The Great Gatsby — Page 11

English → It Full Text Level 7/10

She was extended full length at her end of the divan, completely motionless, and with her chin raised a little, as if she were balancing something on it which was quite likely to fall.

Era distesa per tutta la sua lunghezza all'estremità del divano che le spettava, completamente immobile, con il mento sollevato un poco, come se stesse bilanciando qualcosa su di esso che era molto probabile cadesse.

If she saw me out of the corner of her eyes she gave no hint of it—indeed, I was almost surprised into murmuring an apology for having disturbed her by coming in.

Se mi vide con la coda dell'occhio non ne diede alcun segno — anzi, fui quasi spinto a mormorare delle scuse per averla disturbata entrando.

The other girl, Daisy, made an attempt to rise—she leaned slightly forward with a conscientious expression—then she laughed, an absurd, charming little laugh, and I laughed too and came forward into the room.

L'altra ragazza, Daisy, tentò di alzarsi — si chinò leggermente in avanti con un'espressione scrupolosa — poi rise, con una risatina assurda e incantevole, e risi anch'io e avanzai nella stanza.

"I'm p-paralysed with happiness."

«Sono p-paralizzata dalla felicità.»

She laughed again, as if she said something very witty, and held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see.

Rise di nuovo, come se avesse detto qualcosa di molto spiritoso, e tenne la mia mano per un momento, alzando gli occhi verso il mio viso, promettendo che non c'era nessuno al mondo che desiderasse tanto vedere.

That was a way she had.

Era un suo modo di fare.

She hinted in a murmur that the surname of the balancing girl was Baker.

Accennò in un mormorio che il cognome della ragazza in equilibrio era Baker.

(I've heard it said that Daisy's murmur was only to make people lean toward her; an irrelevant criticism that made it no less charming.)

(Ho sentito dire che il mormorio di Daisy serviva solo a far avvicinare la gente verso di lei; una critica irrilevante che non la rendeva meno affascinante.)

At any rate, Miss Baker's lips fluttered, she nodded at me almost imperceptibly, and then quickly tipped her head back again—the object she was balancing had obviously tottered a little and given her something of a fright.

Ad ogni modo, le labbra della signorina Baker fremettero, mi fece un cenno con la testa quasi impercettibilmente, e poi riportò rapidamente la testa indietro — l'oggetto che stava bilanciando aveva evidentemente vacillato un poco e l'aveva spaventata non poco.

Again a sort of apology arose to my lips.

Di nuovo una sorta di scusa mi salì alle labbra.

Almost any exhibition of complete self-sufficiency draws a stunned tribute from me.

Quasi qualsiasi manifestazione di completa autosufficienza mi strappa un tributo stupefatto.

Vocabulary

Era: Third person singular past tense of 'essere' (to be).
distesa: Stretched out, lying extended at full length.
per: Preposition meaning 'for,' 'through,' or 'by.'
tutta: Feminine form of 'tutto,' meaning 'all' or 'entire.'
sua: Feminine possessive pronoun meaning 'her,' 'his,' or 'its.'
lunghezza: Noun meaning 'length,' the measurement of something long.
estremità: Noun meaning 'extremity,' end, or tip of something.
divano: Noun meaning 'sofa' or 'couch,' a piece of furniture.
spettava: Imperfect of 'spettare,' meaning 'belonged to' or 'was due to.'
completamente: Adverb meaning 'completely' or 'entirely,' without exception.
immobile: Adjective meaning 'motionless,' perfectly still, not moving.
mento: Noun meaning 'chin,' the lower part of the face.
sollevato: Past participle of 'sollevare,' meaning 'raised' or 'lifted up.'
poco: Adverb or adjective meaning 'a little' or 'slightly.'
se: Conjunction meaning 'if,' introducing a conditional clause.
stesse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'stare,' meaning 'were' or 'were staying.'
bilanciando: Gerund of 'bilanciare,' meaning 'balancing' something carefully.
qualcosa: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'something,' an unspecified object.
esso: Third person singular pronoun meaning 'it,' referring to a thing.
era: Imperfect of 'essere,' meaning 'was,' indicating a past state.
molto: Adverb or adjective meaning 'very,' 'much,' or 'a lot.'
probabile: Adjective meaning 'probable' or 'likely,' expected to happen.
cadesse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'cadere,' meaning 'might fall' or 'would fall.'
Se: Conjunction meaning 'if,' introducing a conditional or hypothetical.
vide: Third person singular past tense of 'vedere,' meaning 'saw.'
coda: Noun meaning 'tail,' also used in 'coda dell'occhio' (corner of eye).
occhio: Noun meaning 'eye,' the organ of sight.
ne: Pronoun meaning 'of it,' 'of them,' or 'about it.'
diede: Third person singular past tense of 'dare,' meaning 'gave.'
alcun: Adjective meaning 'any,' used in negative contexts meaning 'none.'
segno: Noun meaning 'sign' or 'indication,' a visible signal.
anzi: Adverb meaning 'rather,' 'on the contrary,' or 'indeed.'
fui: First person singular past tense of 'essere,' meaning 'I was.'
quasi: Adverb meaning 'almost,' 'nearly,' or 'as if.'
spinto: Past participle of 'spingere,' meaning 'pushed' or 'prompted.'
mormorare: Infinitive meaning 'to murmur' or 'to whisper' softly.
scuse: Plural noun meaning 'excuses' or 'apologies,' expressions of regret.
averla: Infinitive 'avere' plus 'la,' meaning 'having her' or 'having it.'
disturbata: Past participle of 'disturbare,' meaning 'disturbed' or 'bothered.'
entrando: Gerund of 'entrare,' meaning 'entering' or 'coming in.'
altra: Feminine adjective meaning 'other' or 'another.'
ragazza: Noun meaning 'girl' or 'young woman.'
tentò: Third person singular past of 'tentare,' meaning 'tried' or 'attempted.'
alzarsi: Reflexive infinitive meaning 'to stand up' or 'to get up.'
chinò: Third person singular past of 'chinarsi,' meaning 'bent' or 'leaned.'
leggermente: Adverb meaning 'slightly,' 'lightly,' or 'gently.'
avanti: Adverb meaning 'forward,' 'ahead,' or 'in front.'
espressione: Noun meaning 'expression,' a look or gesture conveying feeling.
scrupolosa: Adjective meaning 'scrupulous,' careful, meticulous, or conscientious.
poi: Adverb meaning 'then,' 'afterwards,' or 'next.'
rise: Third person singular past tense of 'ridere,' meaning 'laughed.'
risatina: Diminutive of 'risata,' meaning 'a little laugh' or 'a giggle.'
assurda: Feminine adjective meaning 'absurd,' ridiculous, or nonsensical.
incantevole: Adjective meaning 'enchanting,' charming, or delightfully attractive.
risi: First person singular past tense of 'ridere,' meaning 'I laughed.'
anch': Elided form of 'anche,' meaning 'also' or 'too.'
avanzai: First person singular past of 'avanzare,' meaning 'I advanced' or 'moved forward.'
stanza: Noun meaning 'room,' an enclosed space in a building.
Sono: First person singular of 'essere,' meaning 'I am.'
p-paralizzata: Stuttered form of 'paralizzata,' meaning 'paralyzed' or 'immobilized.'
felicità: Noun meaning 'happiness' or 'joy,' a state of contentment.
Rise: Third person singular past of 'ridere,' meaning 'she/he laughed.'
nuovo: Adjective meaning 'new'; in 'di nuovo' means 'again.'
avesse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'avere,' meaning 'had' (hypothetically).
detto: Past participle of 'dire,' meaning 'said' or 'told.'
spiritoso: Adjective meaning 'witty,' clever, or amusingly humorous.
tenne: Third person singular past of 'tenere,' meaning 'held' or 'kept.'
mano: Noun meaning 'hand,' the body part at the end of the arm.
momento: Noun meaning 'moment,' a brief or specific point in time.
alzando: Gerund of 'alzare,' meaning 'raising' or 'lifting.'
occhi: Plural of 'occhio,' meaning 'eyes,' the organs of sight.
verso: Preposition meaning 'toward' or 'towards.'
viso: Noun meaning 'face,' the front of the head.
promettendo: Gerund of 'promettere,' meaning 'promising' or 'suggesting.'
nessuno: Indefinite pronoun meaning 'nobody,' 'no one,' or 'none.'
mondo: Noun meaning 'world,' the earth or all of humanity.
desiderasse: Imperfect subjunctive of 'desiderare,' meaning 'desired' or 'wished.'
tanto: Adverb meaning 'so much,' 'so many,' or 'as much.'
vedere: Infinitive meaning 'to see,' to perceive with the eyes.
modo: Noun meaning 'way,' 'manner,' or 'method' of doing something.
fare: Infinitive meaning 'to do' or 'to make,' a common verb.
Accennò: Third person past of 'accennare,' meaning 'hinted at' or 'nodded toward.'
mormorio: Noun meaning 'murmur,' a low, soft, indistinct sound.
cognome: Noun meaning 'surname' or 'last name,' family name.
equilibrio: Noun meaning 'balance' or 'equilibrium,' a state of stability.
Ho: First person singular of 'avere,' meaning 'I have.'
sentito: Past participle of 'sentire,' meaning 'heard' or 'felt.'
dire: Infinitive meaning 'to say' or 'to tell.'
serviva: Imperfect of 'servire,' meaning 'served' or 'was used to.'
solo: Adjective or adverb meaning 'alone,' 'only,' or 'just.'
far: Shortened form of 'fare,' meaning 'to make' or 'to cause.'
avvicinare: Infinitive meaning 'to approach' or 'to bring closer.'
gente: Noun meaning 'people,' a group of persons collectively.
critica: Noun meaning 'criticism' or 'critique,' a negative evaluation.
irrilevante: Adjective meaning 'irrelevant,' not pertinent or significant.
rendeva: Imperfect of 'rendere,' meaning 'made' or 'rendered' something.
meno: Adverb meaning 'less,' indicating a smaller degree or amount.
affascinante: Adjective meaning 'fascinating,' charming, or captivating.
ogni: Adjective meaning 'every,' 'each,' referring to all members.
labbra: Plural of 'labbro,' meaning 'lips,' the mouth's edges.
signorina: Noun meaning 'Miss' or 'young woman,' a polite form of address.
fremettero: Third person plural past of 'fremere,' meaning 'quivered' or 'trembled.'
fece: Third person singular past of 'fare,' meaning 'made' or 'did.'
cenno: Noun meaning 'nod,' 'gesture,' or 'sign' of acknowledgment.
testa: Noun meaning 'head,' the uppermost part of the body.
impercettibilmente: Adverb meaning 'imperceptibly,' in a barely noticeable manner.
riportò: Third person singular past of 'riportare,' meaning 'brought back' or 'returned.'
rapidamente: Adverb meaning 'quickly,' 'rapidly,' or 'swiftly.'
indietro: Adverb meaning 'back,' 'backwards,' or 'behind.'
oggetto: Noun meaning 'object,' a material thing one can see or touch.
stava: Imperfect of 'stare,' meaning 'was staying' or 'was.'
aveva: Imperfect of 'avere,' meaning 'had,' indicating past possession.
evidentemente: Adverb meaning 'evidently,' 'obviously,' or 'clearly.'
vacillato: Past participle of 'vacillare,' meaning 'wobbled,' 'swayed,' or 'faltered.'
spaventata: Past participle of 'spaventare,' meaning 'frightened' or 'scared.'
sorta: Noun meaning 'sort,' 'kind,' or 'type'; also past participle of 'sorgere.'
scusa: Noun meaning 'excuse' or 'apology,' an expression of regret.
salì: Third person singular past of 'salire,' meaning 'rose' or 'went up.'
Quasi: Adverb meaning 'almost,' 'nearly,' or 'as if.'
qualsiasi: Adjective meaning 'any,' 'whatever,' or 'whichever.'
manifestazione: Noun meaning 'manifestation,' display, or demonstration of something.
completa: Feminine adjective meaning 'complete,' total, or entire.
autosufficienza: Noun meaning 'self-sufficiency,' ability to function independently.
strappa: Third person singular of 'strappare,' meaning 'tears away' or 'wrests.'
tributo: Noun meaning 'tribute,' an acknowledgment or expression of admiration.
stupefatto: Adjective meaning 'astonished,' 'amazed,' or 'dumbfounded.'

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