Emma Bed Lamp. 4: English Learning Reader

Author: Wang Ruoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: This series of readers is written by American authors and composed of 3,300 commonly used words. The language is modern, authentic, and standard. It is pure and easy to understand. You can learn English deliciously without looking up a dictionary while lying in bed. The novels feature people, their eating, drinking, excretion, sleep, emotions, desires, and the complex relationships between people, as well as conflicts and harmonies between people and nature or society. This series selects 50 worth-reading literary works from abroad that you should read in your lifetime. Reading these works not only helps master English but also accumulates Western culture and improves personal taste and cultivation. The story of Emma is as follows: Emma Woodhouse comes from a wealthy family and is intelligent and beautiful. It is natural for someone in such an environment to be spoiled and self-assured. She has just attended the wedding of her friend, companion, and former governess, Miss Taylor, who married Mr. Weston, a widower from the neighboring village. Although the marriage is good in every way, Emma still sighs in secret over the loss of her dear friend. Now, Hartfield is left with only her and her father. Mr. Woodhouse is elderly and often worries about trivial matters, so he cannot provide companionship for his daughter. The Woodhouses are the leading family in Highbury. In their small circle of friends, there are many middle-aged and elderly women who play cards with Mr. Woodhouse, but no young lady can be Emma’s friend and confidante. The lovely Miss Taylor is now Mrs. Weston, and Emma feels deeply lonely, so she takes Harriet Smith under her protection. Harriet is a student at a nearby boarding school, living with the headmaster. She is seventeen years old, beautiful, though not very intelligent, but her manners are pleasing and natural. She is accustomed to looking up to Emma as a role model, so she is quite agreeable. Harriet is an illegitimate child, and her father is still a mystery. Emma believes this girl may come from a distinguished family and tries to convince her that her previous acquaintances are not worthy of her. Emma advises her to break off contact with the Martins. The Martins are respectable farmers, though they have some property, they do not belong to the upper class. Emma thinks Robert Martin is not good enough for Harriet and encourages the girl to pursue the young clergyman, Mr. Elton. Emma judges from Mr. Elton’s demeanor that he has begun to love Harriet and believes her matchmaking plan will surely succeed. Mr. Knightley is the nephew of Emma’s brother-in-law, who is a lawyer in London. There are few people who can see Emma’s flaws, and he is one of them. Emma’s close relationship with Harriet makes him uneasy. He warns Emma that this relationship is no benefit to Harriet or to herself. When Mr. Knightley learns that Harriet has rejected Robert Martin’s proposal at Emma’s urging, he becomes even more concerned. Emma, however, is quite content with herself, for she is sure Mr. Elton is deeply in love with Harriet, and Harriet—urged by Emma—feels the same way toward him. Mr. Elton privately proposes to Emma, which makes her suddenly realize. She suddenly understands that Mr. Elton’s attentions to Harriet are actually directed at her, and that her encouragement for Mr. Elton to pursue her friend has been misinterpreted as encouragement for him to propose to her. Mr. Elton’s arrogance is already annoying enough, but how to break this news to Harriet is even more distressing. Another disappointing event occurs in Emma’s social circle. Frank Churchill has been promising to visit his father and new stepmother for several months but has postponed his visit again. Churchill is the son of Mr. Weston’s first wife, who uses his mother’s surname. Mr. Knightley thinks this young man now feels superior to his father’s status. Emma argues with him, but inwardly she agrees with his view. Although Hartfield’s social circle is not graced by Churchill’s presence, it gains a new girl, Jane Fairfax. Jane is the niece of Miss Bates, who is always talking. She is beautiful and talented, rivaling Emma in both looks and intellect. Mr. Knightley hints that this is one reason Emma has never been able to get along with Jane. Emma, however, attributes their cold relationship to Jane’s aloofness. Shortly after Jane arrives, Mr. and Mrs. Weston receive a letter from Churchill, rescheduling his visit. This time he really comes. Emma finds him to be a handsome and well-mannered young man. He becomes a frequent guest at the Woodhouses and also visits Miss Bates’ home frequently, as he knows Jane Fairfax. But the girl he pays court to is not Jane but Emma. Emma realizes Mr. and Mrs. Weston hope this romantic young man will find happiness. Around this time, Jane receives a generous gift—a piano, from an unknown donor. It is rumored the gift comes from Jane’s wealthy friends. Jane is an orphan and has lived with them all her life. However, when faced with the gift, Jane is awkward and silent. After Mrs. Weston tells Emma that Mr. Knightley seems to like and care for Jane, Emma suspects the donor is Mr. Knightley. Emma cannot bear the thought of Mr. Knightley and Jane being married. But after observing them together, she concludes to her satisfaction that Mr. Knightley’s actions stem from friendship, not love. Frank Churchill must leave. He looks reluctant. On his last visit to Hartfield, he seems eager to tell Emma something serious; but although Emma believes Churchill wants to confess his love for her, she does not encourage him to speak his mind. In her imagination, she always rejects Churchill’s proposals and attributes their relationship to peaceful friendship. Mr. Elton returns to Highbury with a hastily married bride. This woman has some property but is extremely vulgar and pretentious. Harriet, who had fallen in love with Mr. Elton at Emma’s urging, finds it difficult to persuade her to leave him. But what Emma cannot achieve, Mr. Elton’s marriage does for her. Harriet finally begins to awaken. Mr. Elton’s rude behavior toward her at a ball further accelerates her realization. Mr. Elton refuses to dance with Harriet, but Mr. Knightley, who rarely dances, takes the initiative to ask her to be his partner. Thus, in Harriet’s heart, Mr. Elton’s place begins to be taken by Mr. Knightley. Emma is unaware of this. Emma herself begins to consider Frank Churchill as a potential husband for Harriet. However, she decides not to interfere in this marriage. Due to a series of misunderstandings, Emma thinks Harriet is praising Churchill, when in fact Harriet is praising Mr. Knightley. Mrs. Weston still believes Mr. Knightley is in love with Jane Fairfax, which makes the already complicated love triangle even more tangled. Meanwhile, Mr. Knightley notices a secret understanding between Jane and Churchill. Mr. Knightley’s suspicion is later confirmed when Churchill admits to Mr. and Mrs. Weston that he and Jane have been secretly engaged since October. Mr. and Mrs. Weston first think of Emma. They worry that Churchill’s attentions to Emma may have made her fall in love with him. But Emma tells Mrs. Weston that she once had a brief fondness for Churchill, but that feeling has long passed. Emma now has two main concerns. First, she once said some unkind things about Jane to Churchill. If she had known they were engaged, she would never have done so. Second, she believes she has once again encouraged Harriet to fall in love with someone who cannot succeed. However, when Emma gently reveals this news to Harriet, she finds Harriet is not upset. Their conversations never quite align, and eventually Emma learns that Harriet is now infatuated with Mr. Knightley, not Churchill. When Harriet tells Emma she has reason to believe Mr. Knightley loves her as much as she loves him, Emma suddenly realizes her own secret: she too loves Mr. Knightley. Now she truly wishes she had never met Harriet Smith. Beyond her desire to marry Mr. Knightley, she also realizes that if Mr. Knightley marries Harriet, it would not only be an unsuitable match but also unlikely to bring happiness. Emma’s worries about this situation soon end: Mr. Knightley proposes to her. But her happiness has a minor flaw. She knows her marriage will disappoint her father, as the old man is unwilling to change his way of life. And she has unknowingly subjected Harriet to another disappointment. Emma and Mr. Knightley decide to live at Hartfield and stay with her father until the end of his days. This solves the problem. As for Harriet, Mr. Knightley’s attention to her is because he genuinely wants to investigate whether she still has feelings for her young tenant, Robert Martin. As a result, Mr. Knightley announces one morning that Robert Martin has proposed to Harriet again and that she has accepted. Harriet’s future is now settled, and Emma is naturally very happy. Emma can always look back and see that everyone around her is married to a suitable partner, which is the necessary condition for their true happiness.