Short Story: 'The Diamond Lens' by Fitz-James O'Brien, Part 2

1.drift v.(使)漂流

例句:White clouds drift over and gradually disappear.
      白云在空际中越飘越远,一会就看不见了。

2.lower v.降低, 跌落, 减弱

例句:The Government won't lower the age limit to buy alcohol.
      政府不会降低对买酒者的年龄限制。

3.float v.浮动, 飘动, 散播, 摇摆, 动摇, 浮动

例句:Nearly everyone can float on water.
      几乎所有人都会浮水。

4.rarely ad.很少地, 罕有地

例句:He has a rarely seen ability to memorize words.
      他有着极出色的记忆单词的能力。

5.helpless a.无助的, 无能为力的, 无依无靠的

例句:He was always ready to defend the weak and helpless.
      他是个爱打抱不平的人。

6.faint a.模糊的, 微弱的, 无力的

例句:The event has left only faint memories in my mind.
      这件事在我脑子里已很淡漠了。

1.Something in my voice must have made him feel safe. He made me promise to keep his secret.

must have made表示对过去的猜测。

made me promise是make sb do sth的形式

 在make sb do sth(使某人做某事)这一句型中,作宾语补足语用的不定式不公带to。如:They made me repeat the story.这里的made是“使,让,迫使”之意,故被称为使役动词。
     而make sth to do sth则是“某人做……来干……”,意为bring sth into existence by effort in order to do sth(通过努力制造出某种东西以达到做某事的目的)。句中的否定式to do是目的状语而不是宾语补足语。

2.Simon was so busy looking at his diamond that I was able to put the drug in his glass quite easily.

so……that

So… that…的意思是“如此地…以致于…”,它引导结果状语从句。在口语中,so…that…的that常被省去。例:

She felt so sad that tears came to her eyes.

她非常悲伤,泪水盈眶。

John was so drunk(that)he could not stand still.

约翰醉得站也站不住了。