‘What about what’s-her-name, your friend – Yvonne?’
‘On holiday in Majorca,’ snapped Aunt Petunia.
‘You could just leave me here,’ Harry put in hopefully (he’d be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley’s computer).
Aunt Petunia looked as though she’d just swallowed a lemon.
‘And come back and find the house in ruins?’ she snarled.
‘I won’t blow up the house,’ said Harry, but they weren’t listening.
‘I suppose we could take him to the zoo,’ said Aunt Petunia slowly, ‘… and leave him in the car …’
‘That car’s new, he’s not sitting in it alone …’
Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn’t really crying, it had been years since he’d really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.
‘Dinky Duddydums, don’t cry, Mummy won’t let him spoil your special day!’ she cried, flinging her arms around him.
‘I … don’t … want … him … t-t-to come!’ Dudley yelled between huge pretend sobs. ‘He always sp-spoils everything!’ He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother’s arms.
Rowling, J.K.. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone . Bloomsbury. Kindle Edition.
Knowledge Point
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‘On holiday in Majorca,’ snapped Aunt Petunia.
⇒ Majorca [noun] 【参见图片】
the largest of the Balearic Islands, off the coast of Spain
Majorca (or Mallorca) is an island in the Mediterranean off the coast of Spain and a European vacationing hot spot, where the Dursleys wanted to buy a vacation home (CS1) and where Petunia’s friend Yvonne once vacationed (PS2). Both of these events, of course, caused frustration for the Dursleys over Harry; the vacation home dream was ruined when Dobby dropped a pudding on Mrs. Mason’s head, and since Yvonne couldn’t watch Harry on Dudley’s birthday, they were forced to bring him to the zoo instead. (Refer to https://www.hp-lexicon.org/place/europe/spain/majorca/)
Majorca (or Mallorca)
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‘You could just leave me here,’ Harry put in hopefully (he’d be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley’s computer).
⇒ for a change
If you say that you are doing something or something is happening for a change, you mean that you do not usually do it or it does not usually happen, and you are happy to be doing it or that it is happening.
e.g. Now let me ask you a question, for a change.
⇒ have a go
try to do something
e.g. "I can't get the window open." "Let me have a go (at it)." -
Aunt Petunia looked as though she’d just swallowed a lemon.
⇒ Aunt Petunia看起来像刚刚咽下了一个柠檬。（swallow又出现了） -
‘And come back and find the house in ruins?’ she snarled.
⇒ in ruins [phrase]
If a building or place is in ruins, most of it has been destroyed and only parts of it remain. -
‘I won’t blow up the house,’ said Harry, but they weren’t listening.
⇒ blow up [phrase verb]
If someone blows something up or if it blows up, it is destroyed by an explosion. -
‘That car’s new, he’s not sitting in it alone …’
⇒ he’s not sitting ~ he is not sitting
现在进行时表将来，一般是不久的，很近的将来。 -
Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn’t really crying, it had been years since he’d really cried, but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.
⇒ screw up [phrase verb] 【参见图片】
If you screw up your eyes or your face, you tighten your eye or face muscles, for example because you are in pain or because the light is too bright.
⇒ wail [verb] 号啕大哭
to make a long, high cry, usually because of pain or sadness
⇒ Dudley和现在很多小朋友甚至是大人一样，不合心意的时候就闹腾来获得关注或达到目的。
screw up
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‘Dinky Duddydums, don’t cry, Mummy won’t let him spoil your special day!’ she cried, flinging her arms around him.
⇒ Dinky Duddydums
Dudley的有一个爱称出现了。
⇒ spoil [verb]
to destroy or reduce the pleasure, interest, or beauty of something
⇒ fling [verb] 【参见图片】
If you fling a part of your body in a particular direction, especially your arms or head, you move it there suddenly.
fling
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‘I … don’t … want … him … t-t-to come!’ Dudley yelled between huge pretend sobs. ‘He always sp-spoils everything!’
⇒ yell between huge pretend sobs
简单来说就是“假装哭吼”
“yell”（吼叫）中带着“sobs”（抽泣），还是假装的。 -
He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother’s arms.
⇒ 这句描写也很具象，可以想象一下：Dudley被妈妈爱护一般搂在怀里，他从妈妈的臂弯缝隙间朝Harry不怀好意地笑了笑。“a nasty grin”会经常出现在小说里吧，用来描写反派邪恶的笑。
知识星球——读英语原著
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