1. 注意这句话的前半个倒装句。正常的句子顺序是“What you will say about the liberties ... ”。“ liberties”后面省略了“ that”。take liberties with sb. or sth. 意思是“ 放肆, 随意”, 如: She told him to stop taking liberties. ( 她告诉他不要太随便了。) The film take considerable liberties with the novel on which it is based. ( 影片与原作颇有距离。)

2. stradivari( 1644—1737) 斯特拉迪瓦里, 意大利提琴制造家, 在型号和种类上颇多创新, 制作过大提琴、中提琴、小提琴和吉他, 其制造的小提琴成为后世的楷模。exorcism n. ( 用符咒、祈祷或仪式等) 驱除邪魔, 用魔法招魂。这句话的字面意思是:“ 迫使斯特拉迪瓦里都要订制符咒驱妖了。”

3. prowl v. 小心地悄悄移动, 如: wild animals prowling in the forest ( 在森林里潜行的野兽) ;burglars prowling in the grounds of the house ( 在房子里蹑足行走的窃贼) 。prowl, skulk,lurk, slink, sneak 这几个词都有“人或动物为免受注意而做出的缓慢而无声的动作”的意思, 但用法上还是有区别。prowl 指野兽觅食或罪犯伺机行动, 如: Wolves prowled the forest in search of prey. ( 狼在森林里潜行觅食。) skulk 指含怒或含罪恶目的窥伺可乘之机, 如: He skulked around outside until the police had gone. ( 他窥探着四周, 直至见到警察走开。) slink 通常含有“ 垂头”之意, 如: The dog slunk off to lick its wounds. ( 那狗耷拉着脑袋溜掉了, 去舔伤口。) sneak in / out 指偷偷摸摸做坏事, 但还够不上犯罪, 如: She was caught sneaking into the show without paying. ( 她不买票就混进场内看演出, 被当场捉住。)

4. fuddy-duddy n. ( 口语, 贬意, 或戏谑) 老脑筋, 老顽固, 老古董, 如: You are such an old fuddy-duddy! ( 你是个老古董。)