Main Ideas

卷二（第六、七、八、九、十章）

主要讲王安石的变法内容以及对于当时政治格局以及苏家兄弟仕途的影响。

第七章和第八章重点讲述王石变法的里的一些政策的负面影响，以及王安石的性格特征，特别是对于反对派文人学士的打压排挤。给我们展现了不同于他文学上的另一面。

而第九章和第十章节，像是一曲高歌之后的尾声，朝堂之上再次暂时归于平静，各种势力都得到削弱，而可能这就是皇帝所乐于见到了。而这场政治风波也对苏家兄弟二人仕途产生了很大的影响。在他们任职于苏州时，他们寄情山水，来抒发自己的抱负以及自己的政治态度。

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我们唯有通过不断的阅读求知，才能驱除自己的愚昧和怯弱，从而获得一种面对外部世界的谦卑，以及面对内心世界的勇气。所以当苏格拉底站在大庭广众面前宣称“我唯一所知道的就是自己的无知”时，这其实是一个人所能达到的最大的智慧。坚持阅读，坚持思考！

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Words & Expressions

deplorable adj.  formal very bad, unpleasant, and shocking【正式】 恶劣的；可悲的；令人震惊(appalling)

negligent  adj  1.not taking enough care over something that you are responsible for, with the result that serious mistakes are made疏忽的，粗心大意的；玩忽职守的negligent in (doing) sth

wicked adj  1.behaving in a way that is morally wrong邪恶的；缺德的

bull-headed  adj.determined to get what you want without really thinking enough about it愚笨固执的；任性的

brook eg. He would brook no criticism, even from his beloved daughter. 他不能容忍任何批评，哪怕是自己深爱的女儿也不行。

double-cross  v  to cheat someone, especially after you have agreed to do something dishonest with them〔尤指在答应与对方一起做坏事后〕叛卖，出卖

muzzle v. to prevent someone from saying what they think in public使缄默，封住…的嘴；钳制…的言论

cashier v.to force an officer to leave the army, navy etc because they have done something wrong开除，革除〔军官的职务)

force sb’s hand to make someone do something unwillingly or earlier than they had intended迫使某人采取行动；迫使某人提前行动

not mince (your) words to say exactly what you think, even if this might offend people直言不讳地说，毫不遮掩地说

bicker v.to argue, especially about something very unimportant〔尤指为琐事〕争吵，发生口角(+about / over)

dissension n  [C,U]disagreement among a group of people〔某一团体内部的〕意见分歧，纷争，不和 (+in / within / between / among)

consternation

[U]a feeling of worry, shock, or fear惊愕；震惊；惊惶失措  in consternation

marry sb.off  为某人寻得配偶（含贬义）

bubble (also 又作 bubble away/up )if a feeling or activity bubbles, it continues to exist〔某种情感或活动〕继续存在

the bubble bursts  used for saying that a very successful or happy period of time suddenly ends成为泡影，泡沫破灭

burst / prick sb’s bubble  to make someone suddenly realize that something is not as good as they thought it was 戳破肥皂泡，使某人的幻想破灭

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Excerpts

Wang Anshih bided his time.

Is he really ill, or is he fishing for a better post？

After reading the long memorandum, Emperor Jentsung laid it aside and let it sleep.

He began to sweep the whole governmental household with a wide new broom.

Without going too much into the details of the various reforms, we may give a brief summary of these measures.

Su Tungpo was getting hot under the collar.

The relation of the people's support to the ruler may be likened to that of the roots to a tree, oil to the lamp, water to the fish, rice fields to the farmer, and capital to the businessman.

In any political fight the good man were bound to lose, while the bad politicians were bound to come our on top. For good men fought for principles and bad men fought for power, and in the end both would get what they wanted, by the good men's quitting and the bad men's staying.

Tseyu was steady, practical, reserved, and given to few words; Tungpo was volatile, expansive, loquacious, naive and inclined to disregard the consequences of his actions.

What distinguished greater personalities from lesser people was often the difference in the energy, drive, dash, and vivacity of such men.