Language Point 1
Alone now, the widow reads considerably. (Para. 1)
Meaning: The widow now lives alone and, therefore, reads much because she has much time for herself.
Notice that the word "alone" can be used both as an adjective and adverb:
One boy alone can do this work. 只要一个男孩就可以做这项工作。
The boy walked alone along the street. 这男孩一个人在街上走。
widow: n. woman whose husband has died and who has not married again
The short story is about a widow on her dying bed who recalled her life. 这部短篇小说描写一位寡妇临终前回顾自己的一生。
Cf. widower : man whose wife has died and who has not married again 鳏夫
Please notice that one can speak of a man's widow: "Margaret is John's widow". But if the woman dies first, one does not say "John is Margaret's widower", but only "John is a widower".
considerably: ad. much, a great deal
She is considerably more tired from doing exercises. 她做练习做得相当累。
considerable: a. a lot of
Considerable experience is required to become a general in the army. 要成为一名将军，需要相当的经验。
For most people, it takes considerable effort to learn a long poem by heart. 对于大多数人来说，背诵一首长诗需要下很大的气力。
Language Point 2
She used to underline favorite passages to share with her husband. (Para. 1)
Meaning: In the past she often drew lines under passages she liked best so that she could remember them with her husband.
underline: vt. 1) draw a line under 划横线
The teacher told the students to underline the new words in the text. 老师要学生在课文中的生词下面划上横线。
2) give added attention to, so as to show importance强调；使突出
His leaving underlined his negative attitude toward the evening party. 他的离席说明他不喜欢这个晚会。
share with: give part of what you have to sb.
When the flood destroyed our house, our neighbors shared their house and food with us. 洪水摧毁了我家的房屋之后，邻居们让我们住到他们的房子里，并在他们家里吃饭。
Farmers often share their crops with each other. 农民们常常相互分享各自收获的东西。
Language Point 3
Now, in a notebook, she stores quotations like this one from Elizabeth Jolley's Cabin Fever. (Para. 1)
Meaning: Now in a notebook she keeps quotations such as this one that is from
Elizabeth Jolley's novel Cabin Fever.
quotation: n. 1. a sentence drawn from literature or a piece taken from a work of art
It's not good to use too many quotations in a paper. 论文里引用内容太多不好。
It seems that the quotations you have here do not help your major point. 你在这里的引文对说明你的主要观点似乎没有什么作用。
quotation mark 引号
2. the price of something 报价
He gave me a quotation which was too high for a new house.他给了我新房子的报价，可报价太高。
Language Point 4
I experience again the deep-felt wish to be part of a married couple, to sit by the fire in winter with the man who is my husband. (Para. 1)
Meaning: Again I deeply feel the strong desire to be part of a married couple, to sit by the fire in winter with the man who is my husband.
Please notice that the infinitive phrases-"to be part of a married couple, to sit by the fire in winter with the man who is my husband"-modify the word "wish".
experience: 1) vt. feel, live through
She experienced pain in thinking of her husband who had passed away years ago. 她丈夫于几年前去世， 她经历了一段思念亡夫的悲痛过程。
2) n. (i) (uncountable) knowledge gained by practice
He has plenty of teaching experience. 他很有教学经验。
(ii) (countable) something that happens to
Travelling experiences by bike are quite exciting. 骑自行车旅行是一种令人兴奋的体验。
a part of: one of the pieces, sections or segments that it is made of
She lived there for the greater part of her life. 她一生中大部分时间都住在那里。
Respect is a very important part of any relationship. 相互尊重是人际关系中一个重要的方面。
Language Point 5
So intense is this wish that if I write the word husband on a piece of paper, my eyes fill with tears. (Para. 1)
Notice that this is an inverted sentence. The usual or common order of it is: This wish is so intense that if I write the word husband on a piece of paper, my eyes fill with tears.
intense: very great; very strong (this is a word learned in Unit 5 B.)
Intense pain can mean serious damage. 有剧痛说明伤得很重。
I cannot stand the intense heat here. 我受不了这里的酷热。
fill with: (cause to) become full with
Mother filled my plate with food. 母亲在我盘子里放满了食物。
Language Point 6
We begin with a worn wedding album. (Para. 3)
Meaning: Let us begin our story with a worn wedding album.
begin with: start (something) with (something)
Let us begin our discussion with a quotation. 让我们用一条语录来开始我们的讨论。
Notice that the word "worn" in the sentence suggests that the following story took place many years ago.
Language Point 7
In the first picture, the bride and groom are facing, with uncertain smiles, a church filled with relatives and friends. (Para. 3)
Meaning: In the first picture, the bride and groom with uncertain smiles are facing a full church crowded with relatives and friends.
Also notice that the phrase "with uncertain smiles" shows that the couple were not confident or sure. Their strained smiles show they are not certain about this marriage. As you read on, you'll learn that the couple's mothers and some relatives were not happy with the marriage.
Language Point 8
The bride did not wear glasses that day, so everything was a blur of candlelight and faces. (Para. 3)
Meaning: The bride was short-sighted and without glasses she could not see things clearly.
blur: 1) n. something whose shape is not clearly seen The widow's memory of the accident that took place on the wedding day is only a blur. 这位寡妇对婚礼那天发生的事的记忆只是一片模糊。
2) v. make difficult to see clearly
In the worn wedding album the first picture of the bride and groom is blurred. 在那本破旧的婚礼相册里，第一张新娘和新郎的合照已经模糊不清了。
Language Point 9
They walked to the back of the church and stood at the door as their guests filed past. (Para. 4)
Meaning: They walked to the back of the church and stood at the door as their guests walked by them in a line.
file: vi. 1) walk one behind the other 一个接一个地走
The students filed into the meeting hall.学生一个个走进会议大厅。
About 10,000 people a day filed past Tian'anmen Square during the celebration period. 在欢庆期间，每天约有一万人走过天安门广场。
2) make a written request for a position 提出
I hope you have filed for safety insurance. 我希望你已参加了安全保险。
vt. 1) put away (papers, etc.) in order 归档
Please file these tape recordings. 请把这些磁带录音归档。
2) place an exhibit among the records of a court, public office, or government 向...... 提出（申请等）
They tried to file a request with the authorities. 他们试图向当局提出请求。
Language Point 10
From colleagues and old schoolmates came cheerful good wishes clothed in friendly jokes. (Para. 4)
Meaning: Colleagues and old schoolmates greeted the couple happily with good wishes that were expressed in friendly jokes.
Please notice that the sentence is inverted. The usual or common order of the sentence is: Cheerful good wishes clothed in friendly jokes came from colleagues and old schoolmates.
colleague: n. fellow worker
He told the story to one of his colleagues who told it to a news writer. 他把这事告诉了他的一位同事，而这位同事又把这事告诉一个新闻记者。
cheerful: a. happy
The child gave a cheerful cry when he saw his mother. 孩子看到母亲时高兴地叫了起来。
Language Point 11
Some relatives, however, were not pleased. One sat in a car, crying; another stood surrounded by sympathizers offering pity. Both these women-mothers of the bride and groom-would have insisted they wanted only the best for their children but they defined "the best" as staying home to help support the family. (Para. 4)
Meaning: However, some relatives were not happy. One of them sat in a car, crying; another stood in the center of sympathizers who offered pity. And the mothers of the bride and groom would have said again and again that they wanted only the best for their children, but what they meant by "the best" was only that the couple should stay home to help support the family.
Please notice that it is these sentences that show that they were not happy with the couple's marriage. Some relatives were not pleased and both the mothers only wanted their children to stay home to help support the family.
Language Point 12
One sat in a car, crying; another stood surrounded by... (Para. 4)
surround: vt. be or go around on every side
The film star was surrounded by news writers. 这位电影明星被新闻记者围住了。
For two months the city was surrounded by enemy forces, and no supplies could be brought in. 这座城市被敌人围困了两个月，任何供应都不能送进城。
Language Point 13
...by sympathizers offering pity. (Para. 4)
sympathizer: n. a person who offers sympathy
Some people are in doubt about sympathizers. 有些人对同情者有怀疑。
Their opinion about the environment does not have many sympathizers. 他们对于环境问题的观点没有多少同情者。
Sometimes a sympathizer is one step away from a lover. 有时侯，同情者与情人仅一步之遥。
sympathize: vi. show sympathy
We sympathize with him when he lost his job. 我们同情他，因为他失业了。
Language Point 14
...they defined "the best" as staying home to help support the family. (Para. 4)
define as: state the meaning of (something such as a word) as being (something)
It's wrong to define "happiness" as "owing lots of money". 把 "幸福"界定为 "拥有很多钱"是错误的。
Language Point 15
The last person to approach the couple was a short, elderly woman who smiled as she congratulated them-not by name but as "wife" and "husband". (Para. 5)
Meaning: The last person to get close to greet the couple was a short, old woman.
When she greeted them, she smiled and simply called them "wife" and "husband".
congratulate: vt. express good luck or pleasure at (someone's) success
She congratulated him on winning a prize. 她祝贺他得了奖。
Language Point 16
Then quickly, for such a short, portly, elderly person, she disappeared. (Para. 7)
Meaning: Although she was short, over-weight and old, the woman disappeared all of a sudden.
for: prep. despite
For all his faults, we like him still. 尽管他有错误，我们还是喜欢他。
For all your explanations, I understand no better than before. 尽管你作了解释，我还是不明白。
Please notice that "for" in this sense is usually followed by the word "all".
disappear: vi. go out of sight
The sun disappeared behind the clouds. 太阳躲进了云层里。
The man disappeared the same day the crime was committed; no one could find him.发生犯罪的那一天，那人消失了，没有人能找到他。
The money disappeared from the bank; no one knew who took it. 那笔钱从银行里消失了，没有人知道是谁拿的。
Language Point 17
Soon they departed, in a borrowed car. (Para. 8)
Meaning: Soon they left in a borrowed car.
depart: vi. leave, go away
Before you depart, let me give you a word of advice. 在你离开前，让我给你一句忠告。
The plane departs for London at 8 a.m. 飞机上午八点飞往伦敦。
Our tour departs from Shanghai. 我们的旅游线路从上海开始。
Language Point 18
With money loaned by the groom's brother, they could afford a honeymoon at a state-park lodge. (Para. 8)
Meaning: Because they borrowed some money from the groom's brother, they were able to have a honeymoon at a state-park lodge.
loan: vt. lend
Loan me $5, please. 请借给我五美元。
loan: n. a quantity of money loaned
He wants to start a new company with a loan of $100,000 from the bank. 他想用从银行得到的十万美元的贷款来开办一家新公司。
As the bank didn't give me a loan, I could not afford to buy the car. 因为银行没有给我贷款，我买不起那辆车。
It will take me ten years to pay back this loan. 我还清这笔贷款要用10年时间。
lodge: n. a small house
The old man lived in a lodge in the woods. 这老人住在树林里的一间小屋里。
lodge: vi. stay somewhere and pay rent
All the travellers lodged in a three-star hotel. 所有的旅客都住在一家三星级饭店里。
Language Point 19
Sitting before a great oak fire, they recalled the events of the day, especially the strange message conveyed by Aunt Esther Gubbins. (Para. 8)
Meaning: Sitting in front of a great oak fire, they reviewed what had happened on the day of their wedding, especially wondering about the meaning of Aunt Esther Gubbins's words.
recall: vt.remember
I know I met you somewhere but I can't recall the place. 我知道我在什么地方见过你，但记不起是哪个地方了。
convey: vt.make known, communicate, express
Please convey my best wishes to your parents. 请向你父母转达我最美好的祝愿。
Sometimes a gesture conveys one's meaning better than words. 有时候，手势比说话更能表达意思。
Very fine shades of meaning cannot easily be conveyed with a limited word bank. 细微的意思不能用几个字就轻而易举地表达清楚。
Language Point 20
"Isn't she your aunt?" the husband responded. (Para. 10)
Meaning: "Isn't she your aunt?" the husband answered.
respond: vi. answer
He didn't respond to my question. 他没有回答我的问题。
When a boy hit his brother, his brother may respond to this action by hitting back. 当一个男孩动手打他的兄弟，他兄弟可能会动手回击。
Liquids respond to changes in temperature. 液体随着温度变化而变化。
Language Point 21
Had she come to the wrong church or at the wrong time, mistaking them for another couple? (Para. 11)
Meaning: Had she come to the wrong church or at the wrong time, thinking wrongly that they were the couple that she knew and was looking for?
mistake for: think wrongly that (someone or something) is (someone or something else)
You and your sister look so very similar, I often mistake you for her. 你和你妹妹长得很像，我常常把你当作你妹妹。
Language Point 22
Or was she just an old woman who liked weddings and scanned for announcements in church bulletins? (Para. 11)
Meaning: Or was she just an old woman who liked weddings and looked for announcements in church bulletins?
scan: vt. look at closely, examine with care
He scanned the field for the figure of his mother. 他扫视田野，想看到他母亲的身影。
Language Point 23
With the passage of time and the birth of grandchildren, their mothers accepted their marriage. (Para. 12)
Meaning: As time went on and because the couple had children, their mothers accepted their marriage.
the passage of time: the passing of time
With the passage of time, they forgot their bitter sufferings. 随着时间的流逝，他们忘却了所遭受的苦难。
Language Point 24
Peculiarly, neither ever asked "Whose job is this?" or asserted "That is not my responsibility!" (Para. 13)
Meaning: Strangely, neither the husband nor the wife asked "Whose job is this?" or declared forcefully "That is not my responsibility!"
Notice that this sentence describes the couple as caring and helpful to each other as they did not give their responsibilities to the other.
peculiarly: ad. 1) strangely
Peculiarly, the dog has three legs. 奇怪的是，这条狗只有三条腿。
Please seize the man. He has been hanging around my store all day and acting peculiarly. 请把那个人抓起来。他在我店四周游逛了一整天，行为异样。
2) especially
This book is peculiarly difficult. 这本书特别难。
assert: vt. declare forcefully
Sandy's mother asserts that it's not healthy to eat standing up. 桑迪的母亲断言，站着吃饭不卫生。
The judge asserts that he is not at fault. 法官宣布他无罪。
responsibility: n. duty; condition or quality of being mature
I take full responsibility for this action. 我对这次行动负全部责任。
Her responsibility is to look after the children. 她的责任是照看孩子。
Language Point 25
Both acted to fill their needs as time and opportunity allowed. (Para. 13)
Meaning: Whenever they had time and opportunity, they would help each other.
fill one's need: satisfy one's need
He is the only child in the family, so the parents are trying their best to fill his needs.
他是家里的独生子，所以父母想方设法满足他的需要。
Language Point 26
Arriving from work, he might announce, "Wife, I am home!" And she, restraining the desire to complain about housework, would respond, "Husband, I am glad!" (Para. 14)
Meaning: When he got back home from work, he would say "Wife, I am home!" And the wife would respond with "Husband, I am glad!" although she was tired from housework and had a desire to complain about it.
Please notice that these two sentences also describe the couple as caring and thinking of each other.
Language Point 27
And she, restraining the desire to complain about housework, would respond, "Husband, I am glad!" (Para. 14)
restrain: vt. prevent from doing something; hold back
He could not restrain his intense wish to speak to her. 他抑制不住想和她说话的强烈愿望。
Children must be restrained from doing wrong until they are old enough to make their own moral decisions. 在孩子们尚未长大到可以自己判断是非之前，要管好他们不让他们做错事。
Prisoners are sometimes restrained from writing to their families. 有时候不允许囚犯写信回家。
Language Point 28
Occasionally, usually around their anniversary, they would bring up the old curiosity regarding Aunt Esther Gubbins. (Para. 15)
Meaning: Sometimes, usually around their wedding anniversary, they would mention Aunt Esther Gubbins, whom they were still curious about.
Language Point 29
Occasionally, usually around their anniversary, ... (Para. 15)
anniversary: n. day that is an exact number of years after something happened
Today we are here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. 今天，我们在这里庆祝中华人民共和国成立50周年。
Language Point 30
...they would bring up the old curiosity... (Para. 15)
bring up: mention or introduce (a subject)
There is no need to bring up his past when we are considering him for employment. 我们考虑他的工作问题时，没有必要再提他的过去。
Who brought up the subject of money? 是谁提起钱这个话题的？
curiosity: n. an eager desire to know
The little boy satisfies his curiosity about the box by opening it. 这小孩打开盒子，以此来满足他对这盒子的好奇心。
Language Point 31
...regarding Aunt Esther Gubbins. (Para. 15)
regarding: prep. concerning, about
There is an article in the newspaper regarding the future of China's football. 报纸上登了一篇关于中国足球未来的文章。
I have no advice for you regarding that problem.对于这个问题，我没有任何建议。
Language Point 32
accidentally (Para. 15)
ad. by accident
He accidentally met a friend of his when shopping yesterday. 他昨天买东西时偶然
遇到了他的一位朋友。
Language Point 33
But she knew "Aunt Esther" was on some heavenly mission. (Para. 15)
Meaning: But she knew "Aunt Esther" was sent to their wedding by God.
mission: n. the action of sending or fact of being sent on some special work or service
His mission is to live up to what his parents expected of him. 他的使命就是实现他父母对他的期望。
His mission to France is successful. 他出使法国很成功。
The enemy believed that the old lady was on a secret mission. 敌人认定那位老太太是在执行一项秘密任务。
Language Point 34
Widowed now, the wife wonders what she would save from their old home if it were to catch fire. (Para. 15)
Meaning: As now her husband has died, she wonders what she would save from their old house if it were on fire.
Please notice the subjunctive mood used in the sentence.
save from: keep (something or someone) from (danger, being destroyed, etc.); make
safe from danger or being destroyed
The thing to be happy about is that their wedding album was saved from the fire. 值得庆幸的是，他们的结婚相册没有被大火烧毁。
Language Point 35
...the worn, fading envelope...(Para. 16)
fade: vi. 1) (cause to) lose color or freshness 褪色
Her dark blue skirt was so old that it had faded to light blue. 她那条深兰的裙子很旧了，颜色已褪成浅蓝色了。
2) disappear bit by bit 逐渐消失
His strength seemed to fade after the operation. 手术以后，他似乎觉得越来越没有力气了。
The music from the radio slowly faded away. 乐队的音乐渐渐地消失了。
As we drove into the mountains, the radio signal faded. 当我们驶进山区时，无线电信号渐渐减弱了。
Language Point 36
novel (Para. 17)
n. long written story
He has written five novels and three plays. 他写了五部小说和三个剧本。
Language Point 37
It has always seemed to me that she was the wrong shape for a heavenly messenger. (Para. 18)
Meaning: I always think that the old woman could not be a messenger sent by God because she was not beautiful.
messenger: n. person who brings a message
Messengers are always welcome. 信使一向是受欢迎的。
Language Point 38
Anyway, it's time to stop wondering whether she came from heaven or a nearby town.(Para. 18)
Meaning: In any case, we should stop being curious about who the old woman was and where she came from.
Language Point 39
What matters is this: whoever she was, Aunt Esther Gubbins was right. (Para. 19)
Meaning: What is important is that no matter who she was, Aunt Esther Gubbins was right.
matter: vi. be important
In a composition, teachers are concerned that students express themselves correctly, but what also matters is that the thoughts are complete and well sequenced. 在批改作文时，老师会注意学生表达是否正确，可同样重要的还有表达的思想是否完整以及组织是否合理。
The cost of heating a home does not matter to someone with a lot of money, but for families with low incomes, it is a matter of great importance. 对于有钱人来说，家庭取暖的费用算不了什么，但对于低收入的家庭来说，却是一件大事。
whoever: 1) no matter who
Whoever broke the window, he should pay for the damage. 无论谁打破了窗户，都得赔偿。
2) any person that; who
Whoever wants to go may sign their names on the paper. 凡是想去的都可在这纸上签名。