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世界经典文学精选. 45
A Tale of Two Cities《双城记》
作者：Charles Dickens 查尔斯·狄更斯
选自查尔斯·狄更斯《A Tale of Two Cities》
《双城记》，英文原作，1859年4月30日开始连载。
英文原文
It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light,
it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope,
it was the winter of despair.
We had everything before us,
we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven,
we were all going direct the other way.
In short, the period was so far like the present period,
that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.
There were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a plain face,
on the throne of England;
there were a king with a large jaw and a queen with a fair face,
on the throne of France.
In both countries it was clearer than crystal
to the lords of the State preserves of loaves and fishes,
that things in general were settled for ever.
译文
那是最美好的时代，
那是最糟糕的时代；
那是智慧的年头，
那是愚昧的年头；
那是信仰的时期，
那是怀疑的时期；
那是光明的季节，
那是黑暗的季节；
那是希望的春天，
那是绝望的冬天。
我们面前无所不有，
我们面前一无所有；
我们全都在直奔天堂，
我们全都在直奔相反的方向。
简而言之，那时跟现在非常相像，
某些喧嚣的权威人士坚持认为，
无论好坏，只能用最高级来形容这个时代。
英格兰王座之上，
有一位大下巴的国王与相貌平平的王后；
法兰西王座之上，
有一位大下巴的国王与容貌秀美的王后。
在两国那些垄断利益的权贵眼中，
世事已然定型，会永远维持当下的模样，
这件事清晰得如同水晶一般。
🔍长难句赏析与拆解
原句：
It was the best of times,
it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom,
it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief,
it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light,
it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope,
it was the winter of despair.
句式解读：
整段由十个结构一致的并列主句构成排比句。
正反概念两两对照：美好/糟糕，智慧/愚昧，
信仰/怀疑，光明/黑暗，希望/绝望。
句式对称工整，节奏铿锵，
以强烈反差勾勒时代矛盾，是文学史上经典开篇。
句子主干：
It was the finest time,
and also the worst time.
It was an era of wisdom,
and also an era of stupidity.
It was a time of faith,
and also a time of doubt.
It was a season of light,
and also a season of darkness.
It was a spring of hope,
and also a winter of despair.
文学赏析：
开篇这句奠定全文的时代基调。
狄更斯运用一连串对偶排比，
写出大革命前夕矛盾重重的欧洲。
同一个时代，对不同人而言，既是天堂，又是地狱。
正反词语成对出现，张力拉满。
预示故事之中，命运起落、善恶交织，
悲剧与救赎将同时上演。
写作迁移点拨：
适用于时代思辨、矛盾并存、
二元对立、世事两面性类作文开篇段落。
仿写：
It was the warmest of days,
it was the coldest of days,
it was the moment of gain,
it was the moment of loss,
it was the hour of joy,
it was the hour of sorrow,
it was the dawn of growth,
it was the dusk of innocence,
it was the summer of passion,
it was the autumn of loneliness.
仿写运用思路：
完整复刻对偶排比句式，正反意象两两对照，适合哲理类作文开篇。
原句：
We had everything before us,
we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven,
we were all going direct the other way.
句式解读：
继续沿用简短对偶句，两组对立，延续上文排比节奏。
语言简短直白，却充满悖论感。
写出身处时代洪流之中人们截然不同的命运走向。
句子主干：
We owned all things ahead of us,
we owned nothing ahead of us.
We were all hurrying toward paradise,
we were all hurrying toward ruin.
文学赏析：
这四句承接开篇排比，进一步强化时代的分裂感。
在动荡年代，有人坐拥一切，有人一无所有。
人们怀揣截然不同的命运期盼，朝着完全相反的终点前行。
看似矛盾的描述，精准写出大变革时代众生的荒诞处境。
写作迁移点拨：
适用于人生悖论、时代洪流、选择与命运类议论文论证段落。
仿写：
We held all chances before us,
we held no chances before us,
we were all walking toward brightness,
we were all walking toward the shadow.
仿写运用思路：
复刻简短对偶句式，正反对照，适合写人生矛盾与选择。
原句：
In short, the period was so far like the present period,
that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received,
for good or for evil,
in the superlative degree of comparison only.
句式解读：
so … that … 结果状语从句结构。
for good or for evil为插入语，意为无论好坏；
句末介词短语作状语，修饰前面谓语。
点明历史总是惊人相似，
每一代人都容易夸大自己所处时代的特殊性。
句子主干：
Briefly, that era resembled our own era so much,
that some loud leaders insisted people judge it,
whether good or bad, only with extreme words.
文学赏析：
这是本段极具深度的议论句。
狄更斯提出历史循环的观点：过去和当下总是相似。
每个时代的掌权者，总爱夸大自己时代的独特性，
习惯用极端词汇评判世事。
跳出单纯叙事，上升到对历史规律的思考，格局宏大。
写作迁移点拨：
适用于历史轮回、以史为鉴、时代反思类作文升华句。
仿写：
In short, the story was so far like every ordinary story,
that some of its eager readers insisted on its being seen,
for happy or for sad, in the most exaggerated way only.
仿写运用思路：
复刻so…that结果状语从句、插入语结构，适合思辨性议论段落。
📝全篇句式特点
本文选自狄更斯《双城记》开篇。
大量使用并列对偶排比句、so…that结果状语从句、插入语。
长短句错落，短句铿锵有力，长句承载议论思考。
文字凝练，对比手法贯穿始终，充满历史厚重感。
行文逻辑层层递进：
开篇以十组经典对偶排比，铺陈时代内部尖锐对立的两面。
继续用四句悖论式短句，写时代之下人们截然不同的境遇与归宿。
继而提出核心观点：
历史总是相似，每个时代都有人习惯用极端视角评判世界。
简单勾勒英法两国君王统治的时代背景。
当时权贵以为眼前秩序永恒不变，
殊不知变革风暴正在酝酿。
文章核心写出大变革前夜的矛盾：
繁华与苦难共生，希望与绝望并存。
那些自以为稳固的秩序，
往往在无声之中即将崩塌。
适合时代变革、世事两面性、
历史反思、苦难与救赎等作文主题。
核心词汇
1. epoch
/ˈiːpɒk/
时代，纪元
名词 (n.)
2. incredulity
/ˌɪnkrəˈdjuːləti/
怀疑，不信
名词 (n.)
3. despair
/dɪˈspeə(r)/
绝望
名词 (n.)
4. throne
/θrəʊn/
王座
名词 (n.)
5. preserve
/prɪˈzɜːv/
独占领域，保护区
名词 (n.)
6. superlative
/suːˈpɜːlətɪv/
最高级的；极致的
形容词 (adj.)
7. authority
/ɔːˈθɒrəti/
权威人士
名词 (n.)
8. settle
/ˈsetl/
固定，安定
动词 (v.)
9. in short
简而言之
短语
10. on the throne
在位
短语
11. for good or for evil
无论好坏
短语
12. degree
/dɪˈɡriː/
程度
名词 (n.)
💡主旨品读
本段选自狄更斯《双城记》开篇。
其一：
作者用一系列正反对照语句，描绘法国大革命前夕矛盾的时代。
同一个时代，兼具美好与苦难，
希望与绝望，人人身处洪流，命运走向各不相同。
其二：
历史有着惊人的相似性。
每一代人都容易认为自己所处的时代最为特殊，
习惯用极端语言评判是非。
当年英法的权贵们幻想当下的统治秩序可以永久延续。
可平静表象之下，社会矛盾不断累积，
巨大的变革即将席卷一切。
狄更斯借这段开篇告诉我们：
任何时代都有两面，光明与黑暗相伴相生。
盛世之下藏着苦难，寒冬之中孕育希望。
文字经典，思辨性极强，适配时代反思、
辩证看待世事、苦难与重生类作文素材。
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