Language Point 1
The three children sat in the airplane, watching the clouds clear away…(Para.1)
Meaning: The three children sat in the airplane, watching the clouds slowly disappear...
airplane: n. [C] a machine used for carrying people or goods through the air 飞机
I dreamed that we were in an airplane together. 我梦见我们一道乘坐飞机。
He died in an airplane accident. 他在一次空难中丧生。
Note: 飞机 (airplane或plane) 在机场 (airport) 降落 (land) 或起飞(take off)。
Language Point 2
…watching the clouds clear away…(Para.1)
clear away: move away; become clear 散开；变晴朗
The clouds slowly cleared away and the sun came out. 云慢慢地散去，太阳又出来了。
The rain stopped and the sky cleared away. 雨停了，天空变得晴朗了。
Note: 动词watch后用作宾语补足语的不定式通常不带to，这类感官动词还有feel，see，hear，look at，listen to等，如：
I saw him come. 我看见他来了。
I heard him sing. 我听见他唱歌了。
Language Point 3
Two years ago, before their parents’ death, it would have been fun. (Para.1)
Meaning: Two years ago, when their parents were still alive, traveling by air would have been something they enjoyed.
Note:
虚拟条件句中的条件从句有时不表达出来，只隐含在上下文中，如：What would I have done without you? 如果没有你，我怎么办呢？(条件隐含在介词短语without you中。)
Language Point 4
Now, it was nothing more than another time of meeting new relatives, … (Para.1)
Meaning: Now, it was like another time of meeting new members of their family, …
relative: n. [C] a member of the same family tree 亲戚
My uncle is my closest living relative. 仍然在世的亲人中，叔父是我最近的亲人。
She is the only relative John has. 她是约翰惟一的亲属了。
Language Point 5
…trying to fit into their family life, and then moving on again. (Para.1)
Meaning: …trying to get used to a new family life, and then going on to meet other new relatives and try to get used to their family life.
fit into: become a part of a group like the others in the group 适应，适合
The girl found it difficult to fit into the new school life. 那个女孩发现很难适应新的学校生活。
He thought he would never fit into the team. 他觉得自己永远无法适应这支队伍。
Language Point 6
…and then moving on again. (Para.1)
move on: go on to another place 继续前进
“Please move on,” said the policeman. “请往前走，” 警察说。
move sb. on: make sb. go away
That person was terrible; let’s move him on. 那家伙真烦人，把他弄走。
Language Point 7
It wasn’t easy to think of these places as home. (Para.1)
think of…as: have sth. or sb. in mind for sth. or sb. else 把……看作; 认为
They didn’t think of themselves as guests. 他们不认为自己是客人。
It was a shock to him that they thought of him as an actor. 他们把他当作演员，这使他很吃惊。
Language Point 8
Amy Jackson thought about the days … (Para.2)
think about: have in mind 思考，考虑
What are you thinking about? 你在想什么？
He had to think hard about the question. 他得绞尽脑汁地想那个问题。
These days he was thinking about how to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. 这些天他在考虑怎样庆祝他们结婚10周年纪念日。
Language Point 9
…looking at the sheep, grass, and fences… (Para.2)
look at: examine sth. 看，查看
You should have your bad tooth looked at. 你应该去检查一下你的坏牙。
He came to look at the house.他是来查看房屋的。
Language Point 10
…looking at the sheep, grass, and fences… (Para.2)
fence:
1) n. [C] sth. like a wall that surrounds a piece of land 围栏，栅栏
They have a fence around their house. 他们房子周围有围栏。
The fence kept the dog in the garden. 栅栏把狗隔在花园内。
2) v. put a fence around a piece of land 用栅栏围住
They fenced the field. 他们用围栏将田地围起来。
We fenced the garden to keep the sheep out. 我们用篱笆把园子围起来以防羊闯进来。
Language Point 11
Usually her father went alone to the annual farmers’ meeting… (Para.3)
annual: a.
1) happening or done once a year or every year 一年一次的
It is a big annual event. 这是一年一度的大事。
There is an annual meeting in June. 6月份有个年会。
2) for the time of one year 一年的
Her annual pay is $20,000. 她的年薪是2万美元。
What’s your annual pay? 你的年薪是多少？
Language Point 12
Usually her father went alone to the annual farmers’ meeting… (Para.3)
farmer: n. [C] one who owns and manages a farm or one who works on a farm 农场主; 农民
In the summer holidays I often work with the farmers on my father’s farm. 暑假里我经常去父亲的农场和那里的农民一起干活。
They were good farmers. 他们善于种庄稼。
Tractors are very useful to farmers. 拖拉机对农民来说非常有用。
Language Point 13
They were to celebrate their fifteenth wedding anniversary. (Para.3)
Note: “be to do” is used to show that sth. must happen or that sth. has been prepared (用以表示必会发生或已安排好的事).
You are to leave here before 10 o’clock. 你必须在10点之前离开这里。
They are to get married in June. 他们准备6月结婚。
celebrate: v. do sth. special and pleasant on an important day or because of an important event 庆祝，庆贺
If you pass your exams, we’ll have a party to celebrate. 如果你通过考试，我们就开个庆祝会。
They celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday. 他们昨天为他庆祝80寿辰。
Language Point 14
…their fifteenth wedding anniversary. (Para.3)
wedding: n. [C; U] the event in which a man and a woman get married 结婚，婚礼
They invited me to their wedding. 他们邀请我参加他们的婚礼。
She wants them to sing at her wedding. 她请他们在她的婚礼上演唱。
Note: wedding 也可用作形容词，修饰名词。
This was given to her as a wedding present. 这是送给她的结婚礼物。
She brought out her wedding dress. 她拿出她的结婚礼服。
Language Point 15
…their fifteenth wedding anniversary. (Para.3)
anniversary: n. [C] the yearly date on which some special event happened in the past 周年纪念日
It’s the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the country. 今天是这个国家建国20周年纪念日。
We are going to a wedding anniversary. 我们去参加一个结婚纪念庆典。
Language Point 16
…Amy learned of the car accident… (Para.4)
learn of: get some information about 获悉
I was sorry to learn of your father’s death. 听到你父亲去世，我很难过。
When did you learn of the car accident? 你什么时候知道车祸的事的？
Language Point 17
...she realized what it really meant to be the eldest in the family. (Para.4)
Meaning: ...she realized what she should do as the eldest in the family.
Language Point 18
Before, she had rather enjoyed playing mother… (Para.4)
Meaning: Before her parents’ death, she had quite enjoyed playing the role of a mother…
rather: ad. quite 相当
He was a rather active young man. 他是一个很活跃的小伙子。
She had some rather interesting news to tell us. 她要告诉我们一些有趣的消息。
Language Point 19
…and helping to look after the younger children… (Para.4)
look after: take care of 照顾，看护
The young should take the responsibility (责任) to look after the old. 年轻人应该承担照料老人的义务。
We’ll have to look after ourselves. 我们得自己照顾自己。
Language Point 20
…though she did less for Richard than she did for Susie… (Para.4)
Meaning: …though Richard didn’t have as much care as Susie from Amy.
Language Point 21
…and wiped away tears… (Para.4)
wipe away: get sth. away 擦去，抹去
I sat up, wiped away tears, and took up the phone. 我坐起来，擦了擦眼泪，拿起了电话。
He wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. 他用手背擦去了泪水。
Language Point 22
…and wiped away tears… (Para.4)
tear: n. [C] a water drop that comes from the eye 眼泪
The tears were running down his cheeks. 泪水顺着他的脸颊流下来。
I was in tears at the end of the film. 影片结束时我已是泪流满面。
Language Point 23
…always knowing she could stop when she wanted. (Para.4)
Meaning: …always knowing that if she wanted she could stop doing all this for her younger brother and sister.
Language Point 24
Then it was no longer a game now. (Para.4)
Meaning: Then it was no longer the way in which she acted before their parents’ death. no longer: not any more 不再
They no longer live here. 他们已不住在这里了。
By that time he was no longer a child. 那时他已不再是个孩子了。
Language Point 25
Then it was no longer a game now. (Para.4)
game: n.
1) [C] any form of play or sport with rules 游戏；运动
We played a game of cards and I won. 我们玩纸牌游戏，我赢了。
Football is a game that doesn’t interest me. 足球是我不感兴趣的一种运动。
2) (pl.) a meeting to play sports 田径比赛；运动会
The Games were open. 运动会开幕了。
the Olympic Games 奥运会
Language Point 26
…as she tried to comfort… (Para.5)
comfort:
1) vt. make sb. feel less worried or unhappy 安慰，抚慰
I tried to comfort Jean after her husband’s death. 琼的丈夫去世后，我尽力安慰她。
She was comforting a crying child. 她在安慰一个哭泣的孩子。
2) n. [C; U] (sb. or sth. that gives) a feeling of being free from worries or unhappiness 安慰，抚慰
Her children were a great comfort to her when she was ill. 她生病的时候，她的孩子们给了她极大的安慰。
You have been a real comfort to me. 你的确是我的安慰。
Language Point 27
…she realized with a shock that in future she must be both sister and mother. (Para.5)
Meaning: …she suddenly realized that in future she must be both sister and mother.
shock:
1) n. [C; U] a feeling of surprise usually caused by a sudden unpleasant event 震惊，冲击
The news of his death was a shock to all of us. 他去世的消息使我们感到非常震惊。
Then she saw something that gave her a shock. 这时她看到一样使她大为震惊的东西。
2) vt. cause great surprise 使震惊
He was shocked to see his mother looking so white. 看到母亲脸色那样苍白，他很吃惊。
She knew how much the bad news would shock me. 她知道那个坏消息会使我多么震惊。
Language Point 28
Now, Amy wondered how successful she had been. (Para.6)
Meaning: Now, Amy asked herself how successful she had been in being both sister and mother.
successful: a. having done what one has tried to do 成功的
She only wants to be successful. 她一心只想成功。
He is a successful actor. 他是一位成功的演员。
Language Point 29
Would Susie have been so self-willed if their mother had been alive? (Para.6)
Meaning: Would Susie have been a girl who followed her own wishes and not listened to others’ advice if their mother had been alive?
Note:
虚拟条件句所表示的假设是不可能或不太可能发生或实现的。在与过去事实相反的虚拟条件句中，条件从句的谓语用had + 过去分词，结果主句的谓语用should(第一人称)或would(第二、三人称) + have + 过去分词, 例如：
I wouldn’t have known what these were for if I hadn’t been told. 假如没有人告诉我，我不会知道这些东西是做什么用的。
We would have visited her if we had had time. 假如我们有时间，我们就会去拜访她了。
alive: a. 活着的
Note: alive只能作表语，living可以作定语修饰名词:
Are her parents still alive? 她父母仍然健在吗？
Does she have any living relatives? 她还有亲戚在世吗？
Language Point 30
…she needed a firm parent… (Para.6)
firm: a. not changing or likely to change 坚定的；稳定的，不变的
He was quite firm about traveling by air. 他坚决要坐飞机去旅行。
We’ve made a firm decision –– we are not going to change it now. 我们已做了决定，不会再改变了。
Language Point 31
…but it often seemed easier to avoid a fight than to stand up to her in public. (Para.6)
Meaning: …but it often seemed easier to stop a fight than to refuse her when other people are present.
avoid: vt. keep from happening; keep away from 避免，回避
He always tried to avoid a fight if possible. 他总是尽量避免争斗。
We tried to avoid being seen. 我们设法不被人发现。
I leave home at 7 o’clock to avoid being late. 为了不迟到，我7点钟就出门了。
Language Point 32
…but it often seemed easier to avoid a fight than to stand up to her in public. (Para.6)
stand up to: not accept 拒绝；对抗
Somebody’s got to stand up to them. 必须有人敢于和他们斗争。
My daughter often stands up to me in public. 我女儿经常当众顶撞我。
Language Point 33
Richard, who seemed older than his ten years, was never any trouble… (Para.7)
Meaning: Richard, who seemed older than his age, never caused problems or worry…
Language Point 34
… but Amy worried about him too. (Para.7)
worry about: feel that sth. bad will happen 担心，担忧
I worry about you being with him. 你和他在一起我很担心。
There is nothing to worry about. 没有什么可担忧的。
Language Point 35
She sometimes found him lying in bed, just looking at the ceiling. (Para.7)
Note: find后可接含有现在分词的复合宾语，表示过程：
She was found sitting there all the time. 人们发现她一直坐在那里。
They found the boy hitting the dog. 他们发现那个孩子在打狗。
Language Point 36
She sometimes found him lying in bed... (Para.7)
lie: vi.
1)put one’s body flat on sth. 躺
He lay on the ground and went to sleep. 他躺在地上睡着了。
She spent most of the day lying in bed. 一天大部分时间她都躺在床上。
2) be or remain in a certain way 处于某种状态或位置
Snow lay thick on the ground. 地上积了厚厚的一层雪。
The hills lie to the north of the town. 这些山在小镇的北面。
3) say sth. untrue in order to deceive 说谎
I was very angry because I hate those who lie. 我很生气，因为我最不喜欢说谎的人。
Note: lie为不及物动词，注意与lay（及物动词，“放置”）区分：
The newspaper is lying on the table. 那张报纸平放在桌上。
He laid the newspaper on the table. 他把报纸放在桌上。
Language Point 37
…just looking at the ceiling. (Para.7)
ceiling: n. [C] the top of a room 天花板
His room has a low ceiling. 他房间的天花板很低。
Language Point 38
As the plane began to lose height… (Para.8)
lose height: go down 下降
The children were anxious to see their parents when the plane was losing height. 飞机降落时，孩子们急着找他们的父母。
height: n. [C; U] being tall or high 高，高度
We are now moving in the air at a height of 6,000 meters. 我们正在6000米的高空飞行。
I’ve never seen a man of such height. 我从未见过这么高的人。
Language Point 39
…Amy tried to think of how they would appear to their aunt. (Para.8)
Meaning: …Amy tried to think of how their aunt would feel about them when she saw them.
appear: vi. come and be seen 出现
We waited for an hour but he didn’t appear. 我们等了一个小时，但是他并没有露面。
The bus appeared round the corner. 汽车在街道拐角处出现了。
Language Point 40
With her very fair skin… (Para.8)
fair: a.
1) not dark; light in color （皮肤）白皙的；（头发）金色的
The girl has fair skin. 那女孩的皮肤白皙。
Many people think English people have fair hair, but in fact a lot of them have dark hair. 许多人以为英国人都是金色头发，事实上很多英国人都是黑色头发。
2) just; honest 公正的，公平的
It’s not fair! I have to go to bed but you can stay up and watch TV! 这不公平！我得去睡觉，你却能熬夜看电视！
It wasn’t fair to her to ask her to get up so early. 要她起那么早，对她来说实在不公平。
Language Point 41
…for a short holiday and stayed. (Para.8)
stay: vi.
1)be in a place, position, etc. 停留，保持
I’ve got to go to a meeting later, so I can’t stay. 我一会儿要去开会，所以不能留下。
He stayed in bed until 11 o’clock. 他11点才起床。
2)live in a place as a guest for a short time 做客，暂住
We stayed with friends in France. 我们在法国时住在朋友处。
Why don’t you stay for the night? 你为何不留下来过夜？
Language Point 42
Susie was a mixture of the two… (Para.9)
Meaning: Susie had a face like both her mother and father...
mixture: n. [C] a group of things put together 混合物
Today the people of Madagascar are a mixture of the two groups. 今天马达加斯加人由这两部分人组成。
Air is a mixture of all gases. 空气是各种气体的混合物。
He talked in a mixture of German and English. 他说的话混杂着德语和英语。
Language Point 43
…but not as straight. (Para.9)
Meaning: …but slightly curly.
straight: a. not bent or curved 直的
Her hair was straight. 她的头发很直。
The teacher drew some straight lines on the blackboard. 老师在黑板上画了几条直线。
Language Point 44
Her skin and high cheek bones came from her mother… (Para.9)
Meaning: With her dark skin and high cheek bones she looked like her mother...
cheek: n. [C] the soft part of the face on each side of the nose and mouth 脸颊
Their cheeks were red when they came in out of the cold. 外面天气冷，他们进来时脸颊都冻得红红的。
Tears ran down her cheeks. 眼泪顺着她的脸颊流下来。
Language Point 45
Her skin and high cheek bones came from her mother… (Para.9)
bone: n. [C] the hard part making up the form of a body 骨头
He’s broken a bone in his hand. 他手上的一根骨头断了。
The dog is eating a bone. 这只狗在啃骨头。
This fish has a lot of bones in it. 这种鱼的刺很多。
Language Point 46
Amy moved to wake her sister. (Para.10)
wake: v.
1) make sb. stop sleeping 唤醒
Could you wake me at 7:30 tomorrow morning please? 请你明早7点半叫醒我好吗？
The children’s shouts woke us from our sleep. 孩子们的叫喊声把我们从睡梦中吵醒。
2) stop sleeping 醒，醒来
I woke early in the morning. 我早上很早就醒了。
Language Point 47
…she thought anxiously. (Para.10)
anxiously: ad. worriedly 焦急地，忧虑地，担忧地
He was waiting anxiously for the results of the exam. 他在焦急等待考试成绩。
We waited anxiously by the telephone. 我们焦急地守候在电话旁。
Language Point 48
“Perhaps our luck will change at last…” (Para.10)
Meaning: “Perhaps we will have good luck at last …”
luck: n. [U] the good or bad things that happen to a person by chance 运气
We decided to try our luck somewhere else. 我们决定去别处碰碰运气。
Luck was on our side and we won the game. 我们比较幸运，赢了这场比赛。
Language Point 49
“Perhaps our luck will change at last…” (Para.10)
at last: in the end 最后
Here you are at last! 你终于来了！
The bus came at last. 汽车终于来了。