Lesson16高级英语课程教案第一册 - 图文(2)

legislative body of the new nation. Under force of military circumstances, it moved from place to place, meeting at Philadelphia (1775-1776), Baltimore (1776-1777), Philadelphia again ( 1777 ), Lancaster, Pa. (1777), York, Pa. (1777-1778) and Philadelphia once again (1778). After the war ended and the Articles of Confederation took force, the Congress itself eventually dissolved. 2. Featured prominently, rear, is a tally board: A tally board is placed at an easily noticed position at the back of the stage. featured: given special prominence as a main attraction tally board: board used as record for score 3. yea: yes, used to express an affirmative vote 4. nay: no, used to express a negative vote 5..... thirteen slots, each with a shuttle containing the name of a single colony: There are thirteen slots in the tally board, and a name plate is placed in each slot. The name plate can slide freely in the slot under the three headings like a shuttle in a weaving loom. This device clarifies the positions of the thirteen colonies at any given moment and allows the audience to follow the parlia- mentary action without confusion. 6. At rise: as the curtain rises 7. save: prep. except, but 8. aging custodian: McNair (an old man, the caretaker or janitor, is in fact a servant who looks after everything. ) 9. a crop of horseflies: a swarm of horseflies crop :group of collection appearing together, e.g. a new crop of students 10. State House: State House of Pennsylvania, now Independence Hall, where the Second Continental Congress was being held 11. quill pens: In those days pens were made from the quill of a feather. 12. wantin': wanting. The dropping of\supposed to be uneducated, vulgar, or careless pronunciation. 13. Where does the Georgia delegation belong?: Where are the Georgia delegates supposed to sit? 14. they mill about over in that corner- near the two Carolinas: They are generally found in that corner moving aimlessly near where the delegations from the two Carolinas sit. mill: move slowly in a circle or aimlessly, often said of cattle. McNair uses this word jokingly. 15. Old Grape' n' Guts: The nickname Old Grape and Guts is given to Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island because of his fondness for alcoholic drinks and good food. Grape stands for wine, and guts stomach. 16. heading the pack: The work\pack of hounds or wolves. It is used here jocularly. 17. Quaker: a popular name for a member of the Society of Friends, a Christian religious sect founded in England in 1650 by George Fox. The members of this society have no formal creed, rites, liturgy, or priesthood, and reject violence in human relations, including war. 18. distilled refreshment: euphemism for alcoholic drinks 19. a mug o' rum: a mug of rum rum: an alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented sugar cane, molasses, etc. In

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American usage, it can refer to alcoholic liquor in general. 20. Two mugs o' rum: One is for himself, one for the new arrival. 21. I fear it's little early in the day--: His sentence is interrupted by Old Grape'n' Guts. Hall wanted to say: “I fear it's a little early in the day to have a drink.\22. where does Georgia stand on the question of independence?: What position does Georgia take on the question of independence? 23. Cod knows I can't keep 'em straight: I swear to God I can't tell which is which. This affected forgetfulness is probably meant to show the two Carolinas always voted the same way and that it is not worth his serious attention to differentiate between them. 24. A pleasure... Your servant... An honor: Standard forms of greeting on being introduced to a stranger in those days. 25. Where'd y' go for it, man--Jamaica?: Sarcasm. Why did it take you so long to get the rum? Where' d y' go = where did you go Jamaica: island in the West Indies, in the Caribbean, famed for its sugar cane plantations and its rum 26. I am here without instructions, able to vote my own personal convictions: I am here without any explicit instructions from Georgia Assembly, therefore I am able to vote according to my personal convictions. 27. Hall. (a pause; he examines him). Personal: a refusal to disclose how he will vote. People are not supposed to ask personal questions. It is considered impolite or bad manners to do so. 28. The Deep South speaks with one voice: The Deep South speaks in unity and complete agreement, implying the Southern states should have the same stand on the question of independence and should vote the same way. 29. It is traditional--even more, it is historical: This is our tradition --even more, it is rooted in history. The words traditional and historical, which mean quite the same thing, are both used with exaggeration. 30. decorated with a Scottish accent: a metaphor; his broad Scottish accent makes his strong, resonant voice sound more beautiful. 31. tria juncta in uno: (Latin) three joined in one. This is an irony, as the three are seldom united in views. 32. y'know I can't follow none o' y'r damn French: You know I can't follow none of your damn French. It ridicules Mckean's ignorance of foreign languages. 33. a tribute to the eternal peace and harmony of the Delaware delegation: an irony again. See Note 31. for the teachers. 34. With South Carolina, it seems: It seems we have to stand together with South Carolina. Hall is being critical of Rutledge's high-handed behavior. 35. carrying several books: a detail to show that Jefferson was a learned man and was studious to a fault 36. hawkish man: having a nose resembling the hooked beak of a hawk 37. WILSON. (waiting) Ahem: With a noise like clearing his throat, Wilson now politely reminds Rodney that he has yet to be introduced. 38. how can anyone see you if you insist on standing in Mr. Dickinson's shadow: innuendo. He suggests people ignore Wilson because he always toadies to Dickinson and follows him in everything.

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39. He suffers from gout: Gout is a disease resulting from a disturbance of uric acid metabolism. It causes swelling and severe pain, notably in the big toe. This was a disease among the rich, and thought to be the result of excessive rum drinking. 40. Will you get out of my way, please: The sentence shows that Franklin, being the oldest member of Congress, is accustomed to being a bit bluff and rude and takes precedence over others as a matter of course. 41. Good Lord, do you have the honor to be Dr. Franklin: The sentence reveals how much Franklin is admired and held in awe by others. The more usual way of addressing him would have been:\Lord” expressing surprise shows that Hall is also obviously a bit flustered by the sight of Franklin's limping and bandaged foot. 42. Been living too high again, eh, Pappy: Been drinking and eating too much again, old man? Hopkins was a close friend of Franklin and not awed by him. In one sentence, he jokes about both his age and his well--known indulgences. pappy:(colloquial) father, here an affectionate term for an old man 43. I only wish King George felt like my big toe--all over: I only wish that King George felt all over his body the pain that I now feel in my big toe. His reply shows his sharp wit and good temper as well as his hostility to the British Crown. 44. Fetch a pillow--and two more mugs o' rum: The pillow is for Franklin to rest his aching foot on. The two mugs of rum--at least one of them is for himeslf. Hopkin's overfondness of rum should have become quite obvious by now. 45. your voice is hurting my foot: Your voice is piercing; exaggeration for effect. 46. how do you explain the strange quietude that Congress has been treated to these past thirty days?: How do you explain why they (advocates for independence) have been so quiet in the past thirty days? A number of sentences have been left out here. In the original, Franklin had proposed to break the stalemate in Congress by getting someone else to raise the issue of independence instead of John Adams, who was \ and disliked\Franklin had got Richard Lee of Virginia to go back to Virginia to get the resolution. He was rather late in coming back. Meanwhile John Adams had refrained from losing his patience. He declared that he would only wait for Lee for one more day. Now Dikinson is deliberately turning to his follower Wilson and making cruel fun of Adams. This, like adding fuel to fire, throws Adams into a rage. Scene Two 1. the usual morning festivities concluded: A mild sarcasm, meaning now that the usual morning session of drinking is over. Grammatically this part is a nominative absolute construction formed by a noun phrase plus the past participle concluded. 2. call ... to order: a usual expression used at meetings when opening a session or resuming discussions after a recess. Also used when demanding that a. speaker not speak out of turn or other- wise disobey the rules of agenda. 3. Sweet Jesus: a mild oath to show amusement, disgust or despair at the great number of meetings that had already taken place without result and maybe also at the pomposity of the whole show 4. the stores of rum and other drinking spirits are hereby closed to the colony of Rhode Island: Rum and other 'drinking spirits are not to be supplied to Hopkins. The colony of Rhode Island is

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a metonymy, standing for its delegate Hopkins. 5. The Chair: metonymy. It Stands for the president of the Congress. 6. make the best of it: make the best of his membership; turn the situation to the best advantage. The implication here is that it is difficult to do so in the Congress. 7. the entire delegation of New Jersey: Franklin's son was Royal Governor of New Jersey and was against Independence. His father was not in touch with him. He was later taken prisoner by the Continental forces. 8. Benjy, Johnny, Dickie: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Richard Lee respectively. The three were on very intimate terms because they had plotted together and were \the secret ma- noeuvre to make Lee put forward the resolution for independence. 9. a Southern war whoop: shouts (or more properly, screams) made by American Indians when going into battle. They were the terror of the early white settlers, but were later picked up and improved upon by the white people. Here Lee lets out a Southern war whoop to show his triumph in bringing back the resolution. 10. is it done?: Have you succeeded? 11. Resolved: A formal decision is made about the following 12. of a right: by right, in justice 13. they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown: They are freed from all obligations of support and loyalty to their ruler, the British King. the British Crown: metonymy, meaning the British King and all powers of the King 14. I second the proposal: Second means to give formally one' s approval or support to a motion moved as a necessary preliminary to discussion of, or vote on it. As we can see from the play, any member of a delegation is entitled to move or second a proposal, but in voting a delegation must be counted as a whole. 15. y' little weasel: you little weasel, a term of abuse, imputing Read to be a sly, cunning or sneaky person 16. having borne the brunt of the King's tyranny: having suffered most because of the King's tyranny Example: The workers bore the brunt of the economic crisis. 17. Shame! Shame!: Shame on you. This is a usual cry issued when speaker says something particularly unacceptable to others at a meeting. Here it is the word \opponents. 18. Sit down, John: John is again launching into one of his lengthy, repetitious speeches that do more harm than good to the cause of Independence. That is why those for Independence shout\19. Rhode Island is out visitin' the \Hopkins is out pissing. The \is a euphemism for the \play. (%uses. 20. After what Rhode Island's consumed, I can't say I'm surprised: After Hopkins has drunk so much rum, I'm not at all surprised that he should do that. 21. Rhode Island passes: This is an unintentional pun. Thomson means, by saying “passes\he' 11 come back to Rhode Island later. But the verb\22. Laughter, Thomson looks around, not understanding: The delegates are laughing at the pun, but Thomson, being pedantic, if not dull, doesn' t realize this. Such is one of the small

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instances of comedy one would expect to find in a musical comedy. 23. While Connecticut has, till now, been against this proposal ... could not any longer withhold its support: Till now Conn. has been against independence. The Conn. legislature instructs that if the proposal for independence is put forward by any colony outside of New England, Conn. would change its attitude and give its support. The reason for this instruction may be that as one of the six colonies of New England, Connecticut doesn't want to act as a bloc against the other colonies. Connecticut's about-face seems to prove the correctness of Franklin's strategy so he and John exchange satisfied looks. 24. New York abstains--courteously: Morris personally favours Independence, but his hands are tied as the New York legislature has never sent him “explicit instructions on anything.\25. Maryland would welcome independence if it were given but is highly skeptical that it can be taken: Maryland would welcome independence if it were granted by the mother country, but we doubt very much that independence can be taken with force. In other words, Maryland would not object to independence if it were given as a gift, which is not likely to happen (the impossibility is expressed by the subjunctive mood \revolution in order to win independence. skeptical (also spelt sceptical): unwilling to believe,' doubting, distrustful. Examples: I' m skeptical of (about) their team's chances of winning. Many people are skeptical that the President's policy can solve inflation and unemployment. 26. Virginia, the First Colony: Virginia, named after Elizabeth I, the\colony of America, where the first permanent English settlement was founded in May, 1607. See Note 9 to \ 27. North Carolina respectfully yields to South Carolina: North Carolina submits to South Carolina with respect, yield: vi. to give up, to give way Examples: 1) Though he was badly wounded, he refused to yield to the enemy. 2) I hope you'll not yield to his persuasion. 3) The disease yielded to treatment. 28. effect a separation: bring about, accomplish independence 29. Yes, Mr Hewes, I know: Thomson knows from experience that North Carolina would follow S.C. slavishly in all voting. 30. Georgia seems to be split right down the middle on this issue: It seems that in Georgia majority opinion is against independence but Hall (Georgia's delegate) is for independence. He finds it hard to come to a decision. 31. So in all fairness until I can figure it out, I'd better lean a little toward their side: To be totally impartial, until I find the correct answer, I' d better incline a little toward their opinion. fair: just, honest, impartial, unprejudiced (e. g. that's not fair) figure out: (colloquial) solve, think it out 32. So it's up to me, is it?: Note\It's an emphatic form of saying \ 33. a rum: a drink of rum. Similarly, a whiskey a beer, a brandy, etc. But not a red: wine or a white

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