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'Florence, my dear child, your poor Papa is peculiar at times; and to question me about him, is to question me upon a subject which I really do not pretend to understand. I believe I have as much influence with your Papa as anybody has. Still, all I can say is, that he has said very little to me; and that I have only seen him once or twice for a minute at a time, and indeed have hardly seen him then, for his room has been dark. I have said to your Papa, "Paul!"—that is the exact expression I used—"Paul! why do you not take something stimulating?" Your Papa's reply has always been, "Louisa, have the goodness to leave me. I want nothing. I am better by myself." If I was to be put upon my oath to-morrow, Lucretia, before a magistrate,' said Mrs Chick, 'I have no doubt I could venture to swear to those identical words.'
“弗洛伦斯，我亲爱的孩子，你可怜的爸有时有些古怪；你向我问到他，那就是向我问一个我确实不敢自称是了解的问题。我相信，我对你爸爸的影响不比任何人小。可是我所能说的只是，他跟我谈得很少，我总共只见过他一、两次，每次不过一分钟；老实说，就是在那时候，我也没有看见他，因为他的房间是黑暗的。我曾对你爸爸说，‘保罗！’——当时我就是这样一字不差地对他说的——‘保罗！’你为什么不服点儿振奋精神的东西？你爸爸总是这样回答：‘路易莎，请你行行好离开我吧。我不需要任何东西。我一个人待着好。’卢克丽霞，如果明天要叫我到地方长官面前去起誓的话，”奇克夫人继续说，“那么我毫无疑问敢于发誓，他说过这些话。”
Miss Tox expressed her admiration by saying, 'My Louisa is ever methodical!'
托克斯小姐表示钦佩地说，“我的路易莎总是这样有条有理！”
'In short, Florence,' resumed her aunt, 'literally nothing has passed between your poor Papa and myself, until to-day; when I mentioned to your Papa that Sir Barnet and Lady Skettles had written exceedingly kind notes - our sweet boy! Lady Skettles loved him like a - where's my pocket handkerchief?'
“总之，弗洛伦斯，”姑妈继续说道，“直到今天以前，我跟你可怜的爸爸几乎没有交谈过；今天我跟你爸爸说，巴尼特爵士和斯克特尔斯夫人写来了一封极其亲切的短简——我们亲爱的小男孩！斯克特尔斯夫人喜欢他极了，就像喜欢……我的手绢在那里？”
Miss Tox produced one.
托克斯小姐递上一块。
'Exceedingly kind notes, proposing that you should visit them for change of scene. Mentioning to your Papa that I thought Miss Tox and myself might now go home (in which he quite agreed), I inquired if he had any objection to your accepting this invitation. He said, "No, Louisa, not the least!"'
“这是一封极其亲切的短简，他们建议你去访问他们，换换环境。我跟你爸爸说，我觉得托克斯小姐和我现在可以回家了，这一点他完全同意；这时我就问他，他是不是反对你接受这个邀请，他说，‘不，路易莎，一点也不。’”。
Florence raised her tearful eye.
弗洛伦斯抬起她那泪汪汪的眼睛。

重点讲解
一.express：n.快车, 快递, 专使 adj.明确的, 急速的, 直接的 adv.用快递 vt.表达, 表示, 挤压出, 快递
【语法用法】
在美国，express company指“快递公司”，相当于英国的carrier 或firm of carriers。 express在美国还可表示“快递事业”或“由快递公司运送”；
express同explicit两者均有表示“明确的”的意思，但是express通常在表述清楚的时候带着一定的目的性，去解释或辩解。不同的是，explicit一般是在给出详细的细节去作说明解释，使观点更清楚明确；
express oneself表示“表达自己的意思”，有时会在oneself后加as。
He expressed himself perfectly satisfied.
他表示自己很满意。
【错句举例与错句分析】
错句: Even though she had been studying English for a long time before she came to Australia, it is still difficult for her to express her own ideas.
订正: Even though she had been studying English for a long time before she came to Australia, it is still difficult for her to express herself.
翻译: 尽管她在来澳洲前已经学了很长一段时间的英语，但她还是很难将自己的想法表述清楚。
分析: express oneself是“表示自己的意思”的固定用语。
【例句用法】
Learning to express oneself well is an important part of education.
学会把意思表达清楚是受教育的一个重要方面。
She is the express image of her mother.
她和她母亲长得一模一样。
二.accept：vt.接受, 同意, 承担(责任等) vi.接受
【语法用法】
同receive不同，accept是“接受”，而receive是“收到”。accept a present是“接受一个礼物”，不会退还，而receive a present是“收到一个礼物”，有可能会退还；
accept和accept of以前可以替换使用，现accept of用的比较少，往往带有“正式”或“垂恩”之意。只适用于说接受present，favour，love，hospitality等，不适于接受theory，advice，apology，challenge，offer，invitation，ruling等；
单独用作“接受邀请或条件”等意思，
If you accept, please let me know immediately.
表明接受或不接受邀请时，一般用现在时态。
I am pleased to accept your invitation.
不用I shall be pleased to accept your invitation.
有表示“赞成”的意思，
She accepted my claim to be heard.
她赞成大家知道我的要求。
【词义辨析】
accept, receive, admit, take
这些动词均有“接受、接纳”之意。
accept强调主动地或自愿地接受，或者说，经过考虑后同意接受。
receive着重仅仅接到或收到这一结论或事实，而不含采取主动或积极行动的意思。
admit作“接受”讲时，强调准许或批准。
take与receive同意，是receive的日常用法，侧重不带主观意愿地收下或接受。
【例句用法】
They accepted responsibility for the accident.
他们承认了对这次事故所负的责任。
The police are not allowed to accept rewards.
警察是不允许接受酬金的。