Chapter Five Dickon

江苏南菁高级中学 徐奚潇

难词探意

1.pheasant/΄feznt/n.野鸡

2.rage/reıdʒ/n.盛怒

3.hurl/hзːl/v.猛扔

4.scowl/skaʊl/n.怒容；不悦的神色

5.beam/biːm/v.绽开笑容

6.sour/΄saʊə(r)/adj.没好气的；尖酸刻薄的

7.crab apple酸苹果树

A few days later,Dickon was waiting for her as she crossed the grounds between the house and the walled gardens.He was sitting under a tree,with his back against it,playing on a rough wooden pipe.He had glorious rust-coloured hair and blue eyes looking like the colour of the sky.He was sitting beneath a tree,perfectly still.Around him,rabbits,pheasants and squirrels had gathered.It appeared as if they were all drawing near to watch him and listen to the strange low little call his pipe seemed to make.As she approached,he put his fingers to his lips to warn her to be quiet.Once,if someone ordered her to do something she would have flown into a rage.But she wasn't the old Mary from before and she obeyed.

Mary liked him at once.“I've brought these for you,” he said.He held a large package,wrapped in brown paper.“Here's a spade,a fork and a hoe,” he told her.

“And seeds?”

“Aye,and seeds.”

“Thank you,” she said.She hesitated and looked at Dickon.

“Dickon,” she began.

“Aye?”

“Do you know much about gardening?”

“I guess.”

“And can you keep a secret?”

“Huh!Half the birds and foxes round here would be dead if I couldn't!”

Mary made up her mind to trust him.“Follow me,” she said.

Dickon stared at the secret garden in wonder,just as Mary had on her first visit.“We often talked about it at home,” Dickon whispered,“but we never knew where it was.”

“A robin showed me where the key was buried.”

Dickon nodded as if robins did that kind of thing every day.

“It's the roses I want to know most about,” Mary said as she took him round. “Are they all dead?”

Dickon took a knife from his belt and cut deep into some of the branches. “A few are,” he said,“but not all.See these green bits?They'll shoot up if we cut them right back and give them some space.”

“Will they?Really?” Mary asked,staring at the faint green sap inside one of the branches.

“Really.”

Mary felt her heart race.“Dickon,will you come back and help me?Help me make the garden beautiful again?”

“If you want,” Dickon agreed and gave her a lopsided grin.

Mary ran back to the manor,full of excitement.“I've met Dickon!He brought me things for the garden,” she gasped,hurling herself into her chair at her dining table.Martha smiled. “Aye,I knew he wouldn't take long.”

“I like him so much.”

“There's nowt not to like our Dickon.”

“I can't wait to get started on the garden now,” Mary said as she bolted her soup.“Right I'm off!”

But Martha shook her head.“Sorry,Miss,you're needed in the house this afternoon.Mr Craven's asked to see you.”

“Mr Craven?” Mary asked in astonishment.

“He's just back for the day.He's setting off for his travels again tomorrow but he's sent for you before he goes.You'd best get changed.”

Mary changed into her best dress.She felt nervous.Then Mrs Medlock stormed in,the usual scowl nailed to her face. “Look at that hair!What a mess!Never mind!Come on！ We can't keep Mr Craven waiting.”Mary was hurried along all the corridors and passageways she had been told to keep away from.She didn't have time to catch her breath before Mrs Medlock was knocking on a door and being told to enter.

“This is Miss Mary,sir,” she said.

“You may leave now,Mrs Medlock,” a voice from behind a high-backed chair replied.

Mary waited.A head dipped round the side of the chair. “Come,child,” Archibald Craven said,his voice more gentle than she had thought it would be.

In fact everything about her uncle was gentler than she had thought it would be.Even his back was not as bad as people had said.His shoulders just seemed a little higher and a little more rounded than most;that was all.As she stepped before him,she saw her uncle had a kind,almost handsome face,but it was full of sadness.He looked at her.“You are very thin,” he said.

“But I'm not so pale!” she told him.Martha said so.

There was a pause and then her uncle said,“Do you have everything you need,Mary?Toys?Books?”

“Yes,thank you.”

“Are you sure?You only have to ask.Perhaps a doll?”

“I'm not keen on dolls,” she said,but I would like one thing.

“Yes?”

Mary took a deep breath.“A little bit of earth.”

Mr Craven looked puzzled.“What do you mean?”

“A little bit of earth...to grow things in.”

He smiled a sad smile.“You remind me of...” he began,and then stopped.“Well,there is plenty of earth at Misselthwaite.Take as much as you like!”

“From...from anywhere?As long as no one's using it?”

“From anywhere,” her uncle agreed.

“Oh,thank you!” she beamed.

Mr Craven sighed then and rang for Mrs Medlock.“I must ask you to leave now,Mary.I am going away for a long time and have much to do.”

Mary almost galloped out of the room.She had her uncle's permission!She could go in the secret garden!As she brushed past Mrs Medlock,she shot her a meaningful look.Mr Craven was a kind man.If anyone in this house was as sour as a crab apple it was her!

Activity A Reading for comprehension

Ⅰ.Understanding the main idea

Write a summary of Chapter Five with about 60 words.Remember to leave out unnecessary details.

Ⅱ.Understanding the characters

1.Please fill in the blanks according to the text.(The blanks between demonstrate the common traits,while the blanks on both sides demonstrate their respective characters.)

2.Try to figure out some basic information about Mr Craven.

Ⅲ.Understanding the details

1.What was special about Dickon that made Mary fond of him at their first meeting?

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2.Make a bold guess why Mr Craven didn't refuse Mary's request of a bit of earth.

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Activity B Reading for writing

Ⅰ.Useful expressions for creating a novel

1.expressions for describing appearance or voice

glorious rust-coloured hair一头铁锈色的美丽秀发

the usual scowl nailed to her face她和往常一样满脸愠怒

a voice from behind a high-backed chair从高背椅后传来的声音

his voice more gentle他的声音更为轻柔

have a kind,almost handsome face,but it is full of sadness脸庞友善且英俊，但满是悲伤

2.expressions for describing feelings

fly into a rage勃然大怒

feel her heart race感觉到心跳得厉害

full of excitement满是激动

in astonishment大为震惊

3.expressions for describing behaviour/environment

stare at the secret garden in wonder惊讶地看着秘密花园

cut deep into some of the branches深深地割开一些树枝

shoot up迅速成长

give her a lopsided grin冲她咧嘴一笑

hurl herself into her chair一屁股坐下来

storm in怒气冲冲地闯进来

don't have time to catch her breath来不及喘口气

take a deep breath深呼吸

shoot her a meaningful look意味深长地看了她一眼

Ⅱ.Writing technique

Allusion(典故)

Allusion is an implied and indirect reference to a person,place,thing or idea of historical,cultural,literary or political significance.It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers.It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

Examples:Don't act like a Romeo in front of her.

The rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes.

This place is like a Garden of Eden.

Try to locate and analyse the sentences involving allusion in the text.

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Ⅲ.Continuation task

In your opinion,how would Mrs Medlock respond to Mary's “meaningful”look?Exert the maximum of your imagination.(You can begin with an analysis of Mrs Medlock's character.)

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Ⅳ.Extension task

Our early reading experience has exposed us to such characters as Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre,Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights,Quasimodo in Notre Dame de Paris,Hamlet by Shakespeare,Don Juan by Lord Byron and Mr Craven in our case.They have in common the following traits:

(1)traumatized by tragedy or injustice;

(2)have no confidants to share their past and secrets;

(3)see through the dark sides of humanity;

(4)feel insecure and uncertain about tomorrow;

(5)long for love but decline to love;

(6)prefer quiet and remote spots to avoid sociability.

But they end differently:some return to gentleness and happiness;others end with despair and ruins.

The beauty of nature is capable of lifting man's soul out of shadow.What do you think Mr Craven would think about the secret garden?Would he persist with his icy-coldness or turn to warm-heartedness?