Reading Reflection

乌台诗案以后，苏轼和当年的刘禹锡一样，“积习难改、无药可救”，高吟着“前度刘郎今又来”，长笑着“平生文字为吾累”，虽然被贬至黄州，但是看到苏轼开始内省，向佛道儒寻求内心的平静就觉得真好，在九死一生后开始有些超然，“东坡”锄田的日子也让他的生活更有烟火味。他真的是一个诗人，寻常人看风景便是风景，遭苦难便是忍怨，但是苏轼却用诗意的眼光看最小的美和最真的人生况味，超然也。

Words & Expressions

1. scot-free (P187/Chapter 14)

Su Tungpo, to use the poet's own expression, had gone on "spitting out flies found in one's food," and had so far escaped scot-free.

scot-free: 不受处罚的,无伤的,平安的,无义务的；scot本身也有“分摊财政负担,估定的款项,税赋”的意思

2. 熟词僻义 overcome (P193/Chapter 14)

Tseyu, on reading the poems, was so overcome that he fell weeping on his desk, and the warden took them away.

overcome: vt. 被（烟、感情等）熏（压）倒；使受不了

3. far-fetched (P197/Chapter 14)

Some of the accusations were far-fetched. One of the most interesting cases was a poem about two old cypress trees.

far-fetched: 牵强的；fetch是“取得，拿到，”的意思，那么far-fetched就是东西太远以至于拿不到，就是牵强了~

4. Incorrigible (P197/Chapter 14)

Incorrigible as he was, that very day he wrote two poems again wherein he said that "facing the wine cup" he "felt like coming out of a dream," and trying his poetic pen, he "found it was already inspired."

Incorrigible: 不可救药的；积习难改

这句里的诗句是：“却对酒杯浑似梦，试拈诗笔已如神。”

5. 这首诗写得好，译得也好 (P204/Chapter 14)

In all my life, writing has brought me into trouble.

From now on the lesser my fame, the better it is for me.

I feel like the old man's horse that has returned to the fort.

And will no longer have youth's cock fights in the east city.

乌台诗案后，苏轼挥就的欢喜之作：《十二月二十八日，蒙恩责授检校水部员外郎黄》

平生文字为吾累，此去声名不厌低。塞上纵归他日马，城东不斗少年鸡。

休官彭泽贫无酒，隐几维摩病有妻。堪笑睢阳老从事，为余投檄向江西。

6.prolonging life (P210/Chapter 15)

Recently I have begun to understand something about the secret of prolonging life.

“延长寿命”就是“养生”啦~

7. contrite (P211/Chapter 15)

To this friend he wrote a perfectly correct answer, full of a contrite spirit.

contrite: If you are contrite, you are very sorry because you have done something wrong. 悔恨的

“悔过之意，溢于言表”

8. overcast (P211/Chapter 15)

Huangchow is a poor district. It often rains and the sky is usually overcast.

overcast: If it is overcast, or if the sky or the day is overcast, the sky is completely covered with cloud and there is not much light. 阴天的；阴暗愁闷的    如，overcast sky: 阴天

"黄州僻陋多雨，气象昏昏也。"

9. 佳句 (P212/Chapter 15)

The hills and the river, the wind and the moon, have no owner; they belong to anybody who has the leisure to enjoy them.

苏轼云：“江水风月本无常主，闲着便是主人。”