Key to paraphrase

Part 1

1． Nothing in life is more exciting and rewarding than the sudden flash of light that leaves you a changed person—not only changed, but changed for the better.

The most inspiring and gratifying fact of life is the unexpected spark of enlightenment that makes you different and a better person than before.

2．Yet for all the trouble procrastination may incur, delay can often inspire and revive a creative soul.

Delay leads to problems. However, in many cases, it can often stimulate the creativity in an artist.

3．If a building’s design made it appear impregnable, the institution was necessarily sound, and the meaning of the heavy wall as an architectural symbol dwelt in the prevailing attitude toward money, rather than in an aesthetic theory.

If a building was made to look sturdy/invulnerable, it would be accordingly regarded as reliable, and the significance of the thick walls would be measured not by their artistic value, but by their seeming ability to provide a safe location for money.

4．He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at this will, he turned his varied fancied into facts.

He was a man rich in whimsies, and intolerant of any act bold enough as to challenge his authority. When his mind caught upon something, absurd as it might be, he would do everything to make sure that it was done in the way he wished.

5．This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own.

This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as exuberant as the wildest of his notions, a daughter who possessed a nature as fierce and tyrannical as his own.

Part 2

1.     …you never go out of the past tense. Not once did you mention the future.

…you are always thinking of the past, regretting and lamenting. You did not look forward to what you can do in the future at all.

2.    He notes that speedy action can be embarrassing or extremely costly.

He points out that hastiness may give rise to decisions which turn out to be humiliating or expensive.

3.    In a primitive society, for example, man pictured the world as large, fearsome, hostile, and beyond human control.

People in a primitive society, for example, saw the world as an enormous planet full of fear, hatred and disorder.

4.    He could open either door he pleased: he was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance.

He enjoyed total freedom to choose what to do: he was not directed or influenced by anyone as to which door to open. The only thing that was decisive in terms of his fate was the above-mentioned chance, granted to all the accused alike.

5.     …; but the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the working of the tribunal, in which he took such great delight and satisfaction.

…; even though the king was well aware that the love affair had taken place, he would still refuse to let the normal method of deciding guilt or innocence be disturbed, because he was extremely enthusiastic about his way of settling matters of this kind.

Part 3

1.     …many of my friends go through agonies when they face a blank page.

…many of my friends have a hard time the moment they attempt to put pen to paper.

2.    The principal function of today’s wall is to separate possibly undesirable outside air from the controlled conditions of temperature and humidity which we have created inside.

Today a wall serves mainly as a physical means to protect the desired atmosphere inside from being disturbed by anything unwelcome outside.

3.    This element of uncertainty lent an interest to the occasion which it could not otherwise have attained.

The fact that no one could tell for sure what might happen (to the accused) made this form of trial more attractive than any other form of justice.

4.    He understood her nature, and his soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing, hidden to all other lookers-on, even to the king.

He knew her so well that he was perfectly positive that she would never cease to search for the secret, which remained unknown to all other spectators, even to the king himself.

5.    There seems to be a general assumption that brilliant people cannot stand routine; that they need a varied, exciting life in order to do their best.

It is generally believed that a colorless life can freeze a creative mind, and that only a colorful life can inspire a man to creative work.

Part 4

1.     The outstanding characteristic of man’s creativeness is the ability to transmute trivial impulses into momentous consequences.

One of the wonders human creativity works is that man can make full use of even insignificant feelings to produce far-reaching results.

2.    Associating beauty with women has put beauty even further on the defensive, morally.

Beauty, when considered in relation to a female, involves a judgment of not only looks but also character and intellect, making itself a much more controversial issue.

3.    So, for me, one of the keenest pleasures of appetite remains in the wanting, not the satisfaction.

As far as I am concerned, the greatest pleasure appetite can offer is the longing for what I haven’t yet to achieve rather than to feel content with what I have already achieved.

4.    Moses pleaded a speech defect to rationalize his reluctance to deliver Jehovah’s edict to Pharaoh.

Moses justified his unwillingness to pass Jehovah’s order to Pharaoh, saying that he was “slow of speech”.

5.    Of course, my father is a gentleman of the old school, a member of the generation to whom a good deal of modern architecture is unnerving.

Brought up in the old tradition, my father is naturally not prepared to accept the idea of modern architecture.

Part 5

1.     Thus the masses were entertained and pleased, and thinking part of the community could bring no charge of unfairness against this plan; for did not the accused person have the whole matter in his own hands?

Thus people enjoyed coming here to watch, and those guided by reason in the society could not possibly question the fairness of this form of trial; for was it not the fact that all the accused were given equal chances to make decisions upon their own destiny.

2.    Of course, everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged had been done.

It was, of course, known to all that he was guilty of the offense of conducting an affair with the princess.

3.    It is usually the mediocre poets, writers, etc., who go in search of stimulating events to release their creative flow.

Only literary artists of an average type rely on excitements in life as a source for their creative work.

4.    One of Socrates’ main pedagogical acts was to be ugly—and teach those innocent, no doubt splendid-looking disciples of his how full of paradoxes life really was.

The contrast between Socrates’ outward ugliness and his inner strengths served to draw the attention of his naïve and handsome followers to the fact that there were many such strange contrasts in the world.

5.    Besides, the whole toffeeness of toffees was imperceptibly diminished by the gross act of having eaten it.

Apart from that, the entire attraction of the toffee is gone without your noticing it when you actually go so far as to eat it.

Part 6

1.     People who find dull job unendurable are often dull people who do not know what to do with themselves when at leisure.

People who are unable to see how to be patient with repetitious work are usually those who are unable to see where to find fun in life when it comes to relaxation.

2.    One could hardly ask for more important evidence of the dangers of considering persons as split between what is “inside” and what is “outside” than that interminable half-comic half tragic tale, the oppression of women.

The biased attitude towards women—the long story of which is both lamentable and laughable—is the most powerful proof as to how harmful it can be to judge a person by refusing to put into consideration both inner beauty and outer beauty together.

3.    Life is short and precious, and appetite is one of its guardians, and loss of appetite is a sort of death.

Life is a brief journey, which is worth treasuring. Appetite is one of the things that accompanies and protects the journey.

4.    An eventful life exhausts rather than stimulates.

A life full of diversions stops man’s creativity instead of activating it.

5.    A day of fasting is not for me just a puritanical device for denying oneself a pleasure, but rather a way of anticipating a rare moment of supreme indulgence.

An occasional self-denial of food is in no sense an indication that I refuse to accept a pleasure where I can. On the contrary, it is a good way to prepare me for pleasure that is even greater for being enjoyed infrequently.

Part 7

1.     … many of my friends go through agonies when they face a blank page.

… many of my friends have a hard time the moment they attempt to put pen to paper.

2.    To repeat, it is not our advance technology, but our changing conceptions of ourselves in relation to the world that determine how we shall build our walls.

Again, the decisive factor that can influence the design of a wall is not the advancement of science and technology, but our ever-changing attitude towards our place in this world.

3.    Of course, everybody knew that the deed with which the accused was charged has been done.

It was, of course, known to all that he was guilty of the offense of conducting an affair with the princess.

4.    He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at this will, he turned his varied fancied into facts.

He was a man rich in whimsies, and intolerant of any act bold enough as to challenge his authority. When his mind caught upon something, absurd as it might be, he would do everything to make sure that it was done in the way he wished.

5.    This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as blooming as his most florid fancies, and with a soul as fervent and imperious as his own.

This semi-barbaric king had a daughter as exuberant as the wildest of his notions, a daughter who possessed a nature as fierce and tyrannical as his own.

Part 8

1.     In a primitive society, for example, men pictured the world as large, fearsome, hostile, and beyond human control.

People in a primitive society, for example, saw the world as an enormous planet full of fear, hatred and disorder.

2.    … but gold, and the power of a woman’s will, had brought the secret to the princess.

…but because she had the money, and above all, because her determination was so irresistible, the princess was able to get access to the secret.

3.    Associating beauty with women has put beauty even further on the defensive, morally.

The biased attitude towards women --- the long story of which is both lamentable and laughable--- is the most powerful proof as to how harmful it can be to judge a person by refusing to put into consideration both inner beauty and outer beauty together.

4.    He could open either door he pleased: he was subject to no guidance or influence but that of the aforementioned impartial and incorruptible chance.

He enjoyed total freedom to choose what to do: he was not directed or influenced by anyone as to which door to open. The only thing that was decisive in terms of his fate was the above-mentioned chance, granted to all the accused alike.

5.    …; but the king would not think of allowing any fact of this kind to interfere with the working of the tribunal, in which he took such great delight and satisfaction.

…; even though the king was well aware that the love affair had taken place, he would still refuse to let the normal method of deciding guilt or innocence be disturbed, because he was extremely enthusiastic about his way of settling matters of this kind.

Part 9

1.     Yet for all the trouble procrastination may incur, delay can often inspire and revive a creative soul.

Although delaying may lead to much trouble, it can illuminate and give incentives to the creativity of a mind.

2.    My father is a gentleman of the old school, a member of the generation to whom a good deal of modern architecture is unnerving.

My father is a gentleman of the conventional way of thinking who feels irritated about much modern architecture.

3.    The king knew no tradition to which he owed more allegiance than pleased his fancy.（书）

To satisfy his fancy is the primary concern to the king./ To the king, there is no tradition more important than satisfy his fancy./The king would devote himself to satisfying his fancy.

4.    His soul was assured that she would never rest until she had made plain to herself this thing.

He was rest assured/he felt quite sure that she would remain agitated if she failed to gain the secret.

5.    The greatness of man is in what he can do with petty grievances and joys, and with common physiological pressures and hungers. （书）

The power of man lies in how he could cope with life trivialities /trifling turns of humors and with physical stress and thirst.

Part 10

1.     An eventful life exhausts rather than stimulates.

A life full of diversions stops man’s creativity instead of activating it.

2.    … but gold, and the power of a woman’s will, had brought the secret to the princess.

…but because she had the money, and above all, because her determination was so irresistible, the princess was able to get access to the secret.

3.    … you never got out of the past tense. Not once did you mention the future.

You are always thinking of the past, regretting and lamenting. You did not look forward to what you can do in the future at all.

4.    Moses pleaded a speech defect to rationalize his reluctance to deliver Jehovah’s edict to Pharaoh.

Moses justified his unwillingness to pass Jehovah’s order to Pharaoh, saying that he was slow of speech.

5.    Besides, the whole toffeeness of toffees was imperceptibly diminished by the gross act of having eaten it.

Apart from that, the entire attraction of the toffee is gone without your noticing it when you actually go so far as to eat it.

posted on 2008-06-26 00:44 chulingna 阅读(46) 评论(0)  编辑  收藏 所属分类: 娜娜啲學習筆記 网摘收藏