* 用英語自身來理解和學習英語是最好的方式，這一系列的文章力求幫助大家在英語閱讀能力上有所提升，並樹立英語思維；* 推薦的閱讀的方法是：先原文，適當看解析閱讀，實在不行再看雙語對照。* 解析中英語單詞的音標使用Dictcom和IPA雙音標標註，如果需要了解Dictcom音標，請參看我們的《dictionary.com所用的音標體系》一文。* 本篇文章難度係數4.0，由《小仙英語伴讀》人工智慧難度分析系統提供評分。
A Big City and a Small Town【譯】大城市小城鎮【單詞】big [big][bɡ] adj. 大的；重要的；有雄心的；受歡迎的【單詞】city ['sit-ee]['sti] n. 城市；都市【單詞】town [toun][tan] n. 城鎮；鎮；（某一城鎮的）居民；商業區
Edward Allen always hated living in Los Angeles.【譯】愛德華艾倫一直討厭住在洛杉磯。【單詞】hated 原型：hate 動詞過去式 [heyt][het] v. 憎恨；厭惡；討厭 n. 憎恨；厭惡【專有名詞】Edward n. 愛德華(男子名)【專有名詞】Allen 人名/人物 n. 阿倫，艾倫（男子名，涵義：英俊；好看的）【專有名詞】Los Angeles 地名 [ls'ndls] n. 洛杉磯(美國城市)
Everything was too expensive; traffic was always bad; people were not friendly; it was always crowded.【譯】一切都太貴了；交通總是不好；人們不友好；總是很擁擠。【單詞】expensive 副詞 [ik-'spen-siv][k'spensv] adj. 昂貴的；高價的【單詞】traffic 名詞 ['traf-ik]['trfk] n. （人或車等）交通流量；不正當生意（走私） v. 做生意（多指違法的）；遊覽【單詞】friendly 形容詞 ['frend-lee]['frendli] adj. 友好的；友善的 adv. 友好地【單詞】crowded 原型：crowd 過去分詞作形容詞 [kroud][krad] n. 人群；群眾；大群；朋友 v. 擁擠；擠滿；湧入；貼近；逼迫
Edward never wanted to live in a big city.【譯】愛德華從不想住在大城市裡。
He always wanted to live somewhere in the country, in a small town, where everyone knew everyone.【譯】他一直想住在鄉下的某個地方，在一個小鎮上，在那裡每個人都認識。【單詞】somewhere 名詞 ['suhm-hwair, -wair]['smwe] adv. 在某處；到某種程度；大約 n. 某處
It was a dream that he was dedicated to achieving.【譯】這是他致力於實現的夢想。【語法】此句式為 it + be + 名詞 + that從句。其中that從句為句子真正的主語，it為形式主語。如：It's a shame (that) you're sick. 真遺憾你病了。【單詞】dream 名詞 [dreem][drim] n. 夢；夢想 v. 做夢；夢想【單詞】dedicated 原型：dedicate 動詞過去分詞 [verb 'ded-i-keyt; adjective 'ded-i-kit]['dedket] vt. 致力於；獻出；提獻辭【單詞】achieving 原型：achieve 動詞現在進行式或動名詞 [uh-'cheev]['tiv] v. 完成；達到；實現
The day after his 26th birthday, he called his friend Lisa, who had moved to a small town in Iowa.【譯】在他26歲生日的第二天，他打電話給他的朋友麗莎，她已經搬到了愛荷華州的一個小鎮。【語法】sb., who ……，是定語從句，who後面的從句用來修飾前面的人物；【單詞】26th 形容詞 第26【專有名詞】Lisa n. 麗莎(女子名；涵義：上帝的誓約)【專有名詞】Iowa 地名 n. 愛荷華州；美國中西部之一州
He asked her how it was like over there.【譯】他問她那邊怎麼樣。【短語】take over 表示「接管；接收」。如：I intend you to take over. 我打算讓你來接管。
She told him that he would love it.【譯】她告訴他他會喜歡的。
It's quiet and peaceful; people are friendly.【譯】這裡安靜祥和，人們很友好。【單詞】quiet 名詞 ['kwahy-it]['kwat] adj. 安靜的；寧靜的；平靜的 n. 安靜；平靜；閒適 vt. 使平靜；使安心 vi. 平靜下來【單詞】peaceful 形容詞 ['pees-fuhl]['pisfl] adj. 和平的；安寧的
Edward made up his mind; he was going to move to this little town.【譯】愛德華下定決心，他要搬到這個小鎮去。【時態】be going to do sth. 表示主觀打算、準備或有信心做某事，強調事情已計劃好並將按照計劃來做；will do sth. 則多用於客觀的情況，即客觀上將要發生的事情.例如：I’m not going to ask her. 我不打算去問她. It will be rainy tomorrow. 明天會下雨.
He sat down with his mom and dad, and told them what he was planning on doing.【譯】他和爸爸媽媽坐下來，告訴他們他打算做什麼。【單詞】sat 原型：sit 動詞過去式 [sit][st] v. 坐；棲息；使就座 n. 坐；棲息【單詞】mom 名詞 [mom][mm] n. 媽媽【單詞】dad 名詞 [dad][dd] n. 爸爸
They supported his decision and helped him pack his things.【譯】他們支持他的決定，幫他收拾東西。【短語】help sb. to do sth. 或者 help sb. do sth. 幫助某人做某事；注意帶不帶to都可以，一般不會用doing；例句：He helped me (to) find my watch. 他幫我找到了手錶。【單詞】pack 動詞一般現在時（除第三人稱單數） [pak][pk] n. 一群；一副；包裹；一包 v. 包裝；解僱；塞滿；收拾行李；佩戴
He would leave in a week.【譯】他將在一周後離開。
Lisa had helped Edward get a job where she worked, and she told Edward he could stay with her and her roommate until he got back on his feet.【譯】莉薩幫助愛德華在她工作的地方找到了一份工作，她告訴愛德華他可以和她和她的室友呆在一起，直到他能夠重新獨立生活。【單詞】roommate 名詞 ['room-meyt, 'room-]['rmmet] n. 室友【單詞】feet 原型：foot 名詞複數形式 [foot][ft] n. 腳；英尺；最底部；音步 v. 表演舞步；步行；付帳；踏；共計
【解說】get back on one's feet 是指重新能夠經濟獨立，獨立生活
Edward was grateful.【譯】愛德華很感激。【單詞】grateful 形容詞 ['greyt-fuhl]['ɡretfl] adj. 感激的；令人愉快的
When he showed up, he immediately started working.【譯】當他出現時，他立即開始工作。
He liked his job, but he found it a bit boring at times.【譯】他喜歡他的工作，但有時覺得有點無聊。【短語】at times 有時，偶爾；例句：She can be a very tiresome child at times. 她這孩子有時會很煩人的。He went to the badminton club at times during his school days. 他上學時有時到羽毛球俱樂部去。【單詞】boring 原型：bore 現在分詞作形容詞 [bawr, bohr][b] v. 使厭煩；開鑿；鑽孔；挖掘；盯著看 n. 討厭的人；麻煩事；(管道、槍炮等的)孔；湧潮；(找水或石油的)鑽孔 動詞bear的過去式.
He was a waiter at a café.【譯】他是一家咖啡館的服務員。【單詞】waiter 名詞 ['wey-ter]['wet] n. 侍者；(男)服務員【單詞】café 名詞 咖啡館
He liked the pie at the restaurant, so it wasn't all bad.【譯】他喜歡餐館裡的餡餅，所以味道也不錯。【單詞】pie 名詞 [pahy][pa] n. 餡餅；餅圖 n. 喜鵲；愛說話的人(=magpie)【單詞】restaurant 名詞 ['res-ter-uhnt, -tuh-rahnt, -trahnt]['restrnt] n. 餐館；飯店
After he had been working for two months, he told Lisa that he couldn't handle it anymore.【譯】在他工作了兩個月後，他告訴麗莎他再也無法應付了。【單詞】handle 動詞原形 ['han-dl]['hndl] v. 處理；對待；操作；觸；買賣 n. 把手；柄【單詞】anymore 副詞 [en-ee-'mawr, -'mohr]['enm] adv. (通常用於疑問句或否定句中，與not連用)再，也，還
He wanted to go back to the city.【譯】他想回城裡去。
Lisa laughed and said, "You have always hated the city, but now you're running back to it?【譯】麗莎笑著說：「你一直都討厭這座城市，但現在你又跑回去了？【單詞】laughed 原型：laugh 動詞過去式 [laf, lahf][lɑf] v. 發笑；笑；嘲笑 n. 笑聲；笑；笑料【單詞】hated 原型：hate 動詞過去分詞 [heyt][het] v. 憎恨；厭惡；討厭 n. 憎恨；厭惡
I don't get you, Edward."【譯】我不明白，愛德華。」
Edward didn't think living in a small town would be so boring.【譯】愛德華沒想到住在小鎮上會這麼無聊。
"The boredom alone will drive me insane, Lisa," Edward said as he started packing his things.【譯】「孤獨的無聊會讓我發瘋，麗莎，」愛德華一邊收拾東西一邊說。【單詞】boredom 名詞 ['bawr-duhm, 'bohr-]['bdm] n. 無聊；厭煩；厭倦；令人厭煩的事物【單詞】drive 名詞 [drahyv][drav] vt. 開車；驅趕；迫使 n. 駕車；驅使；推進力；路；快車道；街；[計]驅動器【單詞】insane 形容詞 [in-'seyn][n'sen] adj. 瘋狂的；精神錯亂的；荒唐的【單詞】packing 原型：pack 動詞現在進行式或動名詞 [pak][pk] n. 一群；一副；包裹；一包 v. 包裝；解僱；塞滿；收拾行李；佩戴