Lesson 38   Everything except the weather

My old friend, Harrison, had lived in the Mediterranean for many years before he returned to England. He had often dreamed of retiring in England and had planned to settle down in the country. He had no sooner returned than he bought a house and went to live there. Almost immediately he began to complain about the weather, for even though it was still summer, it rained continually and it was often bitterly cold. After so many years of sunshine, Harrison got a shock. He acted as if he had never lived in England before. In the end, it was more than he could bear. He had hardly had time to settle down when he sold the house and left the country. The dream he had had for so many years ended there. Harrison had thought of everything except the weather.

我的老朋友哈里森在回到英国以前曾多年居住在地中海地区。过去他常幻想退休后到英国，并计划在乡间安顿下来。他刚一回到英国便买下了一幢房子住了进去。但紧接着他就开始抱怨那里的天气了。因为即使那时仍为夏季，但雨总是下个不停，而且常常冷得厉害。在阳光下生活了那么多年的哈里森对此感到惊奇。他的举动就好像他从未在英国生活过一样。最后，他再也忍受不住，还没等安顿下来就卖掉了房子，离开了这个国家。他多年来的幻想从此破灭。哈里森把每件事情都考虑到了，唯独没想到天气。

Grammar

过去完成时的用法。

过去完成时表示的是在过去某点之前完成的动作对过去某点产生的影响，强调的是“过去的过去”，其结构为：had p.p. 。常用的时间提示词有：before/after, as soon as/ by +过去的时间。

Exercises.

1. He __________ to play __________ before he was eleven years old.

A. had learned; piano           B. had learned; the piano

C. has learned; the piano      D. learns; piano

2. What are you going to do when you finish __________ the room?

A. to clean          B. cleaning      

C. clean              D. cleaned

1.解析：本题考查过去完成时had done的用法，提示词是：before he was eleven years old，弹钢琴是play the piano, 所以答案为B。

2.解析：本题考查finish doing的用法，意为：“已经做完某事”，所以答案选B。