新概念英语第三册的课文 (24)

We often read in novels how a seemingly respectable person or family has some terrible secret which has been concealed from strangers for years. The English language possesses a vivid saying to describe this sort of situation. The terrible secret is called 'a skeleton in the cupboard'. At some dramatic moment in the story, the terrible secret becomes known and a reputation is ruined. The reader's hair stands on end when he reads in the final pages of the novel that the heroine a dear old lady who had always been so kind to everybody, had, in her youth, poisoned every one of her five husbands.
It is all very well for such things to occur in fiction. To varying degrees, we all have secrets which we do not want even our closest friends to learn, but few of us have skeletons in the cupboard. The only person I know who has a skeleton in the cupboard is George Carlton, and he is very pound of the fact. George studied medicine in his youth. Instead of becoming a doctor, however, he became a successful writer of detective stories. I once spend an uncomfortable weekend which I shall never forget at his house. George showed me to the guestroom which, he said, was rarely used. He told me to unpack my things and then come down to dinner. After I had stacked my shirts and underclothes in two empty drawers, I decided to hang one of the tow suits I had brought with me in the cupboard. I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of two suits I had brought with me in the cupboard. I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of it suits I had brought with me in the cupboard. I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of it petrified. A skeleton was dangling before my eyes. The sudden movement of the door made it sway slightly and it gave me the impression that it was about to leap out at me. Dropping my suit, I dashed downstairs to tell George. This was worse than "a terrible secret'; this was a read skeleton! But George was unsympathetic. 'Oh, that,' he said with a smile as if he were talking about an old friend. 'That's Sebastian. You forget that I was a medical student once upon a time.'

New words and expressions 生词和短语

skeleton
n. 骷髅

seemingly
adv. 表面上地

respectable
adj. 体面的，雅观的

conceal
v. 隐藏，隐瞒

vivid
adj. 生动的

dramatic
adj. 令人激动的，扣人心弦的

ruin
v. 毁坏

heroine
n. 女主人公

fiction
n. 小说

varying
adj. 不同的

medicine
n. 医学

guestroom
n. （家庭中的）来客住房

unpack
vt. （从箱中）取出

stack
v. （整齐地）堆放，排放

underclothes
n. 内衣

drawer
n. 抽屉

petrify
v. 使惊呆

dangle
v. 悬挂

sway
v. 摇摆

unsympathetic
adj. 不表同情的，无动于衷的


medical
adj. 医学的

参考译文

在小说

中，我们经常读到一个表面上受人尊重的人物或家庭，却有着某种多年不为人所知的骇人听闻的秘密。英语中有一个生动的说法来形容这种情况。惊人的秘密称作“柜中骷髅”。在小说的某个戏剧性时刻，可怕的秘密泄漏出来，接着便是某人的声誉扫地。当读者到小说最后几页了解到书中女主人公，那位一向待大家很好的可爱的老妇人年轻时一连毒死了她的5个丈夫时，不禁会毛骨悚然。
这种事发生在小说中是无可非议的。尽管我们人人都有各种大小秘密。连最亲密的朋友都不愿让他们知道， 但我们当中极少有人有柜中骷髅。我所认识的唯一的在柜中藏骷嵝的人便是乔治.卡尔顿，他甚至引以为自豪。乔治年轻时学过医，然而，他后来没当上医生，却成了一位成功的侦探小说作家。有一次，我在他家里度周末，过得很不愉快。这事我永远不会忘记。乔治把我领进客房，说这间很少使用。他让我打开行装后下楼吃饭。我将衬衫、内衣放进两个空抽屉里，然后我想把随身带来的两套西服中的一套挂到大衣柜里去。我打开柜门，站在柜门前一下惊呆了。一具骷髅悬挂在眼前，由于柜门突然打开，它也随之轻微摇晃起来，让我觉得它好像马上要跳出柜门朝我扑过来似的。我扔下西服冲下楼去告诉乔治。这是比“骇人听闻的秘密”更加惊人的东西，这是一具真正的骷髅啊！但乔治却无动于衷。“噢，是它呀！他笑着说道，俨然在谈论一位老朋友。“那是塞巴斯蒂安。你忘了我以前是学医的了。”


New words and expression 生词和短语

Skeleton n.骷髅 （n.(动物之)骨架, 骨骼, 基干, 纲要, 万能钥匙）

Closet n.壁橱, 衣橱, 碗橱

a skeleton in the cupboard = a skeleton in the closet = a family skeleton 家丑

-- It is time to bring the family skeleton out of the cupboard. 该是公开家丑的时候。

skeleton key 万能钥匙

reduced to a skeleton 瘦得皮包骨

-- He has had nothing to eat for a couple of days so he has been reduced to a skeleton.



Seemingly adv.表面上地



Respectable adj.体面的, 雅观的

-- The tie is for respectable people only. 这条领带只适合体面的人戴。

Decent adj.正派的, 端庄的, 有分寸的, (服装)得体的, 大方的

Graceful adj.优美的，优雅的

Deserving respect 可敬的

-- deserve（vt.应受, 值得） respect（n.尊敬, 敬重）

Respectable adj.可敬的, 有名望的, 高尚的, 值得尊敬的

Respectful adj.尊重人的, 有礼貌的

-- A respectable person is respectful to others. 受人尊敬的人也会尊敬别人的。

Respective adj.分别的, 各自的 -- All the students returned to their respective classrooms.



Conceal v.隐藏, 隐瞒 （比hide更加正式,

语气更强）

Conceal sth. from sb.

-- He concealed his disappointment from his friends.（disappointment n.失望）

-- He concealed his debts from his wife.

Hide vt.vi.（hid, hidden, hiding）隐藏, 把…藏起来

-- When her mother came in the little girl hid behind the curtain.（很口语话）



Vivid adj.生动的（活泼的）

adj.鲜明的, 鲜艳的（光线、色彩等） -- a vivid color 鲜艳的颜色 / vivid blue 碧蓝色

adj.传神的, 栩栩如生的

She gave the police a vivid description of the accident. 她对警察生动地描述了这次事故。

比较级more vivid / 最高级the most vivid



Dramatic adj.令人激动的, 扣人心弦的（戏剧性的, 生动的）

Vivid adj.清晰的

-- The dramatic scene is still vivid in his mind. 那扣人心弦的一幕在他脑海中仍很清晰。

Exciting adj.令人兴奋的, 使人激动的（没有dramatic那么强烈）

Striking adj.引人注意的, 显著的, 惊人的



ruin v.毁坏

heroine n.女主人公



fiction n.小说（虚构, 编造）---- 集合名词, 小说的总称, 不可数

novel n.小说, 长篇故事（某一部具体的小说）

-- I prefer reading fiction to hearing about real events. 我喜欢阅读小说而不喜欢听真实的事件。



varying adj.不同的

vary vi.vt.改变, 变化 -- The weather varies from day to day. 天气一天天变化。

Varying = Various（adj.不同的, 各种各样的）= different kinds of

Different adj.不同的（与…不一样） -- My idea in different from yours.



medicine n.医学

Guestroom n.（家庭中的）来客住房

Unpack vt.（从箱中）取出



Stack v.（整齐地）堆放, 排放

-- Stack up the books.

-- The housewife is stacking up the clothing.

Stack n.摞, 叠, 大堆, 堆栈 -- a stack of papers 一摞报纸 / a stack of books 一大堆书



Underclothes n.内衣

Underclothing n.内衣, 贴身衣裤 Underwear n.内衣裤



Drawer n.抽屉



petrify v.使惊呆

shock vt.使…震惊 n.打击, 震动 dumbfound vt.使惊愕；使惊呆；使目瞪口呆

Petrified adj.感到震惊的 / Petrifying adj.令人震惊的零 -- At the new I was petrified.　



dangle v.悬挂

sway v.摇摆



unsympathetic adj.不表同情的, 无动于衷的

be unsympathetic to sb. 对某人不表示同情

-- I told him about my experience but he was unsympathetic to me.

Sympathetic adj.同情的,表示同情的, 感到同情的

-- The manager was sympathetic (to me), but he could do nothing (to help me).

这位经理表示同情,但他无能为力。

Unsympathetically adv.无同情心的, 冷淡的

Sympathetically adv.同情地, 怜悯地

Sympathy n.同情, 同情心

In sympathy = sympathetically



medical adj.医学的



stranger n.陌生人 sec

ret n.秘密

close adj.近的, 紧密的, 亲密的 adv.接近, 紧密地（s读z）

closest adj.最靠近的

youth n.青春, 青年时期, 初期 n.少年, 青年们

detective n.侦探 adj.侦探的 shirt n.衬衫, 衬衣

slightly adv.轻微地, 有一点, 略, 苗条地

dash vt., vi.突进, 飞跑

once upon a time adv.从前

Text 课文

Who was Sebastian?

We often read in novels how a seemingly respectable person or family has some terrible

secret which has been concealed from strangers for years.

How引导宾语从句

has some terrible secret = has a skeleton in the cupboard = has a skeleton in the closet 家丑

which引导的定语从句修饰secret

seemingly adv.表面上地（= from appearance） -- a seemingly respectable person 表面上受人尊敬的人



The English language possesses a vivid saying to describe this sort of situation.

Possess = own = have got

to describe this sort of situation 来描述这种场景（做定语用来修饰saying）

-- The English language possesses a vivid word to describe her beauty.



The terrible secret is called‘a skeleton in the cupboard’.



At some dramatic moment in the story, the terrible secret becomes known and a reputation

is ruined.

Some 某一个（修饰单数可数名词）= a certain

Ruin vt.毁坏, 毁灭（泛指概念, 表示毁坏的过程不是一下完成的）

= spoil vt.搞糟, 宠坏 v.扰乱

-- The rain ruined my holiday. = The rain spoiled my holiday.

Destroy vt.破坏, 毁坏 v.消灭, 摧毁（完全摧毁, 不可修复）

-- To tell the patient the truth is to risk destroying his hope.

-- The earthquake destroyed almost the entire city.

Damage vt.损害, 损坏, 使受损失（可以被修复）

-- The car is damaged and it is be repairing now.



The reader's hair stands on end when he reads in the final pages of the novel that the heroine, a dear old lady who had always been so kind to everybody, had, in her youth, poisoned every

one of her five husbands.

one’s hair stands on end 某人感到毛骨悚然 = sb feel horrified （adj.带有恐怖感的, 惊骇的）

-- My hair stands on end. 我感到毛骨悚然

set/make one’s hair stands on end 使某人感到毛骨悚然

-- horrid adj.恐怖的, 令人讨厌的, 可怕的

-- The horrid film really make my hair stands on end.

in her youth 在她年轻的时候

everyone （单独用every和one连在一起） every one of （与of搭配every和one要分开）



It is all very well for such things to occur in fiction.

It is all very well…but… 好到是好, 但是…

-- It is all very well for you to suggest taking a few days’ rest, but how can finish our work in time?

-- It is all very well for them to ask me to do it, but I am too busy.



Occur vi.发生, 出现（某个事件出乎意料的、偶然的发生）-- 比ha

ppen更正式

-- When did the accident occur?

It occurred to me to do… / It occurred to me that…

-- It occurred to me to open the window.

Happen vi.发生, 碰巧, 偶然（某个事件出乎意料的、偶然的发生）

-- When did the accident happen?

Take place v.发生, 举行（事件根据安排而发生、举行）

-- When will the wedding take place?



To varying degrees, we all have secrets which we do not want even our closest friends to

learn, but few of us have skeletons in the cupboard.

To varying degrees 从不同的角度来讲…

Which引导定语从句, 修饰secret。

Learn 得知、了解某个事实 / 学习某种知识、技能

-- She is learning computers. 她正在学习电脑。（动态动词）

Know 知道某个事实 / 具有某种知识、技能 / 了解某个人（状态动词, 不能用进行时）

-- She knows about computers. 她懂电脑。



The only person I know who has a skeleton in the cupboard is George Carlton, and he is

very proud of the fact. George studied medicine in his youth.



Instead of becoming a doctor, however, he became a successful writer of detective stories.

Instead of doing… 表示相反、没有、取而代之的是…

-- Instead of sleeping at home, he went shopping.



I once spent an uncomfortable weekend which I shall never forget at his house.

Which指代uncomfortable weekend

Shall的用法：

1> (过去时should)(shall 可缩写为 'll , shall not 常缩写为 shan't [FB:nt], 美国人常用will代替)

2> [用于主语为第一人称单复数, 表示单纯将来] 将要, 会

-- I shall be forty on my next birthday. 到下次生日, 我就满四十岁。

-- We shall be on holiday at this time next week. 我们将于下星期这个时候度假。

-- I shall ring you up as soon as I arrive. 我一到就给你打电话。

3> [用于陈述句第二、三人称, 表示说话者的意图、警告、命令、决心等, 主语的行动受讲话者支配] 必须, 应, 可

-- He shall go. 他可以去。

-- You shall have an answer by tomorrow. 到明天你可以得到答复。

-- He shall have a bicycle for his birthday. 他可以得到一架自行车作为生日礼物。

-- She shall not enter my house again. 她不得再进我家。

4> [在问句中, 征 询对方对于主语行动的意见(提供帮助, 提出建议、要求给予指示和征求意见), 主要用于第一、三人称]... 好吗? 要不要...?

-- Shall I carry your bag ? 我帮你拿手提包, 好吗?

-- Shall he come to see you ? 要不要他来看你?

5> [用于第三人称, 在条约、规定、法令等文件中表示义务或规定]应, 必须

-- No reader shall remove a book from the library without consent of the librarian.

非经管理员同意, 读者不准把书带出图书馆。

-- The National Party Congress shall be convened every five years .

党的全

国代表大会每五年举行一次。

6> [在表示意图、要求等的从句中] 应该, 要

-- I wish that you shall stay at home tonight. 我希望今晚你留在家里。

-- You say you will not do it, but I say you shall do it.

你说你不做这事, 但是我说, 你非做不可。

7> [用于将来时态的间接引语, 与直接引语中的shall相应]将

-- He says that he shall [will] be glad to see you. (=He says, “I shall be glad to see you.”)

他说他将乐意来看你。



George showed me to the guestroom which, he said, was rarely used.

Show/lead sb to… 带领某人进入…

Which指代guestroom

was rarely used = was little used

rarely adv.很少地, 罕有地

little adv.很少 n.少许 adj.很少的



He told me to unpack my things and then come down to dinner.

After I had stacked my shirts and underclothes in two empty drawers, I decided to hang one

of the two suits I had brought with me in the cupboard.



I opened the cupboard door and then stood in front of it petrified.

stand in front of sth petrified 站在…前, 目瞪口呆

-- We stood petrified as we felt the earthquake began.

Frighten vt.使惊吓（在某个特定的场合受到惊吓）

-- I was frighten by a large dog.

Terrified adj.恐惧的, 受惊吓的（表示惊吓的程度非常强烈）

-- I was terrified when the tiger went towards me.

Afraid adj.害怕, 担心（表示一种状态, 永久性的恐惧）

-- The girl is afraid of mouse.



A skeleton was dangling before my eyes.



The sudden movement of the door made it sway slightly and it gave me the impression that it

was about to leap out at me.

gave me the impression that… 给某人以…的印象

that引导同位语从句, 进一步说明impression的内涵。

-- He gave me the impression that he will help me every day.

Be about to do sth 表示即将、就要（暗示动作即将发生）

-- I was about to go to bed when there was a knock at the door.

-- We were just about to leave when you telephoned.（多与when连用）

leap out at sb 跳出来扑向某人



Dropping my suit, I dashed downstairs to tell George.

This was worse than‘a terrible secret’; this was a real skeleton!

But George was unsympathetic.



‘Oh, that, ’he said with a smile as if he were talking about an old friend.

As if引导虚拟语气



‘That's Sebastian. You forget that I was a medical student once upon a time.’

Sebastian n.塞巴斯蒂安（古罗马的殉道者, 一般被刻画为裸体青年）



Multiple choice questions 多项选择

1>A in what respect 在什么方面 （rarely adv.很少地, 罕有地）

fact指代柜子中真正有骷髅这件事

concerning prep.关于，有关 -- I spoke to him concerning his behavior. 我和他谈了他的行为。

2>C Underwear n.内衣裤 3>A

4>A having为现

在分词做定语 C选项中的whom应该为who

5>C 运用动词不定式修饰名词。（起定语从句的作用）

这样的名词前都有序数词：the first person, the only person, the last person

6>B something 有价值的事, 有意义的事（代词：有价值或重要的人或物）

what = all 全部（范围太广）

7>A no sooner…than… 8>B

9>D owe vt.欠(债等) vi.欠钱

has = own（vt.拥有adj.自己的）

10>A

little 否定语义的副词

uncommonly adv.不平常的, 不平凡的, 罕见地 preciously adv.宝贵的, 贵重的

11>D

item n.项目, 条款, 物品

object n.物体, 目标, 宾语, 对象

trunk n.树干, 躯干, 箱子, 象鼻

belongings n.财产, 所有物 = possession n.（私人）财产（常用复数）

12>A

be about to do… = be on the point of… 即将、即可做某事

be concerned with 对…关心, 与...有关, 牵涉到, 参与

think of v.考虑, 关心, 想起