Passage B
◆Important Words and Expressions◆
adaptable［əˈdæptəbl］adj.being able to change their ideas or behaviors in order to deal with new situations.有适应能力的；适合的；可改编的
e.g. 1.He is an adaptable man and will soon learn the new work.
他是个适应性很强的人，很快就将学会这种工作。
2.Children are highly adaptable—they just need time to readjust.
儿童的适应能力很强——他们只是需要时间重新适应。
reflection［rIˈflekʃn］n.expression without words反映；体现
e.g. 1.This is a reflection of their frailty.这是他们虚弱的反映。
2.This mess is a poor reflection on his competence.这种混乱情况说明他难当此任。
stage［steIdʒ］v.organize and present a performance上演，演出；适于上演
e.g. 1.Maya Angelou first staged the play And I Still Rise in the late 1970s.
马娅·安杰卢在20世纪70年代后期第一次将戏剧《我还会站起来》搬上了舞台。
2.Atlantic City is the hot favorite to stage the fight.
在大西洋城举行这场拳击比赛是众望所归。
scatter［ˈskætə］v.throw or drop things so that they spread all over the area撒于……上；撒播；（使）散开
e.g. 1.They've been scattering toys everywhere.他们总是把玩具扔得到处都是。
2.Scatter the grass seed over the lawn.把草籽撒到草坪上。
Withhold［wIðˈhəʊld］v.hold back；to refuse to hand over or share保留；抑制（某事物）
e.g. 1.Fear made him withhold the truth.恐惧使他不敢说实话。
2.The captain decided to withhold the terrible news even from his officers.
船长决定哪怕是对高级船员也要封锁这个可怕的消息。
conviction［kənˈvIkʃn］n.an unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence信念；确信
e.g. 1.It is our firm conviction that a step forward has been taken.
我们坚信已经向前迈进了一步。
2.His conviction carried him along in his research.
他的信心支持着他把研究工作坚持下去。
ambivalence［æmˈbIvələns］n.mixed feelings or emotions矛盾情绪；矛盾心理；犹豫
e.g. 1.When I graduated from college,though,my days of ambivalence were over.
然而当我大学毕业时，这种矛盾的日子结束了。
2.She viewed her daughter's education with ambivalence.她看待女儿的教育问题态度矛盾。
for good measure另外；除此之外
e.g. 1.For good measure,a few details of hotels were included.
除此之外还包括对宾馆的一些详细介绍。
2.I repeated my question for good measure.另外，我重复了我的问题。
pros and cons利弊；赞成和反对的理由
e.g. 1.The pros and cons cancel out.正反两种意见抵消。
2.He balanced the pros and cons of the situation.他权衡了形势的有利和不利方面。
at its best处于最佳状态
e.g. 1.This is vintage comedy at its best.这是这类喜剧中的代表性作品。
2.Nature is at its best in spring.春天的大自然是最美的。
persuade…to…说服某人
e.g. 1.Somehow,he'd managed to persuade Kay to buy one for him.
不知用了什么方法，他成功说服凯给他买了一个。
2.Try to persuade him to come.尽量劝他来。
◆Explanations of Difficult Sentences◆
（1）The stock argument against the one⁃person show is that it drains drama of conflict,but that is not strictly true.
•老一套的观点反对单人剧，认为单人剧会消解戏剧的矛盾冲突，但这一说法并不完全正确。
•在本句中，is是系动词，它后面的“that it drains drama of conflict”是表语从句。but是并列连词，原句从整体上看是一个并列句。but后面的that不是引导词，而是代词，指代前面提到的“it drains drama of conflict”这种说法。
（2）But,much as I praised Warden's wickedly funny portrait of the cult's leader,it strikes me that the one⁃person show denies you a dual perspective.
•然而，即使我赞扬瓦尔登恶作剧式地对宗教领袖这一角色进行了有趣的刻画，我还是意识到单人剧会让你无法持双重视角。
•As引导让步状语从句时，可将从句中作表语的名词或形容词、作状语的副词、作谓语的实意动词等提前，形成倒装句，比如King as he is，Try as he might。本句的让步状语从句是倒装句，正常的语序是：as I praised Warden's wickedly funny portrait of the cult's leader much，much作为状语被提前。it及后面的部分是主句。It strikes sb.that…是常用句式，表示某人突然觉得……，it只是形式主语，真正的主语是“the one⁃person show denies you a dual perspective”。
（3）If this were a conventional drama,the actor playing the guru would be obliged to present the character from her own point of view:she might even play her as a woman of passionate conviction having to deal with a stroppy kid.
•如果这是一部传统的戏剧，扮演宗教领袖的演员必须从她自身的观点出发来展现角色，她甚至可能将角色塑造成一个满怀激情信念的女人形象，不得不应付一个脾气暴躁的孩子。
•这句话使用了虚拟语气，固定结构为“if＋did\were，…would\should\could\might…”。“would be obliged to present”是主句的谓语，动名词短语“playing the guru”作了“actor”的后置定语，表示“扮演宗教领袖的演员”。
（4）But one particular scene,in which a radical young cleric confronted a superior who accepted the status quo,neatly illustrated my point:you felt Gill was sympathetic to the young priest but,as a dramatist,was obliged to explore the senior figure's belief that poverty,however regrettable,was part of the human condition.
•但是有一幕比较特别，一名激进的年轻牧师与一位接受现状的高级教士相对抗，这清楚地说明了我的观点：你感觉吉尔同情这个年轻牧师，但是作为一名戏剧家，他必须探索这位高级神职人员的信念——贫穷虽令人遗憾，但它是人类基本生存状况的一部分。
•本句较为复杂，主干部分是“But one particular scene neatly illustrated my point”。“in which a radical…status quo”是从句部分，其先行词是“scene”。从句中又嵌套后置定语从句“who accepted the status quo”，其先行词是“superior”。冒号后面的内容是对“my point”的具体解释说明。