鲁达 《傲慢与偏见》是简·奥斯汀的小说中最出名的一本，也是文学史上很重要的一部作品，阅读它不光可以学习地道的英语，也能积累不少有用的人文知识。简·奥斯汀的小说对初学者而言是比较友好的，她的语言相对朴实，阅读体验很流畅又很贴近生活。全书一共61章，计划两个月完成。
Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always 【自始至终】assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in 【忙于，专心于】trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with:
"I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy."
"We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes," said her mother resentfully, "since we are not to visit."
"But you forget, mamma," said Elizabeth, "that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him."
"I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical 【/ˌhɪpəˈkrɪtɪkl/ 虚伪的】woman, and I have no opinion of her."
"No more have I," said Mr. Bennet; "and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you."
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain 【控制不住寄几】herself, began scolding 【训斥】one of her daughters.
"Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for Heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces."
"Kitty has no discretion 【自行决定权】in her coughs," said her father; "she times them ill."
"I do not cough for my own amusement," replied Kitty fretfully. "When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?"
"To-morrow fortnight."
"Aye, so it is," cried her mother, "and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself."
"Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to her."
"Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?"
"I honour your circumspection【谨言慎行】. A fortnight's acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if we do not venture somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself."
The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, "Nonsense, nonsense!"
"What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?" cried he. "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books and make extracts."
Mary wished to say something sensible, but knew not how.
"While Mary is adjusting her ideas," he continued, "let us return to Mr. Bingley."
"I am sick of Mr. Bingley," cried his wife.
"I am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me that before? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now."
The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.
"How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! and it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning and never said a word about it till now."
"Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose," said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures【欣喜若狂】of his wife.
"What an excellent father you have, girls!" said she, when the door was shut. "I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness; or me, either, for that matter. At our time of life it is not so pleasant, I can tell you, to be making new acquaintances every day; but for your sakes, we would do anything. Lydia, my love, though you are the youngest, I dare say Mr. Bingley will."
"Oh!" said Lydia stoutly, "I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I'm the tallest."
The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing【推测，猜测】how soon he would return Mr. Bennet's visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.
笔记分享：
01
to the last 至死，直到终了 （这里是夸张诙谐用法）
To the last he took pleasure in living.
02
be employed in doing sth 忙于，专心于做某事
She was employed in making a list of all the jobs to be done.
03
contain a feeling/sb 控制、抑制（感情）/忍不住
I was so furious I just couldn't contain myself
04
have（no）discretion （没）有自行决定权
The committee has the absolute discretion to refuse applications.
05
conjecture n.&v. 推测，猜测
Whether the business will survive another ten years is pure conjecture.
Tips
希望同学在做泛听/看练习的时候不要考虑太多诸如“要不要精听？”“遇到听不懂的单词要不要查字典”这样的问题。看过之后，能够看懂大概意思，能够让你利用好工作学习之余的碎片时间磨磨耳朵，那么你的目的就已经达到了。肌肉训练的时候你无法快速感知到它的细微变化。一次次的小的极限的突破，才会最终带来一个大的飞跃。如果你能坚持这样练习下去，无论是发音，语法还有词汇量都会产生质的飞跃，这就是习惯的力量。