A Chance in a million 百万分之一的几率

　　We are less credulous than we used to be. Inthe nineteenth century, a novelist would bringhis story to a conclusion by presenting hisreaders with a series of coincidences—most ofthem wildly improbable. Readers happilyaccepted the fact that an obscure maidservantwas really the hero's mother.

　　1.We are less credulous than we used to be.

　　我们不再像以往那样轻易相信别人了。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析:less…than引导比较状语从句。

　　语言点2:used to be的意思是“过去曾经是”。

　　2.In the nineteenth century, a novelist would bring his story to a conclusion bypresenting his readers with a series of coincidences—most of them wildly improbable.

　　在19世纪，小说家常在小说结尾处给读者准备一系列的巧合—大部分是牵强附会，极不可能的。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析: by presenting his readers with a series of coincidences作方式状语，交代如何“给小说结尾”，破折号后面的内容起进一步解释说明的作用。

　　语言点2:wildly improbable的意思是“极其不可能的”，比impossible的程度更深。

　　3.Readers happily accepted the fact that an obscure maidservant was really the hero'smother.

　　当时的读者却愉快地接受这样一些事实，一个低贱的女佣实际上是主人公的母亲。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析:that引导同位语从句，解释说明fact是什么。

　　语言点2:请特别注意，本句中的hero不做“英雄”来理解，而是指“主人公”。