PART 1 Q&A

Q: What influence did Su's family have on Su?

A: Su's intellectual brilliance as well as his generosity and integrity could be traced back to his paternal grandfather. Albeit illiterate, the man was generous, big-hearted and upright. Su also inherited his love for wine. Su's ruggedness to resist conversion and currents derived from his father, Su Shun, who although reached success late in life, was no less brilliant than his illustrious sons. The mental qualities of Su's paternal family, in combination with those of his maternal family, the Chengs, somehow produced the literary genius.

PART 2 Sentences

But, like modern children in school upon the arrival of a new teacher, they had a game of their own to play. When a new magistrate arrived they would test him, and if he "knew his onions", they would let him alone. But if he was in any way officious or overbearing, he would have a hard time of it.

PS: "know one's onions": The expression was first recorded in the magazine Harper’s Bazaar in March 1922. It was one of a set of such phrases, all with the sense of knowing one’s stuff, or being highly knowledgeable in a particular field, that circulated in the 1920s. Others were to know one’s oats, to know one’s oil, to know one’s apples, to know one’s eggs, and even to know one’s sweet potatoes (which appeared in a cartoon by T A Dorgan in 1928). You may notice certain similarities between the substances mentioned, most being foods and most having names that start with a vowel.

PART 3 Expressions

1. But first something must be said about this birthday, lest we but add to a certain confusion plaguing Chinese biographies abroad.

lest: (conj.) 1. in order to make sure that something will not happen 以免；以防

She turned away from the window lest anyone see them.

2. worried/ concerned/ anxious etc lest ... used to show that sb is afraid or worried that a particular thing might happen

He paused, afraid lest he say too much.

She worried lest he should tell someone what had happened.

but: (ad.) only

This is but one example of what can happen when things go badly wrong.

2. He was actually always two years younger than he would be according to the Chinese reckoning.

reckoning: calculation that is based on a careful guess rather than on exact knowledge

By my reckoning, we have 12,000 clients.

in/ into/ out of the reckoning: among or not among those who are likely to win or be successful especially in sport

He had a knew injury, which put him out of the reckoning.

3. Being carefree and well provided, he would often pick up a wine jug and go about with his friends to sit on the grass and enjoy himself.

carefree: having no worries or problems 无忧无虑的

a carefree attitude

He thought back to the carefree days of his childhood.

well provided: having been supplied with sufficient means of support, especially financially

4. One day, in a drunken fit, he went into the temple of a particular god and smashed the idol into pieces.

fit: (n.) emotion, a time when you feel an emotion very strongly and cannot control your behavior

She killed him in a fit of temper.

He quit his job in a fit of drunken depression.

have/ throw a fit: informal, to be very angry or shocked

If your mother finds out about this, she'll have a fit.

5. We have no indications of the mental qualities of Su Tungpo's mother's family, but a fortuitous combination of the blood of the Sus and the Chengs somehow produced the literary genius.

fortuitous: [fɔ:ˈtju:ɪtəs]/ [fɔ:rˈtu:ɪtəs] happening by chance, especially in a way that has a good result 偶然的；偶发的

The meeting with Jack was fortuitous.

Their success is a fortuitous combination of circumstances.

6. The gentry kept lawbooks in their homes and "did not regard it as wrong" to be thoroughly conversant with the laws and statutes.

gentry: people who belong to a high social class  贵族

a member of the landed gentry (=gentry who own land)

conversant with: [kənˈvɜ:snt]  formal, having knowledge or experience of sth 熟悉的，了解的

Staff members are conversant with the issues.

conversant in: able to hold a conversation in a foreign language, but not able to speak it perfectly

Kim was conversant in Russian.

Su Tungpo