1. My parents imbued in me the concept of family, faith and patriotism when I was young. 我很小的时候，父母就给我灌输了有关家庭信念和爱国主义的观念。
☺1) 这句话的语序可以调整为：My parents imbued the concept of family, faith and patriotism in me when I was young.
2) imbue: vt. 使充实；激起，常与with 连用。相关短语 imbued with the spirit of self-criticism 富于自我批评精神｜ imbued with patriotism/hatred 充满爱国心/ 仇恨
2. To pick up trash, Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower. 父亲用一台类似割草的机器来收集垃圾。
☺ To pick up 作目的状语，是由不定式来充当的，that 引导定语从句修饰machine, look like 看上去像
3. I acquired discipline and a strong work ethic, and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life’s competing interests-in my case ,school, homework and a job.我懂得了自我约束，培养了一种强烈的工作责任感，从小就懂得了协调生活中相互矛盾的各种兴趣的重要性——对我而言，就是协调好上学，家庭作业和工作的关系。
☺1) 这句话是由and 连接的并列句，并列的谓语分别是 acquired and learned ，破折号后面school, homework and a job 是解释competing interests ( 相互冲突的兴趣)
2) a strong work ethic : 强烈的道德原则及行为准则 ethic 道德 ethics: n 伦理学
ethnic adj. 种族的
3) competing 等同于conflicting“相冲突的，相矛盾的”competing views 相冲突的观点
4) in my case 对我而言=as far as I’m concerned, for my part。如：I can’t make an exception in your case. 我不能为你破例。
5) 与 case 相关的短语a case in point 适当的例子in case 如果，万一 in any case 无论如何，in no case 决不
4. The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families, that is something we should honor. 这种经历让我明白：所有的工作都有尊严，只要人们能自食其力，养家糊口就该受到尊重。
☺1) 这句话中第一个 that 和第二个that 都引导的是宾语从句
2) 第二个宾语从句又带了一个if 引导的条件状语从句，第三个that 不是引导词，只是指示代词“那”，在something 后又有一个that 引导的定语从句，但that 被省略掉。to provide for themselves and their families 作目的状语。
3) provide for a.作准备。相关短语 provide for the entertainment of one’s guests为招待客人作准备b.赡养：提供生计：provide for one’s children 抚养子女，本句中provide for 应解释为第二层意思。
4) honor 可以理解为 “deserved respect”
5. Thanks to the newfound confidence ,I picked up from Helen, I dreamed of having my own restaurant.受到海伦的鼓励，我重新找到了自信，梦想开一家自己的餐厅。
☺1) Thanks to 是个介词短语“多亏” confidence 后面有一个定语从句。省略了which
2) pick up: learn sth ,unconsciously
3) confidence: trust 信任 have confidence in sb. 信任某人。如：I have full confidence that we shall succeed. 我完全有把握取得成功。
6. I shared my dream with him and said, “Fred, I know I can do more if somebody would just have faith in me”. 我给他讲了我的梦想，对他说，“弗莱德，我知道我可以做得更多，只要有人相信我。
☺1) 这里有个if 引导混合型虚拟语气。if 从句的时态与将来相反，而主句用了一般将来时，主句和if 从句时间不同步。如：I will be better now if I had taken medicine earlier. 如果我早点吃药，现在就会好了。
2) share sth. with sb. 和某人分享什么 share the joys and hardships with the masses 与群众同甘共苦 share the same bed but dream different dreams. 同床异梦share 可以作名词：go shares 合伙经营 the lion’s share 最大( 最好)的份额
3) have faith in sb.=have confidence in sb. 信任某人。如：We have full faith that communism will prevail throughout the world. 我们将坚信共产主义将在全世界胜利。
7. My investment soured, though, and I lost the money. 然而我的投资泡汤了，血本无归。可以这样解释这句话—— But my investment did badly and I lost the money.
☺1) sour: vi. a. become bad 变坏。如：The old man has been soured by poverty. 那老人因贫穷而变得越来越糟。b. turn sour 变酸，变酸腐，发酵。如：Milk sours quickly in heat. 牛奶受热易变酸。vt. make sb. unpleasant/boring 使失望，不愉快。如：This experience has soured him for any further contact.这一经历使他再也不愿有进一步接触了。
sour adj. a. having a sharp taste 酸的｜ sour grapes 酸葡萄( 得不到某东西便说那东西不好) ｜ sweet 甜 bitter苦 hot (spicy) 辣b. having a taste of fermentation 发酵味道，酸腐的｜ a sour smell 酸臭味
【联想】soar ( 上升) sore ( 痛的) source ( 根源) soup ( 汤) sure ( 确定)(fig): bad-temped, sharp-tongued (喻)坏脾气，说话尖刻sour words 尖酸刻薄的话 =acid words=ironical words
8. I got a thank-you note from Fred, which will be imprinted on my heart forever.弗莱德写了封感谢信给我，这封信将永远铭刻在我心中。
☺ 1) 这句话中有个which 引导的非限定性定语从句，which 的先行词是整个句子。
如：He came late, which made me angry. 他来迟了，我很生气。
2) thank-you note 感谢信｜ a note of invitation 请贴
3) imprint v. print, stamp 印，盖印于，引申为铭刻，使牢记 相关短语 imprint a postmark on a letter 在信上盖邮戳｜ a beautiful scene imprinted on sb’s memory 深深印在某人记忆中的美景
9. Who else could have invested in a counter’s girl with a million-dollar personality and watchthat investment mature into a very successful career woman. 还有谁会投资在一个人格值百万女店员身上, 然后看着那笔投资成长为一位成功的职业女性。
☺ 1) “could have done” 表示对过去事实的推测，常用于否定句。如：He couldn’t have been home yesterday.他昨天不可能在家。
2) with a million-dollar personality: with a good personality
3) mature into成长为，成长。如：The small tree matured into a big one ten years later. 十年后小树长成了参天大树。
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