒語詛咒

The witch-doctor has cursed our cattle.

巫醫念了咒語想叫我家的牛遭殃。

be cursed with 受某事物之害（尤指經常）；為某物所苦

be cursed with bad health/ a violent temper/ bad luck

因身體有病/脾氣暴躁/命運不好而吃苦頭

n. 1) (c) 咒罵語

2) (c) 禍根，禍由

Gambling is often a curse.

賭博往往是個禍根。

His wealth proved a curse to him.

他的財富到頭來害了他。

cursed adj. 受到詛咒的，可恨的，討厭的

a cursed box

a cursed job 可恨的工作

2. considerate: adj. thoughtful 考慮周到的，體貼的，常接介詞to, towards或of

a considerate person 體貼別人的人

He was considerate to everyone. 他能體諒每一個人。

it is considerate of you not to play the piano while I was asleep.

在我睡覺時你不彈鋼琴真是體貼入微。

拓展：

consider: v.

1). 考慮，細想 consider sth./doing sth.

I am considering changing my job.

我在考慮換工作

2). 認為，視…為

We consider this (to be) very important.

我們認為這非常重要。

He’s generally considered to have the finest tenor voice in the country.

現在公認他是該國最佳的男高音歌手。

We consider that you are not to blame.

我們認為不該責備你。

He is well considered in the company.

他在公司中受到很高的評價。

習語：

all things considered 考慮到問題，情況的各個方面

All things considered, we’re doing quite well.

從各方面的情況看， 我們目前干的挺好。

consideration n.

take…into consideration (account) 考慮到，顧及

in consideration of 考慮到，由于；作為對…的酬報

a small payment in consideration of their services.

作為答謝他們幫忙的一點兒報酬。

considerable adj. 相當大的，相當多的

He bought the vase at a considerable expense.

這個花瓶花了他相當多的錢。

considering prep.&conj. 考慮到，就…而言

She’s very active, considering her age.

就她的年齡而言，她是夠活躍的

Considering he’s only just started, he knows quite a lot about it.

考慮到他只是剛剛開始，他對此的了解已經不少了

3. coincidence n.(u/c) （在時間或空間上）巧合；巧事

The plot of the novel relies too much on coincidence to be realistic.

這部小說的情節多靠巧合安排而無真實感。

By a strange coincidence we happened to be traveling on the same train.

巧得出奇，我們正好坐同一列火車。

coincide vi. ~ with sth （指事情）同時發生

Her arrival coincided with our departure.

她來到時我們正好離開。

coincident adj. 巧合的

coincidental adj. 由巧合造成的

coincidentally adv.

4. enquiry n.(Am.E) (C) 問詢，查詢 （=inquiry Br.E）

enquiry about/concerning sb./sth. 詢問，查詢

enquiry into sth. 正式調查某事

I’v been making some enquiries about it.

我一直在打聽這件事。

call for a public enquiry into safety standards.

要求公開調查安全情況

enquire v. (also inquire)

enquire sth. of sb. 打聽某人某事

enquire of sb. about sth. 打聽某人某事

enquire after sb. 問候某人

enquire into 調查，探究

She enquired of me politely whether I wished to continue.

她有禮貌地問我是否想繼續下去。

People called to enquire after the baby.

大家打電話來打聽嬰兒的情況。

We must enquire further into the matter.

我們必須進一步調查此事。

Exercise:

If you want to know the train schedule, please ______ at the booking office.

A. acquire B. inquire C. request D. require key: B

5. convince: vt. 使信服，說明

be convinced of

be convinced that

convince sb. of sth.

convince sb. that

convince sb. to do

He was convinced of his error.

他認識到了自己的錯誤。

I am more convinced than ever that this is the right approach to the problem.

我現在更加相信這是解決這個問題的正確方法。

It is difficult to convince him of his son’s guilt.

很難使他相信他兒子有罪。

The newspaper article has convinced me that cancer is associated with certain bad habits in daily life.

報上的文章使我深信癌癥與日常生活中的某些壞習慣有關。

convincing adj. 令人信服的

a convincing speech 有說服力的講話

a convincing argument 言之成理的論據

convinced adj.(作定語) 堅定不移的，有堅定信仰的

a convinced Christian 虔誠的基督徒

6. assume: vt.

1) 猜想，估計，假設

assume sth.

assume sb./sth. to be

assume that

You can assume his innocence before hearing the evidence against him.

在聽到他犯罪的證據之前，你可以假定他是無罪的。

I assumed it to be the best possible translation.

我估計這可能是最好的譯法了。

He assumed that the train would be on time.

他估計火車會準時到達。

2）擔任，承擔

The Prime Minister assumed office on May 29.

首相于五月二十九日任職。

We assume no responsibility for the goods damaged on the way.

我們對途中損壞的貨物不承擔責任。

3）假裝，后接名詞

She assumed an air of indifference.

她裝出一副漠不關心的樣子。

4）呈現，顯出

Such disease assumes many forms.

這種病的表現形式是多種多樣的。

The problem has assumed a new form.

這問題以新的形式出現了。

5）采取，采用

That man has assumed a new name.

那人已換用了一個新名字。

He assumed the royal title in 1880.

1880年他開始稱王。

assumption n. (c) 假設， 假定

Exercise:

When college students _____ future employment, they often think of status, income and prestige.

A. anticipate B. apply C. assume D. demand

key: C 當大學生設想未來的職業時，他們常常想到的是地位，收入和名望。

7. cancel: vt.

1）取消，廢除 (-ll-; US –l-)

cancel an agreement取消協議

She cancelled her trip to New York as she felt ill.

她覺得身體不適，故取消了紐約之行。

2）刪除，劃去，抹去

please cancel the last sentence.

請把最后一句刪掉。

cancel (sth) out 抵消，對消

Her kindness and generosity cancel out her occasional flashes of temper.

她為人厚道，慷慨大方，倒也彌補了她偶爾發點小脾氣。

cancellation n. (u) 取消，撤消

(c.) 取消，作廢的事物

Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.

她取消了巴黎之行打亂了我們的計劃。

Are there any cancellations for this evening’s performances?

今晚演出的節目有取消的嗎？

8. commit: vt.

1) 犯，做（不合法的，錯或愚蠢的事）

commit suicide /a crime，自殺，犯罪

2）commit sb. (oneself) to sth./ doing sth.

Signing this form commits you buying the goods.

你簽此表格后就一定要買這批貨。

3）commit sb./sth. to sth. 將某人（事）交給某處保留（處理）

commit a patient to a mental hospital

把病人送進精神病院

4）commit oneself on 公開表明自己的意見（因而難以更改）

I asked her what she thought, but she refused to commit herself on it.

我問她是怎么想的，但她拒絕對此表示意見。

Exercise:

A violent crime was _____ every 32 seconds in this area of the city last year.

A. commited B. found C. sentenced D. made key: A

commitment n.

make a commitment

9. offend vt.

1) 觸怒，冒犯，傷…的感情，此時常用語被動語態

She was offended at/by his remarks.

他的那些話把他把她給激怒了。

2）使…不快，惱怒，使…不適

sounds that offend the ear 刺耳的聲音

an ugly building that offends the eye

一座難看的建筑

vi. ~ against sb./sth. 觸犯，冒犯或得罪某人；觸犯，侵犯或違反某事物

offend against humanity違反人性

His conduct offended against the rules of decent behaviour.

他的行為已經離格了。

offence n.

offensive adj.

Reading and Integrating Skills

Reading:

1. What do you already know about the story The Moonstone?

2. How many main characters in the novel? Who are they?

Characters:

Rachel Verinder : a beautiful and wealthy young woman, who lives with her mother and several servants in a fine house in England.

Godfrey: a successful bachelor with many lady admirers, who asks Rachel to marry him .

Franklin Blake: Rachel’s childhood friend.

Dr. Candy: a local doctor who has a quarrel with Franklin about a prescription.

The Indians They follow the Moonstone around the world wait for an opportunity to take it back .

Rosanna: Rachel’s maid who seems fond of Franklin.

Sergeant Cuff: a policeman.

Analyse the structure of the passage:

Part 1 ---- Paragraph 1 : How Rachel gets the Moonstone as her present.

Part 2 ---- Paragraph 2: Rachel’s happy life before her eighteenth birthday party.

Part 3 ---- Para 3-4: What happens at the party.

Part 4 ---- Para 5: the Moonstone is missing and Sergeant Cuff is asked to investigate the case.

Part 5 ---- Para 6-9: how Sergeant Cuff analyse the case

Part 6 ---- Para.10 the last paragraph: Sergeant Cuff finds a vital clue of the theft ---- a smear in the wet paint on the door.

Careful reading

1.Who gave Rachel the Moonstone ?Why did he give it to her ?Where did her uncle get the Moonstone ?

Rachel’s uncle gave her the Moonstone .He wanted to pass on his bad fortune to her in an act of revenge .He stole the diamond from the temple in India.

2.What happened to the diamond after the birthday party ?

It was gone .

Decide true or false:

1.The man who stole the Moonstone left it to his sister’s daughter because he loved her very much. F

2.Godfrey was under suspicious for stealing the diamond because Rachel refused his marriage . 3.Sergeant Cuff has one vital clue_ the stained garment . F

4.Franklin’s being love with Rachel made Dr Candy angry for Dr Candy loved her deeply. F

5.Rosanna may have taken the diamond to please Franklin who had heavy debts. F

Choose the best answers

1.Why did the man who stole the Moonstone give it to his sister’s daughter ? C

A. Because he wanted to help her

B. Because he had no other relatives

C. Because he wanted to pass on his bad fortune to her

D. The text didn’t tell us

2. Why did Franklin quit smoking ? B

A. Because smoking damaged his health

B. Because Rachel asked him to

C. Because he wanted to please Rachel

D. The servants asked him to

3. Why did Godfrey ask Rachel to marry him ? A

A. Because he wanted to get the Moonstone because of his heavy debt

B. Because he loved her

C. Because he didn’t wish Rachel to marry Franklin

D. Because he wanted to destroy her family

4. The word “ vital ” is closest in meaning to ______ . B

A. deadly B. important C. curious D. clear

5. Why didn’t Rachel answer the detective’s question ? A

A. Because she loved him and she wanted to protect him

B. Because she didn’t see him move the Moonstone

C. She was afraid of being killed by Franklin

D. Because she hated Franklin

6. Who moved the Moonstone at night ? B

A. Dr. Candy B. Franklin C. Godfrey D. Rachel’s mother

7. You can find out the topic of the text simply from ______ . A

A. the title B. the first paragraph

C. the second paragraph D. the last paragraph

8. When did the real story of the Moonstone take place ? B

A. In the 1890s B. In the 1790s C. In the 1840s D. In the 1800s

9. In your opinion , who might kill Godfrey ? D

A. Franklin B. Dr. Candy C. Rachel D. The Indians

10. How many people saw Franklin move the Moonstone to his bedroom ? A

A. 2 B. 3 C. 4 D. No one

Integrating Skills Solving the mystery of the moonstone

Step 1 Lead-in

In reading part, sergeant cuff had several suspects and it was difficult for him to make certain who was the theft. For the sake of the clue mentioned by cuff, can you guess the real theft?

Scan the passage and make out how the story develops:

Part 1---- Paras 1-2: how puzzled Sergeant Cuff was at the case before he knew the truth.

Part 2---- Paras3-7: the things that happened after the diamond had been stolen.

Part 3----Paras 8-9: the result of the case: Sergeant Cuff discovered the thief.

Part 4----: the feeling and thoughts Sergeant Cuff has about the case.

Language points:

1. The novel The Moonstone is set in England in 1848, but the story really began 50 years earlier.《月亮寶石》這部小說是以1848年的英國為背景的，但是故事真正的開始是在此之前50年。

set: 設置（書本，戲劇，電影等的）背景

The book is set in France in the eighteenth century.

這部書是以18世紀的法國為背景的。

set還可以表示

1） 放，安放( to put)

He set his hand on my shoulder.

他把手放在我的肩上。

2） 布置，安排(to put into order for use)

Please set the table for dinner.

請擺好餐桌準備就餐。

3） 制定，確定(to fix or determine a rule, time, etc.)

Have you set the time for the meeting?

你們把開會的時間定下來了嗎？

4）（太陽等的）下落(to go down）

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

太陽從東方升起在西方落下。

5) 鑲嵌于(to fix…into)

He set a diamond in a ring.

他把一塊寶石鑲嵌在戒指上。

2. When he died he left the Moonstone to his sister’s daughter, Rachel, in an act of revenge, passing on his bad fortune to her. 當他去世時，他把月亮寶石留給他姐姐的女兒雷切爾。他是想作為報復，把不幸傳給她。

an act of revenge 報復行為，這里act是名詞，意為行為，動作，舉動，act前面可以帶形容詞，或后接of短語

另外，act做名詞時與action的用法區別：

1） 當action作可數名詞時，常與act同義

a kind act/action 仁慈的行為

2）固定搭配

an act of war 戰爭行為

an act of cruelty 殘忍的行為

an act of mercy 仁慈的行為

take action 采取行動

act也常作為動詞使用：

Thinking before acting.

三思而后行。

The medicine was taken for a long time, but it failed to act.

藥已經服了很長時間，但還未見效。

Revenge 是名詞，意思為復仇，報仇，報復

Hamlet wanted revenge for his father’s murder.

Hamlet要報殺父之仇。

in/out of revenge for 表示為了報復…

take/get/ have revenge on 向…報復

We bombed their cities in revenge for attacks on us.

作為對他們攻擊我們的報復，我們轟炸了他們的城市。

He took revenge on his employers by setting fire to the factory.

為了向雇主報復，他放火把工廠燒了。

Pass on … to … 把…傳給…

Read the notice and pass it on to the other students.

看一看通知，然后傳給其他學生

pass 和pass on (…to )的區別：

pass和pass on 均表示傳遞，傳給，pass 表示直接傳給，而pass on 表示傳遞信息，或轉手傳給

Would you please pass me the book?

請把書本遞給我好嗎？

Thank you all the same. They have passed the information on to me.

他們已經把信息傳遞給我了，但我還是要謝謝你。

3． His move to quit smoking cigars to please her is seen by the servants as evidence that he is in love in with Rachel.

為了取得雷切爾的好感，他主動提出戒煙。這一點傭人們看作是富蘭克林愛上雷切爾的證明。

move: n.

1）行動，步驟，措施

It’s wise move to start his own company.

自己開公司是他明智的舉動。

2） 搬家，遷居，調往

They’re now living in the city; their next move will be to a house in the country.

他們現在住在城里，下一步要搬進鄉下的房子。

What does his move to the chairmanship mean?

他升職當主席了，這意味著什么？

4． At the end of the party everyone leaves except for Franklin and Godfry.

宴會結束時，除了富蘭客林和戈德弗雷留下過夜外，其余的人都走了。

1） 這里except for=except

You can all go except (for ) George.

除了喬治，你們大家都可以走了。

2）在傳統語法中，except 和except for用法有區別

We come to school every day except Sunday.

除了星期天，我們天天上學。（句中Sunday與every day 為相稱的同類語）

The purse was empty except for some coins.

錢包中只有幾個硬幣。（句中coins 和purse 為不相稱的非同類語）

3） 位于句首時，必須要用except for

Except for this, everything is in order.

除此之外，一切都很正常。

Except for two years during the war, she lived in Shanghai.

她一直住在上海，除了戰爭期間有兩年沒有在上海。

5． Rachel is stubborn in resisting his enquiries about the Moonstone to the degree that she makes it seem as if she does not want the mystery to be solved.

Rachel執意不讓警察詢問關于月亮寶石的事情，她如此固執以至使人認為她似乎不想解開這個迷團。

resist v.

resist sth./doing sth

He told us to get ready to resist the enemy attack.

他讓我們做好準備，抵制敵人的進攻。

He can’t resist the temptation of chocolate.

他不能抵制巧克力的誘惑。

He found it hard to resist buying these books.

他覺得要克制購買這些書的欲望是很困難的。

to…degree: 達到…程度

He was interested in his work to such a degree that he thought about nothing else.

他對工作是如此感興趣，以至于從不想別的事情。

Chinese fans love Yao Ming to the degree that they will try to watch any match that Yao Ming competes in.

中國球迷很喜歡姚明，以至于只要有姚明參賽他們都想方設法觀看。

6．As the story develops, we discover some secrets about the people at the house that night, and the reasons why they might have stolen the diamond.

隨著故事的發展，我們發現了那些人的一些秘密，以及他們可能盜竊寶石的原因。

As: 隨著：

As time went by, he began to realize that he should have studied hard.

隨著時間的推移，他開始意識到他本應該好好學習的。

As 的連詞的用法：

1) 象…一樣

He doesn’t like skating as much as he used to.

他不象以前那么喜歡滑冰了。

2） 照…方式

I have told the story just as it happened.

我已如實講了這件事。

3） 因為，既然

As you object, I’ll reconsider the plan.

既然你反對，我就重新考慮一下這個計劃。

4） 雖然

Much as I like the book, I can’t afford to buy it.

盡管我很喜歡這本書，可我買不起。（副詞做狀語的倒裝）

Old as I am, I can still fight.

我雖老，但仍能戰斗。（形容詞做表語的倒裝）

Child as he is, he knows a lot.

盡管他是個孩子，但懂得不少事情。（單數名詞做表語的倒裝，其前不用定冠詞）

Youngest as she is in our class, she speaks English best.

雖然她是我們班上年齡最小的，但英語說得最好。（形容詞最高級做表語的倒裝，其前不用定冠詞）

Try as he might, he couldn’t solve the problem.

盡管他設法這么做，卻不能解決這個問題。（動詞做謂語時的倒裝）

7. I began to wonder whether I had been mistaken about Rachel and Rosanna.

我開始想我是不是誤解了Rachel和Rosanna

be mistaken about 弄錯，誤會，主要是表示人在意見，觀點，理解方面的誤解

I see I was mistaken about you.

我知道我誤會你了。

be mistaken in 表示看錯了某人性格的某些方面或其品質，也可用來表示錯誤的信念，陳述，事實等

I always took him for an honest man, but it appears that I was mistaken in him.

我總把他當老實人，但看來我看錯了人。

8．Franklin Blake, meanwhile, received a letter from Rosanna saying that she knew what he had done on the night the Moonstone disappeared.

與此同時，Franklin Blake收到了Rosanna一封信，信中說她知道月亮寶石失蹤那天晚上Blake干過什么事。

句中在night后的the Moonstone…是省略關系副詞when的定語從句。在表示時間的名詞后的關系副詞when常被省略。

By the time (when ) he was five, he was able to recite many poems.

到他五歲時，他已經能背誦很多詩。

Help never stopped coming from the day (when) she fell ill.

從她生病的那天起，就一直有人來幫忙。

拓展：

1） 在先行詞way后的關系詞how或in which 常被省略

The way you look at problems is wrong.

你看問題的方法不對。

2） 在先行詞reason后面的關系副詞why間或可以省略

That’s the reason (why) I did it.

這就是我這樣做的原因。

3） 在先行詞place后面的關系副詞where間或可以省略。

This is the place (where) we met yesterday.

這是我們昨天碰頭的地方

meanwhile: adv. 同時，期間；另一方面

I finished the job on August 28th, but meanwhile a very interesting event took place.

我是在八月二十八日完成這項工作的，與此同時，一件有趣的事情發生了。

The income of men went up, meanwhile, part-time women workers saw their earnings fall.

男人們的收入在提高，而女臨時工的收入在減少。

9. She admitted that she had hidden the evidence because she loved him and wanted keep him out of trouble.

她承認她把證據藏了起來，因為她愛他，因而想使他免除麻煩。

keep…out of… （使）置身于…之外

He learnt early in life that it was best to keep out of other people’s quarrels.

他很小就懂得最好置身于他人的爭吵之外。

Keep out of what doesn’t concern you.

不關你的事不要插手。

10. Desperate for money, he tried to persuade Rachel to marry him.

由于急需錢用，所以他竭力說服Rachel嫁給他。

desperate adj.

1）非常需要的，非常渴望的be ~for/to do

He was desperate for money to save his little daughter.

為了救他的小女兒他急需錢。

He was desperate to see the manager and tell him what he had seen.

他極想見到經理，告訴他所見到的。

2）不顧一切的，極嚴重的

The prisoners became desperate in their attempts to escape.

囚犯們會不顧一切地想逃跑。