Seven Fallen Feathers

Question 1

is devoid of

Answer 1

completely lack something, indicating a complete emptiness or absence of that thing. It is often used to describe situations or objects that are completely empty or without any substance.
One alternative phrase that could be used in place of “be devoid of” is “completely lacking in”. For example, instead of saying “The argument was devoid of evidence,” you could say “The argument was completely lacking in evidence.” Both phrases convey a similar meaning of a complete absence or emptiness of something.

Question 2

stretch

Answer 2

refers to a continuous or uninterrupted section of drive-thru restaurants, gas bars, and grocery stores. It suggests that these businesses are located one after another, creating a long and uninterrupted line or sequence of them.
The phrase “stretch of” is often used to describe a continuous area or section of something, and is commonly used to describe geographical features such as a stretch of highway, or a stretch of coastline.
In this sentence, the phrase “it’s a stretch of drive-thru restaurants, gas bars, and grocery stores” is used to describe a section of a busy road where these types of businesses are concentrated. The phrase “and cars in a hurry to get anywhere but here” further emphasizes the idea that this is a busy and bustling area.

Question 3

Turn off Arthur, north onto to Syndicate

Answer 3

to turn off a particular street called Arthur and then turn onto another street called Syndicate in a northward direction
turn off “leave Arthur Street or turn away from Arthur Street”

Question 4

vibe

Answer 4

In this sentence, “vibe” means the overall feeling or atmosphere that the shopping mall gives off. Specifically, it suggests that the mall has a dated or old-fashioned feeling, reminiscent of the 1970s. So, in simpler terms, the sentence means that the shopping mall was not planned well and has an outdated atmosphere.

Question 5

Reminiscent

Answer 5

“Reminiscent” 的中文翻译是 “让人想起”、”使人回忆起” 或者 “类似于”。通常情况下，”reminiscent” 后会带上介词 “of”，表示类似于或让人想起的具体事物。例如，”The painting is reminiscent of a sunny day at the beach.” 可以翻译为 “这幅画让人想起沙滩上阳光明媚的一天。”

Question 6

is riddled with

Answer 6

“is riddled with” is a phrase that means something is full of or contains a large amount of something negative or problematic.

Question 7

stragglers

Answer 7

在这个句子中，”stragglers” 可以翻译为 “落后者”、”掉队者”、”迟到者” 或者 “残留者”。这个词指的是停留在购物中心里的人，没有跟上其他人前往街对面的法院，或者是在购物中心里落后于其他人。由于语境中提到了”heading over to the courthouse”，所以可以理解为在购物中心里等待或耽搁的人，可能是在等待某个朋友或者是在休息，然后才会前往法院。
Instead of “stragglers,” you could use “loungers” [‘laundʒə] to describe people who are relaxing in a place without a particular goal or urgency to move on. In this context, it describes people hanging out in the mall, perhaps having a coffee, without any urgent need to move on to the courthouse across the street.

Question 8

It grumbles as the door shuts, and it shakes and heaves its way slowly upstairs

Answer 8

In this context, “grumbles” means that the elevator makes a low, deep noise as the doors shut. “Shakes its way” suggests that the elevator is moving unevenly and causing the surrounding space to vibrate or tremble slightly. “Heaves its way” means that the elevator is slowly and laboriously moving upwards, perhaps with some difficulty or effort.

Question 9

The 2011 federal election was in full swing.

Answer 9

“Be in full swing” means that something is in progress, happening with full force or intensity, or is at its peak. In this context, it means that the 2011 federal election was happening at its busiest and most intense time.

Question 10

incumbent

Answer 10

“Incumbent” refers to the person who currently holds a particular political office or position. In this context, it refers to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who was the sitting Conservative candidate during the 2011 federal election.
“Incumbent” /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/可以翻译为“现任的”、“在任的”，它通常用来描述当前担任某个职务的人，表示此人正在担任该职务。例如，在这个语境中，“incumbent Conservative candidate” 指的是现任的保守党候选人。
“Sitting” 可以翻译为“在职的”、“现任的”，通常用于描述某个人当前的职位或地位，表示此人目前仍然担任该职位或拥有该地位。在这个语境中，”sitting Conservative candidate” 指的是现任的保守党候选人

Question 11

loathed

Answer 11

“Loathed” means to be greatly disliked, hated, or detested. In this context, it suggests that the Indigenous community had strong negative feelings towards Prime Minister Harper.

Question 12

Stripped away

Answer 12

“Stripped away” means to remove or take away something, often forcefully or completely. In this context, it suggests that Prime Minister Harper had removed or reduced environmental protections during his time in office.

Question 13

Underfunded

Answer 13

“Underfunded” means to not provide enough financial support for something, resulting in a lack of resources or inadequate funding. In this context, it suggests that the 634 First Nations across Canada were not receiving enough financial support from the government.

Question 14

duking it out with

Answer 14

In the sentence “Harper was duking it out with Jack Layton,” the pronoun “it” refers to the competitive situation between the two politicians. “Duking it out” is a colloquial expression meaning to engage in a physical or verbal fight, argument or competition.

Question 15

mandate

Answer 15

“Mandate” refers to Layton’s stated goals or objectives as a political leader.
在这个上下文中，”mandate” 可以翻译为 “授权”、”指令” 或者 “任务”。在文章中，Layton 是左翼政党新民主党的领袖，他的 “mandate” 指的是他的政治目标和任务，包括拆除公路并建设自行车道和公园。

Question 16

tear down

Answer 16

“Tear down” means to dismantle or remove something, in this case highways, to make way for bike lanes and parks.

Question 17

Left-leaning

Answer 17

“Left-leaning” is an adjective that describes a person, organization, or political stance that is ideologically liberal or progressive. In a political context, it suggests support for policies and positions that are associated with the left side of the political spectrum, such as social welfare programs, government intervention in the economy, and progressive taxation. “Left-leaning” can also be used more broadly to describe any individual or entity that is perceived to have a liberal or progressive worldview or agenda.
“Left-leaning” 是一个形容词，用来描述在意识形态上倾向自由主义或进步的人、组织或政治立场。在政治语境中，它暗示着支持与政治光谱左侧相关的政策和立场，例如社会福利计划、政府干预经济和渐进式税收。”Left-leaning” 也可以更广泛地用来描述任何具有自由主义或进步世界观或议程的个人或实体。

Question 18

Is perceived to

Answer 18

“Is perceived to” means that something is believed or thought to be a certain way by someone or a group of people, even if that belief may not be entirely accurate or based on all the available information. It is often used to describe a subjective interpretation or understanding of a situation, rather than an objective fact.

Question 19

Political spectrum

Answer 19

“Political spectrum” 可以翻译为 “政治光谱” 或者 “政治立场分布图”。它是一个用来描述政治立场多样性和分歧的概念。在政治光谱中，不同的政治派别和意识形态被排列在一个线性或圆形的图表上，以显示它们在政治立场上的位置和相对关系。例如，左翼、中间派、右翼等都是政治光谱上的不同阵营。

Question 20

Agenda

Answer 20

“Agenda” 可以翻译为 “议程”、”日程”、”计划” 或者 “待办事项”。在政治语境中，”agenda” 指代一个政党或政治团体的政治目标或计划，或者指代一个政府或领导人的优先事项或政治议题。

Question 21

The only splash of colour was a white flag with a red oval /ˈoʊvəl/ in the middle.

Answer 21

In this context, “splash” is used to describe a small but noticeable area of color, in contrast to the rest of the environment or surroundings that lack color. The phrase “splash of color” is a common expression used to describe a small amount of color that stands out from an otherwise monochromatic or drab setting. In this sentence, it suggests that the environment or surroundings are mostly lacking color, except for the white flag with a red oval in the middle.
“唯一的亮色是一面中间有红色椭圆形的白色旗帜”
drab /ˈdræb/ adjective drabber; drabbest [also more drab; most drab]
: not bright or colorful : too plain or dull to be interesting 色调灰暗的；单调乏味的

Question 22

symbalic

Answer 22

— often + of
Wedding rings are symbolic of eternal love.
The dove is symbolic of peace.

Question 23

Stan is a quiet, pensive man

Answer 23

“Stan is a quiet, pensive man” suggests that Stan is someone who tends to be reserved and introspective. “Quiet” describes his demeanor and suggests that he is not particularly talkative or outgoing. “Pensive” suggests that he is someone who thinks deeply and often reflects on his thoughts and feelings. Together, these two adjectives convey an overall impression of someone who is thoughtful and introspective, rather than gregarious and outgoing.
“demeanor”: a person’s appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people举止；态度；风度 — usually singular通常用单数
“Pensive”: 沉思的 (chén sī de), 忧思的 (yōu sī de), /ˈpɛnsɪv/
“Introspective”: 自省的 (zì xǐng de), 内省的 (nèi xǐng de), /ˌɪntrəˈspɛktɪv/
“Gregarious”: 合群的 (hé qún de), 爱交际的 (ài jiāo jì de), /ɡrɪˈɡɛriəs/

Question 24

wearily /ˈwirəli/ adverbial

Answer 24

lacking strength, energy, or freshness because of a need for rest or sleep : tired（因需要休息或睡眠而）疲劳的，疲倦的，精神不振的
I need to rest my weary eyes.我需要让疲劳的眼睛休息一下。
The miners were weary after a long shift.矿工们干完长班之后都很疲惫。

Question 25

launched into

Answer 25

“launch into” means to start explaining or discussing something with energy and enthusiasm. The author likely used this phrase to convey a sense of urgency or eagerness to explain what they were writing about. They wanted to make sure the person they were speaking to understood the importance of the topic and their perspective on it.

Question 26

interloper

Answer 26

the author used the word “interloper” to describe how they felt like they didn’t quite belong in the world of the person they were speaking to. An interloper is someone who interferes or intrudes in a place or situation where they don’t belong or aren’t welcome.

Question 27

curse

Answer 27

the author used the word “curse” to describe the negative consequences of being of mixed heritage. The author describes feeling like she doesn’t fully belong in either world because of her mixed background. The word “curse” implies that being of mixed heritage is something that causes difficulties or hardship. The author may have used this word to convey a sense of the challenges and complexities that come with being of mixed heritage in a society that often expects people to fit into one distinct cultural or racial identity.

Question 28

I rattled off abysmal voting-pattern statistics among First Nations acrossCanada, while pointing out that in many ridings Indigenous people could act as a swing vote, hence influencing the trajectory of the election

Answer 28

Rattled off: This means to say something quickly and without much thought or hesitation
One alternative for “abysmal” in this context could be “dismal” which means very bad or depressing.
riding: (加拿大、新西兰等英国自治领的)行政区；选区
我列举了全加拿大原住民在选举中糟糕的投票模式统计数据，同时指出在很多选区，原住民可以作为关键的摇摆票，从而影响选举的走向。

Question 29

Stan stared at me impassively

Answer 29

Stan was looking at the speaker with a neutral or expressionless face, without showing any emotion or reaction to what the speaker was saying or doing.
: not showing emotion不动声色的；没有表情的；无动于衷的
an impassive observer不动声色的观察者
Her face/expression remained impassive throughout the trial.整个审判过程中，她的脸上一直毫无表情。
— impassively adverb
She sat impassively throughout the trial.整个审判过程中她一直面无表情地坐着

Question 30

firing off

Answer 30

“fire off” means to ask questions quickly and with energy, often without much thought or consideration. It suggests that the speaker was asking questions in a rapid and forceful manner, perhaps without giving the other person much time to respond.

Question 31

got out

Answer 31

“got out” means “took action” or “went to the polling stations to vote”. It emphasizes the need for Indigenous voters to actively participate in the electoral process by casting their votes. The phrase “got out and voted” implies that there is an effort or action required on the part of Indigenous voters to have an impact on the election outcome. The author might have used “go out and vote” instead, but “got out and voted” is a more forceful and direct way of urging Indigenous voters to take action.

Question 32

standoff

Answer 32

僵局standoff
In this sentence, the author is describing a situation where they were having a conversation with someone about a missing Indigenous student in Thunder Bay. The standoff refers to a disagreement or argument that occurred during the conversation, which lasted for fifteen minutes. Eventually, the author gave up and the conversation ended in silence. The author was annoyed because they believed that a missing student from Thunder Bay would not receive attention or news coverage in urban Toronto.

Question 33

This standoff went on for a good fifteen minutes

Answer 33

In this sentence, “good” is used as an adverb to indicate the duration of the standoff, meaning it lasted for a significant amount of time, around fifteen minutes.

Question 34

sank in / sink in

Answer 34

“Sank in” sink in: is an idiomatic expression that means something has been fully understood or realized after a period of time. In the context of the sentence “Stan’s message finally sank in,” it means that the speaker had a delayed realization or understanding of what Stan was trying to convey. It suggests that the speaker had to take some time to process the information before they fully comprehended its meaning.
“sank in” 可以翻译成”被理解，被领悟”的意思。在这个句子中，它指的是Stan的信息最终被作者理解了，意思已经被领悟了。