True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves. They disregard social conventions without being conscious that they are doing anything extraordinary. Thisinvariably wins them the love and respect of others, for they add colour to the dull routine of everyday life.Up to the time of his death, Richard Colson was one of the most notable figures in our town. He was a shrewd and wealthy businessman, but most people in the town hardly knew anything about this side of his life. He was known to us all as Dickie and his eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.Dickie disliked snobs intensely. Though he owned a large car, he hardly ever used it, preferring always to go on foot. Even when it was raining heavily, he refused to carry an umbrella. One day, he walked into an expensive shop after having been caught in a particularly heavy shower. He wanted to buy a ￡300 watch for his wife, but he was in such a bedraggled condition that an assistant refused to serve him. Dickie left the shop without a word and returned carrying a large cloth bag. As it was extremely heavy, he dumped it on the counter. The assistant asked him to leave, but Dickie paid no attention to him and requested to see the manager. Recognizing who the customer was, the manager was most apologetic and 'reprimanded the assistant severely. When Dickie was given the watch, he presented the assistant with the cloth bag. It contained ￡300 in pennies. He insisted on the assistant's counting the money before he left---- 30,000 pennies in all! On another occasion, he invited a number of important critics to see his private collection of modern paintings. This exhibition received a great deal of attention in the press, for though the pictures were supposed to be the work of famous artists, they had in fact been painted by Dickie. It took him four years to stage this elaborate joke simply to prove that critics do not always know what they are talking about.

参考译文

真正古怪的人从不有意引人注意。他们不顾社会习俗，意识不到自己所作所为有什么特殊之处。他们总能赢得别人的喜爱与尊敬，因为他们给平淡单一的日常生活增添了色彩。

理查德.科尔森生前是我们镇上最有名望的人之一。他是个精明能干、有钱的商人，但镇上大部分人对他生活中的这一个方面几乎一无所知。大家都管他叫迪基。早在他去世前很久，他的古怪行为就成了传奇故事了。

迪基痛恨势利小人。尽管他有一辆豪华小轿车，但却很少使用，常常喜欢以步代车。即使大雨倾盆，他也总是拒绝带伞。一天，他遇上一场瓢泼大雨，淋得透湿。他走进一家高级商店，要为妻子买一块价值300英镑的手表。但店员见他浑身泥水的样子，竟不肯接待他。迪基二话没说就走了。一会儿，他带着一个大布口袋回到店里。布袋很沉，他重重地把布袋扔在柜台上。店员让迪基走开，他置之不理，并要求见经理。经理认出了这位顾客，表示了深深的歉意，还严厉地训斥了店员。店员为迪基拿出了那块手表，迪基把布口袋递给他，口袋里面装着300镑的便士。他坚持要店员点清那些硬币后他才离去。这些硬币加在一起共有30,000枚！ 还有一次，他邀请一些著名评论家来参观他私人收藏的现代画。这次展览引起报界广泛注意，因为这些画名义上是名家的作品，事实上是迪基自己画的。他花了4年时间策划这出精心设计的闹剧，只是想证明评论家们有时并不解他们所谈论的事情。

【New words and expressions】

●lovable adj. 可爱的

●eccentric n. （行为）古怪的人

●disregard v. 不顾，漠视

●convention n. 习俗，风俗

●conscious adj. 感觉到的，意识到的

●invariably adv. 总是，经常地

●routine n. 常规；惯例

●shrewd adj. 精明的

●eccentricity n. 怪僻

●legendary adj. 传奇般的

●snob n. 诌上欺下的人

●intensely adv. 强烈地新概念2听力下载

●bedraggled adj 拖泥带水的

●dump v. 把......砰的一声抛下

●apologetic adj. 道歉的

●reprimand v. 训斥

●stage v. 暗中策划

●elaborate adj. 精心构思的

【Important words】

1. eccentric n. （行为）古怪的人

英释

n(名词) : a person whose behavior particular, unusual, rather strange.

adj(形容词): peculiar, unusual; strange

联想记忆

strange因为陌生而奇怪

Eg.: The modern building looks strange to the villages.

eccentric 行为举止古怪

Eg.: I can't get on well with him, because he is eccentric.

odd 强调因为少见而多怪

Eg.: Look, he is wearing an odd hat.

particular 奇异的，不同寻常的

Eg.: The house is particular.

Eg.:I feel particular today. ==I feel uncomfortable / ill. == I'm not myself today.

形变

eccentricity n. 怪癖

2. disregard v./n. 不顾，漠视

英释

ignore; pay no attention to

句子

Disregard noise and keep working.

固定搭配

have disregard of / for

He has complete disregard of / for my feelings.

in disregard of

He did the work in disregard of my instructions.

treat sb. with disregard 怠慢某人

Anyway, don't treat your friends with disregard.

近义表达

ignore v.忽略，不理睬

It is not a question that can be ignored.

neglect v/n 疏忽，不注意（无意识的）

He has neglected his children because he is too busy.

overlook v 忽视，没看到

She assured him that they were not overlooking the problem.

turn a deaf ear to (idm.) 不理会，不听

The gambler turned a deaf ear to all advice.

3. convention n. 习俗，风俗

英释

generally accepted practice

句子

Shaking hands when meeting people is normal convention in China.

近义表达

custom 历史悠久的社会习俗

It's a custom of giving presents at Christmas.

He always does exactly what he wants and does not care about convention.

practice 某团体的传统做法或令他人无法接受的习俗

Eg.: The normal practice in the company is to send bill as soon as the job is done.

Your stomach would turn at the idea of frying potatoes in animal fat--the normally accepted practice in many northern countries.(三册L23)

tradition 传统

Spending Christmas Day is a tradition for western people.

habit 个人习惯

I have a habit of reading English aloud in the morning.

4. conscious adj. 感觉到的，意识到的

英释

aware

词组句子

He is quite unaware of the danger.

He is not conscious of the danger.

class conscious 有阶级意识的

family conscious 有家庭观念的

clothes conscious 注重衣着的

stairs conscious 注重地位的

5. routine n. 常规；惯例

英释

the regular fixed way of sth. / doing things

词组

follow the routine 墨守常规

break the routine 打破常规

start the daily routine 开始每天的日常生活

6. shrewd adj. 精明的

英释

showing good practical judgement

词句

shrewed brained

shrewed headed 头脑机灵的

shrewed looking 看起来机灵的

He is a shrewed observer.

We have got shrewed common sense.

Sb. is shrewed. == He has good judgement.

7. snob n. 诌上欺下的人

句子

I dislike to deal with those snobs.

联想记忆

flatter v.奉承,献媚

I guess he was just flattering me.

make up to 向......献媚，邀宠

I wish he would stop trying to make up to the boss ; I hate hypocrisy

8.intensely adv. 强烈地

英释

very strong ; violent; extreme; sharp; etc.

词组

intense cold 严寒

intense heat 酷暑

intense discussion 激烈的讨论

形变

intensify vt. 使增强

You must intensify your sense of responsibility.你必须加强责任感。

intensity n.增强

Losing jobs are growing in intensity.

sth are growing in intensity ......（某种程度）在加强

Eg: Losing jobs are growing in intensity.

9. reprimand v. 训斥(常用于上及对下级公开严厉得责备,有郑重警告队方如在犯类似错误就将就给与更严厉处分的含义)

英释

scold officially and severely

句子

blame 责备(语气程度很弱)

Eg.: The teacher blamed him for his coming late.

scold 斥责(语气稍重一点)

Don't scold me for a trifle.

reproach 斥责 (语气最严重)

He often reproached his children.

reprimand: scold officially and severely

The boss reprimanded his employees severely.

Extra bonus

In the limelight (引人注目)

In the limelight 意思是引人注目或成为众人注意的目标；从前没有白色的电灯，发光的是用heating lime造成。而现在舞台上都是强烈的电力聚光灯（spot-light）去照有名的演员，因此in the limelight 与to be in the spot-light 意义相同

I think the actress enjoys being in the limelight.

When he was President, he was always in the limelight---there was no privacy.

练习

1. They were arranging the ____ at the company's annual dealer.

A congress B convention C conference D assembly

2. He old man is _____ of hearing.

A boring B dark C low D dull

3. 用所给的词填空，必要时做些改变

invariably intensely deliberately

1)Mary wanted to embarrass her friend so she ______ spilt coffee on her dress.

2) Whenever I give a speech, and however careful I am, I ____offend someone in the audience.

3) She dislikes her French teacher ______ because he keeps correcting her pronunciation.

keys:
1 B convention 会议，大会的意思，常指某一个团体或者政党为某一个目的而召开的会议，也指学术团体的年会；C congress 代表大会，会议，指各社会团体或国家的代表的正式会议，以交流情况或意见；assembly 集会，指一个计划好的，为一共同目的而召集的会议；conference 讨论会，协商会，指更多的人为讨论某个问题而开的会。

2 D 句意：这老人耳朵不灵。dull 愚钝，头脑迟钝的；boring 乏味的；dark 黑暗的；low 低的
dull 一般用词，指本来很锐利的，后来变得不锋利了，用于比喻，指不敏捷；blunt 钝的，不锋利的，指本来就不锐利的，也用于指人的性格率直

3 1) deliberately adv.故意地
2) invariably adv.不变地, 总是n.总是
3) intensely adv.激烈地, 热情地

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Text

True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves. They disregard social conventions without being conscious that they are doing anything extraordinary. This invariably wins them the love and respect of others, for they add colour to the dull routine of everyday life.

Up to the time of his death, Richard Colson was one of the most notable figures in our town. He was a shrewd and ealthybusinessman, but most people in the town hardly knew anything about this side of his life. He was known to us all as Dickie and his eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.

Dickie disliked snobs intensely. Though he owned a large car, he hardly ever used it, preferring always to go on foot. Even when it was raining heavily, he refused to carry an umbrella. One day, he walked into an expensive shop after having been caught in a particularly heavy shower. He wanted to buy a￡300 watch for his wife, but he was in such a bedraggled condition that an assistant refused to serve him. Dickie left the shop without a word and returned carrying a large cloth bag. As it was extremely heavy, he dumped it on the counter. The assistant asked him to leave, but Dickie paid no attention to him and requested to see the manager. Recognizing who the customer was, the manager was most apologetic and reprimanded the assistant severely. When Dickie was given the watch, he
presented the assistant with the cloth bag. It contained￡300 in pennies. He insisted on the assistant's counting the money before he left ---- 30, 000 pennies in all! On another occasion, he invited a number of important critics to see his private collection of modern paintings. This exhibition received a great deal of attention in the press, for though the pictures were supposed to be the work of famous artists, they had in fact been painted by Dickie. It took him four years to stage this elaborate joke simply to prove that critics do not always know what they are talking about.

（Some underlined sentences recommended to recite: ）

Language points

Attention：The following points are not covered by the video. It is better for you to watch the video or listen to the MP3 first and try to take notes on your own. Then you may check here to get more details.

1、True eccentrics never deliberately set out to draw attention to themselves.
deliberately: on purpose
set out to do=set about doing=start doing/to do sth.
draw/capture/attract/hold/catch/arrest/receive attention to ...：吸引对...的注意

2、They disregard social conventions without being conscious that they are doing anything extraordinary.
该句型建议背诵

Ex:

He made a mistake without being conscious of the fact.

3、This invariably wins them the love and respect of others, for they add colour to the dull routine of everyday life.
invariably:=always
win sb sth：赢某人某物
Ex:
Her fine character quickly won her the friendship of her colleagues.
add colour to ...：为增加...色彩
Ex:
Eccentric add colour to our dull life.

4、Up to the time of his death, Richard Colson was one of the most notable figures in our town.
up to the time of his death: before he died完成时的标志，这里之所以没有用现在或过去完成时，主要是突出一个客观事实
notable: famous

5、He was a shrewd and wealthy businessman, but most people in the town hardly knew anything about this side of his life.
this side of his life：生活中的这一个方面（这里指的是He was a shrewd and wealthy businessman）

6、He was known to us all as Dickie and his eccentricity had become legendary long before he died.
be known to sb.：众所周知
long before he died：在他去世前很久

7、Though he owed a large car, he hardly ever used it, prefering always to go on foot.
prefering：现在分词做伴随状语
hardly: rarely

8、One day, he walked into an expensive shop after having been caught in a particularly heavy shower.
be caught in：突然遇到/碰上
Ex:
be caught in a heavy shower
be caught in a heavy snow
be caught in a heavy storm

9、He wanted to buy a $300 watch for his wife, but he was in such a bedraggled condition that an assistant refused to serve him.
in such a condition/state：处于一种状态
bedraggled condition：拖泥带水的状态
such...that.. ... ...：如此...以至于...

10、The assistant asked him to leave, but Dickie paid no attention to him and requested to see the manager.
pay no attention to him= ignore him=take no notice of him=turn a deaf ear to him= refuse to listen to him
request：求见（正式，礼貌，语气强烈）

Ex:
I requested the headmaster.

11、Recognizing who the customer was, the manager was most apologetic and reprimanded the assistant severely.
recognizing：由于经理认出这个顾客是谁了，便竭力陪礼道歉......。这句话用现在分词短语作原因状语
most=very much

12、When Dickie was given the watch, he presented the assistant with the cloth bag.
hand sb sth /hand sth to sb：把...递给...
present sb with sth / present sth to sb ：把...交给...人(比较正式 )

13、He insisted on the assistant's counting the money before he left -- 30,000 pennies in all!
insist on doing/insist that + should do：坚决要求
Ex:
He insisted that the shop assistant should count the money before he left.

14、It took him four years to stage this elaborate joke simply to prove that critics do not always know what they are talking about.
simply to prove=only to prove
don't always know what they are taking about= don't always talk sense= always talk nonsense
Ex:
talk nonsense：胡说八道
talk sense：说正经话

Homework

I Comprehension

1 Most people in the town would have regarded Dickie's behaviour as eccentric on the day he visited the shop because ______ .
a．when he set out into the rain he did not take an umbrella
b．he went to such lengths to show his dislike of snobbery
c．he spent so much money on a watch
d．he had not counted the pennies before giving them to the assistant

2 When Dickie went into an expensive shop ______ .
a．he wanted to shelter from the rain
b．he did not look like a man who could afford a watch
c．he had forgotten to bring his cloth bag with him
d．he had been sent by his wife to buy a watch

3 The press paid a great deal of attention to Dickie's exhibition because ______ .
a．it had taken him so long to prepare the paintings
b．the critics admired Dickie's ability to copy the work of famous artists
c．no one had known that Dickie was a painter
d．it became known that Dickie had succeeded in deceiving the critics

II Read each sentence carefully. In each one, identify the one underlined word or phrase that must be changed for the sentence to be correct.

1. (A)Instead of( B)serving me immediately,not one of the shop assistants(C)drew any attention(D)to me< P>

2.Can you(A)imagine my( B)to put any of my terrible paintings(C)into the local art(D)exhibition?

III Translate these sentences into English

1.我被这本电影深深地打动了

2.我去机场的路上遇到塞车

3.她把她的男朋友甩了

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