8.背熟：I sat down at the breakfast table in an exhausted condition.

in an exhausted condition: exhausted

It  ..that... 句型

eg:   It was exhausted condition that betrayed my secret.

9．背熟：That was really unsettling, but I fended off the taunts and jibes of the family good-humouredly and soon everybody got used to the idea.

unsettle: upset

fend off: defeat

wane: diminish step by step

argue: got a good excuse

10.背熟：Resisting the hypnotizing effect of television, I sat in my room for a few evenings with my eyes glued to a book.

glue to sth. 固定在......上面，不愿意离开

fix one's eyes /attention on 注视，注意