The Second Miracle

【生词】

bottle up：V to restrain (powerful emotion)

spur：a fact or event that makes you try harder to do something. on the spur of the moment: suddenly, without any previous planning or thought

confide: /kən'faɪd,kənˋfaɪd/ v. [T ] to tell someone you trust about personal things that you do not want other people to know. confide in sb

riffle: to move and quickly look at pieces of paper or the pages of a book, magazine et. raffle through

disastrous: /dɪ'zɑːstrəs,dɪˋzæstrəs/ adj. very bad, or ending in failure

exalted: /ɪɡ'zɔːltɪd,ɪɡ'zɔːltəd,ɪgˋzɔltɪd/ adj. formal filled with a great feeling of joy

wide-eyed: 睁大眼睛的，两眼放光的

flights of fancy: 异想天开

surge: 1.[always + adv/prep] to suddenly move very quickly in a particular direction. 2.if a feeling surges or surges up, you begin to feel it very strongly

dumb: unable to speak, because you are angry, surprised, shocked etc. The shock of seeing the miracle performed hadstruck her dumb.

glaze: [I] if your eyes glaze over, they show no expression, usually because you are very bored or tired

transfigure: to change the way someone or something looks, especially so that they become more beautiful

blaze:[singular,单数] a sudden show of very strong emotion. a blaze of

stir: [I,T] to move slightly, or to make something move slightly

seraphic: /sɪ'ræfɪk,sə'ræfɪk,səˋræfɪk/ adj.extremely beautiful or pure, like an angel

alarmed: worried or frightened

awestruck:  /ˈɔːstrʌk,ˋɔ͵strʌk/ adj. feeling great respect for the importance, difficulty, or seriousness of someone or something

silver wings:银色之翼

gather oneself/your strength/your thoughts：to prepare yourself for something you are going to do, especially something difficult 集中全力/整理思绪

【值得学习的表达】

Neither her mother nor her father would be of any use at all.

What's troubling you?

You saw it spilling all over Miss Trunchbull, didn't you?

I don't think I quite follow you./I still don't quite understand what you mean./I am still not following you.

Take all the time you want, I'm in no hurry.

Matilda put her elbows on the desk and cupped her face in her hands.

Miss Honey's mouth dropped open and her eyes stretched so wide you could see the whites all round.

She gaped at the glass, leaning well away from it now as though it might be a dangerous thing.

Then slowly she lifted head and looked at Matilda.

Gather up your things and I'll meet you outside in a couple of minutes.

I wouldn't dream of it.