Text 课文
Which actor read the letter in the end, the aristocrat or the gaoler?
Some plays are so successful that they run for years on end, In many ways, this is
unfortunate for the poor actors who are required to go on repeating the same lines night
after night.
By heart 熟记
on end = continuously adv.连续的（位于具体的时间之后）
-- He sat there for hours on end.
-- We had hardly anything to eat for days on end.
on end = upright adv.竖着
-- The cat's fur stood on end.
-- I got a big shock, so my hair stood on end. 我被吓了一跳, 以至于我毛骨悚然。
Who = actor 关系代词做主语, 不能省略
-- The student who was required to recite the poem 100 times is really poor.
One would expect them to know their parts by heart and never have cause to falter.
learn/know by heart 把什么牢记在心
-- The sentence is so important that you must learn it by heart.
heart and soul adv.全心全意的, 全身心的
-- We sever the students heart and soul.
take heart 鼓起勇气, 恢复信心
lose one’s heart 失去信心
lose one’s heart to sb = give one’s heart to sb 亲信于某人
-- The boy lost his heart to the girl.
put one's heart into sth 致力于某事
-- Nothing is difficult if you put your heart into it. 世上无难事, 只怕有心人。
have one's heart in one's boots 提心吊胆
-- He had his heart in his boots when he went out along at night.
Would v. (will 的过去式)
1> [表示过去将来时, 用于第二、三人称](第一人称英国用 should, 美国用 would) 将, 会
-- He said he would come. 他说他要来。
2> [表示意愿]愿; 偏要, 肯
-- He would eat nothing. 他不肯吃东西; 他什么也不愿吃。
-- I told him not to go, but he would not listen. 我叫他别去, 可他偏不听。
-- He would go in spite of our warnings. 他不听我们的劝告, 执意要去。
3> [表示过去的习惯动作]常常, 总是
-- He would sit for hours doing nothing. 过去他常常 坐几个钟头什么事也不做。
-- He would come to see us on Sundays. 过去星期天他经常来看望我们。
4> [表示推测]大概, 该是
-- I would be about ten when my brother left home. 我哥哥离开家时, 我大概十岁左右。
5> [表示某种假设的意志]想要, 愿意
-- I could do so if I would. 要是我愿意, 我能够这样做(但我不愿意)。
-- If you would do this for me, I should be grateful indeed.
若是你愿意为我做这件事, 我将万分感激 。
6> [表示虚拟, 假设, 虚 构, 用于虚拟条件句的主句第二、第三人称, 美国也用于第一人称]
要, 会, 就会, 将要
-- They would be killed if the car went over the cliff. 如果汽车翻在悬崖下, 他们就会丧命。
-- They would have been killed if the car had gone over the cliff.
如果汽车当时翻到悬崖下, 他们早就丧命了。
8> [表示请求或个人想法、看法, 使语气更婉转]请
-- Would you kindly show me the way to the station? 劳驾, 请问到车站的路怎么走?
-- I would like to speak a few words. 我想讲几句话。
-- It would seem that he was right. 看来他倒是对的。
9> [表示假想的愿望]但愿, 要是...多好
-- Would [I would] that they were safe home again! 愿他们再能平安回家!
-- Would that I were young again. 我若能再年青些该多好啊!
-- We wish that he would come again. 我们但愿他会再来。
-- I would rather you came on Sunday. 希望你星期天来。
10> [表示能力](=could) 能
-- The barrel would hold 100 litres. 这桶能装一百升。
Yet this is not always the case. = This case is not like this.
A famous actor in a highly successful play was once cast in the role of an aristocrat who had
been imprisoned in the Bastille for twenty years.
In the last act, a gaoler would always come on to the stage with a letter which he would hand
to the prisoner.
Whichàletter
Even though the noble was expected to read the letter at each performance, he always
insisted that it should be written out in full.
even though = even if = though/although
at each performance = at every performance
insist（vt.坚决要求）, suggest（vt.建议）
order（vt.命令）, demand（vt.要求）, require（vt.要求）
表示建议／要求／希望的动词加that宾语从句时, that从句必须使用should+动词原形的
虚拟语气（should可以省略）。
in full = fully = completely
One night, the gaoler decided to play a joke on his colleague to find out if, after so many
performances, he had managed to learn the contents of the letter by heart.
play a joke/cheek on sb 开某人玩笑 （cheek n.脸颊, 面颊）
The curtain went up on the final act of the play and revealed the aristocrat sitting alone
behind bars in his dark cell.
on the final act = in the last act
behind bars 铁窗之后
Just then, the gaoler appeared with the precious letter in his bands.
with独立主格结构
precious表明这信对演员很重要
He entered the cell and presented the letter to the aristocrat.
present sth to = hand to = pass to
But the copy he gave him had not been written out in full as usual.
as usual 如往常一样, 照例
It was simply a blank sheet of paper. The gaoler looked on eagerly, anxious to see if his fellow
actor had at last learnt his lines.
look on 旁观, 观看
anxious 形容词短语做伴随状况状语
The noble stared at the blank sheet of paper for a few seconds.
stare at 凝视, 盯住
Then, squinting his eyes, he said: 'The light is dim. Read the letter to me'.
ing形式做方式状语, 伴随状况状语
And he promptly handed the sheet of paper to the gaoler.
promptly = immediately
Finding that he could not remember a word of the letter either, the gaoler replied: 'The light is indeed dim, sire, I must get my glasses.'
现在分词做状语
With this, he hurried off the stage.
hurry off 匆忙离开
Much to the aristocrat's amusement, the gaoler returned a few moments later with a pair of
glasses and the usual copy of the letter which he proceeded to read to the prisoner.
much用来加强语气
whichàletter
He laughs best who laughs last. 笑到最后的, 才是笑的最好的。
