儒琴英语文学词汇咀嚼《德伯家的苔丝》(Tess of the Durbervilles)一书的用词。 《苔丝》以哈代的威塞克斯为背景，是一部关于虚伪和双重标准的感人小说。托马斯·哈代（Thomas Hardy，1840—1928）, 英国诗人、小说家。他是横跨两个世纪的作家，早期和中期的创作以小说为主，继承和发扬了维多利亚时代的文学传统；晚年以其出色的诗歌开拓了英国20世纪的文学。
英语文学词汇 Literature Terms
penury /ˈpen.jʊr.i/
noun: a cramping and oppressive lack of resources (such as money); the state of being extremely poor
穷困; 贫困;赤贫;物质缺乏
The haggling business, which had mainly depended on the horse, became disorganized forthwith. Distress, if not penury, loomed in the distance.
家里的小本买卖生意主要依靠这匹马，马没了，生意也垮了。即使还没有到完全穷困潦倒，痛苦就在眼前了。（第五章）
broach /broʊtʃ/
verb: to open up (a subject) for discussion; to initiate (a topic) for discussion:
开始讨论；提出（难题等）
Tess, meanwhile, as the one who had dragged her parents into this quagmire, was silently wondering what she could do to help them out of it; and then her mother broached her scheme.
与此同时，苔丝觉得是她把父母拖进这个泥潭的，所以她默默地想怎样帮助父母摆脱目前的困境。这时她母亲提出了她的打算。（第五章）
deferential /ˌdef.əˈren.ʃəl/
adj: polite and showing respect; showing or expressing respect and high regard due a superior or an elder
尊重的，尊敬的，恭敬的
The oppressive sense of the harm she had done led Tess to be more deferential than she might otherwise have been to the maternal wish;
苔丝对自己所做造成的伤害感到很难受，所以她比往常更加时顺从母亲的愿望; （第五章）
trepidation /ˌtrep.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/
noun: A state of alarm or dread; apprehension; a state of fear or anxiety
惊恐不安，惴惴不安
Tess thought this was the mansion itself till, passing through the side wicket with some trepidation, and onward to a point at which the drive took a turn, the house proper stood in full view.
苔丝以为这就是那座宅子，直到她怀着忐忑不安的心情穿过侧门，走到车道转弯的地方，正房才完全映入眼帘。（第五章）
snug /snʌɡ/
adj: enjoying or affording warm secure shelter or cover and opportunity for ease and contentment
人）感到温暖舒适的；（地方）暖和的;
Everything on this snug property was bright, thriving, and well kept; acres of glass houses stretched down the inclines to the copses at their feet.
这是一片舒适的地产，一切都是明亮的，欣欣向荣的，井井有序。数亩的玻璃房子沿着斜坡一直延伸到他们脚下的小树林。（第五章）
discomfiture /dɪˈskʌm.fɪ.tʃɚ/
noun: Frustration or disappointment; Lack of ease; perplexity and embarrassment
沮丧, 失望, 缺乏安逸, 困惑与尴尬
Of this work of imagination poor Tess and her parents were naturally in ignorance, much to their discomfiture;
可怜的苔丝和她的父母自然对这番离奇一无所知，这对他们感到非常不利;（第五章）
tête-à-tête /ˌteɪt.əˈteɪt/
noun: a private conversation between two persons
两人密谈；（尤指朋友间的）促膝谈心
It was evidently the gentleman’s wish not to be disturbed in this tête-à-tête by the servantry.
显然，这位s少爷不希望让仆人打扰， 影响两人的愉快谈话。（第五章）
