The Great Poet Li Bai - Part 2
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EN: The phrase 'Around one thousand of' acts as a quantifier modifying the plural noun 'poems'. 'Around' is used as an adverb meaning 'approximately' or 'roughly'.
Around five hundred of the students passed the exam.
EN: The adverb 'still' is used to indicate that a situation continues to exist from the past into the present. It is typically placed before the main verb.
He still lives in the same house.
EN: The sentence refers to the preservation of literary works over time. In many cultures, the survival of ancient poetry is seen as a testament to the author's enduring influence and the value placed on literature by subsequent generations.
EN: The phrase 'a lot' is used as a pronoun or adverb to mean 'a large amount' or 'frequently'. In this sentence, it functions as the direct object of the verb 'show'.
I learned a lot from the teacher.
EN: The preposition 'about' is used to indicate the subject or topic being discussed or shown. It connects the amount (a lot) to the specific topic (his life).
Tell me more about your new job.
EN: In literary analysis, a poet's work is often seen as a window into their personal experiences and worldview. For a figure like Leiby, his poems serve as a primary historical record of his thoughts and daily life.
EN: Noun Clauses as Objects: The sentence uses three noun clauses starting with 'where', 'who', and 'what' as the direct objects of the verb 'describe'. These clauses follow the word order of a statement (Subject + Verb), not a question.
I don't know what he bought at the store.
EN: Parallel Structure: When listing multiple items or clauses, they should share the same grammatical form. Here, three noun clauses are linked by commas and the conjunction 'and' to create a balanced sentence.
She likes swimming, hiking, and cycling.
EN: The sentence reflects the common themes of classical poetry, where nature (visited places), social bonds (friends), and the inner world (imagination) are central elements. This structure is often used in literary analysis to summarize a writer's body of work.
EN: The adverb 'also' is used to add extra information. In a sentence with a main verb (like 'express'), it is typically placed before the verb.
She also plays the piano very well.
EN: Compound adjectives like 'childlike' are formed by adding a suffix to a noun to describe a quality. 'Childlike' usually has a positive connotation of innocence.
He looked at the world with childlike wonder.
EN: In literature, 'childlike wonder' is a common theme used to describe a poet's ability to see the world with freshness and purity, often associated with Romanticism or poets who find beauty in simple things.
EN: The adverb 'often' is an adverb of frequency. In English, it is typically placed before the main verb (drank) but after the 'be' verb.
She often reads books before bed.
EN: The conjunction 'when' is used to introduce a subordinate clause (when he wrote) that indicates the time an action occurs. Both verbs are in the past tense to maintain consistency.
I was happy when I lived in Paris.
EN: In many literary traditions, alcohol is sometimes associated with creative inspiration or the 'loosening' of the mind, a theme often found in the biographies of famous poets.
EN: The structure 'set + object + free' is a causative construction where 'set' acts as a verb meaning to cause someone or something to be in a certain state (free).
The kind man set the trapped bird free.
EN: The conjunction 'as' is used here to compare a current action or state with a habitual one ('he usually did'), functioning as a subordinating conjunction of manner.
Please do as I told you.
EN: In many literary traditions, including the one Leiby belongs to, alcohol is often depicted as a catalyst for creativity and a way to break free from societal constraints or mundane reality.
EN: The structure 'see A as B' is used to describe how someone perceives or regards something or someone. 'See' acts as the verb of perception, while 'as' introduces the role or identity assigned to the object.
Many people see this old building as a local landmark.
EN: Compound Objects: When a verb has more than one object, they are connected by 'and'. In this sentence, 'the moon' and 'his shadow' both function as the direct objects of the verb 'sees'.
She bought a book and a pen at the store.
EN: This sentence refers to a very famous Chinese poem by Li Bai (Leiby), 'Drinking Alone under the Moon'. In Chinese culture, the moon is often a symbol of loneliness or a companion for poets. The personification of the moon and shadow reflects the poet's romantic and imaginative spirit.
EN: The Past Simple tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. For regular verbs, we add '-ed', but 'write' is an irregular verb that changes to 'wrote'.
Leiby wrote a letter to his family yesterday.
EN: Gerunds (Verb + -ing) can function as nouns. In this sentence, 'drinking' acts as a noun representing the activity of consuming alcohol.
Drinking too much coffee makes me nervous.
EN: In classical Chinese poetry, the moon and wine are recurring symbols. The moon often represents loneliness or nostalgia, while drinking is seen as a way to find inspiration or escape reality.
EN: The preposition 'about' is followed by gerunds (verb-ing) when expressing actions. Here, 'having' and 'being' function as nouns representing the concepts of possessing sympathy and existing in opposition.
She thought about moving to another city.
EN: The conjunction 'and' connects two parallel structures. In this sentence, it links two prepositional objects: 'having sympathy for the common people' and 'being against war'.
He likes hiking in the mountains and swimming in the ocean.
EN: The sentence reflects the humanitarian themes often found in classical poetry, where poets like Leiby (likely referring to Li Bai, though the glossary uses 'Leiby') expressed deep concern for social justice and the suffering of ordinary citizens during times of conflict.
EN: The phrase 'be full of' is a common idiomatic expression used to describe a person or thing that contains a large amount of something, often an abstract quality.
The young girl's eyes were full of joy.
EN: The word 'poems' is the plural form of the countable noun 'poem'. In English, when referring to a collection of works, we must add '-s' to the noun and use the plural verb 'are'.
His stories are very interesting.
EN: The sentence reflects the universal appreciation for poetry that balances aesthetic appeal ('beauty') with intellectual or emotional depth ('meaning'). In many cultures, including Chinese literary traditions, the best poetry is often described as having both 'form' and 'spirit'.
EN: The structure 'It is + noun/adjective + that-clause' uses 'It' as a dummy subject (placeholder) to introduce a real subject that is a complete clause, making the sentence easier to process.
It is a fact that the earth moves around the sun.
EN: The present continuous tense (be + V-ing) is used here to describe a current trend or an ongoing action in the present period.
More people are using electric cars these days.
EN: The sentence reflects the global recognition of literary figures. In an educational context, 'works' refers to the collective body of art, writing, or music produced by an individual.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To allow someone to think creatively or without restrictions.
A feeling of great surprise and admiration, like that of a child.
To disagree with or oppose something.
Something that is expected or not unusual.