Lesson 9 Royal espionage 王室谍报活动

First listen and then answer the following question.

听录音,然后回答以下问题。

What important thing did King Alfred learn when he penetrated the Danish camp of Guthrum?

Alfred the Great acted as his own spy, visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel. In those days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere. They were not fighting men, and their harp was their passport. Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth, and could vary his programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.

While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders. These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went. He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual. They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions. There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.

Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he returned to Athelney. The force there assembled was trivial compared with the Danish horde. But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle: and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular raids.

So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy. He was constantly 15 on the move, drawing the Danes after him. His patrols halted the raiding parties: hunger assailed the Danish army. Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes—and within a month the Danes had surrendered. The episode could reasonably serve as a unique epic of royal espionage!

BERNARD NEWMAN Spies in Britain

Alfred, disguised as a harpist, in the camp of the Danes

Unit 2 Lesson 9

New words and expressions 生词和短语

espionage (title) $/$ espi $\partial {n\alpha }$ : $3/n$ . 间谍活动 slack (1.7)/slæk/adj. 涣散的 Alfred (849-899) (1.1) 公元 871-899 年间任英 conqueror (1.8) /’koŋkərə/ n. 征服者国国王 casual (1.8) / 'kæʒuәl/adj. 马虎的, 随便的

Danish (1.1) /'demIJ/ adj. 丹麦的, 丹麦人的, 丹麦 precaution (1.8) $/{\mathrm}^{\prime }\mathrm{k} \propto 1\int n\mathrm{n}/n$ . 预防,警惕语的 proceeds (1.8) /’prəʊsiːdz/n. 所得 minstrel (1.2) $/\prime$ mmstr $\partial l/n$ . 中世纪的吟游歌手 assemble (1.11) $/{\theta }^{\prime }$ sembol/ $v$ . 集合 wandering (ll.1-2) /'wondərɪŋ/adj. 漫游的 trivial (1.11) / ’triviəl/ adj. 微不足道的 harp (1.2) $/{h\alpha }$ :p/ $n$ . 竖琴 prolonged (1.12) /prə'lɒŋd/ adj. 持久的 ballad (1.3) / 'bæləd/ n. 民歌 commissariat (1.13) $/$ , komɪ'seəriət $/n$ . 军粮供应 acrobatic (1.3) ${/}_{1}$ ækrə'bætɪk/adj. 杂技的 episode (1.17) /’episəʊd/ n. 一个事件,片断 conjuring (1.4) / kʌndʒərɪŋ/ n. 魔术 epic (1.17) /’epɪk/ $n$ . 史诗 Athelney (1.5) $/‘{æ\theta }\backepsilon \ln i/n$ . 阿塞尔纳 (英国一个小岛) harry (1.14) /’hæri/v. 骚扰 Chippenham (1.7) /'tʃɪpənəm/n. 切本哈姆(英国一城市)assail (1.15)/3'serl/ $v$ . 袭击 thither (1.7) /'ðIðə/adv. 向那里 skirmish (1.16) $/$ ’sk3ːmɪʃ $/n$ . 小规模战斗

Dane (1.7)/dem/n. 丹麦人

Notes on the text 课文注释

1 settle down, 驻扎。

2 They lived well, on the proceeds of raids, 他们的生活舒适, 靠袭击 (周围地区) 掠夺得到的财物为生。live on, 靠为生。

3 be fit for, 适宜于 ……。

参考译文

阿尔弗雷德大帝曾亲自充当间谍。他扮作吟游歌手到丹麦军队的营地里侦察。当时,浪迹天涯的吟游歌手到处受到欢迎, 他们不是作战人员, 竖琴就是他们的通行证。阿尔弗雷德年轻时学过许多民歌, 并能穿插演一些杂技和小魔术使自己的节目多样化。

当阿尔弗雷德人数不多的军队开始在阿塞尔纳慢慢集结时,他亲自潜入丹麦入侵司令官古瑟罗姆的营地。 丹麦军已在切本哈姆扎下营准备过冬,阿尔弗雷德便来到此地。他马上发现丹麦军纪律松弛,他们以征服者自居,安全措施马马虎虎。他们靠掠夺附近的地区的财物过着舒适的生活。他们不仅搜刮吃的喝的,而且抢掠妇女,安逸的生活已使丹麦军队变得软弱无力。

阿尔弗雷德在敌营呆了一个星期后,回到了阿塞尔纳。他集结在那里的军队和丹麦大军相比是微不足道的。 然而, 阿尔弗雷德断定, 丹麦人已不再适应持久的战争, 他们的军需供应处于无组织状态, 只是靠临时抢夺来维持。

因此, 面对丹麦人的进攻, 阿尔弗雷德没有贸然同敌人作战, 而是采用骚扰敌人的战术。他的部队不停地移动,牵着敌人的鼻子,让他们跟着他跑。他派出巡逻队阻止敌人抢劫,因而饥饿威胁着丹麦军队。这时,阿尔弗雷德发起一连串小规模的进攻, 结果不出一个月, 丹麦人就投降了。这一幕历史可以说是王室谍报活动中最精彩的篇章。 Unit 2 Lesson 9

Comprehension 理解

Give short answers to these questions in your own words as far as possible. Use one complete sentence for each answer.

1 Give two reasons why it was easy for Alfred the Great to penetrate the Danish camp.

2 Explain briefly how Alfred defeated the Danes.

Vocabulary 词汇

Refer to the text to see how the following words have been used, then write sentences of your own using these words: disguised (1.1); thither (1.7); slack (1.7); security precautions (1.8); proceeds (1.8); trivial (1.11); harried (1.14); assailed (1.15); skirmishes (1.16); unique (1.17).

The paragraph 段落

A Suggest a suitable title for this passage.

B Which of the following statements are correct:

1 In Alfred's time it was easy for a minstrel to gain access to an enemy camp.

2 Guthrum was the place where the Danish invaders had their camp.

3 Alfred defeated the Danes because he had a large army.

4 During the English attack, the Danes found it difficult to obtain food.

C The following sentences have been taken from the second paragraph (II. 5-12). Arrange them in their correct order. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

1 He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual.

2 These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham: thither Alfred went.

3 There they collected women as well as food and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.

4 While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders.

5 They lived well, on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions.

Key structures 关键句型

A Note how we can use a lot of in place of many (of) and much (of):

Instead of saying: Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth. (1.3)

We can say: Alfred had learned $a$ lot of their ballads in his youth.

Write these sentences again using much (of) or many (of) in place of a lot of:

1 There were a lot of people present at the reception.

2 I haven't got a lot of books.

3 I haven't brought a lot of luggage with me.

4 A lot of the machinery in this factory is out of date.

5 A lot of the shops in this area close on Wednesday afternoon.

Unit 2 Lesson 9

B Put the words in parentheses in their correct position in these sentences. Do not refer to the passage until

you have finished the exercise:

1 He noticed that discipline was slack. (at once) (1.7)

2 They lived on the proceeds of raids on neighbouring regions. (well) (II.8-9)

3 But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were fit for prolonged battle. (no longer) (II.12-13)

C Note how as well as can be used to mean in addition to:

There they collected women as well as food and drink. (1.9)

Write two senteces using as well as in the same way.

D Compare these two sentences:

Instead of saying: Their commissariat had no organization. (1.13)

We can say: Their commissariat hadn't any organization.

Supply suitable compounds with no or any in the following:

1 _____ called while you were out.

2 Did you go _____ last night?

3 Haven't you got _____ to do?

4 He said he knew _____ about it.

5 I don't know _____ by that name.

E Give the correct form of the verbs in parentheses. Do not refer to the passage until you have finished the exercise:

So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred not _____ (risk) open battle but _____ (harry) the enemy. He _____(be) constantly on the move, _____ (draw) the Danes after him. His patrols _____ (halt) the raiding parties: hunger _____ (assail) the Danish army. Now Alfred _____ (begin) a long series of skirmishes—and within a month the Danes _____ (surrender). (ll.14-17)

Special difficulties 难点

A Study the following pairs of words and then write sentences of your own to bring out the difference:

1 wandering (II.1-2) - wondering

I love wandering around second-hand bookshops.

I'm wondering if we've made a mistake here.

2 learned (1.3) - taught

I learned to knit when I was eight.

Who taught you how to knit?

3 noticed (I.7) - remarked

She noticed that several students seemed restless that morning.

He remarked, 'You look beautiful today.'

4 conquerors (1.8) - winners

Military victories were celebrated by parading the defeated chiefs and princes in the streets of Rome, in a display of

submission to their conquerors.

The Oxford team were the winners in last year's Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

Unit 2 Lesson 9 5 force (I.11) - strength The captain called together a small force of hand-picked men. (= a group under orders) The door was opened by force. (= the use of strength) You need a great deal of strength to be a weight lifter. (= the quality of being strong) But force and strength are often interchangeable when followed by 'of the': The force/the strength of the wind was so great that the roof was blown off. B Explain the meaning of the verbs and expressions in italics:

1 These had settled down for the winter at Chippenham ... (II.6-7)

2 Have you settled your account yet?

3 They settled in Australia before the war.

4 It's time we settled this question.

5 He settled all his property on his wife.

C Note this compound with self:

The Danes had the self-confidence of conquerors. (II.7-8)

Write sentences using the following:

self-assurance; self-denial; self-governing; self-centred.

D Explain the words and expressions in italics:

1 The Danes were no longer fit for prolonged battle. (ll.12-13)

2 Does that coat fit you?

3 I can't fit all these clothes into this suitcase.

4 He may win the race today. He's extremely fit and in good form.

5 He wrote that book in a sudden fit of energy.

6 It's a' good idea, but it doesn't fit in with our plans.

Multiple choice questions 多项选择题

Choose the correct answers to the following questions.

Comprehension 理解

1 Why was it easy for Alfred the Great to visit the Danish camp disguised as a minstrel? (a) Because no one would recognize him. (b) Because he had learned many Danish ballads in his youth. (c) Because minstrels were able to travel freely in those days. (d) Because no one would refuse hospitality to a king. 2 At the Chippenham camp, King Alfred took special note of the fact that _____ (a) the camp was easy to penetrate (b) the Danish commander, Guthrum, had a lot of confidence (c) winter was setting in (d) the Danes were unprepared for war

Unit 2 Lesson 9

3 From what he had seen, Alfred concluded that _____.

(a) he would have to stay in the Danish camp for a week

(b) his small army was not necessarily a disadvantage

(c) the Danes would be dangerous in a prolonged battle

(d) the Danes could survive indefinitely on irregular raids

4 One of the factors that led to the Danish surrender was that _____.

(a) the Danes could no longer depend on irregular raids to obtain food

(b) King Alfred engaged in open battle

(c) this was a unique epic of royal espionage

(d) they surrendered within a month

Structure 句型

5 Minstrels were not men _____ in battle. (1.2)

(a) who fight (b) to fight (c) fighting (d) they fight

6 The Danes collected women _____ food and drink. (1.9)

(a) also (b) both (c) in addition to (d) moreover

7 Alfred stayed in the camp a week before _____ to Athelney.

(a) returning (b) to return (c) to returning (d) return

8 So, _____ with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle. (1.14)

(a) he was faced (b) on being faced (c) he faced (d) in the face Vocabulary 词汇

9 Alfred was disguised so no one _____ him. (1.1)

(a) recognized (b) understood (c) knew (d) met

10 Alfred _____ at once that discipline was slack. (1.7)

(a) regarded (b) remarked (c) saw (d) attended

11 The force there _____ was trivial compared with the Danish horde. (II.11-12)

(a) gathered (b) picked up (c) constituted (d) picked

12 His patrols _____ the raiding parties. (1.15)

(a) attacked (b) prevented (c) held back (d) put an end to 58