新概念英语第四册自学导读：四:第十一课论老之将至

11-7. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

【译文】其后河面逐渐展宽，两岸相距愈远，水流也愈趋平缓，最后则注入大海，与海水浑然一体，了无痕迹，河水自然而然就此消失了。

【讲解】本句作者仍然运用延伸比喻手法，是对明喻like a river进一步延伸说明。与上句不同之处在于，前句的延伸比喻由一系列短语构成，本句的延伸比喻则由一系列短句构成。

【单词和短语】

painless：不难的，不费力的（not difficult or unpleasant to do），

例如：
the painless way to learn Chinese
学汉语的简易方法

11-8. The man who, in old age, can see his life in this way, will not suffer from the fear of death, since the things he cares for will continue.

【译文】能够这样理解自己一生的老人将不会因害怕死亡而痛苦，因为他所珍爱的一切都将继续存在。

【讲解】who, in old age, can see his life in this way为定语从句，修饰man。he cares for是定语从句，作things的定语。

11-9. And if, with the decay of vitality, weariness increases, the thought of rest will be not unwelcome.

【译文】而且，如果随着精力的衰退，疲倦之感与日俱增，长眠并非是不受欢迎的念头。

【讲解】with the decay of vitality作状语，修饰increases。提前乃是为了强调。the thought of rest，这里的rest指death，乃是委婉语（euphemism）。委婉语即是把粗鲁或不中听的话改用温和顺耳的话表达。will be not unwelcome是双重否定结构。否定式谓语＋含否定意义的词构成双重否定，表示委婉语气。

又如：
What’s done cannot be undone. 已经做了的事后悔也无用。
I could not disobey him. 我是不得不服从他的。

【单词和短语】

unwelcome：（自己）不想要的，（令本人）讨厌的，尴尬的（something that is unwelcome is not wanted, especially because it might cause embarrassment or problems），

例如：
I feared that my arrival might draw the unwelcome attention of officials.
我担心我的到达可能会引起官员们的注意，而这正是我不希望的。

11-10. I should wish to die while still at work, knowing that others will carry on what I can no longer do, and content in the thought that what was possible has been done.

【译文】我倒希望死于尚能劳作之时，因为知道他人将继续我未竟的事业，我大可因为已竭尽所能而心存安慰。 

【讲解】I should wish to die中用should表示委婉语气，意为“我倒希望”。while still at work中while和still之间省略了I am。时间状语从句中主语与主句的主语相同或是it时，这从句里的主语和动词be可省略。knowing that…no longer do作原因状语，修饰wish to die。content in the thought…done与knowing…do并列作原因状语，形容词content前省略了being。what was possible是主语从句。

【单词和短语】

carry on：继续，进行；经营（if you carry on a particular kind of work or activity, you do it or take part in it），

例如：
They carried on the discussion late into the night.
他们一直讨论到深夜。
carry on a hardware business 经营五金店