Text 课文
What did the man expect to find under the stairs?
After her husband had gone to work, Mrs. Richards sent her children to school and went
upstairs to her bedroom.
She was too excited to do any housework that morning, for in the evening she would be going
to a fancy-dress part with her husband.
fancy-dress party = costume party
1> too ... to… 太...而不能… （不定式to在大部分情况下表示否定概念）
2> not/never too ... to… 并不太...所以能够…
-- One is never too old to learn 活到老, 学到老。
-- The question is not too difficult for me to answer. 这个问题并不太难, 所以我能够答得出。
3>如果在副词too前发现修饰语all, but, only, 不定式to的概念也是肯定的。
-- They are all too satisfied to work with you.
-- I am only too glad to have someone to speak to. 我太高兴了, 想找个人说话。
-- He was but too eager to get home.
She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she
was impatient to try it on.
intended to打算做什么 = mean to do意图做什么
dress up as… 化妆成为…
the night before 前一个晚上（以过去的某一个时间为基准点）
last night 昨天晚上（以现在为基准点）
-- She went to New York on business three days ago, the night before she got everything ready.
be impatient to do sth 急于要做某事, 迫不及待做某事
impatient可以换为eager, anxious, hungry, thirsty, desperate, can't wait(口语)
desperate（adj.不顾一切的, 拚死的）
-- she was impatient to try it on.（try on 试穿）
Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective.
After putting it on, Mrs. Richards went downstairs.
After putting it on 穿上以后
She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.
= It would be comfortable (for her) to wear
动词不定式to wear, 用来修饰说明comfortable, 作它的状语。
-- It is easy for me to read.
-- The book is difficult to read.
-- The dress is easy to wash.
-- Your handwriting is easy to recognize.
主动形式表达被动概念：
1> The music is sweet to hear.
2> The machine needs repairing. （用need, want和动名词形式直接搭配）
3> The dictionary is worth buying.
-- The book is worth reading.
4>The house is under construction.（介词under表达被动的意味）
-- The puma is under control.
-- The problem is under discussion.（n.讨论）
-- The thief is under arrest.（n.逮捕, 拘留）
5> The airport came into use again.（came into 不及物动词短语）
-- Our time has already gone to waste.（go to waste浪费掉, 付诸东流）
6> able 形容词后缀, 跟在动词后表达＂能够被...的＂
-- She is a respectable person.（respectable adj.可敬的, 值得被尊敬的）
-- This is a returnable bottle. 这是一个能被退回的瓶子。（returnable adj.可被退回的）
7> consist of, comprise本身表达被动概念, 结构形式为主动
Just as Mrs. Richards was entering the dinning room, there was a knock on the front door.
She knew that it must be the baker.
She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the
bread on the kitchen table.
straight adv.直接地, 径直地
if even（ever 用于条件句。表示任何时候, 任何场合）= when ever
-- If ever you see George give him my best regards.（n.问候）
-- When ever he is in trouble I'll be on the spot.
Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs. Richards quickly hid in the small storeroom
under the stairs.
Not wanting （分词的否定结构形式, 做原因状语。）
多用于句首, 也可插入句中, 主谓之间。
Not wanting to make her nervous, the doctor didn't fully explain the seriousness of condition.
= The doctor, not wanting to make her nervous, didn't fully explain the seriousness of her
condition.
She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the
storeroom was opened and a man entered.
Mrs. Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to
read the metre.
read the metre 查电表
She tried to explain the situation, saying 'It's only me', but it was too late.
saying（现在分词做伴随状语）
The man let out cry and jumped back several paces.
let out a cry 大叫了一声（= utter a cry /give a cry）
utter vt.发出, 做声, 发表, 发射
jump back several paces 后退了好几步
When Mrs. Richards walked towards him, he fled, slamming the door behind him.
Slamming（现在分词作方式状语或伴随状语, 说明fled的情况）
