VOA慢速英语:Short Story: ‘The Diamond Lens,’ Part 1, by Fitz-James O'Brien

短语讲解：

1. The first time I looked through its magic lens, the clouds that surrounded my daily life rolled away.

look through穿过…看
例句：I looked through a telescope.
我用望远镜看东西。
roll away消散
例句：The sun soon rolled the mist away.
太阳很快驱散了薄雾。

2. Day after day, night after night, I studied life under my microscope.

day after day一天又一天地, 日复一日地
例句：Day after day went by and still no message arrived.
日子一天天过去, 仍然没有得到消息。
night after night一夜又一夜

3. This city was far away from my family, so I could spend my time as I pleased.

far away遥远
例句：He lives far away from us.
他住的地方离我们很远。

4. In New York, I would be able to buy excellent microscopes and meet scientists from all over the world. I would have plenty of money and plenty of time to spend on my dream.

plenty of很多, 大量的
例句：She had plenty of imagination.
她有丰富的想象力。
spend on把…花在…
例句：He doesn't spend much time on his homework.
他花在作业上的时间不多。

5. I filled this room with expensive scientific equipment that I did not know how to use.

fill with (使)充〔挤〕满
例句：The sky filled with stars.
满天星斗。

6. I imagined there were still secrets in Nature that the limited power of my equipment prevented me from knowing.

prevent from阻止, 防止
例句：His prompt action prevented the fire from spreading.
他的果断行动制止了火势的蔓延。

7. My parents were angry at the lack of progress in my medical studies.

be angry at因某事生气
例句：He was angry at my words.
他为我说的话生气。

8. One day, while I was working in my laboratory, Jules Simon knocked at my door. He lived in the apartment just above mine.

knock at打, 捶, 敲
例句：Opportunity knocks at the door only once.
机不可失, 时不再来。

9. But Madame Vulpes did not turn on any lights.

turn on打开（水、电视、收音机、灯、煤气等）
例句：Please turn the light on for me; it's getting dark.
天要黑了, 请把灯给我打开。

10. I tore a piece of paper out of my notebook and wrote down a name.

write down写下, 记下
例句：Hold on the phone for a second. Let me find a pen to write down your phone number.
别挂电话, 让我找支笔记下你的电话号码。

11. I climbed the stairs to his apartment and went in without knocking. Simon’s back was toward me as he bent over a lamp.

bend over弯腰; 弯曲
例句：As Jim bent over to pick up the pen, he felt a sharp pain in his back.
吉姆弯腰捡起钢笔时, 觉得背部一阵刺痛。

12. He stared at me for a second.

stare at盯, 凝视
例句：The little child stared at the toys in the shop-window.
那小孩盯着商店橱窗里的玩具。

13. By the time we had finished the first bottle, Simon was very sleepy and very drunk. I felt as calm as ever…for I believed that I knew Simon’s secret.

by the time到…时候为止
例句：He had left by the time we reached home.
当我们到家的时候他已经走了。