Unit 8 Unit 8 The Discus ThrowerThe Discus Thrower

Unit 8 Unit 8 The Discus ThrowerThe Discus Thrower

April 20, 20231

About the author: Richard Selzer• An American surgeon (1928-)

• Awards: National Magazine Award, American Medical Writer's Award

The Discus Thrower

• Myron • Discobolus (Discus

thrower) • 460-450 B.C. Marble

copy of  bronze original.  

Discussion: Why is the short story entitled “The Discus Thrower”

Doctor and patient

Pre-reading Questions:

• 1. How do you think a dying man will most probably behave?

• 2. How do you think the relationship between doctor and patient?

Text structure

The Discus Thrower

Para. 1Introduction:

The background of the story.

Para. 2-13body: The strange

behavior of the patient

Para. 14-15Conclusion:

The death of the patient

The first part (Para. 1)

• The narrator tells us a professional habit of his and justifies himself for it.

Language Points:

1. spy v (pt, pp spied) [I, Ipr] ~ (on sb); ~ (on/into sth) keep watch secretly 暗中监视 ; 窥探 : spy on the enemy's movements * I'm sure my neighbours spy on me.

2. stance n. ~ (on sth) moral or intellectual attitude (to sth); standpoint （对某事物的）态度 ; 立场 : He maintains a rigidly right-wing political stance. * What is your stance on corporal punishment?

3. assemble v [I, Tn] (cause people or things to) come together; collect 集合 ; 收集 : The whole school (was) assembled in the main hall. * assemble evidence, material, equipment, a collection of objects. >assembly n. 集会 , 集合

4. he might the more fully assemble evidence? …he might gather evidence more fully than without

spying? the structure “all/ so much/ none + the + the

comparative” Sometimes all can be omitted. 1) She was waiting for the spring. She felt the

younger for it. 2) I walked around for two hours yesterday, and

the doctor said I was none the worse for it. 3) I know there’s danger ahead, but I am all the

more set on driving forward.

4. furtive adj done secretly and quietly so as not to be noticed 偷偷摸摸的 ; 鬼鬼祟祟的 : a furtive glance * furtive movements

> furtively adv. furtiveness n [U].

Questions:• 1. what is unique about the narrator

as a doctor?

• 2. What does the author mean by asking the question “ought not a doctor…?

5. tan v (-nn-) [I, Tn] (cause sth to) become brown by exposure to the sun （使某物）晒成褐色 , 晒黑 : My skin tans easily. * You look very tanned -- have you been on holiday?

6. rust v [I, Tn, Tn.p esp passive] ~ (sth) (away/through) (cause sth to) be affected with rust （使某物）生锈 ; （使某植物）生病 : Brass doesn't rust. * The hinges had rusted away, ie been destroyed by rust.

> rust n. 铁锈 rusty adj 生锈的；生病的

Rusted and tanned, brown

7. vile repose vile a. extremely disgusting 非常讨厌的 ;

可憎的 : a vile smell, taste, etc * use vile language

repose n [U] (fml) 1 rest; sleep 休息 ; 睡眠 : Her face is sad in repose.

2 peaceful state; tranquility 安静 ; 安宁 : win repose after months of suffering

8. snowbound adj blocked or prevented from leaving a place by large amounts of snow 被雪困住的 : travelers who are snowbound at the airport

9. bonsai n [U and C] a tree that is grown so that it always stays very small, or the art of growing trees in this way 盆栽 , 盆景艺术>bonsai adj

10. prune v 1) [Tn, Tn.p] ~ sth (back) trim the shape of (a

tree, bush, etc) by cutting away some of the branches, etc, esp to encourage new growth 修剪（树木等） : She has been pruning the roses.

2) [Tn, Tn.p] ~ sth of sth; ~ sth down reduce the extent of sth by cutting unnecessary parts 精简某事物 : She's pruning down the novel at the publisher's request.

> pruning n [U] 修枝 ; 修剪

11. dwarf n (pl ~s) person, animal or plant that is much smaller than the normal size 矮子 ; 侏儒 ; 矮小的动物或植物

> dwarf v [Tn] make (sb/sth) seem small by contrast or distance 使（某人 [ 某物 ] ）相比之下显得小 :

Yao dwarfs all the people.

12. facsimile n [U, C] exact copy or reproduction of writing, printing, a picture, etc 精确的复制品 , 模本 : reproduced in facsimile, ie exactly * [attrib] a facsimile edition

13. prop v. to support something by leaning it against something 支撑prop sth against/on sthe.g. He propped his bike against a tree.　

14. awkward adj 1) causing difficulty, embarrassment or inconvenience 造成困难 ﹑ 尴尬或不便的 : You've put me in a very awkward position.

2) lacking skill or grace; clumsy 不灵活的 ; 笨拙的 : I was always an awkward dancer.

> awkwardly adv. awkwardness n [U].

15. stump n. 1) remaining part of an amputated limb

残肢 . 2) anything similar that remains after the

main part has been cut or broken off, or worn down 残余部分 : the stump of a pencil, cigar, tooth

16. glaze v 1) [I] also glaze over : if your eyes glaze over, they show no expression, usually because you are very bored or tired （指眼睛）变呆滞 , 变得无生气 : Sometimes his eyes would glaze over for a second or two.2) [T] to cover food with a liquid which gives it an attractive shiny surface 给某物覆上薄而亮的透明表面 : Glaze the rolls with egg-white.> glazed adj dull and lifeless, esp with expressionless eyes 呆滞无神的 ; 光滑的

17. inert adj 1) without power to move or act 无行动或活动能力的 : She lay there inert; I thought she must be dead. 2) (derog) heavy and slow in action, thought, etc; without vigour 迟钝的 ; 呆滞的 : an inert management team

> inertly adv. inertness n [U].

18. athwart adv, prep (esp nautical) obliquely across (sth); from one side to the other side (of) 横跨着 ; 横穿过 ; 从一边到另一边 : The ship was anchored athwart the harbour mouth.

19. slant v [I, Ipr, Tn, Tn.pr esp passive] lean in a particular direction; not be straight 倾斜 ; 歪 : Her handwriting slants from left to right. * The picture is slanted to the left.

20. accomplice n person who helps another to do sth wicked or illegal 从犯 ; 帮凶 : The police arrested him and his two accomplices.

Questions:• 3. Why does the narrator compare the

patient to a bonsai?

• 4. Why is the patient’s ward empty of all possessions?

• 5. When the doctor asks how he feels, he respond with a question “feel?” What does this show?

• 7. Why does the man ask for a pair of shoes?

• 8. What’s the head nurse’s attitude toward the patient? What’s the doctor’s?

• 9. Why does he laugh?

• 10. Why does the narrator say the laughter could cure cancer?

The third part (Para. 14-15)

• This part tells about how the man is found dead and what secrets the doctor discovers about him.

21. grave adj (-r, -st) 1) (fml) (of situations, etc) needing careful consideration; serious （指情况等）需认真考虑的 , 严重的 , 严峻的 : This could have grave consequences. * a sick person in a grave condition 2) (of people) serious or solemn in manner （指人）严肃的 , 一本正经的 : He looked grave. `Is there anything wrong?' I asked.

> gravely adv

22. dignified adj behaving in a calm and serious way, even in a difficult situation, which makes people respect you 有尊严的 ; 高贵的 : a dignified old lady *She made a dignified departure.

> dignify vt. 使有尊严

Questions:

• 11. How is the man found dead?

• 12. What kind of death did he die?