0
Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #1
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He was an apprentice for Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter Dora fell in love with each other, but after Mr. Spenlow's sudden death, she moved in with her two aunts.
He arranged for his best friend Agnes to meet Dora at Dora's aunt's house in Putney.
....................................................
I was in a flutter of pride and anxiety; pride in my dear little betrothed, and anxiety that Agnes should like her. All the way to Putney, Agnes being inside the stage-coach, and I outside, I pictured Dora to myself in every one of the pretty looks I knew so well; now making up my mind that I should like her to look exactly as she looked at such a time, and then doubting whether I should not prefer her looking as she looked at such another time; and almost worrying myself into a fever about it.
I was troubled by no doubt of her being very pretty, in any case; but it fell out that I had never seen her look so well. She was not in the drawing-room when I presented Agnes to her little aunts, but was shyly keeping out of the way. I knew where to look for her, now; and sure enough I found her stopping her ears again, behind the same dull old door.
At first she wouldn't come at all; and then she pleaded for five minutes by my watch. When at length she put her arm through mine, to be taken to the drawing-room, her charming little face was flushed, and had never been so pretty. But, when we went into the room, and it turned pale, she was ten thousand times prettier yet.
Dora was afraid of Agnes. She had told me that she knew Agnes was 'too clever'. But when she saw her looking at once so cheerful and so earnest, and so thoughtful, and so good, she gave a faint little cry of pleased surprise, and just put her affectionate arms round Agnes's neck, and laid her innocent cheek against her face.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "no doubt," not "doubt."
2. I'd like to know what "fell out" means here.
3. And I'd like to know what "so well" means here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
He was an apprentice for Mr. Spenlow.
He and Mr. Spenlow's only daughter Dora fell in love with each other, but after Mr. Spenlow's sudden death, she moved in with her two aunts.
He arranged for his best friend Agnes to meet Dora at Dora's aunt's house in Putney.
....................................................
I was in a flutter of pride and anxiety; pride in my dear little betrothed, and anxiety that Agnes should like her. All the way to Putney, Agnes being inside the stage-coach, and I outside, I pictured Dora to myself in every one of the pretty looks I knew so well; now making up my mind that I should like her to look exactly as she looked at such a time, and then doubting whether I should not prefer her looking as she looked at such another time; and almost worrying myself into a fever about it.
I was troubled by no doubt of her being very pretty, in any case; but it fell out that I had never seen her look so well. She was not in the drawing-room when I presented Agnes to her little aunts, but was shyly keeping out of the way. I knew where to look for her, now; and sure enough I found her stopping her ears again, behind the same dull old door.
At first she wouldn't come at all; and then she pleaded for five minutes by my watch. When at length she put her arm through mine, to be taken to the drawing-room, her charming little face was flushed, and had never been so pretty. But, when we went into the room, and it turned pale, she was ten thousand times prettier yet.
Dora was afraid of Agnes. She had told me that she knew Agnes was 'too clever'. But when she saw her looking at once so cheerful and so earnest, and so thoughtful, and so good, she gave a faint little cry of pleased surprise, and just put her affectionate arms round Agnes's neck, and laid her innocent cheek against her face.
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know why it is "no doubt," not "doubt."
2. I'd like to know what "fell out" means here.
3. And I'd like to know what "so well" means here.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. " The meaning is that she was pretty. I had no doubt about that.
- 1.
- " The meaning is that she was pretty.
- I had no doubt about that.
- 2.
- I'd like to know what "fell out" means here.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
15 Answers
0
1. I'd like to know why it is "no doubt," not "doubt." The meaning is that she was pretty. I had no doubt about that.
2. I'd like to know what "fell out" means here. It happened unexpectedly/accidentally
3. And I'd like to know what "so well" means here. In modern English, it would mean 'so healthy'. But here, it probably means 'so attractive'.
2. I'd like to know what "fell out" means here. It happened unexpectedly/accidentally
3. And I'd like to know what "so well" means here. In modern English, it would mean 'so healthy'. But here, it probably means 'so attractive'.
00
1. "I was troubled by no doubt of her being pretty." This means, he did not doubt that she was pretty. Or, Doubt about her prettiness did not trouble him. (He was free from doubt.)
2. "It fell out" means it "happened" that or it "turned out" that.
It fell out that there was plenty of cake. It turned out that there was plenty of cake. There was plenty of cake as it happene
2. "It fell out" means it "happened" that or it "turned out" that.
It fell out that there was plenty of cake. It turned out that there was plenty of cake. There was plenty of cake as it happene
00
Thank you, Clive and Doctor D, for your so very helpful answers.
1. I think he was anyway troubled in the light of the gram
1. I think he was anyway troubled in the light of the gram
00
I agree that the author was troubled by a fear that Agnes might not like Dora. But what he was not troubled by was Dora's attractiveness. That was not what he was worried about.
00
Thank you, Doctor D, for your continuing support.
1. I was troubled by no doubt of~
2. I wansn't trouble by doubt of~
1. I was troubled by no doubt of~
2. I wansn't trouble by doubt of~
00
Yes, similar. However, I would probably say number 2 as "I wasn't troubled by [any] doubt about...
00
Thank you, Doctor D, for your continuing to answer.
I'm so sorry for my badgering you,but I'd like to ask you one more thing.
I'm so sorry for my badgering you,but I'd like to ask you one more thing.
00
No, not the same.
The first is "I was not troubled by X"
while the second is "I was not troubled, except by X."
The first is "I was not troubled by X"
while the second is "I was not troubled, except by X."
00
Thank you, DoctorD, for your continuing support.
I'm so sorry for my ignorance.
I'm so sorry for my ignorance.
00
Okay, first, the opening statement:
"I was not troubled" means much the same as "I was never troubled."
This statement ("I was not troubled") sets up the general condition. I was trouble free.
Then we add "except by..."
This introduces the exception to this general condition.
I do not enjoy ice cream, unless it is chocolate ice cream.
Does this make
"I was not troubled" means much the same as "I was never troubled."
This statement ("I was not troubled") sets up the general condition. I was trouble free.
Then we add "except by..."
This introduces the exception to this general condition.
I do not enjoy ice cream, unless it is chocolate ice cream.
Does this make
0
Related Questions