Listening

1. Fill in the blanks with the missing words

Dialogue 1:

Conversation during dinner between Rachel and an older male guest.

M=male guest R=Rachel

M: Miss Verinder, my congratulations to you on your birthday gift. The diamond is beautiful and it looks very pretty on your dress.

R: Thank you. It is lovely, isn’t it?

M: Yes, but may I give you some advice? If you go to India, do not take your diamond.

R: Why not?

M: You know that it came from India. Well, many people in that country would like to have it back and they would do anything to get it---even kill someone . You must be very careful of your safety, even in England. I suggest you put it into a safe at the bank and do not wear it.

R: But it seems a pity to lock it away where nobody can see it. I want to show it to everyone!

Dialogue 2:

Conversation between Rosanna and another female servant during the service of dinner.

R=Rosanna S=Servant

R:(dreamily to herself) And he has such lovely rich brown hair---

(Sound of plates clattering)

S: Rosanna, pay attention ! What ‘s the matter with you tonight? Why do you keep looking at Mr Blake?

R: Oh, I can’t help it!

S: Rosanna, listen to me . You must stop dreaming .It is no good falling in love with Mr Blake. You are a servant girl and he could never marry you. Besides he seems to be very fond of Rachel.

R: I know and she is so beautiful, buy maybe---

S: (sternly) No, is can never happen. You must face the truth. Now go and get the meat from the cook---

Dialogue 3:

Conversation during dinner between Franklin and Mr Candy.

F=Franklin C=Mr Candy

F: I gave up smoking last week, but since I stopped I haven’t been able to sleep.

C: Ah, yes. Well, allow me to recommend a medicine that can make you fall asleep, Mr Blake.

F: Ha! You doctors ! Most of the time you just guess which medicine to use.

C: (Angry) Sir, you are talking about my profession!

F: Profession? No, you medical people are not professionals; you don’t really know what you are doing. You cannot help me. I must just wait until get better.

C: (Very angry but trying to control it) You are wrong, Mr Blake. You are making a mistake. You should go to see a doctor.

2. Listen to the three dialogues and answer questions A and B in the following chart.

3. In each dialogue one person gives a piece of advice. Listen to each dialogue again and answer question C.

Dialogue 1 Dialogue 2 Dialogue 3

A Which people in the picture are talking? Rachel and a male dinner guest, pictured as an older man with beard. Rosanna ( a younger female servant) and an older female servant . Both on the far right of the picture. Two male guests at the party. One is Franklin Blake (brown coat and blue bow tie), the other is a doctor (gray coat and glasses)Both in the foreground of the picture.

B What are they talking about? Rachel’s diamond , a gift for her birthday. Rosanna’s feelings of love for a man at the party (Mr Franklin Blake). Franklin Blake’s trouble sleeping since he gave up smoking and his opinion of doctors.

C What advice is given ? Don’t take the diamond to India, be careful about safety , put it in a safe box at the bank. Stop dreaming . He could not marry Rosanna because she is a servant . He also seems to have feelings for Rachel. Go to see a doctor and get some medicine.

Reading

Brief introduction:

Wilkie Collins was born into an artist’s family in 1824 and died in 1889.In his lifetime, he wrote 25 novels, more than 50 short stories, at least 15 plays. Wilkie Collins was a close friend of Charles Dickens’. He was a superstar of Victorian fiction. Now he is also being given critical and popular attention. His detective stories are famous for the unexpected suspense. His novel The Moonstone is considered as the first detective story in the history of England.

1.Find the characters mentioned in the text and pay attention to the relationships between them

Sergeant Cuff(A detective)

An Englishman(stole the Moonstone)---Rachel’s uncle

The strange Indians(entertain the guests)---appear at the Rachel’s party

Rosanna----Rachel’s maid

Franklin----Rachel’s childhood friend

Dr. Candy(A local doctor----quarrel with Frankin

Godfrey(A guest of the party)---Rachel’s admirer

2.Main ideas of the four parts:

Part one(para 1):The Moonstone, stolen from India, was to be left to Rachel as an act of revenge.

Part two(para 2---5):From the moment Rachel fastened the diamond to her dress, strange things began to happen. The diamond then was gone.

Par three(para6---9):Sergeant Cuff suspected many people for different reasons.

Par four(para 10):Sergeant Cuff has one vital clue: a smear in the wet paint on the door of Rachel’s sitting room.

3.True or false statements:

( F )1.The story really began in 1848 in England.

( F )2.Rachel’s uncle left the diamond to her because he liked her.

( T )3.The diamond was cursed and the man who stole the diamond would live a sad and lonely life.

( F )4.Godfrey was Rachel’s childhood friend and he painted the door for her.

(.T )5.Franklin had an argument with Dr Candy.

( F )6.Godfrey was an elegant and successful bachelor with many lady admirers. He asked Rachel to marry him ,and she accepted.

( F )7.Some Indian entertainers were very skilled and behaved strangely.

( F )8.The servant Rosanna was very fond of Godfrey.

( T )9.At the end of the party everyone left except for Franklin and Godfrey.

( T )10.The Moonstone was gone the next morning.

( F )11.Sergeant Cuff only suspected Indians.

( T )12.Sergeant Cuff had one vital clue.

4.Summary:

The Moonstone is a huge yellow __________that was once part of a _________of the moon god in India. An Englishman, after __________three holy men, _______the diamond and brought it back to London. His sister was angry with him about his act. The man, in an act of _________left the Moonstone to his sister’s _________Rachel , a beautiful and __________young lady, intending to pass on his bad _________to her. And Rachel would receive the Moonstone on her ____________birthday.

From the moment Rachel ________the diamond

to her dress, many unhappy and strange things

___________ at the party. At the end of the party, all the guests left except for _________and ________. The following morning Rachel found the _________ was gone. Her mother _________ the famous detective Sergeant Cuff to investigate the . As the story , the detective discovered some________ about the people in the house that night, and the why they might have stolen the diamond. He even Rachel and Franklin. Finally, however, he found a ______ in the wet paint on the door of Rachel’s sitting room that was not there during the party. He thought it was a ________clue.

(Keys: Diamond, statue, murdering ,stole, revenge, daughter, wealthy, fortune, eighteenth, fastened, happened, Franklin ,Godfrey, diamond, hired, theft, developed, secrets, reasons, suspected, smear, vital)

Integrating skills:

1. Who did the detective suspect?

He suspected Rachel had stolen her own diamond with Rosanna’s assistance. He thought that Rosanna has hidden Rachel’s paint-stained garment and made a new one to replace it. Later on he started to suspect Godfrey when he heard that Rachel broke off their engagement and he had been attacked by Indians.

2. Why didn’t Rachel answer Sergeant Cuff’s questions?

Rachel did not answer because she had seen Franklin take the diamond and didn’t want him to be caught.

3. Why didn’t Franklin remember taking the diamond?

Franklin did not remember taking the diamond because Mr Candy had drugged his drink to make him sleep. The opium made him move the diamond without remembering doing so.

4.Sergeant Cuff didn’t find the Moonstone or prove who murdered Godfrey, but the passage gives some clues about who might have done it. Who do you think was guilty? What clues can you find?

It is implied that the Indians were responsible for Godfrey’s murder and the disappearance of the Moonstone.

Clues:

Godfrey was attacked by Indians in London-perhaps they knew he was the real thief and had the Moonstone.

It was later reported that the Moonstone had returned to the statue of the moon god.

Language points:

1. The novel the Moonstone is set in England in 1848, but the story really began 50 years later.

Set: 設置（書本，戲劇，電影等）背景。如：

The book is set in France in the eighteenth century. 這部書是以18世紀的法國為背景的。

This novel is set in the gold rush. 這部小說是以淘金熱為背景的。

Set 其他意思：

He set his hand on my shoulder. 他把手放在我的手上。

Please set the table for dinner. 請擺好餐桌準備就餐。

Have you set the time for the meeting?你們把開會時間定下來了嗎？

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. 太陽從東方升起在西方落下。

He set a diamond in a ring. 他把一塊寶石鑲嵌在戒指上。

2. curse n. 詛咒, 咒語, 禍根, 禍因 vt. 詛咒, 咒罵, 降禍, 使受罪

Our tribe is under a curse. 我們的部族正遭天譴。

It is essential for us to try to decide whether television is a blessing or a curse. 我們有必要來評斷電視到底是福還是禍。

3. an act of revenge報復行為

Act 做動詞的用法：

Think before acting. 三思而后行。

The medicine was taken for a long time, but it failed to act. 藥已經服了很長時間，但還未見效。

Act 與action 區別：

Action做可數名詞時，常與act 同義。 如：

A kind act/action. 仁慈的行為,但act 多指具體的，短時間的行為或行動；action 多指復雜的持續的行為或行動。

在一些固定用法中。 如：an act of cruelty (殘忍的行為)，an act of war（戰爭行為） , an act of mercy（仁慈的行為） 等中，不能用action 又如take action (采取行動)也是固定搭配。

４.But from the moment Rachel fastens it to her dress, things start going wrong.

Fasten to 把---系在---

The bookshelf is fastened to the wall. 這個書架是固定在墻壁上的。

When we went to visit her, she was not in. we wrote a note and fastened it to the door. 我們去看她時她不在，我們只好寫了張便條釘到門上。

Go wrong 出毛病，不對頭 如：

Something has gone wrong with my bike. 我的自行車出了點問題。

The party was going well until Mary arrived, then everything went wrong. Mary 來之前晚會開的很成功，可后來一切都不對了。

５.as the story develops …

As 意思是“隨著”。

As time went by, he began to realize that he should have studied hard. 隨著時間的推移，她開始意識到他本該好好學習的。

As 其他用法（作為連詞）

象---一樣

He doesn’t like skating as much as he used to. 他不象以前那么喜歡滑冰了。

照---的方式

I have told the story just as it happened. 我已如實講了這件事。

因為，既然

As you object, I’ll reconsider the plan. 既然你反對，我就重新考慮一下這個計劃。

雖然，

Much as I like the book, I can’t afford to buy it. 盡管我很喜歡這本書，可我買不起。

６.to …degree達到---的程度

He was interested in his work to such a degree that he thought about nothing else. 他對工作如此感興趣，以致于他從來不想別的事情。

To a certain degree he likes his job. 在某種程度上他喜歡他的工作。

７.guilty 慚愧（about），有過失的，有罪責的(of)

I felt guilty about not visiting my parents more often. 我因沒有常去看望父母而感到內疚。

John had a guilty look on his face. John臉上顯出慚愧的表情。

8. resist 抵制，阻擋

The bank strongly resisted cutting interest rates.銀行強烈反對降低利率。

(用于否定句)忍住，抵擋

He couldn’t resist showing off his new car.他忍不住炫耀起了他的新車。

9.stainvt. 沾污，染污，染色，玷污，敗壞。n. 污點，污漬

The juice from the berries stained their fingers red. 漿果汁把他們的手指染成了紅色。

Stain the specimen before looking at it under the microscope. 先把標本染成紅色，再放到顯微鏡下觀察。

10. convince 說服,，使確信，使相信~ sb / yourself (of sth)

You’ll need to convince them of your enthusiasm for the job. 你要使他們相信你殷切希望得到工作。

I’ve been trying to convince him to see a doctor.我一直勸他去看病。

引申：convincing: 令人信服的，有說服力的

a convincing argument / explanation / case 有說服力的論點／解釋／事例

She sounded very convincing to me.我覺得她的話很有說服力。

Convinced 堅信，確信（~ (of sth / that ... )

I am convinced of her innocence. 我堅信她清白無辜。

11. assume 假定，假設，（呈現。。。的樣子，假裝）

Let us assume for a moment that the plan succeeds. 咱們假設計劃成功。

It is generally assumed that stress is caused by too much work.普遍認為，緊張系工作過重所致。

I had assumed him to be a Belgian.我本以為他是比利時人。

12. meanwhile adv./n. 同時，其間，（兩方面）對比之下

Stress can be extremely damaging to your health. Exercise, meanwhile, can reduce its effects.壓力對你的健康非常有害，而鍛煉會減少這種害處。

in the meanwhile在此其間，與此同時

I hope to go to medical school eventually. In the meanwhile, I am going to study chemistry. 我希望最終能上醫學院，這其間我打算學化學。

13.In all my years as a detective, I have never heard of a thief having such a loss of memory.

這里a thief having …是動名詞的復合結構。

高考題：

Victor apologized for ___ to inform me of the change in the plan.

A his being not able B him not to be able C his not being able D him to be not able

答案是C.

14. accuse 控告，譴責~ sb (of sth)

to accuse sb of murder / theft She accused him of lying.

The government was accused of incompetence

15.desperate 冒險的，絕望的

The prisoners grew increasingly desperate.

非常需要，渴望~ (for sth)| ~ (to do sth)

He was so desperate for a job he would have done anything.

I was absolutely desperate to see her.

16.nothing but to do

相關高考題：

Sandy could do nothing but ___ to his teacher that he was wrong.

A admit B admitted C admitting D to admit 答案是A

17.While 用法

while 表示讓步，通常位于句首，意思是“盡管；雖然”。

While I agree with your reasons, I can’t allow it. 盡管我同意你的理由，但我不允許你這樣做。

While he loves his students, he is very strict with them. 雖然他愛他的學生，可是他對學生們很嚴格。

While 其他用法歸納如下：

1）引導時間狀語從句，意思是“當---的時候，和---同時”。從句中謂語通常是延續性動詞。

如：Mary watched TV while she ate her supper. 瑪麗邊吃飯邊看電視。

While she was listening to the radio, she fell asleep. 她聽著收音機睡著了。

2）表示對比或轉折，意思是“而，然而”。此時，while 一般謂語句中。 如：

Some people waste food while others haven’t enough. 有人浪費糧食，而有人卻吃不飽。

高考相關：

I do every single bit of housework ____ my husband Bob just does the dishes now and then.

A since B while C when D as 答案是B.

Phrases:

1. 報復行為an act of revenge

2. 把---系在--- fasten--- to

3. 出毛病，不對頭go wrong

4. 達到---的程度to …degree

5. 過著憂郁,孤獨的生活live a sad, lonely life

6. 對---很體貼be considerate towards sb.

7. 戒煙quit smoking

8. 愛上某人be in love with sb.

9. ---不見了 Sth. is gone

10. 等待時機wait for an opportunity

11. 忙于---be busy doing sth.

12. 制造---和---的矛盾cause a disagreement between---and---

13. 喜愛be fond of---

14. 使---擺脫困境keep sb. out of trouble

15. 即使even though

16. 高興地做某事be delighted to do sth.

17. 改變想法change one’s mind

18. 尷尬地去做---be embarrassed to do

19. 別無選擇have no choice but to do

20. 犯罪committee the crime