21.The responsibility of keeping the water right and of running the engine，and the danger of my making a mistake and blowing the whole factory to pieces，caused too great a strain，and I ofter awoke and found myself sitting up in bed through the nignt，trying the steam-gauges.— I was told to look after the steam engine，that is，to make sure that there was the right amount of water in the boiler and that the engine was running normally to drive the machines.If I made amistake，the boiler might explode and the force of the explosion would destroy the factory.The responsibility was oo great.I couldn't sleep properly at night and would often sit up in my sleep trying the steam-gauges.我要使鍋爐內(nèi)的水位保持正常，還要看管發(fā)動機，責(zé)任重大；我要是出點差錯，整個工廠就有被爆飛的危險；這兩件事給我的壓力太大了。我經(jīng)常夜間從睡夢中醒來，發(fā)現(xiàn)自己坐在床上做調(diào)試蒸汽壓力表的動作。（作者由于精神緊張，夜里常常做噩夢，在夢里調(diào)試蒸汽壓力表，經(jīng)常突然醒來，從床上坐起來。）這也是個長句，有49個詞，由兩個并列句組成，第一個并列句的主語是兩個并列的名詞短語：1）the responsibility of……，2）the danger of……，第二個并列句有兩個并列的謂語動詞（詞組）：1）awoke，2）found……，其中分詞短語sitting……是賓語myself的補語，trying……是狀語，修飾sitting up in bed through the night.
responsibility of……的責(zé)任
eg：The responsibility of supporting a large family kept him working from day to night.
養(yǎng)家糊口的責(zé)任使他從白到晚地忙碌著。
eg：The responsibility of protecting the benefits of the people makes the police always maitaining sharp vigilance.
保護人民利益的責(zé)任使警察總是保持高度警惕。
strain：a severe demand on mental or physical strength，resources，abilities，etc.壓力
eg：the stresses and strains of modern life
現(xiàn)代生活的壓力
eg：under great strain
在很大壓力之下
sit up：stay up熬夜，不睡覺
eg：He often sits up late to play computer games.
他經(jīng)常熬夜打游戲。
22.No，no！Evetything must be bright to them.只能讓他們知道好的一面。I never told my family about the strain I had.I only wanted them to know that everything was all right.
Bright美好的，光明的
eg：We have a bright future.
我們都有著美好的未來。
23.This was a point of honor，for every member of the family was working hard，and we were telling each other only the bright things.這是我應(yīng)該做的事，因為家里每個人都在拼命干活，我們相互都是報喜不報憂。
a point/ matter / question of honor：something you feel you must do because of your moral principles原則問題
eg：It was a point of honour with the washwoman to return the wash to its rightful owner.
對那位洗衣婦來說把所洗的衣物歸還給原主是個信譽問題。
24.Besides，no man would complainand give up-
he would die first.并且家里每個成員寧愿死也不會去抱怨，去放棄。Every member of the family would rather die than complain and give up.
complain（of，about） 抱怨
The people in that country are always complaining about high prices.
he would die first 虛擬語氣，省略了條件句if he complained and gave up
25 And could I complain？ 這是個修辭性疑問句，意思是：“我當(dāng)然不能怨天尤人?！?BR> This is a rhetorical（修辭性）
question meaning：Surely I couldn't complain.
A rhetorical question is one you ask as a way of making a statement，without expecting an answer.
Aren't the flowers beautiful？這些花多漂亮！
26.My kind employer soonrelieved me of the strain，for he needed someone tomake outbills and keep his accounts，and finding that I could write a plain schoolboy handand could add uphe made me his only clerk.Soon my boss found that I could write well enough to make out bills and keep his acounts.As he needed someone to do this，he kindly made me the only clerk in the factory.This freed me from the terrible strain of running the steam engine.我那好心的老板很快就解除了我的壓力，他需要有個人開帳單、記帳，他看我還能寫出小學(xué)生水平的字，還會做加法，就叫我當(dāng)了他惟一的職員。
relieve sb.of：免除某人的……（負擔(dān)、職位等）
eg：The medicine will relieve you of the pain.
這藥會減輕你的疼痛。
eg：Let me relieve you of this heavy box.
讓我來幫你拿這個沉重的盒子。
eg：The university assigned a part-time secretary to relieve Professor Smith's assistant of some of his work.
學(xué)校分派一個兼職秘書，來減輕史密斯教授助手的工作。
make out：to write a cheque，bill，etc.開（支票、帳單等）。
eg：The old man made out a cheque for ten thousand pounds as a wedding present for Hughie and Laura.
那老人開出了一萬英鎊的支票作為送給休吉和勞拉的結(jié)婚禮物。
schoolboy hand：the clear rounded writing that was taught in school （old use） writing
add （sth.） up：把……加起來
eg：Add all the items up and see how much we have to pay.
你把所有的項目都加起來，看我們要付多少錢。
eg：It turned out that the old man couldn't add up.
原來那位老人不會算加法。
made me his only clerk：讓我成為他惟一的職員。
responsibility of……的責(zé)任
eg：The responsibility of supporting a large family kept him working from day to night.
養(yǎng)家糊口的責(zé)任使他從白到晚地忙碌著。
eg：The responsibility of protecting the benefits of the people makes the police always maitaining sharp vigilance.
保護人民利益的責(zé)任使警察總是保持高度警惕。
strain：a severe demand on mental or physical strength，resources，abilities，etc.壓力
eg：the stresses and strains of modern life
現(xiàn)代生活的壓力
eg：under great strain
在很大壓力之下
sit up：stay up熬夜，不睡覺
eg：He often sits up late to play computer games.
他經(jīng)常熬夜打游戲。
22.No，no！Evetything must be bright to them.只能讓他們知道好的一面。I never told my family about the strain I had.I only wanted them to know that everything was all right.
Bright美好的，光明的
eg：We have a bright future.
我們都有著美好的未來。
23.This was a point of honor，for every member of the family was working hard，and we were telling each other only the bright things.這是我應(yīng)該做的事，因為家里每個人都在拼命干活，我們相互都是報喜不報憂。
a point/ matter / question of honor：something you feel you must do because of your moral principles原則問題
eg：It was a point of honour with the washwoman to return the wash to its rightful owner.
對那位洗衣婦來說把所洗的衣物歸還給原主是個信譽問題。
24.Besides，no man would complainand give up-
he would die first.并且家里每個成員寧愿死也不會去抱怨，去放棄。Every member of the family would rather die than complain and give up.
complain（of，about） 抱怨
The people in that country are always complaining about high prices.
he would die first 虛擬語氣，省略了條件句if he complained and gave up
25 And could I complain？ 這是個修辭性疑問句，意思是：“我當(dāng)然不能怨天尤人?！?BR> This is a rhetorical（修辭性）
question meaning：Surely I couldn't complain.
A rhetorical question is one you ask as a way of making a statement，without expecting an answer.
Aren't the flowers beautiful？這些花多漂亮！
26.My kind employer soonrelieved me of the strain，for he needed someone tomake outbills and keep his accounts，and finding that I could write a plain schoolboy handand could add uphe made me his only clerk.Soon my boss found that I could write well enough to make out bills and keep his acounts.As he needed someone to do this，he kindly made me the only clerk in the factory.This freed me from the terrible strain of running the steam engine.我那好心的老板很快就解除了我的壓力，他需要有個人開帳單、記帳，他看我還能寫出小學(xué)生水平的字，還會做加法，就叫我當(dāng)了他惟一的職員。
relieve sb.of：免除某人的……（負擔(dān)、職位等）
eg：The medicine will relieve you of the pain.
這藥會減輕你的疼痛。
eg：Let me relieve you of this heavy box.
讓我來幫你拿這個沉重的盒子。
eg：The university assigned a part-time secretary to relieve Professor Smith's assistant of some of his work.
學(xué)校分派一個兼職秘書，來減輕史密斯教授助手的工作。
make out：to write a cheque，bill，etc.開（支票、帳單等）。
eg：The old man made out a cheque for ten thousand pounds as a wedding present for Hughie and Laura.
那老人開出了一萬英鎊的支票作為送給休吉和勞拉的結(jié)婚禮物。
schoolboy hand：the clear rounded writing that was taught in school （old use） writing
add （sth.） up：把……加起來
eg：Add all the items up and see how much we have to pay.
你把所有的項目都加起來，看我們要付多少錢。
eg：It turned out that the old man couldn't add up.
原來那位老人不會算加法。
made me his only clerk：讓我成為他惟一的職員。