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on the verge of

brim n. 边 圆边： the brim of a cup/hat

brink n.:(水的）边缘 cliff n.: 悬崖 绝壁

the edge of knife 刀刃

margin n.: 页边的空白

extinction n.: 灭绝 extinct v.:使熄灭

rarefied ：高雅的 rarefy v.: 稀薄 稀少 rarefied fashion; rarefied style

rarefied taste

pathetic : 可怜的 sym- 同样的： synonym:同义词 sympathetic a.:有同情心的

pity n.:可怜 pitiable a.:可怜的 lamentable a.:可悲的 deplore v.:表示悲痛

课文讲解

关于教育和工业的问题

has been ruined by the motor industry. 被汽车工业毁了。

aoutomobile[美] 汽车

be ruined by 抽象用意

The peace which Oxford once knew...拟人用法 personification

There is/are great changes in our family-

My family experienced/witnessed/saw so many changes in the past 20 years.

The peace ... has been swept...

...should always have...加重语气

swept away: 扫掉了--broken

The harmony in my family is swept away.

great university city

主题 The peace has been ruined.

Oxford has been ruined by the motor industry. The peace which Oxford once

knew, and which a great university city should always have, has been swept ruthlessly away;...