Part I: Paraphrase

1.Sometimes they threw bits of food, and got scant thanks; sometimes a mischievous pebble, and got a shower of stones and abuse. (para. 1)

Sometimes people would throw bits of food to him, but he hardly thanked them at all. Sometimes they would throw a pebble at him for fun, but get a shower of stones and a stream of abuse in return.

2. His life’s aim was clear to him: it was “to restamp the currency”: to take the clean metal of human life, to erase the old false conventional markings, and to imprint it with its true values. (para. 5)

His purpose in life was clear to him: it was “to reprint the coins.” Human life can be taken as the clean coins which are imprinted with false markings. He was to remove the false markings and print the true values on it. In other words, his aim in life was to call on people to reject the false, conventional way of life and return to the simple and natural life.

Part II: Words & Expressions

1.Having no work to go to and no family to provide _for___, he was free. (para. 1) provide for: give sb the things that they need to live, such as food, clothing

Translation

1)他要供养他年迈的父母以及两个正在上学的妹妹。

He has to provide for his aged parents and two sister who are still at school.

2)道路被切断，无法给部队提供给养。

The road was cut off and supplies could not be provided for the troops.

2.As the market place _filled_ up with shoppers and merchants and slaves and foreigners, he had _strolled_ through it for an hour or two. (para. 1) Cf. wander, roam, ramble, stroll

Translation

中间还有两个小时，因此她逛了一趟商业中心。

There were still two hours to go, so she strolled through the shopping mall.

2)漫步海边，感觉太好了。

It’s wonderful to take a stroll along the seaside.

3.He thought everybody lived far too __elaborately__, expensively, anxiously. What good is a house? (para. 2)

Translation

1)彼得制定了一个非常详尽的计划来筹措资金。

Peter worked out an elaborate scheme for raising the fund.

2)他们为局长准备了一桌精美的饭菜，结果被狠狠批评了一顿。

They prepared a very elaborate meal for the bureau head only to be severely criticized.

4.No one needs beds and chairs and such furniture: the animals _live healthy lives__ and sleep on the ground. All we require, since nature did not dress us properly, is one garment to keep us warm, and some shelter from rain and wind. (para. 2)

Translation

1)这名警察死时很年轻，但他的一生过得很有意义。

The policeman died young, but he lived a meaningful life.

2)作为一个探险者，他的一生充满了冒险。

As an explorer, he lived an adventurous life.

…he spent much of his life in…Corinth, mocking and satirizing its people, and occasionally _converting_ one of them. (para. 2)

convert:

1)to make sb change from one religion or belief to another

Ann has converted to Islam recently.

Marxist literature converted him into a staunch revolutionary.

Cf.

2)to make sth change from one form, system to a different one

This is part of the process of converting iron into steel.

3)to change from one object into another

I can’t see how this plastic sheet converts into a tent.

He was not the first to _inhabit__ such a thing. But he was the first who ever did so _by_ choice, __out of__ principle. (para. 3)

1)inhabit

Some of the rare species inhabit the area.

2)by choice

She took the job in the West by choice.

3)out of

Just out of curiosity, why did you take that job?

7.They _possess_ him. He is their slave. In order to procure a quantity of false, perishable goods he has sold the only true, lasting good, his own independence. (para. 4)

Cf.

1)What possessed him to say a stupid thing like that?

2)She seemed possessed. Nobody could talk her out of it.

Therefore, he chose to live in Athens or Corinth, where travelers from all over the Mediterranean world constantly came and went. And, by design, he publicly behaved in such ways as to show people what real life was. (para. 6)

Translation

世界是有意缔造的呢，还是偶然形成的呢？

9.Was the world made by design or did it come into existence by chance?

The little square began to fill with people—page boys, soldiers…they all gradually formed a circle around Diogenes. He looked them _over_, as a sober man looks at a crowd of tottering drunks, and shook his head. (para. 11)

look over: (here) examine, scrutinize

More examples with “over”: think over, talk over, read over, go over

10.The Macedonian officers, after deciding that Diogenes was not _worth__ the trouble of kicking, were starting to __ guffaw__ and nudge one another. (para. 17)

Cf. worth, worthwhile, worthy

a.a worthwhile cause/discussion/job

b.High prices in the UK make it worthwhile for buyers to look abroad.

c.be worthy of attention/consideration/mention

d.A number of the findings are worthy of note.

e.a worthy champion/winner/son

Cf. grin, guffaw, titter, chuckle, giggle

a.grin: to make a wide smile

b.guffaw: to laugh loudly

c.titter: to laugh in a suppressed way

d.chuckle: to laugh softly in a low tone

e.giggle: to laugh quietly in a silly, childish, uncontrolled way