1 The Bennets' new neighbour（1-1 ）

DAY 1

1. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

2. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be, on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

3. "My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Netherfield Park is let(出租) at last?"

4. Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."

This was invitation（怂恿，鼓励，encouragement） enough.

5. "Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise(马车) and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession （入住，使用）before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week."

"What is his name?"

"Bingley."

"Is he married or single?"

"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!"

"How so? How can it affect them?"

6. "My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them."

"Is that his design（目的purpose） in settling here?"

7."Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes."

"I see no occasion（理由，reason） for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party."

8."My dear, you flatter （奉承） me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty."

"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."

"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood."

"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."

9. "But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not."

10. "You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines（写几句话给他） by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy."

11."I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference."

12."They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters."

13．"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing (使恼火; 使烦恼annoy) me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

14."You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least."

"Ah, you do not know what I suffer."

"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood."

"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."

"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all."

15. Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour（嘲讽的;  挖苦）, reserve（拘谨，克制）, and caprice（任性;反复无常）, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace（慰藉） was visiting and news. 

 (本节为原版)

 

长难句：

1. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

 

这句话非常经典，经常被引用。一定要背诵才能对得起它的经典和名气啊

It is a truth universally acknowledged that...:有一条真理举世公认…。这是主语从句，it是形式主语，that引导的从句是主语从句，是真正的主语。

in possession of: 拥有

in want of:需要;缺少

 

大意:凡是有钱的单身汉,总想娶一位太太,这已经成了一条举世公认的真理。

注意一下作者的幽默讽刺。联系下文仔细想想，谁会把“凡是有钱的单身汉,总想娶位太太”奉为真理呢？

 

2. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of someone or other of their daughters.

 

on his first entering a neighbourhood这里的“on”的用法相当于"when",但意思上更接近hardly…when..,.表示“一…就…;， "immediately after sth".

On arriving home I discovered they had gone.我一到家就发现他们已经离开.

 

be well fixed in the minds：在脑海里根深蒂固

 

rightful property: rightful是“合法的，正当的，理应享有的"的意思，即legally valid, 家家户户都觉得有钱单身汉理应是自家女儿的一笔财产

 

看这整个句子很长，但主干就是this truth is so... that...这样一个结构，前半句是一个however引导的从句，表达的就是尽管这个单身汉初来乍到，大家对他还知之甚少,但是却都纷纷对他怀着某种期待。前半部分的however从句部分与后半部分"... that …"的内容形成了一个强烈的对比---尽管我根本不了解他，但我女儿将来肯定会嫁给他(因为他很有钱)

 

大意是: “这样的单身汉，每逢搬到一个新地方，四邻八舍虽然完全不了解他的性情如何，见解如何，可是,既然这样一条真理早已在人们心中根深蒂固，因此人们总是把他看作自己某个女儿理所应得的一笔财产。

 

开头的这段话就为这个故事描绘了大致的轮廓也为下文埋下了伏笔:郡上要来一个钻石单身汉啦，未来丈母娘们的抢女婿大战开始了～~

 

3. "What is his name?" “Bingley."

我们的男二号Bingley顶着巨型光环出场了,他就是传闻中那个有钱的单身汉啊!

下文的Lizzy是二女儿Elizabeth的爱称。

 

4. "It is more than I engage for, I assure you."

 

It is more than.. :表示的其实是一否定含义，在这个句子中是“不能,无法”的意思，是一种"超出能力/承受范围而不能”的感觉，再举个栗子: It is more than flesh and blood can bear.血肉之躯可不能承受。

engage for :保证,允诺,负责,承担

大意:老实跟你说吧，这不是我份内的事。

 

听闻Bingley的到来，Mrs. Bennet急着让Mr. Bennet去拜访他。按照英国当时的习俗，家中的男主人先拜访新邻居，之后家中的女眷才能去走访。但Mr. Bennet好像并不着急呀。

 

5. "Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves."

 

take delight in：喜欢…

have no compassion for:....无同情 

大意: “我的好老爷，你怎么舍得这样糟蹋自己的亲生女儿?你是在故意叫我气恼，好让你自己得意吧。你半点也不体谅我的神经555.

 

Mrs. Bennet似乎生气了，虽然都不知道Bingley为人如何，但好像铁了心要嫁一个女儿给他!

 

6. Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and- twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.

 

quick parts:这里的quick指的是机敏的意思哦。

 

sarcastic humor:带有讽刺感的幽默。这里的几个短语直译成白话好像都不太好理解，其实理解一下意译就会比较好懂了。

 

这个句子看着复杂，其实也是一个"...a.."的结构，“Mr. Bennet是如此古怪的一个....以至于Mrs. Bennet....

 

大意: Mr. Bennet是个古怪人，一方面乖觉诙谐，好挖苦人，另一方面又不苟言笑, 变幻莫测，他太太积二二十三年之经验，还摸不透他。

 

其实从上文也看出来了, Mr. Bennet确实和他太太性格反差挺大啊~

 

7. Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. …是个智力贫乏、孤陋寡闻、喜怒无常的女人 (注意学习这里的3个并列结构的用法)

「develop」:这里的develop可以理解为“探究，领会”的意思。

「a woman of」: 一个..的女人。

a+人(men/woman/girl等)+of+名词，就是形容这是一个怎样的人。

 

短语：

1. be in possession of拥有

2.be in want of需要;缺少

3. be fixed in the minds在脑海中根深蒂固

4. have no objection to doing...不反对

5. take possession住进;取得所有权

6. give over doing...停止;放弃

7. on that account因此

8. assure .... of .... ....保证;使放心

9. throw in插话;外加

10. take delight in .....为乐

11. have no compassion for对....无同情心

12. depend upon it我敢说;管保没错

13. get over克服;越过;熬过

14. have no knowledge of ....无所知

 

文化：

Michaelmas （para. 5）

 圣米迦勒节（读音为/'mikəlməs/），也称为米迦勒、加百列、拉斐尔等诸位圣者的宴会，或米迦勒与所有天使们的宴会,大约每年的9月29日。由于这一天接近秋分（昼夜平分点），Michaelmas常与秋天的开始。