Theinspector began to look for fingerprints, while the constable checked that the frontdoor locks had not been forced, thereby proving that the burglars had either usedskeleton keys or entered over the balcony. There was no trace of fingerprints, but theinspector found a dirty red bundle that contained jewellery which the old lady saidwas not hers. So their entry into this flat was apparently not the burglars' first jobthat day and they must have been disturbed.

　　16.The inspector began to look for fingerprints, while the constable checked that thefront door locks had not been forced, thereby proving that the burglars had eitherused skeleton keys or entered over the balcony.

　　巡官开始搜寻指纹，警察经检查发现大门锁头并无撬过的迹象。由此可以证明，窍贼或者是用万能钥匙，或者是翻越阳台进来的。

　　语言点1:句子结构分析:while引导时间状语从句。两个that均引导宾语从句。

　　语言点2:skeleton key的意思是“万能钥匙。”

　　17.There was no trace of fingerprints, but the inspector found a dirty red bundle thatcontained jewellery which the old lady said was not hers.

　　巡官没有发现指纹，却发现了一个装有珠宝的、肮脏的红包袱。老妇人说那不是她的。

　　语言点:there is/was no trace of的意思是“没有…的痕迹。”

　　18.So their entry into this flat was apparently not the burglars' first job that day andthey must have been disturbed.

　　很明显，闯进这套公寓的窃贼那天并不是首次作案，而且他一定受了惊吓。

　　语言点:句子结构分析:first job在此为暗喻修辞格，实际指“首次作案。”