(单词翻译:单击)
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特别申明：
该节目由可可原创。
视频出处：
出自BBC记录篇《英国史》第七集之《女王的诞生》。
精彩视觉：
精彩解说：
Cecil knew that the majority of the country was still Catholic either actively or passively.
西塞尔知道这个国家绝大多数人仍然或积极或消极地信仰着天主教。
He also knew how little it would take for the hard-earned gains of the Reformation to be undone.
他也知道这来之不易的改革成果可能被轻易地付诸一炬。
Though the queen kept telling everyone it was none of their business, Cecil constantly reminded her that the realm needed her to have a husband.
虽然女王一直在告诉大家这不用他们操心，西塞尔仍不断地提醒她王朝需要她找个丈夫。
For that matter, her body required it too, since in the 16th century prolonged virginity was thought to bring on the potentially toxic condition known as green sickness, the abnormal retention of female sperm.
而且，她的健康亦须如此。因为16世纪的人们认为长期保持贞洁会引发一种潜在的毒性病——俗称绿贫血，会让女性体内的卵子异常阻滞。
Marital copulation, then, was what the doctor ordered for the good of the realm.
因此，为了国家着想夫妻性生活便成了医嘱。
The problem, though, as Cecil was painfully aware, was that if he pushed Elizabeth too hard, she might just end up plumping for the man everyone assumed she really loved.
然后西塞尔痛苦地意识到如果他对伊丽莎白的奉劝过于急迫，她可能会干脆选择一个大家认为她会爱上的人选。
That man was Cecil's rival on the council, Robert Dudley.
这个人选就是西塞尔在议会的劲敌——罗伯特·达德利。
词汇精讲
第一、名词精讲
1. majority
双语释义：the largest part of a group of people or things
[C.N.] 大多数
典型例句：A/The majority of people seem to prefer TV to radio.
大部分人似乎喜欢看电视而不喜欢听收音机。
The majority was/were in favor of the proposal.
多数人赞成这个建议。
2. virginity
双语释义：the state of being a virgin
[U.N.]处女性, 童贞
典型例句：She lost her virginity when she was twenty.
她是二十岁失去童贞的。
In some countries virginity is not as highly valued as it used to be.
在许多国家，童贞已经不像过去那样受重视了。
3. retention
双语释义：the action of keeping sth rather than losing it or stopping it
[U.N.]挡住；拦阻；保持；保留
典型例句：He suffers from retention of urine.
他患尿瀦留。
The company needs to improve its training and retention of staff.
4. reformation
双语释义：great change for the better in social, religious or political affairs
[C.N.]（社会﹑ 宗教或政治事务的）改革﹐改良, 变革
典型例句：It is a reformation in state education.
这是国家教育事业的改革。
5. realm
双语释义：kingdom 王国
相关短语：the defence of the realm 扞卫国家
coins, peers, laws of the realm 王国的钱币﹑ 贵族﹑ 法律.
第二、动词精讲
1. prolong
双语释义：make (sth) longer, esp in time
[Vt.]延长（某事物）（尤指时间
典型例句：Those are drugs that help to prolong life.
这些是延年益寿的药物。
They prolonged their visit by a few days.
他们把访问时间延长了几天。
2. assume
双语释义：accept (sth) as true before there is proof
假定；假设；设想；（想当然地）以为
典型例句：We cannot assume anything in this case.
在这种情形下我们无法作任何揣测。
I am assuming that the present situation is going to continue.
我认为目前的情况将会继续下去。
We must assume him to be innocent until he is proved guilty.
尚未证实他有罪, 就得假定他是清白的。
3. plump
语法用法：plump for sb/sth
双语释义：choose or vote for sb/sth with confidence
[Vt.]有信心地选择或选举某人某事物
典型例句：The committee plumped for the most experienced candidate.
委员会很有把握地选择了那个最有经验的候选人。
The children plumped for a holiday by the sea.
孩子们特别想去海边度假。
4. copulate
双语释义：(esp of animals) have sexual intercourse
（尤指动物）交配, 交尾
语法用法：~ (with sb/sth)
典型例句：The male bird performs a sort of mating dance before copulating with the female.
这种雄鸟在与雌鸟交尾以前要跳一种交欢舞。
第三、形容词精讲
1. toxic
双语释义：poisonous
有毒的
典型例句：Many pesticides are highly toxic.
许多杀虫药是有剧毒的。
They are toxic drugs.
它们是毒药。
2. abnormal
双语释义：different from what is usual or expected, especially in a way that is worrying, harmful or not wanted
反常的；不正常的；变态的
典型例句：They thought his behaviour was abnormal.
他们认为他的行为是变态的。
He is mentally abnormal.
他精神不正常。
3. hard-earned
双语释义：that you get only after a lot of work and effort
辛苦得到的
典型例句：Those are hard-earned cash.
这些钱来之不易。
We finally managed a hard-earned draw.
4. marital
双语释义：connected with marriage or with the relationship between a husband and wife
夫妻的；婚姻的
典型例句：Paranoia reigns supreme among the women, causing much marital conflict.
偏执狂现象在妇女中很盛行，引起了许多婚姻纠纷。
相关短语：marital problems, disagreements, disharmony，breakdown
婚姻的问题﹑不和睦﹑不和谐、破裂
第四、副词泛讲
1. actively：活跃地，积极地
典型例句：He is actively involved in the project.
他积极参与该计划。
Your proposal is being actively considered.
你的建议正获积极考虑。
2. passively：被动地，顺从地
典型例句：In most cases, they just sit there and are passively crammed .
在大多数情况下，他们只是坐在教室里被动地接受知识。
In no case will they look on passively.
他们决不会在一边看热闹。
3. painfully：痛苦地，烦恼地，费力地
英文释义：extremely, and in a way that makes you feel annoyed, upset, etc
典型例句：He grew painfully aware that the family was divided in its attitude.
他痛苦地意识到一家人的看法有分歧。
He used to be painfully shy, but now he's started to blossom out.
他以前极腼腆，现在活泼起来了。
4. potentially：潜在地
典型例句：My country is one with many natural resources that could be developed.
我的国家有丰富自然资源可开发。
It is a potentially catastrophic situation
这种情况可能引发严重灾难。
5. constantly：经常地，不断地
典型例句：The car has to be constantly maintained.
汽车必须经常保养。
He constantly strayed from the main point of his talk.
他不断偏离他的话题。
短语精讲
重点短语：
1. either...or...：要么......要么......
例句：I was expecting you either today or tomorrow.
我希望你要么今天要么明天来。
2. take for：把......误认为是......；把......误看成为......
例句：He speaks German so well, that he's often taken for a native.
他德语说得很好，常被误以为是德国人。
3. for that matter：就此而言，就那件事而论，而且
例句：He does not trust his partner. For that matter I can' t blame him.
他不相信他的伙伴，对此我不能责备他。
Don't talk like that to your mother and to anyone else for that matter.
不要跟你母亲那样说话, 而且跟谁也不要那样。
4. the majority of：......的大多数，大部分
例句：The majority of members did not support the motion.
大部分委员不支持该项议案。
The majority of her books are dealing with love.
她的大多数书都是描写爱情的。
5. for the good of：为了......的好处，为了......的利益
例句：All his life he strove for the good of the people.
他一辈子都为人民的利益而奋斗。
We learned to pull together for the good of all.
我们为大家的利益而学会合作。
6. end up：结束，告终
例句：If you continue to steal you'll end up in prison.
你要是继续行窃终归得进监狱。
You could end up running this company if you play your cards right.
你要是处理得当，到头来这个公司能归你掌管。
7. plump for
释义1：(坚决地)选中；选定；挑选
例句：At last we plumped for the new house near our school.
最终我们决定选学校附近的新房子。
释义2：坚决支持(或拥护)；投票赞成
例句：Every member of the government plumped for the premier’s new suggestion.
政府每一位成员都坚决支持总理的新建议。
8. bring on:引起，导致
例句：That incident will surely bring on a crisis.
那个事件肯定会导致一场危机。
Reading in a poor light may bring on a headache.
在昏暗的灯光下看书会引起头疼。
9. be known as：被认为......
典型例句：Dalian is known as a summer resort.
大连被认为是一个避暑胜地。
He was known as a reliable man.
他被认为是可信赖的人。
其他短语：
1. toxic condition：中毒状态
2. hard-earned gains：来之不易的收益
3. the Reformation：（十九世纪）基督教改革运动
4. marital copulation：夫妻性生活，夫妻性交
长句解析
1. For that matter, her body required it too, since in the 16th century prolonged virginity was thought to bring on the potentially toxic condition known as green sickness, the abnormal retention of female sperm.
结构剖析：这个句子是一个含有原因状语从句的复合句。
（1）主句是：for that matter, her body required it too，从句是：since in the 16th century prolonged virginity was thought to bring on the potentially toxic condition known as green sickness, the abnormal retention of female sperm。
（2）先看主句：for that matter是介词短语做状语，表示递进关系。
(3) 再看从句：这个从句的主要谓语是使用了被动语态：was thought to。
从句的主语是prolonged virginity，在这个主语中使用了过去分词修饰名词virginity，表示它们之间是被动关系。
谓语was though to后面跟有一个动词不定式：to bring on the potentially toxic condition known as green sickness, the abnormal retention of female sperm，这个动词不定是表示结果。
在这个动词不定式短语中含有一个过去分词短语：known as green sickness，它做后置定语，修饰前面的名词condition。
而且，还含有一个同位语the abnormal retention of female sperm，它做sickness的同位语，说明这个sickness是一种什么样的病。
2. The problem, though, as Cecil was painfully aware, was that if he pushed Elizabeth too hard, she might just end up plumping for the man everyone assumed she really loved.
结构剖析：这个句子是一个含有表语从句的复合句。
（1）主句是：The problem, though, as Cecil was painfully aware, was，表语从句是：that if he pushed Elizabeth too hard, she might just end up plumping for the man everyone assumed she really loved。
（2）先看主句：主句中含有一个由as引导的定语从句修饰名词problem,定语从句是：as Cecil was painfully aware。
（3）再看从句：从句是有that而引导的表语从句。这个表语从句是一个含有条件状语从句的符合句。
主句是：she might just end up plumping for the man everyone assumed she really loved，从句是：if he pushed Elizabeth too hard。
在这个主句中含有2个定语从句：everyone assumed she really loved，一个是everyone assumed，另一个是she really loved。 其先行词是man，它们在从句中做宾语，它指代人，那么可以用的关系代词可以是who，也可以是whom，还可以是that，由于做宾语，作为引导的关系代词可以省略。
