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Unit 6

      Blackmail

by Arthur Hailey

Lecturer: Meng Fanyan

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blackmail: n. & v. the act of threatening to reveal personal information, esp. sexual scandals, in order to extract money; the obtaining of money or advancement by threatening to make known unpleasant facts about a person or group   讹诈 ,敲诈 ,勒索

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to blackmail sb. into doing... 　      胁迫某人干什么 e.g. The strange man tried to blackmail the clerk into helping him draw the money, but he failed.

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I. Background information

II. Introduction to the passage

III. Text analysis

IV. Character analysis

V. Rhetorical devices

VI. Questions for discussion

Teaching plan

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Arthur Hailey

(1920.4.5-2004.11.24)

About the author and his works

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Arthur Hailey One of the most popular novelists of Canada, a bestselling author and screenwriter with a number of bestselling novels.

Born in Luton, England in 1920, Arthur Hailey was educated in English schools until fourteen.

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Arthur Hailey ? After a brief career as an office boy, he joined the British Royal Air Force in 1939 and served through World War II, rising through the ranks to become a pilot and flight lieutenant(空军上尉 ).

In 1947 Mr. Hailey emigrated to Canada, where he was successively a real estate salesman, business paper editor and a sales and advertising executive. He became a Canadian citizen.

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Arthur Hailey Though he is a Canadian himself, he set the scene of most his works in the United States.

Each of his books deals with one particular field of society. This is made clear by the titles of his books.

It is this peculiarity that is of value to those who are eager to learn about contemporary American society.

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The Final Diagnosis (1959)

Hotel (1966)

Airport (1968)

Wheels (1971)

The Moneychangers (1975)

Hailey's best sellers include:

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jobhousewife—house maker （家政主管）mechanic—automobile engineer （汽车工程师）gardener—landscape architect （园艺工程师 / 风景技师）dust man—waste ecologist engineer （生态工程师）butcher—meat technologist （肉类加工师）farmer—agriculture science specialist （农业科学家）waitress—hostess （女主人）

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elevator—Member of the Vertical Transportation Crops （垂直交通大队队员）film projectionist—multimedia systems technician （多媒体系统技师）

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Deficiency and disease illiterate—verbally deficient （言辞表达欠缺） blind— sight-deprived （视力欠缺） heart disease （心脏病） -- heart problem （心脏不好） the poor—the needy/low income group black—colored people

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AIDS（艾滋病） — social disease （社会疾病） skinny （瘦骨嶙峋的 ,骨瘦如柴的） — delicate（纤细的） /slim（修长的） / slender （苗条的） ; ugly （难看的） /awful （可怕的） — plain（不难看的） /ordinary （普通的） /not particularly good-looking;heart  disease （心脏病） — heart  condition;the  crippled （跛子）— handicapped ;disabled  student （残疾学生） —  special  student ;

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deaf （聋子） — hard of hearing（耳沉） ;cancer — C;Tuberculosis （肺结核） —   lung trouble （肺部毛病） ;pneumonia （肺炎） — the old man’s friend （老年之友） ;mad（疯子） — a little confused（有点反常，神志迷乱）

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old people — elderly people; senior citizens; no longer young; getting on in years; feeling one’s age;the long-lived; mature; grown-up; past  one's  prime

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fat---- gain weight/ put  on  weight  增加了重量 super size person  超大之人 have a well-proportional body  身体比例好 heavyset  身子重的 nutritionally endowed  营养丰富的 on the heavy side  重型的 gravitationally challenged  受到地球引力挑战的

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plump  丰满的 person of mass  大块头的人 well-built  健壮的 big-boned  骨架大的 overweight  超重的 strong  强壮的 statuesque  如雕像一样优美的 goddess woman  非凡女性 big beautiful woman  大美女

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go to the toilet --

do one’s official business;

go to the john;

retire for a moment;

pick some flowers;

use the bathroom/restroom;

go to the comfort station;

go to the washroom

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make number one；relieve oneself ；answer the  nature’s call ；powder one’s nose （ females ）；wash one’s hands; go to somewhere else; spend a penny; make oneself comfortable; pay a call; go to the restroom; do one’s duty; 

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death

1. pass away 逝世，与世长辞2. go to heaven 升天3. expire 到期4. go to the glory 升天了，光荣了5. be gone 走了，去了6. be gone to a better world 去极乐世界7. troubles be over now 痛苦结束了

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8. close one’s eyes 闭上了眼睛9. be no more 不在了，没了10. slept the final sleep 长眠不醒11. fallen asleep 睡着了12. go to rest/rest in peace/lie to rest 安息13. was numbered among the dead 成为死者的一员14. join the great number/join the majority  加入多数人的行列15. have breathed his last  吸了最后一口气，咽气

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16. kick up one’s heels 蹬腿17. turn up one’s toes 跷脚18. bite the dust 入土19. go west 上西天，完蛋20. pay one’s debt of nature

     了结尘缘，偿还大自 然的债务21. be gathered to one’s fathers 去见老祖宗22. close/end one’s day 寿终，到头了

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23. depart to the world of shadows          命归黄泉，离开阳间来到阴间24. give up the ghost 去见阎王25. lay down one’s knife and fork 放下刀叉，不吃饭26. to be asleep in the arms of God        （安睡在上帝的怀抱中）27. to be safe in the Arms of Jesus   （在耶稣的怀抱中安然无恙）28. to be at peace（处于平静状态）29. to be at rest（在休息）

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30. to be brought to one’s last home （被送回老家）31. to be gathered to one’s fathers（见老祖宗去）32. to be taken to paradise（被带进天堂）33. to meet one’s maker（去见造物主）34. to join the angels（加人天使行列）

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35. to return to the dust（归人尘土）36. to go to the other world 37. to breathe one's last38. to depart to god39. to be in Abraham’s bosom; 40. to go to see Confucius; 41. If anything should happen to me (万一我有个三长两短 )。这条委婉语不仅避免了提及 die ,而且还含有 Death is uncertain 之意。

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Marriage and sexdivorce（离婚 )--- the great divide（分水岭）loose woman（淫荡女子） --- willing woman（自愿女郎） ;male home sexual（男同性恋者） --- gay boy（快乐小子） ;female home sexual（女同性恋者） --- lesser beings;prostitute（妓女） --- bachelor’s wife（单身汉的妻子）或  lost girl（迷途女郎）

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RHETORIC

Metaphor:

1) his wife shot him a swift, warning glance.2) The words spat forth with sudden savagery.3) Her tone ...withered...4) ...self-assurance...flickered...5) The Duchess kept firm tight rein on her racing mind.6) Her voice was a whiplash.7) eyes bored into him8) I’ll spell it out.

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Metonymy:e.g. won 100 at the tables lost it at the bar they'll throw the book,...

Onomatopoeia:e.g. appreciative chuckle clucked his tongue

Euphemism: e.g....and you took a lady friend.

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Detailed Study of the Text

Part 1: the prelude of the deal

Section 1. The introduction of the setting, main characters, and the suspense

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chief house officer ： hotels in the U.S. employ detectives to take charge of hotel security, called “house dicks” (Slang: a detective), dignified appellation (name)----house officer

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suite [swi:t] a series of connected rooms used as a living unit

A suite in a hotel is usually expensive. The suite the Croydons are staying in is St. Gregory Hotel’s largest and most elaborate, called the Presidential Suite, which has housed a succession of distinguished guests, including visiting presidents and royalty.

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cryptic ['kriptik]

having hidden meaning; hidden, secret, mysterious； of ambiguous meaning

cryptic telephone call: the message over the phone was brief and with mysterious implications (imagine)             

  

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actually took twice that time: He actually appeared two hours later. Why? -- He was slow in coming because he wanted to create the impression that he was a busy and important man in the hotel and to keep the Croydons in a nervous, worried or anxious state of mind.

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Explanation: The chief house officer, Ogilvie, gave the Croydons a mysterious telephone call telling them he would pay them a visit an hour later, but actually he appeared at their suite two hours later.

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Duke　公爵(in Britain) a nobleman of the highest rank outside the royal family, whose rank is just below that of a prince

公爵是欧洲的一种贵族称号，常常仅次于国王或亲王的最高级的贵族

the Duchess: the wife/widow of a duke, or a woman with a rank equal to that of a duke

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Some titles in Europe公爵；公爵夫人 duke duchess  侯爵；女侯爵 marquis marquess伯爵；女伯爵 earl countess子爵；子爵夫人 viscount viscountess男爵；男爵夫人 baron baroness

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baron: (oring. USA) great industrial leader（起源于美国）工业巨头，大王 oil barons石油大王 beer barons啤酒大王

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excessive

too much of something, exceeding a normal, usual, reasonable, or proper limit

e.g. Excessive rainfall washes out valuable minerals from the soil.

excessive profit 　暴利

fray

1. to wear away (the edges of fabric, for example) by rubbing 　磨损

e.g.: fray the edge of a shirt sleeve/neck/elbows

excessively: (derog.) too much, extremely

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2. to cause a person‘s temper, nerves, etc. to become worn out；make or become weakened or stained　使紧张

excessively frayed: become extremely nervous/strained (after waiting too long)eventually: in the end, especially after a lot of delays, problems, or argumentmuted: (of sound) made silent, quietbuzzer: an apparatus that buzzes; doorbellsound: ring

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A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. Ogilvie: coarse; vulgar; uneducated; impolite

accompany: to go with as on a journey; happen or exist at the same time

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uncertainly: the Duke is submissive to the Duchess. He was uncertain, pessimistic, passive, frightened just like a looker-on. The Duchess had a stronger character and tackled the problem after the accident.

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flipto throw or toss with a light, brisk motion; to send sth. often into the air by striking with a light quick blow

flip a coin/the ball/one’s hair

butt the end, as of a cigarette

a cigar butt 

butt in

to interfere or meddle in other people's affairs

set-up: the arrangement of furniture

the butt of a rifle

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ornamental fireplace

ornamental

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ornamental

ornamental fireplace

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Décor: decoration

Explanation: I suppose you didn’t come here merely to discuss the arrangement of the furniture and other decorations of this suite. (What she really meant was “Speak your mind. Don’t waste time.”)

The deliberate use of Queen’s English, strict grammatical structures and carefully choosing of her words shows that they are superior to the detective.

The Duchess: pompous/pretentious/arrogant/smug/

self-important/conceited chuckle: laugh quietly with close mouth

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in an appreciative chuckle: Why? When a hotel employee goes to a guest’s room, usu. he goes there on business and no familiarity is allowed. But here Ogilvie was enjoying the fact that he could afford to do whatever he liked. He loved being in a position of temporary supremacy. Also he appreciated the fact that the Duchess was no fool. She knew why he had come.

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behaviour incongruous with the principlesincongruous colorsfalsetto

unnaturally high voice by a man, esp. in singing

incongruous: not in harmony or agreement with; not harmonious; absurd; inappropriate

can't say I did: you can’t say I did (came here to discuss décor)

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his incongruous falsetto voice: This falsetto voice sounded funny coming from a thickset man like Ogilvie.Explanation: Ogilvie had an unnaturally high-pitched voice. When he spoke now (When he spoke of the car involved in the road accident), he lowered the pitch.Jaguar: a brand of very expensive British made sports car

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Jaguar

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“Aah!”: Now the Duke knew what the man was there for. The sound escaping his lips showed that the Duke was startled and perhaps a bit relieved that things had now come out into the open. emission: the act of sending out heat, light, smell, sound, etc. or the action of uttering sounde.g. the emission of light from the sun the emission of heat from a fire

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shoot: send out as if from a gun; give sb. an angry and quick glare warning glance: the Duke had made a blunder the night before by mentioning the car in front of the hotel’s assistant general manager when his wife was trying hard to establish something of an alibi (不在犯罪现场证明 ). Now the wife was warning him not to blunder again.

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conceivable: that can be imagined, imaginable

concern: relate to, be relevant to; be one’s business

Explanation: I can hardly imagine how our car could in any way concern you? (Why are you so interested in our car?)

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It was the Duke who answered:

The Duke realized that Ogilvie had found them out as soon as he heard that the latter was coming to talk to them. He didn’t think what the Duchess had done or would do could improve the situation. So he was eager to cooperate with Ogilvie.

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We sent them out: Another blunder, as good as admitting that they knew what Ogilvie had come for and they had things to hide.

There's things it pays to check.Explanation: It is profitable/worthwhile to check.

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with surprising speed: It is surprising because you wouldn’t expect a fat man like him to move quickly.

apparently: it seems that, as it appears, easily seen or understood; plainly; obviously

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Part 2: Process of unveiling or disclosing the crime

Section 1. (Now then...Now we're getting somewhere. ) First round of clash. The Duke confessed his crime. Section 2. (Wearily, in a gesture...I can prove all I need to.)

Second round of clash. Ogilvie spelt out what he found out about the activity of the Croydons and tried to confirm all the details. The Duchess tried to win back the upper hand.Section 3. (The Duke cautioned...the Duchess turned away.)The Croydons realized that they were convicted of the crime. The conviction was undeniable.

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Section 1. (Now then...Now we're getting somewhere. ) First round of clash. The Duke confessed his crime.

hit-'n-run=hit-and-run: used to describe a driver who flees from the scene of an accident in which he is involved

You two was in the hit-'n-run:

You two were guilty of that hit-and-run accident.

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Two high points of color appeared …cheeks. Explanation: The Duchess’ cheeks flushed, not evenly, but around the cheek bones. She was upset and a bit scared. But at the moment she was pretending indignation. (agitated)

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blame: consider sb. responsible for sth. bad; criticize/reprove/reproach/denounce/reprimand/rebuke/scoldblame sb. for sth.

e.g.: Bad workmen often blame their tools. I don't blame you for being cautious. (Your being cautious is understandable)

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blame sth. on sb.e.g.: He blamed his failure on his teacher.Don't blame our defeat on the weather.be to blame: be guilty ofI am to blame: I should be blamed. (Or: It’s me who should be blamed.)

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That's more like it: The expression is said when a second thing said by the other person sounds more acceptable, plausible, or less objectionable than the first one.get somewhere: achieve success; get some resultNow we're getting somewhere: Now we are making some progress (accomplishing sth.).

weary: (specific) very tired, exhausted; unable to suffer any more of the same thing, unwilling to continue

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spell out

literally, to write or say a word letter by letter make perfectly clear and understandable; to explain in the most detailed way

e.g. to spell out the government's plans/ his objectives

I'll spell it out: I’ll tell you frankly and in detail.

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out of the way: improper, wrong, unusualExplanation: If anyone does anything wrong, improper, or unusual, I always get to know about it. There isn’t much that can escape me. tuck away: put into a convenient narrow space for protection, safety, etc.; hide/conceal/coverExplanation: They think they have got their little secret unknown, and so they have succeeded in doing so—but this time it is an exception.

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cluck: make a clicking sound, or make noises with the tongue, expressing a kind of feeling(e.g., disapproval) reprovingly: reproachfully Explanation: He made noises with his tongue to show his disapproval. What he’s scolding is that “How can you be so careless!” (In fact, the house detective was playacting, gloating over their misfortune.) (幸灾乐祸 )

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mess: the state of disorder or untidinesstook off home: left for home

the way things turned out: judging from what happened later

Explains that one: This fact explains why you were when you were drunk.

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lickered up=liquored up: drunk/intoxicated liquor up: have drunk strong alcoholic drink excessivelycf.(Latin: confer=compare):beverage: (fml) liquid for drinking, esp. one that is not water, medicine or alcoholliquor: strong alcoholic drink, such as whisky, Maotaichaser: mild drink, taken after hard liquor, such as beer wine: alcoholic drink made from fruit, esp. grapesoft drink: non-alcoholic drink, such as soda pop, coca cola

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reckon: consider/guess/think/suppose

Then you don't know: The Duchess thought it was all Ogilvie’s conjecture (guess/judgment/supposition/inference/guesswork) and that he didn’t really have any evidence against them. She thought he didn’t have any case against them.for sure: certainly so; without doubt

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Looked right shaken, too, the pair of you: You two looked extremely upset/shocked (not yet recovered from a fright).

Just come in myself, an' I got to wondering why: I had just come in myself and began to wonder why (you two looked shocked).

breathe: say softly; whisper

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the word was out about the hit-'n-run: The news about the accident was spreading around.e.g. No word has come from the battle front. a word of advice: warning in a word: in short; in summary word for word e.g. Tell me what she said, word for word. break one's word have a word with sb. have words with speak/say a good word for sb.

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hunch: strong intuitive feeling concerning a future event or result;premonition/presentiment look-see: a quick look or inspection; Explanation: As I suspected and felt there was sth. wrong, I went over to the garage to inspect. jockeys: usu. professional riders in horse-races; here it means persons who park cars or trucks in a storage garage, also called car jockeys (or simply: drivers)

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You might have something there: There might be a point in what you say.

concede: reluctantly accept sth. as true; admit/agree unwillingly. It usu. suggests the strength of the opponent's argument.

scouting: inspecting

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Over there they got three things to go on: At police headquarters, they have three clues to base their investigation on.

trim: 1) material used for ornament to decorate sth. with ribbons, laces, or ornaments2) to make neat or tidy by clipping, smoothing

brush trace: mark left by rubbing

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fender: 防护板；保险杠The police lab kin pick it up like they do prints: kin: canThe police laboratory assistants/technicians(化验员 ) can collect the brush trace just as they get fingerprints.dust it, an' it shows: sprinkle some kind of powder on the car fender and the brush trace shows up.

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bust: smash, shatter, or break as with forcematch up: prove to be a match (for), correspond

Explanation: I haven't any doubt, or there isn't any doubt that the trim ring that had come off the car and the busted headlight will correspond. That will be enough for the police to identify the car even without the brush trace and the blood on the car fender.

show: be noticeable, be able to be seen

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There is plenty of blood …

--- The detective mentioned the blood stain casually as if it was not important, or it has just come to his mind. In fact he had been saving it to the last moment as a death blow to the couple. He succeeded in achieving this effect. The Duchess collapsed completely.

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Part 3

the process of reaching the dirty deal

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despairingly: dishearteningly/discouragingly

square his shoulders: He intended to use this action to show he is ready to face the consequences, or he is brave, not afraid of what is to come.

get it over: deal with it, handle/tackle

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there's no call for being hasty: don’t panic; keep calmvoice took on a musing note: take on: begin to havemuse: think deeply; contemplate/meditate

--- his voice sounded as if he was in deep thought. (He was going to put all his cards on the table now that he had made it sufficiently clear to the Croydons that they were in his hands.)

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Rushing any place ain't gonna bring back the kid nor its mother neither: (Ungrammatical) It should be: Rushing to any place (to police headquarters) isn't going to make the kid and its mother come to life again. (Note the double negative here, which is used in uneducated speech.)The other two slowly raised their eyes: It seemed that the detective had no intention of handing them over to the police. There was still hope for them.

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poise: good judgment and self-control in one‘s action, combined with a quiet belief in one’s abilities；

self-assurance/self-confidence/self-control/composure/calmness

Tell us now, please: first civil word from the Duchess. She realizes it is best for her to cooperate.

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I ain't figured this out myself completely: I haven’t understood yet why you went away from this city rather than went back to it when you hit the child and her mother.

we'd become turned round: We lost our way. We were going in a direction opposite to the one we intended to take.

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But the police ain't figured it that way: But the police were not thinking that the Duke and the Duchess had taken the wrong route and gone back to the city.

who was headed out: Somebody who was driving away from the town.

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discreetly: carefullyemphatically: forcibly and resolutelymay (might, could) as well: with equivalent or comparable effect, with the same result (倒不如 ) You people are hot: You two are wanted by the police.

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keep a tight rein on: control firmlykept firm, tight rein on her racing mind: She kept firm and tight control of her mind which is working quickly. Here the Duchess is thinking quickly but at the same time keeping her thoughts under control, not letting them run wild. It was essential that her thinking remain calm and reasoned: It was very important for her to think calmly and logically. (Note the subjunctive mood in the "that" clause.)

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seemingly: according to what appears, usu. opposed to what actually is so e.g.: He is seemingly very intelligent, but in fact he isn't.casual: not serious, carelessas if the discussion were of some minor domestic matter and not survival itself: as if the discussion were about some unimportant domestic matter, not concerned with life and death

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her husband now a tense but passive spectator: (Nominative absolute construction with a noun plus a noun)

--- Her husband watched anxiously and nervously, incapable of taking an active part.

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traceable: that can be traced/found outit: the year, the time at which the car was mademake: type/kind/brandSame thing with the glass: With the glass (as with the trim ring) the police can trace the make, model and year of the car.

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calculated: intentionally done; intentional/deliberate

calculated coolness: She was not cool, in fact, her mind was racing, but she deliberately appeared to be cool.

reason: think, understand, and form judgments by a process of logic

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hazardous: dangerous/perilous/precarious/risky/unsafehazard['hæzəd] n. v. danger; riskdetection: discovery, being discovered, finding out; but no more than waiting here for certain detection: (To drive the car north would be risky,) but not more risky than to wait here, because if they did nothing, they would surely be discovered.

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back roads: out-of-the-way or unfrequented roads

an unlikely route: a route which the police didn’t think they would be likely to choose to take; or: a route that ordinary people wouldn’t be likely to take

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other complications: other factors which would make it difficult for them to drive the car north themselvessecondary roads: unfrequented roads terrain: a region or a stretch of land, esp. with regard to its natural features or suitability for some special purpose, as used in warfare (or: whether it is rough, smooth, easy or difficult to cross, etc.

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betray: make known, reveal against one's wille.g.: Her red face betrayed her nervousness.their speech and manner would betray them: their speech and manner would reveal their identityconspicuous: noticeable, attracting attentione.g.: A traffic sign should be conspicuous. She is conspicuous because of her fashionable clothes. Lincoln is a conspicuous example of a poor boy who succeeded.

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abruptness: suddenness(Notice here involves a sudden change of topic of conversation. They were talking about the police's search of a car. The question "How much do you want?" is followed by the Duchess' interior monologue)

The abruptness took him by surprise: Ogilvie was surprised by the sudden, unexpected question.

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her own smallness of mind: her own meanness or weakness of mind. What she is about to do may be extremely significant to her and her husband. She has to take a big chance, to do something very daring, so she must be bold, resolute and decisive. She has to rise to the occasion (show that one can deal with a difficult situation when it happens).

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When you were playing for the highest stakes, you made the highest bid: “Stake” and “bid” are gambling terms. “Stake” means a sum of money, esp. deposited with a stakeholder, or money risked on the result of sth.赌本 /赌金 ; “bid” is an offer (of a price).Here the sentence means: You had to pay the highest price when your reputation and career were at stake/risk.

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gamble on: take a chance on; act in the hope/expectation of

greed: intensive or excessive desire for wealth

gamble on the fat man's greed: She would take a chance on this fat man's greed.

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beyond doubt: certainly

She must do so in such a way as to place the outcome beyond any doubt: She would offer him so much money as to make it impossible for him to refuse to do what she would ask him to in return, no matter how dangerous the job might be.

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bulge: swell out as a result of the pressure from withinThe house detective's eyes bulged: The house detective opened his eyes widely with greed. (He didn’t believe what the Duchess had just said.)lick his lips: look forward with relish (pleasurable longing, enjoyment); experience pleasure at the thought of sth. good that is going to happen to one(舔唇向往 , 切盼 ); show one’s satisfaction

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beady eyes: eyes which are small, round and shining like black beads, moving from side to side

His beady eyes were focused upon her own: Ogilvie looked fixedly and directly at the Duchess (because he didn’t believe his own ears on hearing the large sum of money).

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intently: fixedly/attentively//eagerly watched intently: To the Duchess, it was a question of survival itself. Only if Ogilvie agreed to drive their car north would they have a chance to get out of the mess unscathed.

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at length: after a long time; at last

"This cigar botherin' you, Duchess?": If this cigar is bothering you, I'll put it out. (This shows that he is willing to comply with the Duchess' wishes and he was completely overwhelmed by the Duchess.)

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Teaching plan Discussion: Result of the story

Discussion: Conclusions from the story

Discussion: Analysis of the narration

Pair work: Questions for discussion

Pair work: Story Retelling

Group work: Character Analysis

Group work: Rhetorical Devices

Group work: role-play

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Question: Did they succeed in accomplishing their plan? What is the result?

--- All their efforts were in vain. Their dirty deal was unsuccessful.

Result of the story

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Conclusions from the story:

Fire can’t be wrapped in paper.

Anybody who breaks law will be punished by law.

A bad person deserves to be punished.

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Analysis of the narration (in chronological order)

beginning: the couple’s waiting for the detective

development: the process of the encounter or clash between Ogilvie and the Croydons

climax: the Duchess offers to pay $25,000

end: the detective complied and the deal is reached

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Questions for discussion 1) Did Ogilvie deliberately delay his call at the Croydons' suite? Why? 2) Why did the Duchess send her maid and secretary out? 3) Why do you think Ogilvie was being deliberately offensive to the Croydons at the beginning? 4) How did the Duchess know where the Duke had gone the night when the accident occurred? 5) How did Ogilvie come to suspect the Croydons of the hit-and-run crime? 6) what is a 'brush trace’?

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Questions for discussion7) What made the Duchess draw the conclusion that Ogilvie had come to blackmail them? 8) Why didn't the police come immediately to the hotel to check the cars? 9) Why couldn't the Duchess get her car repaired discreetly in New Orleans? 10) Why did the Duchess decide to make the detective drive their car north? 11) Why did the Duchess offer Ogilvie twenty-five thousand dollars instead of the ten thousand the detective asked for? 12) Did Ogilvie accept the Duchess’ offer?

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I . 1)Yes, he did, because he wanted to make them more anxious.

2)Because she didn't like her maid and secretary to know what they would talk to the detective.

3)Because he thought that he knew their secret and that he was in an advantageous position.

4)She found a note made but not destroyed by her husband.

5)He found that on the night the couple entered the hotel through the basement instead of the lobby, both very much shaken.

6)A brush trace is a mark left on something when lightly touched or rubbed.

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7)Ogilvie came to talk with them rather than go to report to the police.

8)They had to spend one day or two investigating in the suburban areas.9)Because every repair shop had been told to report to the police when a car needing fixing like theirs came in.10)She thought that was safe for them by making use of the detective's avidity.

11)Originally, the detective asked for ten thousand only to keep silent and not to report to the police. But now the Duchess was asking him to drive their car north and she was ready to offer such a large sum. She knew the detective was greedy. Given so much money, he would do as she told him to.12)Yes, Ogilvie accepted the Duchess' offer

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Story Retelling Oral practice: Retell the story in pairs.

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 Group work: role-play

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Character Analysis

 Describe and comment on the three characters.

Ogilvie

The Duke

The Duchess

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The chief house officer, the detective employed by the hotel in charge of hotel security

His language is ungrammatical, vulgar and slangy. His pronunciation is non-standard.

coarse/vulgar/impolite/ill-mannered;

greedy; well-informed; self-satisfied; selfish; crafty/cunning/sly/foxy; uneducated; evil/wicked/villainous/malicious/vicious/

unscrupulous

Ogilvie:

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The Duke:

a newly-appointed ambassador Besides having a weak character, he is over fond of liquor and pretty ladies.

weak; submissive/obedient; lascivious; corrupt/dissolute; merciless; slow-minded or stupid; irresponsible; timid/cowardly; pessimistic; indecisive;

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wife of the Duke, a woman of strong character, a known public figure and cousin of the queen.

calm; intelligent; arrogant/pompous/self-important/conceited/pretentious; arbitrary/imperious/imperial; courageous; merciless; well-educated; decisive

The Duchess:

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Onomatopoeia:

Examples from the text:

a. appreciative chuckle

b. clucked his tongue 

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Euphemism:  the substitution of an inoffensive expression for one that may be disagreeable, as in the use of “pass away or pass on” for “die”, “remains” for a “corpse”, “visiting the necessary” for “going to the toilet”, “memorial service” for “funeral” , etc. One example : ...and you took a lady friend.

( a high class whore)

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Profession janitor（照管楼房或办公室的工友） --- building engineer 建筑物维护技师） traveling salesman（推销员） -- sales representative（销售代表）； secretary(秘书 )--administrative assistant(行政助理 )； shoe maker(修鞋匠 )--shoe rebuilder (重整鞋者 )； prison guard(狱卒 )--长官 (prison officer)； butter(屠夫 )--meat technologist(肉类技术专家 )；

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Fatness

gain weight/ put on weight 增加了重量  super size person 超大之人 have a well-proportional body 身体比例好 heavyset 身子重的 nutritionally endowed 营养丰富的 on the heavy side 重型的 gravitationally challenged 受到地球引力挑战的 on the plump 丰满的 person of mass 大块头的人

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Fatness well-built 健壮的 big-boned 骨架大的 overweight 超重的 strong 强壮的 statuesque 如雕像一样优美的 goddess woman 非凡女性 big beautiful woman 大美女

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Other examples pickpocket（扒手） --- a five fingers（五指全能者） robber（拦路贼）  --- gentleman of the road（大路男子） fence（销赃人） --- a shifter（搬运工） heroin（海洛因） --- hero of the underground（地下英雄） drug pusher（毒品贩子） --- the candy man（糖果商）

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Assignment Summary writing: Write a short summary of the story within 400 words.

The other exercises in the textbook.

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Ⅲ 1.告诉你，公爵—我在这座城里和这家旅馆呆的时间不短。到处都有我的朋友。我给他们帮忙，他们也给我帮忙，比如告诉我在哪儿发生了什么事等等。旅馆里的客人所干的不正当的事，很少有我不知晓的。他们大多数人不晓得我知道，也不认识我。他们以为他们那些秘密被隐藏起来了。确实也如此，除了像眼前这种情况之外。

2.“嗨，不要仓促行事。”他的不协调的假嗓子带上了一种若有所思的声调。“事情过去就过去了。到处乱跑并不能使已死去的孩子和母亲复生。再说，警察局那边对你的处理，你是不会喜欢的。是的，先生，你是不会喜欢的。”

3.克洛伊顿公爵夫人牢牢地控制着飞快奔驰的思绪。她知道，她必须保持镇静和头脑清醒。刚才的几分钟内，谈话变得好像很随便，似乎他们讨论的是件家庭琐事，而不是生死攸关的大事。她力图使谈话这样继续下去。她再次意识到领导的责任又落到了她的肩上。现在，她的丈夫正在紧张而又消极地注视着这个坏蛋胖子和她之间的交锋。没关系。对不可避免的事只有面对了。重要的事是要考虑到可能发生的一切后果。这时，她想出一个主意。

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IV. 1)advertisement 　 2)brassiere

3)doctor 4)refrigerator 5)gymnasium

6) 　 high fidelity 　 (radio, photography, etc. )7) intercommunication system

8)liberation 9)memorandum

10)microphone 11)modern

12)permanent wave

13)poliomyelitis

14)popular-song15)preparatory (school)

16)professor 17)sister 18)television

19)veterinarian 20)zoological

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V. 1)a half-finished letter 2)a half-closed window

3)a piece of half-baked bread

4) a half-turned body 5) a well-appointed hotel

6)well-behaved pupils 7)well-chosen words

8)well-fed children

9)well-informed sources (people)

10) high-flown language

VI. 1)His words sound (v.) lofty and pretentious.2) Commerce figures (v.) largely in the prosperity of the city.3) He is always on the go (n.) from early morning till late at night.

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8)(v.)On hearing that ， he headed straight for the gate without looking back ．

4)(n.) He didn't succeed in his first try, but he kept on jumping.

5)(v.) They are dusting the crops with insecticide.

6)(v. ) He squared his shoulders to show his determination.7)(n.)Overworking yourself will do more harm than good．

9)(n.)I don't like a bicycle of this make．

10)(v.)If you reason from false premises ． how can you expect the conclusion to be sound?

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13)wealthy ／ well-to-do

Ⅶ. 1)real 2)of no use ／ useless3)are making some progress ／ are accomplishing sth.4)explain it exactly and in detail

5)what happens6)deduce/reason out 7)started for

8)upset 9)a quick examination or inspection

10)need ／ occasion 　　

11)observes ／ notices12)bribed

Ⅷ.

11)detect 　　

1)surveyed 2)gaze 3)swept 4)flipped 5)chuckled

6) shot out 7)spat forth these words

8)sprang to her feet 9)clasped 10)swung around

12)stared

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Ⅸ. 1. sardonic stresses the intent to ridicule, whereas sarcastic stresses the intent to hurt.2.self-confidence: means reliance on one’s

own powers.

self-assurance suggests an even stronger belief in one’s ability, but in an unfavorable sense, it may connote conceited or arrogant self-sufficiency3. accuse may be used in formal or informal, official or personal, contexts.

charge means to accuse formally, usually before a court.e.g. 1)His neighbor accused him of playing his radio too loudly.2) The police charged the driver with reckless driving.

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4. tired is applied to one who has been drained of much of his strength and energy through exertion, boredom, impatience, etc. (tired by years of hard toil)

Weary (or wearied) suggests such depletion of energy or interest as to make one unable or unwilling to continue (weary of life)

5. Leisurely means in an unhurried manner.

6. Oblige means do a favor for. 

Help has a much broader meaning.

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7. Discreetly here means keeping silent, without telling other people.

8. A racing mind is one that is working very fast.Quick can only modify the general quality (quick-minded).

9.Both tense and nervous mean fearful, apprehensive.Tense also means anxious. A person may be nervous by disposition and not because of any particular anxiety.

Here in the text tense implies that the Duke is not a nervous type but is fearful because of anxiety.

10. An eventuality is a possible outcome.

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11. Respite means delay, postponement; an interval of temporary relief or rest. It is more specific than relief.12. vacillate means to waver in mind, to show indecision.indecisiveness is applied to a person’s character which often shows lack of decision.

Ⅹ.

14)refusal

1)sleep 2)work 3)the moment 4)thought

5)a doubt 6)time 7)labour 8)perspiration

9)music 10)mind 11) steel

12)events 13)laughter

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Ⅺ. 1) 他从不会被出乎意料的问题难倒。2) 明年他们将生产更多的稻米。3) 这事真难办。 ( 或：这事真糟。 ) 4) 他跃跃欲试。

5) 这位老人仍然精力充沛。6) 这个小店出售花哨的小商品。 7) 你想喝点什么 ?

8) 这个男孩正在猛长个儿。9) 这个女孩是个神枪手。10) 这两位大人物进行了私下会晤。

11) 我们被安排在招待所里过夜。

12) 他发现自己陷入了困境。13) 突然我想到了一个主意。

14) 他的科学幻想小说在美国轰动一时。

13710)We have no alternative in this matter.

Ⅻ.1)There is no call for hurry ． Take your time ．2)Are you suggesting that I am telling a lie?

3)He tried every means to conceal the fact ．4)Our chance to succeed is very slim ． Nevertheless we shall do our utmost ．5)We will have our meeting at 10 tomorrow morning unless notified otherwise ．

6)Neither of us is adept at figures ．7)Would it be possible to reach that place before dark assuming we set out at 5 o'clock(in the morning)?

8)He was reluctant to comply with her request.

9)I know you are from the South. Your accent has betrayed you.

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The Duke and the Duchess occupy a luxurious suite in a large hotel in New Orleans. On Monday evening while driving with his wife from a gambling house, the Duke knocks down a woman and her child. Both are killed. The Duke and the Duchess, however, drive away. The hit-and-run becomes top sensational news in the city. The hotel's chief house detective Ogilvie notices the battered car when it comes back. He does not go to report this to the police, instead, he comes to the couple's suite and has a talk with them. He promises to keep quiet about what he knows and asks for a large sum of money in return for the favor. The Duke, now totally at a loss as to what to do, has to let his wife handle the problem. The Duchess, a clever woman, first pretends to know nothing about what the detective says and denies the fact that they have killed the woman and the girl, but later admits it after the detective has produced a lot of evidence. She understands that to get themselves out of this mess, the car has to be driven out of the south where people are alerted about the hit-and-run. So she offers to pay Ogilvie twice more than he has asked on condition that he drives the ear to Chicago up in the north. The greedy detective accepted the offer under the imposing air and the lure of money.

XIV. Summary