4, She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table.

straight:直接地，径直地

if ever (ever用于条件句，表示任何时候，任何场合)=whenever

e.g. If ever you see George give him my best regards.

e.g. Whenever he is in trouble I'll be there.

5, Not wanting to frighten the poor man, Mrs. Richards quickly hid in the small store-room under the stairs.

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。

e.g. 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.

6, Mrs. Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the metre.

the Electricity Board 供电局

read the metre 查电表

7, The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces.

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

近义词：shout   高呼，高喊，有目的的

区别: shout to sb 对某人高声喊, shout at sb  对某人大喊大叫新概念英语网上学习

 jump back several paces 后退了几步