Volume I

Chapter I

Reading notes 📒 ¹

The opening line of novel following accomplishes two main purposes. It indicates the novel’s central subject of marriage. It also sets the irony tone that pervades the book.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Who 💂‍♂️

• Mr. Bennet. He is the neighbour of and Mr Long. He speaks tersely and often in irony and cool detachment.
• Mrs. Bennet. She liked to gossip with news.
• Mr. Bingley. The tenant of Netherfield Park. from the norther England.
• Three daughters of the couple Bennet: Lizzy, Jane and Lydia.
• Mr. and Mrs. Long. The neighbour of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
• Mr. Morris. The owener of Netherfield Park.

Abstract 📌

Mrs. Bennet heard from Mrs. Long a young single man of large fortune, Mr. Bingley, will move here from northen England and live in Netherfield Park he rent from Mr. Morris. The business of her life was to get one of her daughters marrried with him. Hence, she tempted to persuade Mr. Bennet to visit him. However, it looks like Mr. Bennet had no interest in it, who was so odd with temperament of sarcastic humour, reserve and caprice. He even satirized Lizzy that Mrs. Bennet gave her preference to.

Vocabularies · Phrases · Sentences 🆎

1. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
2. This truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families.
3. a single man in possession of large (a good) fortune[ˈfɔːrtʃən].
4. chaise and four: a type of carriage with four horses; it seated 3 people. chaise: a carriage consisting of two wheels and a calash top; drawn by a single horse.
5. was so much delighted with it.
6. he is to take possession before Michaelmas. Lady Day (3/25), Midsummer Day (6/24), Michaelmas (9/29) and Christmas (12/25) are used to divide the year into quarters.
7. tiresome: so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness.
8. My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now.
9. give over thinking of her own beauty. to transfer, esp to the care or custody of another
10. It is more than I engage for, I assure you. 告诉你吧，这事我可不能答应。
11. Your are over scrupulous. thorough, exact, and careful about details
12. chuse[tʃu:z]. choose in old English.
13. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others. Lizzy 丝毫不比别人强.
14. she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia.
15. You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.
16. You mistake me. 你错怪我了。
17. sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice. A caprice is an unexpected action or decision which has no strong reason or purpose. reserve is the trait of being uncommunicative; not volunteering anything more than necessary (没有自愿做任何不必要的事情).
18. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. fancy: imagine.
19. the business of her life.
20. its solace was visiting and gossip. 🔺

Chapter II

2019-10-04

Reading notes 📒

who

• Kitty, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
• Mary, a daughter Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
• Lydia, youngest and tallest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.

Abstract 📌

The almost entire of this chapter consists of dialogue among Mr. Bennet’s family members in a room.

Superficiously, Mr. Bennet had no interest in having an acquaintance with Mr. Bingley, but actually he was among the earliest of those to call upon him. After he disclosed this message, his wife and girls are in the tumult of joy and conjecture how soon Mr. Bingley will return their father’s visit.

Vocabularies · Phrases · Sentences 🆎

1. Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who called upon Mr. Bingley. call on: If you call on someone or call upon someone, you pay them a short visit.
2. we are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes, said her mother resentfullly. 我们怎么知道Mr. Bingley喜欢什么. resentful [rɪˈzentfl]. If you are resentful, you feel resentment. 怨恨的
3. Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply; but unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters. deigned: If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it. 屈尊; contain: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits。
4. Have a little compassion on my nerves.
5. Kitty has no discretion in her coughs. she times them ill.
6. I do not cough for my own amusement, replied Kitty fretfully. 我以不是咳着玩的。
7. ball. the people assembled at a lavish formal dance
8. tomorrow fortnight 从明天算起两星期。
9. have the advantage of your friend. 占了你朋友的上风
10. I’m not acquainted with him myself. 我自己不认识他
11. fortnight’s acquaintance is certainly very little.
12. But if we do not venture, somebody else will.
13. stand a chance; stand no chance
14. emphatic exclamation. exclamation[ˌɛkskləˈmeʃən]: a loud complaint or protest or reproach. emphatic[ɪmˈfætɪk]: forceful
15. circumspection.
16. deep reflection
17. sensible. showing reason or sound judgment. e.g. “a sensible choice”; “a sensible person”;
18. I’m sick of Mr. Bingley.
19. tumult of joy.
20. it was what she had expected all the while.
21. rapture, a feeling of extreme happiness or pleasure.
22. I don’t know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness.
23. stoutly. in a resolute manner. 坚决地 🔺