英语精读连载 Good-Bye, Mr. Chips 《再会，契
Chapter 2
Across the road behind a rampart of ancient elms lay Brookfield[1], russet under its autumn mantle of creeper[2]. A group of eighteenth-century buildings centred upon[3]a quadrangle[4], and there were acres[5]of playing fields beyond[6]; then came the small dependent village[7]and the open fen country[8]. Brookfield, as Wetherby[9]had said, was an old foundation; established[10]in the reign of Elizabeth[11], as a grammar school[12], it might, with better luck, have become as famous as Harrow[13]. Its luck, however, had been not so good; the School went up and down[14], dwindling almost to[15]nonexistence at one time, becoming almost illustrious at another[16]. It was during one of these latter periods[17], in the reign of the first George[18], that the main structure had been rebuilt and large additions made.[19]Later, after the Napoleonic Wars[20]and until mid-Victorian days[21], the School declined again, both in numbers and repute[22]. Wetherby, who came in 1840, restored its fortunes[23]somewhat[24]; but its subsequent[25]history never raised it to front-rank[26]status. It was, nevertheless, a good school of the second rank. Several notable families supported it; it supplied fair samples of the history-making[27]men of the age -- judges, Members of Parliament[28], colonial administrators[29], a few peers[30]and bishops[31]. Mostly, however, it turned out[32]merchants, manufacturers, and professional men[33], with a good sprinkling of[34]country squires[35]and parsons[36]. It was the sort of school[37]which, when mentioned[38], would sometimes make snobbish[39]people confess that they rather[40]thought they had heard of it.
英语精读连载 Good-Bye, Mr. Chips 《再会，契普斯先生》 4
[1] Across the road behind a rampart ['ræmpɑ:t] of ancient elms lay Brookfield=Brookfield lay（lie的过去式）across the road behind a rampart of ancient elms. Brookfield学校坐落在（Chips寄寓的Mrs. Wickett家的）对马路一排古老的榆树形成的围墙后面。
[2] russet ['rʌsɪt] under its autumn mantle of creeper因在一层秋季的蔓草下面而呈现红棕色。creeper匍匐植物（不可数名词）。
[3] centred upon座落于……中央
[4] quadrangle ['kwɒˌdræŋgl]（学校里的）方场
[5] acres ['eɪkəz]英亩（1英亩合中国的6.07亩）
[6] beyond=beyond the group of eighteenth-century buildings
[7] small dependent village指Brookfield地方；其实在Brookfield地方设立Brookfield学校，学校该是dependent，但这里反说dependent village，可见学校的声誉和地位高于其所在的地方。
[8] open fen country空旷的沼泽地的乡村
[9] Wetherby参见注释14
[10] established [ɪs'tæblɪʃt]=being established
[11] in the reign [reɪn] of Elizabeth [ɪ'lɪzəbeθ]在伊丽莎白女王一世在位时期（1558—1603）
[12] grammar school英国从前以教拉丁文为主的学校，相当于现在的公学（public school）。
[13] it might, with better luck, have become as famous as Harrow ['hærəʊ]它（指Brookfield）如果运气好些，也许已经和哈罗公学一样有名了。（全句含有虚拟的语气；with better luck=if it had had better luck.）
[14] went up and down时盛时衰
[15] dwindling almost to几乎衰落到（某种状态）
[16] …at one time, ... at another有时……，有时……
[17] latter periods指becoming almost illustrious的那些时期
[18] the first George [dʒɔ:dʒ]=George the First乔治一世（英国国王，1714—1727年在位）
[19] It was during ... that the main structure had been rebuilt and large additions made.是The main structure had been rebuilt and large additions made during…的强调句式。main structure主要建筑物。large additions made=large additions had been made.additions指添加的建筑物。[20] Napoleonic [nəˌpəʊlɪ'ɒnɪk] Wars拿破仑战争（指拿破仑一世从1803年起到1815年率领法国与英国、普鲁士、俄国、奥地利之间进行的多次战争，所以用复数形式Wars）
[21] mid-Victorian ['mɪdvɪk'tɔ:rɪən] days英国维多利亚女王执政（1837—1901）的中期。Days时代。
[22] declined again, both in numbers and repute在（学生）人数和声誉方面又都下降
[23] restored its fortunes恢复它（Brookfield）的地位；使它重新发展起来
[24] somewhat多少地；略微
[25] subsequent ['sʌbsɪkwənt]随后的（指1840年以后的）
[26] front-rank第一流的；头等的
[27] history-making创造历史的；（干大事业而日后会）被载入史册的
[28] Members of Parliament ['pɑ:ləmənt]英国国会议员（简写作M.P.）
[29] colonial [kə'ləʊnjəl] administrators [əd'mɪnɪstreɪtəs]统治殖民地的行政官
[30] peers贵族（包括duke[公], marquis[侯], earl[伯], viscount[子], baron[男]五等爵位）
[31] bishops ['bɪʃəps]主教
[32] turned out培养出（某种人）
[33] professional men专门职业者（包括教师、律师、医师）
[34] a good sprinkling of（零零散散的）好些，若干
[35] country squires乡绅
[36] parsons ['pɑ:snz]牧师
[37] the sort of school这种学校。注意，在sort of后面的单数可数名词前无冠词。
[38] when mentioned=when it（指school）was mentioned
[39] snobbish ['snɒbɪʃ]势利的
[40] rather ['rɑ:ðə]多少地；有点
