Section_ⅣOther_Parts_of_the_Module
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Dickens' London
Dickens' cast① of characters lived in London, the largest and richest city in the world. But its wealth was distributed② unfairly③ among the population. Every chapter④ of his novels describes the sights, sounds, and smells of the city, and provides a social commentary of London life.
In the middle of the 19th century, London was a filthy⑤ city for rich and poor people alike⑥. Although on clear days the air was filled with⑦ sparrows⑧ and seagulls⑨ flying high above⑩, more often the smoking chimney pipes⑪ created smog⑫ which was so strong that it choked⑬ the inhabitants⑭. The River Thames was polluted, causing disease and death everywhere⑮, and if you fell in, it was dangerous to swallow⑯ the water. ①cast/kɑːst/n.演员阵容,全体演员
②distribute/dI'strIbjuːt/v.分发,分配,分送
distribute ...among/between在......之间分配,给某人发某物
③unfairly adv.不公平地 ④chapter/'tʃæptə/n.章节
⑤filthy/'fIlθi/adj.十分肮脏的,污秽的 ⑥alike adv.同样地
⑦be filled with (= be full of)充满
⑧sparrow/'spærəʊ/n.麻雀 ⑨seagull/'siːˌɡʌl/n.海鸥
⑩flying high above作后置定语,修饰"麻雀"和"海鸥"。
⑪chimney pipes烟囱
pipe/paIp/n.(通常埋在地下的)管,管子,管道
⑫smog/smɒɡ/n.烟雾
⑬choke/tʃəʊk/v.(使)窒息,(使)噎住,(使)呼吸困难
⑭which was so strong that it ...是定语从句,修饰smog。该从句中含有so ...that ..."如此......以致......"句式,that引导结果状语从句。
⑮causing disease and death everywhere作结果状语,表示自然的结果。
⑯swallow/'swɒləʊ/v.吞下,咽下(食物或饮料)