LionsandTigersandBearsThemeofthestory

BytravelingtheCentralParkatnight,theauthor’sambivalence(矛盾情緒）makesclearNewYorkers’attitudetothePark.Ononehand,thereisloveandprideNewYorkershavefortheculturalrichnessandthebeautytheParkoffers;onetheotherhand,thecrimeandfeartheyhaveassociatedwiththePark.

Ⅱ.

TextStructureStructureoftheTextPart1(para.1~2

):TheauthordecidedtocampintheCentralpark

Part2(para.3~6):ThefirsttwohoursandhiefeelingandthefearCentralparkinspiredPart3(para.7~12):CentralParkhistoryandanotherscarePart3(para.13~25):MysleepoverinthewoodⅢ.

TextAnalysis

Plotofthestory

Settingofthestory

Analysis

ofthestory

Plot:traveldescriptionscombined

with

everything

hehasheard,read,observedand

experiencedinconnectionwiththeplace:hismovementsinCentralPark,theeventsandfamouspeopleassociatedwithitshistory,thebeautyofNewYorkatnight,thecrimeoffearit’sinspired.Setting:CentralParkinNewYorkAnalysis:goestonextpage

Readparagraph1~2andanswerthefollowingquestionsWhendidtheauthordecidetocampintheCentralPark？FridayeveninginJuly;What’stheweatherlike?Aheavy,muggy

dayQ:WhatdoyouknowaboutCentralPark?

1)Itisknownthattheparkisdangerousplace.2)Ordinarypeopledon’twanderaroundCentralParkatnight.3)Onlyafoolorbadpeoplegothereat

night.Evidence:thepoembyOgdenNash

Whatdidthepoemtrytotellus?Thepoemtriestotellsusthatthetiger’slairisthemostsafeplaceinthePark.WhydidtheauthordecidetocampinCentralParkatnight?Humanpsychology—wishingtodosth.preciselybecauseitissomethingpeoplenormallydon’tdo.Part2(Para.3-6):thefirsttwohoursand

thescareinthePark

(Paras3-4)

Whatdidhedointhefirstortwohours?hevisited:TheDelacorteTheatreBelvedereCastleTheHenryLuceNatureObservatoryShakespeareGarden

Whatwashisgenerallyfeeling?Whydidhefeellikethat?Exhilaration;enjoy/experiencetherichculturesleisurely(悠閑地）inthepark.

(paras5-6)HewaslostWhathappenedtohim?

Hewasscaredbyfivemenhuddlingaroundthebench.Whywashesoscared?Whatdidhesee?Thereassuringcity,NewYorkSkylinealight,someonerowingboatonthelakeWhatdidherecall?Adreadfulcrime(paras5-6)WhydopeoplehavesuchconstantfearinthePark?Darknessinthewild(Ramble)Witnesseddreadfulcrimes(lake)AnybodywhoknowsanythingaboutNewYorkknowsthecity’sessentialplatitude–thatyoudon’twanderaroundCentralParkatnight–andinthat,needlesstosay,wastheappeal:itwasthethingyoudon’tdo.(para.1)EverybodywhoknowsNewYorkknowsthatyoushouldnotwanderinCentralParkatnightbecauseitistoodangerous.(Essentialplatitude:)Thisisknowntoallandhasbeensaidoverandover.(Inthatwastheappeal:)However,preciselybecauseoftherisktherearealwayspeopleluredtovisitCentralParkatnight.Theyjustwishtodowhatpeoplenormallydon’tdo.appeal:aqualitythatsomethinghasthatmakespeoplelikeitorwantitExample:theappealofhorrormovieButthat’stheappealoftheplace,saymanyresidentsandvisitors.It’saplacewheremanycometofindaslowerpaceforalifetimeorjustaweekend.Partiesonriver-boatshavelosttheirappealsinceonesanklastyearkillingthirty-threepeople.

IfyoushouldhappenafterdarktofindyourselfinCentralPark…(para1)“Shouldisusedafter“if”,“incase”orwithsubjectandverbsinvertedtosuggestthataneventisnotlikelytohappen.

Example:Ifyoushouldchangeyourmind,doletmeknow.ShouldTomphone,canyoutellhimI’llphonebacklater?Hecouldpersuadehertostayshouldthisbenecessary.…andthiscouldhavebeenanoutdoorsummer-stockShakespeareproductionanywhereinAmerica,exceptinonerespect.(para3)Andtonight’sperformancecouldbeanyoutdoorperformanceofShakespeare’splayoneregularlyfindsinsummerinAmerica(It’saculturaltraditioninAmericatoputonfreeShakespeareproductionsinsummer).Therewasonlyonedifference.Note:stock:usedasanadjective,meaning:usuallykeptinstockandregularlyavailable常備的，Example:

intensiveReadingisoneofourstockcourses.Toothpasteisstockmerchandiseinadrugstore.Igotmybearings(para.6):IfoundwhereIwas.get/foundsb'sbearings:tofindoutwheresbisandwhattodonext.eg.Ifoundmybearingsquicklywhilemomfrettedoverthemap.Comparelostsb'sbearings:tobecomeconfusedaboutwheresbisandwhattodonext....allsenseofdirectionobliterated...(para.5)Ilostmysenseofdirectionobliterate:togetrideof.eg.Theheavyrainobliteratedallfootprints.Thewholevillagewasobliteratedinthewar....and,havingstuffedmysmallrucksackwith...(para.1)stuffsthwithsthelse:tofilloroverfillacontainerorspacewithsth,eg.It'sch