Lesson 36 A chance in a million百万分之一的机遇 独立主格

A chance in a million ^{夸张修饰（机会渺茫）}

• I'd love to buy a Rolls-Royce, but it costs an arm and a leg.
• Everybody was clapping their hands off.
• I didn't sleep a wink last night.
• He has a skeleton of a wife.

We are less credulous than we used to be (credulous).

People are not so honest as they once were.

• We spend more time traveling than we used to (spend).

less + adj. / adv. + than ... ^{不像...那样}

• This task is less difficult than the previous one. ^{这个任务比上一个任务不那么难。}
• She arrived less quickly than he did.^{她到达的速度比他慢。}

not so / as + adj. / adv. + as ... ^{不像...一样}

• This book is not so interesting as the one I read last week.^{这本书不像我上周读的那本那么有趣。}
• He didn't run as fast as his brother.^{他的跑步速度不像他兄弟那么快。}
• We are not so / as credulous as we used to be. ^替换

He is less introverted than he used to be. ^{他不像以前那么内向了。}
He is not so / as introverted as he used to be.
He speaks English less well than he used to. ^{他英语说的不如以前好了。}
He doesn't speak English so / as well as he used to.

In the nineteenth century, a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion by presenting his readers with a series of coincidences — most of them wildly improbable. 

bring sth. to a conclusion ^{使某事结束、完成某事}

• The two countries decided to bring the war to a conclusion. ^{两国决定结束战争。}
• The team worked hard to bring the project to a conclusion.^{团队努力工作以使项目结束。}

bring sth. to a close / an end  ^{强调的是渐进性的结束，通常涉及到某种逐步的终结。}

• The chairman's speech brought the meeting to a close. ^{主席的讲话结束了会议。}
• The negotiations finally brought the conflict to an end. ^{谈判最终结束了冲突。}
• The rally was brought to a close / an end by the singing of the national anthem.

..., a novelist would end / close / conclude his story by ... ^替换

bring ... to ... ^{把前者带到后者的状态}

• It was the war that first brought him to power.
• So far the US has been unable to bring him to justice.

series of ^{一系列；一连串}

• an unforeseen series of catastrophes 
• There was a series of delays due to bad weather.^{由于恶劣天气，出现了一连串的延误。}
• She noticed a train of thought in his argument.^{她注意到他论点中的一连串思路。}
• The speaker delivered a string of jokes to entertain the audience.^{演讲者讲了一连串的笑话来取悦观众。}
• There was a chain of events that led to his resignation.^{一连串的事件导致了他的辞职。}
• The detective found a trail of clues leading to the suspect.^{侦探找到了一串线索，指向嫌疑人。}
• There was a stream of people leaving the concert hall.^{有一波人从音乐厅离开。}

by coincidence ^{巧了、碰巧的是}

• My mother is called Anna, and by coincidence my wife's mother is called Anna too.

coincide with sth. ^{与…一致（两个事碰巧一起发生、一致）}

• My arrival coincided with his departure.
• If our schedules coincide, we'll go to Shanghai together.

most of them being wildly improbable ^独立主格

— most of them were wildly improbable. ×
— and / but most of them were wildly improbable. ✓
— most of which were wildly improbable.✓

• Apart from an interesting-looking carved dagger, the box was full of crockery, much of it broken.

造句：The archaeologists found fifteen statues, each of them representing a goddess.^{考古学家发现了十五尊雕像，每一尊代表着一位女神。}

Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maidservant was really the hero's mother.

A long-lost brother, who was presumed dead, was really alive all the time and wickedly plotting to bring about the hero's downfall.

plot ^{n.阴谋，密谋 v.密谋，暗中策划}

• a plot to assassinate the President ^{暗杀总统的阴谋}
• All the imperialist schemes and intrigues are doomed to failure.
• schemes and intrigues ^阴谋诡计
• scheme ^{v.密谋，策划 n.阴谋，诡计}
• intrigue ^{v. 密谋 n.密谋策划，阴谋}
• conspiracy ^{n.合谋，密谋；阴谋集团}

and wickedly plotting to → ... and wickedly scheming / conspiring to... ^替换

be presumed dead / innocent ... ^{被推定为死亡/无辜…}

• Their nephew was missing, presumed dead.
• In English law, an accused man is presumed innocent until he is proved guilty.
• After days of searching, he was presumed dead.^{经过几天的搜索，他被推定为已故。}
• In legal proceedings, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. ^{在法律程序中，被告被推定为无罪，直到被证明有罪。}

alive ^{adj.活着的；仍然存在的（以a开头的形容词，通常只能做表语、补语）}

• He may hunt, beg, or steal occasionally to keep himself alive, ...
• He has been able to tell us more about active volcanoes than any man alive.

living ^{adj.活着的，活的；在使用的（可做定语修饰名词）}

• all living things ^生物
• living proof ^{活生生的证据}
• At such times, justice acts like a living force.

downfall ^{n. fall from a position of prosperity or power}

• Greed led to his downfall. ^{贪婪导致了他的垮台。}

downfall ^{n. thing that causes this}

• His vanity was his downfall.^{他的虚荣心使他堕落。}

undoing ^{n.毁灭；取消；毁灭的原因}

• The team's weak defense was their undoing.
• That proved to be my undoing, for I soon got back to my old bad habit of dozing off in front of the screen. ^NCE3-50

And so on. ^{如此等等、诸如此类}

• and so forth
• and the like
• and what not
• etc. (et cetera)

Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally unacceptable.

improbable → incredible → unbelievable → unacceptable ^发展进程

Modern readers would find such naive solutions totally unacceptable / improbable / incredible / unbelievable / inconceivable / unconvincing / preposterous.

• Chinese students would find such easy examinations totally incredible. ^{中国学生会觉得这么简单的考试是完全无法相信的。}
• Though the crew were at first under the impression that the lost ship had been found, the contents of the chest proved them wrong. ^{使用宾补避免使用从句}
• The facts proved their worries unnecessary. ^{事实证明他们的担心是多余的。}
• The facts proved his accusations totally groundless. ^{事实证明他的指责毫无根据。}
• If you lived in the Mediterranean, for instance, you would consider octopus a great delicacy.
• If you lived in the Northeast of China, you would consider skating a great pleasure. ^{如果你住在中国东北地区，你就会非常喜欢滑冰。}
• She would find such a story totally inconceivable. ^{她会觉得这样的故事完全不可信。}
• She would find such a claim totally unbelievable.^{她会觉得这样的说法完全难以置信。}
• They would find such behavior totally improbable.^{他们会觉得这样的行为完全不能接受。}
• He would find such news totally shocking. ^{他会觉得这样的消息完全震惊。}

Yet, in real life, circumstances do sometimes conspire to bring about coincidences which anyone but a nineteenth century novelist would find incredible.

in real life ^{在现实生活中}

• in the real world ^{在现实世界中}

circumstances ^{n.环境，状况}

• Under no circumstances should you approach that man.
• Due to circumstances beyond our control, ...

conspire to do sth. ^{两个或以上的人表“合谋”，多件事一块儿促成某事发生（多数为不好的结果）}

• Falling demand and high interest rates have conspired to produce a big drop in profits.

but ^{prep.除了，除…外}

• anyone but a nineteenth century novelist ^{除了19世纪的小说家以外的其他人}
• He didn't speak anything but Greek.  ^{他除了希腊语之外不会说其他任何语言。}
• Nobody but Robert would do such a thing.
• Who but a fool would do such a thing?
• His house is the last but one in the street.
• Take the next turning but one on your left.

but ^{后可跟不定式（to） do}

前面如果有实义动词，后面的to就可以省略，如果没有就得写上完整的to do.

• We have nothing to do but wait here. ^{除了等在这里我们不能做其它事}
• We have no choice but to wait here. ^{前面没有实义动词（have 在这里翻译不出来意思）}

造句：In real life, circumstances do sometimes conspire to bring about a series of catastrophes which anyone but the victims would find incredible. ^{在现实生活中，有时确实很多情况会凑到一起导致一连串的大灾难，而这些事情除了受害者之外可能谁也不会相信。}

When I was a boy, my grandfather told me how a German taxi driver, Franz Bussman, found a brother who was thought to have been killed twenty years before.

When I was a boy 状语的主语要和主句一致才能省略，如果省略了主谓就变成了“我爷爷小时候”。

• In my childhood, ... ^{在我的童年（时间状语）}
• In my early years, ...
• In my teens, ... ^{在我十几岁的时候（13-19 岁 thirteen ~ nineteen）}
• In my adolescence, ...^{在我的青春期}
• In my youth, ... ^{年轻时(16-24岁)}

to have + done ^{动词不定式的完成时态（比谓语动词发生的时间更早）}

• Everyone went to the funeral, for the 'ghost' was none other than Eric Cox, a third brother who was supposed to have died as a young man.

While on a walking tour with his wife, he stopped to talk to a workman. ^代述

After they had gone on, Mrs. Bussman commented on the workman's close resemblance to her husband and even suggested that he might be his brother.

comment on ... ^对…评论

• I don't want to comment on other people's views.
• No comment. ^无可奉告

bear a close resemblance to ... ^{与…非常相似}

• She bears a close resemblance to her grandmother. ^{她和她的祖母非常相像。}

closely resemble ... ^{极为相似：指两个或多个事物在外观、特征或性质上非常相似。}

Mrs. Bussman commented / remarked that the workman bore a close resemblance to her husband / closely resembled her husband.

• The new model closely resembles the previous one.^{新款与之前的款式非常相似。}

Franz poured scorn on the idea, pointing out that his brother had been killed in action during the war.

pour scorn on ... ^{对…不屑一顾；嘲笑}

• She poured scorn on his ridiculous idea.^{她嘲笑了他那荒谬的想法。}
• They poured scorn on the government's policy.^{他们对政府的政策嗤之以鼻。}

Franz didn't take the idea seriously,reminding her that his brother had been killed ...^替换

point out ^{指出，提及}

• I must point out that you are making a dangerous mistake.
• At this, the police pointed out ironically that this would hardly be necessary as the men were already under arrest.
• Anyway, as Brian pointed out, it is the easiest thing in the world to give up smoking. 
• He has pointed out that the tree is a useful source of income, as tourists have been coming from all parts of the country to see it.

Though Mrs. Bussman was fully acquainted with this story, she thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be right.

be acquainted with ... ^{了解或熟悉某事物}

• She is well acquainted with the latest research in her field.^{她对自己领域的最新研究非常熟悉。}
• I am acquainted with his work through his published articles.^{我通过他的发表文章了解他的工作。}
• They are acquainted with each other from college. ^{他们在大学时就认识。}

.., she thought there was, the slightest / remotest chance that she might be right.

a chance in a million ^{百万分之一的机遇、千载难逢、极小的机会}

1. A needle in a haystack ^{指的是在一大堆东西中找到的极其罕见的东西或事件。}
2. A shot in the dark ^{指的是没有仔细考虑的、没有把握的尝试。}
3. Slim to none ^{指的是几乎没有机会或希望。}
4. Once in a blue moon ^{指的是非常罕见的事情，类似于月蚀过后的蓝色月亮。}
5. Like finding a four-leaf clover ^{指的是像找到四叶草一样的罕见事件或机会。}
6. A snowball's chance in hell ^{指的是几乎没有任何可能性，比如在地狱里雪球的机会一样渺茫。}
7. As rare as hen's teeth ^{指的是非常罕见的事物，因为鸡没有牙齿，所以比喻非常罕见。}

造句：Though the detective was fully acquainted with the fact that the old lady was always so kind to everybody, he thought that there was a chance in a million that she might be the murderer.^{尽管这位侦探非常了解这位老太太对周围每一个人总是这么好，但他认为仍有一丝可能这位老太太就是谋杀犯。}

A few days later, she sent a boy to the workman to ask him if his name was Hans Bussman.

send sb. to sw. to do ^{派某人去某地做某事}

• She sent him to Paris to negotiate the deal.^{她派遣他去巴黎谈判交易。}
• The company sent their engineers to the site to assess the damage.^{公司派遣他们的工程师去现场评估损坏情况。}
• He was sent to New York to represent the team at the conference.^{他被派往纽约代表团队参加会议。}
• They sent her to the store to buy groceries.^{他们派她去商店买菜。}

Needless to say, the man's name was Hans Bussman and he really was Franz's long-lost brother.

needless to say ^不必说

• Needless to say our house is now surrounded by a jungle. ^NCE3-46

When the brothers were reunited, Hans explained how it was that he was still alive.

be reunited (with ...) ^{(与…)团聚}

• She and her youngest son were finally allowed to be reunited with their family.^{她和她的小儿子最终被允许和他们的家庭团聚。}
• The lost children were reunited with their parents.

how it was = how it happened ^{怎样发生的(怎么回事)}

• She described how it was when they first met.^{她描述了他们初次见面时的情况。}
• He explained how it was growing up in a small town.^{他解释了他在小镇长大的情况。}
• She explained how it happened that they missed their flight.^{她解释了他们错过飞机的原因。}
• He told us how it happened that he became a doctor.^{他告诉我们他是如何成为医生的。}

造句： When Eric returned to the farm, he explained how it was that he deserted his regiment. ^{当Eric回到农场后，他解释了他是怎么从团里逃出来的。}

After having been wounded towards the end of the war, he had been sent to hospital and was separated from his unit.

After he had been wounded, ...

towards / toward midnight ^{逐渐接近...}

• Towards midday, a girl heard a muffled cry coming from behind one of the walls. 
• They were all moving toward him down the stairs. ^{他们都正朝着他走下楼梯。}
• There was a forecast of cooler weather toward the end of the week. ^{天气预报说接近周末时天气会更凉爽。}
• Gulls are nesting on a small island toward the eastern shore. ^{海鸥正在靠近东海岸的一个小岛上筑巢。}

send sb. to hospital ^{送某人去医院(零冠词：强调功能、美语中会使用a、the)}

• She fell down the stairs and had to be sent to hospital immediately.^{她摔下了楼梯，必须立即送往医院。}
• The accident was severe enough to send several people to the hospital.^{事故严重到足以送几个人去医院。}
• He was sent to the hospital for surgery on his leg.^{他因腿部手术而被送往医院。}

separate ... from ... ^{分离：指将某物与其他事物分开或切断。}

• Theory should never be separated from practice.

The hospital had been bombed and Hans had made his way back into Western Germany on foot.

make one's way ^前往某地

• I made my way to the house.
• I made my way into the backyard.
• I made my way along the river.
• I made my way up the stairs.
• I made my way back into Western.
• Turning back down the main street, we quickened our pace and made our way rapidly towards the stream where we hoped the boatman was waiting. ^NCE3-48

Meanwhile, his unit was lost and all records of him had been destroyed.

be lost ^{丢失，迷路；失传、走失、失败、击溃}

• It can feel strange to be lost.^{迷路的感觉会令人不安。}
• The child was lost and began to whimper. ^{那孩子迷了路，抽抽搭搭地哭起来。}
• He missed the catch and the game was lost. ^{他没接住球，输了这场比赛。}

Hans returned to his family home, but the house had been bombed and no one in the neighbourhood knew what had become of the inhabitants.

become of sb./sth. ^{关于…的情况、下落}

• What has become of Jane? ≈ How is Jane?
• Whatever became of the parcel you sent? ^{你寄的包裹怎么样了?}

No one in the neighborhood knew his family's whereabouts.

• Despite numerous searches and enquiries, her whereabouts are still unknown.

inhabit ^{v.居住于，栖居在；存在于，占据}

• In the future, people may inhabit other planets, then become the inhabitants.

Assuming that his family had been killed during an air raid, Hans settled down in a village fifty miles away where he had remained ever since.

You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food—always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. ^NCE3-44

even assuming (that) ... = even if ... ^{即使、就算...}

• Even assuming (that) smokers do see the health warnings, I doubt they'll take any notice.

settle down ^{定居下来(结婚生子)}

• He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down in the country.

Hans settled down in a village 50 miles away and he had remained there ever since. ^{看看where到底省略了哪些内容}