课文 · 精读
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It must have been about two in the morning when I returned home.
我回到家时，肯定已经大约凌晨两点了。
must have been 是对过去时间的推测。
I tried to wake up my wife by ringing the doorbell, but she was fast asleep,
我按门铃想叫醒妻子，但她睡得很沉，
fast asleep 表示“睡得很熟”；but 引出后面不得不另想办法。
so I got a ladder from the shed in the garden, put it against the wall, and began climbing towards the bedroom window.
于是我从花园的小棚里搬来一把梯子，把它靠在墙上，开始朝卧室窗户爬去。
一连串并列动作把“误会现场”搭得非常完整。
A sarcastic voice below said, 'I don't think the windows need cleaning at this time of the night.'
下面一个讽刺的声音说：“我看这时候窗户不需要擦吧。”
警察用幽默方式先发问。
I looked down and nearly fell off the ladder when I saw a policeman.
我向下一看，发现是个警察，差点从梯子上摔下来。
nearly fell off the ladder 把尴尬和惊吓同时写出来。
I immediately regretted answering in the way I did.
我立刻后悔自己那样回答。
说明 narrator 明知自己在把麻烦越搅越大。
'I enjoy cleaning windows at night,' I said.
“我喜欢晚上擦窗子。”我说。
这句嘴硬式回答让局面变得更糟。
'So do I,' answered the policeman in the same tone.
“我也是。”警察用同样的口气回答。
in the same tone 说明双方都在干巴巴地说反话。
'Excuse my interrupting you.'
“请原谅我打断您。”
表面礼貌，实际上是在正式介入这场可疑行为。
'I hate to interrupt a man when he's busy working,'
“我不愿意打断一个正忙着干活的人，”
working 一词把爬窗假装成“夜里工作”，形成反讽。
'Would you mind coming with me to the station?'
“劳驾，跟我去趟警察局行吗？”
礼貌句式包着正式怀疑。
'Well, I'd prefer to stay here,' I said.
“嗯，我倒更愿意待在这里。”我说。
prefer to stay here 既是实话，也让对话继续显得更滑稽。
'You see. I've forgotten my key.'
“你看，我忘带钥匙了。”
真正原因终于说出来，但在当下情境里听起来仍然很可疑。
'Your what?' he called.
“你的什么？”他大声问。
警察一时没听清，也让紧张场面多了一层生活喜剧感。
'My key,' I shouted.
“钥匙！”我喊道。
shouted 为最后惊醒妻子埋下条件。
Fortunately, the shouting woke up my wife who opened the window.
幸运的是，喊叫声惊醒了我妻子，她打开了窗子。
妻子开窗成了唯一洗清误会的现实证据。
just as the policeman had started to climb towards me.
就在警察也开始朝我往上爬的时候。
结尾再补一层惊险和好笑：再晚一点，误会就会升级成真正的抓捕场面。
单元概要
本课写作者深夜回家忘带钥匙，只能搬梯子爬窗，结果被警察当成可疑人物。重点在于 must have been 的推测、对话里的反讽，以及标题 asking for trouble 的双关。
精读导图 1. 先写忘带钥匙、深夜回家。 2. 再写爬梯子被警察发现，双方展开讽刺对话。 3. 最后靠妻子开窗化解误会。 精读关注 - must have been - would you mind ... 的礼貌压力
单词表
| 单词 | 音标 | 释义 | 精讲 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ladder | /ˈlædə(r)/ | 梯子 |
|
| shed | /ʃed/ | 棚子 |
|
| sarcastic | /sɑːˈkæstɪk/ | 讽刺的 |
|
| tone | /təʊn/ | 语气 |
|
| fast asleep | /fɑːst əˈsliːp/ | 熟睡 |
|
| regret | /rɪˈɡret/ | 后悔 |
|
短语
| 短语 | 意思 |
|---|---|
| wake up | 叫醒 |
| put it against the wall | 把它靠在墙上 |
| would you mind doing ... | 你介意……吗 |
| prefer to stay here | 更愿意待在这儿 |
| forget one's key | 忘带钥匙 |
语法点
must have been 表过去推测
It must have been about two... 说明作者对过去时间做有把握推测。
相似句：
- He must have been tired after the trip.
- It must have been raining at that time.
by doing 表方式
by ringing the doorbell 说明他尝试叫醒妻子的方式。
相似句：
- She solved the problem by asking for help.
- He opened it by pushing the handle.
would you mind ...
警察用礼貌形式包裹正式要求，使对话更有英式幽默味道。
相似句：
- Would you mind waiting a moment?
- Would you mind coming with us?
读写提示
- 这课不能只写“他忘带钥匙”，关键是误会如何升级。
- 对话里的反讽要保留，不然就失去幽默。
- 结尾 wife 开窗必须写出。
- 生活场景类小文很适合积累礼貌句和自嘲句。
考点
4
考点
4第 1 / 4 题
为什么警察会怀疑作者？