rel. That figures!  不出所料！

figure of speech  修辞格；修辞手段

18. owe sth. to: to feel that you ought do sth. or give sth. to sb. esp. because they have done sth. for you 欠(人情)； attribute to 归因于

e.g. You owe it to your staff to be honest with them.

         与下属坦诚相待，这是你应有的态度。

She owes her success to good luck.

她把成功归功于幸运。

19． stationery: writing materials and office supplies文具

C.f. stationary: adj. not moving or unchanging  固定的

dash off: to write or draw sth. very quickly 匆忙地写/画

20． “I am up with one of the older and more sluggish larks”: I get up rater late.

rel. be/get up with the lark: get out of bed very early in the morning

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) 30 years old

To a Skylark 致云雀  Ode to the West Wind 西风颂

George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788-1824) 36 years old  

Don Juan  唐璜

John Keats (1795-1821) 26 years old

Ode to a Nightingale  夜莺颂

21. snake-charming:  <用音乐>训蛇

22. much less = even less = still less: certainly not

e.g. I can hardly walk, much less run.

我几乎走不动，更不用说跑了。

“Happiness is an emotion not often spoken of at the magazine, much less experienced” (Brendan Gill)

“幸福不是经常在杂志上提到的感情，更不用说是能够时常体验得到的”(布伦丹·吉尔)

rel. much more 更加

e.g. It is difficult to understand his theses, much more his lectures.

他写的论文很难懂,他的讲座就更难懂了。

23. decree: n. an order (usu. having force of the law); a decision that is made in a court 法令；命令; 判决

decree: v. to decide, judge or order sth. officially 裁定；判决；颁布

e.g. It was decreed that the following day would be a holiday.

                 法令宣布第二天为休假日。

24. in the line of duty: while doing a job

e.g. e.g. A policeman was injured in the line of duty yesterday.

rel. duty-bound: (fml.) having to do sth. because it is your duty 责无旁贷；义不容辞

e.g. I felt duty-bound to help him out of this condition.

duty-free adj. 免税的       duty-free shop免税商店

25. kill two birds with one stone: get two good results from one action  一石二鸟；一箭双雕

the barber’s = barbershop理发店  beauty salon 美容院；理发店

26． all the more 更加

similar usage: all the better, all the harder, etc.

e.g. We’ll have to work all the harder with two people off sick.

          有两个人病了没上班，所以我们得加把劲干。

27. spick and span = spick-and-span: completely clean and tidy

   极整洁的, 极干净的   

ho!: interjection, used to express surprise or joy, to attract attention to something sighted, or to urge onward

嗬!：用来表示惊讶或高兴以引起注意或催促前行

e.g. Land ho! Westward ho!

停下！向西！

crook: n. 钩状物, (河、道的)弯处, <美口>骗子

crooked: adj. 弯曲的; 拐骗的; 不老实的

instantaneous: adj. 瞬间的, 即刻的, 即时的

e.g. an instantaneous reply to the letter   对该信的即刻答复

    instantaneous velocity; instantaneous pressure

inspection: examination or review

Motion Picture: movie  电影     stills:（电影等中的）定格画面

sharp: punctually; exactly

e.g. five o’clock sharp  五点整

Comprehension

I.                  C

II.               1. T       2. T       3. F

III.          

1. “Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn’t the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment.” (Para 4.) This may sound a bit paradoxical. On the one hand, it could serve as a good excuse for procrastination—I don’t have to do what I’m scheduled to do; somehow what is supposed to get done will be done; on the other hand, there seems to be some truth in it—just keep on working and do not mind the schedule; sooner or later you will get done what you are supposed to get done.

2. The writing of the newspaper article.

The most important, but also the most laborious task, is placed last on his list. He knew that even if he had placed this one on top of all others, he would still have got this one done last. The other four tasks are either more interesting or less laborious than this one.

3. Twice. In Para. 14, “… do much to salve my conscience.” In Para