After her husband had gone to work, Mrs Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom. She was too excited to do any housework that morning, for in the evening she would be going to a fancy dress party with her husband. She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before, she was impatient to try it on. Though the costume consisted only of a sheet, it was very effective. After putting it on, Mrs Richards went downstairs. She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear.

Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining-room, there was a knock on the front door. She knew that it must be the baker. She had todd him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table. Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs Richards quickly hid in the small store-room under the stairs. She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall. Suddenly the door of the store-room was opened and a man entered. Mrs Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter. She tried to explain the situation, saying' It's only me', but it was too late. The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces. When Mrs Richards walked towards him, he fled, slamming the door behind him.

二、【New words and expressions】生词和短语

◆costume n. 化装服

◆consist v. 由...组成

◆sheet n. 被单

◆effective adj. 有明显效果的，有作用的

◆comfortable adj. 舒适的

◆streroom n. 储藏室

◆electricity n. 电

◆metre n. 电表

◆pace n.一步

◆flee v. 逃走

◆slam v. 砰地关上

◆costume n. 化装服

costume ball 化妆舞会

costume party

fancy (dress ) party

suit 西服，西装

dress 裙子

◆consist v. 由...组成

consist of--由…组成(表示被动概念)==be made up of ==comprise ==be composed of (强调由什么成分所构成)

Eg: Our class consist of 100 students.

The United Kingdom consists of G.B. and Northern Ireland.

The house consists of six rooms.

be composed of----

Water is composed of oxygen and hydrogen.

constitute v.----由部分构成整体

The committee consists of 10 members. = Ten members constitute the committee.

◆sheet n. 被单

◆effective adj. 有明显效果的，有作用的

The costume is quite effective.

His words was effective.

influential: 有潜移默化影响力的

What our parents do is influential to children.

efficacious: (医药)有效的，灵验的

The drug is efficacious.

fruitful: 有成效的

Their experiment is fruitful.

◆comfortable adj. 舒适的

反义词：uncomfortable

comfort n. 舒适 adj. 安慰

discomfort n. 不舒适

In spite of discomforts he is determined to stay here.

◆streroom n. 储藏室

◆electricity n. 电

◆metre n. 电表

◆pace n.一步

◆flee (fled, fled ) v. 逃走

flee

Eg: The people fled in panic when the bull got loose.

escape:逃出监狱，逃出牢笼

vt. 逃掉，逃出

Eg: He was able to escape from the house.

I am sorry your name escaped me. 很抱歉， 我忘记你的名字了。

They tried to escape death.

◆slam v. 砰地关上

slam the door.

同义词：bang

三、【课文精析】

too…to…太… 而不能

不定式to,在大部分情况下，表示否定概念。

not / never too … to …：并不太… 所以能够

One is never too old to learn.活到老，学到老

The question is not too difficult for me to answer.

如果在副词 too 前发现修饰语 all, but only, 不定式to 的概念也是肯定的

Eg: They are all too satisfied to work with you. 他们都非常满意很想和你一起工作

I am only too glad to have someone to speak to.我太高兴了，很想找个人说话

He was but too eager to get home.他太急于要回家了。

intended to = mean to :有什么打算，意图

dress up as: 化妆成为

the night before:前一个晚上(以过去的某一个时间为基准点)

last night:昨天晚上(以现在为基准点)

The night before she got everythinbg ready.

She was impatient (eager, anxious ) to try it on.

be impatient to do sth: 急于要做某事，迫不及待

= eager, anxious, hungry, thirsty, despereat, can’t wait (口)

更焦急的情况用desperate( be desperate to do sth),口语中用can't

wait.(can't wait to do sth)

try on: 试穿

After putting it on: 穿上以后

动词不定式to wear, 用来修饰说明comfortable, 作它的状语

The book is difficult to read.

The dress is easy to wash.

Your handwriting is easy to recognize.

it would be comfortable (for her ) to wear.

It is easy for me to read

主动形式————表达被动概念

The music is sweet to hear.

The machine needs repairing

“需要……” 被动概念，用need,want和动名词形式直接搭配

Eg: The dictionary is worth buying.

The book is worth reading.

The house is under construction

The puma is under control.

The problem is under discussion.

The thief is under arrest.

介词under可以表达被动的意味

Eg: The airport came into use again.

came into use:不及物动词短语

Our time has already gone to waste. (浪费掉，付诸东流)

She is a respectable person. (被尊敬的人)

-able 形容词后缀，跟在动词后表达“能够被…的“

This is a returmable bottle.

“由…所组成”：consist of, comprise 本身表达被动概念，结构形式为主动。新概念英语官方网

there was a knock on the front door: 人有敲门

come in:进来

straight:直接地，径直地

if ever---ever用语条件句，表示任何时候，任何场合==when ever

Eg: If ever you see George give him my best regards.

When ever he is in trouble I'll be on the spot.

Not wanting----分词的否定结构形式，做原因状语。多用于句首，也可插入句中，主谓之间。

Eg: Not wanting to make her nervous, the doctor didn’t fully explain the seriousness of her condition.

= The doctor, not wanting to make her nervous, didn’t fully explain the seriousness of her condition.

read the metre: 查电表

saying---现在分词做伴随状语

let out a cry 大叫了一声===utter / give a cry.

let out 发出==give

shout 高呼，高喊，有目的的

shout to sb 对某人高声喊

shout at sb 对某人大喊大叫