Last week at a dinner-party, the hostess askedme to sit next to Mrs Rumbold. Mrs Rumboldwas a large, unsmiling lady in a tight blackdress. She did not even look up when I took myseat beside her. Her eyes were fixed on her plateand in a short time, she was busy eating. I tried tomake conversation. 'A new play is coming to" TheGlobe" soon,' I said. "Will you be seeing it ?"'No,'sheanswered. 'Will you be spending your holidaysabroad this year?' I asked. 'No,' she answered. 'Willyou be staying in England?' I asked. 'No,' she answered. In despair, I asked her whether shewas enjoying her dinner. 'Young man,' she answered,'if you ate more and talked less, we wouldboth enjoy your dinner !'
语法归纳：虚拟语气
一句话总结：虚拟语气只用于非真实条件句中，表达假设的或实现可能性不大的情况，通常表达的只是一种愿望、假设、怀疑或是推测。
条件从句时态→ 主句时态
与现在事实相反：一般过去时→ should / would / could / might + 动词原形
与将来事实相反：should.动词原形→ should / would / could / might + 动词原形
与过去事实相反：过去完成时→ should / would / could / might + have + 过去分词
If we left now, we should arrive at the Capital Airport on time.
如果我们现在就走，我们应该可以准时到达首都机场。
If it should rain tomorrow, we would call off the game.
明天万一下雨，我们就取消比赛。
精讲笔记：
1. Last week at a dinner party, the hostess asked me to sit next to Mrs. Rumbold.
在上星期一次宴会上，女主人安排我坐在了兰伯尔德夫人的身旁。
语言点1 cocktail party 鸡尾酒会
birthday party 生日聚会
tea party 茶话会
dinner party 宴会
evening party 晚会
garden party 游园会
weekend party 周末晚会
Christmas party 圣诞晚会
语言点2 sit next to sb.坐在某人的旁边，相当于sit close to sb
2. Mrs. Rumbold was a large, unsmiling lady in a tight black dress.
兰伯尔德夫人是一位身材高大、表情严肃的女人，穿着一件紧身的黑衣服。
语言点1 large 和 unsmiling两个形容词修饰lady，作前置定语，而 in a tight black dress则是介词短语作后置定语修饰lady。
语言点2 修饰男人“胖”的词汇：strong，heavy，sturdy;修饰女人“胖”的词汇：large，plump。
3. She did not even look up when I took my seat beside her.
当我在她旁边坐下时，她甚至连头都没有抬一下。
