1. guiding task
Chapter 4 tells us the father and the brothers went to the capital to take the imperial examination. Both of the brothers passed the exam with high honors. But Tongpo's mother passed away without hearing the good news. Before their official career, the brothers returned to their hometown. After twenty-seven months' period of mourning, the brothers and the father set out to the capital.
interesting sentence:
It is not by any means implied that mistakes were not made by parents in arranging their children's marriages, however arranged, are a gamble and an adventure upon an uncharted sea.
In ancient times, a person's marriage was all arranged by his or her parents. Nowadays we have more freedom to choose our own marriage, but it is not easy for modern people to believe in another one totally when they don't know each other very well.
2. 词汇学习
But with his aloof and somewhat self-important manner, Su Shun failed to make a good impression on the government leaders.
aloof adj.
Someone who is aloof is not very friendly and does not like to spend time with other people. 冷淡的[表不满]
eg: We don't like his aloof manner.
somewhat adv.
to a small degree or extent 有点儿，稍微
eg: I'm somewhat tired after such a long walk.
Painted and carved wooden bridges spanned the rivers running through the city, while the most important one in front of the palace was built of carved marble, elaborately designed.
span v.
A bridge or other structure that spans something such as a river or a valley stretches right across it. 横跨
The streets swarmed with pedestrians, officials' horse carriages, bull carts, and sedan chairs, which were the general model of travel, while a few small two-wheeled carts were pulled by men--prototypes of the modern rickshaw.
swarm vi.
be teeming, be abuzz 挤满
eg: The garden is swarming with beautiful flowers.
sedan chair 轿子
He wrote a reply to the emperor declining to go ...
decline v.
If you decline something or decline to do something, you politely refuse to accept it or do it. 谢绝[正式]
eg: He declined our invitation.
