高级英语复习笔记

第一单元

“... times were tough, money was short, anxiety was rife and the pawnshop was a familiar destination for many families, including mine.”

Paraphrase: ... life was hard. Everyone was short of money. They were caught up in endless worries. Many families often went to the pawnshop to pawn the things they had for a little money, and my family was no exception

“Yet I could not have asked for more enterprising and optimistic parents”

Paraphrase: However I had the most adaptable and optimistic parents in the world.

“could turn his hand to almost anything”

Paraphrase: was capable of doing almost anything

“... my clothes were ironed to a knife-edge, and shoes po lished to a gleam ...”

Explanation: Rhetorically, “to a knife-edge” and “to a gleam” are hyperboles meaning “(my clothes were ironed) to the degree that they look like a knife-edge” and “(my shoes were polished) until they gleamed.”

“While Mum had scrimped and saved to obtain most of the gear, I still didn’t have the prescribed blue blazer and hatband.”

Paraphrase: Though Mum had tried to spend as little money as possible in order to buy most of the clothes required by the school, she still couldn’t affor d the blue blazer and hatband. “Because of the war, rationing was in place and most schools had relaxed their attitude towards proper uniforms, knowing how hard it was to obtain clothes.”

Paraphrase: Because of the war, the government implemented a system of limiting the amount of almost everything that each person was allowed to have, and most schools had subjected their students to less rigid dress codes, because they were fully aware that it was not easy for the students to get the proper clothes.

“who ran the daily assembly”

Paraphrase: who was responsible for the school daily assembly

“made it her mission to ...”

Paraphrase: assumed responsibility to ...

“Despite my attempts at explaining why I couldn’t comply ...”

Paraphrase: Even though I tried my best to explain why I was unable to meet the school’s clothing requirements...

“battle back tears”

Paraphrase: tried hard to hold back her tears

“My punishment also extended to being barred from the gym team or to not taking part in the weekly ballroom dan cing classes, which I adored.”

Paraphrase: My punishment did not end there. I was not allowed to join the gym team or to attend the weekly ballroom dancing classes, which I loved very much.

“However, in my 12-year-old mind I had no choice but to see the punishment through.” Paraphrase: However, I was only a 12-year-old girl. I thought I had no alternative but to go through the punishment.

“speak up for me”

Paraphrase: express her opinion publicly for me

“... he would have instantly been on the warpath in my defence.”

Paraphrase: ... he would have got very angry and wanted to fight immediately in order to protect