1When the Ambassador of Escalopia returned home for lunch, his wife got a shock.
当埃斯卡罗比亚的大使回家吃午饭时，他的妻子吓了一跳。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · When 时间状语从句 + 主语 + got + 宾语
- returned、got 都是过去式
- get a shock 意为"吓一跳"
- when 从句放句首用逗号隔开
when 引导的时间状语从句与主句都用一般过去时，叙述过去某一刻发生的事。
2He looked pale and his clothes were in a frightful state.
他脸色苍白，衣服也一塌糊涂。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + looked + 形容词 and 主语 + were + 介词短语
- look 是系动词，后接形容词 pale
- in a frightful state 表示"糟糕的状态"
两个并列分句都用过去时描述大使当时的样子，look 后直接跟形容词。
3'What has happened?' she asked.
“出什么事了？”她问。
现在完成时 (Present Perfect) · What + has + 过去分词?（直接引语）+ she asked
- What has happened? 用现在完成时问刚发生、对现在有影响的事
- 引语后用 she asked 交代说话人
妻子看到眼前的结果才发问，所以用现在完成时而不是过去时。
4'How did your clothes get into such a mess?'
“你的衣服怎么弄得这么脏？”
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · How did + 主语 + 动词原形 + into + 名词?
- did 帮助构成过去时疑问句，get 用原形
- get into a mess 意为"弄得一团糟"
特殊疑问句借助 did 表过去，主要动词 get 保持原形。
5'A fire extinguisher, my dear,' answered the Ambassador drily.
“灭火器弄的，亲爱的，”大使冷冷地回答。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 名词短语（省略句）+ answered + 主语 + 副词
- 回答省略了 It was，只留 A fire extinguisher
- answered the Ambassador 是主谓倒装
- drily 是副词修饰 answered
口语中回答常省略主谓，引语后用倒装 answered the Ambassador 交代说话人。
6'University students set the Embassy on fire this morning.'
“今天上午大学生们放火烧了大使馆。”
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + set + 宾语 + on fire + 时间状语
- set 的过去式仍是 set
- set sth on fire 意为"放火烧"
- this morning 是明确的过去时间
set 是不规则动词，过去式与原形相同，靠 this morning 判断为过去时。
7'Good heavens!' exclaimed his wife.
“天哪！”他的妻子惊叫道。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 感叹语 + exclaimed + 主语
- Good heavens! 是表示惊讶的感叹语
- exclaimed his wife 是主谓倒装
引语后的 exclaimed his wife 采用倒装，是叙述对话的常见写法。
8'And where were you at the time?'
“当时你在哪儿？”
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · And where + were + 主语 + 时间状语?
- be 动词疑问句直接把 were 提前
- at the time 意为"当时"
be 动词的过去时疑问句不需要 did，直接倒装 were you。
9'I was in my office as usual,' answered the Ambassador.
“我像往常一样在办公室，”大使回答说。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + was + 地点状语 + as usual
- was in my office 表示过去所在位置
- as usual 意为"像往常一样"
简单的 be 动词过去时陈述句，说明当时的位置。
10'The fire broke out in the basement.
“火是在地下室烧起来的。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + broke out + 地点状语
- broke 是 break 的过去式
- break out 指火灾、战争等"突然爆发"
短语动词 break out 用过去时叙述火灾发生这一事实。
11I went down immediately, of course, and that fool, Horst, aimed a fire extinguisher at me.
我当然马上下去了，可那个笨蛋霍斯特拿着灭火器就朝我喷。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + went down + 副词, and 主语（同位语）+ aimed + 宾语 + at + 宾语
- went 是 go 的过去式，aimed 是规则过去式
- that fool, Horst 中 Horst 是同位语
- aim sth at sb 意为"把……对准某人"
两个过去时动作并列，of course 和 immediately 是插入的副词。
12He thought I was on fire.
他以为我身上着火了。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + thought + (that) 宾语从句（主语 + was + 表语）
- thought 是 think 的过去式
- 宾语从句省略了 that
- 从句时态与主句一致，用 was
主句过去时，宾语从句也用过去时，这是时态呼应的基本规则。
13I must definitely get that fellow posted.'
我一定要把那个家伙调走。”
情态动词 + 使役结构 (Modal + get sb done) · 主语 + must + get + 宾语 + 过去分词
- must 后接动词原形 get
- get that fellow posted 意为"让那家伙被调走"
- definitely 加强语气
get + 宾语 + 过去分词表示"使某人被……"，posted 是被动含义。
14The Ambassador's wife went on asking questions, when she suddenly noticed a big hole in her husband's hat.
大使的妻子继续问问题，这时她突然注意到丈夫的帽子上有一个大洞。
过去进行时 + 一般过去时 (Past Continuous + Simple Past) · 主语 + went on + -ing, when 主语 + suddenly noticed + 宾语
- go on doing 意为"继续做"
- when 在这里表示"就在这时"
- noticed 是突然发生的动作
持续的动作 went on asking 被 when 引出的突发动作 noticed 打断。
15'And how can you explain that?' she asked.
“那这个你怎么解释？”她问。
一般现在时 + 情态动词 (Simple Present with Modal) · And how can + 主语 + 动词原形 + 宾语?
- can 提前构成疑问句
- explain 用原形
- that 指代帽子上的洞
情态动词 can 的疑问句直接把 can 放在主语前，动词用原形。
16'Oh, that,' said the Ambassador.
“哦，那个呀，”大使说。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · Oh, that, + said + 主语
- Oh, that 是口语中的省略回答
- said the Ambassador 是倒装
简短的口语回应，后面用倒装 said the Ambassador 交代说话人。
17'Someone fired a shot through my office window.
“有人朝我办公室的窗户开了一枪。
一般过去时 (Simple Past) · 主语 + fired + 宾语 + through + 地点
- fired 是规则过去式
- fire a shot 意为"开枪"
- through 表示"穿过"
陈述过去的一次性动作，用一般过去时。
18Accurate, don't you think?
打得挺准，你不觉得吗？
一般现在时 (Simple Present) · 形容词（省略句）+ don't you think?
- Accurate 前省略了 It was
- don't you think? 用来征求对方同意
省略句加 don't you think 构成带反问语气的口语表达。
19Fortunately, I wasn't wearing it at the time.
幸好当时我没戴着它。
过去进行时 (Past Continuous) · 副词 + 主语 + wasn't + -ing + 宾语 + 时间状语
- wasn't wearing 是过去进行时的否定
- at the time 强调"当时那一刻"
- 这是真实发生的事实
过去进行时说明枪响那一刻他没有戴帽子，为下一句的虚拟假设做铺垫。
20If I had been, I would not have been able to get home for lunch.'
要是戴着的话，我就不可能回家吃午饭了。”
第三类条件句 (Third Conditional) · If + 主语 + had been (wearing it), 主语 + would not have been able to + 动词原形
- had been 后省略了 wearing it
- would not have been able to 表示过去本来不可能
- 与句 19 的事实相反
与过去事实相反的假设：他其实没戴帽子，所以没被击中，才能回家吃午饭。