第二十二讲

   Passage II Thank-You Notes Are Heart-warming
   Text Explanation
   Para. 1
   I’m not yet very good at it , but there is one thing I want to learn to do better. It is writing thank-you notes. When you leave after working or staying with someone in the US, you often get a card saying, For instance, “Mary, I enjoyed working with you very much. Thanks for everything. Cindy. ”Or “Dear Bob, thank you for visiting us. We had such a good time with you. Please come back in the near future. Love, Tom.” Of course, it is not just when you leave that you get a thank- you note. They usually give one to you when they leave after being your guests, though in this case, they might write you another more formal letter of thanks later on. The letter may read like this:
   Dear Mrs. Dalton,
   It is so kind of you and your husband to let us stay with you for the wonderful week. We enjoyed and appreciated all of your kindness more than we can say. We hope that you will come to China some time soon so that we may have the pleasure of seeing you in our home. In the meantime, thank you for your generous hospitality, and my wife joins me in sending kindest regards to your family.

   Sincerely yours,
   Ken

   Language Points:
   Explanation of Difficult Sentences
   1) I’m not yet very good at it
   Analysis: It here refers to writing thank-you notes in the following sentence.
   Translation: 有件事我虽然对它不很擅长，但我希望会学做得更好。
   Example: He is not very interested in it, but he has to put all his heart in collecting all the relevant data for his paper.
   2) it is not just when you leave…
   Analysis: This sentence has a negative form of emphatic structure: it is not ... that emphasizing a time clause just when you leave.
   Translation: 当然,得到感谢信不光是在你要离别的时候。
   Example: Of course, it is not just what you say that is important.
   3) …and my wife joins me in sending kindest regards to your family.
   Analysis: This is one of the usual closing sentences used in thank-you letters. Other similar expressions can be: “They ask me to pass their sincere gratitude to you.” “I’d like to express our hearty thanks to you on behalf of all my friends.”
   Translation:我和我的妻子向您及全家致以我们最真心的问候。
   Example: All my classmates join me in sending their best regards to you.
   2. Important Words
   1) instance n. example, fact, etc.supporting a general truth 例证，实例
   e.g. This is only one instance out of many.这只不过是诸多例子中的一个。
   2) guest n. person paying a visit to another’s house or being entertained 客人
   e.g. Chinese people are very generous to their guests.中国人非常好客。
   3) in the meantime ad. (during) the same time when something else is going on 与此同时
   e.g. We think him guilty in the meantime. 与此同时，我们认为他有罪。
   4) generous a.given freely, noble-minded, plentiful慷慨的，大方的
   e.g. My father has a generous nature.我父亲为人慷慨大方。
   5) sincerely ad. out of one’s heart, in a genuine manner, not pretentiously 真诚地
   e.g. If you invite him sincerely, he will accept it. 如果你诚挚邀请他，他会接受的。