1、LESSONTwoWaiting for the PoliceIIntroductiontotheText.IIDetailedDiscussionoftheText.IIIOralWork.IVWordUsagesVGrammarExercisesVIWritingExercises I.Introduction to the Text The story“Waiting for the Police”was written by J.Jefferson Farjeon,British writer.He is best known for his mystery stories and i
2、s one of the firstModern authors to mix romance and humor with crime.The story is set in a boardinghouse where life,especially evening life,is notoriously dull for the odd collection of people who live there.But one of the guests manages to think of something which does stir up quite a bit of intere
3、st.Though the plot is simple,the characters are vivid,the language precise and style neat.And it has quite a bit of humor and the suspense of a detective story.uuThestorycanbedividedintothreeparts.Thestorycanbedividedintothreeparts.ThefirstpartisThefirstpartisanidlediscussionaboutwhereMr.Wainwrighth
4、asgoneanidlediscussionaboutwhereMr.Wainwrighthasgoneandservestointroducetheandservestointroducethe characterswholiveinthecharacterswholiveintheboarding-house.boarding-house.uuThesecondpartbeginswhenMr.ThesecondpartbeginswhenMr.PenburyPenburywalksintothewalksintotheroomandannouncesthatMr.Wainwrightis
5、dead.TheroomandannouncesthatMr.Wainwrightisdead.ThesuddendeathofMr.WainwrightshockseveryoneexceptsuddendeathofMr.WainwrightshockseveryoneexceptMissWicks.MissWicks.uuWhatfollowsisthemostimportantpart,inwhichMr.Whatfollowsisthemostimportantpart,inwhichMr.PenburyPenburydirectsageneralrehearsaloftheiral
6、ibiswhiledirectsageneralrehearsaloftheiralibiswhiletheyarewaitingforthepolicetoarrive.theyarewaitingforthepolicetoarrive.uuThestoryendswhentheyhearfootstepsenteringandhearThestoryendswhentheyhearfootstepsenteringandhearMr.WainwrightscouMr.Wainwrightscoughgh uThe characters are skillfully described.A
7、ll of them leave a deep impression on us readers:Mrs.Mayton,the landlady,who is always trying to keep everyone talking;Miss Wicks,the oldest who has been knitting for seventy years and promises to go on knitting for another seventy;Miss Bella,the young lovely,who dose not seem to be particularly sma
8、rt;Mr.Calthrop,the middle-aged man,who is said to walk in his sleep and is dozing off all the time.The most intelligent of them is,of course,Mr.Penbury who can be described as the director of this little melodrama.uuIs also has all the basic qualities of a little mystery story and keeps us readers g
9、uessing who has killed Mr.Wainwright until we come to the surprise ending,when we suddenly realize that we also have been fooled.uu About the authorAbout the authoruuJ.J.Jefferson Jefferson FarjeonFarjeon (1883-(1883-1956)1956)was was born born in in London,London,one one of of a a family family of
10、of four,four,all all of of whom whom were were writers.writers.He He is is best best known known for for his his mystery mystery stories stories and and was was one one of of the the first first modem modem authors authors to to mix mix romance romance and and humor humor with with crime.crime.II.De
11、tailed Discussion of the Text uu1.“I wonder where Mr.Wainwrights 1.“I wonder where Mr.Wainwrights gone?”said gone?”said MrsMrs MaythonMaython.(.(1)1)uuIt is appropriate and direct beginning.The It is appropriate and direct beginning.The question immediately arouses the attention of question immediat
12、ely arouses the attention of the boarders gathered in the drawing room.the boarders gathered in the drawing room.This first bit of conversation is actually the This first bit of conversation is actually the beginning of an idle conversation conducted beginning of an idle conversation conducted by bo
13、red people to kill time.Nobody is really by bored people to kill time.Nobody is really interested in where Mr.Wainwright has gone interested in where Mr.Wainwright has gone until Mr.until Mr.PenburyPenbury comes in.But this part gives comes in.But this part gives us a brief introduction of all the b
14、oarders and us a brief introduction of all the boarders and prepares us for an unexpected turn of events.prepares us for an unexpected turn of events.uu2.All that matters was that he paid three 2.All that matters was that he paid three guineas a week regularly for board andguineas a week regularly f
15、or board anduulodging.(lodging.(2)2)uuMrs.Mrs.MarytonMaryton,the landlady of the boarding-house,the landlady of the boarding-house,didnt have any real interest in where Mr.didnt have any real interest in where Mr.Wainwright had gone.What she cared about was Wainwright had gone.What she cared about w
16、as the rent,the threethe rent,the three guineas Mr.Wainwright paid to guineas Mr.Wainwright paid to her regularly for his rented room and meals.her regularly for his rented room and meals.uuguinea:guinea:It that matters was a gold coin formerly It that matters was a gold coin formerly used in Britai
17、n worth 21 shillings(one pound and used in Britain worth 21 shillings(one pound and one shilling).The guinea disappeared in 1813,long one shilling).The guinea disappeared in 1813,long before the Britain currency went decimal in 1971.before the Britain currency went decimal in 1971.uuToday the basic
18、monetary unit in Britain is the Today the basic monetary unit in Britain is the pound,which equals 100 new pence.pound,which equals 100 new pence.uu3.But life-and particularly evening life-3.But life-and particularly evening life-was notoriously dull in her was notoriously dull in her boardinghouse,
19、and every now and again boardinghouse,and every now and again one tried toone tried to whip up a little interest.(whip up a little interest.(2)2)uuLifeintheboarding-housewasterriblyboringespeciallyLifeintheboarding-housewasterriblyboringespeciallyintheevening.Tolivenuptheatmosphere,everynowandinthee
20、vening.Tolivenuptheatmosphere,everynowandthensomeonetriedtostirupalittleinterest.thensomeonetriedtostirupalittleinterest.uuButlife-andparticularlyeveninglife-:Butlife-andparticularlyeveninglife-:FortheuseofFortheuseofdashes,seeNote3.dashes,seeNote3.uuaboarding-school:aboarding-school:aschoolwheresom
21、eoralloftheaschoolwheresomeorallofthepupilslivethere,asopposedtoadayschoolpupilslivethere,asopposedtoadayschooluuevery now and again:every now and every now and again:every now and then,every so often,from time to then,every so often,from time to time,once in a while,sometimes,time,once in a while,s
22、ometimes,occasionally occasionally uuto whip up a little interest:to stir up some to whip up a little interest:to stir up some interest,to try to arouse interestinterest,to try to arouse interestuuto whip to whip sth/sbsth/sb up:to make people become up:to make people become excited,enthusiastic,etc
23、.,e.g.excited,enthusiastic,etc.,e.g.uuThey went all out but they didnt succeed in They went all out but they didnt succeed in whipping up much support for their whipping up much support for their candidate.candidate.uuThe terrorist attacks whipped up many The terrorist attacks whipped up many people
24、 into a frenzy of rage.people into a frenzy of rage.uu4.but he was as polite as he was pale and 4.but he was as polite as he was pale and he always did his best to keep any ball he always did his best to keep any ball rolling.(rolling.(4)4)uuas polite as he was pale:his politeness and as polite as h
25、e was pale:his politeness and paleness were of the same degree;he was paleness were of the same degree;he was pale and he was very polite,implying,pale and he was very polite,implying,humorously,that he was polite because he humorously,that he was polite because he was pale,e.g.was pale,e.g.uuHe is
26、as wise as he is old.He is as wise as he is old.uuShe is as vain as she is beautiful.She is as vain as she is beautiful.uuAt that time we were as enthusiastic At that time we were as enthusiastic(foolish)as we were young.(foolish)as we were young.uuto keep any ball rolling:to keep any ball rolling:t
27、o keep any to keep any conversation(activity or event)going once conversation(activity or event)going once it has been startedit has been starteduuSimilar expressions:to set/start the ball Similar expressions:to set/start the ball rolling,e.g.rolling,e.g.uuShe set the ball rolling at our last gather
28、ing She set the ball rolling at our last gathering by telling us about her trip to Australia last by telling us about her trip to Australia last summer.summer.uuIt may not be very difficult to start a It may not be very difficult to start a business but it is certainly difficult to keep business but
29、 it is certainly difficult to keep the ball rolling.the ball rolling.uu5.She had knitted for seventy years,and 5.She had knitted for seventy years,and looked good for another seventy.(looked good for another seventy.(6)6)uuShe had been knitting all her life for seventy She had been knitting all her
30、life for seventy years,years,shichshich suggests that knitting was her hobby.suggests that knitting was her hobby.And she looked well and fit as if she could knit fro And she looked well and fit as if she could knit fro another seventy years.another seventy years.uuand looked good for another sevent
31、y years:and looked good for another seventy years:This is an example of hyperbole to achieve humor.This is an example of hyperbole to achieve humor.uuRefer students to Vocabulary Exercise 6.Refer students to Vocabulary Exercise 6.uuto be/look for:to be/look for:to be still in good condition to do to
32、 be still in good condition to do sthsth;to be able to last,e.g.;to be able to last,e.g.uuThis car is good for many more miles.This car is good for many more miles.uuThis house was built of sentence in the story This house was built of sentence in the story about knitting.Have the students point the
33、m out.about knitting.Have the students point them out.uu“Perhaps he went out to post a letter,”suggested Miss“Perhaps he went out to post a letter,”suggested Miss Wicks,without pausing in her knitting.(Wicks,without pausing in her knitting.(6)6)uuThe atmosphere seemed to tighten,but Miss Wicks The a
34、tmosphere seemed to tighten,but Miss Wicks went on knitting.(went on knitting.(18)18)uuMiss Wicks looked definitely interested,though she did Miss Wicks looked definitely interested,though she did not stop knitting.(not stop knitting.(21)21)uuThat meant nothing.She had promised to knit at her That m
35、eant nothing.She had promised to knit at her funeral.(funeral.(21)21)uuBut he turned now to Miss Wicks,and the old lady But he turned now to Miss Wicks,and the old lady inquired,while her needles moved busily.(inquired,while her needles moved busily.(74)74)uuFor a few minutes,Miss Wicks knitted rapi
36、dly,the For a few minutes,Miss Wicks knitted rapidly,the steel points of the needles making the only sound in steel points of the needles making the only sound in the room.(the room.(86)86)uuAnd I plunged a steel knitting-needle into his heart-And I plunged a steel knitting-needle into his heart-lik
37、e this.(like this.(8 87)7)6.Bella was the boarding-house lovely,but no one had taken advantage of the fact.(7)uuBella was young and pretty and was seen as the beauty of Bella was young and pretty and was seen as the beauty of the boarding-house,but no one had shown any particular the boarding-house,
38、but no one had shown any particular interest in her.Note the humorous touch here.interest in her.Note the humorous touch here.uua lovely:a lovely:a beautiful and attractive woman a beautiful and attractive womanuuto take advantage of:to take advantage of:(1)to make use of (1)to make use of shtsht in
39、 a good in a good sensesenseuu(2)to make use of(2)to make use of sb/sthsb/sth in an unfair or dishonest way to in an unfair or dishonest way to get what one wantsget what one wantsuuExamples:Examples:uuIt is mean of him to take advantage of a widow.(2)It is mean of him to take advantage of a widow.(
40、2)uuYou should be on your guard against those who have eyes You should be on your guard against those who have eyes on your money and will take advantage of your generosity.on your money and will take advantage of your generosity.(2)(2)uuThe school you are entering is a prestigious one.You should Th
41、e school you are entering is a prestigious one.You should take advantage of the facilities there.(1).take advantage of the facilities there.(1).7.They all considered the alternative earnestly.(10)They all began thinking seriously of the possibility that it might be someone else.earnestly:seriously,i
42、n earnest e.g.I earnestly begged my parents to reconsider their decision.the alternative:the other possibility uu8.Mr.8.Mr.CalthropCalthrop,coming suddenly out of,coming suddenly out of a middle-aged doze,joined in the a middle-aged doze,joined in the thinking without any idea what he was thinking w
43、ithout any idea what he was thinking.(thinking.(10)10)uuMr.Mr.CalthropCalthrop was middle-aged,and was in was middle-aged,and was in the habit of dozing off at any time.Now he the habit of dozing off at any time.Now he woke suddenly from a light sleep and woke suddenly from a light sleep and began t
44、o thin like everybody though he did began to thin like everybody though he did not know what it was all about.(As a not know what it was all about.(As a matter of fact he did not know what was matter of fact he did not know what was really going on.)really going on.)uu9.“Hes always popping in and ou
45、t.”(9.“Hes always popping in and out.”(11)11)uuto pop in and out:to pop in and out:to make a brief visit and then to make a brief visit and then leave suddenlyleave suddenlyuuNotice always and words of similar meaning can be Notice always and words of similar meaning can be used with the Continuous
46、Tense when repeated used with the Continuous Tense when repeated action especially some action that is causing action especially some action that is causing annoyance and irritation or their opposite is annoyance and irritation or their opposite is indicated,e.g.indicated,e.g.uuThe secretary said th
47、at her boss was continually The secretary said that her boss was continually finding fault with her.finding fault with her.uuShe is constantly complaining that the house is She is constantly complaining that the house is cold,the food is awful and the service is poor.cold,the food is awful and the s
48、ervice is poor.uuHer uncle is always borrowing money from his Her uncle is always borrowing money from his friends.friends.uu10.Penbury always had a chilling effect.10.Penbury always had a chilling effect.(13)13)uuWhen When PenburyPenbury arrived,the boarders stopped arrived,the boarders stopped tal
49、king immediately.It seemed that his talking immediately.It seemed that his presence always cast a chill on the other presence always cast a chill on the other boarders.boarders.uuchilling:chilling:causing a chill,making people causing a chill,making people frightened or nervousfrightened or nervousu
50、u11.He possessed a brain,and since no one 11.He possessed a brain,and since no one understood it when he used it,it was resented.understood it when he used it,it was resented.(13)13)uuMr.Mr.PenburyPenbury was intelligent,but no one in the was intelligent,but no one in the boarding-house liked him fo
