哈里·波特即将谢幕

For a generation of children, life without Harry¹ Potter would be unthinkable; for their parents, too. J.K Rowling's books about the boy wizard have vanished from the shelves, and not just here in Britain. The last book sold four million copies on the day it came out in the United States.

And then there were the films with Daniel Radcliffe in the starring role. The last one made 15 million pounds in three days when it opened in British cinemas. J.K Rowling posing² with the stars has had every reason to smile.

--- Expecto Patronum!

But all good things must come to an end. Is Harry himself about to be killed off ? Now the seventh and final book is being written.

"I've never been, I've never been tempted³ to kill him, to kill him off before the end of book seven because I've always planned seven books, and I that's where I want to go, (right) I want to finish all seven books. (yeah) I can completely understand, however, the mentality⁴ of an author who thinks 'well, I'm gonna kill him off, because that means there can be no non-author written sequels as they call them'. (right)"

It did sound like the death knell⁵ for Harry. But in the world of magic, there are twists and turns, and things are seldom as they see.

Tim Ewart, ITN News.

R.I.P.=Rest In Peace, 愿他[她]安息

1 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

2 posing   

n. 摆架式 名词pose的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• The model was posing carefully. 这位模特儿在认真地摆着姿势。
• She is always posing. 她总是装腔作势。

3 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

4 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。

5 knell   

n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟

参考例句：

• That is the death knell of the British Empire.这是不列颠帝国的丧钟。
• At first he thought it was a death knell.起初，他以为是死亡的丧钟敲响了。