1. THE DRY ROCK Irwin Shaw, US writer (February 27, 1913 – May 16, 1984)
詹姆斯 瑟伯James Thurber《华尔脱米蒂的隐秘生活》The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
创思英语：
Irwin Shaw, US writer
(February 27, 1913 – May 16, 1984)

2. OUTLINE Irwin Shaw Plot Summary Detailed Questions Character Analysis
Conflicts
Theme (s)
Language Points
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创思英语

3. 1. Irwin Shaw
Irwin Shaw (February 27, 1913 – May 16, 1984) was an American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and short-story author.
“Irwin Shaw's material is fresh, and he handles it with rich understanding and superb technique—up to a point. Then he lays it on too thick or too pat.”
恩里科·费米（Enrico Fermi，1901年9月29日—1954年11月28日），美籍意大利裔物理学家，1938年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者。他对理论物理学和实验物理学方面均有重大贡献，首创了β衰变的定量理论，负责设计建造了世界首座自持续链式裂变核反应堆，发展了量子理论。

4. 2. Plot Summary
“Ford runs into a cab driven by an old man. The driver of the Ford gets nasty when the cabby insists on seeing his licence, and hits him. He tries to reason with the old man, who is yelling for police. …The argument is settled by a policeman who takes them to the station house. The old man is persuaded against pressing charges. “
“A decent young man betrays all human decency under wifely pressure, in his responsibility as witness of a street fight between a gangster and a proud little taxi driver.”

5. 3. Detailed Questions What does the title “The Dry Rock” means?
What was the name of the Ford man?
What do you have to say about the dinner party?
Why did the cabby insist on calling police?
What did Rusk on the way to the police house?
Why was Rusk anxious about a possible trial?
What did Fit mean by “shrugged sadly” (P63) ?
“From my point of view there is an inconsistency in Ben Stone's character namely that he sometimes chooses the dry rock of principle but sometimes is almost too pragmatic about things.”

6. 4. Character Analysis Cabby Tarloff
A small man of fifty, in a cap and a ragged coat, with a heavy accent, gently, wearily, calmly, with dignity, anxiously …
Ford man Rusk
出租车司机和福特车司机
Harshly, shouted, glared, snarled, balefully, savagely, growled, hoarsely …

7. 4. Character Analysis I Fitzsimmons
Reassuringly, impartial, judicious, patiently, sadly, his voice low, silently, …
Wife Helen
我和我的妻子
Bitterly, gloomily, disdainfully, elegant, witty, sadly, coldly, …

8. 5. Conflicts Tarloff and Rusk
Feeling insulted, Tarloff insisted on a legal punishment on Rusk. Regretfully, Rusk tried hard to persuade Tarloff out of pressing charges.
Fitzsimmons and Helen
故事情节中的矛盾冲突及解决、结尾
Fit tried to offer help to the cabby, while Helen kept trying to get them out of the trouble.
How were the conflicts settled eventually?

9. 6. Theme and Lessons Unnecessary and overelaborate formalities
The dry rock of principle and reponsibility
Rise above principle and do what's right.
We talk on principle, but we act on interest.
The more laws, the less justice.
An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.
We lose dignity if we tolerate the intolerable.
揭示的主题 繁文缛节
unnecessary and overelaborate formalities
创思英语
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.
Envy is an insult to oneself.
Dignity belongs to the conquered.
Oppression is
An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
He who puts up with insult invites injury.
Oppression is more easily endured than insult.

10. 7. Language Points Expressions of “say”
say, ask, call, shout, announce, growl, snarl, begin, repeat, whisper, yell, mutter, …
Absolute structure
“Say, listen, bud,” the young man said, his voice quick and confidential.
A policeman turned the corner, …, his eyes on the legs of a girl across the street.
词汇语法讲解
创思英语
好色 下流 猥亵 lewdster prurient lech obscene indecent
独立主格结构”是由名词或代词作为逻辑主语，加上分词、形容词、副词、动词不定式或介词短语作为逻辑谓语构成。这种结构在形式上与主句没有关系，通常称为“独立主格结构”。
1、There being nothing else to do, they gone away. 由于无事可做，他们离开了。（代词＋－ing; 表原因）
2、Miss Wang come into the classroom, books in hand. 王老师走进教室，手里拿着书。（无动词结构；表伴随）
3、The old man sat in his chair, his eyes closed. 老人坐在椅子上，闭着眼睛。（名词＋－ed; 表状态）
4、Class over, we began to play basketball. 放学了，我们开始玩篮球。（名词＋副词；表时间）
5、Without a word more spoken, he picked up the paper. 没再多说一个字，他拾起那张纸。（介词结构；表伴随）
6、The last guest to arrive, our party was started. 最后一位客人到了，我们的晚会开始了。（名词＋不定式；表时间）