原著段落

In my opinion, it is impossible to create characters until one has spend a long time in studying men, as it is impossible to speak a language until it is it has been acquired.

我认为只有在深入地研究了人以后，才能创造人物，就像要讲一种语言就得先认真学习这种语言一样。

Not being old enough to invent, I content myself with narrating, and I beg the reader to assure himself of the truth of a story in which all the characters, with the exception of the heroine, are still alive.

既然我还没到能够创造的年龄，那就只好满足于平铺直叙了。

Eyewitnesses of the greater part of facts which I have to collected are to be found in Paris, and I might call upon them to confirm me if my testimony is not enough.

因此，我请读者相信这个故事的真实性，故事中所有的人物，除女主人公以外，至今尚在人世。

And, thanks to a particular circumstance, I alone can write these things, for I alone am able to give the final details, without which it would have been impossible to make the story at once, interesting and complete.

此外，我记录在这里的大部分事实，在巴黎还有其他的见证人；如果光靠我说还不足为凭的话，他们也可以为我出面证实。由于一种特殊的机缘，只有我才能把这个故事写出来，因为唯独我洞悉这件事情的始末，除了我谁也不可能写出一篇完整、动人的故事来。

词汇精讲

1. acquire

双语释义：gain (sth) by one's own ability, efforts or behaviour

[Vt.]（靠自己的能力﹑ 努力或行为而）获得, 得到（某事物）

典型例句：I am sure that you can acquire a good knowledge of English.

我相信你一定能够学好英语。

2. content

双语释义：do sth satisfied with what one has; not wanting more

知足；满足；满意

搭配模式： ~ (with sth) ~ to

典型例句：Are you content with your present salary?

你对你现在的薪水满意吗?

Now that she has apologized, I am content.

既然她已经道了歉, 我也就满意了。

He is content to stay in his present job.

他对现在的工作心满意足。

3. narrate

双语释义：tell (a story); give a written or spoken account of

[vt.] 讲（故事）；描写或叙述

典型例句：He is narrating his adventures.

他正在叙述奇遇。

The story is narrated by its hero.

这故事是由主人公自己讲的。

3. heroine

双语释义：The heroine of a book, play, film, or story is the main female character, who usually has good qualities.

[C.N.]（书、戏剧、电影或故事中品行端正的）女主角，女主人公

典型例句：The heroine is a senior TV executive.

女主角是一名电视台的高级主管。

The film concludes with the heroine's death.

影片以女主角之死结束。

She's the prettiest, most ethereal romantic heroine in the movies.

她是所有电影中最美丽、最飘逸的爱情女主角。

4. eyewitnesses

双语释义：An eyewitness is a person who was present at an event and can therefore describe it, for example in a law court.

[C.N.] 目击者，见证人

典型例句：Eyewitnesses say the police then opened fire on the crowd.

目击者称警察随后向人群开火。

One dramatic eyewitness accounts of the fighting.

一个目击者对战斗进行着惊心动魄的描述

5. confirm

双语释义：provide evidence for the truth or correctness of (a report, an opinion, etc); establish the truth of

[Vt.] 证实, 证明（报告﹑ 意见等）的正确性

典型例句：The rumours of an attack were later confirmed.

发动攻击的谣传后来得到了证实。

The announcement confirmed my suspicions.

这项通告证明了我的猜疑属实。

6. testimony

双语释义：written or spoken statement declaring that sth is true,esp one made under oath

[U.N.]（书面或口头的）证词（尤指发誓后作出的）证明, 证据

典型例句：According to the witness's testimony, you were present when the crime was committed.

根据证人证词所示，案发时你在犯罪现场。

Nothing could refute her testimony that the driver was drunk.

她关于那个司机已经喝醉的证词无可辩驳。

The witness is giving false testimony.

那个证人在作伪证。

7. circumstance

双语释义：[pl.] condition or fact connected with an event or action

[C.N.] 环境；情形；情况

典型例句：What were the circumstances of/surrounding her death?

她是在什么情况下死的?

She was found dead in suspicious circumstances.

她死的情形可疑。

Circumstances forced us to change our plans.

客观情况迫使我们改变了计划。

短语精讲

1. in my opinion：据某人看来； 根据某人的看法

例句：In my opinion, we must depend on intensive cultivation to feed ourselves.

我看我们就是要靠精耕细作吃饭。

In my opinion both of the drivers were at fault.

在我看来，两位司机都有责任。

3. assure of：使......放心，向......保证，使......相信

例句：I can assure you of the reliability of the news.

我可以向你保证这消息是可靠的。

I must assure myself of the real situation.

我必须查明真实情况。

He assured us of his ability to solve the problem.

他向我们保证他有能力解决这个问题。

Will you be assured of a career and adequate salary if you go there?

你到那里去能保证有职业和足够的收入吗?

4. with the exception of：除......之外

例句：I enjoyed all his novels with the exception of his last.

他的小说我都爱看, 只是最後一部除外。

Everybody took part in the excursion with the exception of John.

除约翰外人人都参加了旅行。

All his novels are set in Italy with the exception of his last.

除了最后一部小说，他的所有作品都以意大利为背景。

5. call upon：约请，邀请

例句：I now call upon the chairman to address the meeting.

现在请主席致辞。

I call upon Mr. Jones for a song or a sentiment.

我邀琼斯先生唱歌或发表感想.

6. thanks to：由于，多亏

例句：Thanks to your help, we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.

由于你们帮忙, 我们才提前完成了任务。

Thanks to you, I was saved from drowning.

辛亏你, 我才没有淹死。

长句分析

1. Not being old enough to invent, I content myself with narrating, and I beg the reader to assure himself of the truth of a story in which all the characters, with the exception of the heroine, are still alive.

结构剖析：这是一个有并列连词and连接的2个并列分句。

（1）第一分句是：Not being old enough to invent, I content myself with narrating。在这个分句中，not being old enough to invent是否定结构的现在分词短语作原因状语，可以改之为原因状语从句：because I am not being enough to invent。

（2）第二个分句是：beg the reader to assure himself of the truth of a story in which all the characters, with the exception of the heroine, are still alive。在这个分句中，含有一个限定性定语从句：in which all the characters, with the exception of the heroine, are still alive。它修饰前面的名词story。Story在这里做为先行词，指代物，在定语从句做介词in的宾语。这样，可以把in提到定语从句的句首再接关系关系代词which，即：in which
此外，这个定语从句中的with the exception of the heroine是介词短语做定语修饰characters。

2. And thanks to a particular circumstance, I alone can write these things, for I alone am able to give the final details, without which it would have been impossible to make the story at once interesting and complete.

结构剖析：这个句子是由并列连词for而连接的2个并列分句。

（1）第一个分句是：and thanks to a particular circumstance, I alone can write these things。在这个分句中and是副词，起到承上启下的作用，thanks to是作为符合介词，表示原因。

（2）第二个分句是：for I alone am able to give the final details, without which it would have been impossible to make the story at once interesting and complete.

在这个分句中for属于并列连词，表示原因。 这个分句中含有一个非限定性定语从句：without which it would have been impossible to make the story at once interesting and complete。

这个非线性性定语从句的引导词是without which，其中的which是指代前面所说的情况——and thanks to a particular circumstance, I alone can write these things，for I alone am able to give the final details（由于特殊的情况，只有我一个人知道事情的来龙去脉，我一个才能写出这些事情。）因此，without which意思就是“没有这种情况的话”。

此外，这个定语从句使用“it”做形式主语，动词不定式“to make the story at once interesting and complete”做真实主语。