跟我一起精讀哈利波特！
rattle
/ˈrætl/
(informal) to make someone lose confidence or become nervous
He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before.
stern
serious and strict, and showing strong disapproval of someone's behaviour
The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.
pull yourself together
to force yourself to stop behaving in a nervous, frightened, or uncontrolled way
Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house.
shan't
=shall not
She told him over dinner all about Mrs Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learnt a new word ("Shan't")
allow oneself a grin
grin is a wide smile
The news reader allowed himself a grin.
over to somebody
*used to say that it is now someone else's turn to do something, to speak etc
And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather.
as far apart as
It means the distance that cannot be bridged just like two poles of the earth. The distance that cannot be reached in a day by road and rail.
downpour
/ˈdaʊnpɔːr/
a lot of rain that falls in a short time
Bonfire Night
/ˈbɒnfaɪə $ ˈbɑːnfaɪr/
Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks!
armchair
Mr Dursley sat frozen in his armchair.
mumble
/ˈmʌmbəl/
to say something too quietly or not clearly enough, so that other people cannot understand you
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr Dursley mumbled.
snap
to say something quickly in an angry way
"so?" snapped Mrs Dursley