‘Funny stuff on the news,’ Mr Dursley mumbled. ‘Owls … shooting stars … and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today …’
‘So?’ snapped Mrs Dursley.
‘Well, I just thought … maybe … it was something to do with … you know … her lot.’ Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he’d heard the name ‘Potter’. He decided he didn’t dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, ‘Their son – he’d be about Dudley’s age now, wouldn’t he?’
‘I suppose so,’ said Mrs Dursley stiffly.
‘What’s his name again? Howard, isn’t it?’
‘Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me.’
‘Oh, yes,’ said Mr Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. ‘Yes, I quite agree.’
He didn’t say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something.
Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did … if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn’t think he could bear it.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Bloomsbury. Kindle Edition.
Knowledge Point
⇒ funny stuff 滑稽可笑的事
stuff [noun]
-
a substance, especially when you do not know or say exactly what it is
-
things that someone says or does, when you are referring to them in a general way without saying exactly what they are
⇒ mumble [verb] 喃喃自语
to speak quietly and in a way that is not clear so that the words are difficult to understand
⇒ funny-looking people 样子可笑的人
⇒ snap [verb] (speak)
to say something suddenly in an angry way
"Mrs Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips."
⇒ sip [verb]
to drink, taking only a very small amount at a time
sip
⇒ pursed lips
pursed lips
"Mr Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he’d heard the name ‘Potter’."
⇒ wonder [verb]
to ask yourself questions or express a wish to know about something
⇒ 尝试翻译：Mr Dursley想知道他是否敢告诉她，他已听说“Potter”这个名字了。
"Instead he said, as casually as he could, ‘Their son – he’d be about Dudley’s age now, wouldn’t he?’ "
⇒ 尝试翻译：他反而尽可能随意地说：“他们的儿子，他现在应该和Dudley差不多年纪了吧？”
"‘I suppose so,’ said Mrs Dursley stiffly. "
⇒ suppose [verb]
to think that something is liking to be true
⇒ stiffly [adverb]
in a way that is too formal
⇒ 尝试翻译：“我猜想是的”，Mrs Dursley生硬地说。
"Nasty, common name..."
⇒ nasty [adjective]
bad or very unpleasant
⇒ 尝试翻译：令人讨厌，俗名
"...his heart sinking horribly..."
⇒ sink
to (cause something or someone to) fall or move to a lower level
⇒ "your heart sinks" means you feel disappointed and discouraged.
⇒ 尝试翻译：他的心沉了下去，跌入谷底一般。
"Mr Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden."
⇒ creep [verb]
to move slowly, quietly and carefully, usually in order to avoid being noticed
⇒ peer [verb]
to look carefully or with difficulty
"It was staring down Privet Drive as though it was waiting for something. "
⇒ 小说中的伏笔，接下来肯定有新人物要登场了~
"Could all this have anything to do with the Potters?"
⇒ be/have something to do with sth
to be related to something or a cause of something but not in a way that you know about or understand exactly
⇒ 尝试翻译：这一切都和Potters有关系吗？
"If it did … if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn’t think he could bear it."
⇒ get out ~ become known
If news or information gets out, people hear about it although someone is trying to keep it secret.
⇒ 尝试翻译：如果那样的话，如果被人知道他们和一对……有关系——够了，他认为他不能忍受这一点。
知识星球——读英语原著
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