Half a Day Naguib Mahfouz

Contemporary College English

Book One

Unit 1

Half a Day

Unit 1

Half a Day

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Naguib Mahfouz

About the author

 education and background

 important works

 how he pictures the world

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Text appreciation

 structure analysis

 topic discussion

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Language understanding

 sentence paraphrase

 word study & phrases

 Assignment

Naguib Mahfouz

纳吉布

•

马福兹

Naguib Mahfouz

— Education & Background

Naguib Mahfouz was born on the 11th Dec.

1911 in an old quarter of Cairo, the youngest son of a merchant. He studied philosophy （哲

学） at King Faud I (now Cairo) University, graduating in 1934. He worked in university administration （行政部门） and then in 1939 he worked for the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

He was later Head of the State Cinema

Organization at the Ministry of Culture( 文化

部） . He also worked as a journalist （记者） .

Naguib Mahfouz


Although widely translated, his works are not available in most Middle Eastern

countries because of his support of Sadat ’ s

Camp David initiative. In 1994 he survived

an assassination （暗杀） attempt by

Islamic extremists （极端主义分子） .

He is married, has two daughters and lives in Cairo.

Guess

This is …

Naguib Mahfouz


Naguib Mahfouz

—— important works

Naguib Mahfouz was the first Arab to win the Nobel prize for literature, in 1988. He has been described as “ a Dickens( 迪更斯

1812-1870, 英国著名现实主义小说家 )of the

Cairo caf é s ” and “ the Balzac( 巴尔扎克 1799-

1850, 法国小说家 ) of Egypt".

He is now the author of no fewer than 30 novels, more than 100 short stories, and more than 200 articles. Half of his novels have been made into films which have circulated （流通；传播） throughout the

Arabic-speaking world.

Naguib Mahfouz


Mahfouz began writing when he was 17. His first novel was published in 1939 and ten more were written before the Egyptian

Revolution of July 1952, when he stopped writing for several years. One novel was republished in 1953, however, and the appearance of

The Cairo Trilogy （三部曲）

in

1957 made him famous throughout the Arab world as a depictor （描写者） of traditional urban

（城市的） life.

Naguib Mahfouz


The Cairo Trilogy (published 1955-1957) is a tale of the lives of a Muslim family and spans

（跨过） the first half of the 20th century. Each book in the trilogy was named after a suburb of Cairo. The first, the British occupation of Egypt early in the century. The second, the changing times of the 1920s. The third book, Sugar Street

Palace Walk was set during

Palace of Desire covered brings the family into the mid 20th century. In this final part the head of the family is now old and frail （ weak). He surveys the world while the main story centers on the grandsons.

Naguib Mahfouz


Naguib Mahfouz


Cairo

Naguib Mahfouz


Works of his second writing period:

The Children of Gebelawi (1959)

The Thief and the Dogs (1961)

Autumn Quail (1962)

Small Talk on the Nile (1966)

Miramar (1967) several collections of short stories.

Naguib Mahfouz

—— how he pictures the world

The picture of the world as it emerges （出现） from the bulk ( 大量） of Mahfouz ’ s work is very gloomy （暗淡的；阴沉的；令人沮丧的） indeed, though not completely disappointing.

It shows that the author ’ s social utopia ( 乌托

邦；理想国） is far from being realized.

Mahfouz seems to conceive o f （构思；想象） time as a force of oppression. His novels have consistently shown time as the carrier of change, and change as a very painful process, and very often time is not content until it has dealt his heroes the final blow of death.

Naguib Mahfouz

—— how he pictures the world

To sum up, in Mahfouz ’ s dark description of the world there are only two bright spots （点） .

These consist of man's continuing struggle for equality on the one hand and the promise of scientific progress on the other; meanwhile, life is a tragedy.

Text Appreciation

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Structure of the text

Part 1 ( para. 1- ) about:

The boy’s misgivings about school

Part 2 ( para. ) about:

How the boy felt about school.

Part 3 ( para. ) about :

Walking out of the school, he found time had changed everything .

Text Appreciation for group discussion in class

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Plot of the story:

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Setting of the story:

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Protagonist v.s. Antagonists:

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Drama of the story lies in:

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Writing technique: (Have you ever read a story using the similar technique?)

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Theme of the story:


The following are a few possible understandings of the message the story conveys. Which one do you agree with? Argue with your group partners.



Time and tide wait for no man.



Life is a tragedy. There is nothing permanent in life but change.



Education can never keep up with changes in society.



Life is short and time is precious.



Life is a dream. Do not take anything seriously.


Read the following suggestions made by the father. Which ones do you agree with and which ones not? Have you ever been given some suggestions by your parents when entering the university? List them out.



School is a place that makes useful men out of boys.

 Don’t you want to be useful like your brothers?



Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others.



Be a man.



Today you truly begin life.



__________________________________________



__________________________________________


►

From the description between Para.8 and

Para.16, we can see different aspects of school life. Try to list as many aspects as possible in the following table.

positive ones love

……

…… negative ones discipline

……

……


In the last part of the text, the boy walked out of the school to find that the outside world had changed beyond measure. How might he feel about the changes? List exact words that support your choice.

He was _____

puzzled

indifferent

Supporting words startled, … …

Text Appreciation for after-class thinking

"who has formed an Arabian narrative art that applies to all mankind ”

 After reading “ Half a Day ” , how do you understand the comment on Naguib Mahfouz?

Text Appreciation for after-class thinking

Great works never fail to reveal the common human experience.

 After reading the story, do you feel emotionally or spiritually touched? Why or why not?

Language Understanding

—— sentence paraphrase

1. I walked alongside my father, clutching his right hand.

alongside: side by side, next to clutching his right hand: present participle as adverbial modifier list other examples from the text:

My mother stood at the window progress … watching our

… ...



2. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time.

 What does “ they ” refer to?

But I wasn’t happy as I usually was when I had new clothes to wear because it was the day I started school.

 What does the narrator imply by using “ to be thrown into school ” ?



3. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help.

 What does “ progress ” mean here?

 Slow and difficult movement towards the school.

 What does the sentence tell us about the boy ’ s relationships with his parents?



4. We walked along a street lined with gardens … a street where there are gardens … along both sides lined with … : past participle phrase used here to modify “ a street ” . It can be regarded as a relative clause cut short, eg.

 a novel (that was) written by Charles Dickens

 personal computers (that are) made in China



5. “ Why school?

” I asked my father.

“ What have I done?

”

“Why do I have to go to school? I don’t think

I’ve done anything wrong to be punished like this.”

 elliptical question & rhetorical question

Please give more examples.



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►

►

►

►

►

 elliptical question & rhetorical question

A: Headmaster: We want you to go and tell the boy ’ s parents the news.

B: Teacher: Why me?

Father: We ’ ll go to Tianjin this weekend.

Daughter: What for?/ Why this weekend?/Why

Tianjin?

Don ’ t you want to be useful like your brothers?

Can ’ t you see I ’ m busy? (Don ’ t disturb me!)

What good is a promise for an unemployed worker?

Does nothing ever worry you?



6. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and throwing me into the huge, high-walled building.

There is no good to be had in doing sth.

It is no good/use doing sth.

I didn’t think it was useful to take me away from home and put me into that building with high walls.



7. … we could see the courtyard, vast and full of boys and girls.

vast and full of boys and girls: adjective phrase as an attributive modifier

More examples:

There ’ s nothing wrong with the computer.

Can you recommend some books easy for freshmen to read?



8. You will find me waiting for you when it ’ s time to leave.

I ’ ll come to fetch you when school is over. I ’ ll be waiting for you here at the gate.

“ waiting for you ” as object complement find + obj + v-ing eg.

They found the lost child ______ in the cave.

As I walk down the familiar routes on campus, I find myself _____ a lot of soul-searching and reminiscing.



9. A lady came along, followed by a group of men.

followed by a group of men : an adverbial modifier of manner eg. ( combine, give, guide)

____ by the teachers, all the students are studying very hard.

____ enough time, I ’ ll complete the job in time.

____ with practice, theory may be learned easily.



10. The men began sorting us into ranks.

The men began arranging us into lines/ rows.



11. We were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard.

We were made to stand in different places to form regular lines or shapes in the big courtyard.



12. … from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood.

… on one side of the courtyard was a building with a long wood-roofed balcony on each floor where we could be seen.

Or

… from the balcony on each floor of the building people could see the pattern into which we formed.



13. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis.

Well, perhaps my doubt, worry and fear about what school would be like were all groundless.

Or

Well, it seemed that I was wrong to think that school was a dreadful place.



14. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around.

What we did at school wasn ’ t just playing and wasting time doing nothing useful.

all: completely a matter of sth.: a situation that involves sth.

to fool around: to waste time instead of doing sth. that you should be doing

Learning is a matter of seeing much, suffering much and studying much.



15. In addition, the time for changing one ’ s mind was over and gone and there was no question of ever returning to the paradise of home.

There is no question (of doing): there is no possibility

Besides, it was impossible for us to quit school and return to the good old days when we stayed home playing and fooling around all day. Our childhood was gone, never to come back.



16. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance.

nothing but: only

We would have to do our best and keep working very hard until we finished school. This is what I imagined our school days would be like.

Or

The kind of life that was waiting for us at school would be full of exertion, struggle and perseverance.



17. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.

to present itself/ themselves: (formal) to appear, happen

If there came opportunities, capable students would seize them to achieve success and happiness.



18. How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides?

How did the street come to be covered with so much rubbish on both sides? Where did they come from?

to find one ’ s way: to arrive or get to a place



19. … here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks, or making snakes appear from baskets.

an inverted sentence

Conjurers stood everywhere. They were showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets.

More examples:

There are some exceptions to this reaction.

Were there no air on the earth, there would be no life on it.

In no case should we waste our time.

There goes the bell.

Away hurried the customers.



20. Then there was a band ..., with clowns and weight lifters walking in front.

More examples:

He stood there with a stick in his hand.

(with + n. + prep.)

Paul soon fell asleep with the light still burning.

(with + n. + participle)

She can ’ t go out with all these dishes to wash.

(with + n. + to do.)

He was lying on the bed with all his clothes on.

(with + n. + adv. )

Word Study band

1.a group of musicians a jazz band

2.flat, thin material for fastening things together or for placing round an object to strengthen it papers kept together with a rubber band

3.group of persons doing sth together under a leader and with a common purpose a band of robbers

Brothers brand-new 崭新的

Band of bandage 绷带

Word Study convince convince sb of sth/that… make sb feel certain

I couldn’t ~ him of his mistake.

I am convinced of his honesty.

a convincing argument

Word Study daze V.

make sb feel stupid or unable to think clearly 使茫然

If someone gave you a heavy blow on the head, you would probably feel ~d.

dazzle 使眼花；使目眩 dazzling dazzling sunshine

Word Study exert exert on/upon 发挥；运用 exert pressure on sb exert all one’s strength/influence to do sth

打工对大学生的个性培养和今后生活都具有深远的

影响。 For college students to do a part-time job will exert a profound influence on their personality and life.

exert oneself: make an effort exert oneself to arrive early

Word Study intricate

 an intricate plot

 情节复杂 , 错综复杂的情节 complex complicated sophisticated

Word Study

lift:

raise sth to a higher level or position lift articles in a shop shoplift elevator (America) : box-like apparatus in a building for taking people up or down to another floor

Word Study observe observe traffic rules 遵守规则 observe a person's birthday

庆祝某人的生日 observant an observant boy observant of the rules observatory 天文台

Word Study overlook:

1. have a view of sth from above

 从小山上的房子可以俯视村庄。

 The house on the hill overlooks the village.

2.fail to see or notice; pay no attention to

你忽略了这个工作中的几个错误。

You have overlooked several of the mistakes in this work.

Word Study rank: n . 1.line of people or things a taxi rank 一列出租车

2.position or class people of all ranks 各阶层人民 a man of rank 有地位的人 spots. v.

This town ranks high among beauty

这城市在风景区中享有盛名。 cups ranked neatly on the shelf

杯子整齐地排列在架子上

Word Study

-volv-, -volut- ( 旋转） revolve re+volv 使旋转；旋转

The wheel is revolving about its axis.

轮子在轴上转动。 evolve e

( 向外）

+volv 发展；演化

The British political system has evolved over several centuries.

英国政治体制是经过几个世纪逐步形成的。

Word Study startle: give a shock to;cause to move or jump

Startled

She was startled to see him looking so ill.

看到他病到这种程度 , 使她大为吃惊。 startling

Word Study uniform adj . the same; not varying in form, quality,etc.

things of uniform weight

相同重量的东西 n. dress worn by all members of an organization

He looks handsome in uniform.

Word Study vary: be different

They vary in price from ten to fifty yuan.

vary various varied variety variation invarious invariously


—— phrases

► to make sb./sth. (out) of sb./sth.

It ’ s a place that makes useful men out of boys .

(make boys become useful men) eg.

经历把他磨练成男子汉。

Experience has made him a man.

The army made a man of him .


—— phrases

►

There is no good to be had in doing sth.

►

It is no good/use doing sth.

There is no good to be had in buying a boat when you don ’ t have enough spare time to use it.

It ’ s no good crying over spilt milk.

It is worth doing well what is worth doing.


—— phrases it is no (not much) good it is no (not any, hardly any, little) use it is useless it is not the slightest use

+ doing it is worth(worthwhile) there is no (no good, no use)

►

There is no denying that women are playing an important role in the world today.


—— phrases

► to tear sb. away from a place to (make sb.) leave a place or a person unwillingly because one has to eg.

Can ’ t you for dinner?

tear

yourself

away from

the TV

I found the program absolutely fascinating. I couldn ’ t

tear

myself even to finish an urgent e-mail.

away

—


—— phrases

► to cling to sth.

to hold tightly; not release one ’ s grip on eg.

The little child clung to his mother for comfort.

She still clings to the belief that her son is alive.

小猴子紧紧偎着它妈妈。

The baby monkey clung to its mother.


—— phrases

►

burst into (tears, sobs; laughter, a guffaw, song) begin, suddenly and/or violently, to cry, laugh, sing etc.

eg.

burst into tears

放声大哭 burst into the room

闯入房间


—— phrases cf.

The aircraft turned on its back and burst into flames.

The orchards seemed to have burst into blossom overnight.

I mentioned the incident later to a friend and he burst out laughing/crying.


—— phrases

► sort people into ranks put ... in order; arrange cf.

我把这些书整理成大的和小的两类。

I sorted the books into big ones and small ones.

" 请把这些文件整理一下 , 用夹子夹在一起。 "

"Sort out these papers and fasten them together with a clip, please."


—— phrases

► to resort to to make use of ; to turn to sth. (esp. sth. bad) as a solution eg.

我很遗憾你竟用欺骗手段。

I'm sorry you have resorted to deception.

诉诸武力 to resort to force


—— phrases

► to present oneself to appear, happen eg.

When the chance to study at Harvard itself , I jumped at it.

presented

He was ordered to present himself at the chairman ’ s office at nine o ’ clock next morning.


—— phrases

►

►

►

►

►

Guess the word meaning

They unwrapped their Christmas

His wife

His sudden resignation situation.

The National Theatre is presents us with a tricky presenting “ King Lear next month.

It was unfair to discuss his case if he wasn ’ t

” present .

presents .

presented him with a brand-new baby girl.

►

►

►

►

Assignment: word study

Fill in the blanks with proper prepositions

.

The change of air is particularly beneficial _______ her health.

to

He is now convinced ______ the truth of the report.

of

Please do not be irritated _______ his bad attention.

by manners since he is merely trying to attract

The old woman is unbearably curious _______ other people ’ s business.

about

Word study —— prefixes

►

Fill in the blanks with proper words having the required prefix. After class, study such words as much as possible.

mis-= wrong(ly), bad(ly), ill

(misgiving … )

1. The irresponsible misbehavior driver resulted in an accident.

of a drunken

3. I like your plan in principle; my only ______ is that it may take too long to carry out.

4. How can we clear up the ____________ between the two families?

misunderstanding



► over- = above, across, beyond

(overlook, … )

1. The fire was completely daybreak.

overcome by overflowed onto 2. Water from the kitchen sink the floor.

3. Our garden is overlooked neighbor ’ s windows.

from the

4. Well, I ’ ll again.

overlook it this time; but don ’ t do it



► var(i)=diverse, to change

(vary, variation, various, variety, ...)

1. Features such as height, weight, and skin color vary to face.

2. The weatherman broadcasts the ________ in temperature twice a day.

variation variety

Islands inspired Charles Darwin to establish his theory of evolution.

Word study

—— after-class work

►

Work in group and study the following words and expressions to show the class their usage.

List:

Group 1: come up to, convince find one ’ s way to do sth fool around halt, hesitate

Word study


Group 2 irritate, misgive, nothing but, on one ’ s own, overlook, scold

Group 3 spin, startle, stretch out take advantage of, take over, trace

Writing


Write a composition no less than 100 words and you should base your composition on the outline below.

On Change

1. We are living in an ever-changing world.

2. Change is double-edged.

3. We can manage to take advantage of changes.

Half a Day

Naguib Mahfouz

“ You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.

”

----Naguib Mahfouz

Half a Day

Naguib Mahfouz

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Half a Day Naguib Mahfouz

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