Unit Four

Epilogue (From The Gadfly)

Words & Phrases Need To Explain

Blur uncountable noun blurred blurring

Mercy have mercy on 怜悯 beg for mercy 乞求宽恕 at the mercy of 完全受…控制

Words & Phrases Need To Explain

Execution n. 执行；演奏 execute v. 执行 executive adj. 可执行的 n. 长官Hasty adj. 急忙的 haste n. 急忙 in haste 急忙地 hasten v. 急忙做… hastily adv. 轻率地 hastiness n. 轻率

Words & Phrases Need To Explain

Eminence 阁下（杰出的人物） Majesty 陛下 Excellency 阁下Toll For who the bell tolls ? 丧钟为谁而鸣？

About The Author

Ethel Lillian Voynich, an English female author, was born in Cork, Ireland in 1864. In 1885 she graduated from the College of Music in Berlin and from 1887 to 1889 she worked as a governess in the family of a Russian General in Petersburg. Then she went London and got married in 1892. In 1920, they went to US and lived in New York, where she died in 1960 at the age of 96.

About The Gadfly

The Gadfly came out in 1897 and became one of the most widely read books of the 20th century. It has been translated into over 20 languages and adapted for the screen and stage. The Chinese translation of the novel appeared in the early 1950s and almost immediately won a huge readership.

The Outline Of Gadfly

A young people named Arthur lives in Italy in the first half of the 19th century. He, a devoted Christian, has a deep affection for his teacher Montanelli and becomes involved with patriots fighting for Italy’s independence. He has a friend from childhood named Gemma and they are in love with each other.

The Outline Of Gadfly

Arthur is arrested because of his political activities. But after he is release, Gemma misunderstands him as a rebel, who has betrayed their comrade, Bolla. At the same time, Arthur is told that he is illegitimate child of Montanelli. Feeling betrayed by the two person he loves, he leaves Italy secretly for South America.

The Outline Of GadflyWhen Arthur returns Italy after 13 years, he finds

Gemma still working with Italian patriots but Gemma cannot recognize him. And then, he fights in the Gemma’s group with a pen-name “The Gadfly”. Unfortunately, Arthur is captured afresh and visited by Montanelli. As soon as Montanelli recognizes Arthur, he offers to help Arthur escape and gives up being a priest ,goes with him. However, Arthur doesn’t accept his offer and sentenced to death the next day.

Word Formation (Compounding)

adjective + noun eg. first-class author 一流作家 low-temperature treatment 低温处理 present-age English 当代英语 a clause compressed into an adjective eg. never-to-be-forgotten evening 难忘的夜晚 hard-to-get-at book 难以理解的书 an-end-justified philosophy 不择手段的哲学

Word Formation (Compounding)

noun + p.p.

eg. machine-made shoes 机器修理的鞋 heart-felt thanks 衷心感谢 sugar-coated pills 糖衣裹着的药丸 adjective + noun + -ed

eg. open-minded leader 开明的领导 old-fashioned gentleman 保守的绅士 medium-sized shoes 中号鞋