Unit 2

Charlie Chaplinby Peng Nianfan

Background Information: Charlie Chaplin Chalres Spencer Chaplin was born on 1th April 1889 in Walwo

rth, London, and lived a Dickensian childhood, shared with his brother, Sydney, that included extreme poverty, workhouses and seeing his mother’s mental decline put her into an institution. Both his parents, though separated when he was very young, were music hall artists, his father quite famously so. But it was his mother that Charlie idolized and was inspired by during his visit of the backstage while she performed, to take up such a career for himself.

Background Information: Dickens

Charles Dickens, 1812-1870, an English novelist, is considered by many to be the greatest of all. His many famous books describe life in Victorian England and show how hard it was, especially for the poor and for children. They include Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities and David Copperfield.

Background Information: Hollywood

Hollywood is an area of Los Angeles which is known as the center of the American film industry. In terms of geography, Hollywood refers to an area consisting of the City of West of Holywood and its vicinity that form part of the Greater Los Angels metropolitan area. It is generally thought that everyone living in Hollywood is extremely rich, famous, and concerned with appearances but in fact many parts are poor, dirty and badly cared for.

Text Structure Analysis:

Part One (Para 1-2): A general introduction: Part Two (Para 3-6): His professional success: Part Three (Para 7-8): His emotional life Part Four (Para 9): The end of his life story.

The text is about Charlie Chaplin’s life which is full of contrasts. He came into the world miserable but brought the world endless joy. His Tramp on the screen, crude or coarse in the eyes of the English, gave him permanent fame in movie history. His nonsense screen language with no known nationality brought about his huge success. The contrast between his desire to be loved and his fear of being betrayed led to his painful marriages but brought him the luck to walk into the sunset with Oona. And even after his death, the theft of his body served as a fitting memorial to his life as a great comic.

Summary of the Text

sentence provide applause and profit revolt against trip sb up come down in the world sth gives/bring sb sth have the urge to do sth rouse painfully-bought self-knowledge lose one’s faith in sb/sth typical patterns for recovery of sth denied earlie

r find in sb a man/woman of to give sb permanent fame

Words and Expressions

Sentences• (I-1) Sb. else might do/have done sth. But on

ly sb. can do/could have done sth. else. (L.4) 别人或许会做某事，但只有某人才会做别的事。

•e.g. 在你身陷困境时，或许别人会帮你一把，但只有你才能真正帮自己从中摆脱出来。

•When you are caught in a dilemma, others might lend you a hand. But only you can help yourself out.

Our society should provide more applause and reward where the upholders of justice are concerned.

我们的社会应给予伸张正义者更多的掌声和奖励 .

2. to provide applause and profit where sb. is concerned: 给予某人掌声和收益 (para. 2)

They revolt at those who have great ambition but little ability.

他们很反感那些眼高手低、志大才疏的人。

3. to revolt against/at/from sth./sb. : reject sth/sb 反抗 / 反感 ······ (para. 3)

Read the questions carefully, because the examiners sometimes try to trip you up.

仔细阅读这些问题，因为出题者有时会有意诱导你犯错。

4. to trip sb. up : catch sb’s forrt and make him fall绊倒某人； 使某人犯错误；使某人受挫 (para. 3)

When coming down in the world, don’t grow dejected; when coming up in the world, don’t get swollen-headed. 潦倒不堪时勿丧志，飞黄腾达时莫忘形。

5. to come down in the world: have less money and a worse social position than before (para. 3)

• ( 后置定语 ) 某事为某人带来了 ······ ，更重要的是带来了 ······ ，他 / 她因此得以 ······

• Her devoted pursuit of knowledge gave her the desire — and, more importantly, the ability — to explore and extend a talent she found in herself.

• 她对知识孜孜不倦的追求为她带来了渴望，更重要的是带来了能力，她因此得以发掘并扩展自己身上所显露的天才。

6. Sth. gives / brings sb. sth.—and, more importantly, sth. else—to do / be… : post-modifier (para.4)

It is important to have the urge to prove one’s worth to society, but more important is the ability to turn the urge into reality.

向社会证明自身价值的欲望固然重要，而更重要的是把欲望变成现实的能力。

7.to have the urge/a deep need to do sth. : have a strong desire to … 有一种要做 ······ 的欲望 (para. 6)

I don’t want to rouse any suspicions.我不想引起任何怀疑。

The telephone roused me from my sleep at 6 a.m.6 点钟电话声把我从睡梦中唤醒。

8. rouse : make sb feel a particular emotion; （ formal) wake sb up (para. 6)

The self-confidence bought with unyielding efforts is of endless benefit to one’s whole life.

通过不懈努力换来的自信心可以使人受益终生。

9. painfully-bought self-knowledge: 以沉重的代价换来的自知之明 (para. 7)

He who has lost his faith in his future has to be at the mercy of （受、、、支配） fate

对前途失去信心的人只能听从命运的摆布。

10. to lose one’s faith in sb./sth. ： lose one’s trust or confidence in sth (para. 7)

(II –1)It is a relief to know that life/fate eventually/at last gave sb. sth. it had earlier denied him/her.(L.53)

令人宽慰的是，生活 / 命运最终把某人先前没能得到的东西给了他 / 她。e.g. 令人宽慰的是，持之以恒最终使他如愿以偿，把他先前由于时运不济无法得到的东西给了他。 It is a relief to know that perseverance eventually gave him the result that he had long desired for but fate had earlier denied him.

11. Typical patterns for recovery of sth. denied earlier

We find a true scientist in him. 我们发现他是一个真正的科学家。

He find something not good in his wife.他察觉他妻子有点不妙。

12. find in sb. a man/woman of… : find the quality in sb 发现某人是一个 ······ (para. 8)

Honesty and uprightness during his tenure of office gave him permanent fame in the minds of the people.

在任期间的清正廉洁使他在人民心中声名永驻。

13. to give sb. permanent fame: to make sb. famous for a long time (para.1)

Questions for Discussion

Work in small groups and discuss the following questions.

1. What disadvantages did Chaplin face early in his life and how did these perhaps help him later?

2. When it came to relationships, what main problem did his personality have and what results did this have?

Structure writing

Now try to write your own short composition, with a general statement supported by details. You may choose one of the following topics. One topic has a detailed outline that you can follow.

A general statement: Charlie Chaplin is a great comic not only for his native land, Britain, but more for the world.

Structure writing

Details: wearing moustaches, huge pants and tailcoats, not c

haracteristic of the British people. Silent films, people having no difficulty in understan

ding his films . Sound movies, a nonsense language not for one singl

e nationality

Structure writing

Of British origin, but signed up by Hollywood Not confined to his mother country; he traveled, and on the stage for people of different nationalities

More topics: Marriage has obligations and responsibilities to tak

e on Love is not possessive

Homework

1. Finish the exercises in Section A.2. Prepare for Section B.