1. It has often been said that life is difficult as it is.
人們常說現(xiàn)實生活已經(jīng)夠艱難的了。
①“It is said that …”是常見的句型，意思是“據(jù)說，人們說”再如：
It is said that the population of males is larger than that of females in China. 據(jù)說中國男性人口高于女性人口。
It is said that he has gone abroad. 據(jù)說他已出國了。
這種句型其實是“People say that …”的被動語態(tài)。類似結(jié)構(gòu)還有：It is thought that…；It is reported that …；It is believed that …；It is hoped that…等。
②as it is 也是固定的結(jié)構(gòu)，解釋“根據(jù)現(xiàn)在情況看；就以現(xiàn)在樣子”，常用于句子開頭或結(jié)尾。例如：
I thought things would get better, but as it is they are getting worse.
我原以為情況會好轉(zhuǎn)，但照現(xiàn)在的樣子看，只會更糟。
2. For women it sometimes seems twice as difficult.
對婦女來說，有時生活似乎是難上加難。
該句相當于For women life sometimes seems twice as difficult as it is.
倍數(shù)的表達法可以有以下幾種表示：
The room is twice bigger than mine.
The room is twice as big as mine.
The room is twice the size of mine.
注意：倍數(shù)詞總是位于第一as前，并且第二個as在上下文意義明確的情況下可省略。
例句：The house rent is expensive. I’ve got about half the space I had at home and I’m paying ______ here.
A. as three times much B. as much three times
C. much as three times D. three times as much
分析：本句為as…as 比較結(jié)構(gòu)，much后省略了as I paid at home.
表示：“我現(xiàn)在所付竟然是原來的三倍”，three times 應放在as much 之前。故選D。
3．Do you know a woman who really inspires you?
你認識一位真正感動你的女士嗎？
inspire為及物動詞，意為“鼓舞、感動”。如：
We’re trying to inspire him with confidence. 我們在努力鼓舞他的自信心。
inspiring 鼓舞人的，感動人的，是一個形容詞，例如：
We regard Abraham Lincoln as an inspiring leader.
我們認為亞伯罕姆林肯是一位有感召力的領(lǐng)袖。
4．What has become of her ?她發(fā)生了什么變化？
become of解釋“發(fā)生……情況；……怎么啦！”相當于happen to …
What will become of the children now that the parents are dead?
父母死了，孩子們會怎么樣啦？
I don’t know what has become of him. 我不知道他的遭遇如何。
5．What kind of people do you think they are?
你認為他們是什么類型的人？
①kind著重指由于具有共同興趣或特征而在一起的人，動物或物體。
如：Tom is the kind of person who likes outdoor games.
湯姆是那種喜歡戶外游戲的人。
This is the kind of room that I feel at home in.
這種房間我感到?jīng)]有拘束。
②本句為常do you think的特殊疑問句用法，其語序為“疑問詞+do you think+疑問句的其他部分（陳述語序）”。如：
Who do you think has taken his wallet?
你認為誰拿了他的錢包？
What do you think I have bought for you?
你猜我為你買來了什么？
可以這樣用的動詞還有suppose, guess, believe, imagine, expect.
6．What else, but a journey at the opposite end of the world, Antarctica?
除了去世界另一頭南極洲旅行，還會干什么呢？
①這是一句省略句，完整的結(jié)構(gòu)是：What else would I do but a journey at the opposite end of the world, Antarctica?句中的but是介詞，意為“除了……”，相當于except，常與不定代詞、疑問代詞等連用。例如：
In winter, bears can do nothing but lie down and sleep.
在冬天，熊只能躺下睡覺。
②else是個形容詞，意為“其他的，別的”，不作前置定語，只能用在疑問詞where, what, which, who等或不定代詞something, anything等后，表示追加說明。如：
Is there anything else you want to say? 你還有什么要說的話嗎？
Where else did you go besides Beijing?除了北京，你還到過哪？ else的所有格是else’s, 如：
Who else’s advice do you want to take? 你想聽誰的勸告？
I’ll have to borrow someone else’s car. 我得借別人的車。
7．Another journey of challenge and danger was about to begin.
又一次具有危險和挑戰(zhàn)的旅行即將開始。
①介詞短語作定語時，句子的謂語動詞應根據(jù)被其修飾的前面的中心詞來決定。
②be about to do即將發(fā)生的動作或動作剛要開始。如：
The teacher is about to write down the new words.
注意：be about to do 不與表示時間的副詞或其他時間狀語連用，但可以用在be about to do when…結(jié)構(gòu)中，如：
I was about to leave when the telephone began to ring.
8．But changes were just around the corner.天氣即將要變了。
just around the corner意為“Likely to happen soon（即將來臨）”，再如：Victory was just around the corner. 勝利即將在眼前。
A big storm was just around the corner.
一場大風暴即將來臨。
9．On the third day I was struggling through stormy weather and during the next week the wind grew stronger and I found myself spending a day in my tent.
第三天我在風暴中掙扎，。第二周風刮得更猛了我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己終日在帳蓬里。
①struggle在這里為“掙扎”的意思。如：
Seeing a girl struggling in the river, he jumped into the water to save her.
看到一個女孩在河掙扎，他跳進水中去救她。
②find oneself ……的意思是“發(fā)現(xiàn)自己（處于某種狀態(tài)）；不知不覺地…”例如：
When day broke, we found ourselves in a village at the foot of the mountain.
天亮時，我們發(fā)現(xiàn)自己來到了那座山腳下的一個村子里。
Suddenly I found myself at the water’s edge.
我忽然發(fā)現(xiàn)自己站在水邊了。
Then I found myself surrounded by half a dozen boys.
然后我突然發(fā)現(xiàn)六個男孩圍著自己。
10．I had traveled only two hours one day when the winds increased so much that I had to put my tent up before the wind became too strong.
一天，我剛走了兩個小時，突然狂風大作，我只好趁風力還不算太大之前，支起帳蓬。
①when 表示過早發(fā)生某事（�？勺g為“還沒（剛剛）……就”）。例如：
I had hardly opened the door when the dog barked.
我還沒把門打開，狗就叫了起來。
The students hadn’t played football long when the bell rang.
學生們足球沒踢一會兒，鈴就響了。
when還表示突然發(fā)生某事（常譯為“……正在……忽然”）。例如：
A few days later, I was moving forward over a slope that seemed safe when suddenly without warning my world dropped out from under my skis.
幾天以后，我正在一個似乎安全的斜坡上前行，突然，毫不預兆，滑雪板下的大地陷下去了。
from常與另一個介詞短語連用。如：
The moon appeared from behind the clouds. 月亮從云層后面露出了臉。
A rat ran out from under the bed. 一只老鼠從床底下跑了出來。
He swam from across the river. 他從河那邊游了過來。
②put up 作“舉起，抬起，搭起蓋房子”講。例如：
They are putting up several new houses on our street.
我們這條街上正在蓋幾棟新房子。
Put up your hands if you have any questions.
有問題請舉手。
11．I had fallen into a hole and was hanging on the ropes tied to the sled.
我掉進了洞，掛在綁著雪撬的繩子上。
①hang作“懸掛著，吊著”，強調(diào)某一地點存在某一狀態(tài)時（用進行時描寫的情景更生動），為不及物動詞，一般用主動語態(tài)。
例句：-Is this raincoat yours?
-No, mine - there behind the door.
A. is hanging B. has hung C. hangs D. hung
分析：由問句可知，強調(diào)“在門后掛著呢”現(xiàn)在這一暫時的情景，而非長期的狀態(tài)，用現(xiàn)在進行時比一般現(xiàn)在時更有色彩、生動，故選A
②the ropes tied to the sled= the ropes which were tied to the sled.
12. I was in good health and all of my equipment was working well.
我身體很好，而且我所有的設備工作正常。
①be in good health是個有用短語，意為“身體狀況良好”
be in bad/poor health身體狀況不好。
②equipment為不可數(shù)名詞，如：
This is a factory with modern equipment.
這是一家裝備有現(xiàn)代化設備的工廠。
13．I thawed a frozen cake over my fire, placed a candle on the top , lit it and sany “happy birthday to me” at the top of my voice.
我在火上融了一個凍蛋糕，頂上插上一支蠟燭，點燃并大聲高唱“祝我生日快樂”。
①thaw意為“融化、解凍”如：
He made a fire to thaw out the frozen earth.
他生起了火去融化凍土。
The ground has thawed out.地面解凍了。
②light 作為及物動詞，意為“點燃”，如：
He stopped to light a cigar. 他停下來去點一支煙。
注意：light的過去式和過去分詞形式有兩種lighted和lit，只有l(wèi)ighted可以作形容詞，意為“點燃的”，如：
She put a lighted candle on the top of the cake.
她在蛋糕上插上了一支點燃的蠟燭。
③at the top of one’s voice高聲喊叫，大聲地
14．Wait to get better or give up?
我該等著身體好起來還是放棄？
完整的句子應該是Should I wait to get better or should I give up?
①get better是get well的比較級形式，表示身體狀況有所好轉(zhuǎn)。
②give up作及物動詞時可接動名詞，作賓語意為“放棄”如：
We’ll try to persuade him into giving up smoking.
我們要設法說服他戒煙。
The young man gave up his seat to an old man.
那年青人將座位讓給一位老大爺。
15．I couldn’t stand on my left leg and my head was woozy from hitting the ground.
我的左腿不能站，我頭撞到地上，腦昏眼花。
①stand on的意思是“用……站立”。例如：
stand on one’s head 倒立
stand on one leg like a cock金雞獨立
②from可以表示原因，作“因為……；由于……；成為的結(jié)果”解。例如
They do something from necessity, not from a sense of duty.
他們因需要而做某事，并非出于責任感。
16．It’s an experience I shall never forget and shall value for the rest of my life.
這是一種我永遠銘記在我的余生中將倍加珍惜的經(jīng)歷。
①experience 作“經(jīng)歷”講為可數(shù)名詞；作“經(jīng)驗”時，為不可數(shù)名詞。
Have you had an unforgettable experience?
Experience is the best teacher. 經(jīng)驗是最好的老師。
②value作名詞時，為“價值，重要性”，作動詞時，為“重視，估計”。例如：
The students have always valued their teachers.
學生向來敬重他們的老師。
The house is valued at $100.000.
這房子估價十萬美金。
17．The sun does not go down in Antarctica, …北極的太陽不落…
go down意為“下降，降落”，可以指太陽，月亮的落下，也可指船只的沉沒，價格的下跌。例如：
The sun is going down in the west behind the mountains.
太陽正在西方下山。
Prices don’t seem to be going down.物價似乎不會下跌。
The ship has gone down in the storm. 船在風暴中沉沒了。
18．Life seemed to hold no promise.
生活看來似乎毫無希望。
promise作名詞時，意為“諾言，有指望，有前途”。如：
He is dishonest and he always breaks a promise.他不誠實，總是食言。
The crops are full of promise.莊稼豐收在望。
跟“諾言”有關(guān)的短語有：keep a promise信守諾言；carry out a promise履行諾言；break a promise不守諾言
19．Her father showed her how hard work and discipline could lead to self-improvement.
她父親讓她明白艱苦奮斗和嚴以律己可以使人改善自己。
lead (sb. / sth ) to后跟名詞，表示“引起（某人/某物）產(chǎn)生……”。例如：
Junk food will lead you to disease. 不健康食品會使你得病的。
Too much work often leads to illness.勞累過渡可導致疾病。
20．Her life shows us that hard work and discipline are the road to self-improvement.
她的生活向我們表明，艱苦奮斗和嚴守紀律是改善自己的途徑。
road, street, path與way和辨析：
road指兩地之間能通行人或車輛的大道，意為“公路，馬路；道路；途徑；”
street指城市鄉(xiāng)鎮(zhèn)中兩邊有建筑物的路段，意為“街道”；
path指由行人在田野林間踩成的道，往往較窄小蜿蜒曲折；
way指到達目的地所經(jīng)過的途徑，意為“道路、途徑”，含義較抽象。有時還引申為“方法、方式或手段”。