2. A clever politician knows how to manipulate his supporters.

maximum n. (pl. maximums or maxima) the largest number, amount, etc. 最大值；最大量 e.g. 1. The classroom holds a maximum of 50 people, not one more.

2. The speed limit is 40 miles an hour. Don’t exceed this maximum.

minimum n. (pl. minimums or minima) the smallest number, amount, etc. 最小量；最低限度 e.g. 1. Repairing your car will cost a minimum of $200.

2. Passengers may only take aboard the aircraft a minimum of hand luggage.

complaint n. [C (about, against)] a statement of dissatisfaction, unhappiness, pain, etc. [常与about或against连用]诉苦的话；怨言；牢骚

e.g. 1. Even though his workload is heavy, he never makes any complaints.

We’ve received a lot of complaints of bad workmanship.

marketing n. [U] the branch of business concerned with advertising, publicity (宣传), etc. 市场学；销售业务

e.g. 1. The ranges of his business include the production and marketing of automobiles.

2. Mr. Smith takes care of marketing and publicity.

agonizing a. causing great pain or anxiety 引起痛苦（焦虑）的

e.g. 1. Tim was hurt in the traffic accident suffering from agonizing pain.

2. All the people are yearning for an early end to this agonizing situation.

overjoyed a. extremely pleased; full of joy 极为高兴的，非常开心的

e.g. 1. She was overjoyed to get a letter from her son who is now working in Africa.

2. They will be overjoyed to find you safe and sound.

clip vt. cut with scissors or another sharp instrument, esp. in order to make shorter or neater （用剪刀等）修剪

e.g. 1. I like to clip pictures out of newspapers and keep them in a big box.

2. The dog’s fur was clipped short for the show.

file vt. rub or cut with a file 锉

e.g. 1. He tried to file the nail sharp.

2. He filed the wood smooth.

dresser n. AmE a chest of drawers (衣柜), used esp. for clothing, often with a mirror on top 〖美〗带镜衣柜 e.g. 1. He folded the clothes and carefully put them in the dresser.

2. Lydia stood looking at herself in the mirror of the yellow bedroom’s dresser.

grief n. [U] great sorrow or feelings of suffering 悲痛，忧伤 e.g. 1. She went nearly mad with grief after the child died.

2. A flash of grief came upon her when she heard the news.

icy a. extremely cold; covered with ice 冰冷的；结满冰的，冰封的 e.g. 1. He urged me to drive carefully on the icy roads.

2. It is difficult to keep one’s balance on an icy pavement.

presence n. the fact of being in a particular place 存在；出席，到场

e.g. 1. He never seems at ease in my presence. Why is he so afraid of me?

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2. Jane had done a lot of preparatory work before the presence of the president.

yield vi. [(to)] fml or lit give up control (of); surrender [常与to连用]〖正式或文〗放弃；投降，屈服 e.g. 1. We love peace, yet we are not the kind of people who yield to any military threat.

2. Since you won’t yield to persuasion, we’ll try what force can do.

undo vt. unfasten (sth. tied or wrapped) 解开，松开，打开 e.g. 1. He bent down and undid his shoelaces.

2. Winston undid the bit of string that held the parcel together.

resemble vt. [not in progressive forms; no pass.] look like or be similar to sb. or sth. [不用进行式；无被动态]像；类似

e.g. 1. She resembles her father in facial features, but she’s not at all like him in character.

2. The boys resemble each other in that they both have ginger hair and round faces.

graceful a. attractively and usu. effortlessly fine and smooth; full of grace 优美的；文雅的 e.g. 1. So graceful was the ballet dancer that she just seemed to glide.

2. Despite her great age, she was very graceful indeed.

Expressions:

fit into in the course of reach for sth. in vain fit into find or have sufficient space or room for sth. in a place找到或尚有足够的地方容纳某物

e.g. 1. Our bedroom is so small that we can’t fit into another chair.

2. She folded the letter so that it would fit into her bag.

in the course of during 在……期间；在……过程中

e.g. 1. They hope to see those famous ancient buildings in the course of their brief stay in London.

2. My heart beat thick in the course of the interview.

reach for sth. stretch out (one’s hand) in order to touch, grasp or take sth. 伸出（手）以触到、抓到或拿到某物

e.g. 1. She reached into her bag for a coin and gave it to the beggar.

2. The lawbreaker was overpowered before he could reach for his knife.

in vain uselessly; without a successful result 白费地，徒劳无益地 e.g. 1. All my work was in vain; I had to do it again.

2. Her father tried to persuade her to go back home with him, but in vain.

Section B Difficult Sentences

1. It was a point of pride that he gave our newborn daughter her first bath. (Para. 5) 1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

女儿的第一个澡就是他给洗的，这让他倍感骄傲。 2) Make a sentence with the underlined structure. Key:

It was a point of pride that we first presented this story to the world.

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2. Within an hour, when the nurse checked him with her stethoscope, there was nothing left for me to do but close his bright green eyes and lay my hands on his for the last time, in the quiet peaceful corner of our bedroom. (Para.10)

1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

一个小时的时间里，护士用听诊器做了检查，剩下我唯一能做的事就是合上他那双明亮的绿色眼睛，在我们卧室恬静的一隅里最后一次把我的手放在他的手上。 2) Make a sentence with the underlined structure. Key:

When my boss lost his temper, there was nothing left for me to do but stand there listening in silence.

3. For seven-and-a-half months, my grief for my husband had been frozen within me like an icy presence that would not yield. (Para.12)

1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

七个半月里，对丈夫逝去的悲伤如同冰凌雪块封存在心中，不曾融化。 2) Paraphrase the sentence. Key:

In the seven and a half months after my husband’s death, I had managed to bury the grief for him deep down in my heart as if it had turned into ice that would not melt.

4. It was as though his father’s long, graceful hands clasped mine once again. Still reassuring me. (Para. 13) 1) Translate this sentence into Chinese. Key:

仿佛他父亲那双长长的、雅致的手再次握住了我的手，令我依然感到安心平静。 2) Paraphrase the sentence. Key:

Even though he had died, my husband’s way of expressing love through his long and elegant handclasp had been passed down to our son, which was a lasting comfort to me. Section C Comprehension Questions

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 1)

Q1: What feelings did the husband’s hands bring to the author?

A1: A feeling of being reassured. That is, the author felt safe and free from worries with her husband holding

her hands.

Q2: What can you infer about the husband from the phrase “the final days of his life”? A2: Her husband must have died.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 2)

Q1: What does “that time” (L.1 Para. 2) refer to? A1: “The final days of his life”.

Q2: What was the husband’s job? A2: He was a college professor.

Q3: Why does the author describe her husband’s hands in such great detail?

A3: Through the detailed description, the author wants to tell us what kind of person her husband was. By

recalling these details, she also shows her deep affection for her husband.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 3)

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Q1: What do you know about the husband’s handwriting?

A1: It must be somewhat difficult for the average person to read.

Q2: Why wasn’t the handwriting difficult for his wife to read?

A2: Because she had grown used to it by reading letters from her husband the year when he was away at

Bradley University pursuing a master’s degree.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 4)

Q1: What kind of person do you think the narrator’s husband was? A1: He was a gentle, caring and graceful man.

Q2: What could the narrator feel whenever her husband clasped her hands? A2: She could feel pure and honest expressions of his love.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 5-7)

Q1: How did the husband help taking care of the family?

A1: He attended to all the details of childcare. He bathed them, gave haircuts and dried the daughters’ hair, etc. And he helped with the preparations for family travelling.

Q2: Do you think the husband was a good father?

A2: Yes, he must be a loving father, helping taking care of the children with deep affection.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 8-9)

Q1: What do you know about the husband’s illness?

A1: It was probably cancer, because he had to have chemotherapy.

Q2: Why would the husband reach for his wife’s hands when he felt pain?

A2: He wanted to get comfort from his wife. Meanwhile, he wished to give her the “reassuring” feeling that he

used to give her by clasping her hands.

Q3: What does “the deepest, darkest moment” refer to?

A3: It most probably refers to the final days of the husband’s life.

Q4: Did the husband fear death?

A4: Everyone does. He was no exception. That’s why he asked his wife such questions as “how it is to die”

and “if it hurts.”

Q5: What did the wife do for him?

A5: To relieve his anxiety, she tried to assure him that he was going to heaven.

▇ Comprehension questions (Para. 10)

Q1: Why did the wife clip, file and whiten her husband’s fingernails early one morning? A1: She was in a state of nervous anxiety and she knew her husband was dying.

Q2: Can you tell how the wife felt at the moment? A2: She must have felt helpless.

▇ Comprehension questions (Paras. 11-12)

Q1: Do you think the wife cried a lot during those seven-and-a-half months after her husband died?

A1: No, she must have been closing herself up and the grief over her husband’s death was buried inside.

Weeping could no longer relieve her grief over the loss of her dear husband.

Q2: How did the wife react at the sight of the emery boards?

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