6.This idyllic pastoral scene is only part of the picture.

背诵句型

idyllic adj. 田园诗的

Ex

He is leading an idyllic life.

7. My friend fails to mention the long and friendless winter evenings in front of the TV -- virtually the only form of entertainment.

fails to mention == says nothing about 没有提到......

virtually adv. 几乎,差不多

friendless 此处使用了暗喻的修辞手法,用修饰人的形容词来修饰事物(winter evenings). 感觉生动简洁.

8. Why people are prepared to tolerate a four-hour journey each day for the dubious privilege of living in the country is beyond me. They could be saved so much misery and expense if they chose to live in the city where they rightly belong.

背诵句型

dubious adj. 可疑的;怀疑的

be dubious about/of  对...怀疑,对...不肯定，主要表示不肯定的，不确定的

privilege n. 特权新概念英语听力mp3

misery n.  苦难

beyond me = be beyond my understanding 我无法理解的

are prepared to 愿意做. 其后为名词时, 通常构成为be prepared for...

Why 为连接副词,在本句中引导一个主语从句.

They could be... 此句使用了虚拟语气. 可翻译为"如果他们选择...他们本可省掉..."

将此句改为主动语态后为: To live in the city could save them so much misery and expense. 句中间接宾语them作主语,而直接宾语misery and expense 作为宾语保留在句中.